Reminder about your invitation from John Hudson

This is a reminder that on January 19, John Hudson sent you an invitation to become part of their professional network at LinkedIn. Accept John Hudson’s Invitation On January 19, John Hudson wrote: > To: JHP Press [] > From: John Hudson [johnkhudson@hotmail.com] > Subject: Invitation to connect on LinkedIn > JHP, > > I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn. > > – John You are receiving Reminder emails for pending invitations. Unsubscribe. © 2012 LinkedIn Corporation. 2029 Stierlin Ct, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.

Reminder about your invitation from John Hudson

This is a reminder that on January 19, John Hudson sent you an invitation to become part of their professional network at LinkedIn. Accept John Hudson’s Invitation On January 19, John Hudson wrote: > To: JHP Press [] > From: John Hudson [johnkhudson@hotmail.com] > Subject: Invitation to connect on LinkedIn > JHP, > > I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn. > > – John You are receiving Reminder emails for pending invitations. Unsubscribe. © 2012 LinkedIn Corporation. 2029 Stierlin Ct, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.

Stay tuned for April Tour Plans

FB update:  I reached out to Wounded Warrior Project.. Just wanted to see about supporting them as part of my April Tour for the Troops. They make you pay hundreds of dollars to get signed up and did not seem too interested. I’m sticking with Homes for Our Troops as they have a higher rating on Charity Navigator and a higher percentage of funds goes direct to benefit our most severely injured veterans. God bless them and stay tuned for more info soon on this project.

Summer 2011 – Homes for Our Troops Tour II

I’m heading out for my second tour for Homes for Our Troops tomorrow.  The plan is to cover about 3,000 miles on my way to do some work in Los Angeles and to continue to raise funds for Homes for our Troops along the way. 

Thank you to everyone that generously donated during my first trip in 2009.  That was an amazing ride and I met some incredible veterans and individuals along the way. The trip took me across the central and western sections of the US and I was able to  see some beautiful national and state parks.  Start reading from the bottom of this blog to see some details, photos, and video from that trip.

 “People ask me… “Why this cause?”

I’m not a veteran but my father served our country.  I think we each can make an impact by just jumping in and doing something… right here, right now.  I have a tremendous respect and appreciation for the sacrifices that our veterans make every day for our country.  I heard about how this charity helps our most severely injured veterans by providing barrier-free homes.  My research shows they continue to have  a four-star rating by Charity Navigator.  I chose them because I believe in this cause, because I have been blessed with the ability to help by God, and because it’s a small way to say Thank You to these men and woman for what they do for me and you.  

Click on the link to the right to support this cause.  Any size donation is greatly appreciated.

Come back often for blog updates for this trip each day. Spread the word and help me reach my goal!

John

Happy Veterans Day!

I’m catching up on projects that must get out. Look for updates to the blog next week!

Greg, Dennis, Arlee, Bob - Founders

 I’m thinking today about all the Vietnam, WWII, Iraq, and Afghanistan Veterans that I had the opportunity to meet during my travels across the Western US during the past two months.  I saw an incredible outpouring of support and your service is appreciated more than you know.

 

Fred Hill, Photo Recon Sqdn - South Pacific

Made it Home Safe!

I’m home safe and I’m glad to be back.  My head is spinning with incredible memories. I will be updating the blog with photos and more details on this incredible adventure.  Thank you again for your support!

Homebound

I’m in Page, AZ and should be home by Thursday evening.  I’ve covered 6,638 miles so far and raised over 2,000 for Homes for Our Troops because of your support. I’ve been blessed with excellent weather, great friends along the route, incredible scenery, and tons of help from everyone to help me reach my goal.  I’m looking forward to having more time to go through photos and posting them to the blog.  Thank you again for your support!  This adventure may be coming to an end but the adventure has just begun!

Zion adventure

Heading for overnight camp up on west rim in Zion.

Day 19 – East Glacier

Went to Loulos for breakfast which I had seen a few times passing through Whitefish.  Wow!  This place is so cool and the food is fantastic. The staff is fun and I enjoyed dinner here as well.

I met a few friends outsite…

 

 

 

I left for East Glacier and the temp was about 45 degrees. You would normally take the Going to the Sun road to get there but the center section at the pass is closed for major work. I took about two and half hours to get to the other side of the closed section by going around the southeast section of the park. I watched the temperature reading drop as I climbed to the top of the pass. New levels of alertness and concern fired up as the temperature dropped to 32 and snow began to fall. I kept going because I was so close to the top. The wind was blowing gusts of 40+ and I did not stop long for photos.  As I descended, I noticed the snow swirling around on the road but it was not sticking.

 As I passed St. Mary Lake, I noticed an interesting area to view the mountains with a better vantage point that included the lake.  As I arrived, a ray of light popped out of the clouds. I ran down to the lake with all my gear on so I did not miss this shot. It’s hard to frame a photo with my helmet on but I did not want to miss this. I probably looked like an alien running around but there was nobdy around!

The clouds created some interesting light patterns on the cliffs showing off the detail and colors. This was so beautiful and I would be willing to fight the crowds to come back and see the place in the summer. I’ll never forget this winter experience!

 

 

I continued to descend into dusk and explored options for my return to Whitefish. I decided to trust the GPS and take the shorter route which ended up taking me over a southern pass in Glacier. The snow was still intermittent and the temperatures were in the 30s. The wind was the scariest part of this ride. It was night, I’m on a winding pass road, there are signs of freezing stuff on the road, and I did not know how high I was headed for. I also did not want to turn around for a three hour trip home. I turned up the heated gear, concentrated, prayed, and eventually went over the top and down the other side without incident. I had focused on making it safely back to the hot tub which was a great way to end this incredible day.

Day 18 – West Glacier

It was still raining in the morning and I left in the afternoon for West Glacier which is about 45 minutes from the lodge. The clouds were low and obstructed the views. The Going to the Sun road was closed and I went into the forest at the last parking area.  

Day 17 – Flathead Lake to Grouse Mountain Lodge

Morning!

It was cold! I waited until the sun came up before I ventured out. I did not have far to drive today and could take some extra time to enjoy the view over the lake. I packed up and headed for Leland’s Honda in Kalispeli. The rear tire was bald and I decided to get a front as well because I did not want to mess with another stop during the trip.

Here are some photos of the great staff at Leland’s Honda in Kalispeli. They gave me a good deal on the tires as well as let me use some tools to implement a permanent fix for the reoccurring fuse issue I was having. The circuit ran my radar and GPS and was on a 5A fuse and in a place that was incredibly inaccessible. I ran a new wire from my fuse block under the seat and put it on a 30A fuse. No problems since!

Rain was moving into the area and I was not happy about that with brand new tires. I only had 60 minute drive to Grouse Maintain Lodge in Whitefish, MT.  I took it really slow and arrived just before dark. This is a large conference center and lodge on a beautiful golf course. My friend Pam told me about this place and I’m glad I made it here. I called the manager in advance and she went before the board to request a special rate for me. She secured a complimentary night as well as a huge discount on the remaining nights. The food and service was fantastic! This was to be my departure point over the next week for East Glacier, West Glacier, and Canada.

I unloaded the bike, grabbed bite to eat, a drink to go, and jumped hot tub even though it was about 40 degrees and raining. My back is starting to talk to me about either the riding or camping out. This felt great and is something I did each night in addition to the exercises from my friends at Spine Team Texas. My back improved over the next few days.

Morning!

Day 16- Missoula, MT to Flathead Lake

There is a Pulitzer Prize Photography Exhibit on the campus of The University of Montana and I took some time to visit one of the galleries that I thought was open. They were closed but there was a guy in there cleaning. I’m very happy they let me go in. The images were amazing on many levels and covered so many important moments of our history. I’m glad I took the time to find this. The janitor said he had never really looked at the images and spent some time with me walking around. I walked away thinking about what it takes as a photographer to be at the right place and time with the right frame of mind and skills.

I left later in the day than I wanted and came up on Flathead Lake just 90 miles north of Missoula. This was beautiful country. I did not realize at the time what a small portion of the lake I was seeing. I pulled into Big Arm State Park on the west side of the lake and was the only camper in the park. The sun was getting low so I claimed the last spot close to the lake as my home for the evening. I went by a huge pile of wood and tied it to the back of the motorcycle. I arrived back at my site dragging my heater fuel and laughed thinking about what Lewis and Clark would say if they saw me now.

 It was getting into the 20s and 30s at night and I was able to keep warm. I continue to be amazed as I think about our early explorers. I’m adapting and learning on this trip but have all the comforts and technology!

 I called the Honda Shop near Whitefish because I needed a new rear tire. It’s amazing to have cell coverage in so many places – Verizon rocks! I skipped some rocks on the lake, made some pasta, made next day tea for the camelback, worked on the blog, tied my food and personal items up in a tree, and crashed. 

I heard fiends rummaging about in the early morning. I could not see what it was but spoke to them about how they just needed to move along. I’m somehow easily drifting back to sleep after these meetings with unknown friends in the dark.

Day 15 – Rest Day in Bozeman

I received an interesting email today. A couple had found my bag that came off my motorcycle earlier in the week in WY and sent me an email! I had Homes for Our Troops and John Hudson Photography logos on the bag and they made the effort to contact me. I picked a hotel in Whitefish MT and had them send it there. There were very sweet and I’m sending them a bottle of wine from Carmel.

 

I talked with Shonz and Sam as I was packing up. They invited me to join their trek to a hot springs. I said sure because my only plans were to meet a bag in northern MT. We headed west on 12 out of Missoula into the Lolo National Forest and Idaho. We took a logging road and found a cool vista to have lunch.  After that, we stopped at the Jerry Johnson Hot Springs parking area. There is an impressive footbridge spanning the Lochsa River and a beautiful 1 mile hike though the forest to three springs. We skipped the last one because some nice folks there needed some privacy. We hung out for a few hours and headed back to town to make some dinner. Sam and I picked up some salmon, leaks, salad, and wine. He sautéed the salmon and made a cream sauce – it was awesome! This was a fantastic day.

Day 14 – Bozeman, MT to Missoula

Rode 202 miles and saw a big fire just north of Butte.  I could not find anything in the news about this. Motel 6 gave me great rate and I met Shonz and Sam who were staying near my room. They shared some wine with me and we talked for a while. I went out to town to get dinner and stopped in a bar and ordered a sirloin sandwich with sweet potato fries. I was starving and it was incredible. My friend Teresa texted me to inform me that I was in a greek bar. Ya think… as I see the blond hair flying about, hugs, and hear a few “oh my goshes”…  I went back to the room and crashed.

Day 12 and 13- Custer National Forest, Red Lodge, Bozeman, MT

I woke up early because I wanted to make it to Butte today. My campsite is Greenough Lake which is at the foot of Beartooth Mountain Range. My site is the closest to a river and I slept great. The bear box is huge and allowed me to put my bags inside it. I thought about sleeping in there lastnight.  I packed up camp and headed east to Red Lodge, MT.  I skipped breakfast and looked for a place in town.  I came across the Red Box Car Drive In and ordered a mushroom burger for brunch. I caught up on phone calls as I waited on my burger. I noticed a little girl waving at me but she was a little tentative. I’m looking scary now with my beard that is more clearly forming.  I approached them after they had their lunch and told them a little about my trip.  They were excited about doing a family portrait and I had a lot of fun with this session. Kam, Darcy, and Hanna were a lot of fun to work with! They live in the area  and were helpful with sending me on a more scenic route to Bozeman and Butte. 

 

 

 

 

 

  

I saw my first and only bear in the hills off of highway 78 out of Red Lodge. Its distinctive lumber caught my eye and I pulled over to catch a glimpse of it as it cruised past a farmer on a tractor and into a wooded area.

The morning temperature was in the 30’s and it was now 86 as I departed the Custer National Forest. The longer photo session and scenic route resulted in a 6pm arrival into Bozeman, MT. I figured I would call it a night as I looked for a hotel. Something told me to skip a few exits and the one I picked had a Best Western. I pulled in and noticed the manager on the phone and looking at me through the window. I waited in the lobby to speak with him. Carl waved me in and I gave him my card and told him my story. Carl turned out to be a big supporter of my cause. He walked me up to the front desk and arranged for a SUPER fantastic rate for me. I’m so impressed with everyone’s support and assistance. 

The Best Western GranTree In in Bozeman rocked! The food and service was exceptional. This town felt like Grady,SC which is featured in Doc Hollywood. I could see myself living here. There are lots of signs that winter is coming as I’m seeing new snow blowers and wood being transported everywhere. I restocked on food and rest and this was a nice break. Camping is rough on the body and I had been out in the wilderness for the past four nights. There is always a place to take a shower but it was nice to do laundry and be back in civilization for a bit.

Day Eleven – Tower Campground to Beartooth Pass

I had a leftover piece of bacon that Sharon had cooked for me the day before and I heated it up and shared it with them.  Dan is a wedding photographer as well and they are from Houston.  It’s a small world!  Mike gave me a really cool flashlight that charges in my cigarette lighter on the bike.  This has been a huge lifesaver because I lost my surefire back in Moab. 

I left for the East exit and encountered so many cool sights. 

 

 

 

The park is incredibly large and there are tons of areas to just sit and look over a valley and watch for wildlife.

I was thinking about how much I respect those that are good at the art of fly fishing.  Just a few moments later, I came around a corner and saw three fishermen working along a river and decided to stop.  I needed to freshen up and do some laundry as well. 

They were from England and were visiting Yellowstone for 10 days.  I hope they contact me – they did not have cards.

I went downstream and it was great to clean up and take care of some laundry which dries on the back of my bike under a net. 

I would love to move here – this is my environment and inspiration.  My family, friends, foreseeable opportunities, and reality are all in Texas.

I stopped to checkout some bison.  One was to my right about 20 yards off the left side of the road.  I took a few shots from the motorcycle of him rolling in the dirt and then focused on the others down in the valley to my right. 

 

I heard a car honk and looked up to see the huge guy walking toward me.  He was within 20 feet of me!  I threw my camera around my right arm, started the bike, and moved down the road about 15 yards. He stopped right where I was and then looked at me.  I guess my bright red jacket was of interest and he turned and began walking towards me.  Those things are so huge and very intimidating.  He did this again — so I moved about 30 yards down the road.  He then decided to join his companions in the valley. 

I finally made it out of Yellowstone two and a half days after I thought I would.  I was now on one of the best rides in North America – the Beartooth Highway!   I passed over the 10K+ pass above treeline.   

 

 

 This was an incredible ride…

Bear Small

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It was getting late and I needed to get down off the mountain and find a place to camp.  As the roaded flattened out off the pass, I saw a campground sign and pulled in.  I found a beautiful site along a river in the Custer National Forest.  I have never seen so many shooting stars.

Day Ten – Snake River to North Yellowstone

It was even colder this morning and I was able to sleep until the sun came up. It was still below 30!

That’s when I met Tucker.  Tucker came running around to the front of my tent to greet me and he helped me to keep my mind off the cold.   As I packed up, I met Tucker’s owner.  Mike had spoken with Dave about my project and he was interested in hearing more.  He and his wife Sharon invited me into their RV for coffee and breakfast!  It was incredible.  She made me bacon and eggs and we had a great conversation.  They used to own the Elk River Café which has been rated to have one of the best huckleberry cobblers in the west by the New York Times. Mike was in the Navy and is a retired Nuclear Engineer.  He said running that café was the most stressful thing he has ever done. 

He told me about his hamburger recipe – it’s an engineered hamburger.  The meat has two eggs, whistershire, and other special seasonings.  The burger is cooked by specific time on a George Forman because it cooks evenly on both sides.  He puts the cheese side down on the bottom bun because it keeps the juices from penetrating into the bun.  He slices the tomatoes thin, puts mayo, catchup, and horseradish under the lettuce top bun. This is from memory from 10 days ago and I hope I get the actual recipe when I mail him some photos!

 

Mud Volcano…  Crazy color among grey and smelly steaming cauldrons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I left for Red Lodge but made it to the NE end of the park.  All the campgrounds were full and I suited up for a ride after dark.  About that time, I met Dan and Mike… 

They told me the Beartooth Highway closes at 8pm and they offered me space in their campground. Bob, the campground host, said it was fine.

Day Nine – Yellowstone

This was my first really cold night which was in the 20s.  I awoke to the sounds of a flock of ducks landing in the water about 30 yards from my tent.  There was frost on my sleeping bag, ice crystals rained down on me as zipped open the vestibule, and there was a light fog hanging over the river, I took a few photos of the ducks, went to the restroom, and spent 15 minutes trying to quit shivering back in my sleeping bag.  I waited until the sun came up before I ventured back out again. 

Dave and Meg invited me in for some espresso and we talked some more.  They have an espresso maker in their RV like mine back home!  It was awesome.  I put my extra clothes and hiking equipment in the tent and decided to stay there another night.  I got a few shots of Bella, Dave and Meg’s dog, and then I was off to explore Yellowstone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I made it to Old Faithful.  She is not so faithful and I waited for an extra 45 minutes to promptly run when she went off.  Never sit downwind – I was far way and still got soaked.  I’m leaving this very touristy area…

  

 

These folks were not so touristy and very nice to talk to…

Day Eight – Colter Bay Village to Flagg Ranch

I met an interesting couple on a BWM 1300 GS. 

They purchased the bike in Canada and are heading down to Mexico.  What an adventure! 

 

 

 

I picked a gravel road that is between Schwabacher’s Landing and the Snake River Overlook and headed southeast.  I met a Mary Joe and Bob from Tennessee photographing wildlife with their 600m lenses. 

While we were talking, a female elk and her calf crossed the river.  This was amazing!

 

 

 

I went to the end of the road and took a hike because I saw a number of people walking north along the  river.  A photographer told me that there was a moose but it had left.  I walked around for bit and headed further north along the river and saw some brush moving.  I moved down about 50 yards where I could get a better view.  It was a female moose and her calf.  They were both resting in the brush and the mamma had just gotten up. 

 

 

 

 

 

I headed down a trail to the west and found a clearing.  I kept hearing something about 30 to 40 yards behind me but could not see anything because the brush was so thick. I counted 11 trails that led to where I was.  I felt confident something would stumble upon me so I sat quietly for a while.  Then, I heard something substantial moving my direction from the south.  I sat up and watched.  It was making a ruckus and I began getting concerned.  Just then, a lady with two cameras popped out of a trail smiling real big.  I did not hear anything after that so I headed in the direction of where I had parked through the forest.  The sun was filtering down through the yellow and gold aspen leaves.

I went up to Signal Mountain after that.  This side of the park is closer to the Tetons but I think the view to the west from the main road is much more majestic.  I coasted down the mountain hoping to surprise some wildlife and passed a car before getting back on the west road. 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m not wearing a watch and I’m not exactly sure what time it is.  I’ve been judging when it’s time to find shelter by the sun and it was that time.  I headed north and went to Flagg Ranch to find a campsite. It felt pretty touristy and I found a gravel road to the north of Flagg Ranch.  I found some cool campsites along the Snake River but they were all taken.  I met a guy working around his RV and he offered to let me setup my tent at their site.  Dave and Meg were from California and super nice.  I setup my tent  30 yards down from their RV right next to the Snake River.  This land was donated by John D. Rockefeller with stipulations that the state could not charge campers for staying here.  This is way cool!  

I went back to the lodge to get some power for the laptop and blog for a bit. I got lost in working on some HDR images from UTAH and Meg and Dave came to find me at 10pm.  I feel like I have family here!  I went back with them to their RV and had some great wine.  We talked for awhile and had a great time. I took a few night shots from my tent and then crashed.   

1:00am - Snake River from my tent

 

 

Day Seven – Jackson Hole, WY to Tetons and Colter Bay Village

Moulton Barn on Mormon Row in the Tetons

I woke up at 4:30am to prepare for a sunrise shot of Moulton Barn on Mormon Row in the Tetons.  I heard about it and had scoped it out the last night – found it with my headlight.  I arrived at the location about 6am and felt like I was the last to arrive.   There were already about 15 photographers lined up for the same shot of the morning light on the barn and Tetons. I met J.R. and he said there was a professional photography conference going on in Yellowstone.  The place was crawling with photographers.

I departed for Schwabacher’s Landing which is just a few miles north.  This area has a several beaver dams. The resulting reflective pools offer some incredible views of the Tetons to the West. I spent about two hours here and think this would be a good place to come back in the evening.  They say the beavers are more active then and it might be a good place to watch the sunset. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I stopped at the Snake River Overlook and was not that impressed with the views here.  The trees have grown so much it’s hard to see all the turns of the river.  Some glowing aspens in the rising sunlight caught my eye and wandered through them. 

The bag from bob had arrived in Jackson Hole so I went back to pick that up from FedEx, purchase some replacement clothes, and checkout of the hotel.  The folks at Hoback Sports took care of helping me find what I needed at a great price and I headed back to the hotel. 

I met Ann Labenne, Jackson professional woodcarver near the square.  She does some incredible work with a chainsaw!   

 

 

 

I drove up onto the sidewalk the entry of the park at Jackson Square and had someone take my photo. 

 

 

 

My tank bag sometimes causes my horn (140 decibels – like a truck!) to go off when I turn all the way to the left.  As I was trying to exit that park, it went off and I caused an even bigger scene. 

I packed up and headed north to Colter Bay Village.  Saw my first moose along the way! The camp sites were full and I decided to rent a cabin. 

Day Six – Rest Day in Jackson Hole, WY

I blew a fuse and had to take apart the left side of the scooter to find it. I did not install this one and would have made it easier to get to!  I walked around town and met some siblings that are “heading west” to find new opportunities and a new home.  Like me, they were enjoying the beautiful day and weather.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just before sunset, I took my first look at the Teton Range as they are just over the hill from Jackson Hole. I’m here and super excited about being in this park.  Here are a few images I was able to capture in the hour I had before dark. 

    

Day Five -Flaming Gorge Rec Area, UT to Jackson, WY

 I was able to get my fire started again pretty quick (something I will struggle with during the next week) and I packed up my camp on the ridge overlooking Flaming Gorge Recreation Area in Utah.

Bear Bag (saddle bag) in Tree

I really enjoyed Utah and plan to spend more time here on the way back home from CA. However, I was excited about moving on to Wyoming. I was excited about seeing the Tetons and Yellowstone and my mind was on that as I packed. I rode the bike most of the way down the rocky road without any luggage to make sure I avoided a fully-loaded exit crash. My bike does not look like the one in The Motorcycle Diaries, but its close!

I went by Flaming Gorge Dam which was pretty impressive. I entered the southern plains of Wyoming which reminded me of New Mexico. Initially, the winding curves were great, but the road transformed into boring flat runs – you could see for miles.  The road was in great shape and there was no traffic.

I twisted the throttle so I could get to Jackson, WY before dark. I stopped about 230 miles later for gas. As I walked around the motorcycle, my heart sank. I could not believe what I saw before me. I could see the back tire which is normally concealed by my saddle bag. It was gone!

After it sank in that it was really gone, I backtracked looking for my suitcase-sized custom saddlebag. After a few hours of darting my eyes back and forth at 50 mph, I stopped at the Valley Mart located in Farson, WY which has a population of 328. I had to get a new attitude and a new plan. That thing had to fly 100 yards into some farmer’s field when it came off the bike. It will turn up in the next 48 hours or in 3 years. I checked my messages hoping that someone had already called me because my logo with my name created by FastSigns in Carrollton is on the bag. I had a message from Lynn who is my new friend from Pieter Andreis Jewlers. She wished me a safe journey and wished me well in my new adventure. Her message ended with “Go Forward!” So…I did.

I called my friend Bob in Dallas who has a motorcycle like mine and he said he would overnight his bag to me in Jackson, WY. I really need the storage space so this is a big relief. Meanwhile, the “Valley Mart Ladies” kept me entertained. Kenli and Lacey were great companions during this first adventure challenge. I appreciated them not laughing at me too much and their help in keeping my sense of humor. All I’ve lost is my clothes and food which are replaceable.

It’s 8pm, 42 degrees, very dark, and the road winds through the mountains only 20 miles from Jackson Hole. I’m so cold that I forget about the heated grips and don’t want to take the time to put on all the cold-weather gear. I just want to find a hotel. There is no sign of an economic slowdown here. The first five hotels are full but I find a room at the Cache Creek Motel which worked out great. I told them about my cause and they supported me with a great discount. I went downtown in my gear and had a burger at Billy’s Giant Hamburgers. Wow! This place is incredible. It was a fantastic burger and the company is fun and easy to talk to. You have to stop in here if you make it to Jackson Hole.

Lee and Linda

There is a U-shaped bar and everyone sits around it like a soda fountain. I met Nancy, David, Carol, and Charlie and they are some fun people. I also met Lee and Linda from the Chicago area. This is a cool place and I hope to be able to visit again. 

Nancy, David, Carol, and Charlie with our dedicated server AnthonyAnthony serves up a mean burger!

Anthony serves up a mean burger!

Day Four – Moab, UT to Flaming Gorge Rec Area

DayFour

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 I stayed at Arch View RV Park near the entrance to Arches National park because the campsites were full in the park.  The RV Park is a new thing to me but I really like the connivance of having electrical power, nice showers, and laundry services. There is usually a store for supplies. Another couple setup camp next to me about midnight and I knew they would hate me in about four hours. 

Delicate Arch at Sunrise

I woke up about 4:30 and packed the bike for a trip to Delicate Arch.  The hike to the arch took about 45 minutes and the sun was just coming up when I arrived.  I had a blast shooting and enjoyed just watching the colors change.  I spent about an hour there and did not see another soul except for two people up at the arch.  You cannot see them in the photos because they are so small.

I hiked back down and was frustrated about not being able to find anything.  I wanted to devise a better system for packing and took everything off the bike in the parking lot to accomplish this. 

A tour bus stopped and all these people were walking by looking at my mess.  I said in my thick Texas drawl… “I’m having a yard sale… y’all need any stuff…”  They just looked at me with very confused and touristy gaze.   Patty and Bruce Thomas stopped by and laughed with me about all my stuff.  They gave me some albacore tuna and some grapes which I really enjoyed for breakfast.  We talked about my project and I really appreciated their generosity.  They already made a nice comment on the blog!  

As I squeezed fresh albacore from the pouch, I noticed a man looking at me from his auto.  I waved and he came over to talk with me.  We talked about my trip and my cause.  Gail had lost his wife and reconnected with Gwen whom he had not seen since high school. 

Gail and Gwen

They were super nice and then gave me $50 for Homes for Our Troops.  He told me to use it how I needed because I probably looked pretty homeless as I’ve not shaved since I left. 

Joe

About that time, a guy on a BMW 1200 GS went by and bunny-hopped the curb to trek down a 4WD road.  He came back and we talked for a bit.  It turns out he works for a good friend of mine in Dallas and he is based in Seattle.   Joe gave me $20 for Homes and I plan to try to meet up with him when I go through Seattle.  It’s a small world.  I finished my re-pack and headed out of the park.  On the way, I stopped at an overlook and noticed a young woman asleep behind some brush near her car.  She woke up and we talked for a bit. 

 

Krystle

Krystle showed me some of her canvas art work and talked about her plans to move to Seattle.  She is an accomplished artist that is following her passion and I really respect that.   I gave her the rest of my grapes from Patty and got some fun photos of her.

It was time to hit the road… As I entered Flaming Gorge Recreation area, I topped a hill and something told me to take the gravel road that traversed a ridge.  At the end of the road was a really cool primitive campsite that had views to the East and West.  I setup camp and a thunderstorm rolled in.  The lighting was very concerning and the winds picked up to at least 30 mph.  I figured I was heading to bed for the night and wanted to keep the wildlife at bay.  I hurriedly threw my food supplies and personal items into a side case and tied it up in a tree.  I threw everything else in the tent and there was no room to move.  I finished cooking dinner in my vestibule.  The storm ended up being a short one and I was able to relight and enjoy my campfire.   

I did hear some noises in the night and said in a low and loud voice…. “Hey bear….. Hey Mr. bear….. Go away….. There is nothing to see here…….. Go away!!!!”  Whatever it was did depart.  I found my glasses case and a bag about 30 yards from my motorcycle the next morning???

Day Three – Bloomfield, NM to Moab, UT

Here is the video from day three with the three firefighters I meet in Bloomfield.  Their names are Michael Romine (engineer), Kip Rick (firefighter), and Captain Dave Burk. 

DayThree

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I met another rider and spent the afternoon exploring the area around Mexican Hat, Utah with him.  This has been high on my list for a long time.   I had lunch at the Dairy Café and met Fay Belle.  She cooks an incredible hamburger and I really enjoyed my visit with her and her daughter.  They pointed out where the Goosenecks are on the map and I stopped by there for an hour after lunch. The view is incredible.  I hiked down about 150 feet to the ledge to get a better view. There are three curves of the river in the photo but I think there are six like this. 

I took some images for the HDR image that is in the video. I’m coming back here because there are so many things to see here and explore.  I came across an Indian selling her jewelry art.  She had the best smile!  

 I took some images for the HDR image that is in the video. I’m coming back here because there are so many things to see here and explore.

A little about HDR….  HDR is the process of merging 3 to 9 RAW images to create one high dynamic range image.  HDR solves the problem with high contrast and allows you to merge the best color tones contained in images that have bracketed exposures. The camera is on a tripod, aperture is fixed at 22 or as high as possible, ISO is at 200 or lower, images are captured in RAW, and the shutter is adjusted above and below the target exposure to get the tonal ranges. Photoshop is used (Merge to HDR) to create a single 32 bit image which is between 50 and 200MB.  The Photomatrix plugin is then used to do the tonal mapping to create the final HDR image in 16 or 8 bits.  A by-product of this process is high saturation.  I like the look in some images yet with others, it can be overdone. I want to explore finding the balance during this trip with the process to create images that look the way I saw them.

I arrived in Moab at around 7pm and had a great dinner at Zax Restaurant and had a great salad and wood fired pizza.   I decided to camp and went to Arch View RV resort and camped. 

The star shots are pumped up to emphasize the incredible skies that I have been blessed with as I doze off to sleep.  The one with curvy lines was created by waving my camera at cars coming down the road and then I set the camera on the ground for 30 seconds.  When it’s not too cold, I leave the fly open so I can see out my tent door.  The milky way is so vibrant and shooting stars are common.  I love looking at the sky at night and the best time is right after the campfire goes out before I crash.

Day Two– Tucumcari, NM to Bloomfield, NM

Miles: 334     Weather: Cloudy, 65 

DayTwo

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Thumbs Up	No Rain – it was everywhere around me but not on me.
Not So Much	Long boring route!

Departed Tucumcari and enjoyed the long boring jog through central New Mexico.  I ate protein bars and drank on the bike to get this segment done as quickly as possible.  I made it into Bloomfield, NM and searched for campgrounds on the GPS.  I found one and stopped in to get a meal before setting up camp.  I was tired and did not meet any interesting folks. 

I pulled into the Desert Rose RV Park and this was my first stay at one of these places.  I was hoping for a smiling face welcoming me to my beautiful tent site under the trees.  OK – it was a learning experience. Everything I needed was there. There was a shower and a great place to setup camp.  I had visions of blogging and then immediately crashed. 

I woke up to the sounds of 16 tourists from Germany making breakfast.  The sun was just coming up.  I made coffee and oatmeal that I snatched the previous day from the breakfast buffet.  I packed everything up and then went over to talk to the tourist.  I saw 16 folks, a large bus, and tons of stuff but no tents.  I asked one of them where they slept and she pointed at the back of the bus which was hidden by trees and said..  “the chicken house”.  As I walked around the trees, I could see 16 little windows stacked up 4 high in the back of the bus.  Wow – I thought my tent was small! 

Almost crashed leaving the tent site check out the wobble in the video and the chicken house.

I noticed water streaming 150’ into the air and a rainbow as I was leaving Bloomfield.  I stopped to check out the three firemen running a maximum flow test on the truck. I met Michael Romine (engineer), Kip Rick (firefighter), and Captain Dave Burk.  They let me take some photos and I will get these online for these guys to download. This was an amazing demonstration.  They did a similar ride to mine and sold cookbooks to raise money. 

Will finish when I have some more time…

Flower Mound,TX	1p	Tucumcari, NM	9:30pm	462	462
Tucumcari, NM	11a	Bloomfield, NM	6:30PM	334	796
Bloomfield, NM	3p	Moab	8pm	285	1081
Moab	4a	Flaming Gorge, UT near Dutch John, UT		305	1386
Faming Gorge	1p	Jackson, WY		324	1710
Rest Day

Just took some cool photos of a family with two dogs.  They will be making a donation and I will post them soon.

I’m in Jackson and have to take apart the left side of the bike to find a fuse that has blown.  I will write more / post some pictures from the past few days.

Made it to Tucumcari, NM

DayOne

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Day One – Dallas to Tucumcari, NM

Miles: 462  Weather: Hard Rain but nice sunset and ride to hotel. 

Thumbs Up	Gear! This is the first time I’ve been on an extended ride in the rain. I was expecting to stop, adjust, etc….  No Problems!Donations in RouteSlacker Radio
Not So Much	18 Wheeler Rain Spray

 

I waited for a break in the rain and decided that it was not going to happen. I departed Flower Mound at 1pm.  I could see clouds moving from right to left and could envision the radar that I studied for the past two days.  As I passed through Childress, the clouds were moving from NE to SW.  I cleared this huge storm right and was given a glimpse of a sunset outside of Claude.   

I was a little concerned about being overweight because of how the first test runs went.  I jettisoned a few things and moved about 13 pounds from the rear trunk to my backpack that is strapped to the seat right behind me.  It lowered the CG and greatly improved the handling. 

Stopped near Alliance Airport to top off the tank and switch from my dead Zune to my Blackberry with Slacker Radio.  I talked to a few folks and received two donations on the spot!  I went in to get coffee and returned to the motorcycle to find another $20 bill tucked under my sleeping bag strap!  I was really excited to get this kind of support and start to my trip.

Slacker Rocks!  My Verizon phone lasted most of the day without charging and the coverage is fantastic.  I’ll put the charger in the tank bag so I can have a fully charged phone when I camp in Canyon Lands, UT tomorrow night.

 I thought a lot about how much everyone has helped me to get ready for the trip. Thank you Bob and Keith for helping me to prepare and all the good advice! 

Thank you Peter and Lynn at Andries Jewelers for the donation and new friendship. I’m glad I found you guys.  You did an awesome job repairing my father’s gold scapula necklace it gives me confidence and comfort to have it on my neck during this adventure.

Thank you Fast Signs on Beltline in Carrollton for the donation. The Homes for Our Troops logos that you did for me is already helping to secure donations!

Thanks to John and Lisa at Bowen Eye Care in Flower Mound for the great care and donation. I’ve got my progressive readers on now and they rock!        

Thanks to Lisa at Career Connection who donated on the spot after my interview on KDAF. 

Thank you to all those that have donated to Homes for our Troops which aids our most severely injured veterans. 

t-minus one hour

Blog entries will be from phone now… Thank you for your understanding!from– having bfast at Local Diner — noade it to church and I feel well prepared for the trip. it was awesome to have an exra nights sleep. I also feel nervous because I’ve never done a trip like this. I’ve prepared physically and done everything possible to ensure it will be safe and comfortable. — now its time to have fun. Thanks to everyone that has donated and for the planning help !

Departure Delayed – Enjoying a good night’s sleep!

I had a blast last night shooting a wedding!  Took a test run today with all the gear in the rain.  I’m at 75%  carrying  capacity and the load is MUCH better balanced than previous test runs.  The bike feels good.  It’s awesome to have a night to rest and get some sleep.  I’m heading out in the morning.

My Ask

 

Background

I’m taking an exciting sabbatical and I’m using my passions to help others. During this time, I will travel across the western US on my motorcycle raising money to help injured veterans.  Donations direct to Homes for Our Troops are tax detectable and will help me reach my goal of $15,000.  See the link to the right. 

I’m also creating Honor Books  for veterans and their families which include  photos with personal and inspiring  quotes.  These sessions take about two hours will be scheduled during and after my trip.  These books are provided at no charge to the veterans.   

My Ask:

    – Donate to Homes for Our Troops – see link on blog
    – Help me schedule photo sessions in route – veterans, friends, family, commercial…

See the route map and send me names of your family and friends in route so that I can get sessions scheduled as these will cover the cost of the books for the veterans.  

Thank you for your support!

John

Artist / Photographer Clicks Miles and Pics for Troops

Riding for Our Troops

Support and Follow the Adventure

What: Photographer to ride 7,000 miles on his motorcycle to raise $15,000 for Homes for Our Troops which helps our severely injured service men and women.  John will provide photo sessions, take donations, and coordinate rides along his route to raise funds for this organization during his multi-month sabbatical.  

When: September 12th – October 15th

Call to Action: Help John Reach His Goal by…

   – Schedule a Photo Session during the trip / Contact John at 469-233-0229

   – Ride with John / Coordinate Fundraising

   – Donate at http://www.homesforourtroops/goto/JohnHudsonPhotography

   - Follow the adventure blog: http://johnhudsonphotography.wordpress.com/