Jesse Murch 9/1/16 Jesse Murch 9/1/16

Day 5 - Craters of the Moon

The morning was calm when i awoke, and the campsite was still and quite, it was shortly after sunrise so i was the first up and climbed out of the tent, a quick survey found Kayla had made it through unscathed as where Mike hadn't, his tent a sad mess lay flat on the ground soaking in water and upon a quick hunt i found I'm sleeping heavily in the driver seat of the car in full rain attire. I took a brisk walk around the grounds trying to familiarize myself with the alien terrain wee found ourselves in before returning to the campsite and waking everyone up. Since only our tents had been set up we were collapsed and off to explore the park within minutes. The park was a result of multiple volcanoes going off at once and essentially melting each other and creating a black solidified magma dessert. The rocks were sharp and jagged and because other flowing nature when solidified created many caverns and tunnels throughout.

The park was small but intricate, we found ourselves wandering through this black landscape photographing while we went, we came to a trail head and after a quick conversation with a more the helpful park ranger we were pointed in the direction of some massive caverns and told to self guide ourselves throughout them, as we are ones for the trail less traveled we hustled down the path. A mile or so in we found our selves at a vast hole in the ground, below our feet would be the tunnels we would soon be exploring, helping each other climb down we made our way onto the first chamber, it was about eight feet in diameter and high enough to bend down and walk around in, the next chamber was wider but shorter and required a golem esq walk. Finally towards the back wall of this chamber a small whole the size of one of us led down to another opening this one took a little more time and grace to avoid the sharp rocks pointing at your face and back but once in felt as though you discovered something secretive and special. The air inside was cool and calm, light rays peaked in through cracks around the walls, we sat and took it for a few moments laughing and discussing the journey in. Climbing back out proved to be more difficult then in shortly with all of us sustaining some sort of cut or scrape, but nevertheless we made it out and walked a cliff edge to a very large chamber about thirteen or so feet high and here is where we photographed Kayla once again before being flushed out by new explores of the cave.

The Road looped around the park as to make sure you see everything before leaving and the last spot on the road before exiting was a remaining volcano peak, the parking lot it its base left you feeling quite small gazing toward the sky. The entire mountain and trail up was covered in black sand like rocks and climbed steeply, the sweat poured down our faces as we peaked. Atop you could see a full panoramic view of the park we had just explored, while disappointingly there was no gapping whole into a fiery pit of lava there was a pleasant twisted tree on the peak providing much needed shade and a place to sit and rest before heading back down.

It was about mid day at this point and we still had a few hours before reaching the southwestern gates of Yellowstone so we thought it best to jump in the jeep and get onto the highway. The hours went by quickly and before we knew it we were talking to the ranger at the gate about what to see in the time we had left before the sun set. During this exchange we also were informed that all the campsites throughout the entire park had been booked and we would have to leave the park and find a hotel for the night at dusk. Not wanting to venture to far in knowing every mile we drive we would have to drive back shortly we pulled off at a wide river and took in some scenes of the mountains and setting sun while we could. We found a lodge ten minutes from the gates that had one open room for the night so we bunked up and after showering and editing we all set in for a good nights sleep and awaiting the next day of exploring americas first national park.

Jesse Murch 9/1/16 Jesse Murch 9/1/16

Day 4 - The Painted Hills

It was hot and the sun was high as we got our late start, climbing out of the hotel and packing back into the jeep on our way to The painted hills, located a few hours south in the town of Bend, Oregon. The drive was simple and pleasant and with the help of conversation and sing alongs to the radio it made for a quick feel. As we exited northern oregon and headed further south the lush trees stripped away and we were greeted with dusty plains and wide open spaces. Pulling off the high way, the jeep crackled and hummed over the now sand and rock road, winding through farmlands and past old decaying structures from a time long ago. A rippling of reality caused by the heat could be seen over every horizon, the temperature now mid day spiked over one hundred degrees. A small wooden sign pointed us in the right direction and we found ourselves at once being surrounded by technicolored hills, vibrants red and purples straddled the mounds that flowed like calming waves as far as the eye could see.

Escaping the cool serenity of the jeep for the glaring heat of the sun as we clambered onto a small foot path that led up one of the hills, the hike was short but the heat tested our endurance within minutes we were sweating and out of breathe, still we pushed on knowing the reward would justify the pain. Our suspicions were correct as we peaked and overlooked the landscape before, words escaped each of us at that moment and we were left standing and jaw dropped, how could something like this exist and be created naturally with time. As you stood you immediately realized that life isn't about jobs, or what car you drive, or how big your house and bank accounts are, its about this, simple moments of standing atop a ridge with people gazing out at the wonders in this world connecting through something deeper then spoken words or written text could transcribe. Find these moments in life, as many as you can, and hold onto them for as long as time will allow and you will never regret it. After taking it all in we headed to the most popular spot in the park, a set of vibrant red hills with a boardwalk serpentining through them, it was only about a mile down the road and within minutes we found ourselves standing at the start of the path, here would be the place we decided to shoot some more images of Kayla in the gorgeous pieces that had been given to us. Waiting for a few tourists to enjoy the spot and move on, we quickly had Kayla change and start doing her thing, positioning her in the middle of the two hills and filling the frame with as much of the vibrant red as we could made for something exceptional images. We had only a few moments of shoot time before we had to quit as the boardwalk became quite hot from the full sun and rising temperatures of the day and was beginning to take its toll on Kaylas feet. We wandered for a little while longer around the park, enjoying the views and shooting here and there before, now literally dripping in sweat, we thought it best to start our journey to Yellowstone National Park, which at this point was over eight hours of drive time away and would by far be the furthest stretch of driving for the trip.

A few hours into the drive and now in Idaho, we pulled of to refill at a gas station and get some much needed cold beverages and snacks, it was dusk at this point and we were starting to come to the realization that Yellowstone was less likely to get to in enough time to camp, standing outside and discussing and researching our options i stumbled across a campground and national park none of us had heard of, the name was odd, Craters of the Moon National Park, but extremely intriguing so after a quick google images search and seeing the martian terrain and justified name that was the destination for sleeping tonight. Before we could leave the station a strange wind pushed over the facility followed by a wailing siren, not that of a police car or firetruck, but the silent hill esq city siren to signify a tornado or something of that nature, and once arriving home days later we actually discovered it was a tornado a few miles from us, we shook off the weird feeling and proceeded on, in moments lighting started off in the distance gradually becoming closer and closer until the thunder accompanied it almost immediately, it was loud and violent like fireworks on the fourth of july. The thunderstorm and winds lasted the entire rest of the drive to Craters of the moon, upon entering the campsite everyone was already asleep for the night so we quickly picked a spot in the back corner as to disturb as few people as possible while trying to set up, as if setting up a tent in the dark using only a flashlight wasn't difficult enough you add to that the severe winds and slight drizzle and you have a less then fun situation. Still after about twenty or so minutes our shelters were set. We quickly climbed inside our respective tents and tried to sleep. It felt as though id been asleep for only minutes when the feeling of something smacking me in the face awoke me, it was the sides of my tent being blown from the wind, between that and the heavy rain it was deafening inside, down towards my feet i could feel a dampness of water starting to find its way in and from the sound of shuffling and grunting to my right i assumed Mike was having his own issues as well. I wrapped myself in a jacket and sleeping back and scooted to the center of the tent and watched it move back and forth until my eyes grew heavy and i feel back asleep.

Jesse Murch 7/6/16 Jesse Murch 7/6/16

Day Two - La Push on to Forks

Rustling could be heard throughout or site as we each broke down our respective tents and packed up the car, we had read about hot springs not to far off and decided that would make a good destination one for the day. The sun was quickly painting itself over the horizon and onto the dense wet forest we awoke in as we put the last bag in the car. Route 101 winds around the outer perimeter of the washington peninsula, sandwiched between the Pacific ocean and Olympic National park. The road curved like a snake for miles between old growth pines and dark rocky beaches, music chirped through the car as we fueled ourselves on granola bars and cheap coffee. Turning left off of the 101 onto a small backroad that would lead us to the trail head our eyes became quickly averted out the window to the bluest water. The cascading teals swam through an opening in the pines like something from a movie scene. Naturally we pulled over and grabbed our cameras, scurrying down the hillside we approached the unreal waters and gazed in awe.

Surely our eyes were registering this wrong, water is only this blue in cartoons or movies and had to be created in post, but no the water before was indeed as vibrant as led to believe, we got our fill of photographs and proceeded back to the car too follow this blue serpent to two iron gates closing the road to the hot springs. This bewildered us as we discussed what to do, in unison it was set that we would hike from the gates to the springs, at first the road was flat and pleasant curling between trees adorned with spanish moss and emerald green vines, then we approached our first up hill about five miles in, this quickly became how the rest of the hike would go, straight up hill with little to no plateaus to catch our breathe on. The day was not your typically north western day, instead of misty mountains and over cast skies we received brilliant and hot sun with clear blue sky’s and one of the hottest days on record, even the mammoth pines and there draping shadows provided little safety from the heat. Dripping with sweat and feeling beyond parched we crested a hill to a valley in the mountaintops, the remnants of an old Hydro-powered dam lay before us, since demolishing it years ago the national park service has been working to help nature reclaim this area and bring it back to a stable environment once again.

At this point the hike was taking its toll on the group, yet we persisted on convincing ourselves that around the next turn the hot springs would be waiting for us. This was not the case after another hour of hiking would lead us to find out, as we sat on the road taking a small nap and break we discussed the ever pending thought of turning back, and although none of us are ones to give something up, with the heat ever looming and a lack of food and drinkable water on us we thought it best not to push on and started the daunting fifteen mile hike back to the car. After a few hours the car was before our eyes and the rush of fresh water and air conditioning gave us the last boost to hustle off the trail. Quickly after pulling away we were greeted with the symphony of gurgling stomachs that even a glove box filled with granola bars couldn't quench.

After a seemingly eternity we cruised into the small town of Forks, if it sounds familiar it should, the small town grew in fame a few years back when the popular Twilight books and movies gained massive attention. Driving through the town you could see countless merchandise shops selling memorabilia, even the local burger joint, Sully’s which we decided to eat at adorned such items as Twilight Lemonade and Vampire sundaes. The burgers cam out hot and fast and was much appreciated, after devouring everything in what seemed like seconds smiles came across our faces once again and we were ready to see what else we could before the imminent threat of night fall came upon us.

A long stretch of asphalt through dense woods leads out to the three beaches in the native reserve, our first stop the furthest out, beach three. After some time the road opened up and gave way to a vast stretch of sand, small houses lined the road and beach sides, docks off in the distance near a small port and the smell of the ocean quickly filled our noses. Off in the distance reaching high out of the ocean like old greek gods these massive old stone towers commanded there presence, as we walked the sand giving way and the waves crashing to our rights, in the distance one could hear children playing and laughing, the coast scattered with driftwood. This beach made famous by its signature single massive old growth tree that had long since given up and collapsed on the dunes, its trunk encompassed you as you walked inside of it, feeling like something out of a nineties movie being shrunk to fit inside such a thing. We spent most of the early golden hour here exploring the beach and photographing before racing toward beach one to close out our evening. The hike back to the beach was two miles long and weaved through a jungle, the trees stretched far beyond what are eye could comprehend into the sky, a humbling feeling of insignificance washed over us as we forged through, the air shifting from cold to hot as we moved up and over mountains, after some time that ocean smell returned to tease us once again and one could hear waves crushing onto this secluded beach. As the trail came to a head we were greeted with one last right of passage before entering the oasis in front of us, a stack of old trees lay fallen in a steep pile and required light steps and nimble reflexes to cross. Now on the sand at last we stripped away our shoes and any extra baggage and enjoyed this surreal moment in life.

Spending the last moments of the day photographing some amazing pieces for @siobhanaleabarrett lingerie and dancing about in the twilight of this paradise. These moments are the ones that live with us, that we carry and tell stories of for years to come, the ones that transcend anything and become truly meaningful as the sun finally rested in the sky and the familiar humm picked up driving off of the coast into the blackness we knew we had been changed and touched by real magic.

Jesse Murch 6/24/16 Jesse Murch 6/24/16

Day One - Vance Creek and Cronuts

I love the whirl of the plane turbines right before take off, that gentle humm turning more violent as they reach ideal speeds symbolizes new experiences on the horizon. It was early in the morning and the smell of breakfast foods transferred onto the plane from the terminal we were to leave behind shortly. On my right Mike ( @mike_sap ) sat fighting for his armrest and trying to gain some sleep, this process may have been easier had he realized his seat reclined earlier then leaving the airport in our rental. A quick chirp of the wheels as we touched down and fast forward through baggage claims and annoying rental services we were on the Seattle roads looking for food and to kill time before the completion of this road trip trio in the form of model/photographer Kayla ( @kaylasavage_ ) landed a few hours after us. A few slices of pizza later and a quick nap in the jeep found us back at the airport to scoop up the girl in the yellow raincoat.

The traffic out to Olympic National Park was less then ideal and forced us to a pit stop for Cronuts, i know it was a hard decision, then to a local super market where we all had the same idea to pick up granola bars and water. Now that we had sugar comas and a pallet of granola in the backseat we continued the drive up toward Olympic. Slowly the traffic dissipated and gave way to curving pine lined roads up and down cascading mountains. Every so often one would catch the slight twinkle of the emerald ocean water peaking back through the forest. The destination of the day was an old wooden and steel train bridge that would span across a deep canyon to opposing mountain tops. Vance Creek Bridge, has become quite popular on social media especially for its railing-less sides giving way the opportunity for the note worthy dangle shots that have become insanely saturated online. Having heard of trouble with officials we parked a few miles down and hiked in, the trail out started as an old service road for the bridge and quickly became nothing more then a foot path, weaving, winding, up over that rock, down under that tree, hop across the stream, repeat, repeat, repeat. Then all at once the mammoth evergreens gave way to blue skies and in the foreground the massive bridge reached far across. Fellow hikers whom had made there way towards the other side seemed like miniature figurines dancing from plank to plank.

Once we gathered our courage we slowly and precisely stepped on each tie making our way out to the center of the bridge. The wind pushed against my back as i stood over looking the vast scar in the earth before my eyes, looking down my eyes had trouble computing the height difference between the tree tops and where i currently stand. A babbling stream slithered through rocks glistening in a milky teal beauty. The sun was still high in the sky and although not pleasing for photographs gave way to every hidden detail in the mountains. My heart fluttered as i sat on the edge of the second tallest archway railroad bridge in the country, also being that it was built in 1929 didn't help the nerves, still gazing out over the edge was freeing and enlightening all at once the only thing on my mind was each second of that moment as it danced away into past.

Now back at the jeep we continued on into Olympic National Park and found shelter in the form of a local campground for the night. Our site was nestled in the dense rainforest on a bed of soft dirt and pine needles. It was dark at this point and the temperature was dropping so we quickly set up our respective tents, showered in the camp stalls, and had a delicious dinner of granola bars and water before calling it a night. The temperatures even though being June quickly dropped as we all found out at different points through the night waking to a shiver down the spine, or a foot not wrapped in the safety of sleeping bag or blanket. Waking up to sunlight twinkling through greenery we quickly broke down and headed off to see what the park had to offer us on day two.

Jesse Murch 3/29/16 Jesse Murch 3/29/16

Recent Travels - Jefferson, NJ

It was late afternoon and the sun was high in the sky, the temperature was chilly but a jacket and one was fine. The group of us planned on meeting up at Steve’s ( @softfocusprod ) house and carpooling to the shoot location. There would be eight of us in total for todays excursion, and as i pulled down the road i was greeted by Kayla ( @kaylasavage_ ) who would be one of the models for the day, James ( @jamesorgyinthefacility ), Tori ( @graphicpsycheldelic ), and Robyn who would also model for the day. We all exchanged info and stories while waiting for Enzo ( @enzodadude ) and Jennie ( @jennyfromtherock ). Once they arrived we split up into two cars and headed off to the location for the day, an old church retreat buried deep in the woods, we parked at a forest service gate and proceeded to walk the long paved road that would end up at our destination.

The road was curved through bare forests and green pines before cresting a hill and revealing the retreat. This place was different then most abandoned places we venture to as the whole building was unlocked, and even with this there was no graffiti throughout, everything was clean and untouched. Also surprisingly the boiler was still kicking on and off providing heat throughout the building which was a pleasant surprise. We walked in through the front door and everyone split there separate ways like an episode of scooby doo to go explore the new terrain. The first floor consisted of a chapel hall, living quarters, a kitchen, and long hallways with ample light. The basement featured the boiler room, storage areas filled with old light bulbs and spare parts, and a full sized basketball court, while the top floor had a balcony overlooking the chapel, some bigger rooms leading to outdoor balconies, and access to the expansive roof via a runged ladder heading through the ceiling. After everyone had there fill of exploring we all gathered down stairs in the gym to begin shooting our first images.

These consisted of an antique couch being dragged to the center, a fire extinguisher being used to create atmosphere, and gorgeous rays of natural window light. Its always nice to have a big group on shoots from time to time, the interactions and the creative ideas that get thrown out consistently is always nice, as well as how much you learn by witnessing different peoples creative processes and ways of interacting while shooting or posing. After getting our image fill in the gym we broke off into smaller groups, some went to other rooms to do self portraits, others went to explore the roof before all gathering again by the waterfront behind the building where an expansive dock lay, James managed to open a nearby shed finding two sailboats that would provide a good backdrop and prop foursome photos, one by one everyone we had come with came out to the dock to utilize and photograph the happenings, weather it be James sailing the pond propelling himself with a fire extinguisher, kayla posing nude on a boat, or just to enjoy the sun on the water. The shenanigans lasted until all were cold and ready for the oddly climate controlled abandoned building once more.

One by one we tracked back into the brick building in search for more locations, we found this in the form of an outdoor balcony off of the third floor. Robyn had been out there smoking and the light that was coming through the trees lit her perfectly, after minimal posing instructions i shot off a few photos and moved back inside to see what else was around. Like a commune of artists each room had something creative going on in it as i wandered the empty halls, being surrounded by creatives always makes you push your work further and think outside of the box, being so i encourage you all to get out more with others and collaborate. We spent a few more hours wandering and shooting about the building before all getting hungry and wanting to head out in search for food and a re-charge. After some much needed pizza we drove around the town to a nearby reservoir where we planned on shooting until the sun set over the lake. This was cut short almost immediately as we hadn't even set our bags down before a self entitled park ranger showed up to accuses of being terrorists with no jobs and not paying taxes, i wish i were exaggerating but unfortunately this man was very ignorant, not wanting to further escalate and feed into this mans complex we packed up and went down the road to some power line trails to finish off our terroristicattacks, er i mean photographs, the sunset set in the perfect spot and we were all able to get beautifully backlit portraits. All in all the day was filled with adventures, new friendships, strengthened old ones, and as always photography and art.

-Stay Traveling Friends

Jesse Murch 3/14/16 Jesse Murch 3/14/16

Recent Travels - West Chester, PA

The morning was brisk and warm as i arose out of bed and began shaking the cobwebs from my limbs and packing my gear into a bag, The sun was high in sky even at 9am and it lit my room with yellow warmth. I threw some clothes on and tied my boots, the camera bag flew into the passenger seat and i was off! The destination? West Chester, PA about a two hour drive from my home town. The drive was pleasant and mellow taking back roads through small towns. I arrived in West Chester minutes before noon and was greeted in the parking lot by Paul ( @paullard ), i met him mid fall last year at a meet up in the Pocono Mountians and became friends with him and his buddy Hutch whom would also be meeting up with us shortly.

After catching up for a few Hutch ( @hutchins_photo ) arrived we wandered the streets of town before ending up in a local coffee shop and fueled our bodies with delicious caffeine. The weather was gorgeous so we enjoyed our creamy iced cups outside of the studio on the shaded porch with railing perfect for sitting and conversation. After some time Sarah arrived ( please give her a follow @dontsleeponsarah ) we entered into the car and went to our first destination of the day, an old farm house outside of town, this location was short lived as upon arriving a red rusted truck pulled up with a disheveled look about him and after a short conversation of trying to convince him to let us shoot there we knew we would have to leave so we jumped back into the car and off we went.

About ten or so minutes passed by and we pulled into a massive structure, after parking we entered a long massive structure encased with old factory windows on either side, inside the building was sectioned off with cages and what looked to be different shops in each. Machine shop, paint shop, mechanic, etc, as we walked we passed them all before reaching the last section and heading out the door across to another building. This one featured a massive car hanger with vents on the ceiling painting a rear wall with streaks of light. Passing through the rear wall and entering a stairway that led to a corner room with windows, Hutch had the brilliant idea to cover the floor with broken glass we found in a room or two over and we positioned a chair in the middle and directed Sarah on how we wanted her positioned.

From here we entered tunnels that led underground for miles up to the top section of the campus, this would be the hospital portion of the campus. We climbed down a narrow manhole on a ladder and entered the tunnels, they smelt of moisture and mildew and had pipes running on one side, the walkway wasnt tight by any means and was actually quite nice. We walked for a while peeking our heads out of an open man hole every so often to check where we were at. Finally we made it to the field just before the massive hospital building. Entering it we encountered a basket ball court with a floor that resembled waves more then flooring, we climbed over this and entered a hallway. The typical debris and chipping lead paint canvased the walls and floors. It was overcast at this point in the day and caused soft dim light throughout any room with a window.

We found the pool room next, a gorgeous in ground pool surrounded on one side with giant windows letting in massive amounts of pleasing light. At this point in the day we met up with Sean, a fantastic photographer also and an amazing poet ( follow him @seanascott ), after grabbing the few shots i wanted we moved throughout the desolate building climbing floor after floor and all taking stops to shoot at different times and in rooms scattered throughout before all gathering on the top floor where a room with giant colored blocks piled high almost reaching the ceiling and windows surrounding once again.

Here is where most of the shooting took place, Sarah was an amazing sport about everything and didnt think twice about crawling into dusty caves of bright colored blocks, or lying atop old mattresses, and even the floor for some shots, i cant thank her enough for this as it helped get some great images. At this point the sun was setting and everyone was about ready to pack it up, Sarah left for work while Sean, Hutch, Paul, and myself headed back to town and grabbed some post shoot beers and burgers before i said my good byes and headed back up north. The ride back i thought of no other way i would have rather spent my day, and also to just say yes when life throws you something ive made some of my best friends threw doing so and had some of the most amazing times. Get out and shoot and most importantly get out and live.

- Keep Traveling Friends

Jesse Murch 2/26/16 Jesse Murch 2/26/16

Recent Travels - Widow Jane Mine

The winter in the north east has been favorably mild this year, temperatures havent reached below freezing for more then a few days and aside from one major snow storm the lands have stayed clean. Taking advantage of this we decided to head up north to New York state and see what we could find. Off of a mutual friends suggestion we headed to an abandoned mine up in the mountains by the name of Widow Jane. The now defunct mine was once one of the largest and most profitable in the north east, since it has become a tourist excursion for paid tours, and most recently been abandoned. After climbing over the steep cliff we ascended onto the cave entrance, upon entering the bright yellow stone pillars were first to draw your eyes. They were massive and scattered throughout supporting the mountain above, down in the back of one of the caverns train tracks led into an emerald green pond, the air and water still and cold. The way the entrance of the mine was created allows rays of sunlight during golden hour to saturate the cavern walls and light the front chamber in the most magical way. Widow Jane is definitely one of our favorite spots to date and we will be going back.

-Keep Traveling

Jesse Murch 12/30/15 Jesse Murch 12/30/15

Zion National Park - " I'm not ready to go home "

We arrived into Zion National park right at the tail end of golden hour, the rich cotton candy sky accented the golden cliffs in perfect form. Our eyes absorbed the scenes with deep concentration, the air was crisp but inviting. As we curved through the landscape on paved roads we took in scene after scene. Eventually we found a pull off and jumped out of the van eager to explore the landscape unclose in the fleeting moments before nightfall. The rocks formed intricate swirls and martian angles, the sand was smooth and cool with a hue of delicate orange, we spent an hour in the roadside canyon capturing what our eyes were experiencing. Once the light had receded below the mountainous horizon with climbed back into the van and proceeded through the only road that leads through Zion. We were led to a long dark tunnel that curled through a large mountain, and upon completing the tunnel were welcomed to hairpin turns of the road zig zagging back and forth down the mountain face to the valley below, once in the valley one felt as an ant must feel, everything around us seemed proper for giants. We found shelter for the night in the form of a parking lot to a campground, at this point all that was left in the deep blue sky was a blanket of twinkling diamonds and the pale moon hovering in the low horizon. We layered on jackets and hats before firing up the stoves and boiling the water that would be our source of cooking for the night. Tom manned the cooking while i wandered the parking lot looking for the idea spot to capture the night sky, upon reaching the top of the lot and turning back i was greeted by three majestic mountain tops peaking through the trees with stars peppering down upon them and the remaining trail of white exhaust from a passing prop plane, i set up and immediately knew what i wanted to capture. After hours of shooting and food in our stomachs we closed up the van and prepared for a cool night sleep among the stars and cliffs. We woke with the sun as it warmed the van and made leaving the comfort of warm blankets easier, we stumbled into a small village down the road that had a small coffee shop and eatery there to greet us. We entered and promptly made our orders eager to eat and get out on the trails. We enjoyed the hot coffee and morning conversations with locals before heading to the trail head that would lead us to a view of all of Zion, this was one of the few trails open as Zion is known for expeditions that lead you through caves and rivers alike, being around the thirties in temperature we thought that not smart and decided to strike with a dry trail blanketed in sun. As we started up the carved stairs leading upwards, still shaking off the morning cobwebs and aches that come with living out of a camper van for over a week, we talked of previous days excursions and the sad reality that this would be the last stop of the trip. The trail welcomed us over steel grated foot bridges, half caves, steep rocks, and pits of sand all the while climbing to the summit. Upon reaching the summit one could see all of Zion, from the winding roads we came in on to "Sacrifice rock" miles in the distance, named for the brilliant rusty red colors dripping down its facade. The Summit was scattered with massive boulders that stretched out from the cliffs edge, and if brave enough provided a panoramic view of the scene as your legs dangled with nothing but thousands of feet below them. Without reason or acknowledging one another we spilt and each found ourselves sitting out on these rocks, secluded from fellow hikers and each other, sitting, pondering, taking it all in. As i sat i realized how far i had come since departing from New Jersey a few days earlier, how these beautiful places really do hold a true form of magic, thee kind that transforms a person mentally as well as physically. My mind had been cleared and cleaned from everything that troubled me back home, i was truly at peace in every way for the first time in my life. I never wanted that feeling to leave, i never wanted to be anywhere other then these glorious places. I knew that upon returning home everyday life wouldn't be enough after experiencing this, i knew life was way to short not to get out and see these places and to live not just exist. We must have spent nearly four hours out on these rocks pondering life and where we needed to take our own. As we stumbled off the trails and back into the van for our last leg to Las Vegas to catch our flights back to home and reality, we couldn't help but smile and laugh knowing we truly did change out here in the midwest, knowing we stumbled and learned secrets few have a chance to. The roads that led us to the last city on our list were a bittersweet experience, in one hand we saw new landscapes once again, but in the other with every mile we took we were also a mile closer to heading back and away from the real magic that we were encompassed in. Stopping at the hover dam for one last site of wonder i threw a coin wrapped in a wish over the side in slight hope my life would end up how visioned it would be out on these roads. In conclusion to this trip i want to urge you to go out and see something grand before its to late, to travel with friends, hike a mountain that seems unattainable, talk with a stranger in a foreign place, find what you love and let it lead you, go out and live not just exist. Time is the most valuable asset we own in this life, done waste it on sitting behind a desk wishing spend it traveling and planning new and exciting adventures. I will be heading out on more road trips and adventures this summer and am currently looking for people that would like to join me in these, if interested contact me though the site. Keep traveling and stay outside.

Jesse Murch 12/23/15 Jesse Murch 12/23/15

Antelope Canyon & Horse Shoe Bend - " i want to do this forever "

Nothing but sand around for miles, a small hut cracked the repetition, the hut surrounded by old pickups converted into covered people haulers. Pulling into the lot you are greeted by a native, all the land the canyon resides in is Navajo owned and is ran and patrolled by the native people, The lady was friendly and gave us directions of where to park and handed us or tickets for the excursion. We met our guide for the day whom told us to call him Bear, he was a big man with strong features and a welcoming smile. We climbed into the back of the truck bed where benches bolted down awaited us, Bear took the front and proceeded to drive us to the canyon entrance. The ride out was bumpy and the sand soft due to the constant flooding in the winter months, we passed cattle grazing on the little vegetation and water to be found. We rounded a bend and there before us was the entrance to the canyon, a slice down the one hundred and thirty foot mountain, the opening was something out of an indian jones movie, barely wide enough for three of us to walk through at once, as we entered the canyon revealed her beauty and size to us, the main chamber was wide enough to fit the ten person group with ease, the light cascading down the walls and painting them with violent reds and oranges. The sandstone was smooth to the touch, and with each touch you could feel the history around you. The canyons once used for natives hiding from westerners trying to enslave them has been used by the navajo for years prior to opening for tours. As we made our way through the canyon the temperature drastically dropped to the point of being chilly, the sun further drowning out and less making its way to the cave floors. Bear pointed out the many naturally formed land marks on the walls with deep insight, he reminisced of the floods and how each year they leave there own signature on the canyon, and once even taking a group of tours as penance. During the flooding season it can be only a matter of seconds for the flood waters to reach twenty feet high. as we crept through the walls becoming increasingly narrow, the light was non existent at points forcing one to caress the walls to find his way. During the walk through i spoke with an elderly man about life, the road, and love, he spoke of being on the road with his wife for thousands of miles and how they still had many more to go, as he spoke his words sunk into me with deep meaning. He said that life is short and the greatest gift it has to offer is love and companionship, not to waste ones time doing something they don't love, and to find that one person you can't live without and travel together, see the world hand in hand because at the end of our own chapters those will be the stories we pass on, those will be the days we cherish and bring with us. As we continued to speak and walk the rest of the tour sped ahead to leave, we hit a small chamber in the canyon and our guide Bear brought out his native wood wind instrument and proceeded to play a native song that echoed across the swooping lines of the canyon walls, between this and the words from the wise old man i felt myself slip into a transcendent esq state and realize what i truly want out of life. What it was ill keep to myself as i believe words wouldn't do it justice nor should they, what you want out of life shouldn't be a description but more of a feeling and sense of mind. I believe we all have an opportunity to experience this moment and the ones that do and listen live a fulfilling life. Bear was complimented with applause and kind words all around upon finishing his short performance. We gathered our gear and proceeded back to the initial point of departure, in the parking lot we said our farewells to the kind individuals we met along the adventure and decided to head off to our last stop of the trip, Zion National Park. As we left Antelope Canyon and headed down the vacant desert roads we shortly started reading signs for Horseshoe Bend, the name immediately stood out in our minds and being that the signs said a short half mile hike and the sun still high in the sky we decided it well worth the detour. We parked in a dusty lot and proceeded down the marked and beaten path, As we walked you couldn't see anything aside from flat land and low lying shrubs, Within minuets we made our way to the end of the trail, in front of us were large flat rocks, we climbed up on top of them and before our eyes laid such a magnificent sight. We have all seen photos online of the bend but i can truly say that none of them due it justice, the scale of the bend is beyond words and photos, boats traversing the rivers 180 degree turn looked like miniature model toys, the waters a rich emerald in the late day sun, a perfect contrast to the red canyon walls that have been carved out over decades. We perched our selves out on the cliffs edge, rocks no bigger then a square foot, our feet swaying out with just the brisk air wrapping around them, a warm rush of adrenaline coursed through our veins, at that moment we were one with our surroundings and in a state of pure meditation. After we had our fill of cliffside relaxation and grabbed the photographs we wanted to achieve we climbed back off the cliff only to be treated by a fellow photographer, after speaking we learned he has been traveling around as well photographing the country and world, we exchanged social media information and parted ways. Pb&j's awaited us back at the van as a quick refuel before heading back out on the open road. We took highway 89 north west past the southern tip of lake Powell and through the grand staircase national preserve. We stopped along the road to photograph mountains with brilliant deep red and contrasting white stripes, the moon full and clear over top of them, the golden hour was setting in quickly as we reached an hour out of Zion. We slowly made our way through and suddenly found ourselves on top of the most gorgeous mountains we had scene. Zion National Park we had finally arrived.

Jesse Murch 12/16/15 Jesse Murch 12/16/15

The Grand Canyon - " wow what a hole "

As we awoke in Sedona, the warm air against our faces raising us from our slumber, we jumped out of the van, grabbed some fresh air, organized a little, and headed into town looking for breakfast. There is only one road that passes through Sedona and every few miles has a little town with shops and eateries. We headed north bound as thats where we needed to head after eating anyway, and found the last of the little towns on the main road. We drove looking for anywhere cozy and local and found that within The hitching post restaurant, inside smelled of eggs and waffles,the waitress a friendly older lady with a spunky personality asked what we would be having and brought out some much needed coffee. Upon finishing our meals we walked the town and checked out some local shops before heading back to the van to head north. The roads leading out of Sedona leveled out quickly and stayed straight and baron for the two plus hours we had on the road, no signs of civilization minus a few make shift ranches and some farm animals, vegetation was at a minimum only seeing small cacti and shrubs sparsely lining the roads. We made our way into the National Geographic Greeting Center for the Canyon and talked with a ranger and grabbed some trail maps, All this time you could not see or tell how close or far you were from the Canyon. We parted ways and headed to the road that would bring us to our first over look, passing through the gates you could still not see anything, how could such a massive place be so hidden in plain sight we thought to ourselves. We breached the first parking lot and got out to walk towards the trail, as we turned a corner the canyon revealed herself to us in full glory,my mind couldn't comprehend what my eyes were seeing, no photographs nor videos did any of this justice. Crawling out onto narrow ledges surrounded by 1000 ft. plus drop-offs around us just to fully immerse ourselves more and try to understand the magnitude of this magical place. The canyon walls layered in brilliant reds, purples, and yellows, the sky above a piercing shade of blue. It felt as though one was living inside a painting, as our feet dangled we took in the sights and just breathed deep hoping a little of the magic in that air would last with us eternally. After enjoying the views for a few hours we headed further down to find the perfect spot to set up camp for the night, and prepare our gear for sunset. The spot we came across was on a long straight stretch of road, pulling into the parking lot there were only two or three cars with no more then eight people, which was much improved over the super crowded first overlook.The parking lot made a horseshoe shape and at the bend a walkway reached out to the canyon edge. Mountain goat trails scattered the area high and low allowing you to reach numerous cliffs edge each spot big enough for a personal moment of meditation. As the sun set the remainder of people cleared out and left us to ourselves, Theres something so incredible about being alone on the edge of the grand canyon as the sun vanishes. Right after the last sliver climbs below the canyon horizon the skies transform to painted shades of indigo, teal, burnt orange, and deep red. Gazing forward one could see where the color pallets that inspired the natives came from, my eyes never saw colors like this merge so seamlessly, as they shuffled the sky brought forth its next treat for us in the form of millions of twinkling stars dancing. We spent the remainder of the night hoping from cliff to cliff cameras in hand trying to capture even an eight of what are our eyes where witnessing.Star photography is rewarding in the sense that it makes you slow down and wait a minute, to sit and think while the exposure is being captured for a few seconds to a few minutes each time. You haven't experienced the night sky until you've sat on the edge of a cliff at midnight surrounded by all those little diamonds in the sky. We stayed up late that night, who would want to go to bed being where we were, once we felt ourselves start to get tired, we packed up our camera gear and cooked some mac and cheese in the back of the van before sitting on another cliff edge eating our meals, talking of the days prizes and planning for tomorrow excursion.That night was perfect, those few hours on the cliff edge at the grand canyon, i was at peace.

Jesse Murch 12/9/15 Jesse Murch 12/9/15

Sedona and Red Rocks State Park - " I didn't think the dirt would be this red "

Upon concluding our time in Phoenix, and grabbing the ever needed hot shower and night of sleep in something that doesn't have wheels, we packed up, said our thank you's, and got back onto the road. Sedona was roughly a two hour or so drive from where we had been staying, leaving phoenix the roadside attractions gradually got smaller and the cacti gradually got bigger. Again we found ourselves driving the straightest roads although this time instead of being flat they climbed as we went. We drove and crested out onto some flat land for a few miles before coming up on the welcome center right outside of Sedona. we pulled off and parked, immediately noticing how truly red the dirt was when stepping out of the van, i assure you that the photos may look saturated but that is in fact how this martian dirt looked to the eye, it was breathtaking. We grabbed a few trail maps, talked with a local national park officer, and had or coordinates to one of Sedona's best hiking spots. Driving to the trail head the first thing that you noticed is the structure of the town is unlike that of any other, set up in a strip of roundabouts as apposed to a road with intersections, all the houses and structure made with adobe and painted with the colors that natural form around the area. Everything about this town was cohesive and felt right nestled beneath the incredible rock structures. Everywhere you looked, all 360 degrees of view has massive and surreal stone structures painted in the rich red dirt as the light shined upon them.We found a small parking area outside of the trail head, parked, grabbed our cameras and water and proceeded up to cathedral rock. The hike started off slow, passing over a dry river bed, and traversing a slight incline sprinkled with low lying brush and trees. About twenty minutes into the hike we reached our first plateau overlook, it wasn't anything to write home about as far as height was concerned but to look north and see the massive stones we would be climbing shortly was mesmerizing.We grabbed a quick water break and continued on, this trail getting harder as we went, to the point of us putting the cameras in the packs and using both hands and feet to climb up these red cliffs. After another hour we were approaching the summit, tired, and ready for a break, but we continued to push on knowing we wanted to make it before sunset. As you got to the last leg and climbed the almost sheer cliff you breached up on the final over look, a six foot wide plot of land connecting the two cathedral rock structures, sheer cliff on either side and one of the most astounding views my eyes had seen thus far. Like something out of the land before time the red mountain tops scattered throughout highlighted by rich green trees. The wind whipped around us like a sort of welcoming dance, a congratulations to reaching and seeing what few get to. We spent most of our time sitting perched on the edge of the cliff feet dangling into the oblivion, lost in our thoughts. If there was ever a place you felt pure nirvana this was it. Just writing this gives my the warm rush all over again. We sat for a good hour taking in the purple majestic sunset as it coasted beneath the fiery cliffs infant of us. as it dipped the sky became a brilliant blue and revealed the moon for the first glimpse of the day. We proceeded to force ourselves to pack up and leave knowing we would already be walking back in the dark. The treck home was faster, we were more familiar with our terrain, and we were hungry. Arriving back at the van we headed to find a place to set up camp for the night and begin cooking, during this search we stumbled upon two interesting places, the first a literally Church built into the side of one of these massive mountains with huge glorious windows overlooking the valley. Ive never been one for religion but this place was sheer beauty and commanded respect over the town. The following place was far less grand but much more interesting, it was a sort of artist commune of sorts, multiple shops combined into a collective nestled between the cacti. As we wandered from room to room the hand crafted goods sang to us with there beauty and taunted us to buy, knowing we had a tight budget we decided it be best to leave, we continued down the road and found a cozy parking lot inside the mountains to spend a night. As the darkness slid in the sky became painted with brilliant twinkling stars, it was a perfect reward to a successful day, well that and the delicious mac and cheese we whipped up! As we were just about ready for bed and to crawl back to it we saw headlights beam up over the horizon and enter the parking lot, a cop car, thinking this was the last thing we needed, to get kicked out of a public place and have to find a new place to sleep we expected the worst, to our surprise the cop pulled and, pulled around and left just as quickly without saying a word. Not ones to overthink we shrugged and prepared for bed and the next day of adventure ahead of us.

Jesse Murch 12/1/15 Jesse Murch 12/1/15

The Imperial Sand Dunes - " We need to experience this barefoot "

After refueling and heading out of the glorious Salvation Mountain we started north toward Phoenix where friendly faces, a hot shower, and a night of sleep in a home that didn't have four wheels awaited us, oh and civilization let us not forget that. The roads started off incredibly flat and straight for as far as our eyes would let us see. We continued like this for hours with another car passing once every thirty or so miles, gradually the landscape started gently raising and collapsing. The soft hills coated in low small vegetation and little else, in the distance one could see mountains majestically painting the horizon as the sun started to lower itself in the royal blue sky. Driving onward we suddenly found ourselves being wrapped in a terrain we had yet to encounter while on the road, pale dunes of sand higher then the van on either side of the road, the winds blurring where road war ended and dune began. Amazed at what we were seeing we found the nearest pull off and in one moment ripped our socks and shoes off and began our sprint into the marian landscape. The sand beneath our feet felt like silk and all at once we flashed back to children dancing in the yard with no care or worry of the troubles in our respective lives. We summited the biggest dune we could see and gazed out toward the setting sun, the landscape went for miles with no sign of anything else. The difference between the shadowy sides of the dune and those painted with the sun was that of fall and spring. As we stood and watched the sun set the dunes became richer in color and the sky began to show us what a sunset should always be, brilliant purples, pinks, blues, all seamlessly mixing and mingling together. I will never forget that moment and the feeling of complete freedom that overwhelmed me. This is what life was all about and this the feeling i will forever chase. endlessly.

Jesse Murch 11/27/15 Jesse Murch 11/27/15

Salvation Mountain - " We found an oasis "

After a hasty getaway from the Salton Sea we drove a few more miles and reached the eastern end of the vast lake and the final town we would drive through before reaching Salvation Mountain. As we pulled through the town we saw it was surrounded by massive power plants and power lines strewn around like cobwebs in an old attic, businesses and houses were just as deserted as the other small towns we ran through earlier in the day. The further we got the less building we were seeing, as they tapered off completely the roads became surrounded by piles of broken glass shimmering in the mid day sun, abandoned concrete structures coated in vibrant graffiti and cryptic messages were now the only thing resembling structures and life we saw. Miles into the distant desert as far as the eye could see were old camper vans on blocks with slapped together tent huts around them, “do people really live out here” we both murmured. Surely one couldn't survive out here for long, as we came up on one of the martian huts we saw a weather torn man sitting in a lawn chair in worse shape then him, he gave a slight nod as we drove past as if to answer or previous question. Cresting a small hill on the dirt road we traveled one could see a large mound in the distance, not like the sand covered ones we had been seeing for miles, this one was special for ever a few miles out the radiant colors it had been painted with glowed in the distance like a mirage from the movies. We sped up to make our way to it as if it was going to disappear before we could reach it, the parking lot was small and the van kicked up a dust storm as we pulled in and parked off to the side, the once small colored mound had grown quickly as we approached now towering over our van as we left the vehicle. “ Welcome to Salvation Mountain ” a friendly voice chimed from a few yards away, we glanced to where the voice had came and saw an older women sitting pleasantly in a shaded hut next to an old car hand painted with life lessons. She told us how this place was special to her for more then just obvious reasons,. That back home, which surprisingly was very close to our home, she could no longer walk due to issues involving her back but once she got out here to Salton Sea that she hasn't had a day of pain since! This was further proven by her climbing and painting the side of the mountain all day.After continuing finishing up our conversation with the pleasant lady we began exploring the most odd of places, starting with a “cave” on the far right entirely made by hand using only what was available which from the looks of it was adobe, branches, and old car parts, once inside you felt as though you just jumped into a child Dr. Suess book. Strange colors lined the walls in sporadic patterns, makeshift portholes formed with circular shards of glass molded into the wall sides, these let in beams of multi color light that danced around the open room. The air inside and out was clean and dry, we passed through a dimly lit corridor and ended up in a room filled with belongings of fellow visiter's, everything from photos to drivers licenses lined the walls, a penance for the extraordinary place they just experienced. On top of the mountain you could see the desert stretch miles until meeting mountains, we made our way down said our goodbyes to the kind women, took one last look back at the brightly colored peak and hopped into the van and off to our next adventure.

Jesse Murch 11/18/15 Jesse Murch 11/18/15

Yosemite National Park - "The heat doesn't work"

Leaving the warm Venice air proved to be difficult knowing we would soon be welcomed to cooler winds and white powered on our boots, still we picked up the camper van, loaded our packs and gear into its selected places, picked our music for the five hour drive, and started up to Pacific coast highway toward our first national park of the trip. The drive started off slowly winding through the hollywood hills and the un-nerving Los Angeles traffic before having us climb over mountains wide and high. It was about two hours in of these hill climbs before we descended and had us traversing flat desert roads north through Bakersfield.After passing through Fresno we started heading east inward two the gates of Yosemite National Park, we heard reports of snow storms days prior but until reaching the gates we had no idea how they had and will affect our journey. The swirling roads that lead into the park were fine at first, then suddenly the sides of the roads became peppered white, then the roads themselves, eventually as we passed through the small mountain town of Fish Camp the roads had iced and the snow was coming down viciously. We passed sign after sign stating no vehicles past this point without chains and four wheel drive. It would be smart to turn back, then again no story ever begins with “and then we turned back ” so we proceeded on. Luckily for me Tom has had experience driving vans on snow covered roads, still the drive wasn't without its fears as Yosemite seems to not be one for guard rails or any other measures that would save a wayward vehicle from falling thousands of feet to its doom. We made it roughly a half hour past Fish Camp and decided to find a lot to park and camp for the night, the snow falling had made sight non existent and we were beginning to push more snow then driving over. Upon parking and setting up camp we thought it best to have a small quick snack of trail mix and water, then prepare for bed. The back of the van was spacious after folding out the cushions and the three hundred and sixty degrees of curtains covered all windows nicely for privacy and darkness. We did however have one downfall in our first night in the wilderness, the heater, we quickly figured out did not plug in and work. Of course we had the heat from the van but it would need to stay running in order for that to work, and being that we had not seen any gas stations since turning off the main highway we knew this wouldn't be an option. We threw on double layers of sweatpants and sweatshirts along with blankets and tucked in for a long cold night. We awoke early, minutes before the sun rose over the skyline to the sound of a plow truck, well that and the immense cold that had crept in while we slept. Taking the many clues that sleeping in wouldn't be an option we tossed our boots on jumped up front and headed out.The next stop? Half Dome, and yes that should sound familiar as aside from being featured as a backdrop on all apple computers and photographed by some of the worlds leading photographers. The roads although increasingly better then the night before were still slick with ice and snow unable to be scraped clean by the plows. We winded further and further, higher then we had ever traveled before in this journey. As we turned a corner before us like a glowing red fire on a sun-kissed horizon was the entrance to a tunnel, it was long and resembled more of a lit cave then anything, as we drove through anticipation to where this would lead out grew, words couldn't do justice what laid before our eyes upon reaching the end. We pulled off immediately into the lot on the left side of the road, there before us in all of its glory centered between its sister peaks, Half Dome. For this marked the first time in my life i was left utterly speechless, for all at once my eyes soaked in the rising sun, the deep teal aura of the sky, the snow topped peaks surrounded with brilliant green pines it seamed to suck any words from my grasp immediately. It took everything in us to peal ourselves away from this view but we knew more where to come and that the road was calling. Originally we had planned to head up and over the mountains and onto the eastern side of Yosemite but due to the overwhelming snow all roads but the one we were on had been closed, luckily the road was a massive loop so no back tracking needed.Upon getting into the van and heading out we started the decent into the valley of Yosemite. The mountain tops receded but we were rewarded with an increase in gorgeous pines and sun soaked fields. We soon found ourselves driving beside the Merced River down Northside Dr, we immediately found a clearing and pulled over. As soon as we pulled off i knew the image i wanted to take, i grabbed my camera and a wide angle lens and positioned myself onto the river bed facing upstream the river provided a mirror like surface that portrayed gorgeous symmetry and took in all the blue tones that saturated the landscape. By this point our less then small breakfast of trail mix and water was proving to not be sufficient, our stomachs growled and turned begging for nutrition. We set off to find food, this proved to be more difficult then anticipated, we traveled for miles on back winding roads with no sign of food. We stumbled onto a couple hopeful spots but due to the weather all were closed. What seemed forever but turned out to be only an hour or so of driving found us off of the snow covered mountain roads and proceeding off the mountain ranges, at the end of this road a quaint mountain town with a small diner/convenience store nestled in the center. The hosts were gracious and kind, asking about our journey and provided quick food and beverages to quench our hunger. We said our goodbyes and feeling well nourished we climbed into the van for the eight hour drive to Joshua Tree National Park in southern California.