Oh, Oregon!

While on our trip to Oregon, I documented some of our daily excursions using my iPhone and an app called, 8mm. After editing and throwing in some music by Mumford & Sons ("The Cave"), you might see why I have fallen in love with this part of our country over the years.

And this video is just a taste. There is so much I did not capture with the lens of my camera, and there's even more I have yet to explore at all.

There is always more to explore.

Rejuvenation in The Beaver State

I am convinced that we breathe easier in Oregon.

Walking through lush forests and along mighty rivers, standing on the shore of the Pacific Ocean and even crossing over open farm land - I felt rejuvenated with each step. It's difficult to leave such an environment once you're given a taste of it. I think everyone should experience this part of our country at some point in their life - sooner rather than later.

One of my highlights from the trip was when my family and I hiked the Fort To Sea Trail. We had beautiful weather (though I honestly think any Oregonian weather is perfect - rain or shine), and I think part of the reason it was so memorable is because of the variety of terrain we encountered. The trail runs about 6.5 miles from Fort Clatsop to Sunset Beach, passing through forests, pastures, rivers and sand dunes. It was pretty neat to imagine ourselves as Lewis and Clark seeing the Pacific for the first time after such a long and difficult journey. Can you imagine the emotions they must have been experiencing?

The entire trip was an adventure, and even though it's nearly 100° here in humid Atlanta, my soul feels more alive and refreshed than before.

Beginning

Today I was hired as a Park Guide Interpretation intern for Arches National Park in Moab, Utah. I will begin my three month program in August and be on my way to becoming a park ranger. This has been a dream of mine for about two years now, since I graduated college and reacquainted myself with Nature and my love for the outdoors. It's exciting to see things beginning to fall into place.

I think it started with the Ken Burn's documentary I saw back in 2009. It inspired me to really get outside again and explore our country's backyard. My girlfriend, Anna, and I set a goal to visit one National or State Park every month as a way to explore these places together. From Kennesaw Mountain to Gettysburg, from Cloudland Canyon to the Grand Canyon; each new place brought with it a growing passion to become involved with the preservation of our public lands. The mountains, the woods, the canyons, the rivers, the deserts, the battlefields, the historic sites and monuments - they're all within reach for us to enjoy and reconnect with. I want to be a part of helping others to experience this.

I may not have any deep insight into the meaning of life, but I want to share with you my passion for Nature and my journey along the way. Let's take a walk outside.