The courthouse was impressive, but my daughter was wondering why anyone would take a picture of this place. I am impressed with the stately columns used to mark entrances in the South.
"Little bit of everything."
Bradley's Blog:Jason Bradley is a freelance writer, editor, and blogger. Jason blogs about transportation, hobbies, travel, and other random topics.
Showing posts with label travel writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel writing. Show all posts
Sunday, December 6, 2015
Cornelius, North Carolina and Lake Norman
On my recent trip to Charlotte, NC to visit my daughter, we took a road trip north of the Charlotte metro area to check out Cornelius and a few other cities near a large reservoir named Lake Norman. My daughter and I stopped in Cornelius to take some pictures of the library and courthouse. I have always appreciated the architecture of the south, and this town didn't disappoint.
This is my daughter Amrie in front of the library in Cornelius, NC.
Picture of your truly in front of the same library.
Down by the water at a park by Lake Norman in Huntersville, NC. I asked some local fisherman what they were catching, and they replied:
"Little bit of everything."
Amrie and I enjoying the warm day by Lake Norman
"Little bit of everything."
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Live and Work on a Container Ship
Live and Work on a Container Ship
Text by Martin Machado:
For almost five months now, I have been living and working as a deckhand on a 906 foot container ship making 57 day runs from New York to Singapore, while hitting many ports in between. We are importing/exporting goods from the Middle East, Asia, and America. As I am writing this we are making our way through the Gulf of Aden on what will be my last trip. Here is a little description of what its like to go to sea in the merchant marine.
I work in the deck department as a watch standing "AB" or Able Bodied Seaman. We are all members of the Sailors Union of the Pacific (SUP), and most of us are out of the San Francisco hall over on Harrison and 1st. I am on the 12 to 4 watch, which means seven days a week, from midnight to four a.m. and from noon to four p.m., I am up on the bridge, steering the ship while in congested areas like the Suez Canal, or being a lookout while we are at sea on auto-helm (a.k.a. "the Iron Mike"). In addition I usually work overtime on deck from eight am to noon, tightening/greasing the containers' lashing gear, chipping rust, painting, or doing whatever odd jobs need to be done. Overtime is where a sailor makes his money, so we take as much as they'll give. I typically get around 12 hours work each day at sea, and in port I can work almost 24 hours straight at times. So any sleep is much appreciated.
Click here to read the entire article
For almost five months now, I have been living and working as a deckhand on a 906 foot container ship making 57 day runs from New York to Singapore, while hitting many ports in between. We are importing/exporting goods from the Middle East, Asia, and America. As I am writing this we are making our way through the Gulf of Aden on what will be my last trip. Here is a little description of what its like to go to sea in the merchant marine.
I work in the deck department as a watch standing "AB" or Able Bodied Seaman. We are all members of the Sailors Union of the Pacific (SUP), and most of us are out of the San Francisco hall over on Harrison and 1st. I am on the 12 to 4 watch, which means seven days a week, from midnight to four a.m. and from noon to four p.m., I am up on the bridge, steering the ship while in congested areas like the Suez Canal, or being a lookout while we are at sea on auto-helm (a.k.a. "the Iron Mike"). In addition I usually work overtime on deck from eight am to noon, tightening/greasing the containers' lashing gear, chipping rust, painting, or doing whatever odd jobs need to be done. Overtime is where a sailor makes his money, so we take as much as they'll give. I typically get around 12 hours work each day at sea, and in port I can work almost 24 hours straight at times. So any sleep is much appreciated.
Click here to read the entire article
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Pictures from Arizona: Desert Bar Solar Powered Oasis
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| The Desert Bar |
The name "Nellie E" originates from the old mining claim.
They used to mine copper and then take it to the smelter and get gold.
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| Dad and I with a picture of the trail we took out to Desert Bar in the background. |
We journeyed out there on a well traveled but challenging off road trail. It was interesting to see all of the vehicles taking this route, as it was tough going due to all the large rocks and challenging ascents. Here are some more pictures from the trip out to Desert Bar.
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| Colorado River viewed from off road trail to Desert Bar |
The Desert Bar
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| This is a picture taken while standing on the third story of the bar. It is only a little after noon and already very busy. |
Cage over Mineshaft
The area is filled with old mines and even some that are still operating.
Here is a shot looking down into the mine:
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| "Don't drop the camera" |
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Pictures from Arizona: Road Closures/Bill Williams River
This is a photo of the road being closed due to a piece of the rock cliff falling in the road. It is too big to move, so they closed down this section of the road. Check out the article in the Parker Pioneer.
Here is a picture of the Bill William's River:
Here is another photo of this beautiful natural area:
Check out this link for more information on viewing the abundant wildlife in this area. I was surprised by the natural beauty of this area. I read that this area is home to over 355 species of birds, and I believe it after visiting the area. These areas are very important to the ecology of Arizona:
Essential Habitat
Along Arizona's rivers is where 80% of the state's plant and wildlife species can be found. These riparian corridors support an incredible diversity of species.
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Travel Writing That Matters: Part II
Travel Writing That Matters: Part II
Great suggestions on tactics for making travel writing a blend of strong narrative, description, and the trials and tribulations concerning vagabonding for the fearless traveler. This is part 2 of a 3 part series on making the most out of your travel writing content.
Great suggestions on tactics for making travel writing a blend of strong narrative, description, and the trials and tribulations concerning vagabonding for the fearless traveler. This is part 2 of a 3 part series on making the most out of your travel writing content.
Writer's Digest on How to become a traveling writer or travel writer-literary nomadism
I am reading and digesting Writersdigest.com in the last few months. I like the way this publication covers such a plethora of writing topics, and it does offer some great free articles, such as: http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/how-to-become-a-travel-writer this great article on travel writing. I like the suggestions and resources found in the article along with the introduction:
"Each person in the audience fights the bull along with the torero, not by following the flight of the cape, but by using another imaginary one that moves differently than the one in the ring."
AGA: Do you have private space for writing, a Tim-habitat, if you will?
TC: Sure. I have an office. On the wall above my desk are all sorts of awards I’ve won. A friend did that for me when I was traveling. I used to have an old Remington Rifle poster up there. It showed an old trapper sitting by a fire in the snow in the evening. In the surrounding woods were gleaming eyes and the shadows of wolves. The trapper holds a Remington rife. The poster said,“Big Enough and Strong Enough.” That’s how I liked to see myself vis a vis the various publishers and editors I for whom I worked. And yes, I support wolves, don’t see them as threatening campers and don’t like the idea of shooting them. It’s a metaphor.
"Each person in the audience fights the bull along with the torero, not by following the flight of the cape, but by using another imaginary one that moves differently than the one in the ring."
—Federico GarcÃa Lorca, Poem of the Bull
"Nearly everyone loves to travel, and many of us wrote a really great story in Junior High, so often people feel it would be easy to become a travel writer. But to me, it is like entering the ring in Madrid’s Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas to face a raging bull, waving, instead of a cape, Hemingway’s “truest sentence you know”.
All good travel writing moves the reader twice: it transports him to a place, and moves him emotionally"(Klem).
"Nearly everyone loves to travel, and many of us wrote a really great story in Junior High, so often people feel it would be easy to become a travel writer. But to me, it is like entering the ring in Madrid’s Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas to face a raging bull, waving, instead of a cape, Hemingway’s “truest sentence you know”.
All good travel writing moves the reader twice: it transports him to a place, and moves him emotionally"(Klem).
I don't think any post on travel writing is complete without a quick anecdote from the Tim Cahill, in a recent interview I read at the following blog: "In Coversation with Tim Cahill" via Amy Gigi Alexander's Blog
I like the sample part of the interview below, as I have some Frederick Remington prints in my work space, and I have the "Trapper" print Cahill references in this response:AGA: Do you have private space for writing, a Tim-habitat, if you will?
TC: Sure. I have an office. On the wall above my desk are all sorts of awards I’ve won. A friend did that for me when I was traveling. I used to have an old Remington Rifle poster up there. It showed an old trapper sitting by a fire in the snow in the evening. In the surrounding woods were gleaming eyes and the shadows of wolves. The trapper holds a Remington rife. The poster said,“Big Enough and Strong Enough.” That’s how I liked to see myself vis a vis the various publishers and editors I for whom I worked. And yes, I support wolves, don’t see them as threatening campers and don’t like the idea of shooting them. It’s a metaphor.
Saturday, December 20, 2014
Travel Writer Tim Cahill gives advice to aspiring travel writers
Read the whole interview and others at http://www.rolfpotts.com/writers/cahill.php
I enjoyed reading this interview with Tim Cahill, and I especially like his advice and sense of humor. Here are my favorite highlights from the interview.
What advice and/or warnings would you give to someone who is considering going into travel writing?
This is not a way to make a lot of money.
The travel is difficult on your relationships with loved ones, unless they are coming along with you, which may not be possible. (see #1 above.)
If you are not in it for the money, it is — in my opinion — the best job in American journalism.
Editors, for the most part, don't care "what" you've done, or how astounding the physical event may have been. You need to write well. Many others are capable of doing what you have done (probably), so you must write better than they.
You become a better writer by writing. You become a better travel writer by writing about travel.
Publishing your work is important. Even if you are giving a piece to some smaller publication for free, you will learn something about your writing. The editor will say something, friends will mention it. You will learn.
If this is your dream, don't give up. It takes a while to work your way up to travel features in magazines. Also, first books aren't always sufficiently appreciated. Almost any writer can tell you that. It goes like this: "I'm not sure I'm a lot better than I was 20 years ago, when all I got were rejection slips. Now it seems they'll publish anything I write." It takes time.
This is not a way to make a lot of money.
The travel is difficult on your relationships with loved ones, unless they are coming along with you, which may not be possible. (see #1 above.)
If you are not in it for the money, it is — in my opinion — the best job in American journalism.
Editors, for the most part, don't care "what" you've done, or how astounding the physical event may have been. You need to write well. Many others are capable of doing what you have done (probably), so you must write better than they.
You become a better writer by writing. You become a better travel writer by writing about travel.
Publishing your work is important. Even if you are giving a piece to some smaller publication for free, you will learn something about your writing. The editor will say something, friends will mention it. You will learn.
If this is your dream, don't give up. It takes a while to work your way up to travel features in magazines. Also, first books aren't always sufficiently appreciated. Almost any writer can tell you that. It goes like this: "I'm not sure I'm a lot better than I was 20 years ago, when all I got were rejection slips. Now it seems they'll publish anything I write." It takes time.
What is the biggest reward of life as a travel writer?
I am living out my adolescent dream of travel and adventure. I do not mean this as a pejorative: adolescence is when we are the most idealistic, the most open to the new and the novel. I try to keep that almost childlike attitude; consequently, I am seldom as cynical as I might otherwise be. I think this is a good thing.
I am living out my adolescent dream of travel and adventure. I do not mean this as a pejorative: adolescence is when we are the most idealistic, the most open to the new and the novel. I try to keep that almost childlike attitude; consequently, I am seldom as cynical as I might otherwise be. I think this is a good thing.
Finally, writing is what I do. The writing is why I am published. I am not a stronger climber than others, nor am I better with languages. But I do take care with my writing and feel that it is getting better and better. That is the biggest reward.
The Seven Myths of Being a Travel Writer with links to Tim Leffel's Cheapest Destination Blog
The Seven Myths of Being a Travel Writer
by Tim Leffel
I found and read this great article on the realities of being a travel writer. I am also wary of any programs or online services promising something that seems to good to be true. Travel writing is a difficult field to break into and the apprenticeship period must be pretty long. I think it would be fun to partake in travel writing for the right personality type. I enjoy traveling alone to new locations but the novelty would wear off after awhile, especially for individuals with little to no passion for travel.
Here are some links to other excellent travel writing sites:
For more information on Tim Leffel, check out his latest website called Travel 2.0. The website focuses on travel writing in the new media landscape.
Tim also has a very interesting blog for money conscious travelers: http://www.cheapestdestinationsblog.com/. This blog is filled with resources for economical travel and I found myself immersed in the great links and content.
Check out these other travel writing sites:
Ralf Potts Travel Writing and Vagabonding (excellent site with interviews, essays, and a plethora of information for emerging and established travel writers.)
Tim Cahill Interview at Ralf Potts website (I first read Cahill's brilliant travel writing in an anthology of the years best Travel Writers, but he is also well know for his travel articles for Outside Magazine.) He recently suffered a serious injury in the Grand Canyon. Read the full article here:Tim-Cahill-Heart-Stopping-Adventure.html
For more information, follow the link above, or check out the caption below to see some of the job hazards associated with travel writing.
by Tim Leffel
I found and read this great article on the realities of being a travel writer. I am also wary of any programs or online services promising something that seems to good to be true. Travel writing is a difficult field to break into and the apprenticeship period must be pretty long. I think it would be fun to partake in travel writing for the right personality type. I enjoy traveling alone to new locations but the novelty would wear off after awhile, especially for individuals with little to no passion for travel.
Here are some links to other excellent travel writing sites:
For more information on Tim Leffel, check out his latest website called Travel 2.0. The website focuses on travel writing in the new media landscape.
Tim also has a very interesting blog for money conscious travelers: http://www.cheapestdestinationsblog.com/. This blog is filled with resources for economical travel and I found myself immersed in the great links and content.
Check out these other travel writing sites:
Ralf Potts Travel Writing and Vagabonding (excellent site with interviews, essays, and a plethora of information for emerging and established travel writers.)
Tim Cahill Interview at Ralf Potts website (I first read Cahill's brilliant travel writing in an anthology of the years best Travel Writers, but he is also well know for his travel articles for Outside Magazine.) He recently suffered a serious injury in the Grand Canyon. Read the full article here:Tim-Cahill-Heart-Stopping-Adventure.html
For more information, follow the link above, or check out the caption below to see some of the job hazards associated with travel writing.
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| Tim Cahill suffered a cardiac arrest after falling off his raft at the top of Lava Falls, in the Grand Canyon. Photo: John Fowler/Flickr |
Thursday, August 14, 2014
motorcycle camping on 250 rebel
500 miles across America on a Honda Rebel 250
7500 miles across North America on a Honda Rebel 250
see and read more about his trip after the jump:
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