Traveling Solo And Being Alone

One of the questions I get asked the most is, "do you get lonely?". The short answer is yes. Although I am alone most of the time, I don't get lonely that often but yes, sometimes I do. I have a routine each day with Max and I try to keep busy when I have spare time. Taking photographs is something I do everyday and that's fulfilling and challenging to me to create new images each day. I usually travel to a new place on a daily basis so the excitement of what's to come keeps my mind busy.

When I am alone in my surroundings and a bit bored, sometimes I take self portraits to pass the time. All of the photos below are taken with my iPhone on a timer(except i am holding the iphone out of the water in the head shot). I never really know when it will take the photograph so it's always a surprise to see what I captured. Posting photographs on this blog, Facebook and instagram makes me feel a little connected to the outside world and being connected helps when I have no idea what is going on since I don't watch tv or read a paper. However, that can be a good thing sometimes.

So, thank you for reading the blog and keeping in touch! Max and I always love hearing from you while we are on the road and wherever we are calling "home" on that day. For us, home is where we park it.

French Marie Claire Magazine Feature

I was honored to receive an email from a photographer researching women who travel the "American open road." He found me online and read my story and thought French women would be interested in an American who quits her job to wander around the country.  That pretty much sums up my life for the past few years.  At first, I thought it was a joke.  I researched the photographer to see if he was the real deal and then wondered why he would be looking for me instead of a writer?  I pushed the doubts aside and kept an open mind.  He asked me if I knew of other women doing similar things and I immediately thought of my friend, Kristiana Spaulding!  She designs beautiful jewelry and knows a thing or two about Airstream trailers.  In fact, she towed her trailer up this steep hill in Big Sur for this photo!

I don't know what the article says since it's in French, but I am sure it has something to do with women taking it upon themselves to travel solo.  For that, I am happy to participate to hopefully inspire other women to do the same!  The photographer and writer kept referring to Kristiana and I as "Thelma and Louise" so we started fighting on who was Thelma and who was Louise.  I suppose you can call us that without the breaking the law and suicide part.  I know... spoiler alert!  Because I love camping so much, I started a facebook camping page a while ago just for women who enjoy camping.  You can participate in the conversation HERE.

Kristiana and I met in Big Sur to camp three days before the actual photo shoot to give us time to hang out and relax.  Well, little did we know that there wouldn't be a shower in sight.  One night we drove for miles to find one with no luck.  So what you see here is the real deal... three days of camping with no shower.  Not the best way to get ready for a photo shoot but that's how we camping girls do it! 

If you are in France or by a fancy news stand that carries the French version of Marie Claire, it's out now...the August edition.  The image here is a screen shot of the website. There's a preview online but will not show the entire article and I have yet to figure out how to translate it.  You can see it HERE

I am honored to be featured in this article and it makes it even sweeter that I get to share it with my good friend, Kristiana!  She makes beautiful jewelry that you can buy on her website www.SilverTrailer.com

More photos I took during our Big Sur adventure can be found on my Big Sur blog post.

I hope you take the time to get out and explore, ladies!

I Want To Send YOU A Photo Postcard From The Road

It's about that time... time to pack up everything I need to live in a 6x10 foot space full time.  Yes, I am going to live in my van with my dog, Max in a few weeks. This is our fourth year on the road and I am looking forward to this year more than ever.  

I don't have a set agenda, rather I am going to stay open to the possibility of changing direction depending on who I meet or what a local might say about what "not to miss."  I am going to blog and share portraits of people I meet on the road here on this blog.  I plan to write more, take more photos and talk to more people along the way.  

Eventually, I would like to put together a book or show with the images I take of Americana throughout the states.  But with most projects (including cost of gas to get to places to take photographs), it costs money.  I thought about starting a Kickstarter project to help the project of documenting Americans I meet by chance, but time slipped away and my house is being rented so I need to get going.    

I have always enjoyed getting postcards from people when they are on vacation and hearing about their adventure.  I would love to send YOU (or your grandparents, parents, or another loved one by request) a postcard from the road with a photograph that I took and a message from me.  Not only just one, but up to FIVE from my journey.  For a donation for as little as $5, I will send you a postcard with an original image taken by me.  Even better, you can punch out the 3x3 image and stick it on your fridge, frame it, or pin it to a map of the USA.  Also, you will get a link to download the original image.  All of this for only FIVE dollars!  For those of you who want more than one image, I will send you THREE postcards from the road for $10 and FIVE for a donation of $15 or more.   

The postcard of Max is just an example of what it will look like.  Each image on the postcard will be original and a surprise on what you get in the mail.  It might be a 3x3 pop out or a full image on the postcard.  I'll give you a hint that it will be of a person, animal, place or a thing.  I will start sending the first batch of postcards out in mid July.  Depending on the amount you donate, it will determine how many cards you receive.  I look forward to sending you a photo card from the road!

Please click below to donate.  Remember, $5 for ONE Photo Postcard, $10 for THREE, and $15 or more for FIVE Photo Postcards delivered to you!!! (More details on top right of blog.  Cards will be sent to address listed on Pay Pal).

$5 = ONE Postcard
$10 = THREE Postcards
$15 or more = FIVE Postcards

Pass the word on for people who might like to receive a photo postcard in the mail...

I look forward to it! As always, a sincere Thank You so much for your support!  Click the "Donate" button below...

Postcards Graciously Donated by Postagram

My Bombay Beach Adventure

If you have never heard of Bombay Beach, you might think the name would be fitting to a place that is similar to a tropical paradise.  You would be right, except that it no longer is the thriving community that it once was in the mid century.

I've always been curious about the Salton Sea and the surrounding areas and decided to take a visit a few years ago to wander around neighborhoods and see what I could find.  As I turned the corner to the community of Bombay Beach, it was as I imagined it to be.  Very few of the homes are lived in today.  When I visited a few weeks ago, I heard an explosion and once I headed in the direction of the smoke, I noticed that one of the trailers was engulfed in flames.  I asked a passerby what happened and if everyone was ok and he said that the owner crossed the wires to the propane tank, and he's ok...as he walked by me and disappeared around the corner.

I came to visit the town alone with my dog, Max.  At the time of the explosion, we were exploring abandoned homes and walking around the streets.  Because I was in my car near the fire, one neighbor came out and yelled at me to get away.  I decided to drive the car to a safe distance and I parked it while I jumped out and headed to the fire with my camera in tow, not really knowing what I was doing.  My natural instinct was to photograph what was happening at that moment.  Most residents were in their homes with a few people standing around.  I heard sirens as trucks were approaching to help.  Right before the fire truck arrived, I man pulled up and jumped out of his car 50 feet from me and yelled, "hey you!! Better take that camera away!" I slowly put the camera down and ignored him while he was standing there staring at me while making a gesture of his hand slitting his throat then pointing at me.  At this time, I was the only person standing out in the open so I decided it might be best to head back to the car, which I did.

Eventually, the fire was put out and nobody was hurt.  I don't know the entire story of what happened, but I am still intrigued by this area.  After this visit, I watched the documentary, "Bombay Beach" on Netflix.  It portrays life in this area pretty well.  I would recommend it.  Also, Anthony Bourdain took a trip here a few years ago and ate at the Ski Inn.  I have yet to eat there, but I plan to go back.  Believe it or not, I would love to live here for a while to document the neighbors.  In the meantime, here are a few photos from that day.

The Virginia Coast to Charleston, South Carolina

Last year I traveled South a few hundred miles from the shore through some national parks and then down to the gulf.  This year I decided to drive along the coast as much as possible.  As you might know, Max and I drove along the coast of Delaware then stopped in Virginia.  From there, I headed West a bit and back down South to Charleston.

I received a tip to go to Folly Beach so that's what I did.  Max and I went on the beach and took a walk after I had a nice lunch at the lost dog cafe.' Of course I had to do another photo shoot of him on the beach.  The best part of our trip is when we are able to get out and enjoy the area together.  Since he's my travel companion, it's important that he gets to do most everything I get to do.  Most beaches allow dogs on them during the winter months.  We took full advantage of that.

Charleston is a great city.  Right on the water, the city mixes culture, history and southern charm.   Here are some photographs I took the past few days in the area.

The last one is taken with my camera phone as we drove across the Charleston bridge.