Photographs Published in Trailer Life Magazine March 2011

"We have more fun than anyone" is the motto of the group, Sisters on the Fly.  I found out about this group a few years ago and decided that since I had a teardrop trailer, it would be a good idea to join them to meet other women who love to camp.  I joined and went on a few outings with the Sisters in Arizona and Sisters in Califonia.  Indeed, they do have a lot of fun.

There is a bond between these sisters that is as tight as family, or sometimes even more so.  I'm always up to join and support groups that empower women to do what many are afraid to do, like towing your own trailer or ditching the husband and kids at home to get out on your own.

A few of the photographs I took of these wonderful ladies have been published in the March 2011 edition of Trailer Life Magazine in an article written by Becky Blanton.

Thank you ladies for the great time!  I hope to see you again down the road.

The Women Park Rangers Of Yosemite

After Max and I left Big Bear, we head up to Yosemite.  After a long day of driving, we arrived around four in the afternoon.  Lucky for us, a campsite just opened up that day so there were spots available.  We decided to stay a few nights.

As I mentioned in a previous blog, a goal of mine is to meet woman across the United States in different professions and introduce them to you.  Ultimately, I look forward to the opportunity to put them together in a book. I was lucky enough to meet five park rangers and do a photoshoot with them.  I also spent some time interviewing the more seasoned veteran of the group, Michele.

I checked in to camp and told them about my project.  I was thrilled to hear that all of them were on board with it and agreed to be photographed.  That night I set up camp and Max and I decided to relax after a long day of driving.  The next morning, we woke up and took some pictures of the ladies on duty.

Throughout the day, people were checking in to camp and I considered myself lucky that I got there in time before the entire site filled up.  Shortly after I arrived, the vacancy turned into "full."  There is something about a National Park that we all love.  In fact, I thought about how great it would be to be a park ranger when I was considering job options while I was in college. Things went in a slightly different direction.

These women are living the dream and each day they get to call a National Park their office.  Don't get me wrong, this is not an easy job.  They still have to deal with unhappy campers with a smile.  I witnessed it myself as car after car pulled up hoping for a spot.

I wasn't the only one who thought the park would be a great place to go right before a holiday weekend. More on touring the sites in the next blog.

A big thank you to all of these wonderful rangers that took the time to help me with my project.

California Sisters On The Fly

This past weekend, I joined the California chapter of Sisters on the Fly for a weekend at the Kern river in Kernville, CA.  What fun we had!  As you might know, I love taking portraits of people and especially love taking pictures of women and their rigs.

All of the sisters in this group gave me a warm welcome (being the newbie and all) and I instantly felt comfortable being there among about forty or so women that gathered at this campsite for the weekend.  As social as I might seem, I get shy meeting new people and sometimes it takes me a while to feel comfortable in a group situation.  Having a camera around my neck allows me to hide at times, but it didn't take long for me to unwind and be myself.

I love the fact that these women camp solo with their trailers.  Since this was not an "official" sisters trip, dogs and husbands were welcome to join.  It's perfect for me because I prefer to travel with my dog, Max and I think a lot of the husbands were happy to be included with the group to see all of the fun the women have together.  It was cute to see some of the husbands with a sad face when the sisters were announcing upcoming trips and said it was a "sisters only" trip.  I think it's great that the husbands are so supportive of their wives running off with a trailer in tow to meet up with other women doing the same.

For a lot of women, camping solo may seem like a daunting task.  I receive emails from women every so often asking how I am able to travel solo as a women and feel safe.  I usually trust my gut and try to camp where there are people around, however I have made some mistakes here and there and I've learned some big lessons from them.  I think this group is great for women who are afraid to make the leap to solo travel.  You can find meet ups in your area with these women and believe me, you won't feel so alone.

I enjoyed my weekend with these ladies and I hope to come across more sisters on my travels when Max and I head out on the open road.  For more pictures of these women, click HERE.