I was so excited when a couple of my good friends announced their engagement! Seriously, these two are awesome - I know them from work and from running groups. These two rockstars helped me get through several races from my first half marathon at OBX to this year's Tar Heel 10 Miler. So when they asked me if I'd photograph their engagement session I was so stoked! They decided to set their engagement photos at the American Tobacco Trail, which is important to them as a place they frequently use for training runs. In one section of the trail there's a scenic bridge over Interstate 40 where Travis proposed to Kristen, so one evening we headed there to do a little celebration via photos. The highlights are in this post! Congrats, Travis and Kristen!
Father’s Day is this weekend and instead of the tacky tie or discount power tools or new grilling tongs and apron, get your dad something that will make him truly happy: experiences. Science actually says spending money on experiences provides much more happiness than purchasing material things, and you know we can't argue with science. Here are a few ideas of affordable experiences in the Triangle for you to get out in nature with your “old man” and have a Father’s Day to remember!
It seems like "tired" and "coffee" are two absolutes in my life. I will always be tired. I will always need coffee. Even on vacation. Last Saturday morning I woke up early so I could run on the beach. I'd missed the chance to do that over Memorial Day weekend and with two weekends in a row at Oak Island I wasn't about to miss my chance again. So at 6:45am on Saturday I headed out the door with my running shoes on.
Memorial Day weekend threatened rain, but on Oak Island, a barrier island of North Carolina, the days were gorgeous. I had spent Saturday with girlfriends on the beach and on Sunday McCrae came down to join me. It had rained torrentially the night before - the remnants of a tropical storm moving landward - and the post-storm swells beat hard against the beach at high tide in the afternoon. It looked like great body-surfing conditions, and McCrae and I grinned at each other and took off into the breakers.
When I have to myself long periods of time I tend to revert to some...peculiar habits. In my youthful solitude of being an only child I would write (obviously), read (of course), practice a half dozen instruments, and frequently engage in "bored running." Yes, bored running. It is a real thing, often deployed as an antidote to the dread "bored eating" and usually resorted to after several days of mindless couch potato-ing in front of soul-numbing TV.
I was slow to get moving on Saturday morning, putzing around for last minute packing and shopping for food like salami and trail mix. All this meant I was a little slow to leave for Boone, past rusting cars in a field by a sign that read "Dirt for Sale" and billboards and signs advertising ski supplies and fly fishing guides. Worse than being late though was finding the Profile Trail parking lot blocked by orange cones and a sign that read "Lot Full." I skidded into a parking lot down the road from the trailhead to try to figure out my next move. There was another trail option for hiking up Grandfather Mountain: I just had to find it.
It's always tough coming down from the endorphin rush of a wild adventure, whether it's an epic trip or just an insane weekend getaway. But on the bright side I've got plenty of photos to sort through and I've got a few big trips this summer that I need to plan. That should stave off the worst of the Monday blues for now as I happily daydream of adventure still to come.
This weekend for Mother's Day I did some labor of love for my mom's garden, and afterwards we played with some puppies! Well, no one wants to see pictures of me sweaty and dirty and covered in mulch. But everyone wants to see puppies!
