Welcome to Notes From The Road, a monthly recap of where we’ve been, what we’ve been up to, and things we’ve enjoyed over the last 30 days. We hope you enjoy it.
June began for us on our property in Western Colorado where we came down off the high of spending 3 weeks traveling to Alaska and began preparing for wedding season. This June marks our 20th year as wedding photographers, a job that allows us to work seasonally and travel the rest of the year. Mid-June we relocated to Colorado’s high country where we spend most of our summer to be closer to our work that takes place at various ski resorts such as Vail, Breckenridge, and Steamboat Springs.
Re-acclimating to life at 9,000’
After spending two weeks in near triple digits on our property, it was a relief to relocate to the mountains. However, while we gained in terms of the weather we lost in regard to oxygen. Life at high altitude effects everything from breathing to cooking to how our vehicles perform. We gave ourselves a week to acclimate before work began as most weddings we photograph take place somewhere between 9,000 and 11,000’ above sea level. Life at this elevation is unique and while we outgrew living here year round, it’s still our absolute favorite place to spend the summer and fall.
A month of anniversaries
June always has a special sweetness to it as it is filled with personal anniversaries. 20 years ago this month we started our photography business together, 16 years ago we wed, and 4 years ago we sold our house, along with most of our possessions, and became full-time travelers. Mark & I aren’t ones to make a big thing of holidays but we certainly do acknowledge them and allow a moment of gratitude for how far we’ve come. 20 years ago I never would have predicted that a career in wedding photography would lead to, and allow for, a life of perpetual travel.
MEDIA WE’VE ENJOYED THIS MONTH
Book: The Year We Ruined Our Lives
An equally humorous and informative memoir about a family of four that stepped away from their traditional American lives in exchange for one year traveling through Mexico and Central America in their VW bus. I find anyone inspiring who is willing to walk away from their comfortable, secure lifestyle to pursue travel, however I found Paul & Rebecca even more inspiring for doing it with their 10 and 12 year old kids.
Find The Year We Ruined Our Lives on Amazon
Audiobook: Shantaram
Totaling a whopping 40 hours, this is a beast of a novel that has kept us intrigued for the last month. It’s a story detailing several years of life in India after Lin, an escaped convict from Australia, flees to Bombay. Lin becomes ingrained in Indian culture and eventually climbs the ranks of a criminal organization. Told in exquisite detail and narrated by an immensely talented voice actor who portrays dozens of characters, this is an audiobook worth devoting 40 hours to.
Find the Shantaram audiobook on Amazon
Video: Press On by Bound For Nowhere
This video is a beautiful account of Mak & Owen’s seven day backpacking trip on California’s High Sierra Trail. It’s a reminder of all the ways in which the wilderness can be both healing and humbling.
Music: Leylines by Rising Appalachian
A friend recently turned me on to Rising Appalachia and I’ve since listened to their album Leylines several times over. If you enjoy folk music, check it out.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT, THESE ARE THE POSTS THAT WE SHARED IN JUne:
- Driving to Alaska Day 1: Idaho and its unmistakable nostalgia
- Driving to Alaska Day 2: Moving into a new rig
- Driving to Alaska Day 3: The journey begins
- Driving to Alaska Day 4: Hello Canada
- Driving to Alaska Day 5: Golden, British Columbia
- Driving to Alaska Day 6: The Icefields Parkway
- Driving to Alaska Day 7: Yellowhead Highway
- Driving to Alaska Day 8: Cassiar Highway
- Driving to Alaska Day 9: The Yukon Territory
- Driving to Alaska Day 10: A slow day around Whitehorse
- Driving to Alaska Day 11: Hello Alaska
- Driving to Alaska Day 12: A new phase of the trip begins
- Driving to Alaska Day 13: McCarthy & Kennecott Mine
- Driving to Alaska Day 14: Denali Highway
- Driving to Alaska Day 15: The day the driving fatigue set in
- Driving to Alaska Day 16: Denali State Park
- Driving to Alaska Day 17: Talkeetna
- Driving to Alaska Day 18: An epic ending
- A recap of our 4,000 mile drive to and around Alaska
We hope your summer is off to a great start!
Cheers!
Michele & Mark
I can’t believe it has been 20 years since your business started. You are so fortunate to have found a business that works a few months a year so you can live the life you love on the road the rest of the year! I’m so proud of you both. I especially love the picture of you and Mark at the end of your post!