Category Archives: Travel

Topo Designs Travel Bag and Trip Pack

Topo Designs Travel Bag and Trip Pack Unboxing and Overview

New Updated Video of the Topo Designs Travel Bag

A quick video of the unboxing and initial exploration of of the Topo Designs Travel Bag and Trip Pack. One of my favorite bags to this point – a bag I’ve schlepped across most of the U.S, South and Central America, and a large portion of Europe is the Patagonia MLC. It’s been a great bag and holds enough stuff to get by, but not enough to weigh you down. After having and using both the Topo Designs Daypack and Mountain bag, I’ve been impressed enough to want a few more. I sold several courier bags, a laptop bag (Timbuk2 and Patagonia both), and even a Topo Designs Duffel to get the new travel pack and trip bag. Although I like the Patagonia bags, I really like that the Topo Designs Bags are made in the U.S.A.  – enough that I’m willing to pay a premium for them. That, and the ones I already own have aged well, held up admirably, and they come out of the wash looking almost new.

I like the size of the larger travel bag. It’s about the same size as the Patagonia MLC I was so familiar with, and it fits about the same amount of stuff. I can pack enough clothes for a week and a little extra. My initial impression of the trip pack is that it’s a tad small. It’s really cool that it attaches to the front of the travel bag, although I can’t really see when I’ll use that. Maybe it’s a little gimmicky, but it’s a gimmick I can get behind. I love a good system. I can fit a water bottle, a very small jacket and only two small cameras in it. I suppose that’s enough for most adventures, but I like to pack a little heavy – journals, and assortment of pens, some pliers, etc. Maybe the trip pack will force me to lighten my load a little, which couldn’t really hurt. I’ll try to take some more photos of the bags as I use them and I’ll revisit some of my first impressions in a later post.

Arches National Park with the new Ricoh GR

Arches National Park with the new Ricoh GR

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I recently hit Arches National Park near Moab with the new Ricoh GR. It’s a great little camera. I really am starting to like it better than the GRD IV I had before. I’ve noticed one the replacement batteries I bought for the Ricoh GRD IV, while it works fine in the IV, it won’t fit in the GR – the battery cover door won’t close all the way.

arches national park arches national park

arches national park

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arches national park

arches national park

Ricoh GR

Ricoh GR

Ricoh GR 

I took the Ricoh GR on my last river trip in Cataract Canyon and I’ll post some black and white photos from the trip in a few days.

Thanks for looking. _____________________________________________________________________

I’ve written and illustrated two children’s books that are now available in print and digital versions; Coyote Life, and The Cat’s Glasses. If you’ve got kids, check them out. If you enjoy them, please leave a review, tell your friends, etc. Thanks.

The Cat's Glasses

Kid’s Books: The Cat’s Glasses

Does your cat need glasses? How do you know? Follow one little boy as he tries to find out in The Cat’s Glasses by Quinn Hall

Find out more on MagCloud

Coyote Life by Quinn Hall

Kid’s Books: Coyote Life by Quinn Hall

Coyote Life is a short, rhyming children’s book about coyotes in the Southwest.

Find out more on MagCloud

 

Don’t forget to check out some of the fine art prints for sale in my Etsy shop.

Ancient-ViewSalt_Flats_Hot_Rod_One

My wife Leah also makes and sells some pretty cool leather stuff like minimalist wallets and camera straps. Check out her Etsy store for some cool gear. minimalist leather handstitched walletCamera Strap by Aestus Gear

Photography T Shirts and Stickers at Redbubble:

Buy my work

 

Cataract Canyon June 2013 Tour West

Cataract Canyon June 2013 Tour West

Just got off the river again. It was a great trip. Here’s some of the highlights.

Thanks to the gang for mostly behaving and for making the trip a good one. 

 

Cataract Canyon Tour West May 2013

Cataract Canyon Tour West May 2013

Just got off Cataract Canyon with Jordan, Julie, and a great family from Austin, Tx. Kudos to parents who teach kids not to bring i-things or x-things, or game-things on a river trip! Kudos to young people who enjoy the outdoors and interpersonal communication. It was a fun trip and great experience.

Cataract Canyon

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Cataract Canyon

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Tour West

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Tour West

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Cataract Canyon

Cataract Canyon

Cataract Canyon

Tour West 

Thanks for looking. _____________________________________________________________________

I’ve written and illustrated two children’s books that are now available in print and digital versions; Coyote Life, and The Cat’s Glasses. If you’ve got kids, check them out. If you enjoy them, please leave a review, tell your friends, etc. Thanks.

The Cat's Glasses

Kid’s Books: The Cat’s Glasses

Does your cat need glasses? How do you know? Follow one little boy as he tries to find out in The Cat’s Glasses by Quinn Hall

Find out more on MagCloud

Coyote Life by Quinn Hall

Kid’s Books: Coyote Life by Quinn Hall

Coyote Life is a short, rhyming children’s book about coyotes in the Southwest.

Find out more on MagCloud

 

Don’t forget to check out some of the fine art prints for sale in my Etsy shop.

Ancient-ViewSalt_Flats_Hot_Rod_One

My wife Leah also makes and sells some pretty cool leather stuff like minimalist wallets and camera straps. Check out her Etsy store for some cool gear. minimalist leather handstitched walletCamera Strap by Aestus Gear

Photography T Shirts and Stickers at Redbubble:

Buy my work

 

Moab Car Show 2013

Here’s some photos from the car show in Moab, Utah two weeks ago. Enjoy.
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moab car show

moab car show

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Moab, Utah

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moab car show

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Car Show

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Moab, Utah

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moab car show

hot rod

rockabilly

burnout

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american cars

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Thanks for looking.

_____________________________________________________________________

I’ve written and illustrated two children’s books that are now available in print and digital versions; Coyote Life, and The Cat’s Glasses. If you’ve got kids, check them out. If you enjoy them, please leave a review, tell your friends, etc. Thanks.

The Cat's Glasses

Kid’s Books: The Cat’s Glasses

Does your cat need glasses? How do you know? Follow one little boy as he tries to find out in The Cat’s Glasses by Quinn Hall

Find out more on MagCloud

Coyote Life by Quinn Hall

Kid’s Books: Coyote Life by Quinn Hall

Coyote Life is a short, rhyming children’s book about coyotes in the Southwest.

Find out more on MagCloud

 

Don’t forget to check out some of the fine art prints for sale in my Etsy shop.

Ancient-ViewSalt_Flats_Hot_Rod_One

My wife Leah also makes and sells some pretty cool leather stuff like minimalist wallets and camera straps. Check out her Etsy store for some cool gear. minimalist leather handstitched walletCamera Strap by Aestus Gear

Photography T Shirts and Stickers at Redbubble:

Buy my work

Moab Dining at the Quesadilla Mobilla

Moab Dining at the Quesadilla Mobilla

Moab Dining

Moab dining has been a little stale for the last few years. Restaurants in Moab are usually coffee shops, burger joints, coffee shops, breweries, coffee shops, coffee shops, and the occasional bakery with a coffee shop. Nationwide the mobile food truck business seems to have exploded; I’ve seen and read about eclectic and delicious mobile restaurants offering killer food in diverse locales all over the country. This adventurous craze seems to have passed Utah by, especially rural Utah, leaving the state stuck with only the time-honored roach-coach of lore.

Moab, Utah

Moab though, recently became home to the Quesadilla Mobilla, a bright yellow truck usually parked at 83 S. Main Street by the Canyonlands Trading Post, and occasionally at local events. The Quesadilla Mobilla takes Moab dining to new heights with the simple combination of cheese and tortilla. Owners Carrie and Steven add personality and creativity to an otherwise tame dish, delivering a creative product that’s easy to eat and tastes great.

Moab Restaurant 

I’ve eaten at the Mobilla a few times now, and I’ve always been impressed by both the service and the flavor. The desert quesadillas are surprising and unforgettable – definitely worth a second visit.

Moab Dining

If you’re walking around Moab in the evening (like most tourists do) stop and  check it out, it’s as tasty as any brewery, certainly more affordable, and there’s rarely any wait.

Moab Mexican Food

 

Thanks for looking.

_____________________________________________________________________

I’ve written and illustrated two children’s books that are now available in print and digital versions; Coyote Life, and The Cat’s Glasses. If you’ve got kids, check them out. If you enjoy them, please leave a review, tell your friends, etc. Thanks.

The Cat's Glasses

Kid’s Books: The Cat’s Glasses

Does your cat need glasses? How do you know? Follow one little boy as he tries to find out in The Cat’s Glasses by Quinn Hall

Find out more on MagCloud

Coyote Life by Quinn Hall

Kid’s Books: Coyote Life by Quinn Hall

Coyote Life is a short, rhyming children’s book about coyotes in the Southwest.

Find out more on MagCloud

 

Don’t forget to check out some of the fine art prints for sale in my Etsy shop.

Ancient-ViewSalt_Flats_Hot_Rod_One

My wife Leah also makes and sells some pretty cool leather stuff like minimalist wallets and camera straps. Check out her Etsy store for some cool gear. minimalist leather handstitched walletCamera Strap by Aestus Gear

Photography T Shirts and Stickers at Redbubble:

Buy my work

Cataract Canyon May 2013

Cataract Canyon River Trip, May 2013Cataract Canyon

Come raft Cataract Canyon with Joe Nielson and me on a photography-specific trip through Canyonlands National Park, May 14-18th 2013. Barrie Joe has arranged for professional photographer and University of Utah instructor Neil Eschenfelder to come with us down the river. He’ll be offering tips, tricks, and nightly photography sessions. This is a great trip for amateurs and professionals alike; if you enjoy photography, you’ll want to be there with us. Continue reading

Saguaro National Park

On the first leg of the DISPATCH Tour, Leah and I made it to Tucson, Az, and spent the morning in Saguaro National Park. It’s a very small park, just on the east side of Tucson. We got there early enough to see a Desert Jackrabbit, 5 Coyotes, and a Roadrunner. It felt cold as Utah before the sun broke cover over the mountains to the east, but as soon as first light hit things warmed right up. Very neat drive through some fascinating country. We really enjoyed seeing the cactus. Here’s some photos from the park.

Saguaro National Park Continue reading