Road Tripin With Bobby G on US Route 395

Bobby has just come back from a spring photo expedition in California on US Route 395.
This time of the year can see some spectacular light with clear blue days.
U.S. Route 395 (US 395) is a 557-mile (896 km) route which traverses from Interstate 15 near the southern city limits of Hesperia, north to the Oregon state line in Modoc County near Goose Lake. The route clips into Nevada, serving the cities Carson City and Reno, before returning to California.
Prior to truncation, US 395 served the metropolitan areas of San Diego and San Bernardino. The highway serves as a connection to the Los Angeles area for the communities of the Owens Valley, Mammoth Mountain and Mono Lake. The highway is used as an access for both the highest point in the contiguous United States, Mount Whitney, and the lowest point in North America, Death Valley.
The corridor has been used since the California gold rush, and before numbering was known by several names including El Camino Sierra. This route is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System and is eligible for the Scenic Highway system.

John Muir's longest walk

On my way back from New Zealand I stopped off in Atlanta to stay with a friend and we went on a great hike in the Tallulah Gorge State Park It was one of the best walks I have been on in a long time and it is believed that well know American explorer John Muir walked through here.
On the way home we stumbled upon a very big junk yard full of old school buses and prison buses.
Tallulah Gorge State Park is located on the eastern edge of the Southern Appalachian Mountains in Tallulah Falls, Georgia. The gorge inside the park is approximately two miles long and 1,000 feet deep. When beginning the exploration, one should first visit the Jane Hurt Yarn Interpretive Center. The center is setup to educate visitors about historical facts surrounding Tallulah Gorge, and the animals found in the park.
Once outside, take the North Rim Trail to scenic view one. The trail is an easy one, as there are steps which take you down hill. The trail will wind up and then to the left, leading into a spectacular overlook of the gorge and falls.
The view can be overwhelming because the depth of the gorge at this point is 750 feet. Railings are in place to aid in safety, yet one must use caution when locating the waterfall below. Oceana Falls can be seen from here. The gorge encloses a total of six waterfalls.

The trail will eventually turn into a rubber surface when walking towards scenic view two. Amazingly this walking surface is made up of recycled tire rubber.

Once to scenic view two, one can either walk out onto a man made platform or walk down a staircase of 700 steps to a lower portion of the gorge. Either walk will allow a view of Tempesta Falls.
Further on the same trail, one can see scenic views three thru five. Notably scenic view four has the best view of the Tallulah Falls Dam.

Altogether there are ten scenic views which can be accessed by the walking trails. This exploration will take at least two hours to complete, but is well worth the experience.

Louis Vuitton Trophy Auckland 2010

I know it has been a while since I have updated the blog, but I have been traveling half way around the world and now finally in my new home in Spain the internet has been turned on and I can upload images.
Auckland, New Zealand was yet another fantastic even with some outstanding sailing. The wind direction basically stayed the same, which allowed sailing almost inside the top part of the harbor. The next event in La Maddalena, Italy is not that far away and looking forward to a lot with the new scenery and turquoise blue water of the Med.

How comfortable can you be on the water?

© Ian Roman 2010
© Ian Roman 2010
© Ian Roman 2010

We would like to thank Garry Lock at Harken New Zealand
for supplying Bobby and I with the latest Harken sailing gear to wear on the water during the Louis Vuitton Trophy. After using the UV shirts, ballistic Echo shorts and spray jacket for over a week now it would have to be the most comfortable clothing ever on the water.

Thanks Ian Roman for taking the pics.

Tom Zinns Hits St Maarten

While Bobby and I are down in New Zealand shooting for Louis Vuitton, Tom Zinn is in St Maarten shooting the 30th St Maarten Heineken Regatta
Tom has been very busy so far shooting on board some of the big boats and also from the water.
Check out some of his images.

Making Waves at East Cape, New Zealand

I was really looking forward to my surfing break away before I had to start work on the Louis Vuitton Trophy regatta early March. Heading down to the Bay of Pleanty first to stay with friends and pick up my boards and then down through Whakatane. A few days before I arrived in New Zealand there was good size cyclone that had passed through Rarotonga and then down through Tonga. It had produced some awesome surf for almost 9 days on the East coast and every suffer (including myself) I came across seam to be making the most of it and the glorious warm weather.
Here is a small extract from Stuff.co.nz

Powerful winds are ripping off roofs, tearing down trees and power lines and cutting communications with the capital, as Cyclone Rene lashes Tonga.

"We don't know the extent of the damage right now, though there are no reports of serious damage or injuries," the South Pacific nation's National Disaster Office deputy director, Mali'u Takai, said.

Nadi Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre's Alipeti Waqaicelua said the Category Four cyclone was not expected to leave until tomorrow night or early in the morning.

"As far as Tongans are concerned they would not be out of the woods until tomorrow morning," he said.

Earlier the office warned that the cyclone could "increase to very destructive hurricane force."

My thoughts go out to all the Pacific Island and the local people who have to deal with this type of disaster and it is amazing to me that the waves that smashed in to these small islands make their way across the South Pacific for surfers to enjoy in New Zealand.

Information on contributions to this disaster http://www.reliefweb.int

Back in God's Own Country

Just arrived in my home land of New Zealand with a great flight down on Air New Zealand (Thanks Guys).
I will be working for Louis Vuitton most of March with Bobby G who will be joining me at the end of February. I came down three weeks early to visit family, travel, surf and shoot a bit of this counties outstanding scenery. Not far from the farm where I am staying is a very famous wine area and black sand beaches that stretch for about 50 miles or so. There is a Gannet colony at the near by beach Muriwai and on the cliffs above Maori Bay you can get quite close to them on the look-outs and also look down on to the local surfers.
This place is so stunning and I never get sick of visiting this truly wonderful spot.
looking forward to tasting some of the wine from over 20 vineyards in this area.