Took a trip last month with dad and brother to Bryce and Zion National Parks.  The highlight of the trip was a 16 mile hike through The Narrows, a deep canyon section in the Virgin River in Zion.  Hiking the Narrows was ranked 5th by National Geographic in “America’s top 100 adventures”.   Three-quarters of the hike is through the river, and we were told that we would have water up to our chest in a few sections.  They didn’t say that there were sections that we would be actually swimming with full gear on our backs.  (See last picture in slideshow above).   But the hike was incredible.  We were one of 10 groups that had permits to hike the full trail and camp overnight in the canyon.  The walls of the canyon are over 1,500 ft. in places which gives the trail a feel of complete seclusion.  While camping overnight, you can faintly see the giant cliffs above you, with a sliver of the most clear stars and moon through the peaks.  Growing up, our parents were pretty big into wilderness vacations.  But, to take a trip as adults and friends, not as parent and kid, was something we’ll appreciate the rest of our lives.  By the time we reached the exit of the park, I was already picturing the day I would bring my own son on this hike.  Thanks for a great trip, pops.

Dad tackles The Narrows (Viewer discretion- foul language from the old man)

For the last 20 months Eli has been the subject of most photography (and much of the blog).  The camera and writing are just an extension of whatever is naturally spilling over from my noggin.  So in looking back through my files, I realize I haven’t shot any creative photography in some time.  While driving down a road near our house a few weeks ago, an old barn and the light from the late afternoon caused me to hit the breaks and  put the car in reverse.  Turns out the old barn was part of an abandoned gas station in Ellis Hollow…

My son is 19 months old and knows how to navigate an iPhone.  Does it make me a bad parent for exposing my kid to a smartphone before he can talk?  What responsibility do we have as parents for a generation growing up surrounded by this kind of technology?   Living and working in a digital age, I can’t help but think about the right balance between the virtual world and the natural world for my kid’s development…and these issues are only going to get more complicated.  But it’s this conflict and challenge that I believe is driving the success of a local organization I’ve been following in Ithaca…

Primitive Pursuits was launched ten years ago with a mission to teach kids the skills that will strengthen their connection with nature.   It’s almost hard to believe that an organization like this has become a necessity.  Growing up, I spent as much time as I could outside.  But then eventually I discovered cable TV.  And then video games.  And then computers.   And now I spend most of my day in front of  a laptop working for an internet company.  (Neither of which even existed 25 years ago!)  Well, now we have a generation of kids growing up with the virtual world as a standard in their lives.  Between websites like Facebook and online gaming, kids can even create a social life without leaving their bedroom.

Tim Drake, the Director of Primitive Pursuits, shared this statistic with me at a recent meeting:  On average, children spend 53% of their day in front of a screen, 35% in a classroom and less than 1% in outdoor activities. He also shared results from a study that children could identify 100 corporate logos but not 10 plants from their own backyard. What are the repercussions of children growing up without a strong connection to nature?  If you don’t connect with the natural world, do you have any sense to protect it?

The concept of Primitive Pursuits is nothing new, but the relevance and importance seems to be growing as our society grapples with questions about the role of technology in our lives.  However we decide to raise our own son, I’m glad to know that there are people like Tim focused on the basic idea of getting kids connected with, and excited about the outdoors.

I attended the Primitive Pursuits 10 year anniversary event last weekend and took a few pictures for their website….

For more information about Primitive Pursuits, click here.  There is also a documentary on this subject of the need for outdoor education for todays kids called Play Again.  I haven’t seen it yet, but hear good things.

Last month, Rachel and I took a trip to Austria, Hungary & Slovakia.  I was in Vienna for work, but Rachel came along and we traveled to Salzburg, Budapest and Bratislava during the 7 day trip.  A few highlights:

• The architecture in the city of Vienna, particularly the National Library, Schonbrunn Palace and the Opera House.
• The lakes region & drive from Salzburg to Vienna
• Sacher torte (bascially an amazing chocolate cake) from Hotel Sacher
• The beauty of the Vienna Opera house and listening to the Overture from Tannhauser – My mother, grandfather and great-grandmother’s favorite opera.
• Having dinner with Rachel at the outdoor Vienna Market after a visit to Schonbrunn & the zoo
• The Szechenyi Thermal Baths in Budapest – Saunas, hot pools, ice baths & mud baths
• The cobblestone streets and architecture of Bratislava
• Spending a week exploring, learning, laughing, and just getting lost in it all with my best friend and wife

When I sat in the opera house in Vienna and listened to the music from Tannhauser, it brought back memories of my grandfather.  This is the grandfather that Eli was named after, and we miss him very much.  So Eli, even if you have no taste for opera when you get older, you should at least know this one …

In the past two weeks we’ve hit some major milestones.  Rolling over, eating rice cereal & green peas (see picture below), sleeping without a swaddle, and last night he slept through the night.  Hallelujah!

So after 5 months, where are we?  Well, after last night we’re pretty excited.  The only thing keeping us from fully enjoying parenthood is the sleep deprivation.  So if we’ve turned a corner and sleep is on the horizon, that’s about all we can ask for.  That and maybe some more napping during the day.  But I get the feeling he’s going to take after his parents and be too curious and active during the day to put his head down.  A few pictures of the little man in his 5th month of life:

A friend sent me this link to pictures of the Tough Guy Challenge in Wolverhampton, England.  I had never heard of the race, but as a runner and junkie for unique experiences, I’m intrigued.  I am planning to run the midnight sun marathon in Alaska next year, but I’m inspired by the spirit of the Tough Guy Challenge.  All participants are required to sign a waiver that states, “It’s my own bloody fault for being here.”   If you have a few minutes, take a look at the pictures from the race.  The photographer Mike King has some incredible shots.   He also photographed the Antarctic Ice Marathon.  I’ll pass on that one, though.

I’m typing this post with one hand.  I have a very fussy two month old in the left arm.  Month 1 to 2 saw a growth spurt (up to 10 pounds), a few nights with 6 hours of sleep, and a lot of nights without that.  As parents, there are still moments where we feel completely over our heads, and wonder what we’re doing wrong.  But those don’t last long.  They are usually supplanted by a moment like the picture above from this morning.  And what’s better than that?

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year to our friends and family.

We hope to see you in 2010.

Now most important,  a few pics of Eli at one month.

My mother was born on Halloween and we moved to Ithaca one year ago on October 31st.  With two weeks left until the due date, it could happen.   Rachel and I took a walk to get a few pictures of her before the baby arrives, with the upstate NY foliage in full bloom.  Rach will be relieved when this baby arrives and she’s no longer the focus of all my pictures.  (But she’s such a great subject)

Rachel and I took a day trip up to Skaneateles NY this weekend.  William Seward, Abe Lincoln’s Secretary of State, called Skaneateles Lake the most beautiful body of water in the world.  We went up for an art tour, and dinner at the great Rosalies Cucina.  During the studio tour, we visited this beautifully restored barn.  Take a look at that silo.  Have you ever seen such great looking rust before?