Happy Mothers Day: Camping & Hiking with Kids
13 May
As soon as we become parents, we begin to change ourselves for our kids’ betterment. Even before they’re born, we try to eat healthier and stay active. We make sure we brush our teeth, and say “please” and “thank you” to be shining examples for them.
Beyond these hygiene and good manners upgrades, I worked hard for two more goals as a role model for my little girl.
1) I stopped being negative about my body. Perhaps some of you were fighting this too, but we know girls (in particular) have enough pressure in their lives. I want my daughter to know that I can take a compliment (which should be easy) and refuse to make negative comments about my figure (which is no easy task.) Yes, I still struggle with it, but I’ve found it’s also a good boost for me as well.
2) I wanted her to see me doing the things I love. I love my job as a photographer, and I love taking adventures. And although this may mean time away from her, I hope in the long run it will empower her to be a good mom (if she chooses) and a good “whatever she wants to be” as well.
Take our adventure in the Summer of 2011 when The Muir Project was first created. We hiked the 211-mile John Muir Trail (from Yosemite to Mt. Whitney) in a record snow year, and shot what became our documentary Mile… Mile & A Half, about that thru-hike journey, the incredible beauty of the JMT and the amazing people we encountered along the way.
To do so, we left Isola (then 3½) with grandparents for five weeks. Yes, I’m sure there’s a divide in the audience right now. One side wishes they could duplicate that magical “adult time,” and the others think, “how could you!” I guess you’re both right. If I weren’t exhausted from the physical nature of the climbs and captivated by the creative work, I’d have spent the entire time crying and longing for our little girl. I even remark in the film, “Through her eyes I get to see something new, and now I see something new every day. And not being able to share that with her… that’s really hard.” And yes, on every pass where we had cell reception, we’d text the families to see who had Isola, and most of the time, she was having way too much fun to want to chat with us.
-
- 1st Yosemite trip
-
- Haleakala, Hawaii
-
- Tent Life
-
- LA Hiking
I should also say that the “lead by example” of outdoor life is one that we share with her as well. Her first hike, when she was two months old (and since she was a preemie she was still just a little peanut) was Mt. Tam. She’s been hiking and camping throughout the U.S., Maui and the Galapagos. Sure, it’s often harder on longer treks, when Ric (my husband) has to carry most of the gear, and I have to carry Isola, but like all of parenting: harder can also be better.
I’m always proud of what she’s able to do backcountry, and proud of myself to – for making it a priority and trying to lead by example.
Now, if only I could keep her from parodying my ridiculous expressions too. But that’s for another day.
The All Mighty Decision…Which Backpack?
7 May
One of the most crucial decisions to make prior to leaving on a month long hike, or even a daylong excursion, is which pack to bring? I’ve been backpacking for the greater portion of my life and have had the opportunity to use a variety of packs ranging from an old woven Adirondack guide pack (more like a picnic basket with straps), a few external frame beasts, to the latest and greatest creations.
As we entered the final stages of planning for the JMT I knew I needed a new pack, my previous pack having had suffered a few zipper blowouts and lacking a reasonably comfortable hip belt. It was under these circumstances that I found myself standing in front of the daunting wall of packs at REI. It can be a bit overwhelming to stand there and attempt to come to a decision as to exactly which pack is going to be right for you. Fortunately one of the employees must have recognized the thousand-yard stare in my eyes and was able to assist me in selecting the right pack. I had never owned an Osprey Pack before and had very little hard information about them beforehand, other than quite a bit of positive word of mouth recommendations (which in retrospect is often the best kind). After trying on a number of different packs I settled on the Aether 85.
After spending 4 weeks on the trail with this pack I have nothing but glowing reviews. Of all the packs in that size I found it to be the lightest and most comfortable to wear (literally never suffered from the all too common sore morning hips). It was also incredibly durable. Post trip I use it to carry my sound equipment on trips and it has suffered some serious abuse at the hands of the airlines and is no worse for the wear. Prior to this I had a pack that was described to me by the sales associate as “the Cadillac of backpacks”…one week into a two week trip in Alaska the plastic stabilizer broke, which was an infuriating buzzkill and expensive test run. To my fellow outdoor sound folks I’d also like to note that the removable top pouch on the Aether 85 also serves as a great mix bag. I was able to fit a Sound Devices 302, Sound Devices 744t and bulky NP battery in there without a problem and keep it strapped to my waist as I boomed and mixed our on-trail interviews. I’ve recommended the packs to numerous people after the trail, the most notable of which would have to be my parents who just yesterday left to hike the 500 mile El Camino trail in Spain and have taken along two Osprey packs.
During our time on the trail we ran into an incredible group of people and became fast friends with a good number of them. Among that group were Dave and Kelly Finlay from Dolores, Colorado whom we shared an instant bond of great conversation and easy laughter. Via that fine couple we found ourselves introduced by email to Osprey and we were ecstatic when them came onboard as The Muir Project’s first sponsor! Fast-forward 8 months to a screening of the final film at the Cliff Bar headquarters in Emeryville, CA and our introduction to the owners of Osprey, Mike Pfotenhauer and Diane Wren. Within a few sentences of my conversation with Mike and Diane before the screening, I knew that they embodied everything about the outdoor community that is generally lacking in a large company. They were breaking stigmas at that very moment as they humored a slightly tipsy Durand with a number of great backpacking stories. Everything about the way Osprey operates their business on both a social and institutional level is exceptional (just take a look at their policy of “The All Mighty Guarantee”). I personally believe the level of enthusiasm and support that Osprey has shown our relatively small independent film, and the goal of getting more folks outside to enjoy the outdoors, is an overwhelming assertion of their admirable core principals.
I am an Osprey believer and often find myself preaching as much to those looking for recommendations. You’re heading out on a trip soon and haven’t found the right pack yet? Take it from one “word of mouth” convert to another, Osprey is the way to go.
Creating Titles For The Tracks
1 May
The process of recording the music for Mile… Mile & A Half was very fluid.
We would start with an idea, then collaborate with such ease that soon we forgot where an idea started or who played what instruments on each track. It became an amorphous thing in and of itself, the songs are such a blend of our writing and playing styles, they became ours in the truest sense. So it seemed natural to also title all of the songs collaboratively.
Opus Orange was flying out to Austin, TX to play some shows during the SXSW music festival. We all met at the studio, where Will, the engineer was finishing up the mastering on the whole soundtrack project. It came time to think of this thing as a whole, from start to finish, with it’s own musical journey. We had to come up with titles for all the songs that made sense in the scope of the whole project, titles that have logic and an order, but that also told an emotional and expressive story. We wanted the titles to connected to the sounds and to the places that inspired those sounds along the John Muir Trail. We listened one last time in the studio then PB and I agreed that we would sit next to each other on the plane ride to Austin and finalize our decisions on titles for the songs on the soundtrack.
After much brainstorming, the one thing that we were both thinking about with titles was the sequence of the songs as they related to times of the day; Starting with early dawn and moving through the day and into the night. I love limitations and challenges, they can force you to create something that you would not normally make, and when you collaborate with someone, this can be really exciting. I went into Professor-Chadwick-mode and created the rules. We listen to all the songs together, and while we listen, we are to write down any thoughts that come to mind, images, descriptive words, stream of conscience, whatever. Then after we had gone through all the songs, we would trade papers, and pick our favorites for each, focusing on the words or titles that we both liked. If we were not satisfied with either of our ideas on that song, we had to come up with one on the spot that we both liked. We both agreed to the terms and conditions and started working. By the time we landed in Austin, we had all of our titles.
Don’t miss the Mile… Mile & A Half Soundtrack release party & Opus Orange show at Hotel Cafe on May 24th. They go on at 10pm.
It’s a PREMIERE!
26 Apr
What a journey this has been.
It’s been many long hours and miles, but with everyone’s help, we’re finally there!
We’re premiering at film festival – Dances with Films – in Los Angeles, 5pm on June 1st: National Trails Day!
Get your ticket starting mid May, and if you show us a picture of you on the trails that day, we’ll have a gift for you.
And then we hit the trail to visit cities around the U.S. We’ll update our schedule here, as new days/locations are confirmed. (If you have a suggestion/connection with a location you think we should screen at, please let us know!)
Special thanks to our sponsors & special friends:
- Adventure 16
- American Hiking Society
- Angry Bear
- Hollywood Access Services
- Kickstarter Backers
- Osprey Packs
- PCTA
- REI
- Tarma
- and our latest sponsor: CamelBak
John Muir’s Birthday
21 Apr
We can think of no one better to provide today’s blog, than Robert Hanna, Owner of Range of Light® and great-great-grandson of John Muir. Thank you Robert for continuing the amazing Muir legacy.
____________________________________________________
Ever since I was a young boy I’ve had the great privilege of attending scores of events on April 21st to celebrate my great-‐great-‐grandfather, John Muir’s birthday. It’s been an absolute pleasure to not only meet so many amazing people, but to learn just how much Muir has inspired them, and in many cases motivated them to fight for their own causes that they’re passionate about in his honor.
Muir’s values and passion have been passed down through every generation of my family and his commitment to protect and preserve our parks and all places of natural beauty continue to fuel my own determination in my work today.
Having spent the past few years fighting for California’s state parks, I had the opportunity to learn first-‐hand what these amazing places mean to other people and their families. They belong to all of us, and we must continue to work to help remind everyone about the responsibility we all share in protecting them for all future generations. Seeing entire communities and families come together to fight for the places they love was one of the most inspiring things I’ve ever witnessed, and I consider myself truly blessed to have experienced it with so many incredible park supporters. Not only were we successful in stopping the proposed closures of 70 state parks in California, but we also showed that in times of action we would all unite as one for the very places we love. That is the power of our parks and that is the exact passion and fight that my great-‐great-‐grandfather had coursing through his veins.
Muir’s spirit lives inside all of us and we each carry on his legacy today in our own unique way. His words will forever speak to us, and may we continue to use them for our own source of inspiration. For me, I will forever continue my family’s commitment to protecting and preserving the places he loved.
Happy birthday great-‐great-‐grandad!!
-Robert
Kolby Kirk drawing of John Muir for Mile… Mile & A Half