Junction Day 15

The last morning together, we all head out to the flower farm. We have had such great weather for flower photography because there was barely a breath of wind out there. The flowers were gorgeous as well. There was an abundance of wildflowers, grouped together, which made for incredible wide angle shots and macro.


We ate cereal and then headed back to campus. When we got back, we showed our best 10 images to Wyman, who was very critical on all the shots. I love hearing real critique of my work from someone who know what they are doing, because then I can improve and further my photography.

After packing and loading all of my stuff into Erin's car we headed out to La Familia to have our last lunch together. It was OK. Honestely, I am burnt out on mexican food from this trip. It was delicious the first go around, but by now my stomach just wants something else.

The five hour car ride back with Erin goes surprisingly fast. I keep her entertained with stories and by holding iPod duty. Jason and little Erin follow us the entire way, little Erin making her way to Amarillo. When we get to Lubbock, we head straight for Armadillo Camera. The whole film thing got screwed up so we dropped off our film to be processed there. Sometime next week I'll go pick up all of my slides and so I'm guessing next weekend I'll just have a field day bent over a light board.

Junction was an incredible experience for me.  I got to see some incredible things and meet some pretty amazing people. I learned a lot about myself. I'm not as hesitant about crossing a river, or swimming in a pond, or walking through thorny brush. Before Junction, I didn't even realize I had those hesitations.

Texas Tech, thank you for allowing me this opportunity. It has been fantastic!

A. Lubbock
B. Junction
C. Del Rio
D. Langtry
E. Sonora
F. Sheffield
G. Fredericksburg
H. Utopia

Junction Day 14

I like waking up early and getting a lot done in a day because then I feel productive and my life has meaning. This morning, I did not want to wake up. We left at 6:00 a.m. Nick was passed out and I had to call him to get him to the van in time before we left him. I am amazed by how hard this boy sleeps. You can move him around and touch him, yell at him and get no response. That's why you have to be mean with him, rough him up a bit and then he'll wake up and get moving.

I finished my book on the way to Mason Mountain. Good read, unfortunately I unknowingly picked up the second book in a trilogy, however it's kind of like Angels and Demons and the Da Vinci Code, you can read them in whatever order you like and you still get the idea of what's going on.

When we arrived, the place was just gorgeous. All the rain we had received the past couple of days had made the flowers just bloom like crazy! I think I got some pretty incredible macro shots from it.

One problem we have run into is the bus system with film delivery. One box of film with 60 rolls was apparently just chilling in a back room of a bus station in San Antonio. That means, I'll have a lot of film to pick up in Lubbock, and a lot of film to drop off in Lubbock because it's just been crazy trying to track that one box down. It sucks. However, Armadillo Camera is going to honor the processing purchase made and I can either use the rest as store credit for camera equipment or as processing. Since I have 7 rolls of film left from the original 25, I think I'm just going to shoot as much as I can in the morning and after until Lynsey wants her camera gear back.

Breakfast of cereal and granola bars, our usual meal when we head out early in the morning filled up my tummy and really got me in the mood to shoot. I was in more of an exploring mood since this was the 3rd visit and I wanted to see what was beyond the roads I had already traveled. I found so many cool things to shoot. I've really pumped up the amount I shoot and the variety of subject matter. I find little things everywhere and I have fallen more in love with photography with each day.


After we got back to campus, we had lunch of catfish, popcorn shrimp, cornbread and black beans. I didn't get the beans, didn't look tasty to me and the cornbread was dry, but damn those popcorn shrimp tasted tasty dipped in ketchup.

Earl Nottingham, photographer for Texas Parks and Wildlife and good friend of Wyman spoke to the class after lunch and what he had to say was pretty information. More about the business aspect of photography. He really stressed marketing yourself. Well, now that I have me a fancy logo I can do just that!

As soon as he finished speaking to the class, we filled out evaluations and then filed out to take a nap. Oh that nap felt so good too! It was either shower or take a nap and I think I chose well this time.

We left at 4:00 p.m. and headed to Utopia, Tx where the Sabinal River ran through. Absolutely beautiful. We first stopped at the Jones Cemetary and then headed to the river. The water was cold but the imagery was incredible. I feel so lucky to have had this experience.


We got back to campus at 11:30 p.m. and first thing I did was take that shower. Oh blessed shower! After all the water I've been walking through and tall grass the cuts on my legs have just been itchy. Another thing that really irritates the cuts too is those damn biting gnats! They just really piss me off - always flying into my ear or my eyes. I was about ready to slap someone from the frustration. The gnats are probably the biggest reason I am ready to go back to Lubbock.

Wake up early again tomorrow for our last shoot as a class. We're going out to the flower fields and leaving at 6:45 a.m. I just know it's going to be gorgeous.

Junction Day 13

I am so ready to fall asleep and wake up in my own bed. At 8:00 a.m. Dave made rounds of waking everyone up. I was already awake though, having woken up with every toss and turn there was. All I had to keep me warm at night was my jacket and to sleep on was a bouncy mattress and a musty pillow. Not fun, but it was much better than sleeping in the van. I was glad to wake up and get out of there.

We had breakfast at a Mexican restaurant in Mason, Tx on our way back to Junction. I didn't have my wallet because I wasn't expecting to have a sleepover at Mason Mountain. Derek was kind enough to buy me a coffee and some toast. Good thing I'm not a big breakfast kind of person, that kept me fueled for a while.

We got back to campus and I was all ready for a nap, getting ready to blog about my adventures when not 20 minutes after getting to campus, Wyman rushes over, pounding on our door to exclaim that there is a flash flood headed down the Llano river and it's a "Once in a lifetime opportunity" and we need to get up and shoot it. My first reaction is "Shit." My second reaction grew on me and then became overwhelming when I put my shoes back on and grabbed my gear and we were all speeding out of campus like a bat out of hell to catch up with this flood as it barreled down the Llano.

The flood was moving at approximately 2 mph but it was about 10 feet of water. HOLY COW! I had never seen water rise so quickly and so much water! We started off at the crossing by campus, waited an hour, went to get lunch at Sonic, came back, decided to chase it upriver, missed it, and drove back down to campus, waited another hour and then it happened! It began to rain. Again. And not just a little rain, no a heck of a lot or rain was just dumped on us. But then.....The water slowly began to rise and then it got dark and muddy, and suddenly the water was over the bridge, bringing with it all kinds of debris. We got the heck out of dodge fast and then drove as fast as we could up to 377 Falls.


We were a few miles ahead of the flood so we had plenty of time to scout out the area. There was a break in the sky and the sun stuck out like a sore thumb, scorching all of us. It was welcome and so nice, and since we had plenty of time, Jason, Nicole and I went swimming in the river. I was tired of smelling myself (2 days or hiking/river frolicking/everything) and I was hot from the sun. Lucky me, I had my swimsuit on. After a mini photoshoot with photographer Nick, we had about enough of swimming and all got out. Just then...... the water began to rise.

FLASH FLOOD. We weren't there shooting but for 20 minutes and the water rose about 6 feet. the place I was swimming you couldn't see anymore. But with the dark clouds, everything was so perfectly exposed. I'm sad I didn't shoot that film, but running through cactus and thorny brush really was making my bare legs angry and torn up. The shots turned out gorgeous though, and the flood was totally worth chasing.


We get back to campus at 5:00 p.m., just in time for dinner at 5:30 p.m. so I grab a shower. Best shower ever! After all that running around I was starving too. I got a full plate and an apple and finished it all. Chicken breast, rice, vegetables. YUM! It was so delicious.

At 6:30 p.m. we headed out to Fort Mckavitt to paint the old buildings. The place was absolutely amazing. So much history. Wyman filled me in on a bit of it and it was just fascinating. I want to learn more about it.


When the sun was going down, this gorgeous ray of light hit the run down fort and with the dark storm clouds behind it, it was breathtaking. How amazing that our luck on shoots has just turned around! Good timing too! Especially since we're almost done with the class.


I'm sad it's almost over, but at the same time, I'm ready to do things my way when I want, how I want and whatever I want. I miss my friends. I miss my sweet boi. Thursday evening I'll be back in Lubbock. I am going to miss the beauty of this place though. Never could I again be so lucky to be with the people I have been with for the past 13 days and learn as much as I have.

Junction Day 12

Last night when I finished blogging and finally went to bed it was about 1:00 a.m. I didn't fall asleep until probably 1:45 a.m. because of people snoring! I swear it was like an elementary school orchestra was warming up in a hallway.

I woke up at 5:50 a.m. and threw on pants and headed out into the world! The world was dark and windy and nobody but the photo and video class was awake.

We drove down to the Llano River to photograph a part of it. The place we walked through was just covered in fuzzy caterpillars. It was incredible. I must have killed a dozen just walking through. Also, tons of wolf spiders and ants and biting gnats. The biting gnats are what drive me crazy the most. They fly in your ears, eyes and try to get up your nose and they bite every cut and bruise on your skin. F***ers. I did get some pretty sweet macro shots from this morning.

Lunch was at noon but I slept right through it. Instead I got lunch with Jessica at McDonalds. $3.19 for a hamburger and large fries isn't a bad deal and it's a cheap lunch.

At 4:00 we met up again to head out to Mason Mountain again. I love that place. The very first time we went there I was in awe of how beautiful that place was. The color just jumps at you! Especially in Velvia film. God, that film looked incredible.

Unfortunately, against the suggestions from most of the photo class and radar weather warnings, when we got there it was raining and it was thought best to "wait it out." It was not just raining, it was pouring water from the sky. God was pissing on our photoshoot.

After sitting in the van for an hour Wyman decided he had had enough and we should go back to campus. Unfortunately a river/creek crossing was way too high from the water. So, we tried to wait it out.... for two whole hours. We have dinner of sandwiches in the van, I almost finish reading my book, and we contemplated playing "Chubby Bunny" with marshmallows.

A nice couple ends up behind us, Sue and Keith, and we decide after watching the water rise over the crossing (Brent sacrificed himself for the greater good to test the water, his conclusion "waist deep"). We all turn around and head back on up to the Wildlife Nature Conservancy to lodge up for the night. The good people who live there and work there let us stay due to the weather. Good news - plenty of beds.

As the rain continues to pour and as it gets later into the night, people pass the time by playing poker, watching TV, reading books, and drinking. I chose to read my book. The Memorist by M.J. Rose. Quite exciting, kind of like Da Vinci Code. I bunk up on top bunk in room 2 around 11:00 p.m. Derek grabs bottom bunk, and then two couples come in to share the other bunk. Boy was that a joy to fall asleep to. I know a lot about them now...

I'm just ready to sleep in my own bed again. Also, sad news, I only shot film today, so I have no photos to post. Tomorrow! If weather permits.

Junction Day 11

Sleeping in has just been fantastic.

I woke up on my own at 8:00 a.m. and cursed myself. There was no way, I wanted more sleep! MORE! So, I turned over and laid back down, waking up around noon to begin my morning routine and blogging update.

It has felt so good to have a lazy day. Since I have decided not to go out and do anything and I chose to skip breakfast and lunch, I've devoured 5 Chewy bars and a Gatorade. So good and satisfying.

At 4:00 p.m. we left for Wild Bills. Bringing sandwiches for dinner, we loaded up our gear and headed on our way.Unfortunately Wild Bill wasn't there. He had been in San Antonio for a trip, but his place, right off the Llano River was in Fredricksburg, another location to add to the map.

We ate lunch and then headed down to the rocks. Boy were they slippery too! I almost ate it a couple of times trying to cross the river, but my camera stayed dry and I shot almost 3 rolls. Just absolutely gorgeous down there!

Once the sun went down everyone pulled out the liquor and beer and began to try to get drunk. I went out with Brittany, Dave, Jerod and Derek to the river to shoot some long exposures. The moon was so bright a 30" at ISO 400 at 3.5 was perfect. I grabbed a few other shots of silhouettes but the moon was so bright and there were so many clouds - no star tracks tonight.


We wake up early tomorrow. Leaving for 377 Falls or the Llano River again at 6:15 a.m.

Junction Day 10

We weren't able to go out and shoot because the sky was miserable looking and it was too windy to shoot macro, so instead we packed up, loaded the van and truck and then proceeded to clean the crap out of the Bunkhouse.

Around 10:00 a.m. we left for Sonora to have Lunch at Pizza Hut. The service was terrible because the waitress was biased to the men in our group. Also, three orders were not processed. I think she was overwhelmed by 18 people coming in to sit down, but honestly, I've been a waitress and it's really not that difficult to get an order right when you're writing it all down.

We drop off our film - about 70 rolls and head off back to Junction. Lucas and I get to ride in Wyman's truck on this drive and it is so much fun. He has some crazy stories.

When we get back to Junction campus we have film waiting for us to go through. I have 4 rolls and I dig right in. I absolutely love the color Velvia film gives images. Just breathtaking and boy did I get some good shots!

After dinner at Lums BBQ we head on out to the Llano river, basically the same place we shot the cattle branding and head on over to the rapids to shoot. I suppose this group is better than most years because with all the warnings we have been given, we really haven't had any problems at all. Nobody got bit by assassin bugs, nobody has fallen into the river yet and nobody had become injured. We are awesome!

The river was gorgeous. I felt like I had really been missing out on one-on-one Wyman time so I chose to follow him around. I was surveying the land when he came up to me and pointed to a spot on the other side of some rocks. Getting there was the tricky part but we made it, having to wade in a bit of water and jump across to some rocks. The site was gorgeous. I set up a shot and he checked it out, offering some words of advice and then we'd switch off and he'd photograph the site.

We tried to get some good shots after the sun went down but the clouds we were all hoping would turn pink and purple, turned gray. Stupid clouds. We packed up fast so we could get across the river before dark. Again, everybody survived.

Last night was the party night. Tonight, however was the lull. The group tried to get in high spirits but most of us just wanted to go to bed. We got back to campus around 11:30 p.m. and I quickly fell asleep. Wyman gave all of us the OK to sleep in. Thank goodness. As much as I love waking up early and getting as much done as possible, I do love that moment of peace and quiet of having nothing to do.

If you are interested in knowing exactly where I have been..... here's a silly map. Forgive me, I don't know how to screen print to save an image and so I just took a picture of it, but you get the idea.
A - Lubbock - Texas Tech
B - Junction - Campus
C - Del Rio - Near Dolan Falls
D - Langtry - Jack Skiles and his mummy
E - Sonora - Drop off film and eat Pizza Hut
F - Sheffield - Near Independence Creek

Junction Day 9

I can’t believe this is actually a class. We shoot in the morning. We shoot in the evening. Other than that, we are left with the day to do as we please. Most people take naps, others entertain themselves with friendly conversations or catching up on television shows.

Today when we woke up, there was such excitement in the air. Western Diamondback Rattlesnake. Everyone was thinking it – the subject of our morning shoot. We all piled into the back of the truck and in the van and headed up to the top of the summit to shoot the rattlesnake on the rocks. Unfortunately, he was an old guy and not easily pissed off, so we didn’t have a very “action-packed” shoot, but still one that was exciting. I wasn’t scared at all. The entire time I moved closer to get a tight shot with my film camera I kept thinking about my mother and how freaked out she would be if she could see me then. I was two feet away from a venomous reptile, protected only by the glass of the lens.

After getting back to the Bunkhouse, Brittany and I watched a couple episodes of Big Bang Theory before taking a short nap. I woke up to the smell of Wyman’s cooking. Sausages, corn, baked beans, and pickles. My tummy has had such a smorgasbord of deliciousness this trip. I feel so spoiled with goodness. When I go back home I’m definitely going to have to learn how to cook.

I headed out to the dock after noon and got in as many jumps and dives as possible. The water felt incredible. I really worked on my dives, specifically the back dive. Once everyone else arrived, my heart was pounding hard in my chest and I was ready to annoy the crap out of someone. When Nick got to the dock we proceeded to push each other into the pond every chance we got. Dave, Matt and Nicole joined in too and it became “watch your back or your ass will get pushed in.” I haven’t tasted a summer like this since I was little. I love it and it’s a feeling I didn’t know I have missed since now.

Tomorrow afternoon we leave Independence Creek to get back to Junction. I’m going to miss this place because it is absolutely gorgeous.

Dinner of pork chops and leftover lunch was tasty and satisfying. During lunch Jessica had made some of her chocolate chip cookies made from scratch. They got gobbled up quickly because they were so tasty! Afterwards we set up for our Class Photo. It was epic. We had to top last year’s photo so this year, with the inspiration and guidance of Derek, we had a “Last Supper” meets “Beer Pong” meets “Photography and Videography.” All the ladies gathered around Dave who sat at the middle of a picnic table. On each end of the table was a setup of red party cups and all around on the grass were empty beer cans and beer bottles. Nicole and Lucas were the losers at one end and Wyman and Jerod were the winners at the other. Matt was the crazy nudist running around in the background. One shot he’s hanging from a tree, in another he’s standing on a log. Thankfully all we see is his backside.

The wind was pretty terrible tonight so we didn’t really have a good opportunity to go out and shoot, so we stayed in. As soon as the sun went down, the party started. A game of beer pong made people get loud and the girls were cheering, their high pitched voices stinging my ears. I really don’t like the party scene, which is why I don’t go to parties or have parties. I just shut down and it gets hard for me to pay attention to any one thing.

I finally succumbed to a party mood and play a game of beer pong with Matt. We lose against Jason and Lucas because silly little Erin is popping her butt all over the place as their distraction. She's crazy and cute. I finish off five beers and the minute my head hits the pillow I am dead to the world.

Tomorrow morning we’ll be hiking through the river. I’m really looking forward to it. Hell, I look forward to everything out here, but it’s true, I’m very excited and I feel so alive. I wonder what we’ll shoot in Junction – hopefully not anymore flowers and bugs in a field or on the side of a highway, but if so, it’s better be a great looking field.

Junction Day 8

At 7:30 Dave runs through the halls telling everyone to wake up. He neglects to inform the room Brittany and I are sharing, but thankfully I manage to wake up to the sounds of people talking and moving around. So I have time to grab a cup of coffee before heading out to shoot the river.

Oh the water feels so good! My biggest complaint though is of my shoes. Every single f***ing rock that can possibly get into my shoe gets into my shoe and stays there right under my arch or big toe. Stupid rocks. Stupid pebbles. The morning was pretty overcast but that was great for tight macro work. I found a ton of bugs to photograph and once the sun broke through the clouds I gave up and shot with my digital of people taking photos.

Walking back to the bunkhouse we pass by two rattlesnakes. I’m not an expert on snakes but I do know huge rattlers are territorial and the only reason we would see two in such close proximity is because of the dry weather. Wyman managed to snag the second snake. We let the first one pass by, after pissing him off of course. Matt and Dave ran off to grab Wyman’s truck and sped back with the snake box and his other tools. Seeing the rattlesnakes up close, being not 10 feet from them was incredible. We plan on shooting him tomorrow morning. I am so excited.

After getting back from the shoot at the river, since the light is crap until sunset, a lot of us went down to the dock to chill. I was there from 10:30 a.m. until about 2:00 p.m. I got some sweet sun! I made a few dives into the pond and the water just felt amazing. I can’t wait to go back tomorrow afternoon. There’s an island at the center and I might just swim out to it and back for giggles. A lot of inside jokes were created at the dock though. I tried throwing Dave into the water and I had him in a good lock, inching him closer and closer to the edge of the dock. Stupid Nick ruined it for me by pushing both Dave and I into the water. I suppose I deserved it though, I had pushed Nick in the water several times before that.

Lunch consisted of pancakes because little Erin turned 19 today and big Erin made birthday pancakes for her. It was adorable. Last night she got a ton of spankings from everyone, it was only right we treated her nicely afterward. Erin is the most amazing pancake cook I have seen, so loving and detail oriented and the pancakes were the best pancakes I have ever had in my life! Fluffy and delicious and completely satisfying. I am going to be so fat after this trip. Dang

I caught up on a nap and then changed into some pants before we headed up to the top of the summit where we were last night. I rode in the back of Wyman’s truck again with Brittany, Dave, Matt, Jessica, Nick, and Amanda. We had a blast back there. We had the snake box under my camera bag and Nick’s foot and a ton of dead mesquite limbs for firewood that probably stabbed all of us at one point in time or another. I got a poke in the wrist, but nothing serious, just enough to let me know I had been poked.

We were going to shoot the snake but the wind was so terrible we decided to wait until morning. We had dinner up there picnic style. Wyman and Jerod made steaks and baked potatoes for all of us and we scarfed them down quick. I brought two Shiners with me and finished them both before sunset. Scrumptious! Matt and I took a shot of Bacardi Rum in toast to our new sexy tans.

By the time all the food and alcohol had settled it was time to paint the building. The shots turned out great, (I think I’ve actually said this about every shot I have taken so far, oh well, forgive me, I feel so wonderful about all the new experiences I’ve been given!) and I can’t wait to see how the Velvia film exposes the shots.

When we got back to the bunkhouse it was dark and I was ready for bed right away but I figured I’d tire myself out a little bit more before heading off. I suppose I should have done that after writing this blog since now I’m too tired to even think.

Junction Day 7

Let me tell you a little story; a story about Blue.

Blue is a blue dragonfly and Blue is very confused.

He doesn’t know who to love.

But his favorite one to hold on to is a girl named Alison.

She has brown hair and brown eyes, brown skin and brown freckles.

Alison smells like Aloe Vera.

Blue doesn’t understand why Alison doesn’t love back,

But he won’t take for granted the moments she lets him have

Perched atop her knee.

Blue loves Alison, but he loves everyone else too.

Blue is a blue dragonfly and Blue is very confused.

This morning I woke up to the cool morning breeze and the songs of the birds. Granted, some birds don’t sound so pretty as others, but it was a great way to start my day.

After waking up for breakfast, packing up the camp and cleaning the camp, we took a hike up the cliff to shoot down on the falls. We weren’t really told this until after we had all packed and so only 3 of us were wearing pants, all the others, including myself, were in shorts. If anyone asks, I fought off a mean armadillo because from the looks of my legs after walking through all that tall prickly brush, it sure looks like I did. Scratches all over my shins, calves, knees and thighs. It looks fierce. Once I got to the high point and looked down at the falls though, that hike was worth it. I’d suffer a thousand more scratches for a sight like that. It was just so beautiful. The air was misty with fog and there was a cool breeze on the water. Just gorgeous.

We left Dolan Falls around 10 a.m. and one of the adventures along the way was pushing the van out of the river. Yes, the van got stuck, and we had to pile rocks underneath the tires to give it traction. When Wild Dave drove the second van across, it too got stuck but Wyman was able to hook a chain on it and pull it out without the assistance of 18 students. Luckily we made it all the way to Del Rio without incident.

Lunch was delicious Jack in the Box and I was able to text and call a few people before we ran to WalMart where the class did their snack and drink shopping. I didn’t get anything since I’m not much of a snacker or a drinker.

Heading to Independence Creek, we had a bit of time so we stopped by a 213 foot tall bridge that crosses the Pecos River right before it meets the Rio Grande. This bridge had been built five times, each time getting destroyed by floodwaters until its current design which is now the tallest bridge in Texas.

We then stopped by Jack Skiles house in Langtry, Tx, and he gave us a tour of his artifact preservation room. In it he had huge cases of arrowheads and woven sandals, cases dedicated to the railroad construction and his family history. The largest case held a mummy that had died of Chagas disease (carried by the Assassin “Kissing” Bugs. This mummy had such an extreme case of this disease that his entire stomach and colon had swelled so much he looked 9 months pregnant. He had deer leather straps made as a girdle to support the swollen stomach. According to scientists and doctors, this person was unable to defecate for months and his colon had pinched his urethra, making him unable to urinate as well. I couldn’t image that pain. It was pretty awesome to look at though.

We made it to Independence Creek Preserve and after unpacking, headed up to the top of the summit to photograph tight shots of desert life. I found myself a pretty awesome looking centipede but after trying to move him into the sun, I dropped him and killed him. I broke the bug.

Thorn is here to visit for a bit and he’s a welcome addition to the group. He’s the ass in all the photos, literally. He’ll moon just about anything. Great guy and tons of fun to hang out with and talk to. I can only image the adventure this group is going to have with him. Wyman says we need to top last year’s Independence photo, I have no idea how but it’s sure going to be memorable.

This evening has been full of cheers as Wyman and Jerod team up and kick ass at beer pong. Who would have know that they could be champs at this! It was fun to watch but the first game was definitely one of overreaction. If you couldn’t tell, I prefer to sit on the couch blogging about my adventures than in the throes of the party. Parties just kill my mood and I’m not exactly sure why.

I don’t know what tomorrow has in store, except I do know I’ll be jumping off the dock into the pond and then laying out to get my brown on. Maybe Blue followed me here and maybe not. It feels good to have that constant, since I’ve been missing it since leaving for Junction.

Junction Day 6

Last night was the second worst night I have ever had sleeping in a cabin. The first was when I was in Girl Scout Camp and my troop got screwed by everyone there because we won a contest that got us to go for free. We were Brownies and we were put up in the cabin meant for Juniors or Cadets. Open air with cots. (Much like I slept in last night). The guides made us carry all our own stuff up the mountain and pretty much excluded us from all activities. My mother was my troop leader and definitely tried to make it a good experience for us, and it was for the most part. Except that night. That night the wind howled so much and brought all the cold air down to our tents. Our little Brownie toes froze and we all ended up in my mother’s cot, huddled together to stay warm.

Last night it stormed. There was heavy rain and hail that blew into our open air cabin that made the curtains on the inside feel like ghosts against us. Brittany and I were smart to push our cots together to the center. The lightning last night made harsh shadows in the ceiling and made every nook and cranny look like an Assassin Bug.

Stupid bugs. I was terrified of getting bit all night. I slept with one eye open all night, waking up at every itch, twinge, every time I rolled over, every time it would lightning, and every noise that was made outside and inside. I hardly slept at all last night and the knots in my back can prove that! So needless to say, I was up and ready to do stuff at 6:30 a.m. when the birds began chirping and it started getting light outside.

As soon as everyone got up we all headed down to the falls and man was it rough! The river was so full from all the rain! Wyman was shocked. Never in his life has he ever seen it so full. The shots we were getting were at F 22, shutter speed 1/10, ISO 100 and the water looked like silk. So beautiful.

Breakfast consisted of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal and a strong pot of coffee Nick brewed. Coffee always completes my morning.

It was probably around 10:30 a.m. when the girls decided to take a nap. All the boys ran down to the falls to fish since it was too high and rough to swim. At 1:00 p.m. I woke up. That nap was so good and so needed since last night I woke up every 15 to 30 minutes. Silly how during the day I feel safe to sleep but at night I am terrified even though bugs don’t really designate a time to feed.

It really is gorgeous out here, with the sound of the water going off the falls, the wind through the trees, all the different calls and chirps of the birds….it is just so peaceful. This is exactly what I needed. I have no phone service so I don’t feel tied to my phone and crazy enough, I don’t feel naked without it. It feels good to just BE. I feel so relaxed to have my only obligations on this trip be to have fun, make new friends and take lots of photos. What else would you expect to do on vacation?

After I woke up, I grabbed a sandwich and then headed back down to the falls. The water was lower so we were able to swim again. The only downside was that the water was dirtier, so I got so much river crap in my hair and on my skin. It was much warmer than yesterday and I got a few more high jumps in, so that made me happy. With all the sun my skin is seeing, people aren’t going to recognize me I’ll be so brown. Sexy brown. *Growl* I found a new favorite spot on the falls to lie down to get some sun – actually on the falls. The water was shallow and it felt so good.

Wyman cooked his poppers again, this time being nice as opposed to last night. A good handful of people ended up with indigestion and a few others were a bit worse off. Today I had 4. Four is my limit on those but damn, they were tasty. My momma would be so proud to have seen me scarf down a jalapeño. I’m sure my sisters don’t believe me at all. Believe it, Sissy! I ate it right up!

After dinner of hot dogs and beer we hiked about a mile up the Grado. To get there we had to cross the river. Now, I have never attempted to cross a river moving so fast with all my camera gear and I was the leader of the pack. Wyman and Jerod ran ahead so they could photograph and film us crossing. The shoes I bought at Hideaway Mountain have come in handy and definitely are worth the money. I kicked so many stones but did I feel it? NOPE! Cause my toes are covered!

The Grado was incredible though. The color of everything was so intense. Though there was plenty of poison ivy to infect a small country all along the sides of the river. I could shoot there all day and all night and the light as we were walking back was just incredible! I got some spectacular shots.

After two days of river swimming and bug spray and sun block and sweat I finally washed in the outdoor shower. It was so lovely. Turning off the light to the outside, I could see the fireflies dancing above me with the moon and the stars. This was the best shower I have ever had.

Tomorrow we leave for Del Rio and then Independence Creek. We’ll stay there for 3 days and return to Junction on Saturday. More adventure, I can’t wait.

Junction Day 5

We were all packed and ready to leave at 7:30 a.m. for Dolan Falls, but we didn't get to leave until 9:00 a.m. due to high water at our destination. Fortunately we were able to arrive there unharmed and dry. The drive to Dolan was four hours and the last hour was 30 miles on a dirt road that Nick somehow slept through.

One fantastic thing about Dolan Falls, which the Devil River cuts through, is a certain bug that haunts everyone there. Assassin Bugs. Also known as Kissing Bugs. They wait until all is quiet and then they fall on you, find a tasty spot and then suck the blood out of you. Kind of like a demented mosquito, except 10X worse. These bugs will leave HUGE hickey like marks on you. Wyman said two years ago he had a student get bit, hopefully nobody gets bit this time.

Around 1:00 p.m. we arrive at Dolan Falls. Our cabins are outdoor cabins with pull down cots to sleep on. Two to a cabin. Brittany and I bunk together, pushing our beds close so we are as far away from the walls and the windows as possible. We don’t want to have any vampire bug bite us. After a very thorough search all we found was a large cricket and a spider. I killed the spider since it looked very much like a brown recluse and that’s a poison I don’t want to mess with.

Since the light was terrible to shoot, we all headed down to the falls with swimsuits and bottles of “Texas Piss” which is a concoction of Keystone, Vodka and Lemonade. Pretty tasty, yet it was still heavy on the Keystone.

Wild Dave, Brittany, Nick and I were the first to arrive and jump off the cliff into the river. It wasn’t very clear but after Dave jumped right in we were all ready to go! So Much Fun! Jumping off the cliff (granted it was a small cliff) was such an exhilarating feeling and I felt so alive when my heart pounded hard in my chest as I took that leap off the edge. Oh I can’t wait to do it again tomorrow!

Wyman makes the best poppers. Then again, I’m not a fan of jalepanos but these babies, filled with cream cheese and wrapped in bacon, cooked over a fire is superb! The first two were amazing and so full of flavor. The third popper was a surprise popper Wyman had thrown in there. The last bite got me and I ran straight for the kitchen. I pulled out two slices of bread and soaked my tongue on them. Brent, who was under the same duress as I, told me to run my tongue under the faucet, so I did. At that time, as my tongue is being flushed with tap water, Wyman walks in and sees me and ends up having to catch himself from the big belly laugh the sight of me gave him. I can’t feel my tongue and my lips are tingling. Brent hands me a Miller Light and tells me it will help. Since I don’t know where any milk is I figure being drunk will help kill the fire in my mouth, and sure enough it does.

After all the poppers are cooked and consumed and the laughs die down, we all head back down to the falls to take some photos. Photographing drunk is new to me and boy was I scared to shoot so close to water. I tried to be extra careful and therefore I didn’t hurt any of my equipment. Thank goodness.

Burgers were for dinner, but a storm rolled in and we all had to move our party inside. Hopefully the storm leaves soon so we aren’t stranded here longer than we intend to stay. Who knows though, the weather has been quite crazy lately.

For now, Brittany watches the Madonna episode of Glee and I blog and go through my digital images I shot today. I hope for some real adventure tomorrow. Wyman should be waking us up around 6:30 a.m. though I’m sure I’ll be awake before then. In new places I wake up every hour or so. We’ll see how tonight goes. Goodnight.