John's Journeys

     This picture was taken at a place called Lookout Mountain just outside of Golden, Colorado. I remember reaching this point on the mountain and thinking, "oh, we are here!" because it seemed just too easy. I have gone on a few hikes in my life, and they were never as easy as this one. We drove to the top of the mountain, got out of the car, and walked about 40 yards to a lookout point to see this incredible view.      I believe that Edward Abbey would absolutely hate this. The fact that this part of the beautiful Rockies is so accessible by road would be appalling to him. In his eyes, the car should have been parked far down at the base of the mountain, leaving it to me to find my way up to this lookout point. Thankfully, once you are at this point, all you see for as far as the eye can see is unobstructed nature. This part of the experience Abbey would appreciate.      I think there should be a balance between Abbey's posi...

     This past summer I went to the Grand Teton National Park and was able to capture this incredible picture of the mountains. Standing here, looking at the scenery, I was reminded of something oddly familiar: Kanye West's 2018 album,  Ye . This album cover was created from a picture taken at the Grand Teton National Park. It got me thinking of the idea of commercializing nature and the connections our current society has with it.      I think to myself, what does Kanye's album have to do with my experience at the Grand Tetons? Well,  Kanye's album is centered on mental health awareness, and one of the greatest benefits I receive, personally, from being outside in nature is the improvement on my mental health. It helps me unwind and truly relax, separating me from the busy and chaotic life I always end back in. This is where I believe the link lies. Kanye took a place that helps his mental health the most and used it as a cover for the album he c...

       This is home to me. My family lives in a town of about 3,000 people, and it's a town that I say has more cows than humans living in it. My grandparents have owned a farm here for my entire life, so whenever I visit, it is just me, my family, and the hundreds of cows that surround the house. It is quite beautiful and quiet, with occasional moo's being heard in the distance. It isn't the Cowtown people in Fort Worth know and love, but it is the cowtown that I have grown to know and love.      Many memories are tied to these cows. Last Easter, my family played baseball in the front yard, and who made up the audience? The cows! They were awfully talkative that day, so I am convinced that they were just cheering me on. My brother-in-law hit a home run and the cows went wild (partly because it was headed right at them)!      Two years ago, my cousin's farm dog, Woody, went missing. It was on Thanksgiving Day that yea...

       A few years ago, my best friend and I took at trip up to Badlands National Park in South Dakota. We both have always enjoyed nature and photography, so we spent time marrying the two after our high school graduation.      Growing up with Native American heritage, I learned greatly about the importance of the buffalo to this culture. Therefore,  I wanted to take time to watch the buffalo herds in the central United States and utilize my friend's newly bought camera to capture the moment. The first thing I noticed about these animals was the size of them: they are huge! I can see why the Native Americans relied so heavily on the herds because one kill would feed and clothe an entire family, and then some. They all just roamed so nonchalantly, without a care in the world, grazing on the grass around them. It was so peaceful. I could watch them for hours.       We talked about how to walk correctly in class, and I believe th...