Videography

I have a huge soft spot for cowgirls
The Omak Stampede showcases some of the best horse riding cowgirls of the Pacific Northwest and western Canada every August (2013).

Cowgirls. Now what’s not to like about genuine, boot n’ jeans wearing cowgirls? Absolutely nothing. I love ’em, and they put on an amazing show every year at the Omak Stampede, one of the funnest rodeos in the West. You can see scenes I filmed last year. If you are in driving distance, mark your calendar and plan to go, and be sure to give those fabulous horse handlin’ ladies and cowboys some big cheers during the rodeo contest. It is a fabulous show. (Click on photo to open a larger picture on a separate picture page.)

Last Sunday in May at the Seattle Center

The Northwest Folklife Festival takes over the Seattle Center every Memorial Day weekend. As a younger man, I used to gravitate to this like the music and culture lover that I always was and remain to this day. I think I got busier and the crowds got too large, and perhaps too many people appeared stoned and the number of smokers became too unmanageable. That is a story for another time, and it is complex. Anyway, the vibe totally changed. That is fine. For small doses, I still enjoy seeing the music, the dance, and the diversity of people who will turn out on a rainy day to support the arts.

The John Wayne Trail … it’s alright

Today I biked one of my favorite off-road trails, the John Wayne Trail. The trail itself runs 100 miles. The ride I normally do on the trail, from Rattlesnake Reservoir near North Bend, outside Seattle, to the old train tunnel at Snoqualmie Pass, is 36 glorious, smooth off-road miles and an excellent way to see some of the front range of the still snowy Cascades. Good for running and even horseback riding too. Yes indeed, it is very much alright!

The mighty and beautiful Columbia River, from Vista House

Vista House has one of the best views in the United States, at least for those who want to drive to their viewpoints. I love this perch, and I have been coming here now for more than 30 years. (The fun part was singing happy birthday to Vista House with other visitors and the Oregon State Parks crew, who were giving out free birthday cake. Vista House is 96 years old as of today.)

Market and Leary

I set up my GoPro on the busy corner of Market and Leary tonight, in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, and just chilled for about 20 minutes. Here’s how life slipped by on Willie Nelson’s 81st birthday, the same day the old master earned a fifth degree black belt. There is no connection between this place and Willie, except perhaps in my imagination. And I have been listening to and playing Willie the past few days.

There and back again: commuting Seattle style

The massive Port of Seattle provides an impressive backdrop for my there again and back again, and there again and back again commute. This is one of the country’s largest cargo container ports (eighth busiest, it claims), and most of it is blocked off to the public for miles. Highway 99 is one of the few places citizens can see where our nation unloads containers filled with consumer goods destined for Walmart and other retailers nationwide. In essence, I am penetrating the beating heart of our nation’s mostly consumer-driven economy everyday, enveloped by its brawn, by its scale, and by its relentless motion. For some stretches, this also happens to be one of the most scenic commutes in the country, too.

Fire, Trance, and Dance in Bali

Right after I posted my video I found nearly duplicate videos, some from 2009 as well, of this performing troupe from Ubud, Bali. I guess I was not the only tourist and traveller who was impressed by this fire trance dance performed nearly every night in the cultural center of Bali, Ubud. I loved, loved, loved this performance. I still throw down my Kecak catcalls when describing what it was like to see one of these performances on this touristy but still amazing island. Maybe I’ll post another later.

Rip-snorting, skate skiing fun in the Methow

Skate skiing is one of the most phenomenal physical activities I know, and the GoPro Hero 3 video camera is the first camera I know that can capture the pure joy of the sport. I strapped my  GoPro to my head and captured the eye-popping scenery of the Methow in mid-February with my friend who lives there. Uphill is great for the lungs and legs, but downhill is what appeals to the brain’s chemistry.

Winthrop to Wenatchee

I an enamored with the incredibly diverse ecosystem, economies, landscapes, and topographies of my home state, Washington. This is a compilation I put together of scenery between Winthrop, Wash., and Wenatchee, crossing  the many-times-over-dammed Columbia River in mid-February 2014. I filmed this using my GoPro Hero 3, which I had affixed to the roof of my car.

Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood, rush hour in twilight

Rush hour in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood. It used to be sleepy back in the late ’80s. Now it is home to Adobe, Google, and bars a aplenty. I have biked through here hundreds of times. I took two views, using my beloved GoPro Hero 3 edition video camera. There will plenty more videos to come with my GoPro.