Through the Looking Glass

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2011-10-17T20:52:00.001-06:00

A few shots from around the house.

A new series

2011-05-26T13:24:00.007-06:00

Hey everyone, it's been a long time since I've posted here, but I'm going to start uploading a photo (or two?) a day to get you updated on where I've been. Would love to have you along for the ride!

Here we go!

6/05/2010: Haynes Community Church

6/05/2010: Sunset on the backroads of Haynes

Edmonton In Spring

2010-06-02T17:55:00.002-06:00

I'm here!

2009-08-14T13:46:00.006-06:00

Well friends, I finally arrived in Oxford. My friend Jon dropped me at the airport with all my bags. I found a coffee shop that gratefully traded my american dollars for the currency of caffeine. I ran through the jetway and got on board that big beautiful Air New Zealand plane. 13 hours of movies, attempted sleep, amazing food, and we were down in Auckland, New Zealand.

What an amazing feeling of anticipation and excitement! The whole time I'd been home for the summer and even while in LA, the whole thought of being in New Zealand again was very hard to realize. I knew it was going to happen but it just didn't seem real. But when I looked out the window and saw the sights of Auckland I knew it was happening.

Being that it's my third time back, I was worried that I might not feel excited at all; maybe it would be routine and boring. NOT! I was praying for a FRESH experience and a newness and wonder for being here. And I got it.

A short layover in Auckland and then I boarded the flight to Christchurch. I have never seen such an amazing view of this country from the air. Blue sea, and then rolling hills of the Marlborough Sounds reaching out like tentacles, then the TOWERING Kaikoura mountains capped in snow. And the mountains stretched on and on... and the sky was that wintery light blue, but warm. I don't know if anyone else reading this has experienced it, but the NZ sun is just stronger! Even through the airplane window with an outside temp of -60C, the sun warmed my skin.

I touched down in Christchurch, and watched for my friend Nicki and Rob who would be waiting for me. And when I saw them... and saw that they weren't looking for me... and the mischievous part of me took over... I RAN up to them and yelled as loud as I could. Haha, I think the people on the bench next to them jumped! They were shocked and surprised but I got a big hug and a few laughs in the end. Now I'm sitting in the comfy Oxford YWAM base, and am so glad to be here.

More later!

Just HAD to get to the beach! (New Brighton)

Nicki

The New Office/Classroom Building

Home Sweet Home

Foggy Oxford Town

On the way

2009-08-12T11:19:00.005-06:00

Here are some pics from a little bike ride around Rancho:

I didn't realize I was right next to the Mother Highway

San Gabriel Mountains

California Architecture

Outdoor Mall

Victoria Gardens Outdoor Mall

Fabienne and Brigitte in Alberta

2009-08-06T13:16:00.006-06:00

Fabienne and Brigitte

I'm pretty lucky to have a second group of friends visit Alberta for the first time. It gives me a chance to see old friends AND get out to the place that I love: the rockies. We did some hiking in Yoho, Banff, and stayed in a hostel and a camp site. A great outing to the great outdoors.

Skyline Trail, Yoho National Park

At the top of Johnston's Canyon, Banff

Johnston's Canyon, Banff

A walk in the park

2009-07-08T18:10:00.006-06:00

Just a wee walk through the rockies with some new and old friends.

3 things you must know:

1) Jasper is a chill-as town. We spent Canada day here, groovin to local tunes, fireworks and awesome summer weather.

2) It gets COLD in the mountains. It doesn't matter what the forecast is, make sure you have a sleeping bag rated to twice the freezing point of the moon.

3) God is creative. What beautiful mountains we have here in Alberta!

Cliffjump Lake

Jumping in the mountains

Chillin' at the falls

Jasper Train

Icefields

Peyto Lake

Helen Lake Trail

Morraine Lake

Morraine

A little Music

2009-07-06T10:00:00.004-06:00

The show was in Edmonton at skyreach, and it was amazing. Great lights, effects, and the band was great.

Back to the Heartland

2009-07-05T15:17:00.002-06:00

We did a small roofing job near Drumheller, AB. I lived there for 8 months a while ago, and it still holds a special place in my heart. Here are a few glimpses at the rolling prairie lands...

Sunshine Resort

2009-06-30T10:48:00.002-06:00

Skiing the last day of the year (May 18!!) at Sunshine Resort near Banff, AB.

Home

2009-06-30T10:22:00.004-06:00

I decided to finally start posting things from REAL time. Most of the last posts were all made WAY after those events took place, so here are some more recent denver happenings.

When I got back to Canada, I just had to get out to see the rockies again. One of the students from the DTS, James, accompanied me on a photography mission into Banff. Here are the results.

Hwy 1 toward Calgary

James and I at Lake Louise (IN MAY!)

Mt Temple and Lake Louise (I climbed that mountain a few yrs ago)

Lake Louise

Into the wild

James and I in front of Canmore skyline

Tower

Burn that route

2009-06-11T10:06:00.007-06:00

For some amazing reason, God gave us some AMAZING weather on our little NZ adventure. I don't think we saw rain except on the west coast! One of the highlights of the trip (although I'm finding it hard to remember any lowlights) was a tramp on the ROUTEBURN track. Basically, it knows people... it's kind of a big deal. Many leatherbound books and shelves that smell of mahogany. You get the idea.

AND the best part was that Nicki and were meeting up with a great friend, Mark van den Berg. He was co-leader with me on my outreach team and just an overall great friend. He'd been having a few days of adventure and we were going to meet up with him to do this hike.

As ALL great adventures start, we were hitchhiking. Trying to find a ride from the start of the track to the end so that we could leave our car there and when we were finished the hike, just take off into the sunset. When we got on the trail, it was a really nice graded walk, and we were at our hut in a few hours. It overlooked this pretty stunning valley.

Many other great sights seen along the way on this walk in the clouds among majestic mountains.

We even saw the sea from this mountaintop! (way in the right corner)

The Bottom

2009-05-30T00:46:00.002-06:00

Cope with it

2009-05-30T00:20:00.004-06:00

Have you ever felt like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders? Like you've finally reached the end of a long hard journey? Well, what if I told you that doing the Copeland track is like someone putting a weight ON your shoulders and telling you that you're now ready to walk ANOTHER 17km? :)

BUT, the thing that keeps you going... the constant reminder in your mind that this is all worthwhile is the mythical, yes sometimes wives-taleish dream that is whispered throughout NZ. HOT SPRINGS.

To keep you from losing your determination, this track is chock full of amazing vistas, rivers, and forests. A feast for the senses...

I don't know how many 1000's of words this is worth, but it has to be the best team picture EVER.

Hangin' in Glacier Country

2009-05-26T10:24:00.005-06:00

It was a beautiful west coast day when the 2 days of rain finally cleared. Nicki and I had been waiting, AND drinking a lot of coffee and hanging out ALL DAY in a cafe... until the rain cleared and we could go to the Copeland Track. THEN we got a txt message from one of our DTS students, Nancy. She was one of my climbing team, and it just happened that we'd be in the same town at the same time. We cooked and ate a great meal together with her and her brother, and played some cards.

Walking in a golden light.

French Chef

West Coast

2009-05-26T10:04:00.005-06:00

If one place captures my imagination, it is this west coast. Often, when I'm somewhere else in the world, I imagine myself here, running on the wild, unpopulated beaches... nothing but mountain and sea as my neighbours. Climbing on rocks, admiring the surf, exploring dense coastal rainforests. Here, the legends of Middle Earth, Narnia, Never Never Land, and all of my wildest imaginings come to life. I think a piece of me will always be here.

Canyons...

Foaming Seas

Sandy Beaches strewn with stone

endless crashing surf

Rocky headlands

Endless possibilities

Heaphy Track

2009-04-30T15:18:00.005-06:00

A must do hike on the South Island of New Zealand is the Heaphy Track. Rinsed in rain almost constantly, majestic palm trees buffet the Tasman's gusty fronts and tall green mountains weather the storms of countless West Winds. A mixture of alpine, jungle and seaside, this walk encompasses so many different terrains.

Nicki, Steven and I set out to walk the last day of the 5 day track. The weather was amazing.

Amazing Sunsets, raging sea and a tranquil river.

Karamea

2009-04-30T15:01:00.003-06:00

A small town hanging idly on the west coast of New Zealand. A quiet gateway to the wild sunny places of this young country.

Where Giants Tread

2008-10-01T20:50:00.000-06:00

Ok, so maybe if you've been looking for a prince or walking around with a marshwiggle you've seen something like this. For MOST of us regular folk, a stream of house sized boulders strewn about the countryside might bring a gasp or two.

Castle Hill is an area just 45 minutes from Oxford. It's in Arthur's Pass, one of the highways that cross the south island's main divide. Surrounded by snowy brown mountains, this little treasure spans across the interior. Some rocks are more 1991 Ford Taurus sized, but some ARE as big as a house, or an elevator shaft. Either way it's a mix of some strange stone-throwing field used by giants and a flinstones-esque landscape.

For you climbers out there this is a boulderer's paradise

Snowboarding at the bottom of the world

2008-10-01T17:42:00.000-06:00

If offered the choice between endless summer or the canadian seasons (Almost winter, winter, still winter, and August), I think I would have to choose the latter. I know you may think I'm crazy but there are just some things that you can't do in the summer! Luckily there were a whole school of snowboarders here at YWAM Oxford, and I tagged along with them on one of their snowboarding rides.

The name of the hill is Mt. Hutt, and although it lacks trees of any kind, the snow that day was epic! 65cm of fresh snow fell overnight and it was a blue sky day. The drive up was a little dodgy... a thin winding road STRAIGHT up the mountain. Switchbacks yes, but you needed chains on the tires to THINK about driving up the mountain.

It was an awesome day, but legs turned to jelly after all the intense powder.

Oxford

2008-10-01T16:57:00.000-06:00

Here is a shot of Oxford... my home away from home. This is the main house which has the dining room and kitchen and lounge. Here are a few more shots from around town.

Getting to NZ

2008-09-19T18:44:00.001-06:00

If my dad only had a dollar for every time I asked "Can I store a few of my things at the house?", I think he would be a bazillionaire! But I packed the things up and stuck them in a corner. My entire life now weighs 30kg, and I have to admit, I'm quite happy to have little.

It was going to be a long trip, but thankfully I had some friends to visit with along the way. Calgary - L.A. - Fiji - Auckland - Christchurch

I stopped with my friend Ryan in LA. We drove down the coast and found a fun beach to body surf at. I LOVE the ocean, and it was so awesome to swim in it again. A bit o' mexican food later I was ready to get back on the airline bandwagon. I touched down in Fiji 10 hours later to an island sunrise and my friend Jai. He picked me up and drove me around to some of his family.

Then off to NZ!

5. Revelstoke to Home!

2008-06-12T14:31:00.000-06:00

The last leg of any journey is a little bittersweet. Sorry to be leaving the adventure of oregon and trans-canada travel, but happy to be arriving at a place to call home. AND even better, I got to go all the way from Vancouver to Calgary in a hot Pontiac Grand Prix. Definitely made the drive easier to handle.

4. Van to Revelstoke

2008-06-12T14:00:00.000-06:00

Next stop: Revelstoke. Snow had fallen through out mountains, so I had a nice view.

3. Vantown

2008-06-12T13:52:00.000-06:00

My good friend Jeqn was able to defy customs officials and smuggle me across the border. You see, those good ol' car rental companies don't allow you to drive their cars out of the USA. It was so nice to see a close friend, and so good to be back in the homeland. Even crossing the border felt different.

I hung out with Ann and Jeqn and Dorothy some other vancouverites. We even saw a live show that was AWESOME.

2. Portland, Seattle, home to Canada

2008-05-27T00:46:00.000-06:00

As I drove on, the city loomed larger in my view. Like Gotham City on a hill, Seattle towered high above the bustling freeways and waterways. A city of needles, coffee, books, and style. I only took a little time to explore the market, and some of the areas around the space needle. After all, I was all by myself and really just wanted to get home.

1. Coastlands

2008-05-27T00:38:00.001-06:00

Are you telling me that I haven't shown you photos of my last trip through Oregon? How could I??? Feast your eyes upon this majestic border between the firm and the floating. The thin strip of sand that separates a sea of green from a sea of blue. Reedsport to Canon Beach.

Portland and Blazers Game

2008-04-19T23:05:00.000-06:00

Checked out a little NBA action at the Rose Garden. The Trailblazers were playing the Spurs and my friend Phil and I took a stroll around the Pearl District.

Snowboarding at Timberline

2008-04-19T22:38:00.000-06:00

Here are some photos from a snowboard trip to Timberline, which is the resort at the top of Mt Hood. There is a fantastic old lodge there that has been turned into a resort with restaurants and hotel rooms. The snow was great and it was a perfect day for riding.

Up the coast

2008-03-24T18:37:00.000-06:00

I took a trip up the good ol' PCH (pacific coast highway) on Friday. It was amazing! Blue sky above and just the ocean and the road ahead. Caught some amazing photos, check them out at http://picasaweb.google.com/dosmith.

Top and Bottom

2008-03-16T16:40:00.000-06:00

Here are some photos from a trip to Cape Blanco. It's about 10 minutes south of Langlois, OR. I also drove to the top of the big hills overlooking the sea and got a great view.

I am so young and so small

2008-03-16T16:04:00.000-06:00

One inescapable truth is that despite our species' ability to survive in this harsh universe, our lives are like grass; one day we are here, and the next we pass from this world. We're not the largest, strongest, fastest, or longest-lasting life form. However, despite the knowledge that we are but a speck of sand in this vast universe, it is surprisingly refreshing to be reminded that there are bigger, and older living things on this planet than us.
I took a trip down to the mighty Redwood Forests of Northern California and walked among the giants. These trees have been around for thousands of years! When Rome ruled the known world, when Columbus discovered the West Indies, when a rabbi from Nazereth walked the earth, these trees were alive and going about their business. Storm, drought, fire, floods... all have come and gone and yet these trees remain.
They are simply amazing; a sight surely meant to shock and astound and make the human mind think of greatness. It was an amazing day, +15C and sunny all day long. There were amazing views of a rugged cliff on ocean landscape all the way into california. The town we visited was called Orick, and from the Redwood National Park office, we drove 20 minutes up a paved road, then unlocked a gate and drove another 30 minutes up and over and down into a valley. From the trailhead, we walked another 30-45 minutes to get to the base of the river valley. And there we were, like hobbits stumbling into the giants' lair.

A loop trail took us around some of the tallest trees in the world, as Redwoods are the tallest species of tree. They aren't the widest, but they are still wide enough to amaze.

No firm footing

2008-03-10T01:43:00.000-06:00

There is a great quote in Lemony Snickett's "A series of Unfortunate Events". It goes something like this:

When you lose someone, it is like that feeling you have in the dark when you think there is one more step in the staircase. And then your foot comes down to thin air.

Sometimes the changes in this life can inspire such feelings. Although I haven't lost anyone, my whole 1 year plan was put on hold when I heard that my company will no longer be continuing the projects we started here in Oregon. It literally was a different story from Friday to Monday. Friday held many promising thoughts; there were 8 towns we were going to be working in, and too much work for the small staff. We were hiring, and everyone was too busy. Monday came with layoffs, cutbacks, and words like "cancel, on hold, delayed". For now I'm in Oregon, not knowing which day will be my last one. The friends I've made, the community I've been forming are all up in the air as I wait. Almost certainly I will be moving to another state or province.

Life is so strange.

10feet + 360degrees > 1000 words

2008-02-10T16:31:00.000-07:00

It's true that a picture can be worth a thousand words. But sometimes a picture can't even be traded for one word. Sometimes the descriptive cortex in the brain just overheats trying to think of some grunt or noise that will perfectly relay that perfect blue sky or that layer of marshmellowy snow slopped on a tree. Let's just say the hampster fell off his wheel from exhaustion upstairs in my melon and I just had to send some photos to convey the awesomeness of my first day snowboarding in Oregon.

We hit up Willamette Pass (will-am-ett) which is a bit like nakiska, but maybe half the size. 2 chairs, 20 runs... a humble hill with some awesome snow! Oregon's been getting dumped on, with some resorts seeing 2feet overnight, total snowpacks of 13feet... ridiculous. My friend Andrea hooked us up with a place to stay at her grandparents' house in Springfield. We arrived late, then got up early the next morning and took off. It was an AMAZING day! Blue skies, +10 temps, and nice soft coastal snow.
It was such a fun day, hanging out with some friends (Andrea, Louis, Matt) and ripping up the hill.

Check out my slideshow (on the right of this page) for more photos, or go to http://picasaweb.google.com/dosmith/SnowboardingAtWillamettePass

From the Mountaintop

2008-02-04T00:48:00.001-07:00

It's not too often that a nice blue sky opens up on the rainy Oregon coast. Well, at least not often enough for the blue sky Alberta boy. So I drove up to the top of the nearest big hill / mountain and gazed over the rolling hills and sea.

Winter comes to Oregon

2008-01-27T22:57:00.000-07:00

There are a few magical places in this world, and during the course of one's life, hopefully they get a chance to step through the wardrobe into that place. It might be a cave that opens onto a pristine white sand beach, or a mountain summit that takes your breath away; today it was a mountain top full of snow, a valley full of green, and an ocean full of waves.

I met a really cool family after church, and they invited me over for lunch. Lunch turned in to a trip to the mountaintops so that we could see some snow! It had snowed today, and I had one of those magical moments where you look out the window and see big white flakes falling. Driving up the mountain was great because you could see green grassy hills contrasted against white snowy hills. A dark blue/grey sky and sunny backlight provided a touch of magic to an amazing day.

We brought some sleds along and ripped up that hill. It was classic coastal snow, so I was definitely wet, but it was so much fun! I even went down a super steep slope head first, and hit about 3 unplanned jumps. It was great, and I have some bloodstains on my jeans to show for it. Afterwards I went back with Hanna and her brothers and they practically FORCED me to stay for the most amazing steak dinner I've had in a long time. We watched a movie, and I went home satisfied to have been able to spend time with such awesome people. God has really given me some great people in this state.

On my way

2008-01-26T19:20:00.001-07:00

Just down the road...

Dunes to Mountains

2008-01-26T19:05:00.001-07:00

Have you ever been driving dreamily along, noticing the fields or forest pass by. Serene. Calm. And then the unexpected enters your view. Maybe it's the world's largest spatula, or the gopher hole museum... whatever it is, you have to wonder why in the world it's there? Well, my surprise was a 100ft tall heap of sand. And not just one, but millions of them strewn about the Oregon coast. Please don't get the idea that this is a desert. Pine, spruce, fir trees line the highways, and then there will be this huge pile of sand right amongst the trees!

So I just had to climb up. I was hoping that there would be a great big ocean waiting on the other side, but instead it was more sand and more trees.
This really is an interesting state. A nice winding road with a river beside it kept me enjoying the 4 hour drive to Salem. A great day was spent touring the town, playing piano and drinking coffee.... and maybe watching a few episodes of LOST. Addict you say?

Tune in next time...

Skimboarding

2008-01-26T17:05:00.000-07:00

So it's January. You're trying to fight off the winter doldrums, trying to beat the cold and darkness. What's the first thing you think of? Cozy fire? Hot chocolate? Cross country skiing? Nah, SKIMBOARDING! Why not take a dip in the pacific to assuage your winter woes? I headed out to Devil's Kitchen with a newfound friend Jonathan. He let me borrow his skimboard and we ripped the beach wide open with our Kelly Slateresque moves. After my feet went numb I didn't even feel the cold. They didn't feel the 360 Impossible Pop shove it either. The rest of the day was spent watching a movie and listening to rain on the roof.