Author: TravisGood

Speaker. Maker. Writer. Traveler. Father. Husband.

MakerCon Co-Chair (MakerCon.com)
Maker City San Diego Roundtable Member
San Diego Maker Faire Producer (SDMakerFaire.org)

Wisconsin has a Thumb!

Wisconsin Thumb — Atop a tower built in 1932 which stood 225 feet above water level I had a commanding view of the surroundings. The sun was perfect, the air was clear, and, but for the fact I was freezing, it was perfect.

I spent the day learning the basics of Wisconsin and Green Bay then shooting up the Door Peninsula to visit Potawatomi State Park, Sturgeon Bay, Cana Island Lighthouse, up to Northport where ferries depart to near by islands. This peninsula protrudes east into Lake Michigan, as if Wisconsin’s thumb.

In Green Bay I visited the Railroad Museum and Neville Public Museum where I focused to learn local history. Everyone knows Wisconsin is all about cheese making, brewing, and lumber but who knew that Green Bay was once very big in ice farming!? Football was big in Green Bay where the legacy of Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers lives on to the present.

Road Travel

Who Says Fargo’s Not Interesting?

Post author By TravisGood
Post date October 23, 2009
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There’s a technique I learned in my early days of making speeches. It’s called “progressive disclosure”. The idea is I only show you want I want you to see at any given moment. I’m going to use that technique here with my favorite spot in Fargo. These pictures are taken of the Hotel Donaldson at the corner of First and Broadway in downtown Fargo. Please scroll down and learn how citizens of Fargo apply their creative energies.

Road Travel

Roosevelt’s Badlands North

Post author By TravisGood
Post date October 23, 2009
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Badlands are aptly named because they’re bad for farming, they’re bad for grazing, and they’re bad for traversing. They’re just bad land, unless you’re a photographer that is. The rough terrain, exposed colors, and abundant wild life make for good shooting. The Badlands National Park is due south and can be seen here from earlier in my trip. These are badlands but a part of Theodore Roosevelt National Park which are the subject of this post.

Badlands

Above you can see evidence of this land’s “bad” character.

Animal Bridge Canyon Falls Lake Mountain River Road Travel

Impacted by Road Construction

Post author By TravisGood
Post date October 22, 2009
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By the time I arrived at Grand Teton National Park it was getting dark but the peaks and the clouds cast a mood worthy of shooting. This disappointed me somewhat as I know from previous visits how beautiful these mountains can be. No matter, I planned on spending lots of time in the area over the following day. Little did I know that road construction would prevent me from getting back to these commanding peaks.

Yellowstone Road Construction

Yellowstone Road Construction Like a man on a mission I shot north through the Tetons, inched along the Rockefeller Parkway (which was being resurfaced) and wound my way through Yellowstone National Park in pitch darkness to the north entrance. My mission? To get some sleep, some food and some gas. When I finally got to Gardiner, MT I checked in to my motel and found food and gas at the only store open in town, five minutes before it closed. Whew!

I love Yellowstone and wanted to see as much as possible. The road network in the park is shaped like a figure “8” with radials heading off to five different entrances. During a very long day I covered it all save one road segment and one entrance which were both closed due to road construction. Though I didn’t do much hiking, I did see a lot, and it reinforced in me a feeling of awe. By late evening I had made it out the east entrance, through Cody WY and to my hotel in Billings, MT.

Bridge Canyon Hike Road Travel

Walking on the Moon

Eerie and desolate. That’s how I’d describe the lava fields of Craters of the Moon Monument. Little lives in the lava, its treacherous to traverse, and it goes on for tens of miles. Such a strange place! Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Upon leaving Portland my goal was to get home swiftly which meant lots of mileage and few stops each day. I pretty much flew nonstop from Portland past Boise and settled for the night in Twin Falls. The problem was that there were many temptations locally and I had only planned on a couple of them. Seems it was going to be another loooong but enjoyable day.

The Snake River cuts a canyon through southern Idaho as it winds its way to join the Columbia River. Great vistas, water falls, and impressive bridges abound in here where Evil Knievel made his failed attempt to jump the gorge. Here’s a nice sample of what can be seen right around Twin Falls:

Twin Falls Snake River Twin Falls Shoshone Falls

Twin Falls Perine Bridge

Bridge Canyon Falls Family River Road Travel

Columbia River Gorge

At the end of the last ice age, water from Glacial Lake Missoula found it’s way to the sea by bursting through the Cascade mountain range at the point we now know as the Columbia River Gorge. Who knew?!

Again, I learn through my travels and I found this insight fascinating. No wonder rivers plunge hundreds of feet forming world-famous waterfalls. No wonder the gorge walls can climb as high as 4,000 feet straight up. No wonder this river-to-the-sea is so mighty. It’s all due to the residual impact of floods from a melting glacial lake over 12,000 years ago!

Just look at the majesty of the eastern entrance to the gorge … glorious.

Columbia River Gorge

Before the melting flood broke through, this canyon didn’t exist.

Family

Family Around Portland

Familly Around Portland — The world’s cutest kid is my nephew, Paul. However, note that I’m not wearing glasses. The reason is self preservation as one of Paul’s favorite pranks is to snatch specs off your nose. Not mine!

This trip worked in visits with family in Silverton, Washougal, Vancouver, and several folk in Hillsboro. One of my favorite visits was with my brother who is moving from Texas to Oregon and getting back to his roots. It was a gratifying few days…a part of my heart will always be in the Pacific Northwest.

Family Around Portland — Geoff (my brother), Paul (his son), and Trudy (my mother)

Animal Cave Desert Lake Road Travel

Crater Lake with Birds and Caves

Post author By TravisGood
Post date October 16, 2009
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Crater Lake takes my breath away. I’ve been to many places and this one is in the top tier of picturesque settings if it’s not closed due to weather. I’ve been up the mountain four times: twice I got to the lodge only, twice I’ve made it along the west rim, never have I driven the full perimeter. Even in the worst of situations I’ve seen been stunned but what I’ve seen. Enjoy these pictures!

Lake Mountain Road Travel

Idyllic Lassen

The tire repair and oil change had set me back so arrival at Lassen Volcanic National Park loomed late in the day. Furthermore, the primary and more dramatic park entrance had closed the night before due to heavy snow fall. Luckily I was able to get to the north entrance before closing … but only just before closing.

Lassen Volcanic Things had been slow; bad weather had kept visitors away. On my arrival, the wonderful Park Service staff practically reopened the Visitor Center for me. They turned on the video system to show me the Lassen Park overview film. They walked me personally through their displays and picture gallery. They reopened the register to sell me a DVD. It may just have been that they were hungry to see a guest but they were very helpful to me. In just 30 minutes I had learned a great deal about Lassen NP!

Within the Visitors Center, the most interesting gallery contained the work of a photographer named B.F. Loomis who documented the last eruption cycle of these volcanoes back in 1914 and 1915. On display were many of his pictures, the equipment he used, and many artifacts from the period. His work was an important contributor to the successful campaign to make Lassen a National Park. As a photographer I especially enjoyed his pictures; the one above is his second plate from the first eruption.

Canyon Falls Mountain Road Travel

Yosemite Rain, Rocks, and a Flat

Post author By TravisGood
Post date October 14, 2009
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Yosemite shouldn’t be remembered for floods, landslides, and car troubles but all these conspired to make my visit memorable. While at Kings Canyon I was aware that bad weather was coming but I still harbored hopes of hiking to the top of Half Dome and taking wonderful pictures. By the time I awoke the storm was in full force and by the time I left I was driving a hobbled car.