Awareness

Greetings to all,

I would like to briefly share more about me with you.

I was born and raised in Southern Ohio, and was lucky enough to have quite

an adventurous childhood . Since I was five My parents and I would go on a trip once a year,

usually to a beach in the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic Coast. We would stay for a week in

a beachhouse as close to the beach as possible , usually within sight. These were great bonding times with my folks and it really invigorated my passion to travel later in life. It made me

curious about what else what out there and how to experience as much as possible while I am here. This was also my first introduction to the amazing life in the oceans. I can remember several occasions of Dolphins surfacing and playing while I was playing in the sand. And the

tickling feeling of schools of fish nipping at your feet as they pass by. But most of all these times

instilled in me the desire to see more and travel more. When I was ready to make my own travel

a reality , I would take trips down to Gulf Shores, Alabama and explore the region on my own , this area is rich in plant and and animal life . The Bon Secour wildlife refuge was a favorite place of mine in this area. Eventually I made my way out west and began travelling to every nook in the desert southwest and the pacific coast , and spent several years in smaller towns in western montana. This is where I began bicycle touring. My first tour was a pacific northwest loop , leaving from Missoula , Montana travelling on the smallest roads possible through Idaho , Oregon , Washington , and back into Idaho , finishing in Whitefish , Montana. The point of the trip was to experience every mile under my own power, And to document the smaller forgotten

roads and towns . Quite an experience , I met some of the kindest people while cycling through

some of the most rugged and remote countryside . I began only travelling by bicycle at this time and completed two more self contained tours of the entire west coast and back into the desert southwest. It was during this time that I fell in love with photography. I found it was a perfect medium for sharing these stories and adventures with people around me. Almost four years ago

I truly discovered sailing on the Columbia River in Portland , Oregon and realized very quickly that this was the ideal way voyage and do so without a huge impact on the environment. It is the

truest and closest I have been to the power of our Mother Earth . Sailing has taught me that if you can respect her great power that she can take you anywhere you want to go . So I have worked on this for the last 3 years , finding a balance with the wind and sail, and ultimatly with myself. I feel this is the medium that can take us to these coastal regions in Mexico and and Photos and ours words can be the medium for documenting the changes taking place . Sailing is a passion of mine , the survival of our planet is another and I feel with your help we can bring more awareness and make a change. Any contribution made will bring us one step closer to reaching this goal , a lifetime achievement and a dream . Thanks for taking the time .

Feel free to email me at cascadesnowzone@yahoo.com . Any any contribution can be made by clicking the contribute tab, or to The Voyage Coastal Awareness 3307 N.E. Marine Dr. Portland ,Oregon 97212

Thanks again , and fair winds to all at sea Be Well