The Open Road has been an enduring and unforgettable symbol of the American Landscape as long as I can remember. Reflecting back, when I think of the Open Road I visualize a two lane highway heading out into a vast western landscape usually desert with snow capped mountains in the distance, much like one of the highways we traveled this year on our way to the Tetons. But our roads were not always highways or heaven forbid the modern multilane freeways that now do most of the heavy lifting. If one goes back far enough roads were mostly dirt and the dominant mode of travel was by foot. Walking these roads one could feel the earth.

Walt Whitman started his poem “Song for the Open Road” this way

A-foot and light-hearted I take to the open road,

Healthy, free, the world before me,

The long brown path before me leading wherever I choose.

Walt Whitman-Song for the Open Road

Whitman’s roads took us on a journey of freedom and independence where we could sing our own song of who we are in each moment of time and at every step along the way.

Moving forward about a century, Jack Kerouac took us on a similar journey in his novel later made into a movie the “Open Road”. This journey took place just after the second world war and prior to the development of the interstate freeways. Back then one could still pick up some of the frontier spirit along these two lane highways especially in the western part of the United States. For Kerouac, one of the quintessential influencers of the beat generation and the later counter cultural movement that still influences us today, the open road was a way to free oneself from the crippling influences of the rigid “organization man” and “Madison Avenue” culture of the day and get back to the more raw elements of life. Kerouac’s novel celebrates non-conformity, spontaneous creativity and living a life closer to the rhythms of nature–along with with I might add sometimes unhealthy doses of pleasure seeking hedonism!

We see this symbol of the open road again and again in the American experience. But with the development of the multiple lane interstate freeway system, it became hard for most people to even imagine these freeways as somehow connecting us to a more fundamental and raw experience of nature. To still feel the four strong winds of nature, a different mode of travel was required. In his landmark book “Zen and the Art of Motor Cycle Maintenance” published in the seventies, Robert Pirsig provides an autographical story of how he and his son cross America in the open air on motorcycle taking only backroads. Prisig had been a University Professor but went insane trying to figure out the nature of reality. He underwent electroshock treatment totally wiping out any memory of his former self. The motorcycle journey of Prisig and his son bring them in close contact with nature and the elements and this helps Pirsig reconcile himself to his former identity. He call his new reality quality, a blend of rational modes of thought (Motorcycle Maintenance) and a more intuitive awareness focused on direct experience (Zen). Quality moves in synch with the way of nature, and Prisig acknowledges that it has much in common with the ancient wisdom of the “Tao”.

As we move forward to more recent times we find more and more people discovering a new sense of self and who they are, not along roads and highways, but along the open trail. The stage was set for this kind of experience in the autobiographical book and film “Wild: From Lost to Found Along the Pacific Crest Trail”. At twenty-six Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything: witnessing a horrific death of her mother to cancer, the unravelling of her marriage without her understanding why, the disintegration of her family after her mother’s death, along with involvement with dangerous drugs. She sets out impulsively and barely prepared on a 1,100 journey from the Mohave Desert to the Bridge of the Gods on the Columbia River. Along the way she encounters multiple difficulties that break her down: a monster backpack that she can barely pick up, hiking boots that do not fit, record snow fall in the Sierras, dehydration, and others. But at the same time she slowly she starts to move with the rhythms and flow of nature that surrounds her. Nature itself helps build back her new sense of self.

With the arrival of the Pandemic now almost two years ago, many of us took to the open trail. We did this for a few reasons: (1) being out in nature seemed less risky than congregating in indoor settings, and (2) hiking allowed us to stay fit when we could no longer go to the Gym. Many of us found we could even socialize on the trail with friends and acquaintances. I think this trend was mostly a good thing, because in nature people began to develop an awareness of something that seemed more authentic, original, raw and unfiltered. This is nature itself. With awareness focused on the natural world, some of the other trends that rose to a toxic level–political bickering, irrational beliefs in conspiratorial theories, even family squabbles–all seemed miles from nowhere.

There is, however, a downside when so many people take to the open trail if they congregate in just a few overvisited areas, and we did see much of this in the past year. But this has also had the effect of raising awareness of the fragility of especially our alpine areas when there is too much foot traffic. Love for nature eventually moves us beyond checking off our bucket list of places made popular through too much attention to social media. We want to meet nature on her own terms, everyday, especially in places close to our homes and more easily accessible. It is in this daily contact with nature, in mundane and ordinary places, where we experience the greatest transformation of our self. For most of us it is simultaneously like a return to our natural home, and an opportunity for something better, as we keep searching for the heart of gold. We will never find that heart of gold, but the trail ahead moves us and others forward to a better life, one that moves more in synch with the heart beat and rhythms of nature itself.

This year I visited nature everyday. Sometimes hiking and other times on my hybrid Trek bicycle. The vast majority of these trips are right out my front door. I am blessed to have so many opportunities for access to nature so close to our home. Oftentimes my wife Julia would accompany me, and a few times my daughter Caroline. She is seventeen now and balancing Running Start, Track and Cross Country, socializing with friends, playing piano, along with work. Cross country puts her also in close contact with nature as she runs through open spaces. Soon she will be off to college! I am so happy for her and the promise of a bright future.

Julia and I took several road trips including to Teton and Yellowstone National Parks along with the Oregon Coast. These road trips, however, also involved almost daily hikes in nature, many off the beaten path. I did many other trips conducted as private workshops with my clients. I also did a couple of awesome solo backpacking trips, one to the Goat Rocks and the other to the Mount Baker area. These almost felt like retreats to me, a time to fully unwind and for me to live in nature and nature in me. Who could ask for more? I am so thankful for these opportunities. My wish for everyone reading this blog is that in the coming new year to get out on your open road and trail where ever that might be for you. Welcome the healing power of nature, and keep searching for your own “Heart of Gold”!

Here is a collection of my favorite images from 2021, not in any particular order. Thanks for looking!

#1. Saying Goodbye to Autumn

With fresh snow on the mountain peaks, I can still see splashes of Autumn color here and there at river’s bend, soon to fall and scatter into a Winter landscape. Clouds and fog move across the peaks as I welcome the change of seasons.

#2. Small Stream in a Hemlock Forest

One of the most rewarding experiences of hiking, is coming across small scenes like this and being stopped in my tracks to slow down and appreciate the beauty. Sometimes these experiences can be more memorable than what I thought was the final destination. It is by now a platitude, but it still rings true-its the journey not the destination.

#3 The Way of Hope

The conditions along the Oregon Coast were starting to get us down with the gloomy overcast, wind and on and off again rain. Then we came across these rocks with layers of sea salt turned orange pointing out to the sea stacks and sun breaking through the gloom. There is hope in just about any situation and in photography there is no such thing as bad light. One just needs to rise to the occasion!

#4. Star Magnolia Extraterrestrial

Walking through my neighborhood on Easter Morning I found this Magnolia tree next to an old wooden fence. The budding flower and the more mature octopus like flower seemed to be communicating with each other. Their reaching for each other almost struck me as otherworldly in appearance, even extraterrestrial–even though I knew this is just mother nature, close to this earth, expressing herself and the mystery of spring.

#5. Goat Rocks Fire in the Mountains

There was some beautiful color in the direction of Mt. St. Helens on this evening of my Goat Rocks backpacking trip. I felt drawn to the slightly compressed layers of beauty–the paint brush, mop-heads, forest, mountains and beautiful sunset sky that are all featured in this image. Originally I was going to do this backpacking trip in early August but moved it up to late July instead due to a growing fire danger in the region along with extremely high temperatures previously unheard of in the Pacific Northwest. At the time this image was taken, there were already major uncontrolled fires in Norther California, Central Oregon, Eastern Washington and British Columbia. The smoke was not bad on this day and may have even helped contribute to the color of this sunset. But I could tell with each passing day of my trip that the smoke was getting thicker and on my final day it worsened to the point where creating images of grand scenes like this one was not even possible.

Smoke has been a major factor in alpine environments in the month of August for the past six years. This was not always the case, and I cannot recall smoke being a significant factor limiting visibility in my alpine adventures in the prior thirty or so years. There are several causes of for the increase in numbers of large forest fires. Forestry management practices resulted in planting trees too densely and also put fires out that would have created natural fire breaks. Global warming has increased temperatures and more frequent extreme weather events also make fires more likely. This situation will likely get worse before it gets better and reminds us the global warming is not just an abstract subject but is now effecting our day to day lives. This is natures wake up call for us to take action and support efforts to slow and ultimately reverse global warming.

#6 The Eye of the River

Misty mountain tops rise above the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie on a December Day. When I first crawled out of the bush and stickers I thought I was looking directly into the eye of the river. The river formed a perfect bend from mysterious upriver to mysterious down river with a peninsula of bare and evergreen trees in the middle. The clouds and fog were barely moving but at five or ten minute intervals dramatic changes in the atmosphere were still noticeable.

#7 Storm-A-Brewin

Dark clouds move onto a secluded beach foreshadowing an approaching storm. This was the second time I visited this location along the Oregon Coast. Although I originally was hoping for more pleasant skies, I rubbed my eyes and I could see through the doom and gloom there was a picture in the making. I rubbed my eyes again and I could swear I saw Captain Sparrow of the Pirates of the Caribbean making landing through the turquoise waters onto this lovely beach in what could not be more perfect conditions!

#8 Mushroom Ladder into a PNW Forest

The woods across from my house are really for the most part a quite ordinary mix of second growth deciduous and evergreen trees. But every once in a while on my frequent walks I stubble across an extraordinary moment and beauty.

#9. Red Berries on the Forest Moss

If I had to choose just one environment to experience the beauty and wonder of nature it would most certainly be the forest, and there is none that compares to this forest so close to my home along the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie River. It may be primarily second growth, but what it lacks in grandeur it certainly makes up for with these beautiful displays of moss.

The redberries on a stem are the winter remnants of a bunchberry plant also known as Canadian Dogwood. In autumn the dogwood like leaves of this short plant turn a burgundy red but with the arrival of winter wither away leaving just the berries on a short stem fallen onto the green moss.

#10. The Candle Holder

A lone multitrunked tree, seemingly floats on the water, bathed in the warm light of the setting sun.

#11. Bear Grass Luminaries Rising Above the Clouds

This was sure a beautiful scene as the fog rolled in below the mountain perch where I photographed these Bear Grass flowers rising above the clouds with Mt. St. Helens in the distance. As the scene unfolded, however, it did pose some major navigation challenges hiking out in the thick fog in the dark with headlamp. I literally could not see the trail in places because the fog was so thick making me completely reliant on my GPS cell phone navigation. Luckily my battery held out until I was out of the danger zone! Bear Grass flowers seem so sensual, lighting up like luminaries as the sun sets, raising their heads upward toward the twilight skies. They rate among my favorite of all the flowers I have had the pleasure of experiencing in the Pacific Northwest.

#12. Grand Teton Fields of Gold

I have visited Grand Teton National Park three times and I think just now I am beginning to get to know the place. One needs to spend significant time here to get to know the rhythm’s of the evolving seasons and explore the depths of even the well known places, let alone exploring others well off the beaten path. I have photographed this location, Antelope Flats, all three times and only now do I think I came away with something consistent with my experience of this beautiful place I feel good about sharing. Some say this location is overshot and it is impossible to come away with anything different. Although I appreciate this sentiment, one should not underestimate the symbolic value of iconic locations like Grand Teton in the overall psyche of the American (and global) experience. People see images of these iconic places often early in life and long to tap into this rich symbolism and experience the beauty themselves. When this is integrated into who we are as individuals and we bring our own self to the place and the creation of the image, this is when our experience and the resulting images become unique, even if they are powered with the symbolism of the iconic that so many can readily relate to.

#13. Mammoth Springs Waterfall Terrace

This steamy waterfall cascading over the terraces and staircases of Mammoth Hot Spring certainly stirred my imagination. It was almost like a dream that seemed so real that the dream is reality and reality a dream! Here I can easily imagine elf royalty making their way up the stairwell to make a blessing to the God’s at the waters source.

#14. Three Small Trees in an Autumn Winter Forest

One of the best things I like about hiking to a destination are the flashes of perception I experience along the way-images I was not necessarily looking for but reveal themselves in the corners of my eyes. This gives me pause to enjoy the beauty that is part of the journey.

#15. Mt. Dickerman Autumn Glory

In early Autumn, I headed up Mount Dickerman, arrived around noon, and staid on top all the way until sunset. I found a spot that looked out to the west to capture the magic of autumn and the sun setting over the western peaks including Mt. Pilchuck. It is a bit of a challenge staying until sunset but the good comes with the bad. An hour or so before sunset, I had the place all to myself! It is a 4,000 foot descent back to the trail head, but it the experience justified any hardship!

#16. Asters at the Seashore

This is looking out from the Headlands of Bandon Beach to Table Rock. I was surprised and in a state of wonder to see these very short daisies thriving in this windy and cool place well into August of this unusually hot summer.

#17 Tide Pools of the Setting Sun

In August, Julia and I escaped some of the heat and smoke where we live and headed down to a cooler climate at Bandon Beach. I just loved how these tide pools collected some of the light from the sun that just set below the horizon. There was a fairly thick off shore flow and cloud layer so I do not know how the sun found its way in, but I embraced the light all the same!

#18 Lensbaby Unplugged: The Dahlia Garden

This year I decided to purchase a Lensbaby 85mm Velvet Lens. Lensbaby lenses create optically beautiful soft focus and glowing painterly effects with minimal processing. This encourages a more spontaneous and immediate approach to photography where the in camera image is already in synch with my vision in the present moment. This is very welcome in this day and age where many images are the function of much technical planning and pre-visualization of post processing requirements. This latter approach is so far removed from one’s flashes of perception and immediate experience of the scene that often all spontaneity is lost. With a lensbaby I can approach nature and the landscape more with a beginners mind, in others words with the eyes of a child which I find very refreshing.

#19 Oregon Grape Blossoms

When viewed very close, these tiny blossoms take on quite a different appearance and almost remind me of the shapes of Daffodils. Lens Baby Soft Focus Velvet 56 Lens on a Sony A74 @ F1.6

#20 Columbia Gorge Super Pink Moonrise

Well I have to confess this was actually one day before the actual Super Pink Moon. At this particular location, however, the moon was actually brighter, and definitely surrounded by more pink! The moon rose somewhat earlier so that it would be in an optimal position over the Columbia Gorge Hills during twilight just after the sun set. Sometimes actual days do not matter and we must think a little out of the box and go with the flow! I just loved the way the moon light accented the texture and seed pods of the desert parsley in the foreground and brought out the brilliant yellows of the Balsam Root flowers-a most memorable experience.

#21 In Dreams I walk through Blue and Gold

A solitary trail makes its way through fields of lupine and balsam root, past a small lone oak tree, as it makes its way disappearing in gold and purple skies of the rising sun.

#22 Window through a Japanese Maple

Life always seems better underneath a Japanese Maple at Kubota Gargen! Kubota is a garden whose visual poetry one must ultimately experience first hand without words and concepts in order to fully appreciate the wonder and awe of its beauty. Enter its many curvy paths and winding trails and find your self and your still point in a meditative garden retreat that will leave you feeling revitalized and somehow a more complete person who lives and breathes more in sync with the rhythms of nature.

#23 Golden Beauty in the Final Hours

In late October the winds blew off just enough leaves to beautifully carpet the ground beneath this iconic Japanese Maple, but not so much as to take away the beauty of its golden canopy. Nature is often the most beautiful toward its endings.

#24 Zigzags

In early September I spent three days backpacking in the Mt. Baker area and was surprised to see autumn already in motion even as in other areas the flowers were still blooming. Luckily the heavy rains on the first day washed all the smoke away bringing fresh cool crisp autumn air.

#25 Lone Oxalis of the Hoh

The leaves of the Oxalis plant are among my favorite and look to me like extra large lawn clover leaves. I especially like the way they colonize areas at the base of large tree trunks of the Hoh River Rainforest. Their presence along with moss hanging from the bows of Maple Trees help characterize the beauty of this magical place. Oxalis flowers are few and usually far between, but their subtle beauty at the forest floor makes up for anything they lack in grandeur.

#26 Daisy Daisy

This is just some typical tiny lawn daisies growing wild at Deception Pass State Park. Their appearance can sure look different through the perspective of a macro lens. Its a small world after all!

#27 Columbia Gorge Spring Magic

This image has some of the best things I love about the Columbia Gorge in Spring–beautiful wildflowers, green rolling hills with mountains in the distance, the river rolling on and on, and gorgeous sunsets to bring it all together!

#28 Lake Crescent Misty Morning

Julia and I could not resist making a stop on this misty morning at Lake Crescent prior to heading to the Sol Duc Trail Head! It was so peaceful and calm that it was hard to say goodbye.

#29 Four Strong Winds and a Lone Tree

A lone tree sculpted by four strong winds seems to grow into the landscape-a brave warrior who thrives against all odds.

#30 Fields of Lupine and Golden Light

This is now one of my favorite images from last summer. Julia and I were completing the Panorama Loop before heading out to the Goat Rocks for a few days. This capture was almost an afterthought, something one does spontaneously without much further ado at the end of the day. Strange, but back then I did not think much of this image, but it has grown to be one of my favorites. Some things just grow on a person.

#31 Tatoosh Spirea Magic

The clouds in early August and a touch of rain were a welcome relief after so many blue bird days filled with smoke and and haze. My eyes were drawn to these Spirea flowers spread out in the meadow leading to the Tatoosh range in the distance.

#32 Mother Moose and Calf

A mother Moose and her Calf stroll slowly along the pond, occasionally wading into the water, during the evening hours at Grand Teton National Park.

#33 Locking Horns

Around sunset a herd of Elk ventured down into the Snoqualmie Valley underneath Squak Mountain. These two were locking horns most of the time I was there. Later the third male joined in for a three way horn battle or is it play–perhaps a bipartisan agreement!

#34 Sunrise at the Tulip Farm

Sunrise at the Tulip Farm

I cannot help but fall in love with this idyllic setting at the Tulip Farm. It is a cool crisp morning with birds chirping as the tulips catch the light of the rising sun.

# 35 Lay Me Down to Rest

As I watched the sunset along this Oregon Coast on this day, the largest Sea Stack in this image reminded me of the final resting place for the passing of the Buddha. It is strange what one will see in these sea stacks at the edges of the day.

#36 Water on the Moon

The Oregon Coast is not all about its beautiful grand seascapes, iconic sea stacks, sunrises and sunsets. For me some of the most memorable beauty are some of my flashes of perception while walking along the coast–small scenes, often abstract, that catch our attention. Here is one I spotted on my recent trip to the Oregon Coast. Here you will find Water on the Moon.

#37 The Dance of the Calypso Orchids

I really enjoyed the ensemble of Calypso Orchids, their faces looking right at me as they danced in the wind. This did pose some significant photography challenges, but with some totally manual focus stacking I think I did come close to capturing the moment after all!

#38 North Cascades Foggy Morning

There is nothing like climbing out of the fog in the morning to discover a beautiful scene like this on a cool and crisp Autumn day!

#39 A Walk in an Autumn Forest

As much as I like sunsets and bright skies in the North Cascades, a moody misty day takes me more to the essence of this area in Autumn!

#40 Heaven and Earth

During the Golden Hour, Penstemon flowers are at home between two rocks whose shape echoes the shape of Mt. Rainier at Reflection Lake.

#41 A Stream runs through an Alpine Meadow

I often become aware of places like this through my long hikes during the day. Then I return later, usually on another day, to create my image in the evening light. When I do, I arrive an hour or two early which I did here. I just sit and meditate in the place. There is something about this practice that works well with image creation. It is usually best to spend some time with nature first, immerse oneself into her emptiness, shapes and forms, and honor her presence before reaching for the camera.

#42 Tipsoo Lake Autumn Transitions

In mid September, Autumn is well on its way at Mount Rainier National Park. In this scene I was drawn to the brighter red blueberry leaves fronting others that were still a blend of shades of gold, yellow and green. I I had to pick just one favorite season it would be Autumn!

#43 Deception Pass State of Mind

This is looking across the bay on a dark winter day toward the Deception Pass bridge. In the darkest hour we can still find a bridge to beauty and hope.

#44 Misty Mountain Forest

---

Thanks so much for reading and viewing the images of this blog post. I encourage you to share your reactions, thoughts, comments, impressions on this post here. If you think others would enjoy reading this post please also share it with your friends and communities. The full resolution images from this blog post can be viewed on my website where they are also available for purchase. Here is the link 2021: Following the Open Trail and still searching for that Heart of Gold – The Hidden Landscape: Photography of Nature and the Soul (erwinbuske.com) If you would like to see more content like this subscribe to the blog so you automatically receive future blog posts. To learn more upon my perspectives on nature be sure to check out my Ebook, the Hidden Landscape: The Inside Passage. This image rich book is 248 pages and provides insight how nature, mystery, the Tao, Zen, and the American Transcendentalism of Thoreau inform my photography and can provide sources for you own inspiration. Here is the link to the EBOOK along with a preview. https://payhip.com/b/FCI4z. Thanks again and happy trails!