Update: September 28th, 2021

One of many reasons I made my way Northeast from the West, besides smoke haze and running circles, was to reset how I approach my work. That includes how I was interact with Patreon. The first year, while getting my feet wet behind the wheel, it was hard to keep up to date with daily sharing. Much of the west has large patches of nature where reception does not exist. The east is a different situation in many aspects.

Moving forward, I intend to share daily or bi-daily updates. Without updating photos from my actual cameras every day, it’s much easier for me to update directly from the app on my phone, as it takes a lot less effort and time. Regardless, I will also do weekly updates of my favorite images, in full quality, but updating from the app makes it much more convenient for me, and allows me to share more frequently. In the past, I was getting so far ahead of myself that trying to recount was impossible. With daily, or bi-daily updates, I can fill everyone a little more in depth on this project.

After spending a few days photographing the dairy farm I shared yesterday, I decided to head towards western Vermont to focus a little more on foliage. After an early morning hike to Devils Hill, a beautiful but clouded spot just outside Peacham, VT, I made my way to the Green Mountains, a National Forest and good location to center around during the autumn change. Getting into the area around 5PM, I immediately headed to find a camp for the night, as the sun sets around 6:30. After finding an open boondocking spot at the end of the road, I was soon greeted by another couple of travelers hoping to find a spot to camp. I offered to share my spot with the couple from Nebraska. Soon later, a 2nd van pulled up in hope as well. This time, Sammy Joe & Mike from Minniapolis. We opened up our spot to them as well, and before long the 5 of us were sharing stories around a small camp fire we made from dead branches in the forest. I put my bird up for a sunset peek, then we eventually settled in for the night, as I prepared myself for the next morning.

Yesterday, Monday morning, I awoke bright and early and sent my drone in the sky to capture some aerial photos as the spot we were at wasn’t the best for landscape. Afterwards, Sammy Joe, Mike and I hopped in our vans, said goodbye to the couple from Nebraska, and made our way to find cell phone reception to do some work.

Somewhere along the way, I received just enough reception to learn my friend Myron Dewey, a mentor, friend and brother from the NODAPL movement had passed away. Without much information, and no reception, the next hour finding a reliable signal was a very emotional and stressful moment. Eventually, we found a small corner of the interstate where a gas station, perfect reception, and pot toilets were to be found. Sometimes, in van life, that’s all one needs to be happy. I came back into the world, to what feels like being the last person to learn of his passing. Being out of reception, my social media was already filled with tributes by the time I first heard. It was hard to learn that way.

As Sammy Joe and Mike took off to another corner of the road to do their days remote working, I spent the day talking to Water Protector friends, having moments, and trying to gather my thoughts of losing a close friend who played such a large role in my life at Standing Rock. Next thing I knew, it was 5pm and the Minnesota couple had come back to check on me. They knew I was pretty distressed, so we decided to caravan again, this time heading deeper into the Green Mountains to a small campsite with a nearby brook. We spent the night conversing, as they allowed me to share stories of my lost friend, Myron.

This morning, we are back in this parking lot, and I am scoping out the next step on photographing the state. Yesterday, someone who lives about 15 miles from here reached out on IG and offered to allow me to use her home to shower, wash clothes and park outside as a temp basecamp. I believe I’m going to take advantage of this, as the east is a far cry from the west, where public lands are few and relying on friends will become a priority in completing this project.

The weather here today is rainy and overcast while filled with fog. Not ideal for photography, but never the less I am going to do some exploring.

Expect more small, daily or bi-daily updates like this from now on. Sharing these moments are part of the story.

Thanks y’all, love you.

-RV