Making the decision to retire early was not an easy one, but knowing that I wanted to spend my time capturing the world in photographs rather than inside four walls helped me decide. The ultimate goal is to travel the highways and byways of this beautiful country and record what I see. I took this step with that goal in mind, also knowing that I cannot just pack up and go immediately since I still have a son in high school.

My plan was to explore and shoot the surrounding area in hopes of further honing my skills and artistic vision. As it turns out, it has been even more rewarding than I expected. Even in the middle of winter, there is so much beauty and history to explore. Having lived in the area for more than fifteen years, you would think that I have seen all there is to see. Oh no! Far from it, in fact.

In the last few days, I have seen places that I never would have seen if I was working a day job. From old cabins left over from the gold rush,

to little known waterfalls,

to ranching homesteads in the Shasta Valley.

I have only just begun to explore the history and beauty of the area. And after fifteen plus years, I have to say–it’s about time!