New Print: EAT
Posted by Troy | Filed under Across the U.P., Travel, Work
Illustration by Troy DeShano
When I left Michigan for the first time I was naively surprised at how many people new nothing of what we call “the U.P.”
Come to find out explaining an “upper peninsula” is more complicated that you might think..
North of Lake Michigan and Wisconsin a magical stretch of forests reaches along Lake Superior’s southern border from Michigan to Minnesota. If you’ve ever wondered what “air” smells like I highly recommend a visit. I made quite a few trips along the U.P.’s southern route in college and more recently have enjoyed camping along the Lake Superior shoreline.
Besides the sheer lack of people, the other thing I love about the U.P. is that when you do happen across civilization, it’s like you’ve stepped into another country.
The pace slows down exponentially; hit “seek” on your radio and it just spins like a vortex; little towns pass by every couple hours that I like to imagine have their very own Laura Palmers and Big Eds and Log Ladies…
and I’ve said before that even though everyone speaks English, they name their businesses as if no one does.
Tags: across the up, original illustration, U.P.
Porcupine Mountains Polaroids
Posted by Troy | Filed under Travel
Photo by Troy DeShano
Last year I wrote a post following my annual dude’s camping trip titled “Cheaper than Therapy,” about the value of men spending quality time together for encouragement and just a break from the pressures of life.
This past weekend we had our 3rd annual trip and once again we all agreed that our time spent together away from phones and computers and work and all the other crap that demands our attention was medicinal and absolutely necessary.
I had a ton of fun this year shooting instant film – these were shot on a vintage Colorpack 11 Land Camera. There are few things in life more satisfying than peeling that film apart to discover what’s inside. I’m officially addicted to this stuff.
Check it out! (I dare you to refrain from quoting “The Song of Hiawatha”)
Tags: camping, colorpack, Michigan, polaroid
Last Night’s Dinner: Priceless Lake Victoria Tilapia
Posted by Troy | Filed under Good, Last Night's Dinner, Travel
While in Kenya I lived in the city of Kisumu. Honestly, the city is very, very different than my hometown of Traverse City, MI—in a lot of ways opposite even (like the fact that it is always hot and sunny)
But even with all the differences I felt right at home from the moment I stepped off the plane.
Everything, despite being so different felt really familiar, but the one thing that actually was similar is that the city is right on the shore of Lake Victoria. The funny thing is that I don’t know how many conversations I had trying to describe how large Lake Michigan is (trying to calculate miles to kilometers in my head is hopeless), and my descriptions were never met with the astonishment I’d expected.
Come to find out Lake Victoria is actually larger than Lake Michigan… in fact it’s larger than any other freshwater lake in the world—except for Lake Superior of course.
So as you’d expect, fish is the main export for the region and catching, buying and selling fish is the main source of income for a large part of the population.
Tags: Africa
I’m Going to Africa
Posted by Troy | Filed under News, Travel
So you may have noticed things have been a little sparse around Strong Odors lately…
It’s practically excruciating sometimes to ignore the blog, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do (or whatever).
Besides working on a variety of graphic design projects, I put together my first set of limited edition prints for a local art/crafts fair. It was a great learning experience and I was so lucky to have a friend walk me through some of the steps that were terrifying to me (ordering frames, for example).
I’ll have those prints available to purchase online soon (I actually have some right now… just email me if you want details), but I’ve been putting my energy into another project over the past week.
I’m going to Africa.
About two years ago, a missions team from our church returned from a trip and shared their stories in the Sunday morning service. I can’t really describe the feelings that I was experiencing, but right then I knew that I would have to go on one of the trips.
This February is the first time since then that my friend Dave (who also happens to be National Director of Christ’s Hope International) is taking a team back to Africa, and I’m going to be there with my sister and a handful of other folks from around Michigan.
I created a new website to spread the word and to try to raise some funds (I need to raise $3,500 in support to cover my expenses). I’ll also be blogging over there some of my reasons for going, my goals for the trip, information about the places and people to whom I’ll be serving, etc.
Please check it out, pray for me as I prepare to go and consider making a contribution.
Stay Up-to-Date
I’ll be posting updates about the trip via Twitter and Facebook. So follow me there and encourage your friends to do the same.
Tags: Africa
Wend Magazine – Summer 2010
Posted by Troy | Filed under Travel
If you are interested in adventure travel or sports at all, you should check out the current issue (Spring/Summer 2010) of Wend Magazine. It features some killer photos (including the cover shot!) by my good buddy T.C. Worley.
Plus you can check out a story about a gnarly section of the Flathead River valley that I used to call “my backyard.”
Sign up to read every digital edition for free, or pick up a copy at your local Borders or Barnes & Noble
Tags: photography
Chimney Rock and the Value of Risk
Posted by Troy | Filed under Parenting, Travel
We recently visited Chimney Rock State Park, just south of Ashville, NC.
It’s a really great destination for families since they’ve added steps, boardwalks and railings to make the hiking accessible to anyone.
We kept calling Exclamation Point “Explanation Point,” which doesn’t sound nearly so awe-inspiring… but it’s worth the extra 1,000 steps or so past Devil’s Head (above)… and the hike back to ground level is really cool, with rock outcroppings and alternate views of the Chimney Rock.
A few of us still had the energy to hike the mile or so out to the 400-ft. Hickory Nut Falls… we weren’t allowed nearly as close as we’d hoped, but maybe next trip there will be fewer park rangers around…
Actually, situations like that are kind of adjusting my parenting.
Those times when I know I would jump the barrier… but don’t want my kids to.
Tags: fear, kids, original photo, Parenting, Travel
Cheaper than Therapy
Posted by Troy | Filed under Travel
It had been probably fifteen years since I’d done any kind of guy-trip.
Last summer my friend Robbie and I met up with our buddy T.C. (who happens to be a pretty amazing editorial photographer) in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for a camping trip and immediately agreed that these things must happen more regularly.
So as soon as the snow melted we had plans for a new trip.
Tags: adventure, camping, Michigan, original photo, Travel
Spikehorn Meyer
Posted by Troy | Filed under Travel, Traverse City
I discovered Spikehorn Meyer this week in an old travel-film clip my grandma sent me
It’s really cool to see mid-century footage of my home here in Traverse City and the Sleeping Bear Dunes, but Ol’ Spikehorn steals the show.
He seems like a guy I’d want to know… or maybe even a guy I might have become…
Spikehorn said that the company of bears was much preferable to that of other people… he might be right, but I guess I’m lucky that I haven’t yet become so cynical about people that I’ve taken to avoiding them altogether…
I was hoping to check out the biography from my local library, but I haven’t had time… each nugget of information I scrounged up online just made Spikehorn more and more interesting though…
like when he made national news in 1945 after sending wires to Truman, Atlee and Stalin announcing a personal offer of $50K for the capture of Adolph Hitler.
I like him…
Photo from Don Harrison’s Up North Memories Flickr collection. I thought some color might give it a little life.
Tags: Travel, Traverse City
Red Baraat at Barbès Brooklyn
Posted by Troy | Filed under Music, Travel
You can’t visit New York without catching some live music, and you can’t catch live music like this anywhere but New York.
Cram an Indian marching band, a jazz ensemble, a funk band and 100 audience members (of every race and creed) into a 200 sq. ft. room.
That is Red Baraat at Barbès in Brooklyn.
Thanks Paul for encouraging me to attend.
Tags: brooklyn, concerts, Music
It is Brooklyn
Posted by Troy | Filed under Travel
This picture could have been taken anywhere.
Catching a bit of air conditioning and cold beverages on a hot August day in anytown U.S.A.
But it isn’t anywhere.
It’s Brooklyn.
Diversity everywhere.
Flea markets (with tall guys that refurbish bikes and small guys that hand-print t-shirts).
Life-changing corn and rainwater toilets.
It’s Brooklyn.
More pics on my portfolio blog.
Tags: original photo
