Colin McGraw on the GO!!

I have realized today that a regular blog is too much work for me too handle. I try to sit down and do a post, but I end up procrastinating or doing actual work. So, I have decided that I will now be taking it to the road.

I have started new blog called "Colin McGraw on the GO!!" This is where everything will be posted from now on. CHECK IT OUT HERE..... http://colinmcgraw.blogspot.com/

So that's it. CYA

Jazz Festival

On Mothers Day, my family and I went up to Wisconsin for a Jazz Festival. This was a fun event, and the bands were great. I only got to see 2, but from the ones I saw it was awesome. My mom and dad went to see the other 2 after Chelsea and I called it a day and went back to the room. My parents said the second 2 had some good hits, but the 1st two bands were much better. 

The 2 bands I got to see were Alex Bugnon (I think) and my favorite who I have listened to for years, Daryl Stuermer. He is the lead guitarist for Genesis and goes on tour with them whenever another tour comes up. I had seen Daryl play one other time in Milwaukee, but this show was even better because of the bigger crowd. He just blew them away! This is who I got my main pictures for the weekend of, so check them out (click to get larger).

Overall it was a great weekend and my mom had a great mothers day. It was a fun weekend, but now its back to school. This is the final month of school and I'm pushing through. It's like the final stretch in a marathon, I can see the finish, but I can't stumble and fall. After school I am moving to COLORADO!!! This news is big and I still don't know how to feel. I am happy because I will be living in a nature environment, but sad that I have to make friends all over again. I'll get through, that's all for now.

       ~ Little Camera Boy

The Permit has been Acquired!!

Been battling a sickness this whole week, so have been delaying my permit post. I received my permit on Friday, April 10th. However, the day after, I got sick; which is unfortunate. After I got my permit on Friday I took my first drive!!! The timing was great because my mom came home as soon as I was about to drive, so she got to come along with dad and I. This drive was extremely nerve-racking and I felt as if I were breaking the law.

I am still enrolled in my Drivers Ed. class, which is going well. I will be taking my first drive with the teacher (Mr. Shapiro) on May 1st. I have only taken one drive, so far, but I am going to take more, before the drive with the teacher, so I can feel a little more comfortable behind the wheel. 

That's it my permit post.... see you on the roads. :)

~ Colin

The Dream Day

I don't think I ever woke up this day, for I feel that I was dreaming of Skiing in the backcountry with Warren Miller himself. This day was beyond good, words can't describe what you feel when you find fresh powder every run. 

This post goes out to my mom, who rescheduled my flight from leaving the day of the huge dump. I thank her so much for making this the best ski day of my life. So, THANK YOU, MOM!!!!

So, here is the situation, my mom and sister went back home in the burbs, while dad and I stayed for 1 last day in heaven. We also got our friends, Tom and Laurie to stay one more day, on their 2 ay trip. The road conditions were bad, so driving to salt lake city, from Montana wouldn't have been advised for their safety. So, the 4 of us stayed and had a day that is now a distant memory. (I am publishing this post a week after it actually happened)

Now the fun, dad and I went off on our on

 for the first half the day, which was incredible. We were on Challenger Lift just about the whole morning, and then we did a few more runs on Ramcharger Lift before we had to go in for lunch. We than met up with Tom and Lori who were having a good day of their own on Ramcharger Lift and Dakota, and possibly more. 

After lunch, Lori took the rest of the day off, to just relax and not push it, she was a little sore from previous days. After lunch it was just the 3 bulls. the 2nd part of the day was defiantly the better half of the day for me. I was just floating through chest shots, and a few face shots of powder. During this part of the day, Dad, Tom, and I were staying on Ramcharger due to the fact of Challenger Lift closing, otherwise we would have been there. Telling the honest truth here, every run was still fresh powder. We were on Thunderwolf Lift mainly,  doing runs on CRAZY raven, and Bear Lair, and maybe a few more. we also did a few on Blue Room (a run through the trees) these runs were all excellent. this is what the day looked like after lunch.

This day was so quick, it was unbelievable. It felt as if I were just snapping on my boots and than were taking them off again 15 minutes later. A day to remember though. This was an enjoyable day and we finished off the trip to a dinner at the Lone Peak Brewery. It was a little dead, but fun playing shuffleboard, eating, and watching some insane skiing videos. 

That was the day, sorry I can't explain how good it was, but it's hard. Let me show you a few pictures...... (I'm in the red jacket, dad is in the green/yellow)

Some Tracks

Woke up this morning ready to ski, but we still had time before everyone was ready to go. So, knowing me, I tried squeezing in some photography. I went outside stumbling upon some tracks. I am pretty sure they are coyote tracks, but I may be wrong. If I stand corrected, and they are coyote tracks, than they are most likely from the ones that have been coming to this local golf course, hunting for mice. 

Here are a few snapshots.

Another day of Powder!

Swift Current Lift in....... Ramcharger Lift Out. Swift Current leads to higher ground, which is what my dad and I were looking forward to. My sister and mom both didn't come skiing for the first part of the day, but that didn't stop dad and me. We took a few runs on the triple leading into the bowl, but we didn't go in the bowl because it was so socked in visibility- wise. We skied near the trees, which was a smart call, plus nice soft powder. After that, dad and I hit the Challenger lift. Boy oh BOY!!!! The powder was great. Soft and getting knee deep, occasionally waist deep snow shots. We stayed there most of the day, and it was defiantly worth it. Here are a few shots.

A day in Yellowstone

Not the best day in Yellowstone, but some different things. My family and I drove up and around to the North Entrance, so we could go into Lamar Valley, otherwise most of the parks roads were closed. I was hoping this trip to Yellowstone would be good for my photography, but we just timed it wrong. During the day we were fortunate enough to see wolves, when we set up out spotting scope. The wolves were 2 miles away, but we were able to get a decent look at them. 

Continuing through the day we saw bighorn sheep in Lamar, 4 coyotes, bison, and then when leaving Lamar and the park we saw some Elk and some Pronghorn. So that was the day, not the best for my photography. But, let me show you some pictures I walked off with anyways.....

This one was one of my best... Try clicking on it.