photo journal --- September 2025
A photo journal — one or two pictures each day, from today or years past, to look back on, reflect, and remember with a smile in the years ahead.
Date started: Aug 17th 2025
Monthly Recap
This month was about solitude, trails, and towering landscapes. Most of September was spent camping and hiking solo through Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia. Each day brought something new — granite walls, giant trees, quiet lakes, and the kind of silence that makes you feel both small and deeply alive. Looking back, it was a month of reflection and gratitude for the wild places that keep drawing me back.
Closing the month with simple moments at home with Baby, our cat, curled up on a seat cushion — a gentle reminder that comfort is just as often found in the quiet, ordinary spaces as it is on the trail.
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| Day 30 Today is about Baby. My daughter adopted her last year when she needed a new home, and she’s been running the household ever since — always ready to claim the coziest spot, she’s firmly part of the family now. |
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| Day 29 Nothing special for today, except for this early morning view with silent words saying "Today is going to be a good day." |
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| Day 28 Today’s post isn’t about the food — it’s about the pan. I have the mini version at home and love it, so when I spotted this full-sized sibling at Aldi on my trip, I laughed and bought it. I brought it back home like precious cargo. A simple joy… and mild pan obsession. |
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| Day 27 Passing time and looking for a story to tell, I found Nemo and his dad, finally reunited. |
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| Day 27 - 2020 Five years ago today, I completed the ADK 46ers. I’m posting this as a reminder to keep chasing adventures like that, and to reflect on the trails I’ve hiked since — both East and West. The East may not have the towering elevations, sheer cliffs, or endless exposure of the West, but what it lacks in altitude it makes up for with some of the nastiest, gnarliest, and most relentlessly challenging trails out there. |
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| Day 26 A tranquil stroll through a Japanese Garden before sunset — embracing a moment of peace and calm. |
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| Day 25 Here, time stands still in a silent pact. The ancient Sequoia embraces the cold granite, a bond measured not in years, but in millennia of slow, quiet growth. Look for the tiny hiker on the right to grasp the true immensity of their ancient partnership. |
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| Day 24 A moment of perfect, humbling stillness watching the radiant sunset from Moro Rock |
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| Day 23 Welcome to the home of the giants — these Sequoias are the largest and some of the oldest trees on Earth. To truly grasp their size, look closely for the hikers right in the middle of the frame. |
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| Day 22 At Boyden Cavern —watching the magnificent stalactites and stalagmites — evidence of Earth's slow, patient artistry. It's a reminder to enjoy the moment, even when it’s a thousand years in the making. |
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| Day 21 The Big Stump of Kings Canyon, cut down in 1891 just to prove its size. Over a century later, its massive remains continue to spark the imaginative spirit. Do you see the elephant ? |
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| Day 20 - 2018 No photo for today so I looked for something from the past, and came across this old post from an old blog — my definition of Adventure... https://kolokoy101.wordpress.com/2018/09/20/adventure-what-is-it/ |
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| Day 19 My last night in Yosemite ends with a campfire under a soft rain, the flames holding warmth against the drizzle. |
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| Day 18 After days of hiking and seeing Half Dome’s many faces, I stand before El Capitan — a favorite among rock climbers — reminding me why this giant deserves as much awe as its famous neighbor. |
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| Day 18 Through the lens, a climber inches up its granite wall. |
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| Day 17 After seeing Half Dome from so different vantage points, nothing compares to watching the setting sun paint its colors from the valley meadows. |
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| Day 16 Half Dome from Yosemite Point — a steep hike reveals its bold face, leaving no doubt: I am in command of the valley. |
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| Day 15 Hiking on Panorama Trail - Photo 1 From this stretch on the trail, past Glacier Point, Half Dome still commands the horizon, with Nevada Falls down below serving an invitation to continue on with the trail. |
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| Day 15 Hiking on Panorama Trail - Photo 2 Further along the trail, Half Dome shifts into the background, while Vernal and Nevada Falls emerge to define the landscape below. |
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| Day 14 The sheer beauty of Half Dome, framed from Sentinel Dome. |
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| Day 13 Have you seen the movie 'The Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers'? That's what came to my mind when I saw this -- the looming dark tower, and the shadowed passage where the orcs marched. |
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| Day 12 I am a hiker. Yet these hikers carry the deeper story of the trail. Their heavy packs go with them through rain or shine, ready for whatever the weather brings. Today, it’s rain and thunderstorms that await them, wherever their destination for the night is. |
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| Day 11 When I wander, I look for moments that mirror how I feel inside. Today it was a single figure on Lembert Dome — quiet, steady, alone yet not lonely. |
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| Day 10 I took an early morning walk before leaving camp and this image made me smile, followed by a song in my mind. Lean on me, when you're not strongAnd I'll be your friendI'll help you carry onFor it won't be long'Til I'm gonna needSomebody to lean on |
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| Day 10 From Olmsted Point, Half Dome appears small within the vast wilderness, dwarfed by the sweep of Cloud’s Rest. |
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| Day 9 I always have a buddy with me when I go on an adventure. And he makes sure he is always dressed to his best. |
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| Day 9 - 2021 All my buddies who, in one way or another, have joined me on my adventures. All dressed up and ready to go. |
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| Day 8 Hiking up Nevada Falls — Liberty Cap with Nevada Falls just right below it on the right. The back of Half Dome shines behind on the left. |
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| Day 7 A new adventure this year, rekindled by my dream to explore America’s beautiful parks. Here in Yosemite, I watch Half Dome glow at sunset — stone and sky in quiet communion. |
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| Day 6 - 2024 Franconia Ridge, New Hampshire. I met a veteran hiker, nearly 80, who had climbed all 48 of the state’s 4000-footers many times over. He spoke of his love for pool (or billiards as we call it), and his admiration for “The Magician”, Efren Bata Reyes. A fleeting trail encounter, yet it stayed with me — especially the coincidence of his name: Tim. |
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| Day 5 - 2018 A time when I really fell in love with photography that I would explore places, early and late, to capture photos like this, and more — landscapes, sunrises, sunsets, magic hours, birds and wildlife, and everything nature-related. |
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| Day 4 I've done several solo hikes in the past without worries of mishaps or injuries. I never felt the need for a gadget for emergency purposes (or maybe I was just being cheap). This year, I am off to another solo adventure, and the confidence I had before seems to be waning. I bought this for the sole purpose of having some insurance and peace of mind -- no messaging, no tracking, no check-ins, just for SOS. |
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| Day 4 - 2020 An overnight stay in a NY Welcome Center for a weekend of hiking adventure in the Adirondacks — the year I completed the ADK 46ers. |
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| Day 3 - 2024 One of the solo hikes I've done on a treacherous trail — Mt Katadhin via Knife's Edge. I was full of confidence then. This year, I'm off to a similar adventure, and looking to have the same confidence I had last year. |
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| Day 2 - 2018 Throwback when love for photography and IPA were worth a shot — a reflection of the beautiful memories behind each bottle.. |
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| Day 1 Years ago, I made a quiet promise — to explore America’s parks. I wandered off that path for a while, but the dream never left me. Today, I pick it up again, one park, one moment, one memory at a time. |
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