Hiking Yosemite National Park

With over 4 million visitors each year and a bounty of 747,956 picturesque acres, Yosemite is one of the most visited National Parks in the country. Stories of John Muir sleeping under the stars (great book about him here.) and images of Ken Burns’ “National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” resonate with every visitor – further whetting their desire to step foot on this landscape. The allure of this place is in your face at all times. It reminds you why the National Park System was created in the first place. But for those of us who prefer to beat the crowds and hit the trail, April is a perfect time to visit, especially after a year of such record warmth.

Heading out of Southern Cali, it’s a relatively quick drive at 4:30am on a Monday. Relatively quick meaning about 6 hours. We took the 405 to the 5 to the 99 and finally the 41, which brings you directly into the park. If you don’t have an annual pass, a vehicle entry is $20. We stayed in a wall tent in Curry Village. Some are heated some are not, but most are outfitted with a double bed and 2-3 twin beds. If you’re there to hike, it’s more than you need. Figuring out what hike to embark on is a whole other story.

Before we left, we checked out this great website, Yosemitehikes.com. It lays out Yosemite hiking trails by difficulty, time, distance, scenic value and also shows pictures of each. When we got there, we spoke to the people at the Mountaineering school to get a current perspective and then took our pick. We went with Vernal and Nevada Falls and we’re glad we did. The switchbacks were approachable with views the entire way. The crowds start to dissipate the further you move along.  We took a quick breather at the base of Vernal falls before trekking on through the shaded switchback. As you approach the section where you can take either Vernal or Nevada, you’ll have a clear view of each. Vernal is quicker and has a bittersweet decline to the top of the falls. It’s bittersweet, because you’re going back up it on the way out. Nevada is another good mile and a half from that point if you choose to go there. We left around 2pm and got back just before dark. More experienced hikers could probably cut that in half, but when you’re in awe around every corner, you tend to take your time. Here are some images from the trip…

It’s not cheap. But it is worth it. The Ahwahnee Hotel.

The Ahwahnee Hotel. Where they shot the Shining. And where we ate and drank like kings.

Chinese New Year in NYC

  Chinatown

Chinatown, NYC

                              Russell Simmons says hello.

 

aftermath

Coney Island

  Coney Island

Nathan’s Famous (The Original)

The Coney Island Boardwalk

Historic Child’s Restaurant

Save Coney Island

Parachute Jump

Child’s Restaurant

Coney Island Boardwalk

Child’s Restaurant

Child’s Restaurant

Steeplechase Pier

Our first (Real) Snow in NYC

We got a taste of it in October. Sammy and I thought our Halloween snowfall was an early sign of what would inevitably come our way week after week. But then November came and so did the unusually temperate weather. December passed and still no signs of winter. January… same deal. And then this past Saturday it finally snowed.

We jumped out of bed, slipped into our winter garb and hopped into Central Park. Sure, it’s not the Wasatch range I once played in or the ancient mountains of Vermont, but like an 19th century Charles Parsons painting or an early photograph,  this place came to life with ice skaters, tobogganers and children all taking refuge in the expanse of a buidlingless landscape.

When your access to free space is all but gone, you take pride in what you have left. These kids and their laughter and the snowballs in their hands symbolize the same thing for the avid skier on a monumental pow day. Would these kids rather be in the Rockies? Maybe. But maybe this is their Rockies. They certainly played like it was.

Sledding is the same wind-in-your hair feeling for every generation. It’s that ‘school was called off’ feeling that riles through your system on an early snowy morning. It’s waking up earlier than usual to look out the window and see what you got. It’s something different for everyone, I suppose, but for me it’s enough to stay young again and envision mountains around me or even simpler, the sledding hill in our neighbor’s backyard on Tanglewood Drive in Southington, CT.

I know snow bothers a lot of people. It interrupts their schedules and makes their hair frizzy and tangled. It makes for treacherous roads and damp suit pants, but all of that is irrelevant in my mind. I like to think of the hot coffee I’m going to have when I come in from the cold or the sound of the snow under my boots. I think about walking into that little cafe just to get a break from the chill or watching as the snow falls on whatever it shall. I like what snow makes us do and not what it prevents us from doing. But, like all weather in the Northeast, it’s already gone and the 50-degree weather is back. Winter has yet to make her permanent mark here, but when it comes, it’ll leave the same impression on Sammy and I that it did this past weekend.

Damn scaffolding!

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Joe Patane and Steve Wozniak Lend A Hand

Image kindly borrowed from geekculture

When you come from an adverse home environment, the last thing you believe is that you can actually believe, let alone fly an airplane, produce a documentary, build a house with your own two hands or learn computers from the guy who actually invented computers. But at The Patane Foundation’s Dream Camps, belief in oneself comes with the territory and accomplishments like these happen every day.

It’s noon in Los Gatos, California as Steve Wozniak zips around on a Segway. He sports head-to-toe polo attire and eagerly swings his mallet at the small wooden ball below. He misses and a horde of teenagers close in on him. It’s a wacky rendition of such a stoic past time, but as in every other Dream Camp put on by The Patane Foundation, Camp Woz prides itself on eccentricity being the gateway to something great. And it is.

Otherwise deemed outcasts with no future, these participating teens are having a blast at Camp Woz and pretty soon, all ten of them are going to be in Wozniak’s garage (yes, garage) for an impromptu lesson on the ins and outs of computers. Did I mention that each kid gets his or her own laptop, iPod, and digital camera? This may all sound a bit out of context for those who understand Wozniak’s technological influence on the world, but for those who know him only as the quirky guy who got booted off Dancing With The Stars in week four, Steve’s exuberance isn’t just part of his trademark personality, but it’s also a calculated effort to help reshape the future for these kids. And the Wizard of Dream Camp Woz himself, Mr. Joe Patane, is helping these kids dream through his own quirky approach to youth mentorship. And he’s doing it all free for the campers and staff.

Joe is unpretentious and habitually jubilant. His business suit is a T-Shirt and gym shorts and his heavy Brooklyn accent takes a back seat to his calm and reassuring voice. He’s the youngest of eight children and credits his parents for keeping him on the right track. I’ve known Joe for a long time and was his roommate many moons ago. But before that, Joe was a roommate to the world when he landed himself as an MTV Real World cast member back in 1996. While tumultuous and detrimental to his personal life (he is the only cast member to date who obtained permission to write a book about the show, suitably titled Livin In Joe’s World), the show enabled him to re-evaluate his imprint on the world.

Now, Joe is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, full-time Philanthropist and Founder of the above-mentioned Dream Camp Foundation, a not-for-profit (501c3) corporation that helps change the predicament for underprivileged kids. As his website claims, the organization’s mission is to: “Empower participating youth to find their strengths through exposure to the arts, sciences, wellness, and more.”  They do this by peer-to-peer mentorship, hands on activities and full immersion into an atmosphere far removed from the youths’ troubled domestic environment. On the ground, however, the actual mission far outreaches it’s printed definition.

“To live everyday with a little bit of surprise, a little bit of not knowing what’s going to happen and a little bit of taking risk… that’s what life is about, that’s living to me.” It’s that mantra that Joe tries to instill. He wants them to simply be kids, embrace who they are and work hard to achieve a productive and positive life through their own found passions. He wants them to forget what they’ve been told they can’t do and instead do.  This is how he approaches each of his Dream Camps.
The organized group excursions not only build character and confidence in those that attend, but they also allow for the kids to produce something tangible; something that each and every participant can be proud of.

At the foundation’s Dream Camp: Cal Earth, each camper built a housing structure out of 100% sustainable materials while at Dream Camp: Air, Land & Sea, campers learned how to fly a plane and hang glide. Whether making a documentary film through the foundation’s film mentoring project, Buggle Productions, learning the basics of ranching in picturesque Wyoming or just having the ability to finally “chill” (one of Joe’s trademark phrases, by the way), each camp creates an instant family for the participants and allows them to escape the environments that brought them here in the first place.
That’s a lofty idea and a relatively well-known approach to youth outreach initiatives, but the difference here is in the follow up. Joe is well aware of the power this exposure has on these kids, but he also knows that when they return home, they are going back to a depraved situation one way or another. It’s there that they struggle to learn and participate in diverse social structures, because they are told they can’t or even worse, not told anything at all. Many have suffered abuse, bullying, labeling, failed foster situations, and much more while others simply lack a loved one championing their interests and well-being. Whatever the case, their perception of the world and the world’s perception of them is murky and dubious. But it isn’t to say hope is lost on them.

Like his friendship with Wozniak, Joe makes sure to keep genuine ties with those around him, both in and out of the Dream Camps. It’s his authentic nature and the only way he knows – something that comes in quite handy when your task is helping those that need it most.

In the end, it’s about possibilities and encouragement and at Dream Camp Foundation, it’s the principles of positivity that help these kids learn their way while making a substantial contribution in the world. For Joe, the contribution lives on as he gears up for Dream Camp TV (based on this past summer’s Dream Camp California) and Dream Camp NYC coming this June.

What’s your contribution? Reach out to The Patane Foundation to see how you can help. Visit www.joesworld.org or like Dream Camp Foundation on Facebook.

Written by

Aaron T. Lyles

(Original article posted on [wiz duh m])

* second image photo credit: ‘Dream Camp Woz’ Segway Polo with Campers Zack Karper and Eric Sanborn – Photo By Paul Chalifour – Copyright Dream Camp Foundation, www.joesworld.org

To read more from Aaron, follow his blog  Up-Routed or follow him on Twitter
Also check out his website – alylesphotography.com

New York

NEW YORK

Walk every street. Take every train. Live in the here and now. A little each time. Hoping there’s more tomorrow. 

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A Shared Community

Original article published on [wiz duh m]

For many of us, life has grown increasingly difficult with longer work hours, fast-paced gadgets, a broken economy and the disappearing act of that elusive work-life balance. But in the midst of what we deem to be stressful, we often forget about those who live life for the mere experience of making it better.

Enter Canadian Philosopher, Jean Vanier. He’s the founder of L’Arche Harbor House, a nonprofit that dedicates itself to transforming the lives of those with developmental disabilities by simply providing an atmosphere based around the family structure – a structure that is co-dependent on one another and their respective gifts.

Back in 1964, Vanier invited two men with developmental disabilities to live with him in the French village of Trosley-Breuil. So inspired, he invited more and more men and women with disabilities into his home. He named it L’Arche, after Noah’s Ark and thus spawned what is now an international federation of 135 faith-based communities in more than 36 countries on 6 continents – all dedicated to enhancing the life of those that truly have something to share with the world.  And sharing is the backbone of what they do at L’Arche.

L’Arche Harbor House in Jacksonville, Florida is one of those communities built upon individual involvement and group contribution. It’s here that people, otherwise deemed outcasts by society, live in the comforting environs of like-minded friends and thoughtful assistants who care for them. But a pity-party this is not. Each volunteer assistant brings with them the realization that they stand to learn just as much from those they aim to teach. And learn they do.  Just take a listen to the video on their website for further proof of the gratifying nature associated with being around people blissfully innocent  toward the often damning weight of the world.

The sanctuary-esc confines of the Harbor House aren’t the only walls within which they participate. Here, each core member (those living at L’Arche with developmental disabilities) holds a job outside the community as well. Inside, they participate in artistic workshops, musical arrangements and rewarding group activities.  And it’s evident that their experience is building a fulfilling conviction; one that proves their contributions do not go unnoticed.

Community Director, Amy Finn-Schultz, talks about one of those activity programs, the L’Arche’s Rainbow Workshop. “It’s a day program for adults with developmental disabilities to do arts and crafts that allow them to express their creativity in a place that is fostering acceptance.” That may not sound profound to you or I in the grand scope of things, but again, that has more to do with our own societal distractions  than it does a lack of robust programming in such a place.  By allowing their core members to share their unique gifts with one another, they are opening these individuals to a life rid of blackberry-crashing crisis’s, United States Congress woes, or any other trivial beef that we may find overwhelming in life.

Places like this have something to teach us all. As one woman puts it, when speaking about what it means for her brother to live at L’Arche: “…Security, Safety, Love. It means another family to Tommy that will be his for his life.” For Tommy, Amy Finn-Shultz, Jean Vanier, and all of us, it’s really that simple. Love, Safety, Security, Creativity, Reward – these are all things we strive for, but at L’Arche, they can be found around every corner and that makes all the difference.

If you’d like to contribute to this beautiful community,  get involved at: http://www.larchejacksonville.org/participate/donate/.  And be sure to check out their upcoming fundraiser, the 22^nd Annual Golf Classic at the legendary TPC Sawgrass (http://www.larchejacksonville.org/news-events/events/21st-annual-golf-classic/). There will be delicious box lunch, skill prizes, raffle,
 silent and live auction and a tournament reception featuring Heavy Hors d’oeuvres.

Written by Aaron T. Lyles

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A Brother’s Birthday

It may seem like a shameless plug or a bout of nepotism subsequent to his birthday, but I think it’s high time I publicly wrote about my brother, Christopher Lyles.

To me, he’s a brother, a mentor and a guy I exchanged one too many fisticuffs with when we were younger. He reigned victorious over me more often than not through the game console world of Colecovision, Nintendo 1.0, and Sega Genesis. He drew better, pitched the ball faster and had the ability to drum up far less enemies than I could. But as we got older, we ditched the competitive nature of adolescence and instead shared in the joys of creativity as we clawed at dreams and ventures both won and lost. We grew up, fell in love and moved apart, but never lost that connection that made us Lyles’ in the first place – a status that contracts as much mockery as it does accolades. And through all of our comings and goings, Chris kept the ability to believe in the one constant that has brought him to where he stands today. He is vested in art and its ability to move people.

It’s not a noble mission or a conscious decision to entertain. For Chris, it’s a gift that obsessively finds its way into everything he does. Like anything, a passion like that comes with a set of crutches and bruises, but at the end of each hour logged in the studio or on the sketch pad in the passenger seat of any moving car, his dedication is always producing something – something that makes people react.

34 years ago, this guy was launched into the world and today the person and the work he produces stands to build reason to why he is who he is. Now, with a beautiful family of his own, he continues to create for the world and for those that he doesn’t even know. Somewhere there is a kid looking at his work the same way Chris used to look at his artistic idols. Somewhere there are people being inspired by the stroke of his brush and the thoughts baked into each character he creates. I just thought this was a good time to tell him that I am one of those people.

 

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Boston’s Green Bandits: Part 3

While other storefronts grasp for passersby with shiny gimmicks and big red signs, the Vault simply parks the truck, opens up shop and provides an environment that plays to those who need no coercion. In the final portion of my interview with the boys from the Vault, Derrick and Howard speak to the connection with their customers, the future of the company and what it means to be on the cusp of something new.

Green Street Customers

 

U.R: Who would you say is your core demographic?

G.S: We aren’t targeting a demographic. We’re targeting more of a “psychographic.” Our customer is a dude who cares about what he looks like and values exclusivity. He’s someone who is dynamic, creative and fun. He enjoys unique shopping experiences and learning about the newest and coolest things.

Howard Travis

U.R: What’s the best way to reach your audience and how much responsibility would you say they have for your success? What role do they play in Green Street?

G.S: In my opinion, word of mouth should never be a marketing tactic. It’s a result of good marketing. I’d say the best thing for us so far has just been driving around. When people see us moving, everyone wonders what we are. There’s a lot of people who are familiar with us now so people learn from each other. It’s word of mouth that has done wonders for us. Since we’re the only truck in Boston doing this, promotion is so easy because someone will say like ‘there’s a truck that sells sneakers.’ Even if they aren’t familiar with the Green Street Vault name, they know of us. That spreading of our existence has definitely led to sales, and we see that when people come in and say ‘my boy was talking about this’ or ‘I’ve heard of this before’

U.R: What are some of the most popular locations for you guys? How long do you spend at each one?

G.S: Newbury street definitely. Depends what spot we’re at. If we’re in a pay-for spot, it’s 3 hours tops. Sometimes we stay longer. If it’s a commercial zone it’s a little less than that.

U.R: What is the dopest item you have right this second?

G.S: I’d say our Green Street Vault tees.

U.R: For a customer not so well versed in street style, what are the essential items they should pick up from the Vault?

G.S: We’ve got something for everyone. You don’t have to be well versed in streetwear to find a tee or a retro snapback from the truck. If that’s not your thing, get a Green Street tee.

The Future

U.R: How do you stay innovative?  
 
G.S: I read a lot and look at a lot of pictures and blogs. To stay innovative, I have to stay inspired. Creativity and innovation is like any other skill or trait that people have. It needs to be practiced and used or else it’ll just be curbed. 

U.R: Do you see having your own line someday? 

G.S: One day

U.R: Would you ever consider opening a storefront? What limitations or abilities would you have if you left the mobile concept?

G.S: I’d consider it… but I’m more interested in opening more trucks. That’s the way trends are going nowadays. If we left the mobile concept, we wouldn’t really be able to do anything about foot traffic. If no one’s out, then no one’s gonna shop. With the truck, if it’s raining, let’s say, we’ll hit a campus. Kids have to be out anyway to go to class, get food, go to the gym.

Whatever the future holds, it’s a ride these guys are willing to take. The streets will always have feet upon them and someone to outfit each, but as ideas like this catch on, so to goes our interpretation of business as a whole. It’s the risk of being the first and the chance of having it work out that brings change to commerce. And it’s that change that inspires us all. So if you’re in Boston and happen upon a big green truck blaring hip hop and peddling dope kicks to a small congregation, give your boys a shout and support em, because at the end of the day, this is what small (or soon to be not-so small) business is all about.

A big thanks to Derrick and Howard for letting me pick their brains while killing time in the back of the van (creepy).

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Boston’s Green Bandits: Part 2

Perseverance and a ‘wicked’ nothing-to-lose attitude are what brings Derrick Cheung and Howard Travis to the streets of Boston. But what about the truck itself? How does the Vault attract customers and what does it look like? Here is Part Deux of the three-part interview. Enjoy, re-post and follow.

(All photos by aaron lyles photography)

Part 2: The Truck

U.R: Take me through a typical day in the Vault. From morning to night, what does that experience look like for you guys?

The real hooligan

G.S: We hit the streets every day at 12, so that means getting up at around 10:30, hungover or not, make coffee and go out. We will try and hit one spot from 12-3 and then another for the rest of the night, and some days we’ll hop around more often than that. We don’t have any designated spots, which is stressful, so we have to get lucky sometimes for parking. We move when we want to but if we have that “feeling” that it’s gonna get busy we stay. Every day’s different in terms of locations and faces we see, which is awesome. It’s definitely not boring.

U.R: Why sneakers? Why streetwear? 

G.S: That’s what Howard and I are experts in and are passionate about.

U.R: Describe streetwear in your own terms. 

G.S: It’s being late to work or school because you couldn’t decide which sneakers to wear in the morning. It’s caring what you look like and knowing that no one else has what you’re wearing. It’s appreciating music, art, hustling. It’s a culture.

U.R: What’s behind the name?

G.S: It’s just something Howard and I just came up with. We liked the name, it was easy to spell and remember. We thought, green is for the money.

 

Always lookin’ out for fresh gear

U.R: What are some of the brands you carry and how often does that inventory change?

 

G.S: We try and buy at least one new piece every week. So let’s say someone shops with us once a week: they’d see something new every time they stopped in. Here’s a full list of brands we currently carry:

Society Original Products
Annie Mulz
e.5.Charlie
Boppo!
At The Buzzer
PUZL
AWOL
ROCKSMITH
Meister
American Needle
LoveMoney
Purple Cloth
Grade Select
’47 Brand

U.R: What is the one brand that you don’t have, but wish you did?

G.S: Good question. We want an Asics Gel Lyte account… but we’ve tried… even had a rep come out. It’s pretty much impossible to get that account unless you’re David Z. I’m interested in getting brands that no one else in Massachusetts has. I’m pretty content with what we’ve got… but if I had to choose…

- Supreme

 

Howard Travis (in focus) and Derrick Cheung (out of focus)

U.R: Are companies coming to you or do you have to seek them out? Can you talk to that process a bit?

(PHOTO: Jon Smedley)

 

G.S: Brands are coming to us now. After our first two weeks in business we had an influx of emails from brands that wanted to get on the truck. I still get about 10-15 brands a week that email me. I go through every email personally. I look at line sheets and determine whether or not it would be a good fit for the truck. So I consider if it would fit in with the rest of the product, how it would make the other products and brands look, if I like the aesthetic of the brand, and if the brand has an interesting story. It’s also vital that the designs be dope and that the owners of the company/ the reps be cool people.

U.R: How did the flat screen menu come about? I would imagine that it was a big deal in the beginning stages of the business, but has it since been overshadowed by the overall experience Green Street provides, or is it still a focal point?

G.S: Actually, one of the guys who was modifying the truck suggested it. We were going to have a board basically that had vinyl slots where we would change in photos of the inventory. I’m really glad we didn’t do that. I’d say the TV isn’t a focal point. It’s just cool.

U.R: In your own words, how would you best describe the interiors of the Vault?

G.S: 70’s rec room. Ski lodge? Shag wagon. Anyway you put it, I love chillin’ inside.

And so do we! The truck is insane and the product flies off Grampa’s dresser in the blink of an eye. So hit em up and check back soon for Part Three of the interview!