#1. Backstory: Is a selfie with an elephant an elfie? In October, outside Chiang Mai, Thailand, Cherie’ and I fed, bathed and selfied with two Asian elephants! Gentle giants that you care that you did not inadvertently end up under their feet!

#2. Backstory: Adriel and Isa, in January, on the Solar de Uyuni in southern Bolivia. The Solar is the largest salt flat in the world, around 4,000 square kilometers, with an average salt depth of 35’. I asked Adriel and Isa to jump for the camera. This is what happened!

#3. Backstory: In October we visited a Lahu hill tribe village and school. After playing fist bump with these cute little girls for a few minutes, they warmed up to me and posed for this super cute photo!

#4. Backstory: I river guide for Orion. In March, I assisted with the training of the incoming group of guides, known as guidelings. On the first day of guide training the guidelings were given large dry bags to hold their gear on the river. They were told to check to see if there were any holes in the dry bags by putting their heads in the bags. This “unnamed” guideling took it to heart! Juxtaposed next to the Orion logo made the perfect image!!

#5. Backstory: In Kathmandu in October, we visited the Pashupatinath temple, a holy temple for Hindus. While there, we met these Ascetic Sadhus (holy men), who “blessed” us. While it was a bit too touristy to be true, it did make for great images!!

#6. Backstory: While on a week long backpack in Glacier NP in August, I scoffed at Tom when he pulled out a hammock. But when he and Adora snuggled together, I was the one wishing I had such a great place to nap!

#7. Backstory: Cherie’ feeding an elephant outside Chiang Mai, in October . Not sure who was happier!!

#9. Backstory: On our October trek through the Upper Mustang region of Nepal, I had been walking around the town of Ghami, taking pictures. These 3 little girls spent a lot of time hiding from me. Just when I had about given up any hope of capturing them on the camera, they ran out and posed like this for about 10 seconds, then ran as fast as they could back to their hiding spots!

#10. Backstory: Zoolander pose on our Nepal trek!

#11. Backstory: A little boy teases 3 little girls, who take off running, in this October image taking on a visit to a Lahu hill tribe village and school in Northern Thailand.

#12. Backstory: A tiny Cherie’ gives perspective to the massive Gray Glacier, taken in February on our trek through Torres del Paine NP, Chile.

#13. Backstory: The chaos of Kathmandu!

#14. Backstory: An infant in Jomson, Nepal, faced with the choice of eating cornbread, or a lollipop!

#15. Backstory: Sideways rain and the infamous Patagonia weather, hit us on our attempt to get to Campo Britannica, in Torres Del Paine NP, Chile. We smartly turned around!

#16. Backstory: Squeezed! Goat herders channel their flock past me, as I am as close to the wall as possible, in northern Nepal.

#17. Backstory: Chere’ and I met these four ladies walking near the Nepal-Tibet border. They asked for food, but all I had was some hard candies that I had bought to hand out to the kids. When I handed one to one of the ladies, she started laughing, showing she had only 3-4 teeth in her mouth! Cherie’ emptied her pack of our emergency food (a couple of bars and a small bag of peanuts), which delighted the ladies.

#18. Backstory: I encountered this snotty nosed little boy and his little sister, on one of my solo journeys in the little town of Chhusang, Nepal. This was one of the poorest towns we saw on our trek. The little boy kept trying to engage me in conversation, growing frustrated when I had no idea what he was saying in Nepalese!

#19. Backstory: Me feeding an elephant a small banana near Chiang Mai, Thailand.

#20. Backstory: Molly, showing that she is unsure about the latest team building exercise during guide training, on the Deschutes River in March.

#21. Backstory: Small dog, dream big, then take a nap! Nepal.

#22. Backstory: Cherie’ and I on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia, in January.

#23. Backstory: A starry night as we get ready for a rafting trip, at Mecca Flats, Deschutes River, Oregon.

#24. Backstory: A novice monk reads his lines in a ceremony in Kathmandu.

#25. Backstory: Life is hard in areas of Nepal, as seen on the face of a Nepalese man carrying his tools in a neck basket.

#26. Backstory: The actual Torres del Paine, in Torres del Paine NP, Chile. This viewpoint required a couple of hour hike and about 2000’ gain, from our refugio.

#27. Backstory: A bicycle rickshaw driver gives the traditional Nepalese greeting, usually accompanied by Namaste, in Kathmandu, Nepal.

#28. Backstory: See #9. This little girl was my first indication that these kids would be receptive to posing for a picture!!

#29. Backstory: An elderly lady walks a remote among ruins that are centuries old, near the Nepal-Tibet border.

#30. Backstory: A long exposure catches the movement of the large prayer wheel and trekkers, on our Upper Mustang trek.

#31. Backstory: Monkey vs Stone Pig. Outside Pashupatinath temple, Kathmandu.

#32. Backstory: Four kids taunting me outside of a Lahu hill tribe school in Northern Thailand.

#33. Backstory: The eyes have it, at Boudhanath Stupa, Kathmandu.

#34. Backstory: Flamingo, in the Bolivia Altoplano. Much of the Altoplano is above 12,000’, but acidic lakes contain an abundance of wildlife, including large flocks of flamingos.

#35. Backstory: A little Nepalese boy is delighted to pose for his picture!

#36. Backstory: Our excellent guide, Simbir, of Discovery World Trekking, poses with 4 novice monks in Multinath, Nepal, on day 11 of our 12 day trek in the Upper Mustang region of Nepal.

#37. Backstory: Cherie’ in one of the most spectacular places we have ever been, the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia.

#38. Backstory: Chef Cherie’ in cooking class in Valparaiso, Chile.

#39. Backstory: We visited a old rice mill in northern Thailand. This machine sorts and shucks the husks off of rice by moving it quickly. I had our driver hold rice in his hands very still, while the machine moved in the background, in this longer exposure.

#40. Backstory: Cebe, in his natural element, teaching climbing to beginning climbing students, during a weekend session in Leavenworth.

#41. Backstory: Two elders in the Nepal town of Kagbeni sort through the vines for beans.

#42. Backstory: We are not hippies, we are happies. Iconic street art in Valparaiso, Chile, a city rightfully known for spectacular street art!

#43. Backstory: Yes, there is a person sleeping in there!! During river guide training, tents are not allowed. There is a group shelter, but group shelters are rarely conducive to sleep! This “unnamed” guideling decided to make his or her own “shelter.”

#44. Backstory: A little boy cheers on the trekkers, in Nepal.

#45. Backstory: A birds eye view of Victor taking another awesome picture, on the W Trek in Torres del Paine NP, Chile.

#46. Backstory: Novice monks play a game on a cell phone, in Lo Mathang, Nepal.