Just when you think you can't go any further, you maybe can.

Today topped it all off. It has been a few months since I have been working on some projects that if they would have worked out, payed great dividends and provided me with the financial support I will need for the next few months. What a thrilling experience it was to see it all come together and feel on top of the world! This morning I woke up on a couch in Provo, awaiting the final world and fell off the top of the world as I quickly discovered that the deal didn't close, and my financial future was next to none. Money is not everything, but the blunt truth is that we all need it, we all want it, and it is a mere creator of opportunity to travel, explore, develop, serve, etc.

It is always disappointing when we work so hard at something and it doesn't work out. We are so quickly filled with bitterness, frustration, despair, and it seems as though our future is dammed. I felt all of these today. But as I have had to face so many failures and disappointments over the past few months, I have begun to experience what I have read about for so long: Trials, obstacles, and our ability to work around them and endure though them. Much easier said than done. We never know when success will come. We don't know what lies around the next corner. We can only follow our instinct, push forward, and work until we reach our reward.

If there is anyone who knows about endurance i believe it is Connor. Professional cycling is the most physically challenging sport in the world. It requires 110% push til the end, regardless of how you feel. If your tired, you keep going. If you crash, you get back on your bike. If you throw up, you rinse your mouth out and carry on. Each race will hold its challenges, and for those that endure them, they receive great rewards.

I wish I knew what I am going to do. In all honesty, I have no clue. But I know one thing, I AM NOT GOING TO SLOW DOWN. I WILL NOT QUIT THIS RACE, NOT THIS TIME. I was/am a lousy cyclist. Always could have pushed harder, endured more, reached new heights, and I realize now my great weakness. This will no longer be the case. Not in cycling, and most certainly not in my life. I will persist until I succeed.

She kissed me in American Eagle...

Tonight I hung out with a girl whom I gave my number to last week as she took my order at McDonalds. We had a good time and if nothing else added one great memory to my life adventure. We were inside American Eagle looking at bracelets and other things. I was goofing around with a hat and shirt over in the corner when I saw her b-line right towards me. Without warning she looked at me, grabbed my head, and kissed me. Maybe she was trying to live up to what I had told her I look for in a girl: Spontaneity. If there is something spontaneous to be done, I believe this is it. Ill never forget that kiss. When I told Connor on the phone, he was shocked, stoked, and ye, a bit jealous. Don't worry Connor, you will have your turn someday, if you already haven't. Did I mention that this chick is gorgeous?

Nate

Completing your bucket list, or not?

This will be short and to the point being that it's late and I'm on the road. I just found myself in a conversation with a good group of friends about life goals and bucket lists. The more I talk about this with people the more I learn about how seriously I take my own list and goals. I feel excited every time I talk about mine, and I see the excitement in the eyes of each person as they tell me about all the things they wanna do. But behind every smile I also see doubt, fear, and lost hopes. I have also felt that way about my list. It would be easy to make it a dream list and let life blow by as my dreams fly away. I see one option, to make it a list of action! Accomplish what it is that I really want to do both big and small. In the end we will only regret the things that we never did. I wish the best for all of us in realizing our bucket list!

Cross out cancer was an epic event. I had a blast in the race and enjoyed being there. I raced for Connor and for my old man Kent. Thinking of what they suffered in chemotherapy helped me to push my limits during the race. Abby, Connors niece, rode in honor of her friends who has cancer. Dave lead us all in the fun ride along with three other cancer survivors. Ia cancer everywhere in this event? Yep. For both the survivors, those suffering and those already passed we rode, laughed, and dedicated those hours to the battle against that awful disease, and will continue to do so each day throughout our lives.

Nick the fugitive

Chillin with bubbles

Bill and his newly found amphibian compadre

Bill and bubbles

Bill and bubbles bonding at the Utah snake and reptile expo.

Meathead road rage

Is it weird that moments ago Nate and I had a slight altercation with an enraged motorist. While pulling into the ihc hospital to visit new born nephews, we entered a quiet intersection where we continued to hang a left, not noticing the jeep that we may or may not have cut off.
The beige colored new model jeep continued to advance on us. Him tailing us what quite apparent. We continued driving. Once we turned, he laid on the horn and took off. One thing led to another, and Nate and I somehow got behind the meathead once again. He abruptly stopped, put the car and park, and waddled toward our car.
Before we move on any further, lets get you all a good mental picture of this individual. From the 20seconds it took him to waddle the 20 feet to our car, he looked to be about 5'5'', 190 lbs, 32-34 years of age, maybe something like this....minus the golf club....

Ill let the dialogue between us and him take over.
Meathead: "WHY DIDNT YOU STOP?"
N&C: "uhh that wasnt a stop sign"
Meathead: "So that just makes it ok?"
N&C: "well yeah, sorry?"

Meathead, feeling he accomplished his law laying, waddled back to his car. Nate then proceeds to give a mellow honk after he gets back in his car. Meathead was not down with that. He threw his rig in reverse and starts charging full speed at us. Nate throws our whip into reverse, throws a fat j turn, and we bail.

Question I asked myself after it was over: Why did we not have the camera rolling?
Moral of the story. Guys that drive jeeps like that are douche bags.

Should have waited

I randomly captured this frame in Colorado and it ended up making me laugh.

Some things just need to be done

Evening of Joy

Morning ride

How sick is our home

Quote of the day

"20 years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do by than the ones you did to. So throw off your bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

Mark Twain.

Man Vs. Wild- Trail run gone LOST!

Yesterday we decided to sleep in through sunrise and get some well needed rest after a week of 5am's. We grabbed some breakfast burritos from the grocer and headed up to the Sunshine Mesa trailhead to start a trail run. We made our way through the dynamic and muddy mountain range not knowing exactly where the trail lead. We ran through the most beautiful spot in a high mountain valley filed with a trees, rocks, golden fields, and streams. I felt as if I were running through New Zealand on a red bull endurance challenge. The feeling was unreal! We finally reached a spot where the trail disappeared, and we were a long ways from the car. We decided to follow some animal trails through the brush which took us on the most wild and challenging run I have ever done. Hopping trees, streams, bushes, and pushing the limits. We finally found the main road, and enjoyed a 2 mile uphill run to the car. I have never pushed my body this hard before, and for some reason on this morning I felt like pushing all the limits. With my pounding chest, jello legs, and in complete exhaustion I made the final sprint to the car, and Adam and I shared the last half of the water bottle we had left over from breakfast. We gave each other a high five, and took off to grab some classic cokes and more water. We were pretty lucky to find our way out of there, at one point we both thought we would be wondering around all day in the woods, luckily, that was not the case. Moral of the story, who needs a trail? The adventure was in getting lost, pushing the limits, and making it out alive.

Entering a different realm

There are two moments in each day in which there is always a feeling of complete peace and calmness. Sunrise and sunset. I remember these peaceful moments in locations around the world. Italy, Paraguay, Alaska, California, New York, Wyoming, Germany, etc. I captured this image on Sunshine Pass in Telluride Colorado after a great day of fly fishing. Elk were calling, birds singing, wind whispering, and I had the biggest smile on my face because the feeling was so unreal! There are few sunsets or sunrises that pass by wherein I don't think about Garrett. He was present in my thoughts this particular evening. My two nephews were born yesterday, I haven't seen them yet but I am stoked they have arrived on this earth to experience the beauty of this life! I dedicate this image to them and hope that their lives are as colorful and beautiful as this landscape.

Nate Sorensen

Its Never A Bad Idea To Pick Up A Hitch Hiker

This is Mike. He was walking the long Colorado country roads waiting for some kind soul to pick him up. Adam and I were those kind souls, and Mike was stoked out of his mind.

"I came here to Telluride for a girl. Things were going great until her husband found out..."

Way to go Mikey!!! Goin after those married women.

Today while I was purchasing two cold bottled classic cokes for the road Adam headed out to the car and heard someone yell his name. He looked, and to his surprise it was Mike, 4 days later, strolling around with his one and only girlfriend. He couldn't have been more happy to see Adam.

Its never a bad idea to pick up hitch-hiker. For those of us that have actually thumbed our way, we know just how great it feels when someone finally stops and picks you up! (I recently hitch-hiked up to Jackson Wyoming after a great trip to the wind rivers).

Nate Sorensen

Bucket List

Nate and I have both had a few life changing experiences in our short twenty somewhat years on this planet where we have made a few realizations. Life is short. Everyday is truly a gift from god, something that should be cherished and used to the fullest. We have started compiling a bucket list, with a few items we want to shred in life.

1. Conquer cancer
2. Live in new zealand
3. Ride across south America
4. Throw a legit bloc party
5. Go base jumping
6. Go on a mission
7. Get on stage at a concert**
8. Be a crossing guard
9. Throw a surprise party
10. Fall in love and get married
11. Win a radio giveaway
12. Learn to play the harmonica** (y I'm in lessons right now)
13. Outbike a bike cop
14. Rv across America
15. Ride an endure through the baja
16. Go to a daft punk concert
17. Go to the jelly belly factory
18. Write a book with nathan sorenson
19. Boost the wake on a wake board naked
20. Scream at the top of my lungs
21.Participate in la tomatina (big food fight in the streets of Spain)
22. Get in the guiness book of world records for something
23. Create my own fake I.d**
24. get into a concert with my fake Id**
25. see Talib Kweli live**
26. Go to burning man
27. Sleep overnight in a haunted house
28. Pay for someones groceries
29. Get a date with the girl of my dreams
30. Be part of a riot or protest
31. Lead a parade
32. Approach the most beautiful girl I have ever seen and kiss her
33.start the wave or a chant at a massive event
34. Sing the national anthem at a major event

Nates Additions
get a song on the radio top 20 yeee
go to lunch with talib kweli
meet wyclef jean again
chill with KRS one once
travel to and take an epic photo on all 7 continents
learn chinese
return to praguay and send off some missionaries
marry a gorgeous mellow chic in the temple
learn to surf
go on a mountain man adventure wuth my uncle scott the mountain man
take photos at an x games
at an olympics
meet travis pastrana
sing national anthem at a big event
write our book
go on a trip with a semi truck driver
etc and all your stuff

hella stoked to be vlogging

tester

A soul memory and another defining moment

For the past week I have been on yet another great adventure in Telluride Colorado working with Adam Barker and helping out as he instructed 7 diverse people in an epic photography workshop. I learned more in the last three days than I would have in a semester of study at the University. And thus it is when we travel, experience, and observe. It was a hectic few days as we were completely immersed in instructing the participants and exploring over 200 miles of terrain in the Subaru in search for great shooting locations. We have done 4 sunrises and sunsets in a row, making an early rising at 5am each day. When passion is involved, our bodies and minds are capable of reaching heights that the un-passionate soul simply cannot reach.

Today we wrapped up the workshop on a great note, and walked away stoked from a job well done and ready for more adventure and rest(though we never get around to resting). My good brother Garett Smith(who was killed lastMarch in an avalanche) was present in my thoughts throughout the entire day. He is an inspiration, the father of my photographic pursuits, my greatest mentor. Through Garrett and his sweet wife Molly I have known Adam and many others to whom I owe the world. Adam and I took off this afternoon stoked to have some quiet sunset shooting. We scouted out some locations and rallied the Subaru on the winding dirt roads, until last minute decided to cruise over to the Dallas Divide, an iconic yet beautiful landscape where we would capture the sunset.

We arrived a few minutes later than we wanted, but we weren't too late. The sun was making its way west beyond the horizon, and the last light of the evening was reflecting off the tall, majestic mountains to the south-east. As I gazed over the landscape I began to have flashbacks of a trip I took with my family as a young child through this part of the country. I distinctly remembered driving this road with Dad behind the wheel as the grand scenery surrounding my small body showing me how big this world really is. I remember a feeling, maybe more than visual memories, of the spirit that was released from the mountains and in to my soul, planting a seed of adventure, exploration, outdoors, passion, and appreciation for this wonderful life.

I felt those same feelings this evening as I now years later, through the mysterious ways of God, have returned to this land to capture images and share yet another precious moment with those who have gone before me.

Nate Sorensen

I Think I'd Rather Be a Cowboy

As I sit here in my loft at the lodge in Telluride Colorado I am inspired by the epic lyrics from John Denver's I Think I'd Rather Be A Cowboy. Believe it or not this song portrays a great life lesson for all of us when it comes to relationships, or would I dare say love?

I have found myself thinking about this topic a lot recently as I have had to sift out a number of feelings in my heart in pursuit of a young lady, and leave one behind. There are a few verses in this song that help us understand that though there are often good vibes and feelings of love between a man and a women, it is not always the right time for the two to come together. In this verse John describes this dilemma well: "We were just beginning, it was such an easy way, layin back up in the mountains makin songs for summer days. She got tired of pickin daisies, and cookin my meals for me, she can live the life she wants to, yes, it's alright with me." Haven't we all felt this at some point? Where either we were tired of picking daisies, or letting a loved on take off on their own path of interest? In the past few months I have experienced both sides. I have left a great gal behind in pursuit of other interests, and I am currently watching the other take off on her own highway of discovery and interest. In both situations we feel anxiety of the "what ifs" and unknowns. But in the end, we cannot change the course of the wind, we can only adjust our sails. In John's next verse he describes these feelings: "Oh but I miss her in the morning, when I wake alone. The absence of her laughter is a cold and empty sound. But her memory always makes me smile, and I want you to know, I love her, yes, I love her, just enough to let her go."

I am grateful for the memories I have out under the stars, laughing and enjoying life with Her, and thats the only thing I can walk away with. I care about her, yes, enough to let her go. I could go after her, I could follow her every footstep and attempt a rescue mission, but it would be to no avail. I think I'd rather be a cowboy, live MY life, go after my dreams, and when the time comes to share this adventure with another great young lady, well, I'll be stoked to share some beautiful moments with her as well.

Nate Sorensen

So Far Gone

I have been inspired recently by the latest high-adventure snowboard film The Art Of Flight featuring pro rider Travis Rice. The entire film was captivating and brought snowboarding and film making to a new level. In the film Travis says: "You know its funny what is happening to us. Our lives have become digital. Our friend is now virtual. And everything you could want to know is just a click away. Experiencing the world through endless second hand information isn't enough. If we want authenticity, we have to initiate it." This thought has been running through my mind since I first heard it, and it has stirred up anxiety both in my soul and creative mind. We live in a world filled with information, technologies, and opportunities available to the masses, and so who are we to create anything original or authentic? This is my journey, to create, produce, find, present, and share authenticity through photography and film. Is it an overwhelming thought? Yes. Will I be successful in this journey? Only God knows, and whether I make it big, or fail trying, I am stoked to embark on this journey through the next phase of creativity and life.

Nate Sorensen

Lame dance, nice hit to the face