Chris Terrell

Below are the words which are written around the borders of the images in this series. The pictures are ink drawings, with watercolour, and are from my original sketches in the sketchbooks which I took with me on each journey in 1988 & 1993. The first few words can be considered the title of each picture. The words are from my notes at the time, later reflections and memories of the scenes and moments when I made the sketches. They are an attempt to convey the impressions of my other senses and experiences, to add a greater sense of context to the visual images. 'Thumbnail' versions of the pictures are included on this page, click them to see larger versions (150 to 250k).

Click here to visit the Turkey Gallery pages for these pictures.

Oregon 1993 - The Pacific Crest Trail from the northern California border to the Washington state line on the Bridge of the Gods at Cascade Locks, followed by travels south via Portland then California. This was my first long-distance hike, alone and into a genuine wilderness area. I was taking a break after having had a busy preceding year starting into a new career as an outdoor personal development tutor with Outward Bound. This journey had spiritual as well as physical and mental challenges and rewards for me; even now, seven years afterwards, I feel the power of this experience, in ways that are hard to describe. It was, to use Patrick Leigh Fermor's words, "a time of gifts" for me.
 

PELICAN SHAPES AT LITTLE HYATT RESERVOIR A SUNNY CLEAR DAY WITH SQUIRRELS DEER & A GOSHAWK FOR COMPANY & A COOL BREEZE TO REPEL VISITING MOSQUITOS
BIG ANTS EXPLORE MY PACK & SLEEPING BAG BUT LEAVE ME IN PEACE TO LISTEN TO SOUNDS OF BIRDSONG FOR MY LULLABY THE PELICANS CRUISE QUIETLY IN THE EARLY SUN

IMMENSE & OCEAN BLUE CRATER LAKE WAS ONCE A SACRED PLACE YET EVEN AFTER THE HORDES OF VISITORS HAVE DRIVEN AROUND ITS RIM THE MAJESTY REMAINS AT QUIET TIMES
I SHARED STORIES WITH ANOTHER TRAVELLER OVER A SMALL FIRE IN THE NIGHT A WIND CAME THROUGH THAT BROUGHT A HUGE OLD TREE CRASHING DOWN I LAY AWAKENED

EVENING SUN ON MOUNT THIELSEN THE CLIMB TO THE TOP WAS EXHILARATING THROUGH BANDS OF FRAGILE RED BLACK GREY OCHRE LAVA REWARDED BY HUNDRED MILE VIEWS IN AZURE AIR
CRICKETS SING & MOTHS FLY AROUND MY LANTERN WHILE THE MOON RISES A BREEZE SPRINGS UP WHIPPING PUMICE DUST INTO MY SLEEPING BAG I WILL START EARLY TOMORROW & WARM UP

THE COMPLETE STILLNESS OF DAWN AT BOBBY LAKE SMELLS OF PINE WARM EARTH & BREAKFAST COFFEE A SINGLE FISH RISES FAR AWAY LEAVING ONLY A FINE BAND OF SILENTLY MOVING SILVER
MOTHER EARTH HEARS THE CALL SHE MOVES SHE AWAKES SHE RISES .. FEELS THE BREATH OF THE NEW BORN DAWN .. WE ARE SPEAKING OF SOMETHING VERY SACRED ALTHOUGH IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY A RIPPLE SPREADS

WALKING UP OVER THE RISE IN THE TRAIL MOUNT JEFFERSON EMERGES INTO VIEW LAST SEEN FROM THE SUMMIT OF SOUTH SISTER I HAD GIFTS OF FOOD & HOSPITALITY FROM GOOD PEOPLE IN SISTERS BEER TOO
DAYS STRUGGLING THROUGH LAVA FIELDS DARK RED BROWN BLACK TWISTED TREES SHARP CONVOLUTED ROCKS SLEEPING WATCHING STARS & SATELLITES REFLECTED IN HIGH LAKES SHARING THE WATER WITH ELK

RUSS LAKE & OLLALLIE BUTTE IN QUIET MISTY DAWN WOODPECKER DRUMS & DUCKS DIVE & SWIM IN THE LAKEMY NEIGHBOURS SHARED THEIR FOOD & WINE WITH ME & WE TALKED LATE BY THE FIRE UNDER BRIGHT STARS
LATE FOLLOWING EVENING SITTING STILL BY THE TRAIL A SOUND OF URGENT DRUMMING HOOVES A DEER GALLOPS PAST ME COYOTE IN PURSUIT THE DEER DURNS ESCAPES COYOTE STOPS SEES ME & FADES INTO DARK

GLIMPSES OF MOUNT HOOD FROM THE TRAIL TO CAMP AT TWIN LAKES WASHING IN THE COOL WATER WARMED BY GATHERING WOOD FOR A FIRE TO COOK MY DINNER THERE WAS ENOUGH TO EAT
WITH THE LUXURY OF EXTRA RATIONS I BAKED HOT HONEY FILLED TRAIL BREAD SCENTED BY WOOD SMOKE SLEEPING BY THE LAPPING WATER I AM SURROUNDED BY GIFTS

FOREST SPIRIT ON THE EAGLE CREEK TRAIL THERE ARE HUCKLEBERRIES HAZELNUTS & COOL CLEAR WATER I AM SURROUNDED BY THE THINGS I NEED WHEN I TAKE THE TROUBLE TO LOOK & LISTEN FOR THEM
PAUSING TO STAND STILL WITHOUT WISHING FOR ANYTHING DIFFERENT FROM WHAT IS ALREADY HERE WIND SIGHS IN THE HIGH BRANCHES CREAKING WOOD IN THE OLD TALL TREES SWAYING

FOLLOWING EAGLE CREEK ROARING FAR BELOW THE TOPS OF TREES BESIDE ME AROUND THE CORNER THE PATH GOES BEHIND A CASCADING WATERFALL SHIMMERING IN THE MORNING SUNLIGHT
VIVID GREEN MOSSES BLANKET TUMBLED SCREE IN NARROW GULLIES BETWEEN DENSE TREES BEGINNING TO TURN GOLDEN LEAVES FALL ALONG THE TRAIL SCARLET LEAFED OREGON GRAPE RIPENS

LOOKING SOUTH ACROSS COLUMBIA RIVER TO MOUNT HOOD & EAGLE CREEK THIS MOUNTAIN COLLAPSED LONG AGO LEAVING THESE SHEER PRECIPICES BEHIND CLEAR VIEWS TO MOUNT RAINIER
ONE JOURNEY ENDED DOWN THERE THE NEXT HAS BEGUN CARRYING GIFTS BACK NOW ON STEEP PATHS WHERE THE SMELLS OF GRASSES & SPICY NEW POTATO SCENTS RISE FROM WARM EARTH

HOMEWARD PELICANS DROP DOWN TO FLOAT OVER WAVE CRESTS AT PIGEON POINT ON A SOLITARY EVENING SLOW WALKING ALONG BEACH & CLIFF SWEET SPICE & WARM HAY SMELLS RISE
FROM GRASSES & HOTTENTOT FIG TO SEAWEED & WET GRAVEL CRUNCHING MULTI COLOURED ABALONE FRAGMENTS CAST BY ROLLING SURF SLOW ROARING SPLASHING DOZING SEALS

Chris Terrell

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