• This photo was just after we woke up. We were looking for a place to camp when we stopped on the side of the road to take this shot. There are so many beautiful places like this up there it’s insane.
  • The photo of Max taking a photo was after our first full day. We were going back into town to get some gas and once again we just stopped on the side of the road to take a few photos.
  • These are hard to caption because they are all sorta look the same, but they’re all different spots. But what I like about this one is that you get a sense of size with the cars towards the bottom of the frame.
  • Oh, the campsite. This was before we set up our little tent, fire and stove. Max is a man. He tries to be. He grows a beard. He wears boots. He shoots guns. He is rad to camp with.
  • The entrance to our campsite.
  • Glistening Half Dome from a distance. Needless to say, my Contax isn’t that good at zooming.
  • This was our walk from the campsite. I walked past Max to get the scenic. We went fishing. Max helped set my line up, since the only thing I know how to set up is my board. We caught nothing.
  • I don’t know where this is. I don’t remember it. But I like it.
  • My Contax has a flash. Our setup at night.
  • Oh Tioga, I miss you.
This photo was just after we woke up. We were looking for a place to camp when we stopped on the side of the road to take this shot. There are so many beautiful places like this up there it’s insane.
BILLOW SKIES WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY BY KOLOHE ANDINO
Tue
14
Aug

Kolohe Andino went to Yosemite on a Spirit Quest. He shot these photos and wrote this story:

 

A week into walking after being in a boot for my ankle I wanted to escape the buzz of Orange County. The traffic. The constant talking. The smog, etc.

So on a Saturday morning I went to therapy for my ankle. Upon returning from ankle therapy my friend Max was waiting for me. We were out of here.

He says, “Time is money so I bought a Rolex.” He wears a Nixon watch I gave him. He follows me around the house gathering things. Toothpaste. Pair of pants. Few tees. A jacket. Beanie. My ACG Nike boots (which are the shit), a sleeping bag. Some snacks. A pad. A pillow.

I throw all this jazz into my truck, then Max hops into the passenger seat and says, “My paychecks look like phone numbers.” He doesn't have a job. He cuts trees during winter break and colors my board when he’s home. He lives in Georgia for art school most of the year. We stop and get gas and hit the 5.

We get to Tioga pass at 11:00 p.m. I’m tired and we have nowhere to stay. Taco Bell wrappers are on the floor of my Tundra. The Cheesy Gordita Crunch was good. I hop out. We are on the side of the road. It’s 36 degrees outside. I say, "Now this feels good." I hate the hot. I love the cold. I love being cold. I love everything about the cold. I hate sweating.

I look up into the stars. It’s the most gorgeous sky I’ve seen and it has many stars. It looks like dark, dark chocolate with white chocolate chips. I love ice cream. I haven’t had any for weeks. I need some.

Max and I put all our shit into the front of the truck, put the pads and our pillows and blankets in the back and crawl in and fall asleep. For some this is debatable. Maybe Brokeback-esque…

I say its rad. It’s male bonding. It’s BBC (Bad Boy Club). I wake up from an amazing sleep, grab my Contax TVS and the trip begins.

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