Virtual Reality anyone?

To celebrate, in part, their Homecoming Weekend this year, the University of the Pacific’s Media X program is bringing John Muir (Lee Stetson) to campus. Students in this program are developing skills in digital art and design, animation and visual effects, transmedia storytelling, social media etc., – and the old Tramp, John Muir, will be a subject of their creativity on the Stockton campus on October 21.

Tom Weir, 1914 – 2006, astonishing mountaineer, author and broadcaster, was born a few days after Muir departed this good planet, and was as strong an advocate for the great outdoors in his native Scotland as Muir had been for the United States.

When chatting him up here as Muir, (pictured here,) a few days ago at Loch Lomond Shores, we exchanged our respective stories on avalanche ‘rides’ we had inadvertently taken long ago in the mountains.  His ride was far more eventful – go google or youtube him for details…. But we’d both agree “Whenever danger does attend your travels, thought is quicken, common cares are buried, and pictures of wild immortal beauty press themselves into your memory, saturate every part of your body, to dwell forever.”

Now in Kilsyth, Scotland, with much to relate of travels to date, jammed packed with good people met, and lovely landscapes sauntered.  But between poor internet connections and my extremely poor social media skills …. Dashing this off in the hopes maintaining a connection long enough ….Vista on our first day on the John Muir Way…out of Helensburgh toward Balloch and Loch Lomond National Parks Visitor Center.

Some of the good folk launching off with us on the John Muir Way. These special children are standing with us on the platform at the beginning of the Way that has the Muir quote etched in it – “Whenever you pick out anything by itself, you find it hitched to everything else in the universe.” Great to be hitched to these people…

down trail,

lee

A lovely Glasgow ramble, slowly wending our way to the John Muir Way.

Mojo admits to killing fellow mortals occasionally, should they trespass his domain, but here posts a vigorous denial of being the troublesome neighborhood noise maker.

Ernie, struggling with age issues, takes a last look at his fellow mountaineers, and then turns home.

Critter lurking in the woods, cleverly blending with it’s environment.

Reviewing the companion book to the IMAX film “National Parks Adventure”. A beautiful film in which I (Lee Stetson) portray John Muir along side my wilderness companion, Teddy Roosevelt (Joe Wiegand).

Rain’s coming locally, giving the Conz and I an opportunity to enjoy some slogging about, preparing for the joys of Scotland’s John Muir Way.

Photo Courtesy: Tony Webster

“My job skills, applied hereabouts only to slow humans and slimy cats, are rapidly deteriorating. I need sheep.”

On the back porch with Paris; looking at MacGillivray Freeman’s companion book to their IMAX film – “National Parks Adventure”

“How little note is taken of the deeds of Nature! What paper publishes her reports? …. Who publishes the sheet-music of the winds, or the written music of water written in river-lines? Who reports and works and ways of the clouds, those wondrous creations coming into being every day like freshly upheaved mountains?”

John Muir

Muir converted one of the bedrooms into his private retreat, calling it the Scribble Den. Here, at his desk, Muir wrote, and consolidated his well-renowned reputation as a preservationist, founder of the Sierra Club, and great friend to Yosemite and other national parks.

Lee Stetson is now blogging from his own Scribble Den as Muir, and the actor that portrays him.