this past september i was delighted to take part in the filming of @swarovskioptik_outdoor cl companion binocular campaign in the deserts of new mexico.
of course, i was sure to bring along my watercolors as they are one of my favorite tools in observing & documenting a new landscape. places like this make me so dang grateful to be one of the many critters living on this magical spinning planet of ours.
thank you to the incredibly talented production & camera crew @ben_lizdas , @shannonvandivier , @bowenparrish , @coldcollaborative ; it was such a pleasure to take part in this project! here are a few bts 35mm film snaps from the shoot! make sure to check out @swarovskioptik_outdoor new cl companions, out now!!
The @officialprojectgrit Immortal 32 Ruck from Gonzales to the Alamo has shaped so much of the last several years of our family’s life. This year, for the first time, I was boots on the ground instead of behind the scenes.
Being in the background, you understand the structure. Being on the ground, you feel the soul.
It was the hottest February day on record, with 53 participants stepping into 75 miles that demand full immersion. There’s no halfway in an event like this. No distraction-just miles, community and presence. That kind of reprieve from the noise of everyday life is rare, and it’s a beautiful benefit to chosing this kind of hard.
I watched my husband lead in real time-steady, calm, carrying the weight with integrity when things stretched thin. And at the same time, I watched my son take on his first long endurance event. I felt the beginning of a shift from boy to man and I saw the leader he’s growing into.
I won’t pretend it was all fun. There was some stress on my end-knowing what goes into making something like this happen and wanting to share it with the world the right way.
At one point there was even an ambulance ride for one of our OG ruckers (we love you @megwhite55 )-a reminder that this event is no joke.
We also had @coldcollaborative , the best production team out there, doing the event alongside us. The director wanted the real perspective, so he filmed and rucked. Couldn’t ask for better.
The community that rallies around Official Project Grit is one of a kind. The people who show up to ruck. The support crew who makes it happen. The laughter, the curveballs, the moments that stretch you.
It was hard and sacred and fun all at once. And I’m incredibly proud of my husband, my son, and what we’ve been building for seven years.
We’re excited to share our latest video featuring our good friend and fellow conservationist, Shannon Vandivier. 🌲🎥
Shannon has built his life around the outdoors — not just exploring wild places, but capturing their raw beauty and untold stories through his lens. From remote backcountry sunrises to intimate wildlife moments, he makes a living showcasing the very best our natural world has to offer.
But beyond the stunning visuals, what truly sets Shannon apart is his heart for conservation. Every adventure is rooted in respect for the land, the wildlife, and the responsibility we all share to protect them.
We’re proud to call him a friend, a partner in conservation, and a constant reminder of why we do what we do.
Watch the video, get inspired, and don’t forget to spend some time outside. 🌎✨
📷: @shannonvandivier
#yogibins #standsforclean #camping #leavenotrace
Growing to be over six feet in height and 800-1,600 lbs., moose are the largest member of the deer family, and Alaska moose are the largest subspecies. To get that big, they need a steady diet of willow, birch, and aspen shrubs, forbs and shoots all year long. This requires a nomadic and highly migratory lifestyle, and big, undeveloped habitats, especially along river corridors - like those found in the wilds of the Brooks Range.
📸: @shannonvandivier of @coldcollaborative #huntfishbrooksrange #noamblerroad
Remembering a legend who found inspiration on the flats of the Bahamas.
If there is anything we can all agree on - it’s that spending time in wild places makes us better people. Sometimes we need to slow down to open our eyes fully.
This story was well told in the film “Mighty Waters” by @coldcollaborative that you can watch on YouTube if you are interested in hearing more about Dr. King’s time in the Bahamas with the late fly fishing legend, Ansil Saunders.
Head to the link in bio to watch the full film
#poncho
#madeforit
2025 was a year of highs and lows, hard moments and easy ones, just like any year. My goal is to appreciate the moments that make up the milestones, to love my people, and to live in faith and gratitude. It’s a work in progress and always will be. Onward to 2026.
“What I do, who I am, it all ties into food. Food is elemental. It connects us to each other, our environment, and to ourselves.”
This past August, we gathered at Bodhi Farms with Chef Eduardo Garcia (@chefeduardogarcia ), our partners at Benchmade (@benchmadeknifecompany ), and a full table of friends to celebrate the release of the Modern Huntsman Cookbook. Chef Eduardo cooked a coursed wild food dinner built around a recently harvested bison from North Bridger Bison and paired with wines from Passalacqua Winery. It was a night shaped by good food, good people, and the stories that bring us back to the land.
This week, we are sharing a short film that brings that night back to life. Here is a first look. The full film releases on Wednesday. A special thanks to Benchmade Knives for making this celebration and film possible, and to everyone who joined us in Montana.
#hunting #wildfood
A thousand miles across Texas will tell you the truth.
It strips away comfort, excuses, and every story you tell yourself about who you are and what you’re capable of.
Out there, there’s no shortcut.
No escape.
Just miles, weight, heat, doubt, and the quiet work of putting one foot in front of the other.
The road taught me that discomfort is not the enemy.
It’s the teacher.
That most limits are imagined.
That even in a solo journey, community carries you.
That God’s grace meets you in the dirt, when you have nothing left to offer but obedience.
And that purpose isn’t revealed all at once. It shows up mile by mile, step by step.
This ruck changed me. Not because of the distance, but because of what it demanded.
Texas roads have a way of stripping a man down and rebuilding him stronger if he’s willing to stay in it.
If you’re feeling called toward something hard, don’t wait until you feel ready.
Start walking.
Clarity comes in motion.
#OfficialProjectGrit #LegitGrit #BuiltForMore
It’s been one week since I finished the 1000 Mile Ruck Across Texas. The dust has settled, the adrenaline faded out, and what’s left is a clear picture of what those forty days really did to me.
I didn’t walk across this state to chase a trophy feeling or stand on top of anything.
I did it to strip life down to the basics, to see what was still in me, and to face the parts of myself I couldn’t outrun. Out there, you get honest real fast.
What I learned is this…
we’re all capable of way more than we think.
Most people never find out because they stop when it gets uncomfortable. But if you push a little further, if you stay in it when your mind says quit, something shifts. You grow into a version of yourself that comfort will never create.
You don’t need a thousand miles to get there.
You just need to start the thing you’ve been putting off, step into the unknown, and let the hard places shape you.
One week later, I’m tired but I’m good. I’m grounded. I’m clear. And I’m ready for whatever comes next.
Stay tuned. More ahead.
#OfficialProjectGrit #ProjectGrit #1000MileRuck #RuckAcrossTexas #BuiltForMore #LegitGrit #MilesAndMindset #EndureAndConquer #TexasStrong #FindYourGrit
The 1000 mile ruck across Texas is done.
I started on October 2 for a reason.
That date means something to me.
It was the day the first shots of the Texas Revolution were fired, the moment Texas said we will stand and fight.
Forty days later I finished on Veterans Day.
That was not an accident either.
Forty days has meaning.
It is the number that shows up when someone is being tested, shaped, stripped down, and rebuilt.
Forty days in the wilderness.
Forty days of becoming who you are supposed to be.
I walked right into that.
And those forty days did exactly what they were supposed to.
The desert took everything comfortable away.
Sleeping in the dirt.
Freezing at night.
Sweating by noon.
No lights in any direction.
Just me, the road, and God.
And God showed up over and over.
A truck driver turning around with pizza and drinks.
A stranger walking out of nowhere after two years on foot.
Friends driving hours to find me.
Moments too perfect to be coincidence.
Reminders that I was never walking alone.
The man who started this ruck is not the man who finished it.
My faith is stronger.
My purpose is clearer.
And I know now that humans are built for more than comfort.
We are built for grit, for faith, for purpose.
If something is pulling at your soul, pay attention to it.
Pick your starting line.
Walk into your own forty days.
Let God meet you on the road.
You are...
Built For More
#OfficialProjectGrit #BuiltForMore #1000MileRuck #RuckAcrossTexas #LegitGrit #FindYourGrit #GritOverQuit #BornForAdversity #FaithInMotion
I just caught my first view of Mount Cristo Rey.
Hard to even put it into words, forty days, a thousand miles, and now the finish line is finally in sight. I’m close… so close. Every mile, every blister, every prayer has led to this moment.
If you’ve been following this journey, let this be your reminder whatever your mountain is, keep moving toward it. One step, one breath, one act of faith at a time.
👉 Tag someone who needs to hear this today.
👉 Share your own “mountain moment” in the comments—what are you climbing toward?
#1000MileRuck #RuckAcrossTexas #BuiltForMore #OfficialProjectGrit #ProjectGrit #LegitGrit #FindYourGrit #GritOverQuit #PainIsThePath #EndureAndConquer #DiscomfortHarvesting #BornForAdversity #FaithOverFear #KeepMovingForward
The final live from the road. 1,000 miles across Texas every step a lesson in grit, grace, and faith.
From the swamps of Port Arthur to the desert beyond Guadalupe Peak, this journey has tested everything I am. But it’s also revealed everything I was made to be.
@iam.redemption joined me to talk about the road behind, the purpose that carried me, and what it means to finish strong.
We Are Built For More
#OfficialProjectGrit #BuiltForMore #1000MileRuck #RuckAcrossTexas #LegitGrit #MilesAndMindset #FindYourGrit #EndureAndConquer #FaithInMotion #BornForAdversity #ChallengeMediocrity #EmbraceDifficulty #GritAndGrace
