Dust Tracks was founded (in its current form) on 24 March 2011. At the time, we were still living in Alaska, gearing up for our move back to the American southeast. I wanted to reboot my blog before this major transition (I’d been blogging in one form or another since the mid-1990s). I knew I wanted to liveblog the cross-continental sojourn from Alaska to Florida, before settling in Georgia, and I also knew that there would be a lot to write about once I was again surrounded by the reptiles and amphibians of the American southeast. Dust Tracks was to be my canvas online — a place where I could sketch out my experiences through introspective writing and photography. It was also, in a very real sense, meant to be a tool to help me learn more about the organisms and environments I care so much about. I learn best by doing, and writing about something is the best way I can explore ideas and subjects short of actual field work and primary experience.
In just under three full years, I’ve composed and published 1,215 posts on Dust Tracks. At the time of this writing, Dust Tracks currently has 4,528 subscribers, folks who either receive blog posts directly via email or through an RSS subscription. We’ve covered a fairly large range of biota, as can be seen on the Life List page — about 500 species or so. We’ve also covered a lot of territory and land in North America, including about 22 states or territories in the United States and in Canada. Dust Tracks has even been honored by being featured twice on WordPress’s Freshly Pressed program, a collection of notable posts from the WordPress community (the first time for an Iguana iguana post and the second time for an AK2FL British Columbia flashback). It has, to put it bluntly, been an epic ride in both the Real and Digital Worlds.
Each year, WordPress generates an automated report of stats for its users. For 2013, mine begins:
The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 49,000 times in 2013. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 18 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.
In 2013, there were 340 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 1,211 posts.
The busiest day of the year was January 23rd with 654 views. The most popular post that day was Once Upon An Ago, I Got My Ass Kicked By A Garter Snake.
Click here to see the complete report.
I rather love that my top post for the year was the story of being horrifically destroyed by –of all things– a Garter snake. Heh. Anyhow, it has been a remarkable ride, and it’s a wave I hope to continue to ride. This past semester was a bit of a challenge for me, in terms of managing time and energy. Further, my Nikon D90 is quickly approaching the end of its time on earth. I’ve been shooting with my beloved D90 since 2008, the year before Kid A was born. Finally, after five years of extensive and very heavy usage, my camera is starting to slip. I’m losing more shots, and it’s taking more time to process the photographs I do manage to muster. The camera has a cracked body and all the rubber components have long-since disintegrated. Focusing is particularly difficult and, as of the last few months, the electronics seem to be falling apart. Some shots simply don’t record, others feature strange green bars of visual noise. Sometimes the ISO even skips to an unwanted setting while I’m shooting. Heh. Yeah, it seems that after having travelled through the mountains and deserts of North America, not to mention the swamps, the glaciers, the beaches, and the forests, my camera stands ready to travel to Elysium. It’s a rest well-earned. The problem is this: Pretty soon, I’m not going to have a strong camera to shoot with.
Unfortunately, at this moment in time and space, I’m not in the financial position to replace the D90 at a equitable level of contemporary photographic technology. At least, not without some help. This is why I’m asking for your help.
If you’ve enjoyed Dust Tracks throughout the years, and if you’d like to support this site, please consider supporting and donating to Dust Tracks! This site is –and always has been– entirely non-commercial and personally financed, including premium WordPress features I’ve subscribed to in order to maximize design. If you are able to help support Dust Tracks for 2014, it would be very much appreciated! No donation is too small. All support is appreciated. It is my sincere hope to keep this site non-commercial, ad-free, and photographically-sharp. I certainly appreciate your support!
Please consider donating to and supporting Dust Tracks on the Web!
Now, let’s march onward unto 2014! Spring is just around the corner (for those of us in Florida, at least) and there’s much to look forward to!
Sunrise over the Florida Everglades, photographed in Miami-Dade county, Florida (28 December 2013).
Next on Dust Tracks: Buckle up, folks. We’re heading to the ecological free-for-all that is South Florida! During the winter break, I bolted south for a quick and dirty 48-hour romp among the anoles of Coral Gables and the River of Grass in the Florida Everglades. Despite being sick with a cold and despite the uncooperative, mostly-overcast weather, I did manage to find some great moments. It was a fun little trip! Thar be lizards ahead…
~ janson
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