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David M

@david__james618

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ALL the JOY in one man’s 💓 HEART!!! 🥰

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Hiked the Bechler River Trail in Yellowstone last week with Dave and Hunter. Days were pretty much perfect, sun and mid 60s. Cold mornings and cool evenings, but we were allowed to have campfires at some of our camps. Once hiking, you rarely felt too cold or too hot. One morning woke up to frost on everything and an unexpected 4am rain the next. Neither the cold nor the rain lasted though.

We hiked in past Lone Star Geyser and were able to hang out to see a major eruption. We camped next to a meadow and around sunset listened to elk bugle and move through the trees for hours while steam came off the pools along the river that winded through our camping area. We crossed rivers mid thigh deep with waters so cold Dave went silent, which is a rare occurrence 😂 . We watched a moose and her calf graze just on the other side of the river. The last night we hung out on a little island in the river to watch sunset before spending time around a fire at camp. Lots of solitude on this trip, only seeing a few other groups briefly as they were passing in the opposite direction. The last day was a nice flat and fast meadow hike out with views of the Tetons and one more ice cold river crossing to make us feel alive.

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“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.”

Rattlesnakes and river crossings kind of day.
Ethan may have fallen in or may have just been really hot and wanted to cool down, we may never know.
Dave very bravely protected us from a rattlesnake.
We cooked ourselves in a hot spring in the middle of the day just to say we did.

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We were the only 3 people at this lake on a Saturday evening

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The High Sierra Trail. After 70 miles and 15,000 ft of climbing over a week, it was nearly impossible to pick just 20 pictures for this one. The first picture has where we needed up in the background. The 2nd has where we started, on the far side of the furthest mountains you can see.

This trip was about as close to perfect as it gets, in my opinion. Some of the most remote and beautiful campsites I’ve ever camped at. At least one night camping at a huge alpine lake with a beautiful sunset and being the only 3 people to see it. So many unreal sunsets, cool nights, and clear skies full of later and layers of stars. More wildlife than I’ve seen on any single trip. Bear, rattlesnake, grouse, bald eagle, hawk, marmots, deer, pika, trout, and probably more. Scenery that was constantly changing. Felt like you were somewhere completely different every couple hours, sometimes feeling like another planet.

The rhythm of it was fun. Hard climbing while acclimating to altitude (which is no joke for us midwesterners), chill hangout time at camp, and long stretches of just hiking with your own thoughts in utter beauty and peace.

This was Ethan’s first backpacking trip ever and he crushed it. Pretty sure he’s hooked now. Dave waited until the day before we left to even look up the trail in typical Dave fashion. He just knew he was in for a beating and a beautiful experience. It’s a love/hate hobby for sure.

And that last day! It was a doozy for sure. What we thought would be a downhill cruise turned into the hardest part of the trip. But teamwork and will go us through it. Dave and I split up Ethan’s pack for the final 7 miles while Ethan peg-legged his way down the mountain on a bum knee, using his trekking poles as crutches. None of us will forget that one for sure.
Sad for it to end, but I enjoyed every second with these two. More pics in stories over the next few days if you’re interested.
Want in on a trip? I’ve got ideas for all experience levels and there’s already a lot of interest for next year. Send me a message.

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Last Open Mic @staggerinnagain before I left Illinois in June. Good times, great music, & wonderful friends 🎤🎸🥰 #openmic #edwardsvilleil #johnkrane #staggerinn

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📸 from our now “Legendary” Songwriter Showdown @theuprightpub on June 13th, 2026. @kranejohn VS @s3soa_music 🥊🎤🥰 Thanks to everyone who came out, took photos/vids, & made it an amazing night to remember!!!

Special Thanks to:
@theuprightpub - 4 hosting
@janc.marra - our emcee / judge / singer
@moji_beau - beautiful harmonies
Gary John Gardner - head referee
@david__james618 - epic shirt

#singersongwriter #ofallonil #livemusic #bellevilleil #johnkrane

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Yellowstone backcountry permits are few and hard to get. This will be a very special trip! 2 spots remaining. Link in bio.

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These are two EPIC live! Adam & Robert compliment each other so well. If you’re in Belleville, IL check these guys out. 🥰@adamharbisonmusic & @robertscott1313 show @rachelssidebar #bellevilleil #livemusic #acousticmusic #singersongwriter

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@tscottkeller hosts an awesome & welcoming Open Mic on Thursdays @theuprightpub in O’Fallon, IL 😁 Be sure to check it out if your in the STL area. Wonderful community of musicians and locals. #openmic #ofallonil #stlouis #livemusic

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@butchmooremusic hosts a wonderful open mic 🎤 weekly @staggerinnagain on Sundays from 6:30 to 10. #openmic #edwardsvilleil #livemusic #singersongwriter

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Quick trip to Chicago to cheer on my uncle at NATIONALS (because we missed him casually taking home first and second at the invitational and world cup two years ago??) 4th overall with two meet PRs!
Squat: 245 kg (540 pounds)
Bench: 150 kg (331 pounds)
Deadlift: 265 kg (584 pounds)

My knees snapped in half just watching this and I 100% almost fell over squatting down (with no kg) to get a picture.

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