Every now and then, I have to set my guitar down, get my ass out of the city, and commune with nature. I spent this past weekend with one of my boys and his Boy Scout troop at Lewiston Lake in Northern California, in the Shasta-Trinity wilderness. Well, it wasn’t exactly wilderness, but this area is far away from any major metropolitan area, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. I’ve been going up to Trinity since I was boy, and going up there this weekend reminded me of how much I missed the area.
Being away from my daily routine is one of the best ways I’ve found to renew my perspective and get my creative juices flowing with respect to writing music and playing guitar. And being in what I consider to be “God’s country” helps me appreciate the simple pleasure of walking along a lake or river, dropping a fishing line into the water, and just clearing my mind of the constant barrage of information my daily existence brings to me.
If you get the chance, go out into the “boonies” yourself. You’ll be amazed at what it does for your creative spirit!
BTW, I took the photo above with a Nikon Coolpix S200, set in “Dawn/Dusk” mode, which opens up the aperture (I wanted to emphasize the blues).
Guitar Gear 
I couldn’t agree more. There are lots of ways to jump-start things when facing a creative block and getting outside is one of the best. Luckily, my workshop door is fifty yards from one of the most gorgeous trout pools in New England. Our lunch table overlooks the river and the soundtrack is rushing water—just what the doctor ordered. Oddly, sometimes a trip into Manhattan can have a similar effect, stimulating the senses and getting the imagination fired up.
Jol