Kevin Scott Banks

This week I head back to Nashville to reunite with friends and family and to start a new job. It’s going to be an exciting new chapter in my life! But before I start looking too far ahead, I can’t forget about the incredible Spring I’ve spent in Sacramento. Here are the highlights:

1. Yosemite Camping Adventure

I posted about this awesome trip already, but it’s worth mentioning again. My buddies and I pitched our tent in the massive Yosemite Valley and spent a few days exploring the grandeur of the park. I came away with some awesome photos. What an amazing place.

2. Hidden Falls Hike

There was no sense in sitting around the house, just because most of my friends were busy. I joined the hiking group from a local church for a hike in the beautiful hills of Auburn. Later-than-usual rain in the previous weeks sent the trees and flowers into full bloom. I love getting away from the city and enjoying nature!

3. American River Expeditions

The American River runs from the famous Folsom Dam all the way to Sacramento and beyond. The American River Parkway follows along the river for miles and miles. I made a few trips along the Parkway, riding my bike and photographing the fabulous bridges that cross the river.

4. Kids Camp

Have I ever told you how much I love camps? I mean, I really love camps. Last week, I volunteered as a coach at a kids sports camp. I had more fun than the kids, no contest. And that’s saying something, since they were begging me to come back next year! Those little rascals kept me running around all week, but I had a total blast.

It was a somber moment as I opened the garbage can and deposited my two faithful companions. I’m usually not the kind of guy who gets attached to material possessions. But for this pair of New Balance tennis shoes, I’ve made a colossal exception.

I wish I had video footage of the day I went shopping for them. I needed a pair of all-purpose tennis shoes to take to New Zealand with me. The goal was to pack very light and take only what was crucial. One pair of shoes would have to stand the test of all my adventures. I debated for almost an hour over which pair to buy. This was a big decision! Should I get the sweet pair of Nike’s with the white stripe on the bottom, or should I go for the more functional New Balance pair that wasn’t as attractive?

I tried them both on multiple times and had almost decided on the Nike’s. Just then, I gave in to my conservative side and chose the New Balance pair instead. And the verdict was….

These shoes went with me all the way across the Pacific Ocean. They walked around Fiji with me. They climbed mountains and waded through rivers with me in New Zealand. They went running along the beach with me in Australia. They even spent their last days doing yard work around Grandma and Grandpa’s house with me, despite having huge holes from all their faithful service. In all, they’ve lasted nearly 9 months of everyday use!

It may sound like I’m making a mountain out of a molehill, but I couldn’t have made it without my shoes. I’m so glad I didn’t give in and buy the pair of Nike’s. Nothing against Nike, but that pair would have fallen apart in the first month. I chose “function over fashion” as it were, and hindsight says it was the right decision.

With great remorse, I bid them adieu. Gone, but never forgotten.

“You should totally come!!!”

Years ago, my friend Katie Beth used that line to hook me into a spontaneous, last-minute trip to see one of our favorite bands perform live in concert. It seems she has a knack for planning outrageous trips and convincing me to join her.

This September, if the Lord allows, I’ll be joining her on a 3-week trip to India that is anything but a spontaneous, last-minute decision.

Why am I going?

Over the past several years, I’ve become more and more aware of how fortunate I am to live in the freedom and comfort of America. I feel that it’s time for me to get a small glimpse of what life is like outside of “western culture.”

“Who am I going with?”

I’ll be going with a group of like-minded young adults through an organization called Ashraya Mission.

“What is Ashraya Mission?”

Ashraya Mission is a brand new organization being founded in India by Katie Beth and her team. They are dedicated to providing children’s homes in India for at risk children. Human trafficking is a disgusting problem all over the world, and India is no exception. While there are many organizations focused on rescuing trafficked children, there are few focused on helping them start a new life and keeping them from sliding back in.

“What am I going to do?”

I have been asked to put my photographic skills to good use to help document the operations of Ashraya Mission. Since they’re so new, they need lots of photos and video to help communicate the severity of the situation and what they’re doing to change it. As you may know, I’ve spent the last 7 months in New Zealand and Australia where I’ve been able to hone my photography skills while taking over 10,000 photos.

I will also have the chance to interact with the people of India, including orphaned children, and share the love of Jesus with them.

“How am I going to pay for the trip?”

I believe in Ashraya Mission and I believe in what our team is going to do. That’s why I’ve worked hard this Spring to earn the money to cover my trip expenses on my own.

“So why am I telling you all of this?”

Because now, more than ever, I want to share this experience with you. This is not a vacation. It’s going to be a difficult, challenging trip. I wouldn’t dream of trying to go this alone. So here’s what I ask of you, if you’re willing:

• Pray – I believe prayer is powerful and effective. Pray for the whole Ashraya team and for me individually as well. Pray that our efforts would be blessed and would yield much fruit. If praying’s not your thing, that’s okay. Maybe you could send me a message of encouragement as I prepare for this challenge.
• Stay in Touch – I’ve created a Facebook Group for my trip. I’ll use this group to keep you informed of our progress. If you would like to receive these updates, click here to view the Facebook Group page, and make sure to click the button in the upper right hand corner that says “Ask to Join Group”.
• Give – As I mentioned earlier, I’ve already covered my trip expenses. However, Ashraya Mission has a real need for financial support as they begin their operations. If you would like to give a financial gift, please click here to visit the Ashraya Mission website, and click the button that says “Donate”.

This is going to be a challenging trip, but I am excited to serve with Ashraya Mission and to share God’s love with the people of India. I am so thankful for your support, and I’m looking forward to sharing this experience with you!

What do you when you realize you’ve spent most of your life just a short drive away from paradise…but you’ve never been before? You grab your buddies and go for a camping trip of course! That’s exactly what I did last week, and I’ve got to say, it was worth waiting for.

Jonathan, TJ and I packed up our gear into our sweet road trip vehicle – the Toyota Prius – and made for the mountains. The weather forecast for our trip was not so hot, but fortunately the weatherman blew it. We arrived in Yosemite and pitched our tent under a beautiful blue sky.

I’m here to tell you that “the call of the wild” is a real thing. While the other guys slept in the next morning, I couldn’t resist the chance to wake up early and catch the morning light with my camera. I hopped in my getaway Prius and went for one incredible morning drive. The first thing that struck me about Yosemite is how massive the cliff faces are on either side of the valley. Seriously, I felt like an ant.

Can you spot the Prius amongst the mammoth trees and mountains?

In sheer glee, I rattled off a string of “postcard pictures” in a mere matter of minutes. Everywhere you turn in Yosemite, there’s a postcard picture waiting to be taken.

Apparently, we chose the perfect time to visit Yosemite. There’s been heavier-than-normal snowfall in the past couple of months. Couple that with rising summer temperatures and warm sunshine, and BAM, you get a spectacular display of waterfalls(and some great little ponds for reflections, a photographer’s delight!).

On my morning photo drive, I happened onto what is probably the most compelling reflection scene in the whole park. Unfortunately, another photographer had staked his claim, and he wasn’t budging. I tried to wait him out for 20 minutes, but he was intent on guarding his territory. My solution? If you can’t beat’em, take a picture of’em! I think this picture captures the essence of Yosemite from a photographer’s perspective quite nicely .

Back at the campsite, J and T had finally awakened from hibernation, so it was time to hit the trails. We caught the free shuttle bus to the Half Dome trail and had a little fun with my camera on the ride over.

Does this remind anyone else of the “agents” from “The Matrix”?

Our original plan was to hike all the way to the top of Half Dome, Yosemite’s most famous landmark. In fact, I blogged about our ambitious goal several months ago when I was still in New Zealand. Sadly, due to the aforementioned snowfall, they haven’t yet opened the last part of the hike. We had to settle for climbing half way to Half Dome, but we sure made the most of it.

Teej has the X-Men skill of wall running. He’s insane.

On top of the world…I’ve said that before haven’t I?

Obligatory BAMF picture.

We solved J’s hydration issue from his last trip to Half Dome

We were able to spend the better part of two gorgeous days hiking around the park. Both days provided amazing views of the daunting valley below and the menacing mountain peaks above. I’m seriously bummed out about not making it to the top of Half Dome. But, that does give me a reason to come back soon. Hopefully very soon.

During the whole trip, I kept kicking myself that I grew up only 3 and half hours away and never visited this special place! In fact, I found myself questioning why I traveled to the other side of the planet to go to New Zealand, when all along Yosemite was here(and then I remembered how amazingly awesome New Zealand was, and that was pretty much the end of that).

Anyways, the Yosemite trip was a winner. It was so great to have some bro-time with my good mates, soak in the fresh valley air, and try to comprehend the beauty-beyond-belief. The only thing that could have made it better was…a bear encounter. (Instead, our food got eaten by the local squirrel population. Yep, you read that right. If my food’s going to get ripped off, there might as well be a little adventure involved!)

Question: What is one place you’ve been wanting to go and visit but just haven’t gotten around to it?

It would have been easy to check out early and turn my focus to the next season of life. Indeed, my great adventure Down Under is nearing its end. You better believe my wheels are turning with excitement as I look towards the future. But I wasn’t going to let that overshadow my last stop in the beautiful city of Sydney.

I’ll start with an admission: one day is not even close to enough time to properly explore any city. This is especially true for a city as large and intriguing as Sydney. That said, I spent one awesome day cramming in as much as I possibly could!

As is my custom when traveling, I was able to meet a local to provide a tour of the city, rather than having to consult a guide book like Lonely Planet. While volunteering at Easterfest the week before, I made friends with Suzanna, one of the other volunteers. She offered to show me around her home town.

The night before, we assembled an ambitious battle plan for doing as much as we could in one day. After a little Madame Blueberry smoothie sensation in the AM, we caught a train out to the majestic Blue Mountains. We enjoyed a brisk stroll through this quaint little town and marveled at the “Three Sisters” rock formation.

Gorgeous Autumn colors

This caught our eye. The only thought I had was, “huh?”

A lunch recommendation from one of Suzanna’s friends took us to the Common Ground Cafe for a superb meal in a fascinating environment. If you ever visit the Blue Mountains, delight your taste buds and dine there.

As the day light drifted away, we raced back to the city, desperate to catch the sunset. We literally ran from the train platform to the harbour to catch the ferry. I don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun with public transport! Luckily we made it just in time, and were rewarded with beautiful views of the city. The ferry provided excellent views of both the Harbour Bridge and the iconic Opera House. Two words: magnificent architecture.

With the evening came a pleasant reunion. I got to meet up with one of my friends from Nashville who moved to Sydney two and a half years ago. Megan was one of our first faithful customers at 9 Fruits back in the day. I’ve only seen her once since then, so it was very exciting to cross paths again on the other side of the world. Megan and her boyfriend Dave took it upon themselves to help me enjoy the last night of my big trip.

We started with dinner at Pancake on the Rocks. Not many restaurants actually deliver meals that look the way they do in the menu pictures. This one does. I opted for the Strawberry Patch pancakes and never looked back.

After dinner we walked all over the city, taking in the vibe and seeing the  sights. Dave made a big claim, insisting that Sydney is hands-down the greatest city in the world. “There’s just something about it,” he explained, “it’s an amazing place.”

I’ll have to take his word on that one. One day wasn’t enough to really get a feel for the city, but I sure enjoyed that one day nonetheless. Sydney is one city I’ll definitely have to visit again in the future.

15 straight days of hard work at Easterfest had left me feeling depleted. After the flash flood drama on Saturday night and the subsequent cleanup effort, I was craving a break. Fortunately, my good mate Aussie Joy knew just what to do. We packed up the car and fled the scene for a fun-filled trip to the gorgeous Gold Coast.

Joining us for the fun was Joy’s brother, Tim. I actually had the chance to meet Tim in Nashville last year and treat him to a smoothie at 9 Fruits. In true Aussie fashion, he returned the favor on his home turf. When we arrived at his house, he had the “barbie” going and he’d even cooked me up some delicious kangaroo!

We hit the road and twisted our way up a winding hill to Springbrook, our first destination. A stunning waterfall and mysterious misty trees provided excellent scenery.

At lunchtime, we stopped at a neat little cafe nestled into a hillside. It seems the locals are VERY friendly, and a little bit nosey too.

The following day, we traveled south along the coast to the ever-popular Byron Bay. Once an exclusive hippie-haven, this beautiful coastal town now boasts an abundance of shops and restaurants, plus a spectacular beach to boot. We met up with one of Tim’s surfing buddies and spent the afternoon touring the town.

To finish off the evening, we dished up dinner at a very happening surf club right along the beach. We were dazzled by a heavenly display of aerial artwork as the day faded.

Our Gold Coast getaway was the perfect way to relax and unwind after the Easterfest insanity.

The scene was Easterfest 2011, a massive music festival in Toowoomba, Australia. It was Saturday night, just hours before Easter Sunday. Record-sized crowds had descended upon the city from all over the country for a weekend of fun and festivity.

I’d been appointed as an “Official Photographer.” That meant I was allowed to enter the pit between the crowd and the stage to enjoy the best view in the house while photographing all the concerts (by the way, how cool is that?!). Friday night had gone off without a hitch. I rocked out to some awesome concerts and had a ton of fun taking photos.

Saturday was supposed to be the marquee day of the festival. All day I could feel the energy and excitement mounting around the park. By the time ex-Newsboys lead singer Peter Furler took the stage, the mainstage was packed! He pumped even more life into the crowd with Newsboys classics like “Breakfast” and “He Reigns.”

Now only one band stood between me and my first ever Switchfoot experience. As Newworldson came on, I ran back to the media tent to recharge my camera battery and empty my memory cards. I wanted to be fully prepared for the main event. Just as I was getting ready to head back, I heard a loud thump. “Was that a rain drop?” asked one of the photographers.

The forecast for the weekend was for perfectly clear weather. But sure enough, it started raining…and it didn’t stop. I slopped my way out of the media tent and back to mainstage. Already the water was up to my calves! I had purchased a brand new pair of white shoes for the weekend, but in an instant they were ruined. Newworldson didn’t get the pandemonium memo. While thousands and thousands of people fled the grounds for shelter, they just kept on playing. They were loving it, dancing around and getting soaked along with their crazy fans. Drenched from head to toe, I was trying to enjoy the show, but I couldn’t stop worrying about the impending storm.

Did I mention that this same town, Toowoomba, experienced a severe flood only months earlier? Back in January, an inland tsunami swept through the area causing widespread panic and destruction. There couldn’t have been a person at the festival who wasn’t having flashbacks to the January flood. Still the show went on. As Newworldson finished their set, I left the mainstage, thinking for sure that Switchfoot had already fled the park for safety. I arrived at crew shelter area to find it packed with nervous volunteers and family members. The energy and excitement that I’d sensed only hours before had been replaced with anxiousness and uncertainty. Not knowing what else to do, I sat there solemnly, wallowing in the disappointment of missing out on Switchfoot. And then I heard a wonderful, beautiful sound…

No way, it couldn’t be. Oh but it was. It was the sound of Swtichfoot taking the mainstage by storm, literally! Instinct took over as I rushed out of the crew shelter and practically hydroplaned across the now-massive pool of water along the way. Flashing my “Official Photographer” pass, I entered the pit and took my place in front of the stage.

I’ll never, ever forget the 45 minutes that ensued. Swtichfoot didn’t just play their set. This is a band that probably plays two to three hundred shows a year. But this show was different. The rain scarcely let up for the duration of the show. I estimate less than a thousand people had stuck around in the nearly knee-deep water. However, those who remained were a spirited bunch if ever there was one.

Jon Foreman and the boys brought all the energy, all the passion, and all the emotion I could ever have asked for. While 20,000 festival goers were being evacuated from the park, they played their hearts out for the faithful few. It was an absolutely incredible show. I sang along at the top of my lungs as they bellowed out anthems like “Dare You to Move” and “Meant to Live.” How fitting it was when Foreman sang the line “Here we go now with the falling sky and the rain….we’re awakening!”

My favorite moment of the night came during the song “Free.” This particular song has brought hope and inspiration to my life many times before. In fact, it was one of the main factors that inspired me to start my blog and leave for my New Zealand adventure in the first place. Here at the tail end of this adventure, it was such a satisfying and emotional moment as I sang along,

“I had a dream that my chains were broken, broken. Broken, OPEN!“

I wanted so badly for that show to gone on forever. Finally they played their last song and thanked everyone who was still there. Jon Foreman said it was a night he would never, ever forget. Since I had access to the backstage area, I ran and waited for the band to leave. As they made their escape from the stage in the pouring rain, I gave them all huge high fives and thanked them for what they’d just done. I have so much respect for them for staying and playing their show, given the circumstances.

It was such a fitting night. It was a concert I’d wanted to see so badly. At first it looked like it would never happen. And then somehow it happened anyway, and it happened in an unforgettably special way. I don’t even know what to say, accept thank you. Thank you Switchfoot for a night of inspiration I will cherish for the rest of my life.

The rain eventually subsided and thankfully no one was seriously hurt or killed. The 3rd day of the festival was cancelled due to the flooding.

All Switchfoot photos taken by Trent Rouillon. Thanks to Trent for braving the rain with his camera for these awesome shots!

Question: What is your most memorable concert experience?