By Cecil Anderson
From slot canyons in Utah to the concrete jungle of New York, Vijay Samavedam has seen it all. The avid traveler was bitten by the travel bug back in 2012 while scrolling his way across Instagram, but when he moved to Georgia in 2016 that's when he really took to the trails of the Appalachian mountains. “When I first moved to Georgia in 2016, weekend hikes became a norm and the combination of photography, hiking, and traveling to north Georgia mountains around the Appalachian trail are some of the main reasons for my increased interest in my photography passion,” said Samavedam.
Since 2016 Samavedam has been filling up his feed with adventures from every corner of the country. From the slot canyons of Utah and Arizona to hikes along the Matanuska valley, sunsets along the Appalachian Trail, and sea kayaking near Valdez he has filled his free time with adventures getting there one mile of roadway at a time. Samavedam said, “The thought that we can literally drive anywhere we want in the US, and this mode of transport also allows me to experience some of the most beautiful places I've ever seen in my life.”
You may see many urban landscapes that Samavedam has visited over the years, but he prefers sandy beaches and high mountains to the towers and rivers of taxis. “I am more of a nature person, so the serenity of the mountains and beaches always entices me,” Samavedam continued, “Breathing fresh air from the mountains or beaches, having my eyes and mind experience the eye-popping colors of fall foliage or the blue ridge mountains, or watching blood red sunsets across my various travel locations in the US”
It's not always clear mountain air and perfect sunsets, mother nature has a hailish side, something that Samavedam discovered firsthand during a recent hiking trip. “On a recent hiking trip in Alaska, our group got pummeled by hail for 45 mins on the way back from the mountain summit,” he continued. “We were drenched by rain and thunderstorms. This was the toughest hiking day in all of my experiences so far.”
Samavedam said that he plans to visit Oregon, Colorado, Hawaii, and Europe in the coming years, but all that starts with making a plan. “Make sure you have a planned itinerary and backup options in case things don't go as you planned,” said Samavedam, “Check weather conditions beforehand and leave no trace if you are hiking in nature. Keep the trails clean.”
Thank you Vijay Samavedam for adding locations to Know Now Go Later. We love to feature those who have contributed to this website because, without them, this website would not be as big as it is. If you have some great places that you have explored, please feel free to add them to the website with the link below. You never know; we might feature you next.