The Wild Images Team Coordinator, Christina, Is Photographed While Serving As A Bridesmaid

On the morning of July 14th, 2021, The Wild Images Team left from Middleton, Wisconsin with the intention of reaching Latrobe, Pennsylvania that same day, a drive of at least 12 hours. We know that the thought of even a 6 hour drive would make most people cringe, let alone twice that amount of time and distance. But for us, a 12 hour drive is not only something we are used to, but something that we look forward to. This is still well short of our record driving time in one day which is closer to 18 hours, not very ideal but something that we had to do out of necessity to reach somewhere that we were booked at. Actually, our Photographer, Jeremy Robinson, one time drove with two friends nonstop across the country by rotating drivers starting from State College, Pennsylvania, and arriving in San Francisco, California two days and nights later. To us, driving is part of the life of being an adventure and travel photography team. We do prefer to keep it more like 8 hours a day max whenever we have the choice, so that there is adequate time to spend outside of the vehicle as well. But when faced with the task of driving 12 hours straight through from Middleton to Latrobe in one day, we still become excited. We love enjoying the sights along the way, and catching a glimpse of what life is like throughout our travel path. According to the GPS, the quickest route from Middleton, Wisconsin to Latrobe, Pennsylvania is to head straight through Chicago and its multitude of toll roads, then across the northern tier of Indiana along its turnpike that costs a small fortune in tolls, then across the northern tier of Ohio along its turnpike that costs an even larger fortune in tolls, then a brief stint across the southern tier of Pennsylvania on its turnpike. All combined together, it comes out to about $100 each way just in tolls. Or alternatively, it is possible to travel straight down the middle of Illinois on Interstate 39 until reaching Bloomington, then taking Interstate 74 eastward over the state line and onward until reaching Indianapolis, where it meets Interstate 70 which continues all the way into Pennsylvania, at which point state route 119 followed by state route 30 will finish out the option that is toll free. So we chose this as our route. At the moment of leaving at 11 AM, our arrival time in Latrobe was 12 PM, 12 hours later plus an additional hour due to the loss of crossing over a time zone traveling eastward. No worries, not too late, so we can have adequate sleep before the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner the next afternoon. However, just 2 hours into the trip somewhere west of Mahomet, Illinois, and while driving at the 70 MPH highway speeds, our driver’s side front tire blew out its entire sidewall. Trying to maintain control, we let off the gas and downshifted. Seconds later we were riding on our bare rim. This is the first time and hopefully the last time we have to do that! Riding on the metallic rim equals almost zero steering control. Anyway, we did pull over safely, but we were delayed quite a bit while we changed the tire in the heat and humidity. Then later we arrived in Indianapolis, Indiana to find Interstate 70 completely closed through the city due to construction, forcing a detour and adding to the delay. Then we arrived in Columbus, Ohio to again find Interstate 70 completely closed through the city due to construction, forcing yet another detour and another delay. We finally reached our destination in Latrobe at almost 4 AM, for a total driving time of 16 hours. After minimal sleep, we did attend a great rehearsal and dinner the next day, followed by a beautiful wedding the day after that. The Wild Images Team Coordinator, Christina Orban, was a bridesmaid in the wedding and The Wild Images Team Photographer, Jeremy Robinson, captured this great shot of her in the chapel lobby after the ceremony. Even with her hair up, the gorgeous golden orange hues really stand out. Apparently royal blue is her color, as she was complimented many times for how it looked with her hair. The Wild Images Team has captured many other photos throughout Pennsylvania, including the postgame fireworks over the Andy Warhol Bridge, the colorful bursts of Independence Day fireworks over the Ohio River, the view as delicate flowers bloom in the Laurel Highlands, and the very early lantana at the University Park Flower Gardens, each of which is available for sale in our store. Our blog posts from Pennsylvania have documented the Halloween moment when hundreds of witches converged on Mellon Park and then later performed a choreographed dance routine, when The Wild Images Team attended an interfaith wedding ceremony during which our Coordinator Christina Orban was a bridesmaid, a look inside of the ornate St. Vincent Archabbey Basilica, the side yard greenhouse vividly reflecting light displays, the scene dominated by vibrant strands of holiday lights on a tree, the many hues of a very festive holiday house along McColly Street, the colorful view of the Bellefonte Historical Railroad Fall Foliage Train, the burst trails of fireworks over the Allegheny River, the red, white, and blue trail fireworks over the Roberto Clemente Bridge, the palette of colors with fireworks bursting over the Ohio River, the hundreds of American flags flying over Blairsville Cemetery, the fall leaves surrounding the Tyrone Division of the Pennsylvania System World War I Monument, the many colors of a flower soaking up sunshine, and the dichotomy created by a floral battle of yellow versus red. During our trips to New York on the other side of the state we have captured many photos such as in the Corning Museum of Glass antique cruets and dishware overlap, then in New York City itself the sudden snow squall over the Garment District, the scene of the Sherry-Netherland towering over a sculpture, and the opposite directed festive view of West 58th Street, each of which is available for sale in our store. Our New York blog posts document the Corning Museum of Glass plate of colorful giant glass fruit, the intricate stained glass vines and bubbles over a figure, and the suspended glass knives in front of a red stack tower, then in New York City itself the Empire State Building shining like a beacon, the perpetual hustle and bustle of Times Square, the impressive bronze Alice in Wonderland sculpture, the memorial bronze statue of legendary Balto and its accompanying dedicated to the indomitable spirit plaque, the animated bronze animals and the Delacorte Clock, The Wild Images Team Coordinator Christina with Spongebob SquarePants, the festive view of a large toy train in Rockefeller Center Station, the late night giant holiday lights on the sidewalks, and the piles of giant holiday ornaments in Liholts Pooley Pool.

To see more photos, please visit our store