Picture of the Day – Leavenworth Iris

Happy New Year, one and all. I chose this picture to remind you all, especially those of you experiencing a very severe winter, that better days are just ahead. The plant that created this beautiful flower is well underneath many inches of snow right now. But before long, the snow will be gone and the plant will produce another masterpiece like this one.

The hours of sunlight are also on the rise. After December 21, the days get longer and the nights shorter. We all may have some more bad weather to go through, but it will end and the cycle of renewal will begin again.

So it is with all of life…there are better days ahead. Enjoy this day, then do the same thing tomorrow. We will get through any difficult days ahead and be stronger for it.

I wish you a very happy and prosperous 2009.

Pictures of the Day – More from the Canyonlands

As I mentioned in my last blog, “Island in the Sky” in Canyonlands National Park is all about the views, I thought I would share a couple of more pictures of those views. Perhaps I did the park an injustice in my last blog, but I was disappointed from a photographic standpoint.

As you can see, the light that day was diffused because of the clouds. In other words, you don’t see any shadows. Good for photographing flowers, not for views, as a rule.

Anyway, these are just a couple of the spectacular views you see from Island. In the first picture, the river you see is the Green River. Not to far from here, the Green River flows into the Colorado River.

All of this area and more was first explored by John Wesley Powell in the 1867. Powell was a very interesting character in our history. He lost an arm in the Battle of Shilo during the Civil War. His expeditions down the Colorado River are famous as he explored what is now the Canyonlands, Grand Canyon, and Glen Canyon. He later became the 2nd director of the United States Geological Survey.

While perhaps these two photos are not great photography, they do give you some idea of the views you can see at Canyonlands National Park and, for that matter, all over the Southwestern United States.

Postcard from the Canyonlands – Island in the Sky

Of all my visits to national parks this year, Island in the Sky, part of the Canyonlands National Park, has to be the most disappointing, at least for Jim the photographer. I only spent part of one day there, saw what there was to see, and vamoosed back to Moab.

If you remember my previous blog about Canyonlands, you might remember that the park is divided into three parts…The Needles, which I personally loved; The Maze, which is for serious 4 wheel drive vehicles only, and Island in the Sky.

Ignoring the Maze, which of course I have not seen, the big difference between “Island” and “Needles” is that the latter is actually down inside the Canyonlands and the former is on a large mesa that overlooks most of the park. Look at the first photo…the large mesa you see is Island as seen from the Needles.

As a photographer and a bit of an explorer, I would much rather be down in a canyon than up on top looking at the vistas. While the views are very nice, they don’t make great photos…and Island is mostly about the views. Curiously, Island receives far more visitors annually than the other two parts of the park combined.

The entrance to Islands is only a few miles further down the road from the entrance to The Arches National Park, one of my favorite places on this trip…and both parks are only a few miles from the very interesting town on Moab, UT, population around 5,000.

The highlight for me, and probably for many people, is Mesa Arch, a lovely arch that sits on the edge of a canyon, so when you look through the arch, you see a fantastic view. But the main attraction of the arch for photographers takes place at sunrise. For a few minutes, when the first rays of the sun hit the inside of the arch, it glows bright orange and can make for a fabulous photograph.

Unfortunately for me, on the day I went, the sun was behind clouds so I only got a faint glow, as you can see in the second photograph. Interestingly, there were about five other photographers waiting for sunrise when I got there. You have to hike about a quarter mile off the road to get to the arch, which can be a challenge in the dark, but on a sunny day, it is worth the effort.

There are a few other interesting parts to Island that I won’t detail here, and maybe my disappointment at Mesa Arch jaded my view of this part of the park. Still, it was interesting and I am glad I went, but I would much rather spend time in The Needles.

But, if you are ever in the Moab area, go see the views at Island as they are very impressive.

Postcard from Tucson – Merry Christmas from the Southwest

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all of my faithful readers and to all good people everywhere. Yes, surprise, even though we have no snow here, we do celebrate Christmas in our own unique way, as you can see from today’s photo.

I shot this fun picture of Santa on a stagecoach only a couple of days ago in Tombstone, Arizona, the town too tough to die. I’ll will write a more complete blog about Tombstone in the very near future, but for today, I just want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

It is kind of a special Christmas for me also as a couple of days ago I moved into my new, temporary home here in Tucson. I took a 6 month lease on a furnished apartment to wait out these cold winter months before I can travel again. One can only live in a van for so long, even in moderate temperatures before one gets the urge to have a real roof and a real bed to sleep in.

I live in the desert foothills just west of town in a beautiful apartment complex made up mostly of students of the University of Arizona. It is quite a place with many amenities. For me it is nice just to have my desktop computer and large screen working again.

I am all alone in a strange town for the holidays, but that is OK. I’ve had some good times on the road and have much, much more to write about here and share many more pictures.

Tucson continues to hold my interest as I have now been here for a couple of weeks and still like it very much. My original plan formulated last January when I saw Tucson for the first time, was to move here…unless I found someplace better when I was traveling. So far, I have not. But, at the end of six month, I will re-evaluate my decision and see if I want to stay or go.

But for now, it’s Christmas in my new place in my new home town of Tucson. Stay warm and happy.

Picture of the Day – Aspens at Buffalo Pass

I had camped the last couple of days at Canyon de Chelly in the Northeast corner of Arizona. I needed to go over to Farmington, NM to conduct some urgent business. I considered going north on the highway just west of the canyon, then east on another major highway. But a Canyon de Chelly park ranger (of Navajo descent) suggested a different route that would take me through the back roads in the heart of the Navajo nation. She said it would be faster and I would go through some very scenic country.

She was right. It was a beautiful drive with some very interesting rock formations that I will post here someday. The road took me along Indian Route 13 and over Buffalo Pass, a lesser traveled road very near the New Mexico border. The road consists of many switchbacks as you climb up to the pass at an elevation around 10,000 feet. As you can see from the photo, there is some snow on the ground up that high and I don’t think it was fresh.

I ran into this small grove of Aspens near the top and stopped to take this photo. It was early November, so the trees were bare, having shed their autumn leaves a couple of weeks earlier. Still it was a beautiful sight on this crystal clear day.

After going over the pass, the road drops quickly down to flat desert plains on the Arizona/New Mexico border. An interesting and wonderful drive, to say the least.

Postcard from Anywhere - Inside a Starbucks

They are all here...the short, the tall, the fat, the skinny, the student, the retired, the businessman, the transient, the old, the young, the indifferent, the writer, the photographer, the artist, those with hope, and those without. Sometimes I feel all or some of them are me.

Starbucks is a phenomenon all to itself. It all started when an entrepreneur with a small coffee store in Seattle accidentally burnt some coffee beans in his roaster and could not bear to throw them away. People liked the coffee they made...and a whole empire was born. Now, Starbucks is everywhere...and I have been to many of them. You see, I love their beans for my home use and their coffee when I am on the road. It's strong, dark and delicious, just the way I like it.

In fact, I write these words from inside one of them right now. It doesn't matter where. There is a comfortable sameness about all of them, both in atmosphere and flavor, which is what they tried to achieve...and succeeded.

Anyway, it is around 8:00 AM and the joint is packed. The line inside is long, but moves quickly as two employees are servicing their customers. Outside is an even longer line of cars lined up for the drive-up window. It always amazed me when gas prices were over $4 a gallon how people would queue up in long a line of cars, motors running, just to get a $1.50 to $4.00 cup of coffee. I never waited in that line. In fact sometimes I would park my car, walk in, get my cup of coffee, walk out...and the same cars were still in line. I would lift my cup of coffee in salute to their stupidity and wastefulness. God, I can be holier-than-thou sometimes. Save your gas and save the planet, baby.

This morning the line of cars is so long they are blocking my car from getting out of my parking place...but I am happily ensconced inside for a while...reading, writing, and watching the parade of people. Some are talking, the lady next to me doing a crossword puzzle, the middle aged man across from me reading his paper. Still others like me sitting at their computers doing the Net thing. I am not connected...today I just want to write about what I see.

On this journey, I always look for a Starbucks when I enter a new town. In larger cities I use my GPS to find them. In smaller places, I can usually scope them out as I drive through. Sometimes they are in a grocery store. I found it ironic that for the 16 years I lived in Ephrata there was no Starbucks. For many years, I had them ship me coffee every month automatically until they had so many stores they shut down the mail-order service. Then, as I prepared to leave Ephrata forever, they opened one in the local Safeway. Too late!

On my last trip to London, I was surprised to find them everywhere in that vast city. And they were all doing a thriving business. It didn't surprise me as prior to their arrival, Great Britain had the worst coffee I ever tasted. It was almost always instant. And they thought it was good. Imagine their surprise when they tasted the real deal.

Lest you think that I am a coffeeholic, be advised that I stick or two, sometimes three cups a day, almost always in the morning. And I like it strong. Blame the Italians for that. For years I drank ordinary Mr. Coffee. Then after several weeks in Italy and staying in an Italian home, I could only make strong Italian espresso and cut it with water (here it is called a Cafe Americano). When I got back to America, Mr. Coffee and I separated in a New York minute. It was just too weak. It is Cafe Americano for me.

For this trip, I bought an Italian Espresso coffee pot for $8 and every morning make a cup of Espresso (Starbucks coffee ground for espresso, of course) and cut it with hot water, all done on my camp stove. If I am staying in a hotel or camped near a city, I will come into Starbucks like I did this morning and let them do all the work.

And for a total cost to me of under $2.00, I can sit here and write a blog or browse the Net all day long and get 50 cent refills. I just wish they wouldn't play nostalgic Christmas music.

Picture of the Day - Fins with an Arch

It's late in the day and I am ready for bed. But, I wanted to send at least one photo along this day before I retired. This was one of the many fascinating rock formations found in Arches National Park. The formations are called fins and off in the distance you can see an arch has formed on one of the fins. I like this photo since it was one of the few times on this trip to southeastern Utah that I got a few clouds in the sky. Can usually make for a more interesting picture.

A quick note for my friends in Eastern Washington. I see you are being hammered by cold weather and snow. I hope you are all surviving it. As for me, it was 70 degrees here in Tucson today, but mostly cloudy. May actually have some rain tonight. See, it is not all sunshine and fun down here. Stay warm.

Postcard from Las Vegas - Sports Bars and Sports Books

I love football...NFL or college. It has been in my blood since I was a little boy hanging around the 49ers at the old Kezar Stadium in San Francisco, long before football enjoyed the popularity it does today. Frankly, over the years, I have lost interest in watching any other sport. I follow the sports news after football season, but not very closely.

But being on the road during football season has presented its own problems in keeping up with the game. Sadly, I have missed some great games that I would have been watching had I been in a home. Occasionally, I have checked into a hotel on some Sundays just so I can watch a game. But more often than not I will watch them in a sports bar, or when in Las Vegas, in a casino's sports book.

There is a big difference between the two in the atmosphere when watching a game. Take for instance last night. I was watching the last half of the Steelers/Ravens game, and later the Giants/Cowboys game in a sports bar in Tucson. People had on their favorite team jerseys and cheered raucously when their team did something good. It makes the game a lot more fun to watch, at least for me because these fans are passionate.

In a Las Vegas sports book, you hardly ever see a team jersey. The reason is that most observers there are only rooting for teams that will win them a wager. You see, in Vegas, its all about money. The photo you see here is the sports book in The Palms casino (not a great photo as I took it with my cell phone camera). There are TV's everywhere, but the focus of attention is the "big board" where are the games are listed. Here you can bet on the point spread, the over/under, or the Money Line. All that info is listed on the big board. In football, if you bet on the spread and your team is -4 (favored by 4 points), they must win by more than 4 points or you lose the bet.

If you bet the over/under and it is listed as 46, for instance, you would bet on either the over 46 or under 46 for the total points scored during the game. The Money Line is a bit complicated but you can bet straight up without points on a team winning. But if your team is heavily favored, you won't make very much.

Now, all bets must be down before the game starts, although there are some bets posted at half time where you can bet on the second half. But, sometimes, on really important games, there are some special bets you can place...such as which team will score first, or will the first score be a touchdown or a field goal, or will a particular player score a touchdown during the game (in the Super Bowl one year, I saw that you can even bet on the first player to say "Hi Mom" on camera).

But the atmosphere is so totally different in a sports book as opposed to a sports bar. I listen to people expressing there opinions as to which team to bet on and giving thorough information on their expertise. Of course, I listen to them and think if they are so smart, why aren't they rich? But they will give you their "expert" opinion whether you want it or not.

During one college game, the fellow next to me was cheering loudly when one team scored. I was curious so I asked him was he cheering as a fan or because he had money on the game. He said it was all about the money. The team he was cheering was favored heavily and he "gave" the points, but he also bet on the over. His team for that night won big, beating the spread, and they went over the over (if that makes sense). So he did well. I seldom bet on football because then I can't root as a fan...I have to worry about my winning or losing my bet.

In looking at the clock, its time for me to head for my favorite local sports bar for Monday Night Football. Tonight, no money is involved (except for my beer and food)...its all about the fun.

Postcard from Moab, UT - Falling Arches

No, the title doesn't refer to my feet (although I guess it could after some of my hikes), but rather to some of the Arches in the national park. And by the way, the Arches National Park is only 5 miles north of the fun city of Moab, UT. Anyway, in my last blog, I talked a little about how arches are formed. But what I didn't say, but you could probably guess, is that once an arch is formed, that is not the end of the process. No indeed! Arches keep changing and eventually disappear as the water, ice and gravity keep working away.

Near the entrance of the park at a place known as "Park Avenue," there is a road sign that talks about a giant double arch that once existed in this area. You can see the remnants of the of the arches lying on the ground as giant red boulders.

But, the arches I want to focus on today are in the area known as the "Devils Garden." This fantastically beautiful place lies at the end of the Arches main road, very close to the park's only campground. As you can see from, the first photo, the Devil's Garden consists of giant red rock formations known as "fins" because they look so much like a fish's fin. These giants are pushed upward from underneath the ground and form the basis of many future arches.

The photo shows the start of the Devil's Garden trail which takes you to several interesting arches...the most famous being Landscape Arch, the largest arch in the park and the world. It measures some 290 feet from end to end...and is about 1.5 miles from the start of the Devil's Garden trail. This is the subject of the second photo.

One used to be able to walk underneath this arch, but that trail has been closed off for some time. You see, in 1991, a 73 foot slab of rock fell out from underneath the thinnest section of the span. Amazingly enough, a Swiss tourist was there with his video camera when it fell and photographed the whole thing. There were some loud popping noises prior to the actual collapse, so he was able to get his camera up and running. If you would like to see it, click on this link as it is part of a 15 minute movie done by the Discovery Channel that is also shown in the park's theater at the visitor center. It is worth seeing, trust me, just to watch part of the arch fall.

Now, if you continue on the Devil's Garden trail, about a mile beyond Landscape Arch is another famous arch known as Wall Arch...or used-to-be would be a more correct statement. You see, in August of this year, Wall Arch collapsed completely. It apparently happened at night and no one was around. Wall Arch was the 12th largest arch (out of over 2,000, remember) in the park, measuring some 71 feet across and 33 feet high. Obviously, I couldn't take its picture as it was gone when I got there (the trail is closed anyway). However, if you click on this link, you can see a before and an after picture.

The third photo is not an arch, but rather the famous Balanced Rock. I show it hear because it is also subject to the same forces that collapse arches. Someday, perhaps sooner rather than later, it will fall over and probably shatter. No one can predict when it or any of the arches will collapse and fall. It just happens. So as one ranger says in the above-mentioned video, you better come sooner rather than later to see some of these famous natural phenomenon.

Postcard from The Arches - What is an Arch?

Of all my visits to western US destinations, The Arches National Park ranks as one of my favorites as it is not only quite beautiful, but absolutely fascinating in a scientific sense . It is a stunning landscape of red rock formed in strange shapes that is wonderful to behold, even if there were no natural arches. But, the arches are the highlight of this fantastic natural show.

According to park information, there are approximately 2,000 (maybe more) known natural sandstone arches in the park. Now that is a big, big number, considering the park is not all that large and a vast portion of the park landscape couldn't possibly hold any arches. Let me explain. When you drive into the park, the first thing you do is climb up over a 1,000 feet very quickly. You emerge on a large desert plain with a lot of empty, nearly flat spaces, but also randomly spaced gigantic rock formations in different sizes and shapes. He is where you find the arches.

Even so, 2,000 seemed like a large number, so I assumed geologists had a rather liberal definition of what constitutes a real arch. Well, I was wrong, as a very patient park ranger explained to me. He showed me a computerized database and books with pictures cataloging each of the arches...some very large and some quite small.

Without getting into great detail, arches are formed by a combination of forces, mostly water, ice and gravity. Wind plays little or no part. Water erodes the sandstone slowly, breaking down the molecular structure of the sandstone...ice expands and contracts inside the rock, weakening it even further, and gravity brings down portions of the rock where the molecular bonds have been weakened beyond the ability of the rock to hold it together. As the park only gets 8"-10" of rain per year, this is obviously a very slow process.

But, what is the definition of an arch? Simply put, an arch has a front entrance and a back entrance. The front, obviously is easy to see, the rear entrance may be large or a small hole at the top or on the sides...AND the rear portion must be at least three feet wide, measured at its widest point. Check out the photos to see what I mean.

The first photo shows a less-than-average-size arch named "Pine Tree Arch," located in the "Devil's Garden" area and named for the small pine tree that grows underneath it. You can gauge the relative size of the arch by the plants growing in front of it. It is most definitely an arch as there is a front and rear entrance.

The second photo shows three huge alcoves in the rocks located near the famous "Double Arch." Even though they are very big, they are not arches as there is no rear or top opening. But, if you notice the opening above the middle alcove. Water will slowly work its way down towards the alcove and one day, long after we are gone, this will be an arch.

The third photo illustrates that size is not important when it comes to arches. This young boy is crawling through a very small opening in the arch. The back of the arch, hidden from view, is wider than three feet, so this is definitely an arch (I forgot the name). Not shown here is another arch in the making only a few feet away. It has it all, except the opening is less than three feet, so it is not an arch...yet.

In upcoming blogs, I will show you some of the largest and most spectacular arches in the park. Stay tuned.

Postcard from Tucson - Those Fabulous Arizona Sunsets

This is my only third trip to Arizona...the first actually was just over a year ago. On my second visit last January, I was told by a few people that sunsets in Arizona were usually quite beautiful. And you know what, they were right! I would say that at least 60% of the days I have been here ended in wonderful sunsets.

Now, I know I just wrote about sunrises and sunsets in recent blogs, but having witnessed some of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen, I thought I would share a few of the photos I took on these occasions.

A few weeks ago when I first arrived in Yuma, I was talking to my brother on the phone when an amazing sunset began to unfold. I told him to hold on a second and called my daughter-in-law Jill to come outside to see this incredibly beautiful sunset. See came out, saw it, and said, "Oh that happens all the time here," and headed back into the house. I was surprised at first by her supposed lackadaisical attitude to what I perceived to be a once-in-a-blue-moon event, even though she has lived a great portion of her life in this great state. Since that day, I have seen many of these fabulous sunsets myself and can understand why she takes them for granted.

It almost seems that the hand of God goes to work almost every night to arrange this spectacular show. You could have a cloudless day all day long, then all of a sudden, clouds appear in the west in the general vicinity of where the sun will set. When the sun goes down, they light up like a fire in the sky for quite some time. At this point, I just can't stop taking pictures because the show gets better as each minute passes. When it is finally dark, you look up into the western sky and those wonderful clouds are all gone. Then, 24 hours later, the whole show begins all over.

It is just great to be here in Arizona and anticipate the end of each day and what wonders it will bring. If you look backwards in my blog you will find other sunsets I have photographed in Arizona. One of my favorites is of the sunset at the famous mission San Xavier del Bac taken last January.

The first photograph shown here was taken just last night in the Santa Catalina Mountains, about 10 miles north of Tucson. The second photo was taken a few days ago in Madera Canyon, about 40 miles south of Tucson. The third photo was taken in the open desert just a very short way from my son's home. I look forward to more sunsets here.

None have been enhanced digitally other than to apply a small amount of clarity. No saturation was applied. These images are what I saw.

PS - It also helps that we have great weather almost every day.

Picture of the Day - New York Skyline

So have I taken you by surprise and flown to New York as part of journey? Nope. This is not the New York skyline, but rather the skyline of New York, New York, the hotel/casino in Las Vegas. Fooled ya'!

I took this at sunset from the roof of the New York New York parking lot. Although you can't see it in this picture, there is a roller coaster ride that goes all around the inside and outside of this casino. As I was taking this photo, people were screaming as their roller coaster came screaming down a steep incline on its way to take them upside-down before heading back inside the casino. And before you ask, no, I did not ride it.

Las Vegas is a one-of-a-kind twilight zone that is unlike anyplace else in the world. Across Las Vegas Boulevard from New York, New York is Paris, another luxury hotel casino on the strip. The day after I took this photo, I walked the streets of New York New York, then had lunch at a sidewalk cafe outside of Paris that is an exact replica of some of the wonderful sidewalk cafes that I have eaten at in the real Paris. I was fun and as I sat there eating my steak sandwich with frit (french fries) and drinking Beaujolais I could watch the people stroll by my table and see the incredible water show every few minutes across the street at the Bellagio. What a city!

Postcard from Canyon de Chelly - High Walls and Deep Views

Canyon de Chelly (pronounced SHay) is an enigma in so many ways. First, it is not a National Park, but rather a National Monument. That surprised me, but later I understood why. There is no entry fee and if you want to camp, there is no charge for that either.

When you approach the park on the main highway, you can't see it until you are practically on top of it. It is a cut in the plateau and seems like it should not even be there, but it is. Canyon de Chelly starts out as a single canyon but eventually splits off into two canyons, de Chelly and Canyon del Muerto. Both canyons run for several miles and eventually end. But for me, the entrance to the canyon was very interesting.

It is not like Yosemite where you are suddenly surrounded by 4,000 foot walls. When you approach the canyon after leaving the visitor's center, you see that the canyon entrance is at the same level as you are...in other words, there is no canyon and then you see walls that start rising upward from where you are standing. You also see three roads...the left road will take you upward to overlook the north side of the canyon, the right road will also take you up to see the south side of the canyon, and the middle road (unpaved) will take you into the canyon itself.

Canyon de Chelly sits entirely inside the Navajo Nation. There are several Navajo families living and working the land in the canyon. Therefore, only tribal members can enter the canyon on the center road. There are Navajo-led tours inside the canyon twice a day and cost $50 for 1/2 day and $75 for a full day. Non-Navajo tourists are restricted to the two roads that overlook the canyon. That was a bit disappointing, but I completely understand...which also explains why this is a National Monument.

While I didn't go on the tour into the canyon, I did travel on both roads that have stops at designated overlooks. The south road is by far the most interesting and has more overlooks. The north road has only three overlooks now, although one overlooks a very interesting set of Native American Ruins. In fact, the canyons contain many ruins in various states of decay. They are not Navajo ruins, but rather Anasazi, that enigmatic tribe who inhabited the southwest for many, many years, then suddenly disappeared.

The two most well known overlooks on the south road are the White House Ruins and Spider Rock. The White House Ruins, again built by the Anasazi, from the overlook, are off in the distance and you can almost miss them from the overlook. However, this is the one place that tourists can hike down into the canyon to see the ruins close-up. It is a 1,000 foot drop into the canyon at this point and these old legs chose not to do it.

The last stop on the south road overlook is Spider Rock, a very famous rock that rises up about 900 feet into the air from the canyon floor. If you ever watched the movie "Mackenna's Gold," you know that Spider Rock is a very important element of the film (In fact, IMDB shows that 18 films have been partially filmed in Canyon de Chelly). It's a quite awe-inspiring site to see this site, even from the overlook.

The three photos included here show Spider Rock, the view from the Tseyi Overlook, and the Anasazi Ruins at Mummy Cave Overlook on the north road. It is hard to get any scale when you are shooting down into a canyon, but all the green plant life you see in the first two pictures are actually full size trees. Hope that helps put some scale into the images.

Postcard from Southern Utah - Two Views of Church Rock

I was driving north on Highway 191, hoping to get to The Needles in Canyonlands National Park before sunset to set up camp. According to the map, the turnoff to the park was at something called Church Rock. Many miles before the turnoff, at least according to my GPS unit, a large rock formation came into view off in the distance. I couldn't tell the size of it, but instinctively knew it was very big.

By now, I was used to seeing large rock formations in Arizona and Utah, but this was a big one in a very interesting round shape. I wondered at the time if this was Church Rock, and, of course, it turned out it was. But, I drove for many miles seeing the view that you now see in the first picture. I was impressed and knew I wanted to take its picture. So, I stopped very near and took a few images. By now, my GPS unit showed the Canyonlands turnoff just ahead.

I jumped back in the car and headed just a little ways further, then made the left turn towards the park. As I headed down the 34 mile road to The Needles, I glanced in my rear view mirror for one more look at Church Rock. What I saw took me by surprise. What I supposed was a very large round rock, had morphed itself into a huge elongated rock reminiscent in shape to the Sphinx in Egypt.

I turned the van around and drove a little ways back the way I had come to take a quick photo, which is, of course the second photo you see here.

I know this is not an interesting story, but my surprise at the true shape of this rock is worth telling. I don't know anything about the true dimensions of this rock other than it is very big...and I wonder how deep the cave is that you see in the first photo on the lower left side of the first picture. Any answers you may have about this big ol' rock in the desert would be appreciated.

Anyway, that's my story and I am sticking to it.

Postcard from Phoenix - Architecture: Old and New

A few weeks ago, in a single day, I was fortunate to get up close and personal with modern and ancient marvels that show just how ingenious the human mind can be. Creating something beyond what has ever been done before is where human beings demonstrate their finest traits - striving for the unattainable.

First in Phoenix - the new University of Phoenix stadium, home to the NFL's Cardinals and last year's Super Bowl. What makes this indoor football stadium so unique? Look at the picture. See anything not quite right? Yes, it is an indoor football area, but the football field appears to be outside. What? How can this be? Here is the ingenious part:

Because of Phoenix's hot weather, designers of the stadium knew it had to be an indoor stadium, but they didn't want the field to be that terribly hard artificial turf. They wanted the game to be played on real grass, as it should be. But grass cannot grow and survive inside - it needs sunshine...and Phoenix has plenty of that.

So they designed the stadium with a "portable" field that stays outside when there is no game...then slides on rollers inside the stadium on game day. Pretty ingenious, hey? You can see the doors on the stadium that open to let the grass move inside. After the game, the grass is moved back outside for repair and maintenance for the next game.

Later, that same day, I drove north on Interstate 17 towards Flagstaff. A little more than halfway there I came to the turnoff for Montezuma's Castle National Monument, which is only a couple of miles off the highway. I headed over with camera in hand to see this incredible example of ancient architecture done by a tribe of native Americans that have passed into history.

The castle was built by a tribe known as the Sinagua. It was named Montezuma's Castle in the 1860's as it originally was thought to have been built by the Aztecs. The last known habitation by that tribe was around 1425 AD, so the structure's construction was obviously much earlier than that, probably in the neighborhood of one thousand years ago. The five-story stone and mortar dwelling contains 20 rooms and once housed about 50 people. It sits about 70' above the ground. A natural overhang shades the rooms and shelters them from rain and the blazing sun.

Believe it or not, visitors to the area in the 1950's could go inside and tour the place. But, as you might imagine, to much damage occurred and it was subsequently stopped. But, thanks to the Internet and the National Park Service who still send the occasional archeologist inside to check on conditions, you can take a virtual tour on their Web site and see what this amazing place is like inside.

Sometimes I can despair of the follies of mankind, but every so often I get to see a different viewpoint. Shakespeare said it best:

What a piece of work is a man, how noble in reason, how
infinite in faculties, in form and moving how express and
admirable, in action how like an angel, in apprehension how like
a god! the beauty of the world, the paragon of animals—and yet,
to me, what is this quintessence of dust?

Postcard from Southern California - Tales of the Big Boy

Bob's Big Boy Restaurant - now there is a name that flashes many memories going back to my days in college. Its a love affair with a cheeseburger that not only spans many years, but also some special people that have come in and out of my life. Today, whenever I find one, I go out of my way to have one of their great cheeseburgers, not for the memories, but rather for the taste. I must be getting old when a good cheeseburger is better than memories.

On this present journey, while on my way to Yuma from Northern California, I found one in Barstow, CA and made sure to stop there for dinner. Last year, I had also found one in Lake Havasu City, which for some reason is no longer listed on Bob's Web site. I hope it is still there. I will find out in a few days when I pass through there on my way to Yuma.

Bob's used to be a huge chain of restaurants that started in Southern California and then spread outwards. Today, only a handful of those restaurants remain. I don't know what happened, but the chain filed for bankruptcy in the year 2000. In looking at their Web site, it seems there are a great many of them in Michigan...almost as many as once reigned supreme in California.

I was introduced to Bob's Big Boy when I was dating a lovely young lady from Southern California named Linda. We met at San Jose State where we were both students. We fell in love and later married (Wife #1). On a visit to her home in SoCal, she took me to Bobs, her favorite hamburger joint. It instantly became my favorite and we visited many of their establishments all over the SoCal. Linda and I didn't have "our special song", but we did have our favorite restaurant.

A couple of years later...oh Joy of Joys...Bobs opened up a restaurant in San Jose. Heaven be praised!! But, on our first of many visit, Linda noticed that something was different about the burger. We made some inquiries and discovered that in Northern California, the main sauce used was thousand island dressing whereas the SoCal burgers used a mayonnaise-based spread. We also found out that you could special order SoCal style which is exactly what she did from that point on. I actually preferred the NoCal style and always stuck with that.

One other story I will tell you about Bob's. I was once dating a very nice lady named Janet who was from San Diego and was quite familiar with Bob's and liked them also, but perhaps not as much as me. She put up with my fetish of immediately getting off the road when I saw a Bob's restaurant, bless her heart. Anyway, one fine day, she was in SoCal for business and before she got on her plane to come back to Sacramento, she stopped and got me a Big Boy and flew it home to me. That was so special and I remember it to this day. It was cold, but tasted oh so good.

I think I dragged all my ex-wives to a Bob's Big Boy over the years with mixed results. But Bob's is still a special place for me, and since I am now single, I can go whenever I find one.

The original Bob's Big Boy cheeseburger resembles (in looks only) a Big Mac. The original Bob invented the hamburger by slicing a hamburger bun in three pieces and slid two patties in between the three bun pieces. He then added his sauce, relish and cheese. They always taste soooooo good.

Whenever I see a Bob's restaurant with the little fat boy out front, I head for their parking lot and a taste of heaven. Always have to make sure they make it with Thousand Island sauce, however. And then, before the first bite, I think of all the wonderful women who sat across from me over the years and were so happy watching me be happy.

Postcard from Mesquite, NV - A Quick Glimpse of Loneliness

Happy Thanksgiving from a casino/hotel right on the Nevada/Arizona/Utah border.

Picture this, if you can: It's 6:00 AM on Thanksgiving morning. A solitary man walks into an empty casino to a convenient Starbucks to get his morning coffee. There is no one around save for the lady who pours his first morning cup. She wishes him a Happy Thanksgiving. He has quite forgotten that this is a holiday, although its the first Thanksgiving he has been alone in a long time. He is in a strange town, in a casino after a bad night's rest in a less-than-perfect hotel room.

As he is putting cream in his coffee, the background music begins to play Nat King Cole singing "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire..."

For ten seconds, he is as alone as any human being can be on this planet.

Relax and don't feel sorry for me. I am happy to be on this journey. But, for a few seconds, I was so alone. The mood is passed and I am fine. I just wanted to put the feeling in writing.

Looking forward to my drive today to Las Vegas. Eric, Jill, and I will celebrate Thanksgiving on Tuesday in Yuma. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Postcard from Southern Utah - Sunrise, Sunset

As most photographers learn early, the best light for photos can be found shortly after sunrise and shortly before sunset. At these times, the sun is lower in the sky thereby bending the light rays to give the light a more reddish glow. Photographers call this time the "golden hours" (shouldn't it be called the reddish hours?). But there is more to sunrise and sunset than the golden hours that can really produce some interesting images.

Before the sun actually breaks the horizon at sunrise and after the sun sets, there is a very reddish or pinkish glow in the sky and if you throw in a few clouds, some amazing pictures can be had. Fortunately or unfortunately, whatever is in the foreground is only going to be rendered as a silhouette. With film or digital cameras, if you try and expose your image for the foreground object, you will completely blow out the sky. Therefore, one should expose the image using the sky for your exposure values.

To this end, I hereby present three photos I was fortunate to take in the last few days. All have some clouds in them to enhance the lighting effects.

The first picture is of the very famous "Balanced Rock" in Arches National Park taken at sunset. The second image was taken the next morning from my campsite in Devil's Garden, also at the Arches. The third photo was taken a few days earlier and shows The Needles at sunset. I hope you enjoy them.

Try this yourself sometime. All you need is a camera, a tripod, and a shutter release button attached to your camera as the exposure time can be too long for a hand held camera. If your camera has anti-shake built in, you might be able to do hand held. The Balanced Rock photo was handheld with my Nikon D200 with using an anti-shake lens(known as VR in the Nikon world).

Now, one other thing: the foreground object should either fill most of the screen from top to bottom, fill 3/4 of the screen, or 1/4 of the screen. Never, and I mean never, have the object fill 1/2 of the screen and the sky the other half. It makes the shot compositionally boring. Either the sky or the foreground object must be the dominate part of the photo and the other a compliment to it.

Enough preaching. Go have fun.

Postcard from The Needles - All Alone Am I

Have you ever wanted to have a national park all to yourself? I have on many occasions, especially in Yosemite. Of course, that is never going to happen, but if I were king....well, never mind. But I came real close to fulfilling my dream at the Needles section of Canyonlands National Park. Such a beautiful place...and it was all mine...well almost.

Canyonlands National Park, only in existence since 1964, thanks greatly to the efforts of our then Secretary of the Interior, Stewart Udall. During his tenure, the National Park Service added four national parks, six national monuments, nine recreation areas, 20 historic sites and 56 wildlife refuges.

The Canyonlands is so large that it is divided into three sections: The Needles, Island in the Sky, and The Maze. Each is quite distinct from the other. Island in the Sky is approached from the north and is very close to Moab, UT. It sits up high on a plateau overlooking all of the park and is the most visited section of Canyonlands, probably because of the views and the fact that it is the most accessible for automobiles. The Maze is approached from the west and is strictly for serious 4-wheel drive vehicles with high clearance. Ordinary autos and vans need not apply.

As for the Needles, it sits down in Canyonlands and is named for very large rock formations that stick up into the sky like needles. It has some auto accessible sites, but it also has a large number of hiking trails and 4-wheel drive roads. The best way I know to describe it is canyons within canyons within a large canyon. It also has a comparatively smaller number of visitors, probably because there is only one way in and out...a 34 mile long road off of the main highway coming in from the southeast. But, it is a beautiful drive.

The first 10 miles is ordinary open range. From there on, you drop down into the large super canyon that encompasses all of the Canyonlands...and let me tell you, it is a stunningly beautiful drive, especially in the afternoon. I stopped several times to take pictures as the view changes continually around each bend in the road. Eventually, you come to the main entrance of The Needles and the Visitor's Center. They have a terrific 3D relief map of the whole park that gives you an excellent picture of where you are and how everything is situated...and, of course, all the canyons in the canyons.

I first headed to the campground to secure my site. There are only 15 campsites in the first campground and only four had occupants, including me. A second camp site was closed for the season. Like I said, it was like being alone, especially as I chose a site far away from anyone else. The quiet and the beauty of my temporary home was something I can't even begin to describe.

My guidebook and bible for photographing Utah said the best time to photograph the Needles was at sunrise and the trail left from the main parking area in the campground, which was a little ways back from my site. So, just before dawn, I got into my van to look for the trail. It was not to be found. I went back to my campsite and, lo and behold it was right across the road from my new home.

I headed out along the trail, and after about 1/2 mile, the trail ended at a large rock formation. As I have discovered since, this is quite common in this whole area. As I looked up, I saw stacked rocks that obviously marked the trail up the rock (these are called "cairns" and are also very common). So I started climbing, praying my foot would not slip and that I could get back down safely. The cairns led me along more vertical rock and through a cave formed by falling rocks, then more climbing. Finally, I came to the top and could see all the Needles in full array from the early morning light. Luckily I had remembered to bring my camera (and water) and started taking photos. You saw one of them in my last blog.

I was able to make it safely down and back to my campsite (good hiking shoes are a must here)...and after breakfast headed out for more adventures in this wonderful park. I loved the 3-mile long ride on a gravel road to Elephant Hill where I discovered another great view of the Needles and other amazing red rock formations. The Scenic Drive is also very nice and provided even more photographic opportunities. But, what I loved most was having this beautiful place all to myself. I never ran into anyone else other than the occasional park ranger, either driving or hiking. While I would not want to spend the majority of my life alone, sometimes it is the best thing going.

I would have stayed longer than three days and two nights to enjoy the solitude but the winter clock was running and I wanted to see more of southern Utah before winter arrive. I would love to come back here just for the solitude and the beauty that is the Needles.

The pictures included here show my campsite, the Needles at sunrise that I worked so hard to see, and a small lake on the way into the park. I will have more pictures of this park in another blog.

Postcard from Moab - My Luck is About to End

Hello from beautiful Moab, Utah. It's Monday, 11/24/08 as I write these words from my very nice hotel room. Yes, I got a little tired of the cold nights and wanted to watch some football, so I found a nice place to stay warm, watch football, write e-mail's and blogs, and process my many photographs.

Here is what I have been doing since I last wrote in Farmington, New Mexico: From there I headed west and north into Utah. I took a 5 mile detour to see "Four Corners" where the four states of New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah meet. But it is in the Navajo Nation and they wanted $3 to see it. Of course there is not much to see other than souvenir stands and a marker, so I kept my three bucks and just turned around and headed back into Arizona. From there, I headed west then north towards Utah, going through Monument Valley.

It was an interesting place and I was happy to see it, but again it is part of the Navajo Nation and to see the really good parts, one has to pay a fee to get in. And, for your money, you only get to see part of it. To see the best part of Monument Valley requires a Navajo guide, which of course means a lot more money. The light that day was really bad that day so I was content to see what I saw and continued north on my journey (I will be content to see Monument Valley in John Ford westerns).

I eventually wound up in the Needles section of Canyonlands National Park where I spent three wonderful days exploring and photographing. From there I headed north to here, Moab, Utah, then right on in to Arches National Park which is only about five miles away. I spent three great days there seeing the incredible sights. There will be separate blogs on all these locations, but today I just wanted to catch you up with where I've been lately.

Now, for the future: Today, I am going on a ranger-led hike into an area in the Arches known as the "Fiery Furnace." It is a series of narrow slot canyons that is easy to get lost in which is why I am going with a ranger. Tomorrow, I will probably head a few miles west of here to the "Island in the Sky" section of Canyonlands National Park.

On Wednesday, my plan can best be described as "run like hell," because my good luck with the weather is about to end. It is scheduled to rain and snow everywhere up here on the Colorado Plateau, which covers four states. That means much colder temps and mostly lousy photographic possibilities. I have been really lucky up to this point with sunshine almost every day and temps in the high 50's and low 60's. Nighttime temps drop below freezing, but I have been able to easily survive that. But, it is tough to camp in continuous rain and snow.

The Colorado Plateau begins just north of Phoenix, so my plan is to be somewhere south of there where I can put my shorts back on and see some of the great places in southern Arizona. A week from today, I will be back in Yuma to celebrate a belated Thanksgiving with Eric and Jill (he is off on Mondays and Tuesdays).

I have included two "teaser" photos here: the first being sunrise on the Needles in Canyonlands; the second being Double Arch in the Arches National Park.

I am sad that this part of my journey has to end as there is so much more I wanted to see before the onset of winter weather. Stay tuned for more blogs with details and photos about the great places I have seen.

Postcard from Window Rock - First Glimpse of the Navajo Nation

Hello from Farmington, New Mexico. Its been a few days since my last blog, and as you might guess, I have been without any Internet connection. Just to catch up, I left Yuma as planned on Sat morning. Made it to Winslow, AZ that night and froze my you-know-what off as temperatures dropped down to 20 degrees (I am now sleeping in my van...much better than a tent). But I managed to photograph the little known "Little Painted Desert" at sunset.

Sunday morning I made a bee-line to Wal-Mart to get a few more things to help me keep warm, and it has really helped as I continue to sleep in temps in the mid 20's, but much more comfortably. Sunday I finally made it to Canyon de Chelly and spent two days at this amazing place. Today, I drove to Farmington in northern New Mexico to take care of some pressing business. I am glad for this little side trip as I drove here through some beautiful places along Navajo Nation back roads. Tomorrow I head back west to Monument Valley, then southern Utah. There are lots of great photos to follow.

On Sunday, I had to make a detour from my planned route to Canyon de Chelly because of a road closure. I wound up taking a back road through the Navajo nation on the New Mexico border up the town of Window Rock. This city is the capital city of the Navajo Nation, a huge stretch of land that stretches eastward from Flagstaff in to New Mexico, and up into Utah. Even here in Farmington, I am on the edge of the Navajo Nation.

And when you are in the Navajo Nation, the vast majority of the faces you see are Navajo. They are a large tribe, to say the least. But on this trip, especially in the last three days, I have learned much of their culture. More on that in a future blog.

Window Rock, as you can see from the picture, is technically an arch, but it is very sacred to the Navajo people. If you look closely, you can see two birds and their shadows as they fly by the opening. Window Rock (the arch) sits in a lovely park on the edge of the tribal governmental offices, which are more extensive than you might imagine. They have their own government with elected officials from all over the tribal Nation. They have their own police and fire departments. Interestingly, they have just opened their very first casino in Gallup New Mexico only a few months ago. They were very late to that party.

The second photo shows a recently completed statue honoring the legendary Navajo Codetalkers that played an important role in the Second World War in the Pacific Theater. If you don't know the story, Navajo soldiers were used as radiomen talking in their native language. The Japanese could not break their language or code. In fact, this entire park below Window Rock honors the Navajo soldiers that fought in WWII for their native America. Their patriotism and relationship with the United States is very strong, even today.

I am so glad I had this chance to visit their capital.

It may be a few days before the next blog as I head back into the wilderness.

Picture of the Day - Oregon Homestead

Well, I am still here in Yuma trying to recover from this nasty cold. But, the worse is now over and I am leaving in the next few minutes for the wilderness northeastern Arizona. There are some places there I really want to see and I guarantee you will like the pictures. I will just keep my destinations to myself for a little bit and let you be surprised (actually, I may be surprised too!).

I have enjoyed my time with my son and his wife...and of course, the incredibly warm weather. It was up to 88 today, and even with a cold, I was in shorts and a t-shirt. I have seen the weather forecast for my next destination and I know I will be back in warmer clothes. But, will be back in southern AZ again when it gets too cold up north. I might just get lucky and have a few more good weeks before I forced south again. This is such beautiful country.

Today's picture is one I took a few weeks ago when I was in Oregon. I like it a great deal and am happy to share it with you. If you remember the blog I wrote about the shoe tree, this old cabin is actually less than a mile west of there right off the highway. I got lucky with the light as the sun came out right as I pulled up in my van. One never knows when one will find a great photo opportunity.

I have a lot more stories to write about from my adventures this past month and look forward to new places and stories...so stay tuned.

Postcard from Algodones, Mexico - Booze, Drugs, and Geritol

To put it bluntly, this little city, just over the border, has more liquor stores, pharmacies, optometrists, dentists, and hair care facilities concentrated in one four-block location than you can imagine. Throw in a ton of polite sidewalk vendors selling just about everything, and you have town quite unlike anywhere else...and it is clean. The town caters to Americans, mostly senior citizens who flock over the border in droves to take advantage of the inexpensive drug prices, dentistry, and eye care that is available there.

To get there, you drive a few miles west of Yuma on Interstate 8, back into California, then south a couple of miles to the border...it is well marked. At this point you are on Quechan tribal land (they are building a brand new large casino and hotel right where you get off the freeway). The Quechan's also have a large parking lot right on the border where you can park for $5.00. One can also park for free right along the road...which is what I prefer as I get some exercise walking into town.

To cross the border, you just walk across. No one will stop you or check anything, unless you drive your car across. If you are just going for drugs or eyes, or teeth, there is no reason to take your car. Once there, you will be confronted with all that I have described above. If your looking for your medicines, most stores will post their prices outside on little cards so you can go around town comparing prices. If you pay attention, you will notice that some pharmacies have several locations spread throughout the town. For instance, the Purple Store, where I usually shop, has four locations just on the first block of town. I usually get good prices there (and they advertise on the Yuma cable company...its hilarious).

As for the prices, they are very good...even better than the $4 generic prices at Wal-Mart. For instance, one of my pills is under $4 for 100 pills. I usually stock up for several months supply. You should check the bottles for expiration dates, but I have never had an issue with that. The staff at most stores are very friendly, speak impeccable English and are surprisingly knowledgeable about the medicines they carry. American dollars, checks and credit cards are readily accepted and there are no hidden costs. I usually pay in cash. For 95% of the medicines you want, no prescription is required.

Yesterday, I decided to visit an optometrist to see if they could replace my bifocal lenses in my glasses which are old and a bit scratched. He quoted me $20 and it would take two hours. I will do it on my next visit.

Now I am not much of a booze buyer, but those who are tell me their prices are very good...and they certainly have a huge selection from all over the world. As for their dentists, frequent visitors tell me they are as good as any in the US, as they were all trained north of their border. Same for optometrists...they are all very busy so logic tells me they are probably ok.

There are some nice restaurants in town and the food and water are very safe (the water is provided by the city of Yuma). When you are in Algodones, there is no doubt that you are in another country. But, it has always been a pleasant experience there.

Now, getting back into America is another story. If you go in the afternoon in the winter snowbird season, you may have to wait in some very long lines. On my first visit, I waited 45 minutes to get through customs. Yesterday, I went early in the morning and there were only 4 people ahead of me and I breezed right through. Be sure you have a passport or you could be in some difficulty.

Interestingly, the one time I stood in a long ling, I took a very long look at all the people around me as well as those in front and behind. I came to the realization that I was the youngest guy in line...and at that time, in case you don't know, I was 62. Maybe I will go down there sometime and try to pick up senior chicks.

Picture of the Day - Merced River Reflections

Have made it to Yuma, AZ and am at my son and daughter-in-law's home. Weather is in the mid 70's and am wearing my shorts for the first time since September. Love it!! Will be in the 80's by the end of the week. Spent part of Sunday and Monday night watching football with Eric at Buffalo Wild Wings here in Yuma. We proudly wore our 49er's hats at the Monday Night Game and we were treated to the best performance of the year by our San Francisco favorites. Unfortunately, they had a chance to win at the end and could not do it. Very sad way to end a terrific evening, bad clock management and the last two play calls were just stupid! OK...I will get over it.

Am going to stay here only a couple of days as Eric has to go back to work (in case you don't know, he is a federal Border Patrol agent) and winter is getting closer to some of the places I want to visit in Northern Arizona and Southern Utah. Have got the van all prepared for camping as I emptied the belongings I brought with me here at Eric's home. Looking forward to whatever lies out there next for me.

Today's photo, as the title implies, was taken in Yosemite Valley. You can see how low the Merced River is and obviously how slow it is moving. This is actually one spot where the river is the fullest. Never-the-less, the reflections here are just beautiful. The clouds in the sky are amazing when reflected and the sunlight coming in on the water from the left adds additional drama to the image. The photo also shows how serious autumn colors are in play on this day. As I have said many times, so much of photography is about timing.

Picture of the Day - Leaves in the Merced River

Am writing this post from my hotel in Needles, CA. If you don't have a map handy, it is in Southern California, right on the Arizona border. It is only a stopping point after a long drive from the San Francisco Bay Area. It was a long, boring drive, mostly through the Central Valley, where an intense layer of smog made it more ugly than usual. It didn't clear up until I climbed into the mountains east of Bakersfield.

After breakfast, I will head south to Yuma, Arizona to see my son Eric and his wife Jill. Yuma sits on the California/Arizona/Mexico border. All three borders actually meet there...in the middle of the Colorado River. Looking forward to a couple of days there before I head out again. Have to keep moving as the weather is turning colder, even in Arizona. It will be down to 77 in Yuma today. I, of course, will be wearing shorts today for the first time in a long while.

Anyway, I photographed this image in Yosemite Valley, right on the Merced River. This picture would not be possible in spring or summer as the river usually moves along pretty fast. But, now, in late autumn, it is very low and moves ever so slowly. I love the depth given to the image by the one leaf that is underwater and of the reflection on top of the water.

Enjoy and will write again soon.

Postcard from Yosemite - Hetch Hetchy

Yosemite Valley is one of the most unique places on earth, created by the carving actions of glaciers during the last ice age. But, did you know that it is not the only such valley (or canyon) in the Sierras that was created this way? Actually, there are two others...Kings Canyon to the south (also a national park) and the Hetch Hetchy valley to the north. While Yosemite is the most spectacular by far, the other two have a special beauty all their own...especially Hetch Hetchy.

This once beautiful valley could be called Little Yosemite as it has so many spectacular granite formations that are similar to Yosemite Valley. Look at the first picture of the valley as it used to be. You can see another El Capitan and another Yosemite Falls. It was a beautiful place.

In 1906, San Francisco was devastated by its now famous fire and earthquake...especially its water infrastructure. After things settled down, the city applied for the water rights to Hetch Hetchy. Environmentalists of the time, led by John Muir and the Sierra Club, opposed this in the strongest possible terms. A seven-year vicious battle ensued, with San Francisco finally winning the battle. Because Hetch Hetchy lies within the borders of Yosemite National Park, an act of Congress was required, which finally happened 1913. It is said that the passing of this act broke John Muir's heart and he died shortly thereafter.

Construction of a dam that would back up the water in the valley began and was finally completed in 1923. Today, the O'Shaughnessy Dam blocks the entrance of Hetch Hetchy Valley and backs up the water from the Tuolumne River to form the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. The dam provides water and electricity to 2.4 million people in the city of San Francisco, San Mateo County, Alameda County, and the San Joaquin Valley. Interestingly, the power-generation facilities and transmission lines are concealed to protect the valley's famous scenery.

As I write this blog, I am sitting in the Bay Area, partially enjoying the benefits from this dam. As I was raised in both San Francisco and San Mateo counties, I was a direct beneficiary of the dam. Still, I can't look at Hetch Hetchy and not wish I could see it in its natural state. Oh well...it is what it is.

Their is only one road to Hetch Hetchy and it lies just outside the north entrance to Yosemite. But, before you get to the dam, you cross back into the park. There are no facilities for using the lake for recreation. All you can do is walk across the dam, go through a tunnel, then pick up several trails to hike further into the back country. The waterfalls are still there to be seen, but, of course, not in October, which is when I was there.

There is actually a movement afoot to take down the dam and restore the valley to the way it was. Even if this happened, it would never be restored the way it was for many generations to come, if ever. So, just let it be.

After my short time here, I headed west to be with family and friends in the Bay Area. It was time to relax a bit, visit, and stop driving.

Postcard from Yosemite - Coming Home - Part Two

When you travel west on Tioga Road, you eventually run into the Big Oak Flat Road, which can either take you up and out of the park, or down into Yosemite Valley. As I traveled down that beautiful road towards the valley, I realized quickly that autumn was in its full glory at these lower elevations. It was stunning to see the trees and bushes in all their reds, yellows, and orange regalia. But, as I moved up the valley I could see that the Merced River was very low and the major waterfalls were either gone or barely a trickle. There is always a trade-off for those beautiful autumn colors.

While I was exploring Yosemite's High Country, I was at 8,000 to 10,000 feet. Yosemite Valley sits at about 4,500 feet. Quite a difference in elevation and a good reason why I was seeing these beautiful colors. They were everywhere, although the eastern part of the valley was well ahead of the west, where the majority of spectacular colors were most evident.

As camping in Yosemite Valley is by reservation only and most of the campgrounds were closed, I headed for Camp Curry to see if I could get a spot. At the camping reservation center, I found there was no problem getting a site and I wound up under Half Dome at the Upper North Pines Campground, although I could not see that great dome because of trees. Being a two-day expert on camping, I set up my tent in no time and headed out for some photography.

In the late afternoon, I headed up to Glacier Point, high above the south side of the valley. From here I hoped to photograph the sunset from up on high. For a while, it looked like a major disappointment, color and light-wise. But as I prepared to leave, suddenly Half Dome and Cloud's rest turned a bright pink. I snapped away happily until the light was gone, then headed back to my camp in the valley.

The next day, after a comparatively warm night in my tent, I got up and spent the rest of the day photographing autumn scenery in and around the valley. It turned out nicely as found plenty of still water in the Merced River to record reflections, including reflections of El Capitan and the major domes.

Finally, towards the end of the day, I drove over to Camp Curry to make use of their free public showers. It felt so good to be clean and shaven again after four days in the wilderness. You can take the boy out of the city, but...

I will always be drawn back to Yosemite because of my roots. It is a special place in my heart and soul... and still one of the most beautiful places on this planet. If you have never been there, know that no picture by any photographer, past or present, can replace actually going there. It is more than a place...it is a feeling.

The photographs you see are of the pink light at Half Dome from Glacier Point, the Yosemite Chapel, and autumn trees looking up at a non-existent Yosemite Falls.

The next morning, I broke camp and began the first steps of the next part of my journey. After some quick photographic stops along the way, I headed west towards Oakland and a warm clean bed. But, before leaving Yosemite completely behind me, I decided to visit one other place in the park that I had not seen in over 40 years...a place that makes me a little sad, but still an important place, especially for many residents of the San Francisco Bay Area...the place known as Hetch Hetchy Valley. Stay tuned...