Reflex Images

Haleakala

2011-01-17T16:27:00.000-08:00

I don't remember what day it was - it being vacation and all - but Tom, Meg, Jenny and I decided to take a day trip to Haleakala, the large mountain on the eastern side of the island. On our way there, we stopped at an overlook to view the whales. We saw some spray and splashes which would seem to indicate that there were large mammals out there somewhere.
Near the top of the mountain, there was short walk to view the crater. It was quite impressive. The clouds were floating past us a few hundred feet below us which give us a pretty clear view of the mountains on the big island.
Hey Jenny. Where is the Haleakala Crater? Any body else notice that Jenny is cold even in Maui?
I needed to commemorate the first time I was above 10,000 feet. We topped out at 10,023 feet. I kind of wish I had some pants.
Silver Sword grows only on Maui, or so I understand. The parking lot at the top had a lot of them in various stages of its lifespan.

Stay tuned.

Maui Sunset

2011-01-14T14:34:00.000-08:00

Let's start with a sunset from the southern coast of Maui. There weren't many evenings that presented a good sunset. It was either too cloudy or not cloudy enough. This evening was perfect.

The island on the horizon is Lana'i while the darker piece of land is the western end of Maui.

There are more coming. Stay tuned.

Some of my Favorites

2010-04-01T13:03:00.000-07:00

Alaska Part 3

2009-11-03T17:11:00.000-08:00

The last of the Alaska pictures that I will put up:

On our day off - not paddling - we hiked about a mile in to a gold dredge. There was a self-guided tour that took us all over the boat. It was cool to see how things were done. Many of the tools for the operation were left on the boat when mining stopped.
The above picture is the pilot house of the dredge. Each of these levers did something. One was for forward another back. The pilot would stand behind these levers and watch the buckets dig the dirt and mud - and hopefully gold - and carry it to the back part of the dredge where everything was sorted and the gold kept while the rest was deposited out the back.
After our walk to the dredge - and short naps - we took another short walk, this time down the river. I don't know what this thing is on the bank, but it's not important.
When I was living with Kristen and Sam, my favorite reading material was the book "Outhouses of Alaska." This was the one at Slavens Roadhouse. It didn't make it into the book but I think the birches in the foreground make it look picturesque.

That's it of the good Alaska pictures. I have been pretty busy with the new house and haven't gotten to take many pictures lately. However, I am hoping to have pictures of the new place soon to add to the blog.

Fall in Alaska

2009-10-02T15:53:00.000-07:00

Fall in Alaska. It comes early there - the end of August. It was great to see the birches and spruces change from green to yellow on our trip. These are four pictures from our time spent at Slavens Roadhouse and on our hike to the gold dredge.

At least one more set of pictures to come. Stay tuned.

Yukon River

2009-09-30T13:18:00.001-07:00

The Yukon River in Alaska. It reminded me of a long lake more than a river. We floated for about 160 miles from Eagle to Circle - about 5 days on the river with an extra spent at a road house. Here are some of the pictures. Don't let them fool you, it was a little chilly and rained a lot.

At the end of the second day, it was rainy, cold, and windy. As soon as we landed and got the raft unloaded the rain stopped and it started to clear up. This (below) was the view for dinner that night. It was a great place to see moose and other wildlife. Unfortunately, all we saw was a beaver. Not exactly the big mammal that we were looking for.
The last night was spent on a sandy beach. Plenty of firewood and marshmallows made the long-lasting sunset fantastic. The morning was foggy - at least around the campsite. We delayed our departure hoping that the fog would lift. When it did not, we set off. The sky cleared no more than 200 yards down river.
I hope you enjoyed these. There will be more pictures coming soon.

South Manitou

2009-09-08T16:47:00.000-07:00

After a little hiatus, I am back to posting on my blog here are some pictures from a trip to South Manitou that Jenny and I took with Holly and Mike right after camp this summer. The day started off cloudy and somewhat cold. However, we hiked to a shipwreck, had lunch, and then came back to climb the lighthouse. These are two pictures from the top, both looking northeast-ish.

As you can see, the water was a very pretty blue color and the clouds were retreating. This was my first time to the top of the lighthouse - despite several previous trips to the island. The structure itself is nothing spectacular, but the view is one of the top two from a lighthouse that I have climbed.
In case you want to see what the lighthouse looks like, here you go. It doesn't look very imposing from the ground, but the railing doesn't inspire too much confidence when you are up there.
The ferry ride back to the mainland was very pleasant. Naps were taken in the sunshine. We had great views of the Crib to and from the island. It is an impressive lighthouse in its own right - the cormorants love it.
South Manitou Island is one place that everyone who visits northern Michigan should go to at least once. Camping just one night allows you to explore all of the island. The National Park Service has done a good job making the area around the dock very welcoming and comfortable.

Summer

2009-06-23T09:08:00.000-07:00

I don't think that I will have anytime to post this summer - perhaps when I get some time off. Please head over to Camp Leelanau/Kohahna website to see what I am up to.

Foul Ball 2

2009-05-25T14:24:00.000-07:00

How about another picture from the RiverCats game last week? This foul ball went right over our heads. I'm glad it wasn't any lower; I didn't see it until hit off the wall behind us. All I know about the batter is that his name is Patterson and he stole 3 bases during the game, including home. It was pretty sweet.

I have looked through all of my pictures from the game and they are all very similar - pitchers pitching and batters batting. Next time I will have to mix up my shots and get some of the other players. When's the next game?

Water Ribbons

2009-05-23T15:48:00.000-07:00

Second post today. This is a shot of Lower North Falls in Silver Falls State Park. It is my second try with Photoshop. I didn't do as much with this one as I did with the baseball.

Don't expect two per day from now on - Im just excited about my new toy!

Foul Ball

2009-05-23T13:58:00.000-07:00

My first attempt at Photoshop was somewhat successful. I have not learned much about my new toy, but I have been having fun with it. This is my second test and I like the results. This was taken at a Sacramento RiverCats game against Round Rock. I don't know this guys name or what happened during his at bat - other than this foul ball.

I will be playing around with my new program a lot in the coming days in an attempt to get to know it before I head off to camp. Look for more - from the game and other places - soon.

Cabin Pictures Part 2

2009-05-04T10:11:00.001-07:00

The water was high, fast, and cold. Somehow I made it across safely to the island. I was happy when I got there, until realized that I had to get back. While waiting for my feet and legs to thaw, I took some pictures. Here are some that I like.

Look at how close the water is to the rope in this first picture. The rope is on the far right. Usually when I'm at the cabin, people that want to swing on the rope have to stretch to grab it. If I was tough enough to swim over there, I probably would have been able to hit the knot at the bottom with my head.

Along with being cold, the water was crystal clear and a pretty lime green color. The reflections in the water were very pretty and I tried to capture that in this photo.

Jenny and I went to the cabin again this past weekend with Amy. We were there for maybe an hour - just enough time to take some more pictures, see that the water is even higher than it was in these pictures, and take a short nap. Look for those pictures some time soon.

Cabin Pictures

2009-04-20T13:02:00.000-07:00

We had wonderful weather during our trip to the Washougal on Saturday. The water was high and very cold. The leaves were starting to come out on all of the trees and the island was small compared to its summer size.

Here are some of the pictures from around the cabin. The first one is the perplexing for sale sign at the gate pointing to the cabin. The last is of the new orange cabin on the lane. It looks much more orange in the picture. It really is a light brown color due to the stain the put on it.

People in Anza-Borrego

2009-03-25T09:14:00.000-07:00

Here are the last of the pictures from Anza-Borrego. I wasn't there by myself as the other would imply.

The first is of our return to the car after hiking in the Palo Verde wash. We were on the lookout for the trail that would take us to an abandoned mine and found it shortly after this picture was taken. In case you are wondering, that is an ocotillo cactus by Meg.

Sure, the Stallard family likes to hike and explore when on vacation. However, there is also a lot of down time reading and relaxing in the sun. This relaxing doesn't take place only near the pool. Here are Jenny, Tom, and Meg enjoying the shade while Dave, Tim, and Bob explored further up a slot canyon.
Ever want to know how big a Joshua Tree is? Find Jenny (not too hard) and do your estimates. When we were in Joshua Tree National Park, we were looking for the biggest Joshua tree that Dave had ever seen - he had shown us the picture earlier. We thought that this might be it, but alas it was not. Still, it's pretty big.
On our last day, we went on a hike to another slot canyon. It got tight in a couple of places. Here are some other shots and more explanations of how tight the canyons were.

So that's it for Anza-Borrego. I will get some other shots up soon. Spring is here - technically - and summer is coming soon. I'll have more time and better weather to go out in the future.

Squirrel Encounter

2009-03-18T12:51:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, we had a beautiful day and the squirrels were out in force around the capitol. This one was getting pretty friendly, but once he realized I had no food for him, he chirped, turned tail, and took off for the nearest tree.

I hope that this brightens you day just a little.

Joshua Trees in Joshua Tree

2009-03-12T10:28:00.000-07:00

My last post showed some of the rocks in Joshua Tree National Park. While the rocks there are famous and lot of fun to climb, the national park was not named for them. Instead, in case you didn't know, the park was named for the funny looking trees that grow there. Here are some.

I tell ya, the Mormons sure are adventurous. I'm not sure when they made their way to this area, but they were the ones that named the trees Joshua Trees. Evidently the trees reminded these people of Joshua raising his arms to God. Sure, I guess I see that.
These trees have a few other historical names and one of them is more descriptive - Spanish bayonet. The leaves are very long and sharp along the sides and at the tip. When I hear Joshua, I tend to think of something that is welcoming and personable. However, Spanish bayonet seems less friendly for some reason. Perhaps if this name stuck the park would not be as popular.
Somehow I think that the park would survive with a different name. Pictures are nice, but being there is something else completely! Seeing the trees stretch from horizon to horizon is amazing. They are absolutely amazing and hilarious at the same time.
Dr. Seuss was right to use these trees as inspiration for the trees in the Lorax. They seem like something that has come to live out of one of his stories.

Rocks in Joshua Tree

2009-03-02T13:26:00.000-08:00

Anza-Borrego is relatively close to Joshua Tree and since Jenny and I had never been there, we decided to take a day trip to see the funny trees. While I am not posting any trees this time, I will in the future.

As Dave knows, Joshua Tree is a popular place for rock climbers and while I didn't get any pictures of people scaling vertical wall faces, I did take some of smaller rocks. The one above was at a pull out when we spotted our first Joshua tree. The small plant in front is a young Joshua tree, so I guess I did post one tree.
This arch was a pleasant surprise. We climbed under it and I was a little nervous about that large boulder wedged against the arch. The left side (in the picture) seems to defy gravity by hanging up in the air. I quickly scrambled up and under but still didn't feel safe on that side because of the other boulders behind it.

Near this spot, a dad was teaching this two kids to climb. We could clearly hear his instructions. It seemed to be an easy wall to climb, but then again, I was watching, not doing.

We ate our lunch surrounded by rock climbers - so we had some entertainment. Conversations on the top of the rocks were easy to hear in this little valley. The most entertaining part while watching was the repel off the top. One lady was a little timid about coming down, I guess but I would be as well.

Slot Canyons

2009-02-22T15:27:00.000-08:00

Two months later...

The first three pictures are of a slot canyon along the Calcite Mine trail. A little trail off to the side took us through this canyon. The guidebook instructed us to stop when we came to a small wall, but a few adventurous souls decided to continue further while the others relaxed and enjoyed some cookies.

the one below is upstream from the small wall just before the canyon widened - and became less interesting.
While walking through the canyon, I was reminded of a trip to Wisconsin Dells many years ago when I was but a wee lad. On a Duck Tour, my family and I got off to visit a canyon called "Fat Man's Misery" (or something like that. Perhaps "Fat Man's Nightmare.") I don't remember just how wide that was, but I don't think a large person would be very happy in some parts of these canyons.
the one below was explored on our last full day in Anza-Borrego. I'm not sure the name of the trail - it's not important - but it was very popular with both hikers and off-roaders. Before we entered the canyon, we encountered some mean looking VW Beetles ready for some serious rock climbing. The people attending the vehicles were nice enough but a little perplexed as to why we would be hiking when we could be in an ORV. I had a similar question for them and the beer.
I hope you enjoyed this journey down - actually up - the slot canyons visited this year. I have some more pictures that I will put up; those will show that I didn't go on this trip by myself.

Silver Falls State Park

2009-02-14T12:29:00.000-08:00

I love waterfalls. I love Silver Falls State Park. It is located about 45 minutes east of Salem and feels like it is in the middle of nowhere - at least until it is over run by visitors in the spring and summer. Last weekend was very nice and there were very few people on the trail - relatively.

These two are of the same fall - Lower North - from different sides of the stream. The trail goes behind the fall where you get a little shower and hear the thud of the water on the rock just below. The picture below seems a little hazy because there is a lot of mist thrown up in the air. I was about 200 yards away from the falls when I took this shot and had a hard time keeping the lens from fogging up and getting some moisture on it. It's hard to be me sometimes!
So these waterfalls are not included in the count for the Trail of Ten Falls, but they are still nice and I enjoy them. Sometimes the smaller ones are nice as well.
I was not far off the trail here (in fact I could have used the bridge over this little stream as a foot rest) and many people passed by without noticing me. How do I know? I scared them when I said hello. Entertainment for all.
Hope you enjoyed the falls. Stay tuned for more pictures from the desert.

Desert Waterfalls

2009-01-16T21:21:00.000-08:00

At last some pictures from the trip to the desert!

The first day out, we went on a little hike to stretch the legs and start to enjoy our surroundings. About halfway up the canyon that we were hiking, a little stream showed up. Evidently a young lady in the group ahead of us was taken completely by surprise and was not use to fording very shallow streams - she ignored the stick, slipped on a rock, and fell on her backside. Her shocked shriek was barely audible over her companions' - and I'll admit, my own - laughter.

The hike was pretty easy and we were able to take our time and enjoy the views. It turned out that there were a lot of small waterfalls as we followed the stream.

As we neared the palm oasis (our destination), the stream widened and the vegetation was more spread out. Meg and Tom put up with my photo side trips and Jenny had some people to talk to while she waited.

We turned around at the palm oasis which - as you have probably guessed - was an oasis with a bunch of palm trees. It was a good spot for a break and many people were eating lunch and taking a break. Most were on the large boulders that were there, but others were hidden behind rocks, bushes, and I saw one young lady in a bush.

There were many opportunities for photos and many interesting - yes, interesting - sights. Unfortunately, I was not quick enough to get a shot of a roadrunner and the only coyotes that came near showed up at about 4 o'clock one morning and started howling. I have some more pictures to share but I thought I would post what you expect to see in the desert.

Please Stand By

2009-01-08T13:33:00.001-08:00

My computer is malfunctioning - I will not be able to add any pictures until it is fixed. I have many that I want to share from this past holiday period.

Back at It

2008-12-12T13:07:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the latest shots. I went out to Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge on a chilly, foggy day.The first stop was at a great place to watch the water fowl, if it isn't foggy. I could hear them making noise but couldn't see fifty yards from the parking lot. Instead I stayed focused on the area right around the lot which was filled with spider webs and dew. The above picture is of a fencepost and spider web. I was happy to get the shot between gusts of wind to keep it in focus.
I then headed to a short trail through the woods. I had been here before and knew what to expect and where some of the other promising spots would be. I was amazed at a couple of places where the trees would disappear into the fog. These two pictures don't quite capture the claustrophobic feeling that I had throughout the morning. I was never sure exactly what was twenty yards ahead.
The woulds open up a little at the top of the hill and it was very mysterious and quite shocking. The deer also seemed to appreciate this area. I came across 8 of them lying down and grazing in this part of the trail. In all I saw 13 deer during my hike. They were quite peaceful and I was able to get to within 10 feet of one before it slowly walked off the trail.

They foggy, damp, chilly pictures are nice, but I am ready for some cold and snowy shot followed by desert scenes.

Sunny Saturday

2008-11-19T13:21:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we were able to enjoy some very nice weather. The sun forced it's way through the clouds and it warmed up very nicely. It was a perfect time for me to head to the parks on either side of the Willamette.
I started out at River Front Park on the east side and took most of my pictures there. The park was busy with families playing and people walking and running. The early morning fishermen were just finishing when I showed up - they did not appear to be successful. The above picture is of one of the abandoned factories or warehouses right next to the park. This gate was an entrance to the parking lot right from the park. Evidentially the buildings have been empty for quite some time - perhaps since before the park was established.
This is on the west side of the river in Wallace Marine Park. There is a large parking lot by the boat ramp which is separated from the main park by the old train tracks in the background. The tracks and the bridge over the river are being fixed, hence the orange fence.

Last Touches of Fall

2008-11-07T20:20:00.001-08:00

Mill Creek has many places at which you can take some good pictures. These were taken just across the street from our place. Unfortunately there is no good access to the stream without climbing over a small hand rail by the sidewalk. I was not feeling too adventurous last weekend and it was starting to rain.
The backyards of the houses on the opposite border the creek and most of them have built a retaining wall. However, the outside of the turn has been left unchanged and is rather extraordinary. At this point, the creek is about 25 feet below the sidewalk and a foot bridge.
I really wanted to get closer to the water right by the bridge, but it wasn't very safe on one side and the other was private property. Some day I will have to drop down further upstream and walk to where I want to be. Hopefully I won't get too wet on the way.

Behold the Beast

2008-11-03T12:19:00.000-08:00

Here are three pictures of the beast that attacked me the last time I made my way out to Mill Creek.

Here is a view where you can see the full size of the monster. BIG!

In the Flow Part II

2008-10-15T12:39:00.000-07:00

As requested, here are some more pictures from my outing at Mill Creek. This is part 2 of 3 or perhaps 4. I have gone back to this spot a few times within the past couple of weeks.
My last outing surprised me. I had been gone for only one week but the water had dropped about 4 inches. I was under the assumption that since it had been raining quite often that the water would have remained about the same.
Also, I was attacked by a large crawfish, crayfish, crawdad, crustacean during my last visit. I looked down when changing spots and noticed the monster. At first I saw only one claw coming at me. Then the anttenae were whipping me in the face.
It grabbed a hold of my pants and was trying to drag me under the boulder that it called home but I was somehow able to reach the riverbank and hold on to a root. I grabbed my tripod with my other hand and started swatting at the beast. After a couple of good swats the thing let go and I was able to struggle ashore.
I decided to leave the area for safety and moved downstream about a hundred yards. I snapped off a couple more shots and was startled by movement in the water again. Another beast emerged from the depths and I was out of there!
Safe at home I realized that I was able to get off a couple of shots of the animal - while beating it off. In everyone of them the shaking of my hands is very evident and you can see death and hunger in it's eyes.

Perhaps I will post those some day. (My nightmares must end first.)

In the Flow

2008-10-05T20:21:00.000-07:00

This weekend I spent both Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon at Mill Creek. There are many branches of said creek and many places to get down to it. This area was right by one of the high schools and there are apartments on the other side. On Saturday morning, the sun was out and the residents were mostly still sleeping. On Sunday, they were all aware enjoying the rainy weather. It wasn't quite as peaceful or quiet. I have to admit that this is probably my favorite spot in Salem now.

The leaves are starting to change, have fallen in to the water, and have been caught by the rocks. In one place the leaves created a small dam that the water piled up behind and then flowed over the leaves instead of washing them downstream. This is definitely a place to return to in the future.

Go Brew Crew

2008-09-28T20:11:00.001-07:00

A tip of the hat and the Martinelli's bottle to the Brew Crew!!!

I finally will get to remember and enjoy a playoff series in Milwaukee! How much for tickets?! (Just kidding, unless they make it to the World Series.)

Morning Darkness

2008-09-23T19:56:00.001-07:00

So I got up early last Saturday. If you don't believe me, just look at the pictures below. I don't like the fact that it is staying dark later in the morning, but it is nice that I don't have to get up quite as early to go take pictures.

This one was taken on my way to my destination. It was intended to just be a quick couple of pictures to get my "bearings," but it turned out to be one of my favorite pictures that I took that morning.

The capitol mall has lots of benches to sit and enjoy the weather when it is nice. I love the lights around the mall and have photographed them on a couple of occasions. The deep blue of the sky that is showing through the trees are the best part of this photo for me.

Saturday Morning Flowers

2008-09-15T12:13:00.000-07:00

Here are two pictures that were taken early on Saturday. It was a hazardous walk to get there.There is a small park in downtown Salem with a couple of streams flowing through which are frequented by ducks.

I have some pictures of the ducks, but today you get flowers.

Opal Creek

2008-08-27T12:23:00.000-07:00

Jenny and I had a great trip out to Opal Creek this past weekend. We intended to walk up the creek but the water was painfully cold and we decided against it. We enjoyed the hike and spent a good deal of time there. The above photo was taken at our first stop where we decided it was too cold. As you can see, the water is crystal clear. It was much higher than it was the past times that we have gone and the waterfalls were more impressive.

The above picture is of one of the small falls that are all along the road leading to Jawbone Flats. This is at my favorite spot along the road. A small stream flows its way through and around large trees and rocks. It is about 10 degrees cooler right by the falls than it is on the road.

These falls are just above Opal Pool. We sat on logs for our lunch and watched the tougher people dip in the pool. I had a scare when my lens hood and polarizer fell off my camera and into the water. Luckily I was able to grab them before they got away and I was very grateful that my camera was not the victim.

Return from Sunriver

2008-08-25T20:00:00.000-07:00

Jenny and I went to Sunriver, OR a couple of weeks ago to volunteer at the Jeld-Wen Tradition golf tournament. We took the scenic route and made a few stops along the way. The first trip was at Lava River Cave. This is cave that was formed by lava flowing underground. Now that the lava is gone, it is much safer for people to explore the nearly mile long cave. Despite the outside temperature being near 100, it was a balmy 40 in the cave - and very dark. Don't believe me? Look at this:

After leaving the cave, we took the long way (as mentioned above). A magazine that we had suggested the side trip that we took with lots of possible stops along the way. One of the stops was at a place called Proxy Falls. As we got out of the car, the thunder started and we got a little worried. However, the rain held off and we got to visit the fantastic falls.

First, South Falls:

Next, a close up of the base of South Falls. Sorry, no pictures of North Falls on this post.

Manassas Battlefield

2008-08-10T21:39:00.000-07:00

We enjoy our Civil War history and were able to take a day trip out to Manassas Battlefield Park. It is only about 30 miles outside of D.C., so it was a very short and easy trip.

It is very different from Gettysburg in that there are not nearly as many people, it is not a expansive, and there are very few monuments. The largest and most prominent is Stonewall Jackson. This picture looks like the Confederate cannon is pointed right at Stonewall on his horse, but it is not, I don't think. If it is, they aren't firing.

Yes, Jenny was with me. Here's the proof.

There was a Stone House on the battlefield grounds - that was used as a hospital. Here Jenny is sitting on a stone bridge that was rebuilt after it washed away, which was a replacement for a stone bridge of which the middle was destroyed by the Confederates and was then burned after the Union troops retreated. In other words, this is a replica of a replacement of the bridge that was burned after the battle whose middle section was destroyed before the battle. Confused? Me too. I don't think I have my facts right. But trust me, this is not the original bridge, or even the original replacement.

Washington D.C.

2008-08-02T18:38:00.000-07:00

I have a lot of pictures from our trip to DC but I wanted to get this one up right away. This is the WWII Monument looking across the reflecting pool towards the Lincoln Memorial. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Yellow Flowers

2008-07-13T09:12:00.000-07:00

I was going through my pictures and realized that I have a lot of pictures of yellow flowers. Perhaps I have a subconscious affinity towards yellow that I am not aware of. Perhaps Salem has a lot of yellow flowers. Either way, I have lots of yellow flower pictures. Here are a few.

These two are from the Capitol Mall. There were lots of yellow flowers here, but to be fair, the majority of the flowers were pink and white. I like those too. Perhaps I have an affinity for pink and yellow.

These are from a park in West Salem. I like the park enough to go in the morning and back in the evening. The only down-side was that I crushed a large slug with my elbow in the evening. It was squishy and gooey and sticky and somewhat gross. (Sorry, I don't have any pictures of the slug.)

I have more pictures of flowers (yellow, pink, and other colors). But I think I'll limit this post to these three. Gotta keep your interest peaked.

Cascades Gateway Park

2008-07-06T16:46:00.000-07:00

I went out to this park in Salem a couple of weeks ago. There are a couple of lakes and a little stream running through it. One of the lakes - actually a man-made pond - was very popular with early morning fishermen and an osprey. There were many places to get some good shots, but many more were ruined because of the large amount of litter around. However, I was able to have some fun there.

Most of the good spot were off the main trail and a little bushwhacking was needed in a couple of places. These pictures were taken when the stream was high and flowing pretty quickly.

The roots of the trees were showing above the ground close to the water. After taking some shots of the stream, I tilted my camera down to capture this. I liked the roots flowing over the little rocks, the moss growing on the roots, and the roots being worn away in some spots.

This was my last stop here. It took some serious winding around and I took a few small branches and spider webs to the face. I was impressed with the roots on the far side flowing along with the water. The sun shining through the trees upstream made for a very calm and peaceful scene, despite the rapids just out of the shot to the left.

Alaska Part V

2008-06-07T16:20:00.000-07:00

A few last pictures of the Seward and Anchorage part of our trip.

We hiked the Two Lakes Trail in Seward mostly because it was one of the few that was open and not completely covered with snow and/or ice. We were told to be on the look out for bears and moose. Unfortunately we did not see anything bigger than a squirrel.

Half way around the loop we came to a tall waterfall. This picture is just part of the whole, but the fall was a series of these smaller ones. It was definitely one of the coolest waterfalls that I have ever seen. If I had to guess, I would say that the entire fall was close to 200 feet tall.

This was our last sunset in Anchorage - and, actually, our first. We took a walk along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail at about 1100 pm.

The last thing that we did before our flight to Fairbanks was to take a hike on the south side of the town. I am not sure the name of the trail, but it provide us with views of downtown Anchorage and the mountains beyond. We crossed over a small river with snow banks hanging over.
On our way back to the car, we heard a large rustling in the bushes around a turn in the trail. We were relieved to see that it was only two moose. However, being about 15 yards away from them was quite exciting.

OK, I'll leave our Alaska trip for a while. I'll share some pictures from around here.

Alaska Part IV

2008-06-01T21:07:00.000-07:00

Time for a couple more pictures than usual. The first one is of a bald eagle that was perched in a spruce along the side of the road in Seward. It was a little too far to be captured with my lens, so Jenny held the binoculars so that I could zoom in a little closer. This is the best that I could do - still a little fuzzy.

This is our first moose in Seward. We were heading back to our room after a short trip to a beach. Across the street from the Safeway this young guy was just chillin' between the tracks.

The next day we saw another at the end of the road that our B&B was on. This one was enjoying a mid-afternoon snack along a creek that had overflowed its banks. She was not being very cooperative. Every time I tried to get the picture, she moved to have her backside pointing at me - not her best side! We were pretty close (but safe in the car) and could see that she was still pretty young. (I like to think that I'm the moose expert in the family and since she was small, she was young.)

Ever wonder what the harbor/marina in Seward looks like? (What's the difference?) Well wonder no longer. Here it is, my friends. (There's more of it, but that part is boring - boats and stuff.)

Ever wonder what Jenny does while I'm taking all of these fantastic photos? Well wonder no longer, my friends! She looks the other way contemplating life (or reading a magazine).

This is on the breakwater for the Seward harbor/marina. The darker clouds are outside of the fjord where the glacier cruise would have gone if it had gone. Since it did go...

...we headed to Exit Glacier. Unfortunately it was still very snowy and the road to the visitor center was closed. However, we were able to get some views of the glacier, just not up close. If you can't find the glacier in the picture, look for the snow in the middle. Still can't? There appears to be a "V" in between the hills on both sides of the picture. The "V" is cravases on the glacier.

I hope you have enjoyed this weekend's post. More to come!

Alaska Part III

2008-05-27T09:48:00.000-07:00

On our way to Seward, we stopped at Whittier, a town that is very isolated. The only way to reach the town is via boat or through the one-lane tunnel pictured below. The cars and trains share the tunnel. Every half hour the direction is reversed - plan accordingly.

Whittier is very mush a town that is built around fishing and industry. The entire population of Whittier seems to live in one building above the police and fire department. Evidently it was a pretty big base during WWII. There are some old barracks above the town that look like they were abandoned shortly after the war. Now the cruise ships come in here and people can then take the Alaska Railroad to other places in AK.

All around town there are old fishing boats and cranes along the water. It was a sad little town while we were there - rainy, windy, and very few people. I am sure that the summer months bring a lot of people from the cruise ships and railroad.

It was a short little side trip but we enjoyed our time in Whittier and on our way there.

On the Way to Seward

2008-05-22T20:53:00.000-07:00

So I am finally sitting down to go through and select pictures for some updates.

We'll start with the first day that we were there. We drove down to Seward from Anchorage. The first part of the trip was along the coast and, as you can see, we had some great views of the mountains coming right out of the water and disappearing in the clouds. The tracks of the Alaska Railroad ran parallel to the road at this time as well. It was unfortunate that it was not running yet. We would have liked to enjoy the ride on the rails.

I hope that you enjoy the pictures. More to come!!

Alaska Part I

2008-05-11T16:08:00.001-07:00

Here are the first couple pictures from our trip to Alaska.

The first one is a little hide and seek, but not very hard. On our biking trip to Sable Pass in Denali National Park, we were greeted by these funny little ptarmigans along the road. The males had funny little orange eyebrows that made it easy to spot them, once they made some noise.

Below are some moose. We saw lots. We saw one or two a little closer than we wanted, but for the most part we were able to enjoy and laugh at them.
Evidently - according to our trusty guide - it is rare to see a mom with two calves that have survived. One of these two could have a difficult time later because it did not want to get it's feet wet and jumped over the little stream that they were feeding by.

Alright, I give you one landscape picture. This was our last night in Anchorage at about 1100 at night. Yes, the sun is still up.

Brush College Park

2008-04-27T18:37:00.000-07:00

This weekend was spent exploring Brush College Park in West Salem. I had spent a few lunch times in the parking lot the past year but had never ventured far. This weekend was the first time that I took the opportunity and I was pleasantly surprised! I had assumed that it was only a small open area with playground equipment but was delighted when I found paths through the trees and a small creek flowing through.

Here are some of the highlights from the morning.

The water in the creek was cloudy and I was able to create a smoky look. This was a nice effect when I got back and looked at them on the computer.

I had so much fun in the morning that I had to return in the evening. The light was not as nice but I still was able to get some good pictures. And despite crushing a banana slug with my elbow, I had a good time.

Mexico at New Years

2008-04-20T20:37:00.000-07:00

So here are some pictures from our Mexico trip over new years. They remind me of warmer times and warmer climes - well, a little warmer.

I like this picture because to me it a typical desert scene - small stream of water, bright sun, cacti. Add a lizard or snake and you have it all.
We made a stop - on our way to San Javier Mission - to see some cave paintings. This little stream flowed into a large, crystal clear pool. Up stream of this particular spot was an oasis with palm trees and other water plants.

Toward the end of the trip we took a day trip north to Bahia Conception. We wanted to kayak or do some other water sport but ended up just sitting on the beach eating lunch. However, it was a beautiful day.
This was taken on the side of the road just after we reached the south end of the bay. The saguaro went right down to the water's edge creating a very dramatic contrast between the green of the cacti and the deep blue of the water.

Saturday Morning

2008-04-13T18:23:00.001-07:00

This was the first weekend of NICE weather. I took advantage on Saturday by getting out early.

These first two pictures are from an open area behind the Oregon State Hospital in Salem. It a huge open space with a baseball field and lots of trees. The morning was still a little chilly and the grass had some dew on it. (Interesting tidbit - the main building of the OSH was where the movie "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" was filmed.)

This last picture is of a swing set (obviously) at Englewood Park. Trees create a canopy that limits the amount of light that comes through, so it is actually quite dark at the park. I had the place to myself this early on a Saturday morning, which was good. I spent a lot of the time rolling, crawling, and kneeling on the wood chips and wet grass.

I went to Baskett Slough NWR in the evening but I'm saving those for a later post. It is easy to want to get outside when it is like it was this weekend.

Coastal Trip

2008-04-06T18:16:00.000-07:00

Haceta Head Lighthouse is one of the most famous/pictured lighthouses on the west coast. We had never made it far enough south on the coast to see it. However, it was worth the trip to Florence to see what is now my favorite lighthouse that we have visited.

The lighthouse itself is on the left of the picture while the lighthouse keeper's house is on the right. The house is now a bed and breakfast and has a beautiful lawn that hosts many weddings and other special occasions. I took this picture from an overlook a few miles down the road. We stopped to see the lighthouse and were treated to a couple of whales. OK, so we didn't see the whales themselves, just the spray.

This picture was taken on the rocks in Depoe Bay. Jenny and I enjoy this little town on the coast and did a little exploring this year. There were a bunch of fishermen on the rocks to the left. To the left, the water was calm but the ocean on the right had large waves that were crashing all along the rocks to our right.

Waterfalls

2008-03-29T10:52:00.000-07:00

These waterfalls are part of the Opal Creek Ancient Forest just east of Salem. The first is of a small stream that flows into the Little North Santiam River, south of Jawbone Flats. The second is of Opal Creek as it flows into Opal Pool.

This is one of my favorite places to shoot. I love the crystal clear water of the river and the streams running through the old growth forest. The water is a beautiful lime green from the trail into Jawbone Flats. The "town" itself is also a lot of fun to photograph, especially the old mining equipment throughout.

This last one is South Falls in Silver Falls State Park, another favorite spot. The Trail of 10 falls is very popular and each of the falls on the trail is very different. Some can be walked behind while others are dry half the year. The stream running through the park is pretty and the light creates good shadows on the water.