Thursday, November 25, 2004
Glorious Photographs
I not only enjoy taking pictures, and showing them, but I enjoy the productive efforts of others, and today I was directed toward a link which showed the most amazing pictures of northern lights (aurora borealis) that I believe I've ever seen. Click on the above link to go see them for yourself---you'll be glad. Be sure to follow the links (at the bottom of that page) to the other pictures thereby linked for some of the most awesome cloud pictures anywhere. Terrific!
I not only enjoy taking pictures, and showing them, but I enjoy the productive efforts of others, and today I was directed toward a link which showed the most amazing pictures of northern lights (aurora borealis) that I believe I've ever seen. Click on the above link to go see them for yourself---you'll be glad. Be sure to follow the links (at the bottom of that page) to the other pictures thereby linked for some of the most awesome cloud pictures anywhere. Terrific!
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Oak Flat Hike:
This was my first outing with a dedicated hiking group. This campground offers one nearly every morning. The "Monday morning" group is somewhat renowned for taking on tougher hikes. I didn't know this... I gathered something was amiss, however, when I took a look at the other four hikers. Each older than me, perhaps by 5-15 years, there was no mistaking that these were fit folks. Around America, one sees obesity nearly every place you look. Not here.
Oh well, I thought. I can hike. We parked our car at about 3500 feet, and set out. These folks talk, but they do it WHILE they hike, not on "breather" breaks. (There aren't any!) We walked off like gazelles, up and down hillls. (I can hold my own going DOWN a hill...) Whilst ascending however, I found it somewhat difficult to walk and talk simultaneously...
We ended up at fairly spectacular Devil's Canyon. No easy way down, so we're content to look out over it. All columnar rock formations forming fairly sheer walls which dwarf us. The sky is overcast, the scene somewhat dark, and the wind is stiff and fairly cold (I have no trouble being cold while ascending....)
It's a good group: no big/fast/steady/incessant talkers (you know the type), and folks seem both congenial and forgiving when I "must" stop in order to take several pictures. We stop for lunch, and it commences raining (now when's the last time this happened to you in Arizona?!!) But we're all prepared, if a bit cold. 6 miles, and I find myself not-too-tired at the end. I'm somewhat pleased, but some of these guys have hiked the Grand Canyon (up and down on a single day!) I'm told by one of the fellows that one of the gals has a reputation for occasionally taking off like a streak---nobody, not even young men, can catch up when she has a "streak" going on... Glad I didn't have to try to compete with that!
This was my first outing with a dedicated hiking group. This campground offers one nearly every morning. The "Monday morning" group is somewhat renowned for taking on tougher hikes. I didn't know this... I gathered something was amiss, however, when I took a look at the other four hikers. Each older than me, perhaps by 5-15 years, there was no mistaking that these were fit folks. Around America, one sees obesity nearly every place you look. Not here.
Oh well, I thought. I can hike. We parked our car at about 3500 feet, and set out. These folks talk, but they do it WHILE they hike, not on "breather" breaks. (There aren't any!) We walked off like gazelles, up and down hillls. (I can hold my own going DOWN a hill...) Whilst ascending however, I found it somewhat difficult to walk and talk simultaneously...
We ended up at fairly spectacular Devil's Canyon. No easy way down, so we're content to look out over it. All columnar rock formations forming fairly sheer walls which dwarf us. The sky is overcast, the scene somewhat dark, and the wind is stiff and fairly cold (I have no trouble being cold while ascending....)
It's a good group: no big/fast/steady/incessant talkers (you know the type), and folks seem both congenial and forgiving when I "must" stop in order to take several pictures. We stop for lunch, and it commences raining (now when's the last time this happened to you in Arizona?!!) But we're all prepared, if a bit cold. 6 miles, and I find myself not-too-tired at the end. I'm somewhat pleased, but some of these guys have hiked the Grand Canyon (up and down on a single day!) I'm told by one of the fellows that one of the gals has a reputation for occasionally taking off like a streak---nobody, not even young men, can catch up when she has a "streak" going on... Glad I didn't have to try to compete with that!
Monday, November 08, 2004
Picasa's website 
Mr P ringing the windchimes
Sunday, November 07, 2004
Arizona Update
We took a hike the other day: Black Mesa Loop, starting just north of Lost Dutchman State Park. One couldn't have asked for a better day: all brilliant sky, warm sun, fair temperatures, and a cooling breeze, which made trekking just right. One starts out in a parking lot (not free, alas!) and drops quickly into a canyon, rising later through several washes and onto a plateau which looks mightily like the caldera of a very old volcano (?). Lots of lava flows around, and funny black stones. We even came upon a tiny basin still holding water. I would have liked to have been there at sunset to see if the creatures came for sippin'
4 hours, and it was relatively easy. I always come away wondering why we don't make it out into the desert with more regularity. "After all, it's what we're here for," in one real sense. Those big bluffs, distant mountains, cacti, narrow paths and big vistas: I am awe-inspired, and the "worries" of the world always are less---a feeling which lasts for a day or two until the regularities of everyday life erode it away.
click here to see images: black mesa loop trail
We took a hike the other day: Black Mesa Loop, starting just north of Lost Dutchman State Park. One couldn't have asked for a better day: all brilliant sky, warm sun, fair temperatures, and a cooling breeze, which made trekking just right. One starts out in a parking lot (not free, alas!) and drops quickly into a canyon, rising later through several washes and onto a plateau which looks mightily like the caldera of a very old volcano (?). Lots of lava flows around, and funny black stones. We even came upon a tiny basin still holding water. I would have liked to have been there at sunset to see if the creatures came for sippin'
4 hours, and it was relatively easy. I always come away wondering why we don't make it out into the desert with more regularity. "After all, it's what we're here for," in one real sense. Those big bluffs, distant mountains, cacti, narrow paths and big vistas: I am awe-inspired, and the "worries" of the world always are less---a feeling which lasts for a day or two until the regularities of everyday life erode it away.
click here to see images: black mesa loop trail
