Can I share a silly photography trick I made up? Maybe there are better solutions, but I like the results. For examples, let's look at results from Alcatraz (where criminals lost privileges), and the Paley Center in Beverly Hills (where the privileged sometimes get lost or turn criminal). The trick: When in a hurry … Continue reading No Pane, Know Gain
Tree Dedication
Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragements, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak. ~ Thomas Carlyle Happy Wednesday, Campers. Here's to those who persevere! (Especially when they feel burnt out, isolated, or are barely hanging on.)
Petroglyph National Monument
If you are ever passing through Albuquerque, New Mexico with a few hours to kill and the urge to hike, try Petroglyph National Monument. There are several trails of varying difficulty (primarily due to their length), and... Aw, who am I kidding? The reason to go to Petroglyph is to see petroglyphs: There. Now where … Continue reading Petroglyph National Monument
Death Valley Day Trip
In a post about Leadfield, there are written directions about the one way road, but maybe you are more of a visual learner. The above map shows the entrance to Titus Canyon Road at the top center, directly below Rhyolite (more to come about Rhyolite, but this should get you started). Other helpful hints, courtesy … Continue reading Death Valley Day Trip
Four, the Birds: Photo Bombers
In the first post about photogenic birds, I mentioned how they seem to "photo bomb" a lot of my photos. And then... maybe I got a little paranoid. Suddenly, it didn't all seem so "accidental." Why are they always there? Need some help with that third one? Here you go: Anyway, I went back through … Continue reading Four, the Birds: Photo Bombers
Learn to Burn
You're going camping. You're making a list Of what to bring, so that nothing is missed. Bring matches? You should! And an axe? You could.*** Anything you should NOT bring? DON'T. BRING. WOOD. *** Two more campground rules we need to cover For all of our self-professed tree lovers: "Buy where you burn it." Don't … Continue reading Learn to Burn
Up High & Down Low
Book Review: My Friends Call Me C.C.
My Friends Call Me C.C. by William Gardiner Hutson is a fictionalized retelling of a decade plus in the tumultuous life of Clarence Chauncey ("C.C.") Julian, starting in glamorous 1920's Los Angeles, ending with Julian's mysterious death in 1930's Shanghai, and provides the backstory to — among other historical events — the swift rise and … Continue reading Book Review: My Friends Call Me C.C.
Ghost Town: Leadfield
To reach the ghost town of Leadfield inside Death Valley National Park, take Daylight Pass Road northeast towards Nevada. In Nevada, it's renamed 374. Just outside park boundaries, go west on Titus Canyon Road, which is a one-way, unpaved road, which goes all the way through to Scotty's Castle Road. Be advised, the distance from … Continue reading Ghost Town: Leadfield
Cell Power
My cell phone rang Sunday night, a concerned friend calling for advice. His older brother vanished on Saturday, and he wanted my thoughts about how to proceed. His brother, while visiting family in Florida, met a woman and scheduled a date. His last call came while driving to the date through severe weather. After that, … Continue reading Cell Power
Campfire Tales 