August Whale Calendar

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It's August......

Have you made and printed your August Calendar yet?

Click on the photo and scroll to see all of the calendar



This was a fun photograph to make.

Rocking boat, moving pretty fast
Choppy waves...lots of vibration
Heavy overcast, shooting ISO 400
Anticipating the breach location

Nikon D200
18-200 mm Vibration Reduction Lens
1/640 sec, f/13, 200 mm focal length

After all the heat here in Texas, Alaska would be nice again.

Leave a comment and have a great August.

Troy

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Horizontal light

Late afternoon sky

One of my favorite times of the day for photography.

I really like the golden glow and the effect of horizontal light on this landscape. This photograph was taken just before we reached the town of Scottsbluff and the National Monument nearby. It had been overcast with heavy cloud cover and intermittent rain most of the afternoon. The sun bathed the landscape with golden glow as it appeared under the cloud cover and rested on the horizon. I was really lucky to get this brief glimpse of the Sun for almost perfect horizontal light.

Click on the links for more information and
be sure to click on the photo for a full page view.

Near Scotts Bluff National Monument,
Nebraska

Technical details:

I used ISO 640 which was chosen to get a larger depth of field (f/14), while still using a moderately fast shutter speed of 1/750 sec. Post processing, I then used Neat Image to remove the small amount of grain and noise induced by the higher ISO.

Notice that the eroded bluff is highlighted by the setting sun from the right, and the left side is in shadow. What is interesting is that there are no long shadows in all of the foreground. That is because the foreground is shadowed by the slope of the land blocking direct sunlight. The diffuse lighting is produced by the bright clouds just above. Serendipity and lighting is everything.

To see a photo of Saddle Rock in the Monument, go here.
It rained during the night and was still cloudy the next morning when I photographed Saddle Rock.

Don't forget to leave a comment.
Have you been there? What time of year? Did you get some good photographs?
Have you been to places with similar topography and geology?
Again........ leave a comment for other inquiring minds.


For other SWF posts,
see Tom's new SkyWatch site here.

Troy and Martha

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Alaska Sunday XXIII

Trip Log - Part VI

July 3 - July 6

The sixth installment of the actual trip log and mileage of 'The Drive from Texas to Alaska and Back'.

As mentioned previously, this log does not contain too much commentary. It is mainly sequential locations, dates, mileage traveled, photographs showing the trip progress, and how the landscape changed. The Alaska Trip Log is divided into short intervals (parts) and I am posting it on consecutive Sundays. Past and future posts of Alaska Sunday (apart from the trip log) will have more detailed information, and more photos of each specific area.

Click on the links for more photographs and detailed descriptions of this part of the trip.

Last week was a temp post. Today we will continue with mileage from Fairbanks to Denali and on to Anchorage.

Be sure to click on the photographs for full screen views.

And so, on with the trip.


7/3 Fairbanks, Alaska to Denali, AK 156 mi


7/4 Denali and Healy area 65 miles

Red Squirrel - Western type

Snowshoe Hare
Summer coat (He still has white feet)

Winter food for the Animals
Lots of mosses and lichens in the shelter of the trees

7/5 Denali Highway and back to camp 220 miles

We did not drive all of the Denali Highway. Too many stops.
It was mostly cloudy all day. We did get one break in the clouds to photograph the following panorama even though most of the landscape was in shadows.

Alaska Range Panorama
From the Denali highway looking NW

7/5 Denali RV Park to Anchorage 210 miles

Sunset after camp was set up
about 1 AM

Next week we will be around the Anchorage area.

Mileage for this section of the log ...........651 mi
Mileage before 7/3 ................................8944 mi

Total miles for the trip to date ...............9595 mi

We are closing in on 10,000 miles

Comments are appreciated.
Let me know if you are keeping up with the trip,
or are just a onetime visitor.

Troy and Martha

Alaska Sunday XXII

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For the new visitor, check out the early posts on the Small Boat Cruise out of Seward.

Part I

Part II

For those that have been following the Alaska adventure and for your temporary Alaska fix, here is one unpublished photo.

Denali

Troy and Martha

Denali N.P. - Big Sky

Sky Watch Friday

Have you ever been in a place where the sky just looked 'bigger' than normal. This was one such place. A glaciated valley in Denali National Park in Alaska, USA. This looks better enlarged, but still doesn't feel like being there.

Big Sky - Denali N.P.

Sky larger than life
Leaves a lasting impression
Smell the fresh clean air

For the Geologist - Notice the directional side valleys and rounded shape of the main valley. It's a couple of miles over to the far side.

For the Naturalist - Notice the Golden Grizzly on the far slopes (a mile or more away). We saw the bear in the spotting scope, but now I can't find him in the photo. You will just have to use your imagination.

I have only been a few places where I remember the sky looking larger than life. Montana and West Texas to name a couple.

It's curious, but out on the Ocean, the sky doesn't seem large. I guess it's because the Ocean seems so large.

Where have you experienced the sky seeming larger than life?

Leave a comment, inquiring minds want to know.

Photo by either Troy or Martha

Troy and Martha

For other SWF posts,
see Tom's new SkyWatch site here.

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Alaska Sunday XVIII

Trip Log - Part III

June 13-14

The third installment of the trip log of 'The Drive from Texas to Alaska and Back' .

Notice of Timeout: They Olympics is on and I am a huge fan. I haven't had a chance to organize any text and photos. Way too much TV.

As mentioned previously, this log does not contain too much commentary. It is mainly sequential locations, dates, mileage traveled, photographs showing the trip progress, and how the landscape changed. The Alaska Trip Log is divided into two week intervals (parts) and I am posting it on consecutive Sundays. Past and future posts of Alaska Sunday (apart from the trip log) will have more detailed information, and more photos of each specific area. A small number of the photographs were previously posted when describing specific locations. Most are new photos not previously seen.

So, just a quick post today to get back to the US, and to let you know that I am still alive.

6/13 Victoria, B.C. to Sidney, B.C. to Anacortes, WA (by Ferry) to Bellingham, WA 102 mi

Beautiful Ferry Ride through the San Juan Islands (in the rain) and then on to our camp site in Bellingham, WA.

Through the San Juan Islands by Ferry
(Click on the images for a better view)

6/14 Bellingham, WA to North Cascades Nat'l Park and back. 206 miles

It was my birthday today. We were back in the US to celebrate Flag Day and my birthday.

Small Waterfall and Polished Rocks
North Cascades

I'll try to steal some time this week from the Olympics and make the log a little longer next Sunday. If this is your first time here, go back and look at the photos of Parts I and II.

5481 miles to date.

Part I of the Trip Log is here.
Part II of the Trip Log is here.

It was a small post today, so leave a small comment if you liked one or both photos.

Troy and Martha

An ode to "D"

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Driving in the Dirt,
Deadhorse bound,
on the Dalton Haul Road, while
Displaying a license tag containing a D.

a perfect Day
24 hours of Daylight,
North of the Arctic Circle

Stopped in order for Martha to view wildlife in the
Distance.



Another D photographed in the Alpine regions of the mountains......

Dwarf fireweed
(Be sure to click on the photos for a Dazzling view)


a Different type of landscape,
a few thousand miles to the South
Desolate - Death Valley

Update: I had better add a Dragonfly.

Blue Dasher (Pachydiplas longipennis)

Troy and Martha

ABC Wednesday Round 3 is here.

Alaska Sunday XVII

Trip Log - Part II

May 31 - June 12

The second installment of the trip log of 'The Drive from Texas to Alaska and Back'.

As mentioned previously, this log does not contain too much commentary. It is mainly sequential locations, dates, mileage traveled, photographs showing the trip progress, and how the landscape changed. The Alaska Trip Log is divided into two week intervals (parts) and I am posting it on consecutive Sundays. Past and future posts of Alaska Sunday (apart from the trip log) will have more detailed information, and more photos of each specific area. A small number of the photographs were previously posted when describing specific locations. Most are new photos not previously seen.


We resume our trip after staying 4 nights camped at the mouth of the beautiful Klamath River. We had originally planned to stay here just 1 night, but plans change. Our only goal for this trip was 'to wade in the Arctic Ocean' and tentatively 'to return home by Sept 1st'. As you can see from the Part I trip log last Sunday, this was a magical area with the color of the Pacific and the beautiful drives through the giant Coastal Redwoods and drives along the cliffs on one lane dirt "roads?" overlooking the Pacific with it's wildlife, ocean views, and a profusion of wild flowers.

So, we'll finish May and on to the month of June.........

Be sure to click on the photographs for full screen views.

One last photo before we leave California. After we returned home, I was lamenting the fact that I did not have a photo of a Douglas Iris from the trip. Martha informed me that she had found one on a hillside overlooking the Pacific Ocean and photographed it. Sure enough, buried in the 18,000 photos was this beauty. Thank you Martha.

Douglas Iris
Also known as:
'Thompson's Iris' on the CA-OR Border

Click here for more information on this rare and interesting plant.

5/31 Klamath, CA to Union Creek, OR 219 mi

Crater Lake - Early Summer
Not your typical photo of Crater Lake

The road to the visitor's center had just been opened by snowplows through snow 10 feet deep in places. As you can see from the photo, some of the lake's surface was frozen. The lake has only been frozen over completely twice. Click here to see an article on its history of freezing. Most of the campgrounds and RV parks in the Cascade Range were not open for camping this 'early' in the year due to the deep snow. WOW, all that snow and to think it was 105^oF when we crossed the desert just a week ago.


6/1 Union Creek, OR to Fairview (Portland), OR 272 mi

Newberry National Volcanic Monument, Oregon
Abstract Beauty in a Stark, Harsh Environment

Click here for info on Newberry NM.


6/2 through 6/4 Day Trips out of Fairview, OR 488 mi

Columbia River Gorge
Martha held the umbrella while I made the shot. Team Photo.


Mount Rainier, Washington


Just in time for the Portland Rose Festival
Washington Park, Portland, Oregon

6/5 Fairview (Portland),Oregon to Hammond (Astoria),Oregon 75 mi

Ft. Clatsop National Monument, Oregon
Where Lewis & Clark spent the winter of 1805-1806

Near the mouth of the Columbia River at the Pacific Ocean
Martha is pointing to the Pacific
Click here for information on the site.
I know it's not a beautiful scenic photo, but it had always been a dream of mine since I was a child to see where they found their goal and where they camped during this hard winter.


6/6 Day Trips 60 mi
Columbia River, Pacific Beach, Lewis and Clark sites.

Cape Disappointment, WA
Lighthouse

The lighthouse is visible on a small headland, just inside the mouth of the Columbia River which makes a sharp right hand turn, after entering the mouth of the river. This small spit of land juts out into the Columbia from McKenzie Head. It is part of Ft. Canby State Park. There is a lighthouse (North Head Lighthouse) across McKenzie Head on the Pacific side (no photo).

Looking back across the Columbia River toward Clatsop Spit in Oregon.
Click here for information.

Map of the Entrance to the Columbia River

6/7 Hammond, OR to Port Angeles, WA 550 mi (long day)

Oyster Shells

Now I know where those sacks of oyster shells, at the Farm Store, come from.
This was one of many 25' high mountains of shells near Aberdeen, WA.


6/8 Day Trip to Hoh Rain Forest 160 mi round trip

This is where Martha found her big tree.

Sitka Spruce
Rain Forest Monarch

6/9 Port Angeles, Washington by Ferry to Victoria, Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada
25 car miles, 30 miles by Ferry (MV Coho) to 'Ft. Victoria RV Park'

Looking back to Washington in the Rain
Ferry Crossing - On the Strait of Juan de Fuca

6/9 Day trip to the beautiful Butchart Gardens 25 mi

6/10 Day trip to Witty's Lagoon Regional Park, Vancouver Island 25 mi

We had a great day at Witty's Lagoon and walked down to the beach. We could see across the Strait, with cruise ships navigating the strait, and the majestic Olympic Range rising above the clouds. Lots more about Vancouver Island can be seen at the excellent site of Island Rambles. Click here.

View Across the Strait of Juan de Fuca
Olympic Range

6/11 Toured the beautiful city of Victoria and visited Sidney to pick up Ferry tickets. 50 mi.

6/12 Rest Day. Martha did laundry, cooked a nice lunch at the camper, and took a nap.
I organized photos, burned DVD's, answered e-mails, and also took a nap.
It was a beautiful RV Park and nice to have a rest day. For dinner, there was a five star restaurant just down the road.

That's all for Part II of the log.
5173 miles to date.

Part I of the Trip Log is here.

If you are enjoying the log and/or the photographs, leave a comment.

Also, please let me know your favorite photo.

Next Sunday, back to the Mainland.

Thanks to Martha for keeping such good records.

Photography by Troy and Martha

Two Medicine Lake

Glacier National Park

Sky Watch Friday

Sometimes you have to take what Nature gives you.
We only had a couple of hours in the late afternoon to visit here.
Not the best conditions to photograph a lake and mountains.
Such as shooting into the Sun with 70% cloud cover.
It was an interesting sky though.

Two Medicine Lake
(Click on the photo to see the colors in the water)

The gusting wind was causing ripples on the lake,
therefore, there were no nice reflections.
It did cause one interesting phenomena:
Ghostly reflections of the mountains and sky.
Also notice all of the colors in the water.
How many different colors do you see in the water?

To participate in Sky Watch Friday visit Wiggers World.

Troy and Martha

Project Yellow II

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Yellow Buses Return to Yellowstone

We photographed this bus (No. 437) in West Yellowstone in the summer of 2006.

The White Model 706 tour buses, built in Ohio, were made exclusively for the National Park Service. Yellowstone had as many as 98 Model 706s by 1940. Then the Yellowstone yellow bus fleet was sold and disbanded in the 1960s.

Todd Scott was instrumental in every phase of bringing the buses back to Yellowstone. The eight buses cost a total of $1.9 million to buy back and refurbish, Scott said.

TDM refurbished the interior seats and oak trim throughout the vehicle. They replaced the old canvas tops with more modern materials and installed a public address system for guides to narrate the tour.

"We looked at old pictures of the buses and tried to match the yellow paint exactly," Scott said. "Basically, they got a complete makeover."

Other upgrades are heaters under the seats and boxes with warm lap blankets, so even on brisk Yellowstone days, passengers can see the beauty of the park through the open top.

The buses are 25 feet long and 8 feet wide with a soft top that rolls back for an expansive view.

A nice story about their return is found in the Deseret Morning News – here.

Troy and Martha

Rocks, Moss and Ferns

Almost Wordless Wednesday

Waterfall of Rocks, Moss and Ferns
North Cascades National Park

Click to enjoy the beauty
(and scroll down to see it all)


Sorry about the size of the file
It was necessary to capture the fern detail
How many types of ferns and mosses do you see?

Troy and Martha

Answer to 'A Touch of Red Quiz'

The answer to the quiz on the location of the National Park in the March 15 blog, A Touch of Red, is Glacier National Park. The lake is Lake McDonald. It is 10 miles long, 1 mile wide and 470 ft. deep. It is on the west side of the continental divide.

Here is Martha's photograph of
Lake McDonald
later in the afternoon.

Martha is much better at composing for sepia than I am.

Troy