I am heading back home today. Plan on getting in about 8-9 hours drive time. Not going the scenic route but will drive the interstates. It was a good sabbatical but will be glad to be home. Enjoy your weekend.
On the Road Again …
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Great Sand Dunes National Park -
On the Road
Great Sand Dunes National Park About the time you read this I will be on the road heading south, in Phoenix area, to visit my parents and get in some photography time. I’d planned to camp at the Great Sand Dunes National Park this evening then camp at Canyon De Chelly tomorrow night. It looks like I may go to plan B and get a hotel in Durango since they are predicting 40-50% chance of rain and snow for the next two days. Plan B sounds the best as my dad says they are down in the 70’s in Phoenix. Much better than camping in the snow and rain. I would also get there Thursday evening instead of Friday. I may just revert to plan A on the way back as I’ve never been to Canyon De Chelly so visiting there is my first priority.
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Traveling
Passing Storm “Life is about turning up. The more you get yourself out there, whether you wake up at 5:00 a.m. to pouring rain or not, the more you’re likely to experience the wonderful happenings that are going on all around you. Sometimes the most interesting visual phenomena occur when you least expect it. Other times, you think you’re getting something amazing and the photographs turn out to be boring and predictable. So I think that’s why, a long time ago, I consciously tried to let go of artist’s angst, and instead just hope for the best and enjoy it. I love the journey as much as the destination. If I wasn’t a photographer, I’d still be a traveler.” – Michael Kenna
I took this along US 285 while traveling on my 11-day trip back in September (just before they shut down the parks). Later on that afternoon I camped at the Great Sand Dunes National Park. The sun was intermittent then more clouds rolled in and a heavy rain fell through most of the night. My rainfly was soaked but my tent, sleeping bag and shoes were dry. Traveling.
Start another trip this morning then heading down to Phoenix and celebrate mom’s 81st birthday. Taco Bell here we come.
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Nature: The Simple Artist
Alone in an Ocean of Sand “What we can easily see is only a small percentage of what is possible. Imagination is having the vision to see what is just below the surface; to picture that which is essential, but invisible to the eye.” – Anonymous
Over time I’ve discovered how to eliminate unneeded elements in my photographs and create a powerful image. A solo tree on the horizon. The fallen maple leaf among the stones. When we first see The Great Sand Dunes we are impressed by their beauty and size as they rise over 750 feet above the valley floor. We grab out cameras,wide angle lens and tripods to capture the grandeur of those dunes. Yet, when we change our view and look closer we can find elements that are essential to making powerful images. Nature is the artist. As a photographer it is our task to find simple images provided by the artist.
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Listening to Suggestions
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A Quick Post
Icicles on a fence from an irrigation system that had run all night near Loa, Utah It’s Tuesday night and ready for bed. I wanted to share a bit about this road trip I just finished. This impulsive idea turned out to be an eleven day adventure. I covered 2,680 miles. I saw the Great Sand Dunes National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Capital Reef National Park, Escalante National Monument, Colorado National Monument and a half dozen cool mom and pop coffee shops. I played the tourist rather than a photographer so most photos are more about pressing the shutter. I camped 6 of the 11 nights, spending 3 nights in Phoenix with my parents. I saved money due to my senior status as all the parks were free and the camping sites were half price. Now we can’t even get in. 🙁 A couple of nights were cold as a cold front moved through the area. One morning it was 29 degrees and the next morning it was 25 degrees. The above image was taken the morning it was 25.
Aspens in Dixie National Forest at Sunset The aspens were in all their glorious colors as I passed through the Dixie National Forest on my way to Torrey, Utah and Capital Reef National Park.
Capital Reef National Park I want to go back and spend more time in each of them. I found myself emotional several times as I took in the beauty of this Colorado Plateau lands. I loved seeing all those stars at night. I loved the quiet and solitude that surrounds you while you’re there. All of the parks and monuments have hiking trails for day trips or overnight trips. I would like to venture into some of those canyons, to be closer and more intimate.
Some of the trails in Bryce Canyon National Park If you look closely in the above image you can see some of the self-guided trails that lead down into the canyon. These are what I’m interested in taking in the next time I’m there. I have a lot of catching up to do after being gone for 11 days: blogs to read, respond to comments and laundry.
