Boulder Mountains - Galena Pass - First Snowball

Here is Lori (In memoriam 1960 - 2008) throwing her first Snowball !!! …

I guess being the traveler I am, I take for granted seeing snow, having a snowball fight, watching out for yellow snow. When Lori and I were first dating she told me she had never seen snow her whole life! Never been in a snowball fight! Well…

In the Fall of 2007 we were offered an opportunity to spend the Fall and first few weeks of winter in Sun Valley, ID. it’s right next to the Sawtooth National Forest. It has two major mountain ranges, the Sawtooth Mountains and the Boulder Mountains. Every Day after work we would race north to Galena Pass about 20 miles into the Sawtooth. To catch the sunset. Hopefully a few awesome Photo’s.
Here is the Sawtooth National Forest’s web site: http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/sawtooth/

Lori every day watched the weather, giddy like a little kid at the prospect of seeing her first snow. She came to me on the evening of September 29th and said that the first snow of the year was expected to hit our favorite mountain pass Tomorrow.

On September 30th after the plows had done their Job. We played hooky from work and headed to Galena Summit Pass (Elevation 8800′). After Climbing the Mountain to the old single lane carriage road built in 1881. We both stepped back in time and relived our childhoods. With the Boulder Mountain peaks as our playground.

We were just a couple of crazy kids frolicking in the snow…

Photograph Taken on: 9-30-07 11:55AM PST
Model: Nikon D80 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera
Shutter Speed: 1/125th Second F-Stop: F13 ISO:100 Aperture Priority -0.3 Exposure
Focal length: 20mm Lens: Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G ED-IF AF-S VR [Vibration Reduction] DX Lens

Vietnam Memorial - Jerry and Lori Self Portrait

During our Fall trip to the Northeast US, we stopped in America’s capital, Washington D.C. My Dearest Lori (In memoriam 1960 - 2008) and I did a self portrait as a reflection on The Vietnam memorial. What Fun!!! The light this particular morning was simply incredible. We were as always feeling Lovey Dovey. Lori was all about the hugs. So Here You Go…

Photograph Taken on: 09-22-08 6:34AM
Model: Nikon D80 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera
Shutter Speed: 1/4 Second F-Stop: f3.5 ISO:100
Focal length: 18mm Lens: Tamron SP 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6 Di II LD Aspherical (IF)

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Assateague Horses - Did you hear the one about the Blacksmith, The Vet and the Jockey…

While roaming the Assateague Islands I ran into this group of horses Yucking it up at the ol Watering hole. I imagined the Mare on the right telling a Joke and the other’s giving a belly laugh at the punch line…

More Ponies to Follow tomorrow…

Photograph Taken on: 08-21-08 7:04AM
Model: Nikon D80 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera
Shutter Speed: 1/60 Seconds F-Stop: f5 ISO:100
Focal length: 65mm Lens: Nikon 18 - 200 VR Lens

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Bay Pinto with a Blaze - Assateague Islands

The Horses on the Assateague are very Photogenic. This little Blaze is doing her best Paris Hilton Pose for me.

More Ponies Tomorrow…

Photograph Taken on: 08-21-08 7:04AM
Model: Nikon D80 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera
Shutter Speed: 1/200 Seconds F-Stop: f5.6 ISO:100
Focal length: 120mm Lens: Nikon 18 - 200 VR Lens

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Assateague Island Ponies

The Ponies of the Assateague Islands are a lively bunch of characters. Though commonly called “ponies” the animals are actually horses. It’s heart felt when the these locals act like they own the place. It’s a truly great natural place to see horses in the wild.

The Stallions seem to be mostly Brown solids colors and the Mares are all Painted ponies (Horses). When you see a group together, it seemed like there was always 1 stallion and 4 mares. He always hung back in the rear of the pack. The Alpha female always led the group where ever they traveled.

More to ponies to follow…

Web links for the Assateague Islands:
National Park Service Official site
http://www.nps.gov/asis/

Official Touristy Site info:
http://www.assateagueisland.com/

Photograph Taken on: 11-04-08 12:17AM Manual Mode
Model: Nikon D80 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera
Shutter Speed: 165.7 Seconds F-Stop: f14 ISO:100
Focal length: 11mm Lens: Nikon 18 - 200 VR Lens

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Sunset on the Assateague Islands

We just finished an early fall trip to the Northeast US. Our First stop was the incomparable Assateague Islands, MD or “The land of the wild Horses”. When we saw this sunset on the first day of our trip, I knew Mother Nature was going to be good to Us as we traveled from here to the top of Maine.

Beginning tomorrow I show a Pony a day until I run out of Pony Photo’s. Today I wanted to show off the Colossal Sunset on the first Day of our Trip. It’s hard for a web optimized Photo to showcase the true Shot. This Panorama was made from 15 Photo’s.

Wow… What a Sunset…

HDR Panorama Photograph Taken on: 09-20-08 11:17PM
Model: Nikon D80 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera
Shutter Speed: 1/3 Second F-Stop: f18 ISO:200 Aperture Priority
Focal length: 18mm Lens: Tamron SP 11-18mm f/4.5-5.6 Di II LD Aspherical (IF)

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Watching the Storm from inside the Native Cave - Red Rocks Canyon, Las Vegas, NV

Here is the shot I took while sitting down in the Cave with all the Pertroglyphs. One that Native American’s have chilled out in for many Millennia….

That once in a decade storm was raging all around me, but it was calm and serene inside the cave. This Day Mother Nature took me to a Sacred Native Place during weather that few have witnessed Here. I felt very Safe There and I enjoyed the show…

Shortly after this Photo was taken Mother Nature let loose and we braved Hail, Blowing Snow and Flash floods on our way back to Vegas to watch the Super Bowl. Where I watched one of the Greatest upsets in NFL History.

I am still to this day in Awe of that Day and of that Place…

I would also like to send a special thank you to our dear friends Dan and Lee Ann who said to Us: “You have to go there it’s Awesome !!!”

Photo Taken on: 02-03-08 4:03PM Aperture Mode / HDR Photograph
Model:Nikon D80 Shutter Speed: 1/60 Second F-Stop: f11 ISO: 100
Focal length: 11mm Lens: Tamron 11-18mm Wide angle

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Petroglyphs - Cave entrance, Red Rocks Canyon, Las Vegas, NV

At the time I was taking Yesterday’s Photo the winter storm was getting worse. The clouds were dramatic, Ferocious, Angry. The Winds were blowing so Hard I could not take any more Photographs. The Cloud Colors, One minute Bluish, The Next Minute Gray, Then Black. I was actually getting scared… and I knew I needed to find shelter from the storm.

I began to climb down. Right under the rock Sculpture was this Cave. The Petroglyphs made Millennia Ago by many Native people on the ceiling of the face of the Cave, had fallen to the floor. I found this incredible place to view Native American Art and to watch the storm in complete Safety. Mother Nature had Taken me to a Sacred Native Place, during weather, During a once in a decade Killer storm that few have witnessed Here.

I was sitting in that Cave wondering who was the first natives to seek shelter here. It’s the only spot anywhere near Vegas that always has a water supply. As many as Six Native People’s called this place home for over 2000 years. Vegas was a happening place even back in the Day…

I had also found the perfect spot to Photograph the Storm. From Inside the Cave looking Out at the Mountains to the West, during that once a decade Storm.
I will show you that Photograph tomorrow on Leap Day….

Native people’s who called this area Home list:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Rock_Canyon_National_Conservation_Area

Photo Taken on: 02-03-08 3:47PM Aperture Mode / HDR Photograph
Model:Nikon D80 Shutter Speed: 1/60 Second F-Stop: f11 ISO: 100
Focal length: 18mm Lens: Tamron 11-18mm Wide angle

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this image and set it as your desktop background.

Above Native Cave - Red Rocks, 3 Native’s and an Eagle in the Stone, Las Vegas, NV

I saw this rock Sculpture (Natural) from almost the entrance to the Turtlehead trail. I had to check out this odd rock formation, When you approach the Rock outcropping where it sits on top. It seems out of place. Like a sculpture from the Past. One that has begun to crumble from the millennia.

When I first saw it at a quick glance, to the right looks like an American Bald Eagle. To the left 3 Native’s. The middle one has his hand shielding his eyes from the sun. The one on the left is kneeling, looking down, like a native women with a baby’s basket. Maybe you see something different?

The storm by this time was howling and I was now looking for cover after this shot. Right below this Unique rock formation was a Native cave Loaded with Pertroglyphs and Pictographs.

Stay Tuned, I’ll show you what I saw Tomorrow…

Photo Taken on: 02-03-08 3:28PM Aperture Mode / HDR Photograph
Model:Nikon D80 Shutter Speed: 1/60 Second F-Stop: f11 ISO: 100
Focal length: 18mm Lens: Tamron 11-18mm Wide angle

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this image and set it as your desktop background.

The Red Rocks Valley, Las Vegas, NV

As I headed down the Turtlehead peak Trail I began climbing the Red Rock formations. In this spot I looked down and all these cool desert plants were growing in a protected (From the elements) Area. The storm was still blowing hard and from time to time the sky would tun dark gray to Black and some hail was starting to fall.

The dark rock formation In the upper right is the Turtlehead Peak…

Photo Taken on: 02-03-08 3:14PM Aperture Mode / HDR Photograph
Model:Nikon D80 Shutter Speed: 1/125 Second F-Stop: f11 ISO: 100
Focal length: 11mm Lens: Tamron 11-18mm Wide angle

Click on Photographs above to view larger version and/or to download
this image and set it as your desktop background.