Gadget’s Airstream Chronicles

Yesterday was one of those days.  Today is starting out the same.  Busy, busy, busy, busy…..

While working yesterday I had a last minute request for a photo of a specific spot.  Unfortunately I got off work at 5, and had to return for a meeting at 7.  So, what did I do?  Raced out for the photo of course!

Sorry to say, I don’t think I got the one that the printer would like.  Too much sun glare cutting across the shots!  Literally, the sun was cutting right across the lens.  So, I’ll have to return this morning (I just woke up and I’ve got 3 hours until work).  I need to get into town, get the shot, and have it out tonight for the printer.  That’s simple……

First though I need to wake up, shower, get dressed, maybe eat something, etc, etc…….

Tomorrow I’ll be getting up at 5 for my trip to Flagstaff….

I need a nap! 

Ah well, it’s happened.  I didn’t blog yesterday.  So much for the running streak!

The past few days I’ve been getting up later.  I’m beat!  Think I’ll be putting in for a few days off clustered together so I can catch up on my rest.  Yup, getting old or something. 

Unfortunately this week I won’t be getting much rest!  Tuesday I’m off for an interview in Flagstaff, right after that running back to Prescott for a dental appointment, then I’ve got to wrap up a few other items.  Going to be a long day.

On Thursday my friend Tom will be flying in.  He wants to come out for the gallery opening.  How cool is that?  Unfortunately I’ll be working Thursday & Friday, so Tom will be on his own for exploring Prescott.

And of course, Saturday I’ll be all excited.  That’s the gallery opening.  Honestly I’m excited right now.  Maybe that’s wearing me out too! 

So, the blog entries this week might be a little dull.  Alright, I’m sure some readers are now saying, “That’s nothing new…..”  Being wise, eh? 

Well, off to get ready for an extremely long day!  10 - 9 basically.  Yuck!

Late night!  I didn’t get home and have dinner started until 9:30.  That’s a little too late for dinner in my opinion, but I didn’t really have a choice.  Ah well.

Even though I went to bed late I still woke way too early.  With my blackout shades (which are working great) I seem to know when the sun rises and I’m up with it.  Something internal I suppose.

So……here I sit bleary eyed trying to figure out what to blog on.  See, I’m making an effort to have a post every day.  Last month I did it, and this month I’m on it (for the moment).  Of course other bloggers take days off here and there, and I understand it.  Sometimes little is going on.  Those are the moments that you go through your photos and pop a few up! 

Ah, I know what to share!  The second photo in today’s post is the interior of Ian’s gallery.  I stopped by the other day to visit with his wife and take a few photos.

See, I’m filling blog space and sharing a gallery view.  Cool!  This is almost like a real post where I have something to write about….and like a post where I’m awake and not constantly fixing typos! 

Ok, I’m out of steam!  If you want to read something else take a look at this little article I stumbled across this morning.

So, you’ve seen the teaser photo from yesterday.  Another day spent at Lamb Nissan.  Just the other week I had the truck serviced.  So, what gives?

Simple, I needed a vehicle with better mileage.  If you haven’t noticed, gas prices are up.  Also, if you haven’t noticed, I run around a lot especially when I’m looking for the right photo!

Several weeks ago I tried out the Nissan Versa and the Toyota Yaris.  I wanted to try a Honda Fit as well, but it wasn’t in the cards.  The local Honda dealer didn’t have any in, and couldn’t pin down when they’d have one available to test.

Rather than picking a car I waited a few weeks.  Honda called and explained they had gotten 2, and immediately sold them.  No idea when I could test a car…….

I definitely don’t want to order a car sight unseen.  I know, Hondas are good, but still, you’ve got to check it out, don’t you?

So, yesterday morning I decided to head to Nissan.  The laundry room was full and I needed something to do!  :)  Why not recheck the Versa?  Why not get the Versa?

The Titan is still with me.  No trades here, just a new car.  Now I’m sure people are asking, “Why didn’t you get a used car….why new?”

Simple answer.  Lots of the used cars with good gas mileage are about the same price as the Versa.  Might as well get something new for the same price, so that’s what I did!

Now I’ve got a little commuter vehicle.  More trips to Sedona and Flagstaff are in the future!  And they won’t cost me tons of cash.  Still, fill ups will be expensive, but I’ve more than doubled my mileage over the Titan.

The Titan will now be reserved for towing the Airstream and for off road adventures.  It won’t sit idle permanently, but it will be used for what I really got it for.  The “big fun” trips, not as a commuter vehicle.

Oh, and here’s the funny note.  Last night after buying my Versa Honda called me.  They’ve got a Fit in that I could look at……ah well, no worries.  I got a great deal at Lamb and I’m happy with my new Nissan.  If it’s anything like the Titan I’m going to love it! 

I spent several hours at Lamb Nissan today……

Why?

Hmmmm…… I wonder…….

Lately I’ve felt just a little “too busy.”  Working a lot, days off eaten up with projects, photography, small jaunts to nearby areas, work on the truck, etc……

I just finished sending out a revised resume.  An old buddy from Lucent got in touch.  A new project where my old talents could fill in perfectly.  Contract role, time on the road, but then I’d get to return here between hops around the country.  It could be interesting, and I’m considering it.  One day at a time though, right?

Now that I’ve wrapped up with the resume I need to head into town.  Today is “prints” day, and Sadira will be dropping my prints off with Ian.  In order to get everything framed Ian needed the photos by the 17th.  Ha!  I’ve had them done since the day he made his picks! 

After heading into town I’ll be off to work……ah, work!  Fortunately tomorrow is a free day!  Laundry, groceries, and possibly a trip to Flagstaff to look at a more fuel efficient car.  I’ve look at 2 out of 3 of my choices, and the local Honda dealer doesn’t have the car I’m interested in stock.  Maybe the Flagstaff dealer will.

Well, that’s the wrap.  Gotta run!

This morning finds me finishing an “E-Vite” mailing to a bunch of folks.  Don’t worry, the e-mail was a BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) so if you were on the list, nobody else is getting your e-mail address.

I know I missed many people on the invitation as I don’t have everybody’s e-mail address saved in my address book (I know, really bad).  So, I thought I’d put the invitation on the website as well!  It is an open invitation you know!

Oh, that also means you can pass it along to anyone you know who would have interest!  Feel free, I won’t complain! 

Already I’ve been hearing from many folks that the 28th is marked on their calendar.  Thanks so much all!  Glad the photos have gotten so much interest!  I never would have thought it a few months ago!!!

It’s pretty exciting.  I don’t know how the gallery sales will go, and that’s ok.  Just trying something different is pretty darned exciting.  And whatever the outcome, I’m having a lot of fun walking around, taking the pictures, and experimenting!

You know, I’m lucky to have found Prescott.  I think that often.  Sure, no cool wireless jobs for me, but it makes up for the lack of great job opportunities with so many other amazing features.  A wonderful downtown, beautiful spots to hike in almost every direction, incredible views, the Granite Dells, and proximity to so many other amazing spots.

It’s at this moment readers ask themselves, “This guy has been in AZ for more than a year and he hasn’t seen the Grand Canyon, Page, or the Vermillion Cliffs?  Hmmmm….He should get out more!”

I plan on visiting more places in the Southwest, and expanding my travels down the road.  Hoping gas prices level out and find a resting spot.  But even if they don’t I’ll be looking for a few fun big trips this year.  The camera will come along on every trip of course!

Well, there’s the wrap on the invitation.  Glad to have found this place and a new side hobby that is making people see the amazing sites in Northern Arizona.  I’ll keep them coming, and you keep popping by the blog.  That’s how this site works! 

I’ve got the feeling that I won’t do a super long post tonight.  Today was a long and exhausting day.  An absolutely great day, but I’m spent.

This morning Sadira, Josh, and yours truly headed out to West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon.  It’s slightly outside of Sedona.  I’d tried a hike in the canyon last year, but thanks to a fun little flare I was having the walk was cut short.  Nice to have second chances!

I’d say by 9 we were off and walking.  See, I didn’t check the clock.  Why watch a watch?  If you’re out doing something nice it just doesn’t seem to matter much, right?

The initial walk in is interesting.  A small parking lot leads to the trail head.  You walk in on a harder packed trail, and pretty quickly you find yourself in really soft sand.  In a set of Chaco sandals the sand can get annoying.  The bonus of the Chacos is the opportunity to go sloshing around in water while in the canyon!  Trade offs.

We made our way along the canyon with ease.  Hikers passed us, we passed other hikers.  As usual, I was carrying a lot of extra stuff.  That’s ok.  Always be over prepared when on a hike.  You never know what could happen.  Most folks we saw had a single water bottle and little else.

As we hiked we kept running into people who wanted to know, “When will we get there?”  Where exactly did they want to get?  I don’t know.  The canyon doesn’t have some amazing vista.  There isn’t a spot with view finders that take quarters, and a hard lemonade stand is nowhere to be found.  The trail goes along for well over 10 miles if you’re interested in a longer hike to a dirt parking lot.  Most of the hikers were unaware that the whole point of the canyon hike was to enjoy the canyon!

We enjoyed the hike immensely!

Of course, we all got many shots in with our cameras.  I’m a little disappointed with myself.  As I’ve been expanding with my photography I’ve gotten used to “hand holding” shots.  My tripod was with me, but I neglected to use it……..a lot!

The result was the loss of some amazing shots to blur.  My new wide angle doesn’t have stabilization…..a fact I totally forgot today.  Lesson:  USE THE TRIPOD DUMMY!  I had gotten into the habit, but for some reason today I kept hand holding only.

Still, in the end I came away with 13 shots I really like.  That’s pretty good for a day’s hike I say!

Well, as I said, I’m exhausted.  I’m back home in the Airstream enjoying the quiet, and the type of  “tired” that only comes after a great day of hiking.  So, off to bed now.  9:01 here.

Night all!

When I was younger (around I enjoyed riding horses.  My cousin had several horses, and when I’d visit her home I’d get the opportunity to ride.  It was a lot of fun.

Unfortunately one of those childhood incidents occurred leaving me a little nervous around horses.  A new horse, set up bareback, suddenly the horse bolted, shot across the field, and finally fired me into a fence.  Looking up at the horse I thought I was toast.

Horses know I’m a little nervous around them now.  Hey, they’re big, haven’t you noticed? 

Yesterday while at my friend Mike’s family ranch I had the opportunity to be around many horses.  Not so nervous any more, but I think it would take a bit to get me on the back of one again.

As we made our way around the ranch I met many new horses.  Some a little spooked by the camera, some a little too interested in the camera.  While photographing several horses a curious horse came up from the side and totally wiped its nose on the lens.  Ah, a friend once said they’re like big dogs…..and that’s exactly what a dog would do!

You might notice something coming in from the right on the second photo.  That would be a horse nose getting ready to investigate the lens!

Maybe I’ll work on my nervousness around the big beasts and try riding again someday.  I’m sure it’s still fun!

Switching Gears

Tomorrow I’m taking a trip to an amazing canyon.  Hopefully I’ll get back here in time to sort photos and share a few.  Keep your eyes open.  I’ve got a feeling there might be a winner or two after doing this particular hike!

But everybody else is doing it, so why can’t I?

See, it’s been months since someone mentioned HDR to me.  I’d never heard of it, considered it, pondered the possibilities, etc.  But when I found the first sites by Ben Wilmore, Trey Ratcliff, and several other well known photographers I found some very consistent shots.

• Heavily contrasted subjects.
• Interesting cloud formations.
• Cool buildings.
• Amazing night shots.
• Oh yeah……and “THE OLD ABANDONED TRUCK.”

Heck, if all the masters of HDR shoot the old abandoned truck I’d better take a whack at it as well, right?

The key problem…..I hadn’t found the right truck.  You’d think it would be easy.  Spot an old truck across a field and run up to shoot it.  The problem…..getting “shot” for doing it.  Barbed wire fences, testy bulls, giant “No Trespassing” signs, or freaky folks sitting in front of the old truck.  It’s not as easy to find that truck as I first thought it would be.

This whole line of thinking reminds me of an outing with Mike of “I am Mike” fame.  The lone tree shot by moonlight.  I don’t think I ever told the whole story, and maybe I will someday.  All I can tell you is that fence hopping occurred, we wandered into a cow pasture in the middle of the night with 4 people, hand guns were in packs for snakes (I had no hand gun), and several cows made a bee line for us while we tried to take photos.  In the end, I ripped my favorite pair of shorts on a barbed wire fence, I underexposed my photos, and we all ended up on the Granite Dells shooting moon reflections in Watosn Lake.  Ah yes…..all for photos!

Today I hopped zero fences.  My shorts are fine.  No cows made a beeline for me.  And nobody in today’s party was packing a handgun for snakes.  Overall, things went well.  My other friend Mike (different one) brought me to his parent’s place.  Horses, cows, miniature horses, and “the old truck.”  Ah, that worked out well.

Many other photos are sitting in Lightroom right now.  I still have to sort.  Some wonderful shots including one shot that got ruined by a nosy horse nose actually getting put on my lens while I was shooting.  Needless to say I pet the horse and then wiped the lens off (yup, horse snot).  Apparently horses can be hams too.  3 horses in the shot totally messed up by one horse’s nose.  I think it was bothered not to be in the photo.

So, you’ve seen the obligatory “old truck” HDRs.  Since that’s all satisfied I can move on to other subjects (until the next cool old truck I see).