Lodi Sandhill Crane Reserve

Drove down last weekend to see if I could catch some cranes in flight or otherwise. Started late and enroute, detoured slightly to a Vallejo park where there are peacocks. Strangely enough, I was told about this park by an online friend who lives out of California now.

Didn't see any peacocks but I know these birds can hide... but there was a small pond with ducks and enjoyed snapping some pixs, plus the foliage was so colorful, it took my breath away.I will never again be able to see the autumn colors and not think of my time spent in Eugene and in Oregon in general. Oftentimes I think I should have not left Eugene but it was my destiny, and in some strange way fate took me out of Spain for this crazy whirlwind I call my Life.Continuing on toward Lodi, there were lots of gorgeous landscapes - granted, it was along a narrow state highway with a lot of roadwork in progress, so you can imagine the mess of equipment, detours and signs, but oooooh, it was a great sight. To make it even more heavenly, the clouds were huge, and almost all gray or a darker - almost black - storm gray. I could see streams of rain pouring down in the distance and this reminded me of watching as a young sailor the thunderstorms at sea, something I will never forget.

I arrived very late at the crane reserve, so late the sun would set soon. There was a huge crowd of people there which made me realize that's a good sign. If no birds were seen, nobody would be there! :) The closest birds were anywhere from about 70 feet away (the few closest) but the majority were over 200 feet away, and many more hundreds even farther in a marshland area with lots of water inlets.The loud chatter from these birds was amazing, and though I am not a bird-watcher I can imagine now why people go to watch birds. I could see cranes together with geese, ducks, and even many pelicans. Every few minutes cranes would take off, a small group at first but gradually joining up in the skies with other cranes already in flight. As the sun dipped lower in the sky, hundreds of flying cranes formed short or long lines in the golden sky, and behind these, I could see even more groups of cranes.... it was all so amazing!! The wind picked up and it got very chilly. Eventually it started to rain but I stayed there - not cold at all and enjoying this fantastic mood and scene.

sigh

Later I returned to that Vallejo park again, and saw about seven peacocks. While they ran to hide, a few others stayed and eventually was so quiet that soon a few of them passed only a few feet from me, so close I couldn't even focus on these beautiful birds so I had to quietly and slowly move away to get a picture.

ESCAPE south!!!!!

I've been gone a very long time stuck with computer work. I hate the computer work that's forcing me to sit at the monitor for so many hours non-stop. It seems that aside for small Bay Area trips, since I've returned from Eugene even sunsets is a fading memory! I am just too busy with the image archiving I've been doing the last year and especially the last few months. So I really need a break from the many hours in front of my monitor, and I planned an escape for a weekend... though it could have been a more comfortable trip.

Leaving the big City behind, I drove south with traffic seemingly building up due to the rush hour when I departed, but eventually giving way to smooth fluid traffic. After months and seemingly years of hearing everyone talk about the Big Sur area, I wanted to see whhy everyone speaks of the area with such excitement! To be honest, I was more impressed with the Spanish coast, and the Mendicino and Marin County coastline drives more than this! I'm sorry ~ though there were some great scenics, I just like the other visually-appealing drives instead as they offered more in my opinion. Everyone who has ridden with me in any car knows I love to drive curvy narrow cliffside roads and this was NO exception ~ when I reached the Big Sur area.

Friends had "warned" me about a very steep hill leading to the Big Sur area, but surprisingly I didn't see anything.... not one steep "plunge" at any point. I have been to Italy and their Sorrento cliff scenery and drive were more narrow and hair-raising than this! I must confess that contrary to rumors, I am not a car racer of any sort BUT I do know my car.... I don't use brakes that often driving these curves and if I do hit the brakes on a tight turn, it's probably because the slow car in front of me (there were many) is going toooo slow! Now it seems I even missed a waterfall in the Pfeiffer Burns State Park (Monterey County), but I had not read anything about this or any waterfall in any research I did before the trip, nor did anyone I know who has gone to the Big Sur area mentioned any waterfalls.

On the other hand I was able to see a California Mission finally! Carmel Mission is located off the busy streets and before this mission, I had already drove by another mission.... it was was well worth the stop there to enter and learn a bit of history.... and to see how those in the mission lived and worked. Open to the public is the Basilica of the Mission San Carlos Borromeo del Rio Carmelo, and it's a basilica worth seeing. As I walked through the area, preparations were being made for a wedding.... what a grand backdrop for a wedding and imagine: to be wed in a place founded in 1770!Okay, I do apologize to others who have been to the Big Sur area and think I do not appreciate the "beauty" of the lovely drive and scenery, and I do admit: it was! But - and a very big BUT - I truly believe I have seen better and "worst".

hahahahaahaa

Do YOU like being in a car that's holding on to the curves and twists and turns of a narrow mountaintop road? Enjoy the feel of a vehicle that is "one with the road" whether down- or uphill? Come join me for a ride and see how often I tap my brakes - if I do at all - driving downhill on narrow and tight curves.... with the ocean on one side and the cliffs and rocks on the other!

For the night I slept in the back of my car with a sleeping bag I haven't seen or used since I left Eugene.... car camping wasn't comfortable at all and I now wonder if the years are beating me up? I usually stop for the night at a rest area with plenty of trucks but on HWY 1 on the coast, there doesn't seem to be room for a rest area let alone any safe-looking spots where I could park, and sleep safely and silently. For the very first time in my short life, I "checked" in at a RV park and was surprised by its size and facilities!! wow!! Before bedding down for the night was able to see reddish-pink clouds at sunset through the trees to keep me happy!! ;-)

I avoided the Hearst Castle like a plague... it's located high upon a mountain with its own road and entrance, though it can be seen from the highway and that's where I snapped a pix.... I don't really need to see luxury and nicely-kept grounds after spending a night in the back of my car!! Am sure the elephant seals I saw later were more exciting and interesting than the castle though am sure a few of y'all would disagree with me.

Almost a year ago friends in Wisconsin told me about the drive to Big Sur and even described a stop before reaching the famous Bixby Bridge. They also told me of a very steep drive before reaching this very bridge but I didn't experience any drop in pressure or attitude and wonder if this could be something old and now replaced with a new road as the highway during this section seemed new and recently paved. I've seen steeper hills in SF!!

When I reached the bridge the fog was coming in thick toward the tops of the coastal mountain range. Back-tracking I did find the vantage point mentioned by my friends, and was lucky the fog had disappeared. The sky was full of nice clouds though it was several hours too early for the sunset unfortunately, and I was not about to wait around. I had decided to bypass HWY 1 and take HWY 101, discovering later the highway was packed of cars and delayed the trip but still, I had a good time.

again to Eugene

Over two weeks ago I returned from a long and tiring five-day trip to Oregon again. Two days were actually spent in Eugene shooting some great friends and families, then left Eugene Monday morning at about

5am, driving to gorgeous Crater Lake a final time as I think I won’t be able to see it again due to the packing and readying for my return to Spain next year. I had a bit of self-inflicted food-poisoning which made the latter portion of my return even worst, though I didn't know it was due to my reusing coffee cups obtained during the SF to Eugene portion. So much for future trips being green and reusing disposable cups!

Driving in Eugene is sooo easy and carefree, not like the hassle and rush in the Bay Area. It was wonderful seeing all the tree-lined streets, which I think one takes for granted. There are many streets in SF full of trees but it’s just one of many – but when one drives the Eugene streets and thorough-ways, trees are on practically every street! I think it’s a very soothing effect on a driver…. The other thing I enjoyed seeing is the Christmas snowflakes effect the tree pollen gives one…. And just as big as a flake in a heavy snowfall!!

Saturday morning I had a family shoot and also another family session Sunday afternoon in Amazon Park, then a private session Sunday morning. Photography is something I love as it allows me to see uniquely the surrounding world to create new visions – perhaps that’s half the source of my problems as I have to be always living in front of a small monitor to organize, edit and archive my image files. There is something wrong with this equation and though this is the normal progression of photography, I know I was not born to stay cooped up within a dwelling no matter where I am, looking at the small screen to organize and view images, nor to contact others. This isn’t the life I expect nor want it to be, and soon after I return to Spain, I’ll revert back to film….

Regardless, it was great to be in Eugene again, and to finally see an end to most of the I-5 road work that was going on all the months I spent there. The people of Eugene should be proud of what they have there…. I am always happy to let people know I used to be a Eugene resident and wish I were still! I went by my old neighborhood, and saw the little garage cottage where I lived. It looked empty though there was a new couple who both smoke living in the main house.

I was again surprised to see a few business closures, typical during these hard times but I thought they were going strong after seeing them late last year when I was in Eugene last. Though the homeless scene is just as obvious in Eugene as it is in San Francisco,

Crater Lake was a blast, with wispy clouds later appearing to my surprise, then I decided to get to the east side of the lake to prevent lens flare by not shooting into the sun. There was snow at the lake, and I soon discovered the east side closed due to this large amount of snow! So, I drove back to the northern side and continued taking pictures. Fortunately by time I returned, the sun had risen higher and allowed me more latitude in getting the shots I wanted. I even climbed to some deserted spots to which I’ve never been previously.

Leaving Crater Lake I drove on HWY 199 south toward the Californian coast. I was hoping to get some shots of the Oregon coast too, but that wasn’t to be. Instead it was the Californian coast I saw first and I wasn’t happy at all till I noticed the city had a lighthouse. Everyone knows I like lighthouses!! Ha! It's amazing that on my GPS the California borderline showed up as a non-descriptive thick black line! Right as I crossed the border I saw out of the corner of my eye a sign welcoming me back to my home state! Amazingly, the weather in Oregon this day was nice, warm and sunny and as soon as I crossed the border headed south, instead of sun it was immediately overcast and coooold!! What gives!?! wow!!I was also tired enough to stop to look at the tall redwoods again, and that is something that always keeps me in awe as I look skyward to see the heights of these beautiful trees.

Since my return I've been working on the trip image files plus others created before I departed. The files just add up and accumulates in more sitting and more monitor work for me. I would have never thought my passion for photography would be affected by the post-work that follows creating an image: the endless hours of viewing each and every image, deleting or maintaining a file, organizing everything then archiving the massive amounts of files later. While I am happy to have such great images from the trip, I am so disappointed that my life now has been reduced to 100hrs a day computer work which distracts from the pleasure in my recent past when all I had was a darkroom and that was all I needed. In those days, I would shoot film all day, then spend hours in the darkroom during the cooler night, the breeze coming in through an open window being a welcome break in the darkness....

Those days are gone…. for now.

the eyes and ears

So I drive down for what I believe is my last appointment for my eyes in San Jose. It's been months since my last checkup and my eyes feel like it's always been without glasses, though I know it's been the other way around.

It's incredible to think that sight is such a gift that we all take so much for granted. As a photographer, I see things in a different light and if I were to ever lose my vision, I'd be more than up a creek!!

In the months it's been since I've had my "new" eyes, I've been blinded while shooting the sunsets, I've been jabbed in the eyes plus I've poked myself in the eyes several times and also jabbed my eyes with my camera straps. It wasn't easy to do and to do it several times wasn't easy ~ actually very painful! I've seen a lot and even as I write this, my vision improve each and every day and I can SEE the differences.....

When I make the hour drive from SF to San Jose for these eye appointments I try to make it a day-trip to shoot things and places; this won't be any exception..... will post results of the appointment plus any fotos later....

The other day attended for the first time the Stupid Parade which started near the Ferry Building. It's my first time as I've been away from the City for so many years. So many events, so much uniqueness and so little time. sigh..... I had the chance to meet with a fellow-blogger and flickrite who is from the Costa del Sol, plus yesterday I met with a fellow Yelper and flickrite bubbletea1 who BARTed over from Fremont and we met at the Museum of Craft + Design, then walked over to Polk Street and Washington to see a Yelp-friendly art gallery. I got back to my car parked near the museum just in time before it was towed!!

UPDATE: Well, it was harrowing drive to San Jose - leaving at a later hour but stopping at the Daly City cemetery to see family, I lost track of where all of my family were as they had cut the grass and one tomb marker was completely covered by the grass!! It took me a few minutes to find it - I haven't been there often as I lived out of the country for decades - and now have the location etched permanently into my brain! It's disgusting to see that so many tombs have no flowers which means that they are forgotten... so sad. Will I too be forgotten and just a piece of blowing grass or trash when I am gone?

Because of that search and the outbound traffic, I had only 20mins to drive from Daly City to San Jose!! I couldn't believe it but I arrived and walked in on time! Usually I select an appointment time much earlier but as it was my last I decided on a later hour - big mistake! So my eyes are improving as can be expected. I should be using eye drops but I haven't - too busy - but I do try to remember to use the drops at night to see better. Within a half hour, I was out of there and enroute other locations. The day ended with a grand sunset from Immigrant Point at the Presidio....

Did you see it?

On a more somber note, while I was eating at a downtown restaurant the other day, I sat at a booth with a few people behind me. Of course, it's the typical situation where I could everything said.... and at one point, these tourists I overheard "have you seen all of the homeless on the streets here?" then laughed loudly. It bothered me... and for the next few minutes words floated and bounced through my head. I determined that when I left, I would turn to them and tell them that homelessness is a WORLD problem and it could be them next week or month, and would people point at you and laugh? I tossed the words inside my head, but when I left, I didn't turn to them, nor did I say a word....

I knew they would not care, I knew they would not understand, and I knew I would be looked upon as the stupid one to bring up my thoughts that interfere with their private conversations.....

sigh....

un cafe por favor!!!!!

Well, I've spent my first full 24 hours in Spain and am enjoying it, the love/hate relationship with the place I enjoy and love so much ~ but at the same time hating it.... flashback to the journey....

Started early and drove my sister to work as normal and when I got home, finished moving the stuff into my carry-on, which I decided my usual small camera bag was too small as I stuff it with camera, lens, accessories of both camera and laptop, and CLOTHES! It was simply too much this time and decided my slightly bigger wheeled bag would be better, and it was, though I left a lens and tripod at home, plus a few other things. Then I discovered I hadn't packed any clothes at all, so had to last-minute pack enough to last me a month in my spanish apartment.

That done, went down to wait for my transport to the airport with my two bursting at the seams suitcases.... I had so much in hand that I decided to also leave at home the hanging chair I picked up at a street fair, to hang in my balcony so I can enjoy the warm bright sol.... Once at the airport, I discovered I waited 32,8 minutes at the wrong place, and had to move all my stuff about 100 feet to the proper place. The line wasn't too bad and it took only about 20minutes to get to finally check in, something I wasn't allowed to do online to make my airport experience a bit better. Once rid of my two big suitcases which I paid a few bucks to encase in plastic - and glad I did - I sat and waited for the flight to leave a few hours later... I've always showed up hours earlier than necessary for my flights and even in recent times as much as over eight hours!! The plane was a 747 and was to be the second time I've flown on a 747... it wasn't the smoothest ride but certainly wasn't the worst. I hoped to see my City from above but the fog and cloud-covered Bay Area prevented that.....

The flight went well though I intentionally did so that I can sleep well after reaching bed-time in Sevilla. I was very happy to be able to watch three films I've never seen previously and actually enjoyed these movies!!! An adorable little baby boy sat with his single mother in the seat in front of me and I spent most of my time entertaining... then we landed at Frankfurt, Germany and now this is a different chapter!

I've flown many times into Frankfurt but this was the worst experience yet! Now they have regulations that require NON-EU travelers to pass through TWO separate and very strict security checkpoints though they may just be connecting with other flights.... I normally wouldn't mind this as it ensures WE are safe while traveling, but the sensitivity of the metal-detectors was so high that even my credit cards were hit by the metal detectors. A security man then hand-wanded me and the credit cards sounded again; he looked at my credit cards, felt them then returned them to me. Personally I wondered if he was memorizing my numbers!! Really... to configure detectors so high as to even ping on credit cards is stupid, making unnecessary work for the security personnel and to build a very huge inconvenience for already weary travelers. As result, I will now be booking my flights to someplace other than Germany and the UK, which I was told today has the same strict rules.

From Germany to Barcelona (BCN) was okay save for slight rough weather, and BCN is not a bad place but it's a very boring and commercial airport, so I don't enjoy being there. Of course the signs in catalan, english and spanish aren't too kind either..... grrrrrr

Take-off from BCN was during a most golden and cloudy sunset, and managed to get a snapshot from inside the terminal as the flight departed typically 12mins late from the catalan airport. As we finally climbed to the cruise attitude, the sunset grew in color from orange-red to blood-red and lasted a veeeery long time. I snapped away even as my camera battery flashed steadily since I forgot to charge it a final time before departure from SFO, being too busy with other things. When I arrived at the Sevilla airport, I already noticed changes in that small airport. In the past, it has always taken them 20mins or more to start loading the bags to the claim baggage area; this time it took them 15mins. I was impressed!! Plus the ramp leading to the baggage claim area was more direct and thus quicker. Again I was glad to be in Spain as the airport baggage push carts are free to use, unlike in the states. After picking up my still-wrapped in plastic suitcases, I trudged out to the sidewalk to await my friends but not till I had helped a few people getting to Sevilla to find their stuff and get to the taxis or the bus. I was shocked at how the departure pickup area was so changed, and more confusing to me as a traveler than a driver who has to pick up someone... I was glad to have seen these changes so in the chance one of my family or friends visit me and I had to drive to Sevilla to get them, at least I am familiar with the airport renovations.

At my friend's house later, I got busy getting my stuff in order so when I bus to Rota on Friday, things would be organized. I also wanted to let friend's and family know I was finally arrived and back so that they could finally celebration my absence - hahahahahaaaaaa I was tired from the long trip and my eyes were blinking like falling stars upon my weary body, but finally after 2am Wednesday night did I finally get to sleep. I must've been very tired because they have a grandfather clock and I didn't hear it at all all that time I slept... till after 11am later that day. After showering I took the bus to Sevilla, then walked downtown from the plaza de Armas bus station to see the sights, see what changes had happened since my departure from Spain, and to look for a few things for friends.

Can you believe this unedited and uncropped picture was created with a cell camera?

I was personally shocked at the number of businesses that I had seen that were now closed. On one busy main street in the center of town typically termed the street of the bridesmaids, due to the many businesses catering to that..... I found the street almost barren and empty so many businesses were now gone. It was sad to see this..... It is amazing how much the economy in one region of the world can interfere and affect so many others. Don't people realize how everything and anything is internationally, as well as locally inter-related?

Though the sol shone warmly in an otherwise-chilly clear sky over Sevilla, there were people abound, but just not buying. I saw lots of empty stores with a lone salesperson within. The cigarette smoke from the many smokers left a smell in the air where I walked, and I aimed for the clear spot around them. I walked into many stores to get an idea of current prices per product since I'd been gone so long, and it wasn't encouraging though I was glad to see prices hadn't skyrocketed as I thought would happen. My camera battery was dead so it stayed in the house being charged so I charged my cell phone just enough so I could use it as my camera in the streets of downtown Sevilla!
In Sevilla some cafe bars still use chalk to record a customer's tally on the metal/wood counters. These days this isn't seen too often but always a flash to the past when I see it done...

In bright sunlight it gives quite good results and I am always happy with the pictures it allows me to capture when big heavy camera isn't available. With a SIM card within that I had purchased at the BCN airport,
I now have a spanish cell phone number! My nephew back in the City told me about it when I mentioned that I could unlock my cell as the store I had wanted to take it to be unlocked was closed.... that as I had a ATT SIM inside, they would give me a "unlock" code functional only with an international SIM inside. In my case it was complicated as I was using my cell from Oregon with a grandfathered San Franciscan SIM inside... but both were ATT and eventually, was told the unlock code which worked this morning!!!

One of the first things I did was to buy my bus ticket for Friday to get to Rota, and now scouting around, seeing the sights in beautiful historic Sevilla, then back "home" to wait for tomorrow, when I return to Sevilla again but then stay downtown to meet my friends and get my bags to finish this final portion of a very long and tiring journey.

I'll be "home" in my apartment at about 7pm, then to figure out HOW to ferry two big heavy suitcases from the bus station to my apt, just three blocks away, still carrying my camera and other small but too heavy bag also.a store display included hidden fans which blew the skirts up, a la Marilyn-style... how "creative"! Another cell picture!!

aaaaah, the FOG

...was so very gorgeous... and I love fog and rain!! I cannot believe the number of times I stopped by the roadside while seeing a foggy scene, then slamming on the brakes. As usual I departed Eugene at 6:05 with thick fog everywhere and I needed to use the GPS to find my way to the interstate 5 on-ramp.
Visibility was reduced to about 100feet from my front car car seats but by the time I passed Cottage Grove (35mins later) it was already thinning out. The rest of the three-hour trip to Medford was just a beautiful and moody nature painting, highlighted by brushed color and gray/white dense strips fog that wrapped around the trees and smooth tree-covered slopes bordering the interstate. Can't recall the many times I stopped to grab the magic-box but eventually I did get to my destination though almost an hour late!!!
I won't even mention the times I used the camera again and zoomed in while driving ~ hahahahaahaaa

Again I had a slight problem, other than a very leaky and steamy radiator.... the camera lens decided yet another to jump when I opened the car door resulting in a HUGE dent from the last Eugene trip in August, and now has a whitish dent just as big. I was very fortunate enough as on both times the lens or camera impacted upon the lens filter and not the heavy camera body. With these two dents on the lense, though the camera itself isn't damaged, the filter glass piece is about to fall out now, spinning freely within the filter case ~ another great reason to buy a filter for your lens!!! Protect it! The foto book of Capture Lane County looks gorgeous and you should check it out at Borders.... though none of my images selected were included in the book, the book is a sweet memory of a fantastic place where I lived for almost a year upon my first return to live in the states after being away for over 20 years!! These fond memories of Eugene add to the superb imagery within the book pages.

With time quickly running away from me, I hardly had any time to do a lot of things ~ not even eat. If a three-meal day were part of my daily routine ~ it's not ~ then this weekend was an example of my normal eating habits, eating just enough to just barely satisfy the hunger of a tiny mouse. The weekend trip of three days started Friday at 6:15am with the trip starting at 7:32am, and finally ending in SF at about 1:25am Monday morning after driving half-blind with my corrected eyes (still healing from the PRK wavefront procedure) all night Sunday upon finishing shooting with a lovely model in Medford, OR. I have determined that with all the driving on scenic highways, lovely interstates and tree-lined streets, my time on all of these throrough-ways to be approximately 23 non-continuous hours within these three days. Actually, I enjoy "dieting" while in Eugene to burn off all the fat and mass accumulated in SF!!

I'm continuing to download my images, the normal amount of resulting images whenever on the road to Oregon, with the total being over 1500 image files and about 4,6GIGs of photography! Unfortunately for me this means I'll be spending more time of the computer to download everything which of course this means I have a LOT of additional DVDs to burn!!

From SF to Eugene.....

On the road again to Eugene… seems I’m returning home but I’m not. Left the City at about 7:30am and got quickly onto the bay bridge which wasn’t too busy fortunately. Traffic was quite good actually, and when I got off the bridge I was shocked to see the parking lot of cars waiting to get onto the bridge to cross the bay into the City! Even the ramps leading into the City were virtually stopped, or appeared so…. I was very happy I didn’t have to drive into the City at this time and hassle with the traffic. Getting away from the bay was easy going the opposite direction with no serious traffic problems; I filled up with gas the night previous and was later surprised to see gas prices were actually higher as I left the City, and even in Oregon the gas was higher than in the Bay Area!

Normally I depart at a much earlier time ~ about 4-5am ~ when I do this long drive. It was so strange to be driving in the daylight. Usually by the time I reach the 505 interchange, I am stopping to photograph the sunrise! No such opportunities this time!!

Earlier this week my broken EOS 40D was repaired and picked it up Tuesday. It was good to have it back in my hands and like a worn loved and favorite blanket, felt very good. I have the EOS XTi (400D) as a backup and cannot believe the differences between the two in just the handling and feel. Of course I am not being fair since one is of a higher caliber but still… the 40D is a goddess of a camera in shape, feel and capabilities!! Now, if only I could find a woman just like my camera!! hahahahaaa

So, here I am on the road – seemingly always these days – and now passing through the 505 and onto I-5 which is really quite empty at almost 10am. I like long trips but hate being alone for the duration…. And waited till two hours after my trip start to stop and get a drink of my favorite “coffee”: that concoction of French-Vanilla; when I buy the home-style mix, it never tastes as good. In fact, it doesn’t ever taste anything as well-blended as the store-bought even when made according to the directions… oh blah!! I brought my travel mug with me to rid myself of trying to dispose of the cups… and later at a rest area enjoyed a delicious juicy pear which I bought also. Then back on the road….

I thought this smoke rising in the distance was lovely…

Some of the things I saw was this interesting convoy of fire vehicles – I thought they could be coming from southern California after helping with the fires there. I thought it amazing that in the back of one of the vehicles were some “sleeping” firemen and with another fire truck following very closely. If one by chance fell, he would be pancakes in seconds!!!

this shot of the gorgeous sky reflected in my driver's side rear view mirror is typical of my day, shooting pixs while zipping along at 65mph!!
Most of these - and others posted to my fotopage - were taken by holding my camera in hand and snapping at a speed of 65mph!! I know.... but how else will I stay awake in my car zooming along and alone? In some cases I actually did stop and take the pictures, but the majority were done "on the road"....

Mt Shasta is always pretty to admire from the interstate, and today was no different as she sat by the highway all dressed in white from recent snowfall.

just entering the I-505 interchange, these gorgeous flocks of birds in flight over marshes and I stopped to see and snap... These birds were escaping… where from I didn’t know… it seems they were all just flying along on a thin cloud….
I finally got to Borders in Eugene where the pre-release party for the Capture Lane County photo-coffee book was being held - the sole reason for my trip.... and though none of my pictures were used in the book, it is still a gorgeously-done book.
The book was also presented tonight and I am happy to have it as a fond memory of my short time in Eugene and Oregon. If only things were different, I would have never left.... sigh

I won't mention the three times during this drive while chewing gum I bit the inside of my lip, or when rubbing my eyes, I jabbed myself quite by accident when the car passed over a bump... and in my new eye!!! ouch!!!