Category Archives: Travel

Fungi to be With

While wandering through the woods at Armstrong Redwoods SNR, I saw the effect of the permanently damp climate. Fungi were everywhere. I wasn’t traveling with a tripod or a macro lens. The lens was less of an issue but getting shots in the darkness of the woods was a touch problematic. However, the fungi looked cool so it was worth a go.

I know nothing about them so have no idea what I was taking photos of. They could be common or rare. They may be toxic or tasty. None of this is known to me. However, they were interesting to look at and rather cool. That’s all that mattered to me!

Calistoga

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During the summer I traveled to Clear Lake for the Splash In which I covered in this blog post. The drive back from that event took me through Calistoga. You descend from the hills to drop down in to the town. That evening, the sun was settings and the light on the hills was absolutely gorgeous. I resolved to go back at a later stage to check this out in more detail. Our Healdsburg trip had us up in Calistoga so I thought it would be worth a second look. Unfortunately, the weather was not too special and the rain was coming down.

We started up the road climbing as we went. The view back over the valley was pretty attractive and we climbed higher. Of course, it didn’t take too long to get high enough that we disappeared into the cloud base. From there it was just rain. We found the first good option and turned around to head back down. Then we stopped off at some of the overlooks to check out the valley.

The colors of the vines were very attractive and the geometry of the vineyards looked great. The hills in the background were also shrouded in low cloud and there was smoke rising from the fires in the buildings scattered across the low lands. While I did take some pictures – obviously since they are here – I did also just stand and enjoy the view for a while. It isn’t easy to appreciate the scale of a view from a photograph. Sometime I like to get the panorama shots just to have something that gives the width of the view. These are best when printed large so don’t translate well to the computer screen. However, they are always stored for possible future use.

Lifeboat Launch

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As a kid growing up by the sea in the UK, I had a fascination with lifeboats which remains to this day. For those of you not from the UK, the sea rescue service in the UK might come as a bit of a surprise. It is a charitable organization, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) formed in 1824 which has continued to this day to provide rescue services around the coast of the UK and The Republic of Ireland. The government has no role in its operations and it is entirely funded by donations. Various members of my family have been involved in fund raising and serving in the crews and I remain a member of the institution despite having left the UK over ten years ago.

The Isle of Wight, where I grew up, had two offshore lifeboats. Cowes, the town in which I lived for many years, is home to the Inshore Lifeboat Centre for the RNLI where they build the boats while Bembridge and Yarmouth both have boats. Yarmouth’s boat is permanently afloat in the harbor while Bembridge’s boat is housed in a boathouse at the end of a pier with a slipway direct into the water.

A few years ago we were in Bembridge for a family wedding. We took a trip down to Lane End where the lifeboat is based and we timed it well since they have a practice launch once a week. I wasn’t going to miss this.

I actually nearly blew the shot. We were on the shore waiting for the boat to come down the slip. I figured I should get as many shots as possible since I wasn’t going to get a second chance. As it happens, the boat goes down the slipway a bit more slowly than I had anticipated. I started firing as soon as I saw it. On the body I had in those days, the buffer wasn’t huge and I managed to fill it up. However, I did still get some shots as it entered the water.

Since that trip, the old boathouse and pier have been replaced with a new facility. I have a shot of it taken from the air. However, if we go back sometime soon, I would really like to set up something with the crew to get shots of the new boat launching from the new ramp. Ideally, I would like to shoot from a boat out at the end of the ramp. I would aim to have a second body mounted on the boathouse with Pocketwizards mounted on both to get simultaneous shots from two angles with both the side on splash and the overhead view of the boat entering the water. I have relatives who know members of the crew. Whether we can make anything happen I don’t know but it would be cool to do!

Armstrong Redwoods

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Muir Woods in Marin County is a place we have visited on a few occasions. While staying in Healdsburg, we decided to try somewhere that is supposed to be quite similar. This was Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve. It was a bit off the beaten path but not terribly difficult to get to (unless you trust your GPS that decides the main road is far too simple and a single width road is somehow more appropriate).

I would say it surpasses Muir Woods. Not only is it a lovely area with some impressive woodlands but it felt like it was deserted. It wasn’t, of course, although the time we were there is probably not the busiest. However, everyone seemed to get lost in the place and you felt surprised when you met someone. Compare this to Muir Woods where the place seems to always be crowded with no feeling of tranquility.

I guess the climate for growing these trees is cool and damp since any of these woods seems to be that way. Armstrong was no different. Additionally, we were there in the early stages of winter so the sun wasn’t getting too high in the sky and the flow of the valley felt very shaded. Of course, you dress warmer for a place like this so, if well prepared, you can enjoy a leisurely stroll through the trees without feeling uncomfortable (although you do tend to be a bit damp by the end).

I do wonder whether the park is very busy at some times of year. I suspect we shall find out when we next go back. It was later in the day when we left with darkness not too far away so our experience may not prepare us for next time. However, there will be a next time!

Medlock Ames

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We took a trip to Healdsburg for a short break. While there, Nancy arranged a visit to a local winery. Medlock Ames is not a famous facility but it is an interesting one. It is a totally organic operation and has set up the operation to not only avoid artificial elements to the grape growing but also to grow other crops in order to encourage soil health and to have a strong insect and bird population to control pests that would normally be dealt with through less natural methods.

We had a tour of the wine making areas as well as through the vineyards and other growing areas. The location is quite isolated and absolutely beautiful. Also, we were the only two on the tour so we had a very personalized introduction to their operation. Needless to say, we also were introduced to the wine itself which proved to be very nice. Not only did we have the finished product but we were able to taste it as it was being prepared which gave an interesting side to the wine making process.

If you get a chance to visit, I would certainly do so. The people were very friendly, the tour was interesting and the location was both tranquil and gorgeous. A half day well spent.

Deutsches Museum

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A friend of mine was discussing his imminent travel plans. Part of this is taking in Munich, a city we visited a few years ago when another friend was living there. The Deutsches Museum is on the itinerary for my friend’s current trip and it brought to mind the aircraft collection there. The museum is a marvelous place covering a wide variety of industrial, technological and scientific subjects. A day is required if you visit but you will still leave much unseen. The location of Messerschmitt and succeeding companies nearby means they have access to many great aircraft and the collection is outstanding.

On a previous visit in the early 90s, they had some other aircraft, some of which were outside. Some of these have now moved to another location where a second museum facility has been established. I was unable to fit in a visit there but if I ever get back to Munich, it will be on my list.

Buckley Field

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Just south of Denver International is Buckley AFB. I don’t know much about the base other than it has a resident F-16 unit that a friend of mine has shot a lot in the past. It also appears to have a helicopter unit that I think he has also worked with before. Anyway, we seemed to do a tour of the base while setting up for the approach to DIA so I got a good look at the base. These images are a quick selection of how it looks.

DIA

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I had some shots on a previous post of Denver International Airport. I was back there again after that visit and we flew an approach that brought us past the airport before circling back in to land. I got some shots of the field as we came by. They give some idea of the size of the airport as well as its ability to expand in the future. The layout of the runways also shows up well. This is an example of what you get if you design an airport from scratch rather than expand one you already have with development encroaching upon it.

DIA Terminal

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Unlike living in Chicago where you had a strong chance of getting a direct flight to most places, I often find myself changing planes in other cities these days. Sometimes the layover is a quick one and others I have a bit of time to stretch my legs and get something to eat. I recently went through Denver en route to my destination. The terminal that Southwest use at Denver has an interesting center section. A shuttle system takes people between terminals below the ground. It comes in to the heart of the building in an open section that you can look in to from the main terminal level. It appears to be designed to look like an ancient ruin that has been unearthed.

Hanging above it is a Learjet which obviously gets a passing look from me. I was more interested this time in the “ruins”. A panorama seemed like the best option so I took the shots to stitch together later. As it happened, the return leg came back through DIA although this time it was late in the day. I did get some shots of the main terminal building as we taxied out for departure. It certainly is a striking structure.

Devon Energy

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Energy is big business in Oklahoma. Oil and natural gas are a large part of the economy and, judging by the size of its downtown location, Devon is a big player in the market. Until I went there, I had not heard of the company. However, once you are there, you can hardly miss their tower which dominates the skyline. It is a pretty simple structure in principle but there are a few features that catch the eye. The gentle curve in towards the top is interesting and the texture on the windows had me looking at various ways to shoot it.

The overall shape did make me think of something less than flattering though. I did not read the Lord of the Rings books as a youngster (or since) but I have seen the movies. The shape of the building made me think of the eye of Sauron atop the tower in the films. You may think I am delusional for seeing this but that was how it struck me. I am not suggesting Devon is an evil corporation – it’s just the building reminded me of a film.

As the sun went down, I had varying options with the light on the tower so tried shooting from various angles and played with the exposure to get the effect I was after. I also got a few shots of it after dark when I was walking back from dinner. I’m not sure whether I like the building or not but it has certainly got my attention.