Raven Travels

Saturday, May 10, 2014

DEATH VALLEY N.P.

After a late dinner at the Panamint Springs Resort we checked in, unpacked, showered, and got ready for an upcoming full day in the Park.

The Resort was at one time a true resort. The times have passed, and it is a fundamental facility with all that is needed and nothing more. There was very sketch internet access, and I did not even try. Dinner was good, and the beds comfortable.

Our first full day in Death Valley started with sunrise in the Mesquite Dunes. One has to walk in quite a way to reduce the number of foot prints. We focused our shoot on the hard pan patterns in the dunes area. Then we were off to the ghost town of Rhyolite for some fun. There is a display with molded ghost figures of the Last Supper, and many old buildings, etc. We all had a good time wandering around the area. Finally it was time for a late breakfast in Beatty, NV, where we also filled gas tanks, and got a few souvenirs.

In the early afternoon we went to the Visitor Center in the Furnace Creek area before heading for Badwater for sunset. To quote one of our fellow participants “Badwater was the low point of his life.” Badwater is 282 feet below sea level. The salt pan was quite crusty and higher that usual. We also came across a Japanese photographer and model who were quite colorful. She was wearing a lovely red gown which blew in the wind and made for quite a photo op. (Under the dress she was wearing hiking boots. It was long drive after sunset back to Panamint Springs which is on the Western border of the park.

Today we drove over 300 miles all within the Park!!

Ghost View of Last Supper

A Moment's Rest

Golden Canyon View

Artist's Palette

Artist's Palette, a Closer View

Badwater Detail

Badwater Sunset

An Apparition?

Badwater 2

Badwater 3

Badwater Design

ONTO DEATH VALLEY

Today we said farewell to Joshua Tree N.P. and headed for Death Valley. There were reports that the California poppy fields in Antelope Valley were blooming quite well. So we were hoping we would be able to

take advantage of it. Along the way we stopped in Victorville at the Route 66 Museum as we had geocache hunters in the group who knew a bit about it. We enjoyed a stop there, and reliving the flower people of the 60’s. George and I used to drive through the Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco regularly during his commute to Treasure Island Naval Station in the mid-60’s.

Desert Mallow

The poppies were in bloom in good sized patches. The problem was that the wind was blowing quite hard. We were able to photograph them and stop the movement at ISO 800 with a shutter speed of 1/1000^th of a second. It was a challenge and another learning experience – trying to capture a star burst at the edge of the flower. Still have to practice that technique!!

Blowing in the Wind

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

JOSHUA TREE N. P. - II

After sunrise we headed for the Cactus Garden to capture the “jumping” cholla garden back lit. These cholla get their nick name from the fact that the arms often fall to the ground and are rolled around by the wind. If you are not careful of where you are stepping, they attach tenaciously to your boots, clothes, or body. They are quite hard to pull out and it is handy to carry either hemostats or a leatherman tool. I pulled some out of my boots as well as those of five of the other photographers.

We went to breakfast in Twenty-nine Palms and then visited the Park Visitor Center. I was able to touch bases with Jen, the head of Interpretation, as well. The reason for wanting to do this was that Jen was the ranger at the North Rim who we first worked with, and had not seen in about 7 years. We then were off to photograph an arch which was located in the White Tank Campground.

After a short rest back in Yucca Valley we were off again for some photo fun. This time we visited an old abandoned ranch and mine site near Barker Dam. Here we found some decaying old cars that are slowly being buried by the desert. Sunset was near Hidden Valley Campground and it's big boulders.