The town of Grand Lake sits on the western end of Rocky Mountains National Park, and is the gateway to the park for those entering on the west side of the continental divide.
Grand Lake, ColoradoGrand Lake, Colorado
The lake known as Grand Lake is the largest natural lake in Colorado and lies at an elevation of 8367 feet. Grand Lake is known as the headwaters of the Colorado River.
Grand Lake, ColoradoGrand Lake, ColoradoGrand Lake, Colorado
We spent three nights in Grand Lake, and used it as a base for our forays into Rocky Mountains National Park. It has more of an “outdoorsy” feel than some of the other towns we visited, and we enjoyed it very much.
Where we stayed – Western Riviera Lodge, Grand Lake, ColoradoLunch menuBusiness OpportunityGrand Lake, Colorado
We were a little concerned when we found out that our motel didn’t have air conditioning. There are few places where we would want to not have it. But the first night we were there the temperature dipped into the 30s, so all we needed to do was keep the windows open!
NOT where we stayed – Grand Lake Lodge in Rocky Mountains National Park near Grand Lake, ColoradoView of Grand Lake from Grand Lake Lodge in Rocky Mountains National Park near Grand Lake, ColoradoGrand Lake Lodge in Rocky Mountains National Park near Grand Lake, ColoradoGrand Lake Lodge in Rocky Mountains National Park near Grand Lake, ColoradoGrand Lake Lodge in Rocky Mountains National Park near Grand Lake, Colorado
Our first view of Pikes Peak, at least where it was supposed to be!
Our plan for the first full day in Colorado was to drive to the top of Pike’s Peak. Unfortunately Mother Nature had other plans, and the mountain received about 8 inches of snow the night before our visit. It was interesting because it poured rain in Manitou Springs the previous afternoon, and when the skies cleared it was clear everywhere except the top of Pikes Peak, which was still shrouded in clouds.
Pikes Peak, Colorado
When we got to the entrance that morning the ranger warned us that the road was not open to the top and offered us the chance to change our minds But we were there and wanted to see what we could see, so decided to take our chances.
Our first real close look at Aspen trees, on the road to Pike’s Peak.We saw him, and even managed to get a photo!He was pretty shy and didn’t have a lot to say. We didn’t feed him.
The entrance part of the road is at an elevation of 7,800 feet – 1,000 feet above Mount Mitchell, the highest point in North Carolina! The lower part of the road is just like driving any mountain road – winding and steep in spots with a few nice viewpoints. Beautiful views, for sure!
I only wish this was our rental car!View from “Camera Point,” the first overlook on the road to Pike’s Peak
We spent some time at Crystal Reservoir Visitor Center at Mile 6, which is at 9,160 feet. That was our first view of where Pikes Peak was, although we couldn’t see it, as it was still buried in clouds. The ranger there said that the road had been opened a little farther up, but that they still didn’t know if they would be able to open it to the top. We decided to press on and take our chances.
Crystal Lake Reservoir, Pikes Peak, ColoradoCrystal Lake Reservoir, Pikes Peak, Colorado
The higher elevations are where things get interesting. There are very few places to pull off, and on the day we visited most of the pulloffs were socked in with clouds. We made it to the overlook at Mile 18 – known as Sheep Sign because there is a sign there about Bighorn Sheep – where they had the road blocked. The ranger there said it was still snowing above and not safe to drive, so that was as far as we could go. It was snowing on us as we talked to him!
Looking down on/from The Switchbacks. I got two shots like this before the clouds moved back in.
We had a little bit of vertigo and dizziness at the higher elevations. This is normal, and wasn’t helped by the fact that we couldn’t see anything to orient ourselves! This feeling subsided as we returned back below 10,000 feet, and we never had another problem with elevation the entire rest of the vacation. For that we were very thankful.
Setting up telemetry for the Pike’s Peak Hillclimb.
I did manage to get a few photos to document our visit. We’ll have to plan and visit again sometime when there is less of a chance of snow. We thought June was late enough, but maybe it will need to be July or August next time!
Serious snow removal equipment for some serious snow!
Garden of the Gods near Colorado Springs, Colorado
As I go through my images from our recent vacation to Colorado, I’m going to try and do short posts – mostly in order I hope – with a few photos from each of the places we visited. I’ll also try to add a little commentary along the way. Eventually these will all end up in a gallery on my website.
Garden of the Gods near Colorado Springs, ColoradoI have no idea who this woman is, but based on the conversation it sounds like she is a geologist or environmental scientist of some kind.My “Good Karma” moment – I took this photo then offered to take a photo of the whole group with their camera.
Our first night in Colorado was in Manitou Springs, just west of Colorado Springs. So from the Denver airport we headed south with the idea of seeing what we saw along the way. Garden of the Gods was on our list of places to visit, weather and time permitting.
Garden of the Gods near Colorado Springs, ColoradoGarden of the Gods near Colorado Springs, Colorado
As it turned out we had time, but we almost didn’t have the weather. It was threatening rain from the time we pulled into the parking lot, sprinkled a few times on the trails then really let go about the time we were leaving. Good timing! It would have been pretty toasty there if we didn’t have the clouds, and good photos might have been a little tougher to come by.
Garden of the Gods near Colorado Springs, ColoradoPeople just can’t leave well enough alone.
I got some skeptical looks when I told people that while I was in Colorado I was looking forward to seeing a friend that I had met on the internet. It wasn’t quite that way but it usually got the reaction I was looking for! I’m like that sometimes. 😉
Somewhere in rural Colorado north of Fort Collins
Most of the readers of this blog already know Monte, and a few had already met him. But since I had already met Paul, Earl aka Brooks, and Paul Maxim, I couldn’t take a trip to Colorado without checking in with Monte.
County Road 94 somewhere in rural Colorado north of Fort Collins
When we planned the itinerary for this vacation I wanted to spend some time in Fort Collins, mostly to see Monte but also to visit the town itself. As it turns out, it is quite the booming place, with a vibrant downtown area known as Old Town, lots of breweries and some excellent restaurants.
Sunset along the Front Range of Colorado somewhere north of Fort Collins, Colorado
Monte came to meet us at our hotel the first night we were in town, we spent an hour or so chatting, and as I expected hit it off immediately. You kind of get a feeling for a person after sharing stories and photographs for as long as we have, but you never know. It was great! Kathy got into the act, too. We had a nice dinner and kept each other up well past our usual bedtimes.
Sunset along the Front Range of Colorado somewhere north of Fort Collins, Colorado
The second evening Monte acted as tour guide and took us to some of his favorite photographic locations. Many places I had seen from his photos, and a few that I had not. And mostly places I never would have gotten to – or back from – on my own!
Sunset along the Front Range of Colorado somewhere north of Fort Collins, Colorado
We met up again on our last evening, had another nice dinner and spent a lot more time chatting. Fortunately we were already packed for the return trip to Charlotte and didn’t figure we would get much sleep anyway!
Hmmm, what’s this button do???
Thank you Monte for an enjoyable time! You are a great host and guide, and we look forward to meeting up with you again sometime or somewhere soon!
Tom & Monte Stevens at Slyce Pizza in Fort Collins, Colorado
It’s hard to believe that it was two months ago, but in early April, Kathy & I took our latest excursion to eastern North Carolina along with our friends Bill & Cathy from Ohio. We visited our usual haunts of Belhaven and Washington, but also visited Edenton and Bailey. Here are a few photos from that trip, just for fun.
Random photos from Washington, North CarolinaRandom photos from Washington, North CarolinaGrain Mill in Bailey, North CarolinaRandom photos from Belhaven, North CarolinaRandom photos from Belhaven, North CarolinaRoanoke River Lighthouse in Edenton, NC.Roanoke River Lighthouse in Edenton, NC.Random photos from Edenton, North CarolinaRandom photos from Edenton, North CarolinaRandom photos from Edenton, North CarolinaRandom photos from Edenton, North CarolinaRandom photos from Washington, North CarolinaRandom photos from Washington, North CarolinaRandom photos from Washington, North CarolinaRandom photos from Washington, North CarolinaRandom photos from Washington, North CarolinaRandom photos from Washington, North CarolinaRandom photos from Washington, North CarolinaRandom photos from Washington, North CarolinaRandom photos from Washington, North Carolina
Spring along the Blue Ridge Parkway at the Pixie Forest
A group of co-workers and I often go out to lunch on Fridays. This past Friday we had a little larger group than usual, and while we were waiting for the elevator, one of the guys said, “gee, we may need to take a bus.” And I replied, “maybe we need to call an Uber.” The resulting exchange went something like this (paraphrased):
Me: We could call an Uber and have them bring a van.
40-Something Somewhat Tech Aware Guy: Have you used Uber?
50-Something Less Than Open Minded Guy: What the hell’s an Uber?
Me: I’ve used Uber several times, it’s great. Works well. You just pull up the app, it tells you where the nearest car is, tell it where you want to go and they come.
40-Something Privacy Sensitive Guy: How do you pay them? Do they have your credit card information?
60-Something Fox News Addict: Don’t you worry about getting kidnapped or murdered? What kind of background check do they do?
Random photos from downtown Waynesville, North Carolina
Elevator stops at another floor.
My “Favorite” Wall, Waynesville, North Carolina
30-Something Hipster Guy gets on, someone we know. He hears the conversation and asks, “you guys talking about Uber? I work for them, good way to earn some extra money.”
Random photos from downtown Waynesville, North Carolina
We went on and took two cars. 50-Something Less Than Open Minded Guy wanted to drive because he doesn’t like to ride (also a Control Freak?) and 60-Something Fox News Addict drove (needed to get a Rush fix on the way).
Random photos from downtown Waynesville, North Carolina
That 30-second elevator conversation reminded me of how different our impressions of something can differ depending on our perspective. Our recent conversation about cameras is another example of how where we come from can impact our impression of something, our point of view and our opinion.
Random photos from downtown Waynesville, North Carolina
Belly dancing demonstration at the 13th Annual Whole Bloomin Thing Festival in Historic Frog Level, North Carolina
Kathy & I recently decided to take a long weekend to Waynesville, North Carolina, and I decided that it would be an excellent opportunity to try out the second of the two cameras that I have been wanting to try. While I wasn’t (and still am not) looking to replace my Canon gear, I have been wanting to try a few of the “state of the art” mirrorless cameras. I decided a while ago that of all the cameras to choose from, I was most likely to choose between the Fuji XT1 and the Olympus OMD EM1.
Belly dancing demonstration at the 13th Annual Whole Bloomin Thing Festival in Historic Frog Level, North CarolinaThe Frog Level Philharmonic performs at the 13th Annual Whole Bloomin Thing Festival in Historic Frog Level, North CarolinaThe Frog Level Philharmonic performs at the 13th Annual Whole Bloomin Thing Festival in Historic Frog Level, North Carolina
Back in January I rented a Fuji XT1 from Lensrentals and tried it out over a weekend in Charlotte. I wrote about the experience in a couple of posts, here and here. So for the weekend in Waynesville I decided to rent the other camera, an Olympus OMD EM1. Yes, I know the punctuation isn’t quite correct, but it’s too hard to get that alphabet soup arranged correctly!
Random photos from downtown Marion, North CarolinaRandom photos from downtown Marion, North Carolina
Whenever the time comes to replace my current camera system, I know that my two priorities are going to be image quality and handling. The 5D Mark III checks all the boxes for image quality, and after 12+ years of using Canon DSLRs the handling and layout of the menus is second nature to me. My only real reason for giving that up would be to find comparable image quality and good handling in a camera that is smaller and lighter. I can get used to just about any menu system given enough time, so I’m not too concerned about that.
Random photos from downtown Marion, North CarolinaSpring along the Blue Ridge Parkway near the Laurel Knob Overlook
My impression from the Fuji was that I really liked the files. I felt like the image quality was very good, and that it would likely be a suitable replacement for the full sized DSLR. My only real objection was that the camera felt too small for my hands, and I never felt like I had a secure and comfortable grip on it. That could probably be solved with one of the accessory grips sold by Fuji and others, but I didn’t get a chance to include that in my rental. Since January, Fuji has also come out with a larger “pro” level lens that might give me something more substantial to hang on to.
Random photos from downtown Waynesville, North CarolinaRandom photos from downtown Waynesville, North CarolinaRandom photos from downtown Waynesville, North Carolina
Being a firm believer in Murphy’s Law, I had had a feeling that when I tried the Olympus I would really like how the camera handled but that I wouldn’t like the files as much. But I’ve been a fan of the more square aspect ratio of the 4/3 cameras since my 6×7 medium format days, so I knew that would be a plus. From the moment I opened the box, assembled the camera and lens and held it in my hands, I had the feeling that “this is it.” In fact, the entire weekend I was daydreaming about how I could get the Canon gear boxed up and sent off to trade it all in on the Olympus and a supply of lenses. I really liked the way it handled, and other than the 30 minutes I spent trying to figure out how to get the lens out of Manual Focus mode (little did I realize that the Olympus 12-40 has a “push-pull” clutch mechanism to change between auto and manual focus) and the well-documented frustration with the menu hierarchy, it was a breeze to use.
Spring along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Pounding Mill OverlookSpring along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Pounding Mill Overlook
As luck would have it, I came home from a nice relaxing long weekend into a hectic week so my time to evaluate the files immediately was quite limited. I boxed up the camera and sent it back to Lensrentals, and downloaded the files to my computer. I snuck a quick peek at a few of the photos before heading off to bed, and was astonished to find that my initial impression was “yuck!” I even told Kathy – who had been patiently listening to me sing the praises of the Olympus all weekend – that my initial reaction was “leave your credit card in your wallet.” She was as surprised to hear it as I was to say it.
Random photos from downtown Waynesville, North CarolinaSpring along the Blue Ridge Parkway
I’ve now had a chance to spend some quality time with the files in Lightroom, and my impression has improved significantly. I’m going to try to tread very carefully here, because (a) I’m only trying to describe my experience and am not trying to write a comprehensive review, (b) I know a lot of people whose photography and opinions I respect who use the Olympus, and I’m not trying to question anyone else’s opinion, and (c ) I am by no means a qualified camera tester.
Random photos from downtown Waynesville, North CarolinaRandom photos from downtown Waynesville, North Carolina
In general I don’t find the image quality to be bad or anything, but my impression is that the files do not have the contrast, sharpness and color rendition that I get from my Canon cameras and that I saw in the Fuji files. They seem to be a little noisier than the Fuji files and I don’t feel that they have the dynamic range of the Canon or Fuji files. I suspect that this is due to the smaller sensor as much as anything. They seemed to require a little more sharpening and noise reduction than the Canon and Fuji files, and don’t seem to respond as well to large adjustments.
Storm clouds over Mount Mitchell, Mount Mitchell State Park, North CarolinaStorm clouds along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Mount Mitchell State Park, North Carolina
Admittedly I have not spent nearly as much time with either the Fuji or the Olympus files as I have with my Canon files, and I have processed a lot of Canon files over the years. I may have “gotten lucky” with the Fuji files, and given more time I might find the key to the Olympus files. But based on my limited experience with both of them if I had to make a choice I would probably have to choose the Fuji over the Olympus at this point in time. I would just need to find a solution to the lack of a grip, which I think would be pretty easy to accomplish.
Storm clouds along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Mount Mitchell State Park, North CarolinaStorm clouds along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Mount Mitchell State Park, North Carolina
I’ll undoubtedly have more to say on the subject over the next week or two, and I will certainly post some additional photos and commentary as I get to them. I might actually bring myself to make a purchase at some point in the near future. But we have a big trip coming up in June and there is no compelling reason to rock the boat. Kathy & I will be taking our first-ever trip to Colorado in June, and I’m planning to go with the tried and true Canon kit. I know it well, am confident that it will give me the results I want, and other than schlepping it through the airports we will be doing most of our travel by car, so the size and weight will not be as big of a factor.
A quiet breakfast at City Bakery in Waynesville, North Carolina
If you were hoping for a little bias confirmation bias, sorry for the disappointment. 😉
I said I was going to post wallpapers less regularly, and I passed on April. But I was getting tired of that scene and wanted something springy. Spring has sprung here in North Carolina, although the usual spring-almost-summer temperatures haven’t decided to stay yet. We’re still in that “heat in the morning, AC in the afternoon” stage that usually ends in April. That’s OK with me!
There isn’t a lot of lavender here in North Carolina. This is a lavender field in Seafoam, Nova Scotia from a few years back. I’ve been reliving 2013 lately and this seemed like a good candidate to occupy my desktop for a while. I hope it goes well on yours, too if you are so inclined.
Road Ends at Stumpy Point on Stumpy Point Road off US 264 near Stumpy Point, North Carolina
One of the things that I often accuse myself of, and for the most part it’s true, is not taking enough time with a subject to fully explore it. I am one of the most patient people I know, and when I get behind the camera I usually do a pretty good job of focusing myself so that I take as much time as I need. But sometimes I get to a point where I start to lose interest, or I see something else that I want to work with “next” and I move on before I should. That’s one of the reasons why I seldom bother with macro work. It’s just too fussy for me, although on the occasions where I have taken the time the results have been pretty good. But it’s a good example of what I mean. When I am taking very close-up photos of something like a flower, I see a flaw or something that I know will detract from it being a good photograph, then I just give up and move on to something else.
Road Ends at Stumpy Point on Stumpy Point Road off US 264 near Stumpy Point, North Carolina
One of the advantages of working with a subject that is already “flawed” is that it then becomes an exercise of simply representing it from an interesting angle, or emphasizing a certain quality or exploring how the light shapes the subject or brings out form and character. That is one of the reasons why I love shooting what I refer to as “peeling paint and rust.” I tend to give up if a beetle has been chewing on a flower petal, but if I come across an old boat or a rusted car, that is something I can work with!
Road Ends at Stumpy Point on Stumpy Point Road off US 264 near Stumpy Point, North Carolina
We live in what I call a “hurry up society.” This is an age that encourages moving along. We now have text messages that go away in 24 hours whether we read them or not, museums who give us a time limit for how long we can view a piece or prevent us from re-entering a room we have already visited. And heck knows we have no shortage of distractions. This all affects our photography in many ways, most of them negative, I think.
Road Ends at Stumpy Point on Stumpy Point Road off US 264 near Stumpy Point, North Carolina
Road Ends at Stumpy Point on Stumpy Point Road off US 264 near Stumpy Point, North Carolina
It’s far too easy in our always-connected age to take a photo and upload it instantly, so you can share, brag, complain or whatever. Then sit there and wait for all the Likes, Plusses, OMGs and LOLs to come pouring back on you. But that’s not what I’m about. For the most part my connectedness tends to be one-way. And only when it suits me. I’m just not an “always on” kind of guy! So this idea of taking all the time I need really appeals to me and is something I need to push myself to do more.
Road Ends at Stumpy Point on Stumpy Point Road off US 264 near Stumpy Point, North Carolina
This group of photos comes from 2011 at a place called Stumpy Point, North Carolina. It’s an “unincorporated community” which means that it isn’t actual town, but it does have a fire department, and there is a boat ramp at the end of the road where several old boats have been hauled up on shore and abandoned, just like the hopes and dreams of the owners, I suppose.
Road Ends at Stumpy Point on Stumpy Point Road off US 264 near Stumpy Point, North CarolinaRoad Ends at Stumpy Point on Stumpy Point Road off US 264 near Stumpy Point, North Carolina
I’ve been there a number times, but this particular visit was during my Road Ends project that I did for that year’s SoFoBoMo (so glad to hear that it’s been resurrected!). Look it up on a map – it’s a place where all the locals wave because they know that for one reason or another you are there on purpose. It’s not really on the way to anywhere and it is a long way from everywhere. I like it because it is quiet – we were there on July 3 and there wasn’t another soul around. I think during my handful of visits there I’ve only seen three people there, and that was the first time.
Road Ends at Stumpy Point on Stumpy Point Road off US 264 near Stumpy Point, North Carolina
That’s one of the things I like about going there. It’s quiet, I don’t need to worry about “rent-a-cops” and their imaginary paranoia telling me it’s illegal to shoot there. I’ve never seen anyone to ask, but I suppose if I did they would say something like “ain’t nothin’ else to do out here, have at it.” I probably give them something different to look at for a while.
Road Ends at Stumpy Point on Stumpy Point Road off US 264 near Stumpy Point, North Carolina
Road Ends at Stumpy Point on Stumpy Point Road off US 264 near Stumpy Point, North Carolina
According to my metadata I probably spent about 30 minutes shooting on that day. I don’t remember but it was probably hot and humid, and if there was any kind of breeze it would have helped keep the mosquitos away, but in July it’s not a cooling breeze. But I got what I went there for and came across a nice little series of photos. And I have some nice photos of the same boat that I made on previous visits. She’s not going anywhere. I suppose at some point a storm will come along and wash her to her final resting place, or someone will finally accept her fate and haul the remains off to a trash heap somewhere. But for a few visits she was a great subject for photography. I wish I knew her name, but there hasn’t been anyone around to ask!
Road Ends at Stumpy Point on Stumpy Point Road off US 264 near Stumpy Point, North Carolina
