"Brinksmanship" can often involve "Risk"?
(Good one, Michael.)
Really exceptional photo-story, Tyler. Enjoying the HELL out of it!
Seriously.
The Great Southwest Adventure
- Thread starter Tyler
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(Good one, Michael.)
Really exceptional photo-story, Tyler. Enjoying the HELL out of it!
Seriously.
beemerdons
Certifiable Old Fart
Not one single Photoshop? Not a solitary correction of grammar, punctuation or spelling? Not even a hint of an incorrect photo aperture F-stop setting or inappropriate shutter speed?"Brinksmanship" can often involve "Risk"?
(Good one, Michael.)
Really exceptional photo-story, Tyler. Enjoying the HELL out of it!
Seriously.
Be wary My Lovely Dear Miss Tyler, be cautious in all things with "this one"!
"Damn with faint praise, assent with civil leer,
And without sneering, teach the rest to sneer;
Willing to wound, and yet afraid to strike,
Just hint a fault, and hesitate dislike."
-- "Epistle to Dr Arbuthnot" by Alexander Pope (1688–1744)
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No kidding... you always gotta keep an eye out for the "quiet" ones...Not one single Photoshop? Not a solitary correction of grammar, punctuation or spelling? Not even a hint of an incorrect photo aperture F-stop setting or inappropriate shutter speed?"Brinksmanship" can often involve "Risk"?
(Good one, Michael.)
Really exceptional photo-story, Tyler. Enjoying the HELL out of it!
Seriously.
Be wary My Lovely Dear Miss Tyler, be cautious in all things with "this one"!
We arose the next morning for an awesome breakfast with our awesome waitress before packing up and heading back to Vegas. It was a beautiful cool morning and, although we were barely on the road, felt the need to stop at the first vista point and see that desert view from a bit of elevation as there would most likely be none of that on the way to Vegas…
Scott had been perusing the map the evening before we left and found something of interest along the way… Pipe Spring National Monument https://www.nps.gov/pisp/index.htm
. He swore it would be the highlight of the trip (tongue in cheek) and we just couldn’t do this trip without visiting it… there wasn’t a whole lot else to see for this part of the adventure… lots of straight stuff so it was nice to break it up a little with something… different…
Scott had a senior moment when he couldn’t find his park pass…
BTW, our park passes were well worth every penny... if you plan on visiting lots of national parks, the annual fee ($80) will serve you well! The Pipe Spring Monument, while one of the smaller attractions, was actually quite well put together and even interesting…
As long as you weren’t giggling during the guided tour at the droll repartee of your guide who evidently had extremely large feet (I missed that because I was busy taking pictures of everything else!)…
They led us into the main house and locked the door behind us… Scott started getting a little bit nervous…
“What do you mean we can’t leave???”
I got a little bit nervous when I spied this guy on the wall inside the house… iirc, it’s a Sun Spider… I stayed as far away from that sucker as possible… *shudder*
Scott had been perusing the map the evening before we left and found something of interest along the way… Pipe Spring National Monument https://www.nps.gov/pisp/index.htm
. He swore it would be the highlight of the trip (tongue in cheek) and we just couldn’t do this trip without visiting it… there wasn’t a whole lot else to see for this part of the adventure… lots of straight stuff so it was nice to break it up a little with something… different…
Scott had a senior moment when he couldn’t find his park pass…
BTW, our park passes were well worth every penny... if you plan on visiting lots of national parks, the annual fee ($80) will serve you well! The Pipe Spring Monument, while one of the smaller attractions, was actually quite well put together and even interesting…
As long as you weren’t giggling during the guided tour at the droll repartee of your guide who evidently had extremely large feet (I missed that because I was busy taking pictures of everything else!)…
They led us into the main house and locked the door behind us… Scott started getting a little bit nervous…
“What do you mean we can’t leave???”
I got a little bit nervous when I spied this guy on the wall inside the house… iirc, it’s a Sun Spider… I stayed as far away from that sucker as possible… *shudder*
Pipe Spring is home to the first telegraph office in AZ and the first operator was a 17-year old girl…
Please… follow the instructions!
The habitants of the property, the Winsors… have you ever noticed how no one smiles in photos from this era? They all look so grumpy and serious… lighten up, Francis!!
Sally checks out one of the Paiute dwellings…
Gun turrets were built into the walls in case they were ever attacked… which they weren’t…
They had some livestock including this big boy… I’d guess those horns spanned about 5 feet…
I declined his request for a smooch…
Our curiosity satisfied, we continued on our merry way for Vegas… the temperature started to climb steadily but a group consensus was reached to visit the Valley of Fire outstide of Vegas… we found a nice little picnic spot (with SHADE!) and munched on salami, cheese, crackers, and apples… yummy on the road lunch… not a bad view either!
While it didn’t have quite the grandeur that Bryce or GC did, it was still a beautiful landscape of rock…
By the time we got ensconced in the middle of rush hour traffic, it had climbed to 97 degrees and it was quite an adventure making our way along the freeways which are all under construction so exits zig and entrances zag… very confusing! We finally arrived at the Holiday Inn Express in Vegas (actually a very nice hotel off the strip), unloaded our gear and headed for the pool to cool off before heading for dinner. It would be our last night together as the Fab Four since Sally’s flight would be leaving the next day while Scott, Sue, and I soldiered on… supping at the restaurant cross the parking lot, we spent yet another few hours laughing and storytelling and just enjoying each other’s company… it was bittersweet.
Next up – Benton Hot Springs, fall colors, and Tioga Pass…
Please… follow the instructions!
The habitants of the property, the Winsors… have you ever noticed how no one smiles in photos from this era? They all look so grumpy and serious… lighten up, Francis!!
Sally checks out one of the Paiute dwellings…
Gun turrets were built into the walls in case they were ever attacked… which they weren’t…
They had some livestock including this big boy… I’d guess those horns spanned about 5 feet…
I declined his request for a smooch…
Our curiosity satisfied, we continued on our merry way for Vegas… the temperature started to climb steadily but a group consensus was reached to visit the Valley of Fire outstide of Vegas… we found a nice little picnic spot (with SHADE!) and munched on salami, cheese, crackers, and apples… yummy on the road lunch… not a bad view either!
While it didn’t have quite the grandeur that Bryce or GC did, it was still a beautiful landscape of rock…
By the time we got ensconced in the middle of rush hour traffic, it had climbed to 97 degrees and it was quite an adventure making our way along the freeways which are all under construction so exits zig and entrances zag… very confusing! We finally arrived at the Holiday Inn Express in Vegas (actually a very nice hotel off the strip), unloaded our gear and headed for the pool to cool off before heading for dinner. It would be our last night together as the Fab Four since Sally’s flight would be leaving the next day while Scott, Sue, and I soldiered on… supping at the restaurant cross the parking lot, we spent yet another few hours laughing and storytelling and just enjoying each other’s company… it was bittersweet.
Next up – Benton Hot Springs, fall colors, and Tioga Pass…
nik.hisham
Well-known member
Hi Tyler. Awesome pics! Love the scenery. And the frost on your seat makes me feel cold just looking at it. Reminded me of my ride through alps in Andorra. Thanks for sharing.
Khunajawdge
Toto El Mundo!
Great photos Tyler! Love that area near Coral Reef and Escalante. That Nikon is the cat's meow!
Got stuck on the pic of that trylobyte in Part III. It reminded me of the time I soaked in the Colorado River with all my riding gear on at Lee's Ferry, heading toward a meet-up with Beemerdons at the North Rim. Glad I didn't show up with one of those Alien fetuses clamped onto my forehead.
Got stuck on the pic of that trylobyte in Part III. It reminded me of the time I soaked in the Colorado River with all my riding gear on at Lee's Ferry, heading toward a meet-up with Beemerdons at the North Rim. Glad I didn't show up with one of those Alien fetuses clamped onto my forehead.
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Someone told me that the creepy crawly critter that we saw is called a tadpole shrimp. When we first saw it, it looked like a tadpole... but when we looked closer it moved in the muddy water way different than the traditional tadpole... maybe they would come in handy to drop in someone's ear at a gathering... kinda like Khan did in the Star Trek movie... :lol:Great photos Tyler! Love that area near Coral Reef and Escalante. That Nikon is the cat's meow!
Got stuck on the pic of that trylobyte in Part III. It reminded me of the time I soaked in the Colorado River with all my riding gear on at Lee's Ferry, heading toward a meet-up with Beemerdons at the North Rim. Glad I didn't show up with one of those Alien fetuses clamped onto my forehead.
marcusorelius
Well-known member
Nah, shes at a sign that says stop fer snakes crossing
AVGeek
Well-known member
Tyler, those old cameras had a looooong exposure time, so nobody smiled in fear of ruining the picture.
Great RR, and seeing Valley of Fire reminds me of my run through there, back when I lived in Vegas!
Great RR, and seeing Valley of Fire reminds me of my run through there, back when I lived in Vegas!
The Final Chapter
The next morning dawned and we aimed to hit the road early to miss the heat… with leaky eyes, we said our goodbyes to Sally who would be catching a plane back to the UK later that day… but we vowed to get together again for another episode of The Sally Tyler Risk Show as soon as we could!
Scott, Sue, and I headed out via 95… we decided to skirt around Death Valley as it was looking to be in the 100’s out that way… although the road was pretty much straight, straight, straight, the temp hit about 84 max and that was just fine with me… plus the clouds were putting on a wonderful show against a brilliant blue backdrop… was kind of mesmerizing to watch as we rolled along…
More roadwork meant a bit of a delay… again, very glad it was only about 84 degrees…
Stopped in Beatty for gas and a little lunch where I spied the painting on the side of a building…
We scooted out 266 which is pretty uneventful… Scott thought it might go over a twisty pass at one point but, alas, this was not to be… we did get to swing through the tiny town of Dyer which, although I wasn’t in dire need of it, has a 2-pump gas station and market so we could pick up some goodies for a makeshift dinner that evening… if you’re ever out that way, make note of this place as it could save your tush!
The next morning dawned and we aimed to hit the road early to miss the heat… with leaky eyes, we said our goodbyes to Sally who would be catching a plane back to the UK later that day… but we vowed to get together again for another episode of The Sally Tyler Risk Show as soon as we could!
Scott, Sue, and I headed out via 95… we decided to skirt around Death Valley as it was looking to be in the 100’s out that way… although the road was pretty much straight, straight, straight, the temp hit about 84 max and that was just fine with me… plus the clouds were putting on a wonderful show against a brilliant blue backdrop… was kind of mesmerizing to watch as we rolled along…
More roadwork meant a bit of a delay… again, very glad it was only about 84 degrees…
Stopped in Beatty for gas and a little lunch where I spied the painting on the side of a building…
We scooted out 266 which is pretty uneventful… Scott thought it might go over a twisty pass at one point but, alas, this was not to be… we did get to swing through the tiny town of Dyer which, although I wasn’t in dire need of it, has a 2-pump gas station and market so we could pick up some goodies for a makeshift dinner that evening… if you’re ever out that way, make note of this place as it could save your tush!
Our closing weekend was at the Historic Benton Hot Springs B&B… for those looking for a nice weekend with an SO, I would highly recommend this place… very relaxing, three hot springs to soak in, great breakfast (included), and wonderful atmosphere…
There isn’t much else around so you do need to plan ahead for dinner but Bishop is only about 30 miles away (which Scott & Sue were happy to find a shop that had a rear tire for Sue’s bike which seems to eat through them)…
Dusk settled in…
And we were treated to our first spectacular sunset…
And we had an even more wonderful sight… Susan & Michael Garza had driven out to meet up with us and even brought us the most dee-licious burgers from the town grill!
There isn’t much else around so you do need to plan ahead for dinner but Bishop is only about 30 miles away (which Scott & Sue were happy to find a shop that had a rear tire for Sue’s bike which seems to eat through them)…
Dusk settled in…
And we were treated to our first spectacular sunset…
And we had an even more wonderful sight… Susan & Michael Garza had driven out to meet up with us and even brought us the most dee-licious burgers from the town grill!
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Saturday morning, while Scott/Sue headed for Bishop to replace Sue’s tire, I hung out at the B&B with Susan/Michael and wandered about the place and snapped a few photos…
There was a loud drone of humming outside our room… tons of honey bees busy at work… the sound was amazing…
I spent about an hour just hanging around in one of the hammocks under the trees… very peaceful…
The sun lit up the colors in the clouds overhead…
There was a loud drone of humming outside our room… tons of honey bees busy at work… the sound was amazing…
I spent about an hour just hanging around in one of the hammocks under the trees… very peaceful…
The sun lit up the colors in the clouds overhead…
Scott showing off his manly-man skills…
And then the sun started to set, lighting up the foothills behind the B&B, multi-colored clouds, and lots of yellow windflowers…
And then, just as we thought the sunset was done, we turned to the west and saw the sky on fire with color… Scott and I raced each other to the opposite side of the road before the show subsided to get a shot or two… it was breathtaking! My daughter used to tease me because I’m such a geek about sunsets… I’ve pulled over on the side of the freeway to enjoy them… she asked me what the big deal was… I told her that each one is unique, like a painting from God, and that the moment I spent looking at it was celebrating that moment in life… appreciating the now…
And then of course Scott did what Scott does best in the middle of an empty road at sunset, celebrating in his own unique fashion…
And then the sun started to set, lighting up the foothills behind the B&B, multi-colored clouds, and lots of yellow windflowers…
And then, just as we thought the sunset was done, we turned to the west and saw the sky on fire with color… Scott and I raced each other to the opposite side of the road before the show subsided to get a shot or two… it was breathtaking! My daughter used to tease me because I’m such a geek about sunsets… I’ve pulled over on the side of the freeway to enjoy them… she asked me what the big deal was… I told her that each one is unique, like a painting from God, and that the moment I spent looking at it was celebrating that moment in life… appreciating the now…
And then of course Scott did what Scott does best in the middle of an empty road at sunset, celebrating in his own unique fashion…
We had an awesome bbq that evening (there are gas grills there and the Wades had picked up steak and assorted veggies) then went for a soak in the hot springs out back… a brilliant way to spend our last evening together… again, the next morning was beautiful… cool, blue skies dotted with puffy clouds, and we turned west for home, enjoying the w00ps section on 120 that just makes you giggle as you crest the top of one of the ups and your butt lifts off the seat… we had been told there was a section north of the Tioga Pass turnoff that was in full fall regalia so we bypassed Tioga and headed north about 15 miles to witness the spectacle… it was right there off the side of the road and there were many folks admiring and photographing it… just spectacular!
Turning back, a glimpse of Mono Lake…
The trip over Tioga Pass was one of the most pleasant I can remember taking in a long time… very little traffic and, what there was, most times pulled over for us… I think I’ll stick to these roads after all the kiddies have gone back to school and the motor homes have been delivered back to their rental homes… not too long of a line to get in…
Still snow at the east end of the park but a beautiful day to be out and about…
Didn’t take a lot of pics as we have been there many times before and will be there again, I’m sure… and we were ready to get home to our own familiar beds and surroundings… we did stop for an impromptu picnic and the 7th inning stretch…
So how do I sum this trip up? The basics - two weeks, 7 national parks, 3500 miles. Those are the basic facts (photos below courtesy of Scott Wade).
But how do I find the words to convey the myriad of emotions and mirth and gobsmacked moments at the sights our world holds in store for us?
How do I share the gratitude for being given a second chance, for the gift of friendship, for the miles of (s)miles?
Is it even possible to put it into words?
Well, I gave it the old college try and I hope I succeeded in part… my wish is that each of you find those moments in life, the “now” moments, that make you stop and appreciate that moment, the faces of those you love who inhabit your world, and don’t waste a lot of time on the unimportant stuff… it’s all just stuff… enjoy today… enjoy the now… don’t waste time on the past… stop saying some day and find the way to make it TOday… surround yourself with the people you love and appreciate them every day… just fricking ENJOY!
FIN
Turning back, a glimpse of Mono Lake…
The trip over Tioga Pass was one of the most pleasant I can remember taking in a long time… very little traffic and, what there was, most times pulled over for us… I think I’ll stick to these roads after all the kiddies have gone back to school and the motor homes have been delivered back to their rental homes… not too long of a line to get in…
Still snow at the east end of the park but a beautiful day to be out and about…
Didn’t take a lot of pics as we have been there many times before and will be there again, I’m sure… and we were ready to get home to our own familiar beds and surroundings… we did stop for an impromptu picnic and the 7th inning stretch…
So how do I sum this trip up? The basics - two weeks, 7 national parks, 3500 miles. Those are the basic facts (photos below courtesy of Scott Wade).
But how do I find the words to convey the myriad of emotions and mirth and gobsmacked moments at the sights our world holds in store for us?
How do I share the gratitude for being given a second chance, for the gift of friendship, for the miles of (s)miles?
Is it even possible to put it into words?
Well, I gave it the old college try and I hope I succeeded in part… my wish is that each of you find those moments in life, the “now” moments, that make you stop and appreciate that moment, the faces of those you love who inhabit your world, and don’t waste a lot of time on the unimportant stuff… it’s all just stuff… enjoy today… enjoy the now… don’t waste time on the past… stop saying some day and find the way to make it TOday… surround yourself with the people you love and appreciate them every day… just fricking ENJOY!
FIN
wheatonFJR
...
Wow.
Just wow.
Golden experiences...thanks for sharing.
Just wow.
Golden experiences...thanks for sharing.
chivvalry
Well-known member
Thanks very much for sharing.
