Frank Talk

What Mode Are You In?

2012-01-06T13:19:00.000-08:00

If you are not happy with the photos your camera is producing, you might not be in a very good mood. Achieving a proper exposure might change your mood. The real problem might be the camera's shooting mode. In the previous post, there was some discussion about understanding the 3 elements that add up to a proper exposure: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. Selecting a specific shooting mode on your camera, can either limit you or open the the possibility of varying these 3 exposure elements. "What are you talking about?" you might be saying. DSLRs and some point-and-shoot cameras have a selection of shooting modes. Normally they are found on a dial on the top of the camera. These are the most common modes.

The Auto or Automatic setting is normally designated by a green rectangle. It is totally automatic; you make no decisions about aperture, shutter speed, or ISO. The camera does it all. Does it do it correctly? Sometimes, it will make the right decisions on the 3 elements of exposure, well maybe in some situations but not always. It even might activate the built in flash at the right time, or it might not. The decisions are made by the camera manufacturer's sophisticated algorithms using info received from the built in light meter. You are just pointing, shooting and hoping for the best. Sometimes your hopes and dreams are met, and other times, you are faced with disappointment or frustration. Maybe both. The way one sets up the light meter, will influence the outcome. It will either convey appropriate info or it might not. (Check on light meter set up in the 12/1/2011 post.) If you wish to take control of some or all of the elements of exposure, you will be required to move away from Automatic.

The Program mode, usually designated by P (some think it means Professional - not so), will give you one level of adjustment. Program allows the user to set the ISO. The camera decides on the aperture and shutter speed. Although one will gain some benefit from controlling the ISO, it is not enough for most. Okay, maybe for a snapshot but not your best work. The camera recognizes the ISO you have chosen, then selects an aperture and shutter speed combination based on an algorithm and the light meter information. You may be starting to see the importance of the light meter information.

Aperture Priority mode is just that; it gives the aperture setting the priority. It is normally designated by an A or Av (aperture value) on the settings dial. The camera operator sets the ISO and the desired aperture; the camera selects the shutter speed. Selecting the aperture allows for control of the depth of field or what is in focus. For images where maximum depth of field is desired, an f-stop like 16 may be desirable. For a shallow depth of field, an f-stop like 4 might be your pick. The shutter speed is determined by the camera using info from the light meter.

Shutter Priority mode gives the priority to the shutter speed. S or Tv (time value) is the normal dial marking. The ISO and the shutter speed is selected by the operator, and the camera chooses the aperture. This is especially helpful when one wants to control motion. A slow shutter speed will allow a motion blur to be captured. A fast shutter speed will freeze motion. The camera picks the appropriate aperture, as before, based on the info from the light meter.

M or Manual mode may strike fear in into the hearts of many, but it is the mode where the camera operator takes full control of all 3 elements of exposure. Set the ISO, then while looking through the viewfinder set both the shutter speed and the aperture. The camera operator still needs to consider the shutter speed in relation to controlling motion and aperture in relation to depth of field. It takes a little practice, but if you stick at it, this may be your preferred shooting mode. It is the mode that makes the shooter responsible for the good, the bad, and the ugly. With practice, there will be more good than ugly.

Bulb, usually designated by a B, is for long exposures. It, like Manual mode, allows for control of the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. The difference is that on most cameras, there is a limit to the maximum slow shutter speed setting. Sometimes, a longer shutter speed is needed beyond what is provided by a camera setting. Bulb allows for holding the shutter button down for as long as might be desired. My camera can be set to a maximum slow shutter speed of 30 seconds. If I need the shutter to remain open longer, Bulb is the answer. When would you use bulb? Capturing stars in the sky, fireworks, and many other low light situations. For these slow shutter speeds, a tripod and a shutter release are often desirable. The shutter release is a cable which connects to the camera and enables the activation of the shutter without touching the camera, reducing any added vibration. The tripod and cable release are pretty essential tools for slow shutter speeds.

Now you have a simple explanation of shooting modes. You can take more control over your photos by understanding and using the modes that give you the control that you need.

Note: on some cameras, there are modes for Portrait, Landscape, Sports/Action, Night, etc., these are just variations on the main modes listed above. For example, Sports/Action is a Shutter Priority with the shutter speed set at 1/250 or higher. Check your camera's manual for more info pertaining to your manufacturer and camera model.

Check on earlier posting for info on exposure and light meter settings

Triangulation: The Path To A Proper Exposure

2012-01-02T11:27:00.000-08:00

One of the questions that I am often asked is, "Why are my photos so bright" or "Why are they so dark." The answer in almost all cases is that the exposure is not at its optimum. Upon questioning, I sometimes find that the person with the exposure problems may be using one of the camera modes, like Automatic. This may have an effect on the exposure outcome. In this blog posting, I will attempt to explore exposure. I'll deal with the various camera mode options later.

Exposure is controlled by 3 variables: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO setting. They form what is something called the exposure triangle. All 3 variables control the affect of light on the image sensor. Having the appropriate amount of light registering on the sensor results in a properly exposed image.

These variables are interrelated in that they always work together to achieve the desired exposure. Increase one and another must be decreased; decrease one and another must be increased. Each one controls some part of the process of getting light to the sensor. Each has characteristics that change when they are increased or decreased.

Aperture is a measure of the opening within the lens. This allows light to pass through the lens to the sensor in varying amounts. This opening is actually a ratio of the area of the lens opening compared to the maximum possible opening. The size of the open area is specified by f-stop numbers. It may seem counter intuitive, but the larger the f-stop number, the smaller the open area. So, f16 is much smaller than f8. Full f-stops allow a doubling or halving of the size of the opening.The range of full f-stops is as follows: 1.4, 2, 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22. In modern cameras, there are fractional openings between the doubling and halving. The range of f-stops will vary with the camera model. Changing an f-stop of 4 to an f-stop of 5.6 will decrease the opening by half or 50%. Moving the f-stop from 4 to 2.8 will increase the opening by 2 times doubling the size of the opening. If the other legs of the triangle remain constant, changing the aperture will increase or decrease the total exposure. There is a trade off. Changing the aperture will affect the depth of field in a given image. An f-stop of 2.8 will have a much smaller depth of field when compared to an f-stop of 16. So, there can be a depth of field (area with acceptable focus) consideration when altering an aperture opening.

Shutter speed is the amount of time the light passing through the lens is allowed to strike the sensor. The numbers describing shutter speed may be easier to understand as the are expressed as seconds or fractions of a second. Increasing the amount of time the shutter is open, will increase exposure. Decreasing the amount of time the shutter is open, will decrease the exposure. Doubling or halving the shutter speed has the same effect as increasing or decreasing the aperture by full stops. The trade off with shutter adjustments is motion blur. If freezing motion is the objective, then a faster shutter speed is desirable, for example, freezing the action of kids playing sports. If a blur is desired, then slowing the speed will yield the desired result. An example would be capturing the motion of water in a waterfall. For the shots where a blur is desired a tripod might be required. The motion of camera shake will occur at longer shutter speeds. Camera shake is a result of the movement inherent in hand holding the camera.

The third side of the exposure triangle is ISO. This denotes is how sensitive the image sensor is to the light passing through the lens and past the shutter. As sensitivity increases, less shutter speed or aperture opening is needed for a proper exposure. ISO settings are represented by numbers like 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600. These numbers are a representation of doubling or halving the sensitivity of the image sensor in the camera. Moving the setting from ISO 200 to ISO 400 makes the sensor twice as sensitive. Moving the setting from ISO 200 to ISO 100 makes the sensor half as sensitive. The effect of increasing ISO is more noise in the image file. Noise manifests itself like grain in film captured photos. Low ISO means less noise.

If any one of the exposure triangle's settings is fixed, adjustments to the other 2 can result in a proper exposure, but one must be aware of the trade offs.

If you have your camera set to Auto, you will not have access to the legs of the exposure triangle. The camera makes all of the decisions. Sometimes it's okay, and sometimes it's not. More about the camera modes in the next blog post.

Family Photography

2011-12-29T10:43:00.000-08:00

When people ask me why I don't do much family photography, I say that a picture is worth a thousand words.

Setting the Camera's Light Meter: Which Mode?

2011-12-01T11:59:00.001-08:00

Which metering mode have you chosen? Is it spot or center weighted average; perhaps, you've chosen evaluative or partial? These are the options on the Canon 7D. On the Canon G12, it is evaluative, center-weighted average, or spot. The options vary by camera, but in almost all cases, other than phone cameras, there are options. When I have posed the question about which setting a user has chosen, I am often greeted with a glassy eyed stare. Which to select, that is the question at hand.

Each of the options available on a camera determines the exposure using the 18% gray or 50% luminance measurement in a different manner (check the preceding blog post for more on 18% gray). Each one uses a different and complex algorithm to determine the exposure.

Evaluative (different manufacturers use different nomenclature, like zone matrix) is often the default setting on the camera. It measures a number of points as seen through the camera's viewfinder (if it has one) and calculates something like an average or weighted average of the readings on the points and the background. The camera's manual usually gives this option glowing reviews; it seems best for almost all cases if the manual is to be believed.

Partial metering measures the reflected light based on an area in the center of the viewfinder. In the case of the Canon 7D, this is a circle covering 9.4% of the viewfinder area, directly in the center. It does not consider any of the reflected light beyond this circle.

Spot metering focuses its efforts on a small spot in the center of the viewfinder. It considers only the light reflected onto this small spot. The spot on the Canon 7D is 2.3% of the viewfinder area.

Center-weighted roughly determines the measurement in the center of the viewfinder with a heavier weight given to the very center and less to the remaining area.

The question remains, which mode is best. That really depends on the type of subject and lighting conditions that one encounters. As for me, my favorites are spot and partial. More often than not, I'll aim the metering point at the subject area that I wish to be properly exposed. Normally, I'm shooting in the manual mode; so, the settings are made and then the final composition is completed. One could use the exposure lock, it can preserve this reading if you are shooting in aperture or shutter priority.

My suggestion to most people is take the time to experiment with each of the metering modes available on your camera. Then you can determine which works best for you. And yes, it does help to read the camera's manual.

Note: The illustrations are approximate representations of the modes as described in the Canon 7D manual.

Light Meter Frustration

2011-12-01T09:22:00.001-08:00

A lot of my friends ask, "Why do some of my photos come out well exposed and yet some are dark or some are too bright?" In the main, most of my friends use a camera with a pretty good light meter built right into it. They are using some auto or default setting and letting the camera's meter determine the exposure without understanding the basics of how it actually works. Even in the college classes that I teach, lots of my students find it difficult to grasp the basics of "how a camera's light meter works".

Putting the camera aside, let's look at light meters in general. There are 2 types of light meter; the type that measures incident light and the type that measures reflected light. Incident light meters measure the light that is falling on the subject. It is held near the subject and measures the light striking the subject from one or multiple light sources. Incident light meters are used by most professionals in the studio where flash or strobe lighting is used; they may be used in natural light situations as well. Incident meters are not often used by amateurs as they add an equipment expense and they are not very useful for those candid shots. The person taking the photo would need to go close to the subject and measure the light, adjust the camera settings, and return to the spot from which to take the photo. Convenient for one person; it's not.

Reflected light meters measure the light that is being reflected from a surface on the subject. The light strikes the subject and the light that is reflected is measured by the meter. Different surfaces and colors reflect light differently. White or very light/bright surfaces reflect more light than dark surfaces. It's a physics thing. A reflected light meter is the type of meter that is built into cameras. It is measuring the light reflected from the subject to the camera position. This meter is actually measuring the luminance of the light that is reflected. It uses 18% gray as the baseline; so, the meter computes the exposure based on looking at something with a luminance of 18% gray. The meter considers all reflected light to be coming from a source that is 18% gray. If the subject is reflecting light that is higher or lower in luminance as compared to 18% gray, the exposure will be less than optimum. Colors can have a luminance equal to that of 18% gray. Check out the following example.

The gray sample is 18% gray which indicates a 50% luminance (Why is 18% gray equal to 50% luminance? This is a topic for another time, but trust me it is the same). The red, green and blue samples have the same luminance as the gray sample. Therefore, the reflected light meter will see them all in the same way. But remember, if the luminance (think of it as brightness) is greater or lesser, the meter will not calculate an optimum exposure.

By now, 90% of the readers of this post have likely moved on to some other surfing activity. It is a bit difficult to wrap one's head around. Suffice it to say that the meter isn't all one needs to determine a proper exposure; An understanding of how to apply the information is essential.

In the next post, we will explore selecting light meter settings in the camera options menu.

Note: The illustration may not display the precise luminance. This will vary with the monitor and claibration of that monitor.

Lightroom to Photoshop: A Round Trip

2011-11-18T07:32:00.001-08:00

In Lightroom, it is easy to send an image file to Photoshop for some finishing touches and have it return to Lightroom. This makes it easy to manage all of one's images in the Lightroom catalog. I am often surprised how some of my students get all confused in the process.

Here are a couple of points to remember:

to return to Lightroom after Photoshop adjustments, simply Save the image; DO NOT Save As. Saving As results in Lightroom losing track of the image file. After a simple Save and Closing the file, it will return to Lightroom without any problem.
image files with layers added in Photoshop can be saved back to Lightroom. Remember, if you wish to reopen the layered file in Photoshop, open the Original file not a copy. Opening a copy results in a flattened copy being opened in Photoshop.

There is a bridge from Lightroom to Photoshop, and you won't pay a toll if you pay attention to what you are doing.

BTW, the bridge in the photo is the Brooklyn Bridge.

A New Leaf? Bird of a Colorful Feather?

2011-11-16T13:48:00.001-08:00

I am turning over a new leaf regarding more attention to the blog. I know. Déjà vu, all over again. All that I can promise is that I currently have the motivation to get something posted every week. It may be about digital imaging, food, travel, or who knows what. I've got some short story ideas; this may be a chapter-like topic, but as I said, who knows.

Regarding digital imaging, I have found some interesting effects using Topaz Adjust. The macaw, pictured above, was a multi-layer technique using the software. It brings out the detail in the feathers.

RAGBRAI 2011 (without chafing in sensitive areas)

2011-08-24T13:43:00.000-07:00

passing the corn in Iowa

Yes, I did make the trip to Iowa to join the 10,000 official riders participating in RAGBRAI XXXIX. This was the 39th annual bicycle event started by a couple of reporters for the Des Moines Register. The acronym. RAGBRAI, stands for the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa.

yes, there are hills

RAGBRAI is not a race; it's a ride. This would have been evident if you were following me on this year's jaunt. I often felt like the tortoise in Aesop's fable about the tortoise and the hare. Since it was not a race, I performed equally to most tortoise expectations.

saddle time

For the XXXVIII RAGBRAI, I was urged to register by my wife. She assured me that I had included it on my "bucket list". I had no such recollection but was unable to produce any documentation to support my stance. She insisted citing the statistics; it was nearly the shortest route in the history of the ride (450 miles), and the least amount of total climb (14,860 feet). She was convinced that I had a moral obligation to register. Under duress, I did, and I blogged about the experience last August 4th.

main street bike parking

One of the more serious things that I learned was that a person can experience chafing in sensitive areas while participating in a week long, hours in the saddle bike ride. I'm referring to very serious, affecting the way you walk, chafing. My introduction to serious skin erosion began on day 4 or 5 (if you need the actual day, check my blog from August 2010).

been into the corn

This was the time when I first became acquainted with a group of products commonly referred to as "butt butter". I became an avid proponent of a product called Chamois Butt'r. This is a soothing balm that is applied to problem areas. Those areas which directly affect your gait when attempting to walk. Chamois Butt'r allowed me to complete RAGBRAI XXXVIII. Note: Even though this may contradict the warning label, Chamois Butt'r cannot be applied too liberally.

bands in nearly every town

This year, I registered for RAGBRAI XXXIX. Don't ask why; it falls into the realm of the "fool me twice" conundrum. Clearly, RAGBRAI was no longer on my "bucket list", but I registered anyway. It was to be about as long as the 2010 edition (454 miles) but the climb was 50% more (21,206 feet). I still don't know how to explain this lapse of judgement.

adult beverages, too

I arrived at RAGBRAI knowing that I would be well supplied with my favorite brand of "butt butter" and that I would be applying it in a preventive mode starting on day one of the ride. On the very first day and every subsequent day, I applied a generous amount of the balm before mounting my bike and at midday. I am very pleased to report that no unusual or protective actions were required during any of my walking experiences during the week long ride.

tractor glamour

Will I go to RAGBRAI again? Well, not next year. Who knows what the future may hold. That's a long way off.

read a menu while you wait

I may even forget about the long ride and the hills to climb. But, I won't forget my "butt butter"!

smiling at the start

All of the images were captured on RAGBRAI XXXIX.

Faux Fisheye in Photoshop

2011-04-01T13:10:00.000-07:00

From time to time, the need for a fisheye effect on a photo seems like the appropriate thing to do. One of the ways that I satisfy that need is to visit Photoshop CS5 and use the Edit > Transform > Warp function.

I'll use this Lucky Dog image taken near Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Shades of Ignatius Jacques Reilly, if you have read A Confederacy of Dunces. In the menu bar, go to Edit > Transform > Warp.

When the Warp function has been selected, click on the drop down box in the Options bar; it will be displaying Custom.

From the drop down selections, choose Fisheye. A default setting will be applied to establish the fisheye look.

The default setting is 50 (highlighted in yellow in the image above). This can be increased to a higher number if needed. The default setting usually works for me.

Once the transform is accepted, the fisheye image is complete.

If you are looking for a reverse fisheye (I'm not sure it exists in photography), it is possible to make a concave warp instead of a convex warp. Instead of using a positive 50 in the Bend box, try a negative 50. This will give the opposite effect.

I guess this is my first negative fisheye. Enjoy!

The Trail to Machu Picchu: Lucma to Machu Picchu Pueblo

2011-02-24T08:57:00.000-08:00

I'm not exactly sure when the reality of the last day's trek really hit me. I was happy to have most of the miles behind me. By my count, there were only about 7 miles left to go, but the first 3 miles were to take 3 to 3 1/2 hours of uphill climbing. The elevation change for that 3 miles would be nearly 2000 feet through a warm, humid cloud forest. Any happiness that I felt was replaced with a feeling of nervousness about the next challenging hike.

The Lucma Lodge was another unexpected treat. The guest rooms were much more than comfortable and the staff was quite friendly. They had very basic English skills, but this gave me a chance to attempt to converse in my poor Spanish. There was something missing at this lodge. When compared to the other lodges on the trip, Lucma lacked a hot tub. We had to rough it

The food was good. The mood was very friendly. We even had a chance to have some last minute laundry taken care of by the staff.

And, the views from the lodge offered another vision of Peru not seen on previous days.

The hike was much more difficult than I had expected. I was lagging behind the group for the entire 3 miles up to the pass. I was drenched in perspiration. I could have used some electrolytes. But, there was no convenience store to be found. Moving along the trail, we encountered a group of hikers in their twenties. Some were worn out, and some were crying. I was beginning to associate more with the latter group. I pushed on keeping my personal mantra a secret. Once at the summit, I revealed to my wife that I completed the climb due only to my repeated singing of "High Hopes". This of course was to myself as my singing voice is awful. The arrangement that I chose was the Frank Sinatra version.

Reaching the summit of the Llactapata Pass, we found ourselves standing at the ruins of Llactapata, an Incan site with lesser size and notoriety when compared to Machu Picchu.

We eagerly dropped our back packs and hiking sticks. Across the valley, we found our first glimpse of our goal, Machu Picchu.

There in the distance was the ancient city of the Incas. We might have been seeing the city much like Hiram Bingham saw it in 1912. Through our binoculars, people were moving about the ruins. We would be there tomorrow.

Before we started our decent and our rendezvous with Peru Rail at the hydro electric plant, we were to have our last lunch on the trail. Just a few hundred yards from the ruins, we arrived at an open air restaurant run by a local family. While we ate and rested, we were observed by the young son of the owners. His name we would come to find out is Michelangelo.

After our stop, we passed by a field of maize, and then we had our first look at our afternoon decent. We had 4 miles to cover, all downhill. The decent of nearly 3200 feet had to be accomplished in under 3 hours. We had a train to catch.

The hike down the hill was equally daunting, but we had gravity on our side. The trail down was very steep and slippery in a number of places. We moved along with an odd mix of speed and caution.

Upon reaching the river at the bottom of the valley, it became clear that we would not miss our train. This was important as this was the last train of the day and there was no lodging at the hydro electric plant. We did not stop for a break; we pressed on. We could relax when we were standing next to the train. Is the word relax or collapse...hmmm.

As we awaited the trains departure (there was no station), many of us enjoyed an adult beverage to celebrate our accomplishment. I for one was relieved, very relieved. It seemed as though I would live for another day.

When the locomotive started up, we boarded. Many had smiles, but as I mentioned, my emotion was more of relief. The hike was essentially behind us.

The train started to move, and we were on our way to lodging in Machu Picchu Pueblo (formerly Aguas Caientes). A hot shower, dinner and a good night's sleep was awaiting. Tomorrow, we would enter the famous ruins.

For a few more images follow this link.

The Trail to Machu Picchu: Colpa to Lucma

2011-02-22T10:54:00.000-08:00

The day started in Colpapampa at the Colpa Lodge. We had an early breakfast and headed out for the day's trek. We had about 10 miles to cover. There were no mountains to cross, and we would be on trails that were generally descending. We would lose about 2400 feet of altitude by the time we arrived at the next lodge.

As we moved out of the lodge and bid our hosts farewell, we passed our bags ready to be loaded onto the horses for the last time. After today, we would be on a protected Inca trail where horses are not permitted; porters would be required to do the heavy lifting and transport.

Moving away from the lodge we came to the most difficult decent and assent of the day. We had to cross the river valley climbing to a distant ridge to join the trail heading down the Santa Teresa River Valley.

At the top of the trail which crossed the valley, the Lucma Lodge was barely in sight. Arriving at the opposite summit of the valley, we came upon a small settlement of a half dozen houses.

Hikers pass through this area, and we came to a vacant campground and a small tienda selling some beverages and snacks. A red plastic bag was tied to a pole in front of the store. This indicated that chicha was available.

Our guide, Dalmiro, opted to stop for a short break to enjoy a chicha. Chicha is a fermented drink normally made from maize in this area of Peru. It has a low alcohol content, normally 1% to 3%. Many find it refreshing; some find it addicting. I opted to wait until the hike was complete before I enjoyed a beverage of this type. I wasn't exactly sure of what was ahead of us.

We had been hiking for about an hour or so when we came to the cluster of houses and the chicha break. The curiosity of the local children brought them to the edge of the trail.

The curiosity was accompanied by a hope of gaining a few coins from the hikers for a photo opportunity. I obliged several of the children. I guess I'm a sucker for a 25 cent photo.

Departing civilization, we started down the trail that would follow the Santa Teresa River Valley. The high trail hugged a ridge high above the river.

We had crossed the river as we left the lodge and climbed to the opposite side of the valley. We would cross several streams feeding the river throughout the day. As we made our way along the trail, we were careful to watch our path fairly carefully. It was a long way down to the river.

At times the decent was steep, but it was often followed by a climb. The terrain was undulating, but it was generally heading down. There was not much speed hiking along these trails, except for the locals. They sped past carrying their children or other cargo.

As we moved along the trail, the vegetation increased, and we passed an occasional farm house. We passed through banana, granadilla, and avocado orchards. We usually identify the granadilla as passion fruit. As the hours passed, we were moving into more of a jungle environment.

We passed by some waterfalls and through the streams that flowed to the river. We did manage to keep the water on the outside of our boots. That's always a plus.

We crossed several bridges. Some were were more modern in design and appeared fairly secure. Others seemed to be older structures with a design reflecting local construction materials. We navigated all of the bridges without mishap. The horses carrying our bags had similar success.

We had a hot lunch on the trail prepared by our chef, Zoylo. All of the food and tools for preparation were transported by horses. Zoylo had started ahead of us in the morning and the meal was ready for us as we arrived. Our afternoon trek took us on a continuing decent toward the river's edge. We passed coffee plantations and ultimately came to the edge of Loreta, a town of some size. This was the end of the horse transport of our bags. We boarded a van to negotiate Loreta. We exited the van at the entrance to the Llactapata Inca Trail. We managed the final mile of the day on the trail through coffee plantations to the Lucma Lodge in Lucmabamba.

The lodge is situated in an avocado grove on the Llactapata Inca Trail. I was happy that the 8 hours on the trail was complete. Even though I missed a chance to enjoy a chicha on the trail, I did enjoy a cerveza, maybe two, at the lodge

To see some additional images from this day's trek, click here.

The Agrarian Life in Huayraccmachay

2011-02-17T10:10:00.000-08:00

When we departed the Wyra Lodge during our trek to Machu Picchu, we had the opportunity to visit a farm in Huayraccmachay. Our trek leader, Dalmiro, knew the farmers, and for a small donation to the family, we were given a look into the rugged life of a highland farmer. When I say a small donation, I mean something less than a US dollar; this amount was suggested, I don't think anyone donated less.

The farm house was of stone construction. It was obvious that stones from the area were used; there is no contractors' supply or big box, home improvement store in the neighborhood. The window openings did not contain glass windows. They were covered with blankets, plastic sheeting or mismatched wooden boards. The door to the dwelling was a blanket; pushing it aside allowed entry. The interior sported a flat, hard packed, earthen floor. Large blue, poly tarps covered some walls and parts of the ceiling adding an extra layer of protection from the elements. There were few worldly possessions. Those that they had were stacked on a few shelves. There were a couple of radios, and a "boom box". Their power came from a car battery. The battery was charged via a single solar panel mounted on the roof. The only other electricity driven device was a single light bulb hanging from the ceiling. It was directly connected to the panel. When the sun went down, the light went out.

There were no closets, wardrobes or chests; clothes and blankets were hung on wall pegs or across poles lashed to the interior roof supports.

Cooking was done in a fireplace located in one corner of the house. Pots, pans and utensils were stacked on open shelves. Other shelves contained food staples including potatoes, dried corn, and a melon. There is no running water, indoor plumbing, and as mentioned only self generated electricity. These hardy people are the ultimate in self sufficiency.

Within the confines of the house, there was one food item that was under foot, cuy or guinea pig (Cavia porcellus), if you like. When we entered the house, about a dozen cuy were warming themselves in the fireplace. The fire had been extinguished after breakfast. We spotted another dozen or more outside of the hearth. This animal is a highly prized protein mainly eaten on special occasions, holidays and birthdays. When I sampled cuy, my taste buds categorized it as something like the dark meat of turkey, maybe slightly stronger.

When we exited the house, Dalmiro introduced us to the foot plow. also called chaquitaclla, chakitaqlla or just taclla in Quechua. It is a human-powered tool dating back top Inca times. This is the tool used to till and plant all crops in the Andean highlands.

On this farm, the main crops were potatoes and corn. Having its origins in Peru, the potato is included in nearly every meal. They have upwards of 100 varieties. About a half dozen varieties were grown on this farm.

The farmer gave us some instruction in the use of the foot plow. Place the metal tip on the ground, he then press down on the foot rest. This model allowed moving the foot rest to the opposite side for left footed plowers.

It takes a firm push with one's foot to break the sod.

Once broken, the sod is lifted and turned aside. The seeds are placed in the furrow, and the sod is replaced. The fields that we saw under cultivation were about an acre in size. It wasn't made clear how long it would take to put an entire field under cultivation. I suspect it would take me the better part of the growing season to get one field planted.

We were given the chance to try out our cultivation skills with the plow. The farmer made it look easy; I was confident that this was not the case. We had a few in our group give it a try, none with success.

From my vantage point (away from the foot plow), the main objective seemed to be remaining upright once the foot was on the foot rest. After quickly realizing that none of us could be considered sod busters in the Andean highlands. We picked up our back packs and were on our way.

As we continued on our path to Machu Picchu, I now realized why I never dreamed of being a farmer. I do, however, have a profound appreciation for the difficult life shared by the highland farmers of Peru.

The Trail to Machu Picchu: Wyra to Colpa

2011-02-15T09:38:00.000-08:00

Wyra Lodge is situated in an area called Huayraccmachay. It is high in the Andes and not very densely populated (this is an incredible exaggeration as there are less than 50 people in the area). To say it is rather remote is not an exaggeration either. The vistas are beautiful. To arrive at Wyra Lodge, we covered about 8 miles with a climb of about 2500 feet and an equal decent. On arrival, most eased into the hot tub. I was still not 100%; so, I eased into bed. The next morning arrived with a somewhat lazy start; we had less ground to cover on our trip to the next lodge.

In the morning, we enjoyed a fine breakfast and prepared for our 6 mile day with an almost continuous drop of approximately 3400 feet. That sounded easy, and it wasn't nearly as strenuous as crossing the Salkantay Pass. As we prepared to depart, we found our cleaned hiking boots lined up and ready for our daily miles.

Before we were to depart Huayraccmachay, we were going to visit a somewhat prosperous farm. Two members of the farm family actually work at the lodge part time. One of the sons met us as we approached the farm house.

The morning was a little brisk and he was wrapped in a woven blanket that was serving as his defense against the cold.

The farm was a broad but uneven area between the valley's sides. There was a large pen of sheep, maybe 50 to 75, with a sprinkling of new born lambs. There were chickens roaming about, and on the perimeter of what appeared to be the farmer's land were a few patches of land in cultivation. These patches were not much more than an acre in size. We discovered later that corn and potatoes are the cultivated crops.

The crop rotation schemes are traditional, not from any book learning or government direction. The fertilizer is what comes from their own animals. The seeds used are from their own past harvests; I suspect that this is the paramount in heirloom seeds. It certainly is the ultimate in organic farming.

The farm house was constructed of stone and sported a galvanized metal roof. The floors were simply the earth with numerous cuy (guinea pigs) running freely through the entire house. They seemed to favor a warm hearth after a meal was prepared and the fire was extinguished. The doors and windows blocked the elements with either a heavy cloth curtain (maybe a blanket) or loosely fitting wooden boards. I have high hopes of giving more detail on the farm house interior and cultivation methods in a future posting.

While we were in the house or roaming the area around the house, the farm dog assumed the duty of guarding our backpacks. After an hour or so of discovery, we started our day's trek.

Our departure from Huayraccmachay, the farm, and the Wyra Lodge would take us from the high mountain valleys descending through increasingly verdant landscapes. Our path followed the Salkantay River. Although our path was high above the river, it was often in sight.

Our goal for this day was to arrive at the Colpa Lodge located on an open promontory at the confluence of three rivers. Arriving at the Lodge would coincide with our crossing of the Salkantay River.

Along the way we passed several small fields either under cultivation or laying fallow in anticipation of a future crop. The make shift fences are essential for keeping out cattle, sheep, horses and mules that roam, somewhat freely, in the high Andes.

After about 4 hours of trekking, we descended to the Salkantay River and climbed up the steep side of the bluff where we found our lodging for the night.

Colpa Lodge has a wonderful view, as did all of the lodges We had descended to 8,246 feet. It was time to jump into the hot tub to sooth our aching muscles. It was glorious.

For dinner, we were to enjoy a pachamanca. More on our pachamanca in my November 20, 2010 post entitled Pachamanca and Why I Know the Taste of Cuy.

For more images from this day's hike, click here.

Here are a couple of links if you are interested in this lodge to lodge trek: REI Adventures and Mountain Lodges of Peru.

The Trail to Machu Picchu

2011-02-06T14:41:00.000-08:00

I have been somewhat neglectful of my blog and all of the travel activities that took place in 2010. A visit to Peru was one of the travel highlights of 2010. Our trip to Peru last May included a 39 mile trek from Soraypampa to Macchu Picchu. We accomplished a warm up hike the day before we departed Salkantay Lodge for the crossing of Salkantay Pass; it was chronicled in an earlier posting. Our real hiking objective was to depart the lodge in the early morning hours and hike to Wyra Lodge in about 6 to 8 hours. Our journey was to be about 8 miles in length crossing the Salkantay Pass at an altitude of 15,231 feet above sea level.

I must admit that I was not 100%. Two days before the start of our assent of Salkantay, I was vigorously testing the functionality of both ends of my gastrointestinal system. I'm not sure if it was a food thing or an altitude thing. Maybe, it was a flu bug. In any case, bed seemed to be my truest friend at that moment in time. On the morning of our departure, Salkantay stood majestically within view from my bedroom window. It was beautiful, majestic, far away and very tall.

Looking back on the lodge, I wasn't quite sure what I was in for. I had a feeling it was going to be a challenging day. It would likely be challenging even if I was feeling 100%.

Dalmiro, our head guide, kept a reasonable but steady pace. I guess if you grow up in the Andes and guide tour groups on treks in the Andes, one might expect a leader with good hiking skills. He was very good.

After an hour or two of trekking, our eyes fell upon the winding trail to the summit of the pass. Dalmiro advised to avoid looking up until we had reached the summit. The view was just too daunting. The climb took too many switch backs to count. There were points where my legs did not respond to the need to move ever upward. I stopped many times on the trail to catch my breath and take a minute of rest. The trail seemed to be endless.

There were not may photos taken on the assent, I barely had the strength to lift the camera. To be honest, I wasn't sure that I would make it to the top without the assistance of some type of medical helicopter. There was not one to be found. Contrary to my strongly held convictions, I did make it to the top of the pass. The smile that appeared on my face was not forced.

Out trekking group gathered for a celebratory photo. We were all overjoyed to be at the top; our prayers and other incantations were answered.

We did not stay long at the top of the pass as the weather was a little cool. We were standing a short distance from a glacier. They do tend to retain the cold pretty well. In my travels down the street or to distant lands, I seem to encounter unusual things that people leave behind. Among the strangest on top of the pass was a bright yellow, straw hat. I'm still attempting to conjure up a believable story to explain the hat.

The mountain peak was striking beyond words. Being as close as we were might have had something to do with it.

The clouds combed the mountain peaks giving the illusion of snow.

The downward trail was a pleasant change; the climb to the top was grueling. On the decent to the Wyra Lodge, we encountered the remains of an Inca trail. It was easy to imaging the intricate trail with its array of steps. The trail was somewhat decimated be the Spanish as they removed stones from the trail to build their haciendas.

After about an hour of descending, we came upon a lunch tent and cooking tent set up by our chef, Zoylo. We dined on a 3 course meal of local dishes. It was a great lunch; we were able to drop our packs and sit for a while. It was a piece of heaven.

After lunch and a short break, we continued down the trail and came to our home for the night, Wyra Lodge. We had completed 8 miles of hiking in the Andes; we had 31 miles ahead of us. To see a few more images from our day of hiking click here.

Pachamanca and Why I Know the Taste of Cuy

2010-11-20T10:07:00.000-08:00

This past May, my wife and I spent some time trekking in the Peruvian Andes. One of our over night stays was at Colpa Lodge that is accessible only on foot or horseback. Okay, it is accessible on mule, burro or llama as well. At the lodge, we had the good fortune to partake of a pachamanca. I'd like to share my pacamanca experience.

Pachamanca is a traditional cuisine achieved by baking, with the heat of hot stones. Of course a pachamanca must utilize the potato. Other Andean produce, such as green Lima beans or "habas" and corn are often incorporated into the dish.

The meat consisted of lamb, pork, chicken, and guinea pig (known locally as cuy).

The cuy is marinated in spices which varies somewhat by preparer. I've been told that time and temperature play a part in the affect the marinade has on the taste and flovor of the meat. The ubiquitous cuy roams freely in most Andean homes. One of our guides had 16 at his house while his mother had 34. I don't think I've misused ubiquitous. Our chef, Zoylo, decided that 1 cuy would be enough for the gringos.

There were some bananas added as well. It looked like a 3:1 ratio of bananas to cuy by volume.

Rocks are heated by a wood fire for several hours to heat the stones used to cook the pachamanca. The remains of the fire are cleared and the stones placed in a pile while the final preparation of the food takes place. The stones are unpiled.

First, the potatoes are put in place on the bottom of the pachamanca. A layer of stones is added.

The meat and chicken are added placed on foil and more stones go into place.

The little cuy is the last of the meat to be put in place. The final stones are added.

A mix of local herbs top off the pile. Our guide, Dalmiro, selected the weeds (read herbs) from around the lodge grounds.

Next was a layer of cardboard.

Then some plastic potato sacks covered the cardboard.

A heavy plastic tarp covered the entire mound, and dirt was added to the edges.

Dirt was added until the tarp was completely covered. The pachamanca yielded its bounty after about an hour. That was just enough time to shower and enjoy a couple of beers, Cusqueña to be exact. Although I have no photos of the food displayed on the buffet, I can tell you that it was excellent. And, don't let anyone tell you that cuy tastes like chicken. It does not taste like chicken. It is more like the dark meat of turkey.

Humantay Warm-up Hike

2010-11-14T08:00:00.000-08:00

There is somewhat of a paradox when one embarks on a trek to Machu Picchu but stays in comfortable lodges each evening with hot showers, great food, and hot tubs. Paradox or not, that is just what we did.

We booked through REI and traveled with Mountain Lodges of Peru. The first lodge was our home for 2 nights. It has 12 double rooms and a top notch staff. This lodge is at the end of any road passable by cars or trucks. The remainder of the lodges are supplied by pack animals.

We had a full group of 12 hikers and 2 guides. After a comfortable night in the lodge, we looked forward to a 4 to 5 hour, round-trip, warm-up hike to Humantay Lake.

As we prepared to depart, we were inspected by at least one curious child. I love the coordinated outfit.

We left the lodge and headed toward the low clouds shrouding the mountains. It was to be about a 4 to 5 mile adventure rising about 1200 feet above our 12,600 foot starting point.

Humantay Lake is a glacial lake, the glacier is somewhere up in the clouds. We didn't see it on this overcast day. Our guides suggested that we could go for a quick dip in the lake if desired. I did not touch the water except to verify that it was far colder than anything I had experience out side of a glass filled with ice and water. It was striking and somewhat mesmerizing.

A persistent drizzle, helped us make the choice to return to the lodge after a short rest. The hot tub was calling.

More images can be found at http://www.frankragan.com/Peru2010_8/

Soraypampa via Mollepata

2010-11-13T13:22:00.000-08:00

In May, we went on a trek to Machu Picchu. We didn't take the Inca Trail; we took the Salkantay Trail which is a little longer and goes over some higher passes. Also, the trek we took had us staying in small lodges each night, not tents. We left from Cusco with Soraypampa as the first day destination.

Our first stop was at the Tarawasi historic site in Limatambo. This was an Inca site that was commandeered by the Spanish and became a hacienda for a Spanish overseer. The remains of the hacienda are in various stages of ruin or in restoration.

Some of the employees doing the restoration and maintance at Tarawasi, live in portions of the hacienda.

We moved on to the last village town of any size, Mollepata. We ate a box lunch in the plaza and visited a cooperative of local weavers. It is a quiet town with a couple of stores and a church.

At the weavers' co-op, we were given the once over by a child of one of the weavers.

Just a few kilometers from Mollenpata, we came to the first of many tiendas (stores) that we were to encounter over the course of the trek.

For a few more images check this out http://www.frankragan.com/Peru2010_7/

Cusco & Sacsayhuaman

2010-11-12T15:10:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking about putting a few more Peru images on the blog, but too many other things have consumed my time until now. We spent several days in Cusco before out trek to Machu Picchu. Cusco was the center of the Inca empire at the time the Spanish arrived in the 16th century. It is located near the Urubamba Valley in the Andes mountain range. Most tourist use Cusco as the place to acclimate prior to hiking to or visiting Machu Picchu. The old portion of the city, is filled with tourists and locals alike. The cathedral (above) is located on the Plaza de Armes, in the very active city center.

Just outside of Cusco is Sacsayhuaman. Today, it is a ruin in the process of some limited restoration. The Spanish thought it was an Inca fortress used to defend the city, but to the Inca, it was a sacred place, a religious place.

The stones used in the construction vary in size from large to incredibly large. Some exceed 20 tons. Mortar was not used; all stones are cut to fit and shimmed with stone wedges behind the face. It is actually too amazing to describe; one must see it.

In the struggle between the Inca and the Spanish, the Europeans, at one point, were driven from Cusco and took refuge in the confines of Sacsayhuaman using it as a fortress. The Spanish eventually defeated the Inca with their much smaller fighting force; their advantage was the horse, muskets, and canons.

Once in control of the mnative people, the Spanish razed Inca buildings and used the stone to build churches, government buildings and homes for the conquerors. Little of Inca buildings remain in Cusco city.

Sacsayhuaman was looted of many of its stones; however the distance from the city may have helped preserve what remains.

After a day of hiking around Sacsayhuaman, the 11,000 foot altitude arouses a strong desire in most to take a nap.

To see a few more images from around Cusco and Sacsayhuaman, go to http://www.frankragan.com/Peru2010_6

Pushing to the Extreme

2010-10-14T10:11:00.000-07:00

Sometimes an image just needs some more punch. A little something extra. A little more extreme. The image above is an extreme version of the one just below.

Quite a difference. A rather mundane photo of some rooftops goes on steroids. How did the transformation take place? A few extreme adjustments in Photoshop Lightroom helped me to make the jump to the slightly out of this world look.

I accomplished the effect in the Develop module of Lightroom. Push the following sliders to the extreme right: Recovery, Fill Light, Contrast, Clarity, and Vibrance. The image will likely look awful. Adjustments to Exposure and Blacks will be the next. make sure to have enough darkness in the shadows and ample brightness in the highlights.

Thee Brightness slide may also help in getting the tone to a point that appeals to you. An adjustment to the Saturation slider will almost always be required to reduce the saturation to an appropriate level. Before the reduction of saturation, the colors will be over the top in intensity.

Normally, I'll tweak the Tone Curve to achieve a level of contrast in line with my vision. The final step will be to add a strong vignette. In a colorful image, I usually chose the Color Priority in the Post Crop Vignette tool. All other adjustment are open to your interpretation; White Balance to Camera Calibration adjustments may add to the desired effect. If you have Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, give it a try.

Last Days in the Amazon Basin

2010-08-29T15:32:00.000-07:00

We spent 5 days in the Amazon Basin. Prior to the trip, Brazil is what would come to mind when the word Amazon was mentioned. Now I know that the Amazon Basin is a vast area encompassing parts of Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. The basin collects and funnels its waters to the Amazon River. It takes quite a bit of water to drive the world's largest and longest river. The jungles in the basin are amazing. The trees can be enormous. The ficus trees are orders of magnitude larger than the house plants that many care for in their homes. The vegetation can be very dense. A machete is needed if no trail exists. We weren't wielding machetes; we had Paul, our guide.

The flora and fauna was familiar in the sense that I have experienced in books; yet, it was very foreign when seen up close. The howler monkeys delivered an eerie noise sounding like a howling wind at 5 AM each morning. On occasion, they might be heard during the day, but one could rely on the early morning greeting. The smell of a group of surprised peccary is one that I won't soon forget. It is pungent enough to keep many other animals away as well.

Since our lodge was on the banks of the Heath River, we accomplished much of our travel via boat. We spent mornings, afternoons, and evenings in boats. Some were motorized and some were paddled. Paul did the paddling. Boats are the vehicles of commerce as well. Moving wood, Brazil nuts, and supplies for lodges and villages was all done by boat.

(Here is a link to a few more jungle photos.)

We did have the chance to visit a village on the Peru side of the Heath River. There are no roads connecting the village with a city or other villages. Making human connections outside of the village is accomplished by boat. The boats are simple canoe like craft that use paddles or a 2 cycle outboard motor. the propeller is on a long shaft that is angled into the water. The river depth can fluctuate greatly; having the propulsion system on a variable shaft is a must.

The building materials are pretty simple. There are no big box, do-it-yourself stores offering exotic building materials. Corrugated metal is about as exotic as it gets. There were about 15 houses, a school, and an medical building of some sort. It looked to be about 12 feet by 15 feet. We were told that a nurse of doctor comes to the village on some vague schedule. There were some small garden plots near some of the houses. There were some "free-range" chickens and some pigs. The river yields fish. Many of the women in the village make jewelry and woven goods that they sell to visiting tourists, like us. No running water, no electricity, and no television keeps life in the village at a very simple level.

(Here is a link to a few more village photos.)

On the last day of our trip, the day before our departure, we arose before the howler monkeys. We left our cabin at 4 AM and hiked to the pampa at the edge of the jungle. I always called this grassy plain, pampas, but our guide said pampa. This 2 1/2 hour pre-breakfast hike took us to the end of the jungle and the start of a pampa the stretches from Bolivia through part of Brazil and ends in Argentina. It was amazing to exit the jungle and enter another unique landscape, a gigantic new landscape. We lingered for about an hour and then began a slower return to the lodge. We saw a night monkey on our outbound trip and a few white-fronted capuchin and brown capuchin monkeys on our return. Paul our guide even heard the loud breathing of a jaguar in the underbrush near our trail. I heard the noise as well, but I am no expert on jaguar breathing patterns. We took a last hike to some clay licks frequented by mammals; we did see a large white caiman, no mammals.

Howler monkeys were our wake-up call on our final morning in the jungle. We were aboard our boat and moving toward Puerto Maldonado by 6 AM. The sun had yet to rise; the early morning light was diminished by clouds and ground fog. The river was rather low which suggested slow going. We did run some mild rapids and scraped bottom a few times, but otherwise, the trip had few delays. The four hour trip went fairly fast. We had become somewhat accustomed to the look of the jungle, but it still held a strange amount of mystery. As we moved closer to civilization, the river traffic increased and we could see more of the vestiges of the modern world, baseball caps and logo T-shirts. Our jungle adventure was drawing to a close.

(Another link to photos from our return to Puerto Maldonado.)

Going Nuts!

2010-08-13T16:18:00.000-07:00

Brazil nuts are not always from Brazil. This expensive nut only grows in the rainforrests of the Amazon basin. In fact, Bolivia has more production than other South American countries. I guess Bolivia nut just doesn't have the cachet of Brazil nut. The nuts are harvested by hand after they fall from the tree. The trees grow up to 150 feet in height and 6 feet in diameter. The harvest is often carried out by migrant workers called castanheiros. Armed with a machete, reinforced plastic bags, and keen eyesight, they scour the jungle floor for the fallen nut.

The Brazil nut that falls from the tree is about the size of a grapefruit. It sorta looks like a small coconut. The nut that we see in that can of mixed nuts or in a bowl at holiday times, is actually inside this casing.

Good castanheiros use the machete to open the exterior shell, usually with one strike. I gave it a try and after 5 or 6 attempts handed the machete to our guide, Paul. I think I was more concerned about my bare toes than I was about opening the nut's exterior covering.

Restraining his amusement, Paul opened the nut in one attempt. It was his machete and he was wearing shoes.

Inside the exterior shell, the nuts are clustered together like the segments of an orange. Once the outer shell is opened, the individual nuts can be dislodged with some vigorous shaking.

Paul removed the seed covering/shell of the nut with, what else, his machete. The nuts had a richer taste than any that I have purchased at home. Maybe it was because we had picked up the Brazil nut on a walk through the jungle that morning.

Take note of the lack of blood on the nut that Paul shelled. I opted not to try to peel the shell off with the machete. I did try one with my Swiss Army knife. Mine was bloodless, too, but most of the meat stayed on the shell.

Birding At the Clay Lick

2010-08-06T17:01:00.000-07:00

Birds are a main attraction for many visiting the Amazon Basin. The Tambopata Wilderness on the Peru-Bolivia border is about two-thirds the size of Costa Rica and is a rich habitat rich for birds. While Peru is listed as having approximately 1800 species of birds, our guide, Paul/Pablo, claimed more that 550 species in the Heath River area of the Tambopata. We had no specific agenda concerning birding. We were, however, interested in the clay lick on the Heath River. This site often has hundreds of parrots, parakeets, and macaws covering the clay lick. Our May arrival did not give us optimum timing for seeing large numbers of birds, but birds can be found on or around the clay lick in all but the rainiest days.

blind near the clay lick

The clay lick is active in the hours after sunrise. We were out of bed at 5:30 AM and into a boat for the 15 minute voyage to the floating blind that parallels the clay lick favored by the birds. Our first morning at the clay lick was quite private. Randeen and I were the only 2 people at the lodge, and therefore, we were alone in the blind with our guide. Paul brought a breakfast for us as it is normal to spend several hours awaiting the birds.

parrots and parakeets in a tree above the clay lick

Just after the sun started its climb into the sky, the parrots and parakeets began to arrive. Parakeets are a smaller species of parrot, normally with longer tail feathers. Macaws, too, are related to the parrot and have long tail feathers but are much larger than parrots, more on macaws later. Lots of people in the US have a pet bird called a parakeet, these are what the rest of the world refers to as budgies. We saw no budgies at the clay lick.

parrots at play or parakeets but not budgies

On our first morning at the clay lick, the parrots and parakeets sat in the trees above the clay lick. They are very cautious about descending to the face of the clay lick. The lick is vertical and adjacent to the river. Once on the face of the lick, the birds have reduced avenues of escape from predators. There was a Roadside Hawk within easy swooping range of the lick. The parrots and parakeets did not descend to the face of the clay lick.

parrots

The macaws arrived about 1 1/2 hours after the parrots and parakeets. The parrots began to depart upon the arrival of the macaws. There was no aggression between the 2 groups, but it seemed like it was now time for the macaws to take over. The Roadside Hawk moved onto the face of the clay lick and a Greater Yellow-headed Vulture moved into the area. Neither are predators of the macaw, but they proved disruptive. After nearly 4 hours in the blind, we departed without seeing parrots, parakeets or macaws on the clay lick.

siesta time for Paul, bird watching is tiring

After we left the blind, we hiked in the jungle and saw Howler Monkeys and about one hundred Peccaries. In Texas, we call them Javelinas. They are a small wild boar-like animal that are not actually part of the boar family. While on our trek through the jungle, we decided with Paul to return to the clay lick the following morning. Maybe, we'd have better luck. That evening, another group of 6 guests arrived at the lodge. Three were avid birders; we would all go the the clay lick the following morning. We followed the same routine; up at 5:30 AM and into the boat for the trip to the blind. Eight guests, three guides and a large breakfast filled the space.

macaws in a tree

Just after sunrise, the parrots and parakeets arrived. The Roadside Hawk was there, too. After the macaws arrived, the Roadside Hawk departed in pursuit of something. For more than an hour, the macaws remained in the trees above the clay lick. Occasionally, they would fly away in groups of 10 to 12 birds, but they returned after a quick flight across the river and circling back to their starting point.

eight macaws in a tree

Slowly, they began to take perches closer to the face of the clay lick. Cautious does not adequately describe their behavior.

trio

As they moved closer to the face of the lick, pairs of birds would swoop across its face without landing on it. We could see no predators in the area. Wordlessly, we willed them to move to the clay lick. We had a big investment in early morning hours at stake. A decision was upon us, leave or stay for another 30 minutes. We still had some breakfast food, to consume, and so, we decided to stay.

a couple

While we are waiting for a move to the lick, I thought you would like to know that macaws are monogamous, they mate for life. You always see pairs unless there is a juvenile tagging along.

on the move

Within minutes of our decision to stay, the macaws began a cautious move to the clay lick. There were only Scarlet Macaws and Military Macaws; our count was something less than 40 birds. This was not too bad as it is the "low season" for seeing birds on the clay lick.

macaws on the clay lick

It was quite a sight to finally see the birds on the lick and eating the clay. Not all of the birds go to the face of the clay lick at the same time. Some birds stand guard watching for threats while the others eat their fill of the clay. There was some form of communication going on between the diners and the sentries. As birds finished on the surface of the lick, they replaced the birds standing guard. All had a chance to consume the clay.

panorama

Why do the birds eat the clay? The guides told us that the clay is an anti toxin to combat the poisons in the fruits and berries that the birds consume. Later in the season when more fruits and berries are available, these birds need more clay to balance their diet. This is why there are times when the clay lick could have 4 or 5 times more birds that we saw. Recently, I read that there is some dispute between scientists about the need for clay. Some new studies indicate that it is not for the purpose of neutralizing toxins, but it is to gain the salt that exists in the clay licks. No matter what drives the birds to the clay licks, it is a sight that I will not soon forget.

our transport back to the lodge

Click here to see a few more images from our 2 mornings at the clay lick.

What I Learned at RAGBRAI

2010-08-04T12:29:00.000-07:00

You might be asking yourself, "What the heck is a RAGBRAI?" For those not familiar with Iowa or bicycle rides of monumental proportion, this is a valid question. Being married to a woman born and raised in Iowa, I had heard of RAGBRAI. It is purported to be the largest and longest running bicycle ride of its type in the world. RAGBRAI, Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, was conceived as a news story by 2 juornalists at the Des Moines Register 38 years ago. The ride starts on the western border of Iowa, the Missouri River, and ends at the eastern border, the Mississippi River. The route changes annually with the average length being something less than 500 miles. The 2010 event was to be a short one, coming in at 442 miles. We decided (in a weak moment for me) to go for it. We entered the lottery and became two of the 12,500 legal riders to participate.

Team Bazinga

By the time we arrived at the starting point, Sioux City, our number had grown to 8; a niece (Alia), a nephew (Nate), 2 brothers-in-law (Jay and Steve), and 2 friends of Nate (Angie and Leanne). Steve took the photo of us prior to embarking on our Odyssey (or was it our Iliad). We were fresh of face and strong of leg at this point in time. I wasn't even thinking about all the new words that I would lean: kybo, butt crack road, butt butter, SAG wagon, Fred, Wilma, granny gear, and paceline.

Dismounting to enter the first town, Leeds

This is a camping adventure as the small towns we were to pass through do not have hotel accommodations for the 12,500 official riders and the 5,000 to 8,00 bandits riding RAGBRAI. Bandits are non-paying riders; Jay was and will always be a bandit. As we slowed to enter the first town, all were advised by a fellow biker to be sure to use the kybo. Kybo is a term used to denote a portable toilet. I was told that kybo means "keep your bowels open". I chose not to dwell on the meaning but to use the kybo; you don't need distractions while riding across Iowa.

Agrarian bike rack

Butt crack road was a phrase that was not only descriptive, but it was useful to avoid. This type of road is one that is normally made of concrete sections that have separated forming 1 to 2 inch cracks. Allowing your bike wheel to enter a crack would likely insure your meeting with EMS personal. I saw several riders go down after a battle with a crack; I chose to avoid an encounter of this type.

Food and drink

We slept in 7 towns and passed through a total of 42. Each town had food provided by vendors, community groups, and church organizations. When my wife rode RAGBRAI 3 years ago, she actually gained weight. My goal was to eat homemade pie every day. I failed to find pie on a couple of days due to depleted inventories. This forced me to have pie twice on two days.

Free water provided to fill our water bottles in all towns

After passing the 300 mile mark on day 3, I found out why butt butter is so coveted. While bike shorts are fitted with a padded chamois seat area, there is still some friction that occurs between ones skin, shorts, and bike seat. This road rash requires a liberal application of a butt butter. The commercial products have names like Chamois Butt'r, Body Glide, Road Rash Remedy, Get Going Cream, etc. Whatever your preferred brand, use it early and use it often.

A corny pose

Sometime during the 82 mile day (some people took an extra loop to make it 100 miles), people start musing about the SAG wagon. This is a vehicle that picks up riders that have failed equipment or failing legs. It is good to know that it is there for you, but it is better to avoid being labeled a sissy. I finished the 82 miles from Charles City to Waterloo.

Homage to Monet

With thousands of riders on the road every day, one is bound to encounter a Fred and/or a Wilma. These are riders who can't hold their line very well and have great variability in their speed. It is a good idea to distance yourself from a Fred and a Wilma biking together; this could be more dangerous than a butt crack road.

Taking a break

One of the fascinating things that I encountered numerous times each day was a paceline. This is a line of cyclists riding closely together in a line with the lead cyclist setting the pace. It was exhausting to watch them speed by me at twice my pace. Occasionally a Fred or a Wilma might encounter a paceline causing a meeting with the EMS folks.

Iowa is not as flat as you might imagine

I've driven in and through Iowa many times. In a car, Iowa seems quite flat. On a bicycle, one soon learns that Iowa is almost mountainous. Discovering Iowa's undulation, allowed me to develop a love and respect for my granny gear. One's granny gear is the lowest gear available on the bicycle one is riding. On my bike, it is gear 1 of 27. The granny gear allowed me to inch up the steep grades while teaching me a few things about balance at slow speeds. Keeping one's balance at granny gear speeds is important if one does not wish to be perceived as a Fred (or Wilma).

Dipping our front tire in the Mississippi

After 7 days of riding, we managed to complete our Odssey. We started with a rear tire dampened by the Missouri and ended with a front tire in the Mississippi. I came back with an expanded vocabulary and the knowledge that I can ride across Iowa in 7 days if pie is available.

Angie, Alia, Leanne, Nate, Randeen, me, and Steve

As we toasted our success on the banks of the Mississippi in Dubuque, plans were beginning to be formed for participation in another RAGBRAI. Perhaps, RAGBRAI will establish an age limit for participation; one can only hope.

Click here if you are inclined, there are a few more snaps of our RAGBRAI Odessy.

On the Madre de Dios in Peru

2010-07-08T15:47:00.000-07:00

The trip to Peru got off to a less than smooth start . We missed our connection in Miami resulting in an overnight stay at the airport hotel. After managing to get on a flight to Lima the next afternoon, we stayed overnight at a Lima hotel in the Miraflores neighborhood (not a full night - 3 hours sleep). Then off to Cusco on a 6 AM flight followed by a flight to Puerto Maldonado where our adventure was to officially begin. Paul (really Pablo but the gringos seem to feel more comfortable with Paul) met us at the airport and took us to the InkaNatura office. After selecting some wellies that fit, it was off to the dock to board our boat for the trip to the Heath River Wildlife Center.

We were the only members of our tour group; we boarded a long and narrow boat built to handle 12 to 16 passengers. It ended up being the two of us, our guide, a worker at the lodge, and 2 boatmen. The ride to the lodge was estimated to be about 7 to 8 hours on the Madre de Dios River and the Heath River. Our lunch was a rice and protein mixture wrapped in a banana leaf. It was much tastier that the description.

After about 4 hours we came to the Peruvian border. There was to be a border inspection and a chance to use the rest rooms. After looking at the rest rooms, I decided to use the jungle. The official inspected the boat for safety equipment, and we were on our way. Within 10 minutes, we came to the Bolivian border. The flag on the boat was changes form the flag of Peru to the flag of Bolivia. The captain went up the steps from the water to the office. He soon returned without an official; I guess he was too busy for an inspection. Meanwhile, we clutched our Yellow Fever certificates as we were assured they would be needed when the customs official cleared us to enter Bolivia. No one ever asked for our Yellow Fever certificates. We have let some friends see them , but they were not impressed. Perhaps, they could become Bolivian border officials.

All during the river trip, we passed lots of people who make their livelihood on or along the river. Besides the fishermen, individuals and families plied the rivers with cargos of lumber, Brazil nuts, and all sorts of supplies for river settlements.

Although gold mining is generally illegal, there were numerous floating sluices operating along the edge of both rivers. I guess lots of people believe they will make a big strike. The problem that it is causing is erosion of river banks which upsets the ecosystem.

If you would like to see a few more images of our first day in the Amazon basin, go to Peru2010_1

The trip to the Heath River Wildlife Center took about 8 1/2 hours. We ran aground in the shallow river 4 times requiring the crew to get in the water and rock the boat free. It was kind of an African Queen moment (you will know what I mean if you remember Humphrey Bogart pulling the boat through the reeds and shallow water). We arrived in the dark and ready to be on shore.

Preview of Peru

2010-06-12T13:04:00.000-07:00

We've been home for a week. I've been back to work for nearly a week. The 2200+ image files have been uploaded into Photoshop Lightroom and are in the process of being sorted. It will be a little more time until I'm ready to get the best uploaded with some commentary.

Our trip started with some logistics errors in the form of missed connections, but we managed to get to jungle at the headwaters of the Amazon on schedule. We spent 5 days with our guide in the wild, mainly without electricity.

We saw an abundance of animals and were especially fascinated by the parrots, and macaws.

We even got up at 4 AM to hike 2 1/2 hours to the pampa to see the sun rise.

We topped it all off with a 10 day trek to Machu Picchu via the Salkantay trail. There are lots more images to share and the stories to relate. There is much more to come.

Almost gone...

2010-05-18T09:18:00.000-07:00

Vacations that are weeks away cause little to no anxiety. As the departure date draws to within a few days, high anxiety sets in. Do I have all I need? Did I pack enough or too much? These are familiar demons.

Today, in just a few hours, we head to the airport for a 3 week trip to Peru. It is our first time in South America. We will spend 5 days in the jungle at the headwaters of the Amazon. We will take a 10 day trek from Cusco to Machu Picchu. There will be some before, middle and after days in Cusco, high in the Andes. We've got our shots (Hep A&B, Yellow Fever, Malaria, Typhoid, etc). Now we have to pack enough without going over our jungle and trek limits on luggage. The limit is 25 pounds in a soft sided duffel for each of us. What do I take, and what don't I need? The eternal questions. Gotta go!

Hot Dog!

2010-04-23T11:49:00.000-07:00

When I think of a hot dog, my mind is pulled in many directions, baseball games, airport dining, street venders, and Nordic countries.

As to street venders, it's Lucky Dog in NOLA and lots of stainless carts in most other cities. Lucky Dog always brings me a vision of Ignatius Jacques Reilly, the Don Quixote of the New Orleans hot dog.

Who can go to a baseball game without indulging in a "red hot". The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC) forecasts sales at ballparks around the country will reach 21,378,064 hot dogs in the 2010 season. That's enough dogs to circle the bases 29,691 times. I think I'll have another.

Anyone who has experienced high levels of business travel, has dined on a quickly consumed dog between flights, and perhaps, re-experienced the repast during the next leg of the journey.

The Nordic countries have hot dogs (Grillpolser) at every turn. They seem to be the national snack in northern Europe. I will admit that the best dog that I ever had was in Stykkishólmur on the Snæfellsnes peninsula. How can one resist a deep fried wiener on a fresh bun with 2 types of sauce, cheese, onions, relish, and generously sprinkled with crushed Doritos. Yum!

Did You Get The Mail?

2010-04-23T09:02:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, I think we can be a little obsessive about the arrival of the mail. Did you get the mail? Is the mail here yet? These questions are often heard, Monday through Saturday, at chez nous (our place). We can tell if Kenny, our regular postal carrier, has a day off. The mail always arrives by 10AM when Kenny is on duty; if it's not there by 10AM, Kenny's not delivering. Why the focus on the arrival of the mail? It is not overflowing with letters from friends; that arrives by email these days. There is an occasional check; although, the large ones are direct deposited. The actual delivery is rife with advertisements, requests for donations, and unbelievably great deals on insurance. So, why the fixation with the arrival of the mail? Maybe, it is a Pavlovian thing; a carry over from pre-internet days when we looked forward to messages from friends and birthday cards, too. Anyway, I've got to end this rant and go check to see if Kenny is working today.

Lawn Ornamentation

2010-04-06T14:25:00.000-07:00

I never realized how thin a flamingo's legs actually are.

As the Wind Blows

2010-04-05T14:25:00.000-07:00

Before I go for a bike ride, I often think about wind direction. I can check the newspaper, the Weather Channel, my phone, a flag, or a weather vane. The vane pictured above provided little help.

Chisos Mountains

2010-04-01T14:58:00.000-07:00

The Chisos Mountains rise out of the Chihuahuan Desert in Big Bend National Park. With the sun high in the winter sky, the mountains catch the midday winter light.

Head Shots

2010-03-31T09:08:00.000-07:00

Some times I think business demand follows some strange cycles. Fo the longest time, I didn't do any head shots. Of late, I seem to be doing them every week. Go figure.

New Blog Layout and Design

2010-03-30T12:30:00.000-07:00

Google Blogger has added some new design options for hosted blogs. I'm playing around with some new looks, and I just hung up a photo to see how it looks in the new surroundings. Maybe, I'll talk about how to achieve the framed and matted photo effect in future postings.

Monos de Calenda: Oaxaca, Mexico

2010-01-23T10:48:00.000-08:00

The exact origin of the monos and/or the calendas is not something that I have researched very well. The monos are large puppets, and the calendas are religious processions. The calendas are usually at or start at a church. I've seen them in a plaza outside of a church and as a procession starting at a church. In Oaxaca, they may head to the Zocalo, the main plaza, as part of a religious celebration. They are always accompanied by a syncopated band made up of a church's parishioners. The bands are always led by a drummer playing some type a snare drum. The other instruments include a dominant brass component and some woodwinds. Monos are built on bamboo frames fitted with paper maché heads. They are colorfully dressed, often with exaggerated features appearing in all sizes and shapes. Carried on the shoulders of teenage boys, these large figures dance and twirl to the band as the calenda marches around the plaza. Children participate in the calendas, marching and singing songs or on floats depicting religious scenes, most often the Nativity. I've seen them at weddings, too. I may post a short video captured at a wedding in the near future.

There was one thing amazing to me; the songs often have a duration of 10 to 15 minutes. The dancing and twirling goes on until the boys inhabiting the monos run out of energy. I was tired after watching for about an hour.

NOTE: The roots of the dance called a calenda may have come from Africa to the Caribbean by way of the slave trade. This swing dance is of no relation to the monos de calenda in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Spontaneous Parade - Oaxaca, Mexico

2010-01-17T15:28:00.000-08:00

Most of the Hispanic world celebrates El Dia De Reyes, the Epiphany, on January 6. This is the day when the Three Wise Men (los Reyes) arrive bearing their wonderful gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh for the Baby Jesus. In Oaxaca, this is an event that is celebrated with multiple parades leading up to the actual day. We were in the Zocalo when a spontaneous parade spilled onto the streets. While I captured a video from one side of the street, our friend, Cathy, was filming from the other side. We didn't find out until much later.

Oaxaca: Los Alebrijes

2010-01-02T15:41:00.000-08:00

Have you ever seen those slightly unreal yet sort of real painted wooden figures from Mexico? They are called alebrijes. It all started in the pueblo (village) south of Oaxaca called San Martin Tilcajete. An artisan brought some colorfully painted figures to the market at the Zocalo in Oaxaca, and that started a demand that continues to grow, today. Now, nearly the entire pueblo is employed in the production of alebrijes. The quality varies, but the end product is always imaginative.

It all starts with copal wood. This is a tree indiginous to the state of Oaxaca. The tree can be male or female and the wood has different characteristics. The male, or macho, is a harder wood that is used in the highly intricate carvings. The female wood is easier to carve and splits less, but it is difficult to form detailed features. It all starts with a machete to rough carve the wood. This is followed with chisels and gouges. Finally, a narrow bladed knife is used to finish the initial carving.

Depending on the intrecasy of the carving and the craftsman, the initial carving is allowed to age for a few months up to a year. This allows for the shrinkage that occurs as the wood dries out.

After the wood has aged, a craftsman fills the cracks by gluing wood shavings into the cracks and then sands the figure. After the sanding process, the figure is coated with a paste of pulverised wood and glue. This is followed by another sanding.

The paints vary from natural to commercial. The natural paints use naturally occuring materials like plants, fruits, worms, linestone,etc.

Mixing the various raw materials give suprising results.

Once a base coat of paint is applied, it will be allowed to dry for several days to a week. next comes the painting of the detailed designs. Each colored area may dry for a few days to a week.

The end result is always a unique piece of art that has come from the artists imagination. There are no patterns or automated machinery. I'm bringing a couple of alebrijes home with me.

Oaxaca: Dining Like the Locals

2010-01-01T20:15:00.000-08:00

We left our B&B on the way to catch a bus for Monte Alban, the pre-Columbian ruins outside of Oaxaca. We needed to grab something small to eat. Randeen didn't want to waste any time on dining in a restaurant or outdoor cafe on the Zocalo, the main plaza. We had dined at a food stall in the Benito Juarez market the day before, but I thought it would be closed as it was New Year's Day. We made a spur of the moment decision and stopped at a food stand on the street. The choices were limited to taco. I asked, "que tipo de taco"; she replied "carne." It seemed like the right thing to do. I asked about the price (?Cuanto es?); they were 5 pesos (pesos are about 12 to the dollar at the moment) each. We went for 2 each.

They are the snack size, but that's all we wanted. While we waited to be served, I noticed 2 types of meat in the pan (comal, I think). I inquired. she told me it was cows' stomach; aha, it was tripe. I may have to go back and give it a try.

I ordered a beverage; she took all the decision making away from me. She only had 1 flavor. It was just the drink for the tacos; a fine pairing. Another fine day in Oaxaca.

Oaxaca: Tamales y Enchiladas a el Mercado de Etla

2009-12-31T15:25:00.000-08:00

At one point on our market tour in the market at Etla, Yolanda gave each of us a plastic spoon and told us to guard it with all of our strength. We were about ro start tasting the good stuff. We entered an area that smelled of tamales and other good mouth watering treats. There were lots of women in aprons standing behind large hot and steaming pots.

Hot steaming tamales where to be seen at every turn. The odor was intoxicating.

There were lots to choose from.

We didn't need to make a choice; Yolanda was ordering 5 of the classic tamales

These tamales were as big as a small child's head, not like the ones we get in Texas.

They were all yummy, but I can not rember all the names.

Big enough to share if you keep your spoon.

After tasting tamales, cheese, and ice cream, we sat at an lunch counter. There were 2 choices for lunch. We didn't need lunch but we ordered anyway. Enchiladas rojo (above) was wonderful.

The enfrijolada was killer, too. The beverage choice was chocolate con agua or con leche. It is hot chocolate with water or milk. Con agua was the best.

As you can see, we finished it all!

Oaxaca: El Mercado de Etla

2009-12-31T14:26:00.000-08:00

The market in the town of Etla was quite an experience. Etla is just outside the city of Oaxaca. the only market day is on Wednesday; so, as you may have guessed, we were there on Wednesday. We were led through the market by Susanna Trilling and one of her right hand cooks, Yolanda. There were 23 in our group; we split into 2 groups. I managed to get into Yolanda's group. She is a lifetime resident of Oaxaca and knows many of the people at the market.

The market is quite large. You could divide it into 2 parts: food for immediate consumption along with house/kitchen goods and the animals for slaughter or raising. We focused on the first category. We saw lots of cookware made of clay, like ollas and comals. What I did not know is that the raw clay goods are cured with a lime mixture; you do that part yourself. We visited a woman taking large pieces of limestone and breaking it into sall chunks and bagging it. This is the lime used to cure these clay goods; it's used in making tortillas, too. She likes to have photo taken if you promise to send her a print. I will do that. Her mother who is out of the picture to the right, believes that if you take her photo, her soul will go with you and the camera. She fears her soul will not find its way back to her, not a photo opportunity.

You can purchase anything needed for preparing a meal at the market. Here is a woman selling herbs and spices. She sells seeds, too. I bought some Epazote, Chepiche, and Chepil seeds. I'll be planting them if I get them through customs.

We sampled lots of local food and drink at the market. Saltamontes are a popular snack food. They are fried and salted grasshoppers (above). I had chocolate covered grasshoppers as a kid; these were actually better. We applied peer pressure to make all in our group sample them.

Yolanda allowed us to sample several types of bread. Some were better than others in my opinin, but nothing could have been fresher.

This woman was selling herbs and radishes. We checked out (smell and taste) several herbs key to Mexican cuisine.

We sampled some local beverages. This one was frothy on top and kind of milky on the bottom. I liked it; it was more refreshing than a soft drink. I think it is called tejate.

Yoland showed us the cactus leaf from which Nopales are cut. They are kind of like French cut string beans. If well prepared, it is excellent and good for reducing colesterol.

This is another drink that had a hint of chocolate in it, very refreshing.

There was lots more tasting at the market. Great tamales and enchiladas, too. The details will follow.

The parting image is one of Susanna Trilling just after avoidin impact with a 3 wheeled taxi.

The Hike: Part 3 - How will It End

2009-12-25T07:05:00.000-08:00

Okay, the image is not too exciting. This is the last of the images from this hike. We were 6 hours into an 8 hour hike and we were not at the halfway point. I was concerned. No, I was very concerned. Randeen and I looked at each other knowing that we had to move faster. We did not speak of our real concerns. We pushed on. As it turns out we needed to go another mile before we actually came to the midpoint. It was a hard mile. We were not gaining any time. We pushed on. The trail did not get any easier. In fact, it seemed harder. We pushed on. I do not mind saying that I was exhausted. I needed a rest, but there was no time for a rest. My legs were no longer hurting; I was thinking beyond the pain.

Without verbal agreement, we picked up the pace. It seemed forever until we came to the split in the trail. From the start to the split it took almost 4 hours. It was 4 PM. We did not have 4 hours of light remaining. We rested for 30 seconds sharing that we both knew we had a problem. Randeen admitted that she was testing my ability to endure a tough hike. She was concerned about our Machu Picchu hike in May. Now, she was just concerned about getting back to the truck. We pushed on. My silent mantra became, "Getting dark, get moving." I thought of nothing else. I could picture the remainder of the trail. I knew that we must get through the roughest part of the trail and down to the wash before the light began to fail. It seemed a challenge. We came to the last really steep and rough portion of the trail. At least, we thought it was the last.

Randeen preceded me down the difficult decent. At the bottom she waited for me. Her face was distressed. We were not at the wash and the sun had gone down. We didn't speak much, but she shared her concern. I agreed that we had to push on with more resolve that before. We were out of food. There was almost no water. The clothes we had were not enough to ward off the freezing temperature that the night would bring. Our pace increased. We reached the wash as the light was fading. We had about a mile to go. But, the light was diminishing very quickly. We shared more concerns. Randeen was shaken; I was, too. We pushed on. The cairns that marked the trail were now difficult to see. The wash was wide; the light was faint. We pushed on, and we continued to share our concerns.

It was now impossible to see the cairns unless we tripped on them. Fortunately, the wash narrowed. We pushed on. We could see a light that looked like it was coming from a house. Perhaps, a dorm for the park employees. We moved toward it. We could see enough only to avoid the brush. As we approached the light, we realized it was a motor home parked by out truck. We climbed to the road fully exhausted. We had been on the trail for about 10 1/2 hours. Most of the last 4 hours at an adrenalin fueled march. We shared our relief, and silently climbed into the truck for the return to our room.

The next day, Randeen read in a hikers book in the park store, that the Marufo Vega Trail is normally traveled by backpackers who spend the night at the mid point. The book suggested 8 1/2 hours out and 8 1/2 hours back. Of course, that is with a full backpack. For us Marufo Vega is a once in a lifetime experience. We are happy to be able to share it.

The Hike: Part 2 - On The Trail

2009-12-22T15:28:00.001-08:00

We climbed out of bed at 6 AM. The night before we decided that due to the short days, we would maximize available light. We purchased some yogurt, juice for breakfast. The restaurant opens at 7 AM and that would not fit our plan. A loaf of bread, a package of sliced cheese, and an Oscar Mayer turkey lunch meat assortment pack allowed us to make 4 sandwiches for the hike. If you haven’t tried the Oscar Mayer turkey lunch meat assortment pack, you are not missing too much. There are 4 versions, turkey, bologna, salami, and ham, all packed in the same vacuum sealed pack. In a blind taste test, I’m convinced I could not distinguish one from the other, but I digress. We filled 4 liter bottles with water, and loaded them into Randeen’s backpack. Along with binoculars and a few other small items this brought her pack to about 15 pounds. I shed some weight from my camera backpack leaving 3 lenses, camera body, an extra battery, some memory cards, shutter release, tripod (2 lbs 15 oz), and for some reason a camping headlight. My bag weighed in at around 25 to 30 pounds.

We were on the road by 6:30; we had about 35 miles to travel by car to the trail head. It was still dark with no light in the sky. Shortly after 7:00, we saw some trace of light in the eastern sky. After a few wrong turns, we made it to the parking area for the trail; there were no other cars in sight. We pulled on our packs and extended our hiking sticks. We were on the trail at 8:10 , knowing that we had started before sunrise.

The first part of the Marufo Vega Trail was under our feet. This would take us through the Dead Horse Mountains to the rim of Boquillas Canyon and, we were told, an exceptional view of the Rio Grande River. We hiked up the wash for about a mile, then turned up a hilly limestone path and over a ridge. We came to a spot that the National Park map declared to be a short and strenuous climb.

The thing that I realized is that the park service was right about the strenuous, but we might differ on the definition of short. We finally came to the split in the trail, roughly the 4 mile mark. We sat down an discovered that it was noon. We were falling behind.

We pushed on and found the terrain to be increasingly challenging. There were many places where we were on our butts trying to keep from falling off the ridges.

We continued to push on even though we were taking more time than I expected.

We saw some wild burros, but we still did not find any view of the Rio Grande. It was approaching 2 PM and we had not reached the half way point.

We pushed on and reached the Rio Grande. At this point the view was secondary. Our main thoughts were on getting back to tour truck before dark. I was not certain that all was well.

The Hike: Part 1 - The Stage Is Set

2009-12-22T14:27:00.000-08:00

This time of year the days are pretty darn short. The photo above was taken in Big Bend National Park during twilight. If you are not familiar with the predawn or post-sunset light, it goes something like this. There is the Astronomical Dawn which is the moment after which the sky is no longer completely dark; this happens about 90 minutes before sunrise. The period between the Astronomical Dawn and sunrise has 2 parts Nautical and Civil Dawn; both have increasing light and end when the sun breaks the horizon. The same kind of thing happens in the evening after sunset. First there are the Civil and Nautical Twilight; this is where the light is decreasing. The last light is Astronomical Twilight about 90 minutes after sunset. If there is no moon or some other man-made illumination, it is almost impossible to see your hand before your face.

Why am I delivering this earth science lesson? It is integral to my story. I recently returned from a trip to Big Bend National Park. My wife and I took the trip as her birthday present. She wanted to go hiking and this was the destination that she picked. It is just a 450 or so mile drive over to west Texas, but it is usually worth the trip. The short days mean the sun rises in Big Bend around 8:30 AM and it sets in the vicinity of 5:30 PM.

We arrived late in the afternoon and had time for a 2 mile hike prior to loosing the evening light. The next morning we were off to Balanced Rock (above) before sunrise. This resulted in a 2 mile hike.

We went to Cattail Falls (above) and the Homer Wilson Ranch to see the hoodoos. By days end, we had hiked 9 miles. Randeen, my wife, needed a more challenging hike for the next day. We stopped at the range station where she inquired about 10 to 15 mile hikes. The ranger offered several in the 6 to 8 mile range, but my wife needed more. We settled on a 14 mile hike, the Marufo Vega Trail, located near the Boquillas Canyon Overlook. The ranger assured us that if we hiked at a moderate pace, we could complete it in 8 hours. This was just the sort of hike Randeen had in mind. We had done the South Rim Trail in the past; it was a similar distance. We completed that hike in approximately 8 hours. So, the decision was made, and it was off to dinner and a good night's sleep.

Stay tuned for Part 2 - On The Trail coming soon.

There Is Something Going Around

2009-12-11T14:14:00.000-08:00

Sometimes when someone says, "that's been going around", I may not have the same picture in my mind as they do.

Day or night it goes around.

Sometimes it is not moving too much.

Sometimes it is moving more quickly.

The end.

Day Dreaming About Paris

2009-12-08T10:44:00.000-08:00

If there is one city in the world that I could visit annually, it is Paris. I don't really have a preferred season, but I do like to avoid the tourists in the summer. This image is from a January visit.

Holiday Art Box Show

2009-12-03T12:57:00.001-08:00

Maranda Pleasant Gallery has an art show about this time each year. The idea is that the artist submits their work on a 12 inch square box with sides that are about 2 inches deep (often referred to as the cradle in the art world). If you want to see an example of something similar to the box, check this out.

So, how did I find out about this event? A friend, Carolyn, was at our place for Thanksgiving. She found out about this event while looking through galleries on the east side of Austin. The entry fee is the purchase of a box for $11 ($10 if you buy 5 or more boxes). She presented the box to me with the challenge of not wasting the $11 she had invested. Time goes by, and I give some thought to adorning the box in some manner. Carolyn advised that "anything goes" when it comes to creating the "work of art".

On Tuesday afternoon, I finally go to Maranda Pleasant's web site to check out any rules that might exist. The main thing that I found was that I had until Thursday evening to turn in the master work. I dug through large image prints stacked on a shelf in my office. Time was running out; so, procrastination was not a viable option. I found a 16" x 20" image that I had printed on canvas. It is an image that I call Monet's Garden. I took the picture in Monet's garden in Giverny, France. I wrapped the box with the image, and added a couple of coats of luster coating to give it some depth. It is the image you see at the top of this post.

If you would care to see it in person, come to the show this Saturday evening, December 5th from 6 to 10 PM at the Maranda Pleasant Gallery, 2235 E. 6th St., Austin, Texas. There will be adult refreshments and live music.

Three in a Fisheye

2009-11-13T08:00:00.000-08:00

Here are 3 possibilities using the same image: color, black & white, and toned. The image was captured with a Canon 15mm Fisheye lens on a Canon 5D at the John Orr Franklin concert at the Long Center in Austin, Texas.

Guitars From Different Points of View

2009-11-12T08:00:00.000-08:00

On thing that is always clear at a rock concert, if 1 guitar is good, 6 guitars are better. Here a some of John Orr Franklin's guitars before the concert.

The Boys in the Band

2009-11-11T14:11:00.000-08:00

Before the concert we went outside of the Long Center to catch a breath of fresh air before the show. The sun was down, and the moon was in the sky. So, I grabbed this shot by the loading dock. From left to right, it's: Roberto Palladino, drums; John Orr Franklin, guitar and vocals; Christopher Cribb, keyboards; and Ryan Redfern, bass.

No Threat to Annie

2009-11-11T14:00:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, I took some photos at a rock and roll performance at the Long Center for a friend of mine. He was doing a video shoot at the concert to promote a new release, Transformation. John Orr Franklin is the musician, a singer songwriter type. It was a unique experience for me as shooting rock concerts is not in my normal bag of tricks. I don't think Annie Leibovitz needs to be worried, but I plan to share some of my personal favorites over the next few postings.

Desmond's Bowl-O-Rama

2009-11-10T11:04:00.000-08:00

I've been playing with my Sony Webbie HD since last March. I've had some fun, but the trip to my grandson's birthday party at the bowling alley may have been the most fun so far. My technique is not very good, but I think that the video speaks for itself. If you've never seen 5 and 6 year olds bowl, take a gander.

I've Seen That...

2009-10-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

I saw this painted on a wall in St Paul, MN. At first, I was unsure of the meaning. Then I thought about all the crazy thing I've seen people do while on the cell phone. Yeah, I've seen that before.

Shiny

2009-10-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

Shiny motor. Check the urban dictionary if you think I mean glossy surface.

Corner

2009-10-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

I'll meet you at the corner for a coffee...or...something.

The Other Hand

2009-10-21T15:19:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you just need to be patient, and someone will be along to give you a hand.

Give Me A Hand

2009-10-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

"Give me a hand," the plaintive cry of a lone glove. Nothing more to say!

Sill Mates

2009-10-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

If Sill Mates reminds you think of a still life, then you might like it in color.

If Sill Mates reminds congers up the idea of cell mates, a toned image may be more appropriate. Photoshop Lightroom has some very good capabilities when one wishes to take away the color.

Three Hats

2009-10-16T08:05:00.001-07:00

I was in St. Paul, MN last weekend. We took a couple of hours to attend an Art Crawl. The event was in an old factory or warehouse building that now houses local artists. On a wall outside a hat shop, I was drawn to these 3 hats. That's it!

More of the Same

2009-10-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

It must be a mail thing!

In the Corner

2009-10-10T07:00:00.000-07:00

I don't often publish a post on the weekend, but I didn't want to forget to share these corners of my visit to Charleston.

Home Sweet Home

2009-10-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

In an old city like Charleston, South Carolina, There are lots of portals. Some more appealing than others.

All the doors are not open nor welcoming.

No Words Needed

2009-10-08T07:00:00.000-07:00

You can make up whatever story you like to explain these images.

I find them flush with stories.

Coming Down With Some Monochrome

2009-10-07T15:53:00.000-07:00

Lots of folks are talking about the flu. Today, I think I had a touch of the monochrome bug. It doesn't happen too often, but when it does, I find myself incapacitated in front of the computer for hours.

The bug bit me while I was thinking about a particular image in Photoshop Lightroom. The next I knew, hours had passed.

It all started with an idea about creating an infrared affect in Lightroom. I didn't quite get there, but I did learn a few new things.

I'm not sure if the bug has passed. If you like what you see check in tomorrow.

Sensible Shoes: ACL 2009

2009-10-06T14:50:00.001-07:00

Day 1 at the ACL Music Festival could not have been better. New grass, sunny day and temps in the high 70's. Even the beer lines were short.

As the afternoon progressed, we were looking forward to the next 2 days of music.

Day 2 brought nearly constant rain. Less than 2 inches by all reports, but it did have an impact. By Day 3, we were all looking for sensible shoes.

To the Bottom of the Grand Canyon

2009-10-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

Seeing the PBS series on the National Parks makes me want to get out to a park really soon. We have been to a dozen or more, but one trip that remains in the forefront of my memories was the trip to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. My wife wanted a significant adventure for a significant birthday. Her choice was to hike in and out of the Grand Canyon from the top of the south rim to the Colorado River and back again.

Her brothers and wives/partners joined us. In May 2006, we headed down the South Kaibab Trail. It is about 7 miles in length and an elevation drop of 4780 feet.

We camped near the Colorado River at the Bright Angel Campground near Phantom Ranch. We hiked out via the Bright Angel Trail; it was 9.8 miles with an elevation gain of about 4500 feet. The trip back to the top seemed like 100 miles. We were all glad to have done it. My wife and I plan to do a rim to rim (North Rim to South Rim) hike through the canyon. It is something over 20 miles.

Mostly Blue

2009-10-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

Mostly Blue

Candidate For Auto-scaping

2009-09-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

This is a car (maybe it is really a wedding limo) that I saw in Bergen, Norway. It would have qualified for "cash for clunkers." It's too late for that; so, why not auto-scaping?

Auto-scaping

2009-09-29T07:00:00.000-07:00

Stanley Marsh has often been called an artist, a prankster, and a philanthropist. I don't know if you have ever given much thought to Stanley, but I think he was way ahead of his time when he created the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas.

There has been lots of focus on what to do about the multi year drought that we are living with in Austin, Texas. We are are under strict water control and are down to once a week lawn watering. There have been lots of articles in the paper about the use of native plants; they require less water. Xeriscaping is another low water option. But as long as "cash for clunkers" is still fresh in our psyche, I think we should devote some thought to auto-scaping. Stanley might have been on to something when he planted those Cadillacs back in the 1970's. Think about it. They require no water; in fact, water might make them erode. Rust will do that. For the little grass that does manage to grow, adding a steer will keep it under control; it could end up being a source of protein as well. If we have further water restrictions imposed, I may go rent a backhoe and plant my wife's car. She is tired of it anyway.

The way to a man's heart...

2009-09-28T07:37:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure of the origin of the saying, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach," but I do know that depending on the man, it is often a much varied journey.

I really enjoy food. I don't often eat just to fill my stomach; my preference is to consume well prepared and fresh food. This is not an obsession, but I would say it is something I strive to accomplish. When traveling, my food objectives include the desire to explore a region, country, or culture by sampling the indigenous food. The food that is considered to be representative of that region, country, or culture. Most times it is the food which is not found at my local markets.

In the summer of 2008, I traveled to Iceland and Norway. I samples many dishes, some that I cannot correctly pronounce, today. One that stands out was the daily special in a restaurant located in the small Icelandic town of Laugarvatn. The special was Mienke whale steak in a white pepper sauce. It was great! Whale is an important protein in the Icelandic diet. There are strict limits on the number of whales that may be caught; so, the availability had diminished. Hot dogs (I sampled lots of them), rotten shark (I missed this one), and lamb's head (I missed this one, too) are also staples.

Where am I going with this tale of food? I am doing research on my upcoming trip to Peru. We will be in the Andes and ultimately at Machu Picchu. What do they eat? Potatoes originated in Peru; they have hundreds of varieties. I'm sure to have many types of potatoes. The one thing that I do wish to taste is an animal domesticated more than 2000 years ago. This ancient protein source is cuy. What's cuy? It is what we call guinea pig. Why do they call it cuy? The animal makes a noise that sounds like cuy cuy. I've read accounts that it tastes like rabbit; I've read too that the older the animal the tougher and stronger tasting the meat becomes. I'm hoping for a young cuy. Another benefit of smaller is that there is less to eat if the taste is offensive. I understand that it is best prepared by stuffing the body cavity with fresh herbs and spit roasting or roasting on in a wood fired oven. It is always served with potatoes, and the beverage of choice is chicha (but that's another story). In any case, I plan to sample the cuisine.

Buen provecho!

More on the Mind's Eye

2009-09-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, the digital reproduction of an older technique used in those historic film photography days can add an interesting perspective to what one has seen. Here is another image from Arches National Park; a digital interpretation of the Orten Effect has been called into play. It certainly adds a different feel to the image.

The Mind's Eye

2009-09-24T08:24:00.000-07:00

In pursuit of the elusive sense of place, an image might be nudged to give it a feeling of otherworldliness. This could convey a sense of place that you are or have felt when observing this new place. I was kinda feeling that way when I first arrived at Arches National Park and saw the Three Sisters against a pale blue sky.

This image was "nudged" and a split tone added.

Thinking About a Sense of Place

2009-09-23T09:42:00.001-07:00

When I am planning, or maybe it is actually daydreaming, about a vacation that will take me to a new locale, I start to think about how I might capture the essence of the destination in my photographs. By definition, visiting a new destination requires that I do some research about the geography, the people and their customs, the history, and whatever else I can learn. I'm beginning to do the research for the trip to Peru. It is many months away, but part of the experience begins right now for me. I'm starting to think about how to capture the sense of place even before I get to that place.

The image above was captured in Utah at Arches National Park. It is vast, it is desolate, and storms roll in with some frequency in the warmer months.

Planning the Next Big Vacation

2009-09-21T14:49:00.001-07:00

We are attempting to plan a "big" and active vacation each year until our money or health diminishes. In May of 2010, our travels will take us to Peru. The plan is to hike the Salkantay Trail through the Andes for about 32 miles and end at Machu Picchu. We are well into the planning and have made our deposits. It may seem strange, but when thinking of vacation, Paris always crosses my mind. We have been there many times, perhaps 30 times. We never tire of walking through the city and absorbing the ambiance. Paris can wait; Peru is next.

Getting the Blog Train Moving Again

2009-09-14T14:38:00.000-07:00

I was thinking about my inability to get motivated to make regular additions to this blog. It is like waiting at a metro station, knowing that you are ready to go somewhere, but not quite sure of the destination. Most of the trains seem to be on the opposite track and going to some unknown destination.

There are times that the train doesn't stop; it's an express that speeds by without letting me board. I see it go by watching its passengers as they head to their destinations.

I feel like I'm waiting for the blog train sitting at the station and going nowhere. Thoughts of where I could go are a little blurred like the trains speeding past.

I need to catch one of these trains fairly soon or at least go up to street level and walk around and clear my head. I would like it if the steps took me up to street level in Paris. As long as I using these images from the Paris metro, I can daydream that going up the steps will land me in Paris. Why not?

Best Birthdays Are Messy

2009-09-11T13:12:00.000-07:00

It all starts with candles, cake and a song.

Portions of the cake find a way to the mouth area.

The cake remains nearly untouched.
For some, that's a perfect birthday party.

Remote Camera Control

2009-08-17T10:16:00.000-07:00

I have finally quoted a job that would benefit from the use of computer control of my camera. The concept is pretty simple. Connect the camera to the computer, click on a few adjustments and voilà, the images appear on the computer screen. It turns out that it was not so simple for me.

Saturday, I dug through my drawer of CDs and DVDs that contain current and not so current software. My Canon 5D came with software needed to do this computer, remote control. Finding the disc, I promptly loaded it. Following the directions, I restarted the computer and connected the camera. The program did not recognize the camera. "Okay", I thought, " uninstall and reinstall the software." After 3 reinstalls and more digging in my software drawer, I found another EOS Utility disc. The one, that I installed first, was for my Canon G9 camera; who uses a G9 with computer control? Someone must. I uninstalled the EOS Utility for the G9 from the computer.

I installed the EOS Utility that I believed belonged to the Canon 5D. I believed it because I found an accompanying Quick Start instruction sheet with it. Neither disc indicated a camera type, but the Quick Start instruction sheet referenced the 5D. I installed the software; I connected the camera (Canon 5D). The software recognised the camera. "Eureka!", I shouted in an exuberant tone. I was premature in my celebration. The software would activate the camera shutter once, then it would freeze. No image file could be found on the computer. I called it quits on Saturday without any visible reward for the many hours invested.

Last night in a dream like state, a thought occurred to me. My software was at least 2 years old; I have a new laptop running Windows Vista (Mac fanatics, please stop reading go back to your knitting or whatever you were doing). Maybe there is an update for the software on the Conon USA site. Seek and you shall find. There was a free download for those in possession of the older software. This is when I would have been justified in shouting, "Eureka!", but I didn't. The new version of the software works great. Now, I've set up a Watched Folder in Adobe Lightroom to automatically import the images captured with the EOS Utility. It is so much better to see a larger image on the computer screen accompanied by a more accurate histogram (only in the Develop module, of course).

What did I learn from this experience? 1) Label the software disc before tossing it into the software drawer. 2) Check for software updates on the manufacturer's website. 3)Look for other related software updates. I found a firmware update for the Canon 5D while I was solving my problem. 4) Don't wait so long before trying out all the functionality of the camera and its software.

The image above shows my final triumph in getting images onto the computer from the camera. The desk is a mess, as usual. The second computer is tuned into Facebook to pass the time while I installed and uninstalled software.

Thinking About Port A

2009-08-04T14:29:00.000-07:00

We are heading down to the Texas coast this weekend, Port Aransas to be exact. My daughter, her husband and the 2 grandsons plan to relax at A Laughing Horse Lodge just a couple of blocks from the beach. We've booked the High Horse cabin. It has a couple of bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room, and 1 bath. We are compiling a list on Google; I guess it is actually a shared document on our Google account.

Having grown up on the east coast of the US and spending most of my shore time in NJ; the concept of actually driving on the beach with your car is somewhat foreign. Driving on the beach in NJ would normally result in being hopelessly stuck in the soft sand or finding yourself in jail.

The photo is one taken in Port A several years ago. It is a significantly cropped version of the original. The shape was required to meet the needs of a magazine cover. This one didn't make it, but another of Monet's pond at Giverny got to the cover.

Alaska Image Link

2009-08-03T06:21:00.000-07:00

I've been away from the blog for a few weeks. I was caught up in finishing teaching the summer school session, processing 2,008 Alaska images, and fixing computer issues. The computer issues are always a challenge. It seems my free anti-virus and firewall from CA caused us to have problems. My CA software had quarantined some system files and renamed them. Even though I thought I restored the files, the system started moving at snails pace. This resulted in a need to reformat my wife's computer; that consumed a full Saturday. Additionally, the firewall on my computer was interfering with my access to a Flash web gallery causing me to think I had a website problem. Once the firewall was gone, so was the problem, but not until hours of searching for a solution had been invested. Enough venting!

If you are interested in perusing just over 200 of the Alaska images, click here. It is a fairly large web gallery and may take some time to download the images if you have a slower connection.