Linville Falls and Linville Gorge
First, an experiment in black and white...
Then in color...
The Linville Gorge is reportedly the most rugged, inaccessible land east of the Rockies. I believe it.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Pictures, pictures, pictures!
Today's posts are all about photos.
Linville Falls and Linville Gorge
First, an experiment in black and white...
Then in color...
The Linville Gorge is reportedly the most rugged, inaccessible land east of the Rockies. I believe it.
Linville Falls and Linville Gorge
First, an experiment in black and white...
Then in color...
The Linville Gorge is reportedly the most rugged, inaccessible land east of the Rockies. I believe it.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park Area
Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
There are only a few roads through this park. Most of the Park is best accessed by horseback or on foot. I have no way of knowing what I missed, so I will focus on what I saw.
This small waterfall was a 0.3 mile hike from the parking lot. Along the trail were frequent wildflowers.
The road through the park has many vistas, particularly on the side road to Clingman’s Dome.
My second campsite a the Great Smokies was more to the west, near the Tennessee border on the edge of a reservoir.
Tail of the Dragon
Route 129 crosses from North Carolina to Tennessee along the southern edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It twists and turns and rises and falls so much that it has become known as the Tail Of The Dragon. It is a motorcycle Mecca and if you drive it in a car, you are sure to find yourself in front of and behind bikers riding the road for the sheer fun of it.
To the southeast, Route 129 parallels the Cheoah River. I came to this area expecting to see exciting white water on the Nantahala River. I found the white water on the Cheoah. These photos at Bear Creek Falls are three out of 142 shots that I trimmed to 90. There are three paths through the falls. The far side has a 10’ vertical drop. The middle path divides the drop into two sections. While once I could have handled the first drop, the second is larger and dumps the bow of your boat into a very strong cross current. I would not have made it in an open canoe. The kayaks completely disappeared in the foam in this area. The near path was the run taken by most of the rafts. That is the run I would have taken. I think I could have made it as recently as 10 years ago. I was told that the drop is rated Class IV. I think that may be true on the right but the other two drops sure look like Class V to me.
To the south of the Park, in the Nantahala National Forest, is the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest. This is a delightful old growth forest with some really big trees, a short trail system and chuckling streams dancing their way downhill over the rocks.
The Joyce Kilmer area and Bear Creek Falls are the images that will stay with me as I continue north. These up-close views were unusual to me, while the broad vistas will be frequent along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
There are only a few roads through this park. Most of the Park is best accessed by horseback or on foot. I have no way of knowing what I missed, so I will focus on what I saw.
This small waterfall was a 0.3 mile hike from the parking lot. Along the trail were frequent wildflowers.
The road through the park has many vistas, particularly on the side road to Clingman’s Dome.
My second campsite a the Great Smokies was more to the west, near the Tennessee border on the edge of a reservoir.
Tail of the Dragon
Route 129 crosses from North Carolina to Tennessee along the southern edge of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It twists and turns and rises and falls so much that it has become known as the Tail Of The Dragon. It is a motorcycle Mecca and if you drive it in a car, you are sure to find yourself in front of and behind bikers riding the road for the sheer fun of it.
To the southeast, Route 129 parallels the Cheoah River. I came to this area expecting to see exciting white water on the Nantahala River. I found the white water on the Cheoah. These photos at Bear Creek Falls are three out of 142 shots that I trimmed to 90. There are three paths through the falls. The far side has a 10’ vertical drop. The middle path divides the drop into two sections. While once I could have handled the first drop, the second is larger and dumps the bow of your boat into a very strong cross current. I would not have made it in an open canoe. The kayaks completely disappeared in the foam in this area. The near path was the run taken by most of the rafts. That is the run I would have taken. I think I could have made it as recently as 10 years ago. I was told that the drop is rated Class IV. I think that may be true on the right but the other two drops sure look like Class V to me.
To the south of the Park, in the Nantahala National Forest, is the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest. This is a delightful old growth forest with some really big trees, a short trail system and chuckling streams dancing their way downhill over the rocks.
The Joyce Kilmer area and Bear Creek Falls are the images that will stay with me as I continue north. These up-close views were unusual to me, while the broad vistas will be frequent along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Florida Afterimages
I am now in North Carolina, a few miles south of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I moved north too soon - the trees are just budding now. So, I will spend about two weeks here before continuing.
Meanwhile, here are a few parting thoughts on my Florida explorations. I seemed to zigzag all over the place.
Each area brought something new to me. The Everglades had much less of the tree/shrub type vegetation than I expected. Big Cypress had more 'gators than I expected - WAY more!
Jonathan Dickinson was a very comfortable "home base" for me. Hillsborough River was visually delightful. Ocala National Forest was peaceful. Cape Canaveral showed me three launches, and I had been hoping to see one.
Finally, there is St. Joseph Peninsula State Park.
If you are a beach lover, this is a spectacular spot. The sand is very white and fine. It has been blown into some impressive dunes. The site is a narrow spit of land with the bay to the east and the Gulf to the west. In between, there are marshlands and forested areas. That is where the camping areas are.
While there, I saw a pair of Bald Eagles, but did not have my camera.
So, thank you, Florida, for a very nice State Park system, and for the relaxing time I spent there.
Though it was delightful, I must be going.
Meanwhile, here are a few parting thoughts on my Florida explorations. I seemed to zigzag all over the place.
Each area brought something new to me. The Everglades had much less of the tree/shrub type vegetation than I expected. Big Cypress had more 'gators than I expected - WAY more!
Jonathan Dickinson was a very comfortable "home base" for me. Hillsborough River was visually delightful. Ocala National Forest was peaceful. Cape Canaveral showed me three launches, and I had been hoping to see one.
Finally, there is St. Joseph Peninsula State Park.
If you are a beach lover, this is a spectacular spot. The sand is very white and fine. It has been blown into some impressive dunes. The site is a narrow spit of land with the bay to the east and the Gulf to the west. In between, there are marshlands and forested areas. That is where the camping areas are.
While there, I saw a pair of Bald Eagles, but did not have my camera.
So, thank you, Florida, for a very nice State Park system, and for the relaxing time I spent there.
Though it was delightful, I must be going.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Afterimages
More about that sunrise...
I woke up early and looked out the window. What I saw had me jumping up, dressing and grabbing my camera.
I thought it was spectacular. Most of the sunsets were not very photogenic because a large commercial area was just to the west of the park. One night, however, the clouds were just right, allowing me to use a tree and hide the buildings somewhat.
By the way, you can see these pics full size by clicking on them. Most of the other pics I have posted are reduced in size. These are not, so the files are large. Please click on at least the third pic. It can't be appreciated at the smaller scale. The people in the light beam are early morning fishermen on the Jetty at Jetty Park, Cape Canaveral.
Bye for now.
I woke up early and looked out the window. What I saw had me jumping up, dressing and grabbing my camera.
I thought it was spectacular. Most of the sunsets were not very photogenic because a large commercial area was just to the west of the park. One night, however, the clouds were just right, allowing me to use a tree and hide the buildings somewhat.
By the way, you can see these pics full size by clicking on them. Most of the other pics I have posted are reduced in size. These are not, so the files are large. Please click on at least the third pic. It can't be appreciated at the smaller scale. The people in the light beam are early morning fishermen on the Jetty at Jetty Park, Cape Canaveral.
Bye for now.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Starting North
I haven't been posting much because there isn't much to tell. I have been sitting by the beach in Cape Canaveral, reading and relaxing. I am now back in Ocala National Forest, the first step northerly. Pics to come include a sunrise at Cape Canaveral (rare for me - I don't often get up that early) and perhaps a few critters.
Happy Easter, everyone!
Happy Easter, everyone!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Discovery Launch
I am still at Canaveral. I had the great good fortune to be able to stay long enough to see a shuttle launch. At 7:43 last night, Discovery's engines were lit and she lifted off the pad.
The initial climb was in the evening twilight. The flare from the engines made the sky look black, though it was not.
As she rose, she flew into the sunset, then later into bright sun.
The plume of her exhaust became a milti-colored ribbon rippling into the sky as it passed from twilight to sunset to daylight.
She hurtled on, reaching separation from the solid rocket boosters.
The shuttle and her SRB's took separate paths, one to orbit and two to the sea far below.
It seemed like seconds before all that was left was the dispersing cloud of her passing.
The initial climb was in the evening twilight. The flare from the engines made the sky look black, though it was not.
As she rose, she flew into the sunset, then later into bright sun.
The plume of her exhaust became a milti-colored ribbon rippling into the sky as it passed from twilight to sunset to daylight.
She hurtled on, reaching separation from the solid rocket boosters.
The shuttle and her SRB's took separate paths, one to orbit and two to the sea far below.
It seemed like seconds before all that was left was the dispersing cloud of her passing.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Kennedy Space Center
Wow. My first day was the typical tour. That was neat, but the second day, I took the NASA Up Close tour. That was remarkable.
The Saturn and Apollo program happened while I was in college. I knew, on an intellectual level, that the Saturn V was big. I know now that it is BIG. Sequoias are the biggest trees on earth. They get to be 325 feet tall. The Saturn V is 363 feet. The biggest Sequoia, the General Sherman Tree, is 33 feet in diameter. The Saturn V first and second stages are 36 feet. Wow.
The Up Close tour was just that – we were up close to the launch pads. Pad 2 is currently empty. We were literally at the ramp at the base of the pad. Pad 1 has the Shuttle on it. We were 5000 feet from it. While the shuttle itself was hidden by the gantry and protection system, the fuel tank and SRB’s were very visible.
On Friday, I saw my first launch. The Kepler observatory went up at 10:49 PM. At first, watching from about 8 or 9 miles away in my campground, I wondered where I should aim my camera. It turns out that was NOT a concern. The lights around the pad made it REALLY clear where the pad was.
At liftoff, all other lights faded to insignificance compared to the rocket.
It rose, more and more quickly, into the night sky.
At separation of the SRB’s the six separated and looked like remnant sparks from a fireworks show, except that they were so high that they just seemed to just hang in the sky, red-orange sparks marking the passage of the larger spark that continued to leave Earth behind.
After, there was just the vapor trail.
I have my fingers crossed that I will see a shuttle launch before the 13th.
The Saturn and Apollo program happened while I was in college. I knew, on an intellectual level, that the Saturn V was big. I know now that it is BIG. Sequoias are the biggest trees on earth. They get to be 325 feet tall. The Saturn V is 363 feet. The biggest Sequoia, the General Sherman Tree, is 33 feet in diameter. The Saturn V first and second stages are 36 feet. Wow.
The Up Close tour was just that – we were up close to the launch pads. Pad 2 is currently empty. We were literally at the ramp at the base of the pad. Pad 1 has the Shuttle on it. We were 5000 feet from it. While the shuttle itself was hidden by the gantry and protection system, the fuel tank and SRB’s were very visible.
On Friday, I saw my first launch. The Kepler observatory went up at 10:49 PM. At first, watching from about 8 or 9 miles away in my campground, I wondered where I should aim my camera. It turns out that was NOT a concern. The lights around the pad made it REALLY clear where the pad was.
At liftoff, all other lights faded to insignificance compared to the rocket.
It rose, more and more quickly, into the night sky.
At separation of the SRB’s the six separated and looked like remnant sparks from a fireworks show, except that they were so high that they just seemed to just hang in the sky, red-orange sparks marking the passage of the larger spark that continued to leave Earth behind.
After, there was just the vapor trail.
I have my fingers crossed that I will see a shuttle launch before the 13th.
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