Going to the Sun Road
Eagle Creek in a Heavy Rainfall
Well we are clearly into the rainy season in the Pacific Northwest. What I had been able to trail run just a few days earlier was nearly impassible on this day. Small trickling streams crossing the trail were transformed into raging, waist deep, scary, fast moving flows. Here’s a photo from the same place with much less water.
Find it here: 45°37’22” N; 121°53’42” W
Twilight at the Rim
a red barn in Klamath county
Lightning Strikes Devils Tower
Spent a night camping here and was treated to a lightning storm!
I’d been to Devils Tower once before but the harsh daylight didn’t make for such great photo so when I planned this trip I knew I had to camp overnight.
Originally, I hoped for a nighttime photo of the Tower with stars in the background, but a storm rolled in. The clouds were dark and moody so I set up on the hill anyway. I was out for a couple hours waiting for a great shot and a break in the rain when the lightning started, so cool (and a little scary!)
Through the Desert Pass
The night here in the desert had a feeling that time had slowed to a stop like these light trails left by the passing cars.
Ever since my first visit, I’ve always had a love for the Sonoran desert in Tucson. The rough, rocky mountains in shades of brown, reds, and purples broken by the saguaro cactus standing guard.
find it here: 32°13’21” N; 111°6’6” W
The Neon Glow of Printers Alley
Near downtown Nashville, you’ll find this little alley bathed in the seedy glow of neon light.
Let’s see - bars, country music, and crowds of people. Typically not a place you’d find me but a work trip and the awesome team I’m part of made it fun. I was able to get out one night to grab some photos of the city. This alley was my favorite spot of the night, watching the people and pedal cabs milling around.
Find it here: map
supernova
A while back I took a road trip from Minneapolis to Death Valley. It was an great drive in the early spring so not too hot yet.
Driving home, just after passing through St. George, UT this awesome storm started to form right at sunset so I pulled over on the side of I-15N and scrambled up the embankment on the other side looking west towards the Red Cliffs National Conservation area. Just as I got up there, the sun dropped out of the clouds and I was able to grab this photo. Perfect timing!
I took a little snapshot of my set-up for this one with my iPhone so I thought it would be fun to include that below too :)
find it here: 37°11’21” N; 113°24’26” W
sunrise on the hood
We live just outside Portland, OR in Washington state and one of the many wonderful things about this area (aside from the great trail running, traffic free roads to cycle, and being in the gorge!) is we have a great view of Mt Hood across the Columbia River. Funny, becuase you get so used to seeing mornings like this that you can almost not even notice it day to day :)
I feel really fortunate to be able to spend some time living here and experiencing the Pacific Northwest. Really an amazing place.
find it here: my back porch :)
moon, mountain, alpenglow
Have you been to Glacier National Park? It is absolutely amazing, everywhere you look. There is this really cool road carved right into the mountainside named Going to the Sun Road. There are plenty of pull outs along the way to jump out and take in the scenery on it’s climb up and over Logan Pass.
We made it to the top in time for sunset and grab this photo of Mt Reynolds with the moon passing by. Be on the lookout for mountain goats and rams. It is crazy some of the vertical faces they can climb up! Very cool!
I’m going to have to get back here one day with my bike and cycle up Going to the Sun. Looks like 30+mi and 7,000ft of elevation gain. Hard work going up but awesome going down! :)
find it here: 48°41’43” N; 113°43’8” W
blue hour at wasilla lake
desert racers
Usually my work travel takes me to the Pacific Northwest or Midwest but a meeting in Phoenix let me get to Tucson for a couple days. I was lucky enough to live there for w few years (15 years ago) and interestingly it hasnt changed much. The funny thing is the city and the people remind my very much of Portland if you ignore the climate differences.
This awesome place is just outside Tucson, AZ (city lights off in the distance). I scrambled up a rocky hill in the dark to get to this view point and used a wide angle lens capture both the up and down sides of the pass. It was an awesome view with a near full moon out to illuminate the bluffs and cactus!
I thought I was sure to run into a rattlesnake but after an hour and seeing nothing I started flipping over rocks trying to at least see a scorpion. Believe it or not, I couldnt even find one of those - I felt a little let down, ha ha!
A combination of 6 exposures - one for the night sky and city, two for foreground and mountains, and a few for the car trails all hand blended in Photoshop.
Find it here: 32°13’21” N; 111°6’6” W