Author: Lisa

What a wonderful day!

I took the MAX (light rail) from the Elks to Pioneer Square and met Stephanie and John, long time SLO residents who moved to Portland just before the pandemic.  They shared their new city with me, showing me Washington Park, Japanese Garden, Rose Garden, Holocaust Memorial, and Elephant Deli!  Then, we took the MAX to their delightful home, walked around their beautiful neighborhood, and viewed the sunset from a park overlooking the Willamette.  Next, tasty, albeit a bit spicy, Thai food and delicious ice cream!  It was a fabulous day spent with terrific friends!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wonder…maybe I should have come to Portland yesterday… I thought the drive would be too long, but Longview had nothing to offer.  That Elks lodge, although providing a safe place to stay, was closed with no interaction among visitors or members.  The Milwaukie-Portland Elks lodge, however, is very active!  It might be due to the merger between the Portland and the Milwaukie lodges…or the swimming pool…or the recruitment of young families… Regardless, this is a busy vibrant lodge.

After arriving and settling Addie, I hopped on my e-bike and rode the bike trails along the Willamette River into downtown Portland. Of course, I found some of the tent cities and many unhoused people.  I also had (SURPRISE!) great ice cream!

Some Portland bridges

 

 

 

 

NW 23rd avenue, also known as Nob Hill

 

Telling my friend Judi that a “light” lunch or “easy” breakfast would be great…falls on deaf ears!

Yesterday, she made a delicious lunch with tuna salad and curry egg salad – topped this morning by homemade breakfast burritos.  Yum yum!

While Judi and Lee handled some household chores, I took my full belly and my almost full camera (I’m going through SD cards like they’re ice cream!) on a little photowalk.  Then it was time for some final photos of us – before I hit the road once again. 

I’m at another Elks.  The lodge is closed – no Manhattan for me tonight – instead some quiet time with Addie.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exactly four years ago today when I was in Budapest, I sat in the Great Synagogue waiting for a tour.  Soon, a solo woman – around my age – sat next to me.  Thus began my friendship with Pamela. 

In fact, here’s what I posted four years ago on Facebook!  “I went to the Great Synagogue, the second largest in the world after Temple Emanuel in NYC. At the synagogue, I met a fellow solo traveler, and following the tour she and I went to Gellert Baths. From the Gellert Baths, we climbed the Citadel Hill – with hundreds of locals and tourists – for the BIG fireworks show launched from Chain Bridge in celebration of Hungary’s founding (similar to the US Fourth of July). Sitting with us was a young couple, she from Iran [I’m still in contact with her!] and he from Germany (they met in Milan!) – fabulous and fun hanging out with them. AND the fireworks show was spectacular! Thirty minutes of amazing fireworks!”

Why am I saying this?  Because this morning, Pamela and I had breakfast together in Seattle!  It turns out that she, her boyfriend Carl, and I were all in Seattle at the same time!  Surprising on many levels – most impactfully, Pamela and Carl live in British Columbia, I live in California.

After leaving Pamela and Carl, I headed to Bainbridge Island to see two other very long time friends (and my younger son’s godparents):  Judi and Lee.  Judi and I figure we’ve known each other for about 40 years.  We met after a funeral in the kitchen talking about bras… 🙂

I wish I could spend more time with them, but with our busy schedules we had a delicious late lunch before they headed off to their evening event – during which time, I “dogsit” their 15-week old puppy, Tafi, and played photographer.  Their backyard, with fun lawn art, water access, and a sunset view, kept my camera and me busy.  Working with the smoky skies and red colors added a new challenge!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unbeknownst to me, when they got home from their event, Judi snapped this picture of me…taking photos!  Note Tafi by my right leg.

 

A clearer shot of Tafi!

I totally nerded out today!

For World Photography Day, Fujifilm hosted “Create With Us” in Seattle, the second annual event with last year’s being in New York City.  When I received my invitation, I was in the midst of planning this road trip – and the timing was perfect to attend this free photography extravaganza put on by my camera’s company.

The formal schedule consisted of workshops presented by creatives (including the finale with The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s Cinematographer M. David Mullen), photowalks, models, information booths, and loaner cameras and lenses.  All of these were terrific!

Most enlightening, though, were the informal conversations with fellow photographers, of all abilities and experiences.  I love talking about photography; every conversation grows my knowledge and my interest. I especially appreciate when knowledgeable people ask me what I like to capture before giving me their advice, as tools vary based on usage and creative interests.

Warning:  Photography nerd talk…

Being able to try various lenses was so much fun!  Given I live in San Luis Obispo, I don’t have much opportunity to test lenses. I first tried the 16-80mm f4, which I thought I’d like much more than I did.  It’s just too similar to my 18-55mm f 2.8-4.  Next, I’ve been curious about prime lenses (fixed focal length – no zoom component).  Therefore, I played with the 23mm f1.4.  I didn’t like it at all.  Since I’m used to being able to zoom rather than getting close to my subject, the 23mm felt uncomfortable and weird to me .

Finally, I attached a 35mm f2.  Wow!  I felt all excited jitteriness within my body while using the lens!  So much fun, so comfortable, so beautiful!

The two local photo shops sponsoring the event, along with Fujifilm of course, did not have products on hand to sell.  I used my ORCA card, hopped on the bus, and went 20 minutes away to Glazer’s! (Incidentally, another person from the event was on the same bus with me to buy a lens at Glazer’s. 🙂 )

I think I’m set on my kit now…well, other than the teleconverter 1.4x I plan to get next year!  Hahaha!

Models

 

 

 

Fujifilm printed this for me…

 
Photowalk

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
A fellow photographer – although not hired as models, no one was shy about allowing others to photograph them 🙂

A varied day!

Starting the morning with Addie chores, I next drove the scenic route from Yakima to Seattle – as recommended by one of the ladies I chatted with at the Elks.  What phenomenal views of a glacier valley near Naches, WA – and then of amazing Mt. Rainier!

Still blown away by the beauty of Rainier, I continued driving to Seattle, where I’m “moochdocking” in a friend’s driveway.  They’re on vacation, so Addie and I get a long flat driveway in exchange for watering a few plants.  Such a deal!  🙂

After settling Addie and watering, I was torn – big time!  On the one hand, I know I’ll be busy all day tomorrow in Seattle, so relaxing – especially after driving for several hours today – would be a wise decision.  On the other hand, learning and experiencing the Seattle public transit system before needing to use it tomorrow morning might also be a wise decision.

What did I decide?  I headed into Seattle!  YES, the system was extremely frustrating!  Why can’t every transit system use the same payment methods?  Ugh!  It took a lot of searching and walking until I finally found a store that had the ORCA metro card! 

Deciding I “needed” an ice cream after solving my transit issue, I googled the best ice cream scoop shop:  Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream.  Less than a mile away.  All uphill!

Which ended up being the biggest treat of the day!  I’m climbing up and up – think San Francisco hills.  I get to the summit and see a bunch of people at the upper edge of a park looking behind me – at the Space Needle with Mt. Rainier in the background with sunset approaching!

I chatted with some locals hanging out on the corner, and they recommended I make a loop from Molly Moon’s, to the western wall where I could see the sun beginning to set over the water, and back to the park overlook.  Best advice!  Not only was the sunset fabulous but also the homes in this Queen Anne district are gorgeous.  A lovely end to a long day!

Glacier Valley near Naches

 
Mt. Rainer!

 

Skookum Creek, Enumclaw

 

The Seattle Center
The Space Needle

 

The sun reflected off of a pink building onto these steps

 

Museum of Pop Culture

 

Sunset from the west facing wall in the Queen Anne’s neighborhood

 

Sunset from Kerry Park overlook – the Space Needle with Mt. Rainier in the background

 

With triple digit temperatures and warnings from multiple people about rattlesnakes when hiking, I decided to instead explore Yakima today.

My itinerary:  Yakima Valley Museum, Yakima Area Arboretum, Kana Winery, downtown Yakima, and Bale Breaker Brewery.

Yakima Valley Museum

Yakima Valley Museum, located next to Franklin Park and a public pool, contains many displays.  Most enlightening: the exhibit highlighting Supreme Court Justice William Douglas from Yakima, best known for his “consistent and outspoken defense of civil liberties” and his personal life (four marriages).

Franklin Park

 

Yakima Valley Museum Quinceañera Special Exhibit
 
Yakima Valley Museum Shoe Self-timer Pic

 

Yakima Area Arboretum

The Yakima Area Arboretum is an urban green space and refuge on 46 acres of land cultivated as display gardens, tree collections, and natural areas.

 

 

 

Downtown Yakima

I’ve wandered around the downtowns of many cities and towns.  Most often, I’m surprised at the civic pride and public artwork.  Yakima, however, leaves a lot to be desired.  Although Kana Winery, owned by a now-retired ENT doctor, offers tasty wines, the rest of downtown disappointed me.

 

 

A nod to the Tree Top fruit company

 

Bale Breaker Brewing Company

Since Bale Breaker, a highly recommended brewery, focuses on hops-heavy beers, I asked the beertender for a flight of lighter beers.  Something I’ve learned from previously tasting flights of beer, I rate each taste and drink no more than half of what’s served.  It keeps it down to one beer rather than two!

Pivot!

Initial plan: Drive from Caldwell, ID to Hilgard State Park, OR.  HOWEVER, Hilgard had three big strikes against it.  1) No electricity, which meant no a/c even with 104 degree temps.  2) No cell service.  3) SKETCHY!  My gut instinct told me to keep on driving.  So I did.

New plan: Once I got cell service, I looked up the next Oregon state park and found Emigrant Springs State Park, less than 20 miles further on I84.  When I arrived at Emigrant Springs, I found open RV sites with full hook-ups, cell service, free showers, and a good/safe “feel.”  So, yes, this is where I’m staying tonight!

After settling in, I walked around the park, taking the Nature Trail.  With my camera, I focused on flowers and other sights that sparked my creative interests.

First, a bit about Emigrant Springs.  “Near the summit of the Blue Mountains, Emigrant Springs State Heritage Area preserves a site where people, including travelers on the Oregon Trail, have replenished water supplies since time immemorial.”  (Source: Oregon State Parks)

There are informational displays all over the park; my guess is schoolchildren come here to learn more about the Oregon Trail, one of the many emigrant trails from Missouri out to the West during the 1800s.

A bit of history…

 

 

Nature Trail Sights

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I spy…

Wow!  I slept over nine hours last night!  That’s highly unusual for me.  Perhaps the three nights of meteor shower photography caught up with me…? 🙂

After a relaxing morning, I drove to Shoshone Falls, a city park which honors my national park lifetime senior pass, thereby saving me $5.00!  These falls are totally cool!

“Often referred to as the Niagara of the West, Shoshone Falls is a must-see attraction in Twin Falls, Idaho. At 212 feet tall and 900 foot wide, Shoshone Falls is one of the largest natural waterfalls in the United States surpassing the height of the famous Niagara Falls.” (https://www.tfid.org/309/Shoshone-Falls)

I asked the kind and helpful young woman at the entrance kiosk which falls are the “Twin Falls.”  Turns out Shoshone Falls is NOT one of the “Twin Falls,” and in fact only one of the “Twin Falls” – named Twin Falls! – is active. 

“The city of Twin Falls took its name from these two waterfalls in the Snake River Canyon. So why is only one waterfall visible today? A dam along the Snake River, which uses water for hydroelectricity throughout the year, diverted water away from the second waterfall.” (https://visitsouthidaho.com/waterfalls/)

Following my visit to Twin Falls, I ate a Subway sandwich at the Love’s in Bliss.  (Love, bliss, … haha!)

Now, I’m ensconced at the Caldwell Elks, a few miles west of Boise.  Another Elks lodge experience!

Shoshone Falls

 
Rainbow!

 

 

 

Twin Falls

 

I walked down to get a better view but a fenced tunnel blocked access.

 

Twin Falls Power Plant Park

 

 

 

Final swims before school starts on Wednesday

I’m not an astrophotographer!  I’m very much a novice photographer who is learning how to capture and develop a variety of images.

With the Perseid Meteor Shower and camping in dark sky territory, I googled how to take photos of meteors…and snapped away.  Well, I mean “tapped.”  To prevent my camera from shaking, I set it up on a tripod and used the Fujifilm app on my iPhone to click the shutter.  So, for three nights, I tapped the shutter nearly every twenty seconds for one to three hours each night.

For the first two nights, Nanine and I watched the meteor shower on our own.  Last night, we met at 10 pm and clicked away until about 1 am. 

Reviewing several hundred photos, I found the following to be the “best,” meaning that I find them intriguing.

Night sky 🙂

 

 

Meteors!  I learned that green meteor streaks are due to the minerals in the rocks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elon Musk’s ‘Starlink’ Satellite

 

Transition day!
Today, Nanine and Bossa journey back to California while I commence my solo leg of this adventure.

Of course, this is after Nanine and I stayed up until about 1:00 am to watch the Perseid Meteor Shower!  (Photos in next post. 🙂 )

So, on less than five hours of sleep, I drove from Castle Rocks State Park to Twin Falls.  Well, technically, I’m at the Snake River Elks in Jerome, ID.  Although I’m able to camp here with electricity – needed with 93 degree temps so I can run my air conditioner – the lodge is closed.  It’s very quiet and peaceful.

I did venture into Twin Falls for an ice cream (duh!) and pulled over to see the canyon created by the Snake River and spanned by the Perrine Bridge, the eighth tallest bridge in the US that crosses the river. 

1,500 foot long Perrine Bridge – built in 1976

 

Snake River – two miles east of here, Evel Knievel attempted to jump the river, failing and ending up with only a broken nose

 

Roadside historical marker

This morning, after sleeping better last night even with waking up in the middle of the night to capture some of the meteor shower, I grabbed my camera to snap a few golden hour images.

Afterward, Nanine, Bossa, and I went to Castle Rocks State Park, home of the Idaho Mountain Festival, to walk and photograph some rock climbers.  Using my big zoom lens, I had fun capturing pictures today of not only the scenery but also some climbers.  When we were heading back to Addie, we passed a group of six climbers – and decided to join them to take photos of them climbing.  So much fun!

Also, we now know the difference between a national park and a national reserve!  A reserve, created by an act of Congress, is owned by the federal government but managed by the state government.  There are only a couple (perhaps up to four…) national reserves in the US. Sophia, ranger extraordinaire, is a state rather than federal employee.  A reserve allows private ownership of some of the land, hunting, and fishing.  City of Rocks National Reserve and Castle Rocks State Park are, therefore, managed by the same people.

Golden Hour Photos

 

 

 

Nanine and Bossa

 

Castle Rocks State Park

 

 

Petroglyphs

 

Aaron

 

Grace

 

Climber from afar

To start with, I didn’t sleep well last night…on purpose!  With the Perseid Meteor Shower happening tonight and, even more so, tomorrow night and with us being in dark sky territory, I set my alarm for 1:30 am so I could practice some astrophotography.  (I’ll post my best meteor shower photos after tomorrow night’s viewing.)

Given the heat and our desire, though, to do a nice hike today, Nanine and I agreed to meet at 7 am to hike.  Yep, despite having very little sleep last night, I explored this wonderful national reserve (still trying to figure out what a national reserve is…).

The hike seemed harder than it probably was…due to lack of sleep? dehydration?  heat?  calorie deficit? yesterday’s double vaccines?

Regardless, although I felt a bit “bonkish” the last mile, the hike was FABULOUS!  It combined elements Poly Canyon, Joshua Tree National Park, the Sierras, and Pinnacles! Cool, too, we got to see a few rock climbers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today had three parts!

Provo: Before driving to Idaho, we explored Bridal Veil Falls, along the Provo River.  With great scenery, a paved trail, and relatively flat walking, the trail delights walkers, runners, and cyclists.

Orem: On my way to Idaho, I stopped at the Target in Orem for groceries – and my next COVID and flu shots!  Given some of my upcoming trips and knowing that friends who traveled to family weddings contracted COVID, I decided that it was time for me to get my next booster.  I have to say, KUDOS to the pharmacy staff at the CVS in Orem’s Target!  Very competent, compassionate, and helpful!

Castle Rocks State Park, Idaho: This is a gem for rock climbers!  In fact, this weekend is the Idaho Mountain Festival, “a four-day, all-inclusive climbing retreat, hosted inside Castle Rocks State Park, right next door to the world-renowned City of Rocks National Reserve.”

We are camping for three days in the City of Rocks National Reserve.  I’m still trying to figure out how Castle Rocks State Park (where our campground supposedly is) is related to the City of Rocks National Reserve.  Also, I’m still unsure what a “national reserve” is, although I know it’s a part of the National Park System.  Sophia at the Visitors Center was helpful when I arrived with maps and hiking recommendations.  I may need to visit her tomorrow to have her clarify!  🙂

Bridal Veil Falls

 

 

Provo River

 

Bridal Veil Falls (I like the natural frame of the trees)

 

Addie patiently waiting in the City of Rocks as we explored part of the California Trail
“Although there may have been some visitation to the area by Europeans and Americans during the fur trade and exploration-era, the establishment of the California Trail through the City of Rocks is what brought the first significant number of European-Americans to what is now the Reserve. Emigrants following trails created by American Indians and trappers, crossed the continent in search of a better life, spurred on by Manifest Destiny. Approximately 240,000 people made their way west on the overland trails, primarily between the time when gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill in California in 1848, and when the transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869.” Source: NPS

 

City of Rocks

 

 

 

Emigrants scratched their names and travel dates into some of the rocks along the Emigrant Trail.  This way, others knew that they had been there.
“Freeman & D. Tickner: Daniel Tickner was born in Graves End, Kent, England around 1812 and immigrated to the United States in 1826. He eventually settled in Albion, IL, with his parents and other family members. In 1840 Daniel married Mary Wood, and they made their home in Albion, where he worked as a blacksmith. Their first child, Ellis Sarah, was born in Albion in 1847. In 1850, Mary’s parents asked Daniel to travel to California to retrieve his brother-in-law, John, who had gone in search of gold. A. Freeman, a friend of Daniel’s, accompanied him on the trek (which they made on horseback). It was on this trip that Tickner and Freeman wrote their names in axle grease on Register Rock. In 1852, Tickner once again headed to California, this time with his wife, children, and two brothers-in-law. The family made this trip in a covered wagon rather than on horseback.” Source: NPS

 

Swallows also leave their marks on the rocks