Arrived at the airport on Sunday at O'Dark thirty only to find out that my seat was going to be 9E, a middle seat. With a full plane, it didn't look likely that I would get a window seat. Who flys from San Jose at 7am on a Sunday? Well apparently, quite a few people. So, I'm group 6 and I get to sit last. My only concern is finding a spot for my gear because I don't want to check it for obvious reasons. Luckily all was well. The plane is backing out. I have a honey on my left and a honey on my right so it won't be so bad.....wait....the stewardess comes rushing up... and says....
There is a lady in the back of the plane, who has 30 minutes to catch a connecting flight. Is there anyone who could possibly switch seats with her so she has a chance to make her connecting flight. The seat is 28A.....it is a window.....
With that last word my hand shot up....I'll do it. So off I went to the back of the plane, swapped seats with the lady and took up my 3.5 hour ride next to smelly Habib....but it was a window seat.
The next 15 minutes was spent saying no problem as every stewardess on the plane and I think on the plane next to us and the one next to that one came up to thank me. They offered my beverage first....and they gave me FREE cheese....a meal they were selling for 7 BUCKS!! HA....what a deal.....So...I rode home, fat, sassy and smelling Habib!
We ended up arriving 20 minutes late, so I'm not sure if the lady was even able to make it to her next plane....oh well....the cheese was good!
Monday, March 29, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
IMG00138-20100326-0907.jpg
GO time...
Almost 5am here, time to take everything to the car and head over and get Matt. It will take about an hour to get to Matts' house. Then its off for breakfast....and on to Yosemite. We are hoping to be at the park by 10am to start our hike to the top of Nevada Falls.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Mission Peak......CHECK...
Wasn't really planning on this, and with my back acting up, I was really saving myself for the hike in Yosemite on Friday but....
We decided to run over and maybe just go up a little ways and see the views.
5.6 miles, 2200 feet in elevation gain. Cows all over the place....
It was a tough hike....not as tough as the Upper Falls last year. We ended up making it all the way to the top. I would have liked to have had more time to take more pictures. We were pressed for time and wanted to reach the summit before dusk....and we barely did.
GREAT VIEWS
Almost 3 hours up and an hour to get back down.
We decided to run over and maybe just go up a little ways and see the views.
5.6 miles, 2200 feet in elevation gain. Cows all over the place....
It was a tough hike....not as tough as the Upper Falls last year. We ended up making it all the way to the top. I would have liked to have had more time to take more pictures. We were pressed for time and wanted to reach the summit before dusk....and we barely did.
GREAT VIEWS
Almost 3 hours up and an hour to get back down.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
All packed...
Suitcase is packed...camera gear is packed...10am flight...
American Airlines Flight 1041 to San Jose...
American Airlines Flight 1041 to San Jose...
Saturday, March 20, 2010
What's going in the backpack...
This is what I will be carrying into Yosemite. 
This does not include any food items I plan on bringing. So lets take a look:
1. Extra batteries. You never know when you will need them. My GPS along with my grip on my camera all take AA. I use Enelope rechargeables. I have 8 in packs of 4 and then I have the grip carriage that holds 6 and slides into the grip on the camera.
2. 7d Manual. You would be surprised how many times it takes a quick peek to remember how to set something on the camera. I bring them just in case. Sometimes I don't need them, and sometimes I do.
3. Extra compaq flash cards. The 7d has a 16 gig card in it. I also carry a spare 16, 8 and 4. You never know when you might need it. Plus I have been places and a card started acting up...like DC at the Cherry Blossom festival. I would have been dead in the water without a spare.
4. Lens cloth...just in case something gets on the lens and you need a quick wipe.
5. Blackberry. This is what I will update my blog on and send pictures with. Also has a GPS in it. Although I don't plan on using that function. I'll need the battery to send updates. Last time I was in the park with my phone, I had pretty decent service. We will see.
6. 7d gripped with two canon batteries and a compaq flash card already installed. Currently has the Tamron 24-752.8 on it.
7. PN-40 GPS. This thing does quite a bit. I have USGS quad maps, Color aerial imagery, aerial imagery, and satelite imagery. This thing is a compass, and it also has all of the trails on the maps. I've personally downloaded and cut these maps and installed them on this device. This will also record where we walk, how long we walk, and then I can match the tracks up with the pictures and have exact GPS coordinates on where each picture is taken. Very handy tool. It also has sunrise and sunset information programmed in.
8. Hand held trail maps. You never know when you might need them or need to look at the "big picture".
9. Camelback 70 ounce bladder....this thing will be filled with gatorade.
10. Is the backpack itself. Probably be looking at getting a new one maybe after this trip. Gear is getting bigger than the pack itself.
11. Sigma 50-500. This thing has been a workhorse for me in Yosemite. Most people would not try to hand hold this thing because of its size and weight. I have been fortunate to get good results with this lens. Wouldn't leave home without it. Nothing matches the range.
12. Peleng 8mm. This will be new to Yosemite. Extra wide angle fisheye lens. Hope to get some decent stuff with it.
13. MPE-65 macro. I wouldn't normally take this lens with me on this type of trip, but being out in the wild and there might be an opportunity so rather than not take it, I'm bringing it. It more than likely won't get used, but you never know.
14. Tamron 18-270. Not quite the range of the sigma but still a nice range. Its a light lens.
15. Sigma 10-20 wide angle. Must have lens for Yosemite.
16. Point and shoot camera. I usually take quick pictures with this or shoot video on it. The 7d however shoots video so I may end up using that to shoot it.
That should just about do it. All I need to add is food and beverages. All together, it probably weighs 25-30 pounds.
This does not include any food items I plan on bringing. So lets take a look:
1. Extra batteries. You never know when you will need them. My GPS along with my grip on my camera all take AA. I use Enelope rechargeables. I have 8 in packs of 4 and then I have the grip carriage that holds 6 and slides into the grip on the camera.
2. 7d Manual. You would be surprised how many times it takes a quick peek to remember how to set something on the camera. I bring them just in case. Sometimes I don't need them, and sometimes I do.
3. Extra compaq flash cards. The 7d has a 16 gig card in it. I also carry a spare 16, 8 and 4. You never know when you might need it. Plus I have been places and a card started acting up...like DC at the Cherry Blossom festival. I would have been dead in the water without a spare.
4. Lens cloth...just in case something gets on the lens and you need a quick wipe.
5. Blackberry. This is what I will update my blog on and send pictures with. Also has a GPS in it. Although I don't plan on using that function. I'll need the battery to send updates. Last time I was in the park with my phone, I had pretty decent service. We will see.
6. 7d gripped with two canon batteries and a compaq flash card already installed. Currently has the Tamron 24-752.8 on it.
7. PN-40 GPS. This thing does quite a bit. I have USGS quad maps, Color aerial imagery, aerial imagery, and satelite imagery. This thing is a compass, and it also has all of the trails on the maps. I've personally downloaded and cut these maps and installed them on this device. This will also record where we walk, how long we walk, and then I can match the tracks up with the pictures and have exact GPS coordinates on where each picture is taken. Very handy tool. It also has sunrise and sunset information programmed in.
8. Hand held trail maps. You never know when you might need them or need to look at the "big picture".
9. Camelback 70 ounce bladder....this thing will be filled with gatorade.
10. Is the backpack itself. Probably be looking at getting a new one maybe after this trip. Gear is getting bigger than the pack itself.
11. Sigma 50-500. This thing has been a workhorse for me in Yosemite. Most people would not try to hand hold this thing because of its size and weight. I have been fortunate to get good results with this lens. Wouldn't leave home without it. Nothing matches the range.
12. Peleng 8mm. This will be new to Yosemite. Extra wide angle fisheye lens. Hope to get some decent stuff with it.
13. MPE-65 macro. I wouldn't normally take this lens with me on this type of trip, but being out in the wild and there might be an opportunity so rather than not take it, I'm bringing it. It more than likely won't get used, but you never know.
14. Tamron 18-270. Not quite the range of the sigma but still a nice range. Its a light lens.
15. Sigma 10-20 wide angle. Must have lens for Yosemite.
16. Point and shoot camera. I usually take quick pictures with this or shoot video on it. The 7d however shoots video so I may end up using that to shoot it.
That should just about do it. All I need to add is food and beverages. All together, it probably weighs 25-30 pounds.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
IMG00122-20100317-1146.jpg
Saturday, March 13, 2010
12 Days and counting...
Current conditions, snowy, and a cool 32 degrees. Still looks nice! 45 Degress in the valley...
Monday, March 8, 2010
Check this out...
Anyone who knows me knows I like music...
I really like this rendition of the Good Charlotte song, We Believe...
Check it out...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J75xF5B3y0w
I really like this rendition of the Good Charlotte song, We Believe...
Check it out...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J75xF5B3y0w
Saturday, March 6, 2010
ISS...Check.....Orion....Check.....Saturn...ummm not tonight...
Tonight the ISS was very bright and probably one of the longest viewings...almost 6 minutes. Traveling at 17,500mph, I was able to capture it, but the detail isn't where I would like to see it. The first picture is what it looks like in a normal capture and the inset picture is a blow up of the original but cropped tighter.
The next picture is a 10 second capture, showing the ISS moving off of the picture.
The next picture is looking south at Orion. The three star belt is visible in the center of the picture.
One more of Orion:
And the last picture for tonight is a picture of the North star. What is unique about this picture is it is a 30 second capture facing north. The only star visible to the eye was the north star which is about an inch and a half just above the point of the house. If you double click on the image you can see all of the other stars.
Hunting the ISS....AGAIN....
Tonight I'm chasing the Space station again... I'm also going to try to get saturn and some star trails tonight...provided the weather holds up. According to Heavens Above, the ISS is due over my house at 18:42.
Looks like I will have about 5 minutes to catch it...
If I had two cameras, I would put one on a tripod and catch the trail. I would use the second with my 500mm lens and try to get a picture of it. Since I only have the one....I'll only be doing one or the other....maybe only try to get the trail tonight. The path tonight, will make it look like its going to come right over my house. I may even be able to do both....I'll give it a shot...
Saturn rises closer to 9pm here so...
I'm also going to try to get a decent picture of ORION.
We'll see how they turn out.
Tune in...
Looks like I will have about 5 minutes to catch it...
If I had two cameras, I would put one on a tripod and catch the trail. I would use the second with my 500mm lens and try to get a picture of it. Since I only have the one....I'll only be doing one or the other....maybe only try to get the trail tonight. The path tonight, will make it look like its going to come right over my house. I may even be able to do both....I'll give it a shot...
Saturn rises closer to 9pm here so...
I'm also going to try to get a decent picture of ORION.
We'll see how they turn out.
Tune in...
Friday, March 5, 2010
TRACK SEASON...
Kaylah started track...yep...she's a thrower....tosses that heavy ball....3/4/10 was her first of many meets...heres Kaylah in action....she did quite well!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
California Fun...and work. :-)
Folks, headed back to California at the end of March....It looks like I will be staying a couple days extra since this might be my only trip to California this year. So my itinerary looks something like this:
Wed Mar 24 - Leave O'hare very early....get into San Jose by lunch. Meet with Matt, my co-worker and then later we are either going to go to see Maverick, (HUGE WAVES and surfing) or we are going to go to Castle Rock State Park just out side of Santa Cruz.
Thur Mar 25 - Full day of work with Matt and meetings with the Microsoft Executives who are flying in. (whole purpose of this trip)
Fri Mar 26 - Matt is going to join me on an adventure to Yosemite. This trip we will try to get to the top of Nevada Falls.
Now I have been to the top of Vernal Falls with Dawn several years ago. We didn't go on to the top of Nevada Falls.
So here is basically our path from the valley floor:
The red path is the path up to the top using the John Muir trail. The path coming down is in yellow. The section that is highlighted in blue is stairs....killer stairs...but luckily we will be coming down them instead of going up them. Pretty hairy area coming down right there. The path is wide enough for 1. Their isn't much of a guard rail there and the mist from the falls cause the stairs to be a little slippery. Going up these stairs was BRUTAL. Hopefully coming down them won't be so bad. I'm told this hike is no where as difficult as the hike I did last year to the top of Upper Falls. As always, I'll try to get some pictures.Saturday, provided I'm still alive from the hike, I'm headed to Angel Island in San Francisco Bay.
After I run around there for awhile, I'll take the boat back over to Tiberon and head over to the Marin Headlands. That is the mountains on the north side of the Golden Gate Bridge. Views like this below is what I will be seeing. I've been there before many times, but I haven't left the car and hiked some of the trails that are there. So that is my plan this time. Go to the top and see what I can see....
Now that you know the itinerary and you can see where we are going....anyone want to carry my bag of gear??? Any takers??? It might be 35lbs. Might...depends on what I take....I'm going to also attempt several things on this trip. I'm going to be photographing with the intent of creating HDR images. More on that in a later post. So this trip I am going to try to take a tripod with me. I'm also going to be tracking my hiking through my GPS unit recording every step to match up with the photos I take. We'll see how well that works!! I'm also going to transmit pictures live to my blog as I travel on this trip from my phone. So check back often....and see where I'm at and what I'm doing....might be interesting!
Last call...jump in the car with us...it might be fun!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Political??? Concerned???
What did I see the other day??? Well a video on the upcoming census which I found to be quite interesting. I'm not a fan of big government and have strong opinions on many political points but I rarely voice those....
Is there a need to be concerned? My opinion? Certanly. You decide.
Take a look at this video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsDhkPym01k
Is there a need to be concerned? My opinion? Certanly. You decide.
Take a look at this video...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsDhkPym01k
Monday, March 1, 2010
California bound....
The end of March I will be heading back to California for some work....and some site seeing!! WOOHOO
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