The Wheel Turns Again

My calender and most football players think that January 1st is the first day of the new year, but today, the winter solstice, is the beginning of the new year. The wheel has turned, and it begins again.

How about a movie?

The Winter Solstice

Counting Cows - 14

On the shortest day of the year, just before nightfall, I visited this hot spring planning for a great image of the walls of steam rising into the orange sunlight.

What I came away with surprised me.






















Kyle Hot Spring December 21, 2008
















Somehow, when I was passing along here, Boomer came to mind, driving along in the stuffed turkey, counting cows.

I've been sitting on this post now for nearly a month, and so it's either, let it go and delete, or post it as is........

Samsara

This is some of the work by our man on the high plains. He lives up on the White River. As you can see, it's a very interesting place.

A Trail

We've just gotten the resources together to build a trail from Winnemucca to the top of Winnemucca Mountain.

A single track bike trail, winding around the mountain for up to eleven miles.

The concept is to keep the overall grade to the top at about 6%, so you won't have to be a mountain goat to ride all the way to the top. Or, you could have somebody drive you up to the top, and drop you off. Then ride downhill, or coast, all the way to town.

The entire length is to be new single track construction, likely with the use of some existing single track game trails, None of the route is to be on two track jeep roads. The trail is intended for the use of hikers, bicyclists, and horseback riders. It would be nice if we could find a few water seeps, so that a drink might be had along the way.















Now that the funds are secure, or we hope nearly so, the next steps are the layout and design, and of course, a mountain of paper processed to make sure everyone's interests are addressed, and to ensure the agencies are all lined up, with the proper authority identified, so they can give each other permission.

There is still much work to do, and many questions to be answered, but the funding carries with it a certain kind of inertia that should help move the project along.

One thing we know, there is not much shade to get under anywhere on the mountain.

Artifacts

We could have some of this kind of fun.

Grade 2.6

This class photo was taken just a couple of months after I moved to my hometown on the High Plains. Didn't know any of these people just yet. Some would become my best friends, some my enemies, a couple became my secret sweethearts. Imagine that.

Outpost

Up on the corner.

This is where one goes in these parts for provisions. You can clean your duds, get right with Jesus, by imported Mexican goods, and get convenience items of all sorts. I like the atmosphere in this photo.

It's not dark yet, but it's getting there.

Rare Bear

Here is the working end of the winner of the unlimited class gold at the Reno Air Races today. A 4000 horsepower Grumman F8F Bearcat that in 1989 set the closed course world speed record of 528.3 mph.

It's a great airshow and the only place in the world you can see aircraft racing around pylons on a closed course.

No Feed

My RSS feeds are turning up nothing. Broken. Rats. Where do I start looking for the cause? Zack are you out there? Are they feeding to Yahoo?

Sailing Along

The most fun I had this summer came to me as a very pleasant surprise. Our office had a little retreat for an afternoon at Lake Tahoe a couple of weeks ago. I thought I was going up there for a sort of picnic or barbecue at the home of one of our advisory board members. Turned out that he had a couple of boats moored in the lake, and offered to let us take a little ride. Eight people opted to take out the big power boat, and six of us went out with our host John and his house guest Isabella on the sailboat, leaving about as many people ashore to prepare the barbecue.














Our host John proved to be a very kind and generous man. As we got underway, with John at the helm and Isabella acting as first mate, they directed us patiently in how to handle the lines, and deploy the sails. As soon as we were squared away, John offered to let someone take the helm. Standing by and offering calm and patient guidance, and an occasional hand on the wheel, he would instruct us each in turn, and then let us have the helm. Three of us got the opportunity, and I was allowed to handle the wheel for nearly an hour. Wow what a treat that was.












This boat, for a few minutes sailing very nearby, was very similar in size and design to the 36 foot vessel we were on.










Standing at the helm, feeling the wind in the sails, the waves, the feel of the vessel underfoot, it was truly a transcendent experience. What an unexpected joy for me! I had no idea. I can still close my eyes and experience that serene feeling. At one with all that is.

Now I really understand what it means to be "sailing along".

When we got back to shore, near dusk, the barbecue had pretty much been cooked and eaten, but I would much rather have still been out on the lake.

What Is It?

So I'm trying a new contest, to see if anyone is listening out there. Do you know where this is? Take a guess, and leave it in the comments. Second question: What state is this?

.................

I found this in the papers the other day, and thought you photographers might find it interesting:

Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire

July 10, 2007,
By Errol Morris

From the New York Times Opinion Blog

Zoom - A Filmaker Under Covers the Hidden Truth of Photo's

Pictures are supposed to be worth a thousand words. But a picture unaccompanied by words may not mean anything at all. Do pictures provide evidence? And if so, evidence of what? And, of course, the underlying question: do they tell the truth?

I have beliefs about the photographs I see. Often – when they appear in books or newspapers – there are captions below them, or they are embedded in explanatory text. And even where there are no explicit captions on the page, there are captions in my mind. What I think I’m looking at. What I think the photograph is about......... more >

Aftermath-Thomas Fire

All the news here is about the fire. It started like this last Thursday afternoon, the day after the Fourth of July. The first edges of the weather front that caused all the trouble was just starting arrive. The leading edges carried enought moisture to cause these squalls. This is looking southwest, down the Humboldt River Valley, toward Lovelock and the Humboldt Sinks. The rain was falling out of these clouds but you can see it vaporizing just under the clouds. Virga

Then came the real thunderstorms on Friday night, still little or mostly no rain, but this time with lightning. By Saturday night it was fire and brimstone all around. I didn't get a decent photo of the fires, but this will give you some idea. This was about 10:30 Saturday night after the fire had burned all the way from Thomas Canyon, past Water Canyon and on towards the east. This is the edge that looked to be headed for the Kluncy Canyon part of town.


























Last night, just before sunset, this is what the after effects look like.



















This is a closer look at the Grass Valley Area. It is truly amazing that no homes were lost in the fire.


Water Canyon:




















There is lots of discussion around town about the tactics used to fight the fire.

From what I hear, the local fire fighters, the Winnemucca Boys, were responsible for holding the lines Saturday night, and saved many, many homes from destruction.

Local folks are not at all pleased with the work of the BLM, especially the experts that arrived late on the scene, took control, and just let it burn. That's what I hear. I was trying to stay out of the way, so I don't have any first hand knowledge of the situation. The people that live up in the Water Canyon Estates have lots to say.





Some other folks came up on the mountain for a look while I was there. It had cooled down to 97F by this afternoon.

High Desert Heat

I've got a rocket
in my pocket,
I cannot stop to play.
Away it goes !
I've burnt my toes.
It's Independence Day !

Yesterday, July 4th, it was 103 F in these parts. Today at 5:00 PM it was up to 105 F. Seemed like ideal conditions for a short expedition. My friend Mike went along for the trip. Surprised me a bit, cause it was a real spontaneous plan.

These shots are taken from Winnemucca Mountain. It was very quiet up there today. We never made it to the top, but stopped off along the western flank, about half way up.

The vehicle in the image above is coming in from the Black Rock Desert, on Jungo Road. You can see the effects of a recent fire in the middle of the photo.






















The Jackson Mountains this evening.

Hungry?

If you get that feeling in your stomach, and make a drive up for a number 2, you might see this. Blue Mountain. Taken from the drive-through at Burger King.

Been absent for some time, but there is news. JA is blogging! Check out the first post at Mind-Over-Matters. Be the second visitor to view his extensive profile. I just added it to the neighborhood. Wheeeeee Isn't this fun!

Shelby



















This young one, from the streets of New York City, just spent a week in Nevada. She had a great time on the shore and in the water at Pyramid Lake. I wonder what she thought about it, a huge beautiful blue lake, nearly all to herself.

VCNV



















Went up to Virginia City last Saturday. What we found was a town full of folks that were dressed up, like they were expecting us. This guy here, I call him Red, was absolutely sure that I was a National Geographic photograper, and said he was expecting me today. Said he had met me the last time we shot Virginia City. Red claimed he had gone to great trouble, and with much difficulty, to aquire a DVD that contained the photo shoot I had done on the last trip. Had to get it from the bartender at the Bucket of Blood Saloon, in fact.


First time I was ever in Virginia City.


People that looked like this were strutting up and down the street, and leaning over the bar rails telling each other tall tales.


If you want to dress up, you can just step into one of the dry goods stores and buy the whole outfit. You can even go into the gun shop and get your self a gun belt, and a toy pistol. At least I hope they were toys.

It's an amazing 19th century western mining boomtown. The nation's largest Historic Landmark, tucked away right here.

The streets had been taken over by Harley Davidson motorcycles, which were backed in to the curbs in big buches, dozens and dozens of them, and the black leather crowd was holed up in just two or three of the bars, sipping their beer politely and having a nice afternoon visit with their pals.

Blackie here was a deputy sheriff, I watched as he and three mates were all sworn in for the afternoon. Got a badge and everthing. I think part of the oath included a promise to drink beer till dusk.

He beat me in a stare-down.

Reminded me of Deadwood, in the good old days.

Spring Again

It seems like we just did this last year. The wheels keep on turning.

Inspired by the great photos I saw this weekend at Shooting the West, I went up the slope of the Sonoma Range and took this picture across the Humboldt Valley. Winnemucca Mountain just after sun up.

Shooting the West




















Shutter bugs will invade Winnemucca this weekend, and take home thousands of photos of the town and surrounding area. (this is a great, yet apparently unrecognized marketing tactic)

Many come with a collection of their own best and favorite images and books .

About 250 photographers will meet for Shooting the West XIX - The Nevada Photography Experience. A weekend of hanging out with a crowd of people who all share the same passion. A chance to view hundreds of great photos. Most are printed in large formats, or projected to huge images. During the presentations the photographers discuss their works; this is the first one:

Travels with Robert Holmes

Robert Holmes is widely acknowledged as one of the world's finest travel photographers with his work appearing in virtually every major travel magazine. With more than 30 books in print, Holmes is willing to share with us his tips on travel photography.

So far I have missed it 18 times, but this year I'll be there.

If I were entering two photos in the "Give It You're Best Shot" it might be this one and this one.

One thing they could really use is a new website. You might think it would be full of examples of the works of past presenters and contest winners, but think again. (any of you site designers I know listening?)

Transparent Things




















I look though transparent things and I feel ok.

Since it's my birthday I thought I should throw something up here to mark the auspicious occasion.

The shot above was taken in Williamsburg, NYC. This piece of art is painted on a concrete wall down by the East River. About 30 inches tall. Looked to be airbrushed, in very fine detail. I seem to remember that this was created by someone that has become well known for his street art.


I just got Fujiya & Miyagi thanks to spaRse. Interesting. Thank You.


It's all good!

Late February Afternoon

A series of storms is blowing in over the Sierra range and we have a chance for some snow showers or rain for the next week or so. As these big storms approach, the leading edges are ripped apart by the Sierras, and the skies around here are full of dark fragments and bright sunshine.

This afternoon the light was just brilliant, so I took a little trip up to Water Canyon and got this nice shot of the city and Winnemucca Mountain.

Tonight it will be snowing.

Zazen on Ching-t’ing Mountain
Lo Po (701-762)

The birds have vanished down the sky.
Now the last cloud drains away.
We sit together, the mountain and me,
until only the mountain remains.

Happy Valentine's Day!

RAIN
















I purchased my first itunes this evening and then loaded it to the ipod. It was all good. Simple and easy. All from the couch. Ecdysis - Miho Hatori

She will be cozy in there with Ralph Stanley, Mother Maybelle, and Doc Boggs.

Recommended by BAGHEAD.

Town of Humboldt Redux

















I've done a bit more research on this, and have determined that I have posted photo's of "Humboldt House" in the previous post, not the "Town of Humboldt".

Not sure there is a "town" of Humboldt.

There is a "Humboldt City", which lies a few miles east, up in "Humboldt Canyon", in the........ you guessed it, the Humboldt Mountains. Just about where the Humboldt River wraps around the north end of the Humboldt Mountains.

"Humboldt House", pictured above and below, was the name of the stage station, and then railroad stop.

All of these Humboldt's were in Humboldt County, until someone burned down the courthouse in Winnemucca. Because of that fire, the Humboldts all moved to Pershing County, where they have remained since 1919.

Town of Humboldt, Nevada

It's that time of the year, when the landscape is washed over by the late winter sun.

I had occasion to drive over to the Biggest Little City after work yesterday and stopped off at Humboldt to watch as the sun went down.

















The town of Humboldt lies just off the north tip of the Humboldt Mountain Range in Pershing County.

Humboldt used to be in Humboldt County until someone accidentally burned down the courthouse in Winnemucca.

When the folks over in Lovelock got a glimpse of the plans for the new courthouse, with its columns and marble staircases, they didn't believe they wanted to help pay for such an expensive building over in the county seat, so they seceded, and formed their own county. Then they built their own special courthouse. Folks around here don't seem to have got over that little spat yet.

When the boundary was set to cleave Humboldt County into two parts, the town of Humboldt, a service stop on the transcontinental railroad, found itself in the new Pershing County. Named for WWI hero General of the Armies "John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing.
















This the the entire town. I saw two satellite dishes, so they are probably inside watching FOX News.
















Molten sun on a chilly afternoon.

East Ely Rail Shed
















One of the sheds in the Nevada Northern Railway yards at Ely.

It's number 5 on this map.

There are some more of my images from down that way right here.

What were they thinking?















This was supposed to be a post about the fact that we may now be living in the only small town in the west that does not have its news presence on the web. Or maybe us and BM.

Our newspaper made a half hearted attempt about a half decade or so ago, and after a few months of effort it went dark. I think as far as they got was posting the classified ads. Instead of trying to draw readers to their site with information and content, they tried to make it pay from right out of the box. If you think back, this was in the stone age of website design and content production, and most of their readers didn't yet use or own a computer, and if they did, they were using a slow and difficult first generation dial up connection.

But we did have a brief recap of the news each day, posted by our local radio station. Each day they would post the transcript of the live noon local news broadcast, nothing fancy, but it was a good recap of the most important of local events each day.

Now that source has gone dark. The radio station was purchased on the first day of December by a new owner who lives in the BIG City down in the bottom of the state. January 8th the news page changed to this:

"We apologize for any inconveniences, KWNA is currently undergoing changes to our news department. Please continue listening to our Northern Nevada News, on-air, at thirty minutes past the hour, 5am through 10am and at 12:05pm."

I guess the world really is flat.

The picture above was captured on a wall in Brooklyn, NY during my one and only visit there.

I guess it must have been painted by someone that was lonesome for the farm, maybe someone from California, near San Andres.

New Year's Day on the Flats
















Took a little trip out west this afternoon, to the Jungo Flats, about 35 miles west of town. It was a nice quiet place to spend a bit of the first day of the new year. No people, no birds, no insects, no animals, no sound, no wind, just beautiful space and light. This playa is large enough that you can see the curvature of the earth if you look closely. Its a good place to think about the great wheels at work in the universe.
















I did find this shadow lurking about, watching me over its shoulder.