Well my friends and followers I am a bit melancholy as I write this. My summer sojourn of 2024 is about to end. Please do not get me wrong. I’ve had an awesome summer! I am also very much looking forward to Fall and Winter and the plans I have in place.
However after being on the road for almost six months, the change is becoming apparent. I left my winter base of Las Vegas on April 20th, 2024. When towing my RV I observe the 330 rule. I do not pull it over 330 miles, or stop for the evening later than 3:30pm.
So I took a very leisurely five days to pull from Las Vegas, to Lincoln City, Oregon. A location I had only been to briefly. Running into heavy, slushy snow just outside of Grants Pass, Oregon on my last day of travel, really took it’s toll on me.
This was supposed to be a very easy last leg of my journey comprising only four and a half hours. However it became an exceptionally arduous last day of pulling, for over nine and a half hours! A lot of it twenty or thirty miles per hour sliding around uphill, and really, really taking it slow going downhill.
My tires performed horribly! Yes I have four wheel drive, but my tires seemed to slip everywhere! There was no place to pull off, and I did not have chains with me. A really stressful beginning to my two month stay in Lincoln City.
Yes I’m getting new tires this winter! Even though the set I have now is not worn out, I really dislike them! And honestly? What’s your life worth? So they’re gone!
The good news? After arriving In Lincoln City I never saw temperatures above 65 degrees or below 45. I was also able to explore a lot of the Oregon Coast to the North, that I wanted to see again, at a slower pace.
Rain… Something Seldom Seen In The Desert
This was a bit of a treat! However, it was also challenging. And fog?? I had not seen this kind of fog since I left the Sacramento River Valley as a kid. This was really wet fog! I was drenched in only a minute! Cool Photographs though!
I was able to explore the Oregon Coast to a degree I had never had time for before this trip. I also led a very cool PhotoSafari for my clients to Thors Well. This was the fourth time I had been there, and will not be my last trip. Especially now that I know the very best time to be there!
One thing that was very novel was that I found a location that I thought I lost. I have a really awesome shot in my archives that I totally enjoy. However I had forgotten where I captured it! Well in my travels this trip I pulled off the road for a quick break. Low and behold I immediately recognized the spot! It’s nice to know where it was! (the light wasn’t as good this time though)
From Oregon To Utah!
Once again taking my time for the journey. I left Oregon on June 30th, 2024. I was going to make the trip in three days. However once I got to Ely, Nevada, I realized I really did not wish to endure the fourth of July crowds in the Utah mountains where I was going to camp. So I spent a week in Ely.
It was far warmer than I like, but pleasant after sundown. I was also able to go back through a lot of areas around Ely I’ve been to many times before. There were lots of changes! The small town Fourth of July Celebration and Parade, was an absolute treat!
This was quite the eye opening experience for me! Until this day I had never seen the tradition of the parade participants throwing candy at the kids in the crowd watching! Those kids made out better than Halloween! I felt very patriotic enjoying Ely’s small town observance of Independence Day…
On To Utah…
On July 8th I made the short four hour pull to my camp spot in the Dixie National Forrest. This year I endured four good sized summer hail storms at the 8500 foot level, and several RV shaking thunderstorms, like I’ve never heard before!
All of the hail storms were marble sized hail! The last storm broke a small hole in one of my roof vents. That will be some of this winters maintenance to do now. I have more to do as well, so no big deal.
I moved camps four times this summer in the mountains. The last spot being my favorite. It was a new location for me, but I will be back to it! This summer not only did I obtain some mind numbing images, but I was also more in tune with nature.
I had Deer coming into feed only 15 feet from the end of my chair! I saw my first Bald Eagle in the wild, was able to capture video of Pronghorn Antelope, and lots of Squirrels and Chipmunks. I was also introduced to the Western Tanager. What a beautiful bird! I was not able to get a picture of one, but I will next summer!
The Challenge of Video!
This year not only did I take up writing my blog, but I also took on the challenge of Video. I thought I would never do this! I’ve enjoyed the blog more than I thought I would, and I’ve also really enjoyed the challenge of Video.
With Video also comes the new frontier of sound, and far different lighting than Photography! Also editing Video and learning new software has been an eye opener too! Way back in 2010, when I had my Studio, my friends and partners told me Video was going to be next thing to get a hold of. I wish I had listened to them!
I’m still working on getting my first 100 subscribers to my YouTube Channel. I thought this might be somewhat easy with all the followers I have, however I guess not. If you have already subscribed, then thank you! If not? I’d appreciate it if you would! I will not ask for subscribers after I get the 100 necessary to certify my channel.
I’m going to be posting a Video on my channel of all the awesome Images I was able to capture with Summer Sojourn 2024, complete with locations, camera settings, and editing tips. You’ll need to subscribe to see it though! ^_*
You Can Click On The Pic ^_^
Also coming soon… I’m teaming up with one of my Gallery Partners to teach a live class in Vegas. We are working on a location for that now. Yes it will be free…
I will be doing some winter PhotoSafaris. One location I’m pondering is Bosque Del Apache. This would also include White Sands, Petrified Forrest, Painted Desert, and the Grand Canyon.
Another PhotoSafari Coming is to shoot the waves in Southern California during Winter when they can get crazy.
In The Spring I’ll be going back to the Oregon Coast featuring Thors Well.
In the Summer? PhotoSafaris all over Southern Utah, many of them to shoot the Milky Way!
In the mean time?
