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Foto Friday Fun 398: every picture tells a story

This week’s Foto Friday Fun features images chosen by 11 readers including many shots from Septembers, several views of Zion National Park, Native arts, and nature’s art.

Jennifer chose #222.  This shot was taken from Big Bend overlook, one of many shuttle stops, in the Virgin River Canyon at Zion National Park, Utah taken 9-20-08.

Yogi (with his “fancy new laptop!”) and Random dot org chose #3608.  I was not in danger of being driven over by this Willy’s Jeep as it’s a metal sculpture by Ricardo Breceda seen in Borrego Springs, California (along with many other cool sculptures) in January 2015.

Jeff chose #253, where he lives “San Diego is 2.53 inches below its normal rainfall so far this year.”  Symbols painted inside the Desert View Watch Tower by Hopi artist Fred Kabotie in 1932 imitate the petroglyphs and pictographs left behind by his ancestors, the Ancestral Puebloans, farmers in an arid desert.

Sue chose #1963, “the year I graduated from High School.”  So she get the 1963 school photo of 9-year old me.  I don’t remember that little girl.

Diane and Nigel chose #801.  Rock toadstools, don’t eat these, along a short trail in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah taken 9-9-09.

Doris chose #1360, one of two in a panorama taken 9-13-09.  Look closely for the rainbow left of Mt Hayden seen from Point Imperial North Rim Grand Canyon National Park.

Rita chose #5183.  For ten summers working at Grand Canyon I saw Derek Suwaima-Davis hoop dance at the North Rim’s annual Heritage Days.

Jodee and Bill chose #8521.  Imagine the amount of time taken to chip these petroglyphs seen in Valley of Fire State Park.  Not sure I’d have the patience.

Cathy chose #224.  Taken walking up the Virgin River in Zion National Park, Utah 9-2-09.  Cold water and hot air in a magnificent canyon made a great combination.

Sherry chose #175.  The drive east on Hwy 9 into Zion National Park, Utah 9-20-08.

Sallie and Bill chose #100, “which feels like the percentage of humidity here tonight…”  Her choice is one of four in a panorama of another location in her state of Oregon where the humidity is 100% and drippy all year.  The room is named Petrified Gardens in Oregon Caves National Monument from when I worked there in 2007.  Click this link to take my cave tour.

My choice is the Plomosa Road BLM camp rock collection on my bumper that I leave behind.

Thank you for playing along with Foto Friday Fun which allows me to share these photographs and memories.  For more of the story just follow the links.  Please join in next week by leaving a number between 0001 and 9999 in your comment.

Do you have a favorite this week?

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October Harvest moon photography hike at Bryce Canyon

I developed a special program and lead an October Harvest moon photography hike at Bryce Canyon National Park.  Started from an idea I had last year before I broke both wrists.  Somehow, my days off corresponded with full moons this entire season and I finally finagled to work anyway and take a different day off so I could do this before the season ended.

Haven’t posted an update since the end of September and feel like I’ve gotten behind documenting this summer season of COVID19 at Bryce.  I’ll use the excuse that I’ve been busy, working.

See a heart of fall colors on the hillside from Yovimpa Point

A few days before the moon photography hike I worked at Yovimpa Point, the end of the road, and one of my favorite overlooks because I can see for 100 miles and look south over the Grand Staircase to the North Kaibab Plateau where I worked for years.  Presented the two full-length and at least three mini geology talks plus talked about fire ecology.

On the drive back, I stopped at Natural Bridge briefly.

And further along the road roved at Farview Point including a short walk to Piracy Point.

The next day I spent hours as door counter with on and off lines waiting to go inside the visitor center for bathrooms, museum, and merchandise.  The limit is 50 people to provide space for social distancing.  Then I helped at the end of the day answering questions and closing at 6pm before a late dinner and evening program about wildlife.

Arrived plenty early to set up my computer for the night’s slide presentation so I could walk along the rim looking for the almost full moon rise in practice for the moon photography hike.  I tried to calibrate the PhotoPills app several times but it wouldn’t hold so used a compass with better accuracy.  Sadly I still missed the moon right on the horizon but still got a few shots of it up and looking big in the Earth shadow.

October calendar shot

The following night, actually September 30th, the 96.87%  waxing moon rose at 7:08 and sun set at 7:11.  Nicely close together so I don’t have to carry a tripod to shoot the moon.  And that was part of my planned moon photography hike.

All Ranger guided full moon hikes at Bryce Canyon get a lot of interest and we limit the number of people.  This year the limit was much smaller.  So we do a lottery.  Visitors sign up during the day of the hike and get a ticket that we draw the other halves of late in the afternoon.  People must show us the soles of the boots/shoes they plan to hike in as we need to know they have good grip for safety.

My hike was a little different than usual because I focused on balance of life, nature and photography, and a DSLR camera was mandatory.  I didn’t plan to teach photography but did end up helping a couple people with settings.

A group of 12 dropped over the rim and ten headed down the Navajo Trail as two backed out immediately.  We hiked down about four switchbacks and 200 vertical feet to my usual full moon photography location putting us below the hoodoos.

I encouraged people to spread out and find their own balance as well as move up and down the trail for diversity of views.  We even saw the moon through the windowed hoodoo I call the mask, both eyes.

A few others joined our line and everyone had fun and left happy.  I would gladly lead this moon photography hike again, maybe next year.

The next two nights other Rangers lead full moon hikes, not photography, but I went out on my own, not working.  After looking at a couple locations on the Photographers Ephemeris app I figured the actual full moon rise should be shot at Natural Bridge overlook, about 9.5 miles down the scenic road.  The small parking lot and short flat walk to the overlook meant I could easily use the tripod as the moon rose at 7:33p after a 7:10 sunset and I wouldn’t have enough light for hand-held shots.

I arrived plenty before sunset and the apps were off but not as bad as usual and better than the compass reading.  How can this be?  Moon ended up rising in an awkward place and my settings were off as well.  By then it was too late to move locations and I was getting cold.  Ah, practice.

Speaking of getting cold, my last day of work at Bryce Canyon is Saturday and I roll off the plateau Sunday, when there is a prediction of snow.  Will be packing and moving from one RV to the other over my next two days off.  Had hoped to go east to Capital Reef but too cold.  Maybe Lees Ferry.  Just not sure where or if I’ll have a signal.

Still taking orders for the Geogypsy 2021 calendar, $25 includes shipping in the USA.

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Moving into my tiny house, on wheels

Fall color SR14 East Dixie National Forest UtahIt’s that time of year when my summer Ranger job is over, the big 5th-wheel goes into storage, and Sierra and I will be moving into my tiny house.  The truck camper is adequate for living on the road as a solo woman.

Sierra cat on stacks Bryce Canyon National Park UtahThankfully I didn’t unpack a lot of decorative chachkies this spring.  Under the current circumstances with two broken wrists I’ve needed help packing everything.  Saturday morning a packing party occurred with four helpers and a lot got done in the 5th-wheel.  I mostly directed what goes where.  After a couple hours I was exhausted and ready for a nap.  Hard to move food until the last minute.

inside camper Bryce Canyon National Park UtahSurprisingly, other than the food and clothes, there isn’t that much else.  Computer, phone, and camera stuff is about all.  Sure tells me I have way too much stuff in the 5th-wheel that I really don’t need.  One of these years I’ll need to have a yard sale.  Guess all I need is a yard.  I do make thrift store donations every time I move locations.

Silent City hoodoos Bryce Canyon National Park UtahMonday and Tuesday out of town friends will help with a few more things to move.  Plus go check out the park.

Wednesday morning I have a doctor appointment with my surgeon in Cedar City.  Guess that will include x-rays to see how the healing is going.  Hopefully I’ll be referred for Physical Therapy, a walk across the hall, and set up appointments.  In the afternoon I have an appointment to get my chipped denture tooth repaired.  Then back up to Bryce for a bloody cold night.

truck camper & 5th-wheel Bryce Canyon National Park UtahThe 5th-wheel will be moved and put in nearby storage Thursday afternoon.  And that night Sierra and I will start our tiny house adventure parked in a friends driveway in Tropic.

Friday we’ll move to the KOA in Cedar City.

Then I’ll get the calendar formatted, printed, and shipped.  I’m still open for orders.

To pay for your calendar open https://www.paypal.com/ and sign into your account. (If you don’t have a PayPal account sign up for free.) Click on the “Send Payment” tab and type in geogypsy2 @ gmail.com (without the spaces). If necessary, add a funding source like a credit or debit card, or other PayPal account. To finish sending, simply click the “Send Payments Now” button.  I will be notified of your $24 payment followed by an email to you upon its receipt.  Please reply to me with your full name and physical mailing address.  I will send an email when your calendar has bee shipped.  Thank you in advance.

Gaelyn Bryce Canyon National Park UtahDreaming of returning to Bryce Canyon in the Spring

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Lijit

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