Yup. Nobody ever said that vacations were for resting.
Especially when there is 1000 miles of return driving. Good to
see the list still here. Didn't implode.
Since my last communicay where I mentioned the anti-climatic
Pikes Peak experience, we successfully traversed several
mountain trails/roads worthy of Zuiko pointing to "capture the
moment". The JGC survived the expeditions with just a dented
muffler and a scrapes and dings on the skid-plates and gas-tank
shield. Maybe a minor paint scratch, but nothing that a good
wax job won't take care of. My wife has been sufficiantly
jostled for the year. Rock-crawling is hard on the
passengers--no matter how slowly you try going over them. The
girls had $2000 worth of toys to play with, so they were pretty
much oblivious to the trails.
Took a lot of pictures--the bulk of them family pics with the
IS-3, but I did get serious Zuiko time too. We did spend a
total of three nights at the Great Sand Dunes. (long story, but
suffice to say that we were tired of the winter weather way up
in the mountains around Tincup-St. Elsmo) One night I went to
the park entrance where there is a lovely view of the dunes with
the mountains in the background. Used the full-moon to
illuminate the scene. These night pictures were taken with the
Crown Graphic as I didn't want to roast my batteries for the 20
minute exposures. Listened to the coyotes while I was waiting.
(long exposures and Tom Clancy novels do go hand in hand).
I took some super-duper B&W pictures. I'm a nervous wreck until
they get processed and dried. Ya just know when one of those
pictures is a serious money-maker. I have a feeling about a
couple pictures.
I did more "in-camera editing" this trip than ever before. This
has both pros and cons. The pros is that I saved a fortune on
pictures that I'll never print. The cons is that I'm forever
limited to printing those pictures that I did take. But the
keeper ratio is very good!
I ran into several people with DCs that ran the gambut of $$$
and sense. Nearly all were suffering from battery shortage.
Two people with brand-new, higher-end jobbies suffered complete
camera failures. Gotta like that! Meanwhile, my OM-2S and OM-4
(the least reliable and most battery-problem prone Olympus
cameras) kept chugging along like pure champs.
Also I ran into a certain, semi-well-known nature photographer
with a rather complete Hassy outfit. He was carrying in one
hand an outfit more costly than my entire Vehicle! I think it
was a 600mm lens mounted on that beast. I have no clue where he
went after meeting up with him, but I do know that he was not
where the action was.
Most used lenses on the trip? 24/2.8 and 35/2.8.
Most used camera on the trip? IS-3.
Most used item on the trip? Well, it's related to cramps.
Most appreciated item on the trip? My new LED flashlight.
Most frustrating problem on the trip? Toss up between the rear
hatch not locking and the vacuum-based ventilation controls in
the jeep failing at altitude causing the air-conditioner to no
work even though it's 98 degrees out.
Most fun moment on the trip? Playing with the girls in the
creek at the base of the sand dunes.
AG
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