I am sadly behind on posting, these photographs and adventures are over 10 days old!! So, not too many words and just a few images that I wanted to share.
The first set of images is from they Flynn Canyon Trail in Sequoia National Forest…well, at least the first 1.5 miles of it! The trail was overgrown and impossible to follow, so we turned back after only a short while. Not before taking a nap/lunch/reading break in the flower field though ; p
PS- I have people tell me all the time they need to get a big camera like mine in order to take photographs. These were all taken with the Canon G9, runs about $400 I think, nice little point and shoot with a good macro mode!
Our FREE campsite on the side of the Kern River, Sequoia National Forest
Hiking the Flynn Canyon Trail, Sequoia National ForestButterfly and flower, hiking the Flynn Canyon Trail, Sequoia National Forest
Enjoying the view, hiking the Flynn Canyon Trail, Sequoia National Forest
Bee and flower, hiking the Flynn Canyon Trail, Sequoia National Forest
Ahh, naptime on the trail, hiking the Flynn Canyon Trail, Sequoia National Forest
B/c ladybugs are cute, hiking the Flynn Canyon Trail, Sequoia National Forest
Yes, they suffer! Hiking the Flynn Canyon Trail, Sequoia National Forest
This second set of photographs is from the Trail of 100 giants. The road leading to the trail was actually closed, but we drove as far as we could go, until we ran up against some pretty big snow banks. Pulled over and hiked the snowy road until we reached the trail, about 8.5 miles round trip. All in a days work when training to clime Mt. Rainier : )
Here are a few fun photographs from that hike. The hike itself is easily accessible during summer months, paved and easy going. We loved having what is probably a crazy busy trail all to ourselves this time of year!!
If dogs could smile, this is what it would look like! Trail of 100 Giants, Sequioa National Forest
If dogs could smile, this is what it would look like! Trail of 100 Giants, Sequioa National Forest
Trail of 100 Giants, Sequioa National Forest
Trail of 100 Giants, Sequoia National Forest
Feet in the snow Trail of 100 Giants, Sequoia National Forest
Trail of 100 Giants, Sequoia National Forest
Trail of 100 Giants, Sequoia National Forest
that is me on the far left! Trail of 100 Giants, Sequoia National Forest
crazy huge root system of the 3000 year old Giant Sequoias. Trail of 100 Giants, Sequoia National Forest
I think I broke them! Trail of 100 Giants, Sequoia National Forest
Ancient trees and sun, Trail of 100 Giants, Sequoia National Fores
Ancient Sequoias, Trail of 100 Giants, Sequoia National Fores
Pretty views from the road, Trail of 100 Giants, Sequoia National Forest
Pretty views from the road, Trail of 100 Giants, Sequoia National Forest
Apr 24, 2009 | Categories: Uncategorized | 13 Comments »
So, in my work like I try pretty hard to stay away from all the political junk. I just like to take beautiful photographs that make people happy they hired me.
Education is such a huge issue for me though, and hopefully not as controversial as some of the topics out there. On that note, I just read about a new proposal Obama made to change the way student loans work for university students. I am one of those people who resorted to private loans and credit cards in college, and I definitely paid for it for years after. Anything that can be done to make college more accessible and a lower financial risk is something I am all for. Here is a copy of the text from a news article I just read on the topic. *from yahoo news, don’t know if they lean one way or the other, it just happens to be one of the few sources of news I see while checking my email 1x/week on the roadtrip*
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WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama on Friday renewed his call for the government to stop backing private loans to college students and replace them with direct financial aid to young people. Obama said the surest test for success in the challenging economy is a college degree or other training, yet access to higher education continues to shrink as costs rise.
To reverse that, the president repeated his campaign proposal that would eliminate the Federal Family Education Loan program that costs taxpayers $15 million each day.
“In a paradox of American life, at the very moment it’s never been more important to have a quality higher education, the cost of that kind of education has never been higher. … Yet, we have a student loan system where we’re giving lenders billions of dollars in wasteful subsidies that could be used to make college more affordable for all Americans,” Obama said at the White House.
The administration has pushed for federal financial aid to go directly to students, not to banks that lend money to students. Obama said he wants to eliminate the “middle men” lenders that he says add inefficiency to the system — “that’s a premium we cannot afford, not when we could be reinvesting that same money in our students, in our economy and in our country.”
Obama wants to end the decades-old, dual system the federal government uses to advance loans to students to pay for college. Under that system, students at some colleges borrow directly from the government, while others get loans from banks, non-profits or state agencies who in turn receive subsidies from Washington.
The president’s proposal would switch the federal student loan system entirely to direct lending from the government.
Obama has claimed that the change would save at least $48 billion over the next 10 years — money that could be funneled to student aid. But Republicans are concerned about the costs of that and even some Democratic lawmakers oppose the switch.
Sen. Lamar Alexander, the chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, said ending a successful lending program and giving more power to Washington and Education Secretary Arne Duncan would not help students.
“Arne Duncan, I think, is the president’s best appointee. But as secretary of education, he should focus on paying teachers more for teaching well and creating more charter schools — that’s his agenda,” said Alexander, a former education secretary. “I don’t think Secretary Duncan came to Washington to be named Banker of the Year. The Department of Education should not be a $500 billion national bank.”
The president acknowledged that proposal’s critics.
“In the end, this is not about growing the size of government or relying on the free market, because it’s not a free market when we have a student loan system that’s rigged to reward private lenders without any risk,” Obama said. “It’s about whether we want to give tens of billions of tax dollars to special interests or whether we want to make college more affordable for eight and a half million more students.”
Obama also noted the plan would be tough to pass.
“The banks and the lenders who have reaped a windfall from these subsidies have mobilized an army of lobbyists to try to keep things the way they are. They are gearing up for battle. So am I,” Obama said.
Higher education groups are divided. They welcome more money for student aid, but about two-thirds of colleges use the subsidized lending program and some want to keep the program.
Lenders are also fiercely lobbying against the proposal, which would end a historically lucrative business.
“The president’s proposal to eliminate the Federal Family Education Loan Program will do more harm than good,” said Kevin Bruns, executive director of America’s Student Loan Providers. “The proposal does nothing to make college more affordable for the vast majority of students who require loans to pay for college.” on
Apr 24, 2009 | Categories: Uncategorized | Leave A Comment »
REALLY mom, ANOTHER picture?? Cannel trail, Sequioa National Forest, near Kernville California
hiking in Cannel trail, Sequioa National Forest, near Kernville California
Max loves hiking in Cannel trail, Sequioa National Forest, near Kernville California
Pretty wildflowers on the Cannel trail, Sequioa National Forest, near Kernville California
NIce view on the Cannel trail, Sequioa National Forest, near Kernville California
Break time on the Cannel trail, Sequioa National Forest, near Kernville California
Landscape on the Cannel trail, Sequioa National Forest, near Kernville California
Landscape on the Cannel trail, Sequioa National Forest, near Kernville California
Landscape on the Cannel trail, Sequioa National Forest, near Kernville California
Landscape on the Cannel trail, Sequioa National Forest, near Kernville California
Pretty wildflowers on the Cannel trail, Sequioa National Forest, near Kernville California
Ok, so I didn’t actually see any bears…but I saw enough bear poop to keep me on my toes : ) Just a couple of photographs today, just a quick check in. I am actually on California Hwy 99, and there is a free wireless connection at the rest stop…but no plug ins, so we can only go as long as the battery lasts.
We spent the last week camping for free in the Seqoia National Forest, and it was definitely my favorite place yet to be with the dogs. We did about 20 miles of hiking in the 5 days we were there, and dogs are allowed on all the trails. not only are they allowed on trails, but either on leash or under voice command when in unpopulated areas. FABULOUS! Needless to say, Daisy and Max had a great time, and we never ran into another person in all the 20 miles of hiking.
We camped out at a free spot next to the Kern river, with a sandy beach and the sound of the river flowing just a short walk away. No toilets and no water here, so be prepared for that : ) There are pit toilets and a yellowish water that they say was safe for drinking (I am still alive) about a 4 mile drive down the road at ‘Headquarters campground’. My site was about 8 miles up the road from the town of Kernville California.
We did 3 hikes;
Cannel hike – this is a 24 mile round trip hike, I estimate we did about 10 miles RT. The photographs below are from that hike. quite an elevation change on this one, can be a bit strenuous and there are no mile markers to let you know how far you have gone. Otherwise, well marked easy to follow path/trail.
Flynn canyon – unfortunately we only got ab0ut 1.5 miles into this hike before the trail became impossible to follow. the path was overgrown, strewn with trees and in general disrepair. So, we laid in the meadow, ate lunch and I read my book a bit. As you can see, I adjusted just fine : )
Trail of 100 Giants. I was not able to access the actual trailhead via car. I had to park about 3.5 miles from the trailhead, as the road was impassible from snow, downed trees and rock slides. The ranger station information states that this trail is usually easily accessible after May 15, although you should call to be sure. There is a parking lot close to the actual trail itself, with “a small fee”. I’m not sure what the fee was since it wasn’t an option for us. The actual trail itself is pretty incredible, filled with 3000 year old Sequoias and some other lesser trees ; p It is a 1.5 mile paved loop trail, with grades no higher than 6%, so is pretty easy going. Daisy, Max and I loved having what is usually a very busy trail all to ourselves! : )
We are on the path to Yosemite now, where unfortunately the dogs are not allowed on any trails. Boo. But, they are pretty content having just hiked 20 miles in the past few days, so as long as I don’t stay in Yosemite too long, they shouldn’t get too antsy.
Here are just a couple of photographs from our Cannel hike. I was planning on taking quite a few more photos on the way down, but just as we turned for our decent, a nasty storm started to blow in! So, I wrapped the camera in my rain jacket, burried it in my pack, and hiked out as fast as possible : )
Apr 18, 2009 | Categories: Uncategorized | 3 Comments »
Ahh, what a fabulous trip we have had. Here is a little map of the journey, part 3
Map of the journey part 3
Apr 12, 2009 | Categories: Uncategorized | Leave A Comment »
Well, I am accruing quite a collection of tools on this trip! So far I have
some cauking material
hammer
riveter +rivets
wrench
variety of screws
hole punch
varnish and paint brush
So, although all this might not seem too exciting to the avg reader, it is pretty amazing for me. I always thought that maybe I had a bit of the handy girl in me, but was never really called upon to use it. A small budget and traveling alone have necessitated that I start taking care of the small problems myself : )
Everything was going pretty well until I decided to take the Scotty 8 miles down a dirt road. The road is listed as 2 wheel drive and was really pretty gentle. We never went above 20 and were more often around 10-15mph. But alas, that was tooooooo much for my 42 year old girl! Some of the old wood forming the bottom rear panel just shook apart, and the back rear panels started to separate…I was littlerally coming apart at the seams! My brother thought that was hilarious ; p
So, I headed straight to home depot (literally crawling over the dirt roads at around 4 mph…it took us 2 hours, he he he! There I met the most amazingly helpful person, Demian from Australia. Demian actually came outside, took a good long look, told me what I needed to do, walked me back inside, put the tools I needed in my hands, showed me how to use them, and wished me luck. Then he actually came out to check on my 3 times before he went home. Yes, I sat in the home depot parking lot for many hours riveting my scotty back together with rivets and plumbers tape.
The good news is that we are definitely back in business! the bad news is that I will need to do a little more serious fixing when I get to my brothers place in Seattle. But, she will hold and keep me warm, safe and dry for the next 3 weeks until then!
PS—Riveting is HARD!! my hands, arms and some muscles I didn’t know I have are sore : )
And ladies, whether you are traveling alone or are at home and need a little guidance in the fix it department (gentlemen too!), go to home depot. It is totally true, “you can do it, we can help”!
Apr 12, 2009 | Categories: Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
Another amazing and beautiful place our travels have taken us! Unfortunately, 8 miles on a 2 wheel drive dirt road and a snow storm caused some issues for the Scotty. Instead of staying at the park and hiking for a couple of days, we had to beat tires to the Home Depot, 100 miles away in Barstow California. More details about that adventure in another post!
The national preserve was definitely dog friendly, and for that we love them!! If not for the Scotty needing repair, we would have stayed and enjoyed the trails. Dogs are allowed on all trails, on a 6ft or shorter leash. Never allowed left unattended.
The visitor center at Kelsoe Depot had a lot of great information, including a short informational video on the park, it geology, biology, history and amenities. They also had flyers and maps with information about the park, campgrounds, hiking and offroading. The park really has something for everyone, including 4 wheel drive roads for off-roaders, all different skill levels of hiking for people and dogs : ), ranger programs, campgrounds, and a cavern (Mitchell Caverns, which I did not have time to visit. The geology includes desert, mountain desert, and sand dunes for starters.
Now, enjoy some photographs from the Mojave desert~
Daisy and Max looking not so thrilled about more time in the desert!
Pretty desert flowers from the Mojave National Preserve
Pretty desert flowers from the Mojave National Preserve
Pretty desert flowers from the Mojave National Preserve
Pretty desert flowers from the Mojave National Preserve
Pretty desert flowers from the Mojave National Preserve
Pretty desert flowers from the Mojave National Preserve
Pretty desert flowers from the Mojave National Preserve. Drops are leftover from the heavy morning fog~
Pretty desert flowers from the Mojave National Preserve. Drops are leftover from the heavy morning fog~
yeah....it turns out this was a BAD idea...
Train headed through the preserve towards the Kelsoe Depot
Apr 12, 2009 | Categories: Uncategorized | 3 Comments »
Anza Borrego Desert State Park is one of our favorite places so far. We hit the Southern edge of the park, less populated, and talked to 1 family in our 3 days there. It was beautiful desert wilderness, and we enjoyed a nice hike through the country on the only trail we found. Only after the hike did I read that dogs are not allowed on any trails….grrr, this is becoming a familiar problem in California. The parks information booklets states several reasons for the no dogs rule, including; 1-dogs are not prepared for the cactus on the ground or the hot weather (we took care of that with water, booties and hiking at the right time of day), 2-dogs are predators and will scare away wildlife….. so, aren’t humans predators too? and don’t we scare away wildlife? I’m not trying to be a big pain the booty here, but California has been quite a pain in mine with all of their anti doggy rules. I can tell you for a fact that my dogs are better behaved than 50% of the children that I have seen, and I suspect the number is closer to 90%
For the record, I pick up all their poo. They are not allowed to dig. They are always on trail (one of the new commands they have learned is ‘stay on the trail’). They are usually leashed and if not are under voice command. I always have their leashes handy if needed. I have plenty of water, booties, backpacks and even a pair of doggles for Daisy. Seriously California, my dogs are not going to have an effect on your trails.
ok, rant over. now, lets look at some pretty pictures : )
For once I didn’t take the camera on the hike, so most of these photographs are just a short walk away from my campsite or the side of the road. I had planned on doing some nighttime photography (stars and the full moon in the desert), but on my second night the clouds came out and foiled that plan. I stopped on my drive out of the park for the macro shots, and the wind was pretty intense. It was a challenge getting some of these with the narrow depth of field, but there are a few I like : ) The wildflowers only bloom for a couple of weeks. Although I missed the climax of blooms, I was able to find a nice variety of colorful flowers to photograph~
Cactus in Anza Borrego Desert State Park
cool flora in the desert
purrty flowers in Anza Borrego Desert State Park
purrty flowers in Anza Borrego Desert State Park
purrty flowers in Anza Borrego Desert State Park
purrty flowers in Anza Borrego Desert State Park. I really like this photograph, might have to make an enlargement out of it when I get home....
purrty flowers in Anza Borrego Desert State Park.
purrty flowers in Anza Borrego Desert State Park.
cool cactus in Anza Borrego Desert State Park
cool cactus in Anza Borrego Desert State Park
This takes some serious dedication from anyone who is interested in nectar or pollen. Yikes!
Pollen coated insect. He was just wallowing in it, pretty funny and cool to see~
flower in Anza Borrego Desert State Park
cactus detail in Anza Borrego Desert State Park
just another campsite ; p
Sunrise in cactus ~ Anza Borrego Desert State Park
Sunrise in cactus ~ Anza Borrego State Park
Sunrise in cactus ~ Anza Borrego Desert State Park
Cloudy sunrise in the desert. yes, I did get a little paranoid about flash floods or getting stuck on the muddy backroads if it started to rain. Luckily, just a drop fell : )
purrty flowers in Anza Borrego Desert State Park.
purrty flowers in Anza Borrego Desert State Park.
purrty flowers in Anza Borrego Desert State Park.
Apr 09, 2009 | Categories: Uncategorized | 4 Comments »
The title just about says it all. And no, I didn’t stop to take any photographs, just savored the beauty in my mind.
Hwy 78, specifially the section between Escondido and the beginning of Anza Borrego Desert State Park, is stunning. Rolling green hills with outcroppings of ganite interspersed turned into mountains with houses hidden in idyllic little valleys belows. I was reminded of Scotland, although the green was not as emerald and the sun was shining.
There were a few cute towns along the way that seemed pretty well set up for the tourists. Not too many for sale signs (I wouldn’t want to leave either), some hiking trails leading into the mountains that were visable from the road. Horse ranches and apple tree farms nestled in with a few streams running throughout.
A highly recommended little drive~
Apr 09, 2009 | Categories: Uncategorized | Leave A Comment »
To save you all grief, this post will go unaccompanied by photo : ) Just a few fun observations re: the many, many, many (many) public bathrooms I have been a guest of
~always check to make sure their is toilet paper…better yet, bring your own
~its not a bad idea to bring in an antibacterial wipe and give the seat a pre-pee rubdown
~soap is a luxury, not a necessity
~in California, a person of the opposite sex may accompany a disabled person into the bathroom (there is actually a sign that says this on the rest stop bathroom doors)
~each state reststop network has their own nifty little bathroom devices and configurations. Your state tax dollars are going to a design firm in each state to come up with their own cool way to 1-dispense water, 2-dispense soap (if you are lucky), 3-dry your hand, 4-flush the toilet, 5-keep your butt comfy while you sit on the toilet, etc etc
California won for the best flushing mechanism, which is a push pedal for your foot on the wall behind the toilet (we all know we use our feet to flush in the public bathrooms anyway).
California also lost for water dispension. Their system requires me to touch a little knob coming out of the faucet to get the water to come out. The knob must be pushed to the side…but the water comes straight down. so, most of the water misses my hands. not to mention that it is a little gross that everyone who used the potty has to follow the same method, touching the same knob, trying to get clean…yuck.
I dropped my toothbrush on a restroom floor. This is one case where the 3 second rule DOES NOT APPLY! I skipped brushing my teeth that day (flossing and a finger brush sufficed, I’m not trying to pick anyone up here : ) until I could find a replacement at the local drug store.
The most ingenious thing I have *heard* so far is blaringly loud music in the ampm chain of truckstops. At least the one in Salton City. That way, no one has to be embarassed about the funny noises they may make.
I should have kept track from the beginning of just how many public restrooms I will have visited by the end. Ah, to dream : p
Apr 09, 2009 | Categories: Uncategorized | Leave A Comment »
Joshua Tree is definitely beautiful, and if I was still rock climbing like I did back in the day, I can definitely see the draw. The pups, however, were not allowed on any trails, or “100 feet from any campground or paved road”. On leash or off, they were totally restricted here. I heard it was b/c of the Big Horn Sheep and that dogs can tranfer diseases to them, and they are endangered, so ok….but still we didn’t like it! We stayed 2 short nights, where 1 day was spent ‘cleaning house’ and attending a ranger talk. Then the 55mph winds kicked in, and sand was biting into any exposed surface, so I ran for my camper and went to be at 7pm. Party animal, I know!!
I did 1 short hike this morning before leaving, summitting Ryan Mountain. The hike is a 3 mile roundtrip, with a 1000 foot elevation gain in 1.5 miles, so it got the blood pumping.
Just a few photographs from Joshua Tree, and now we are off in search of places where the doggies can roam free. Or at least roam 8 miles on the trail at the end of their 6ft leashes ; p
Pretty cool campsite at White Tank Campground, Joshua Tree NP
After hiking Ryan Mountain in Joshua Tree NP
Joshua trees and exposed granite at Joshua Tree NP
Apr 04, 2009 | Categories: Hiking, Landscape, Traveling with dogs, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »
So, following the decision to head west instead of north, I also decided to follow my new road trip idol William Least Heat Moon (check his book ‘Blue Highways’) and take some backroads down. The route is as follows
AZ 89 south
AZ 71 southwest
AZ 60 southwest
finally to I-10 West, and back to civilization
The problem with using an atlas instead of a topographical map is that you don’t really know what you are getting into on these backroads…. So, I ran into the Prescott National Forest and some pretty serious mountains along the way . No worries I thought, just sit back and enjoy the drive. You are on a road trip after all Alecia. Then I passed Hell Canyon. Alright. Some miles into my mountain adventure, I pulled over onto a little gravel pullout so that some people could pass me. Looking over, I noticed a dirt road leading down into the forest, and thought was a great place it would be to let Daisy and Max run around for a bit, as they had been cooped up for days…. Does anyone see where this is going??
So, not 30 seconds after starting to walk down the dirt road, I hear a snuffle/huffle sort of a noise, sounds like it is coming from the forest. hmmn, must just be Max sniffing around. 30 seconds later, my arm hairs are definitely on the rise, and I’m getting a little spooked as I’m sure someone is watching me. Just as I start to think it might be time to head back up the hill, I hear the noise again. And I’m sure it has come from my right, whereas Max is innocentley exploring the left hand side of the road. As I look up, I notice seveal large black shapes in the forest, not 40 feet away, identities obscured by the trees.
Ok, no problems, he he he. I call Daisy and Max and there must have been a real note of seriousness in my voice, b/c they come right away. I attach their leashes and steadily we make our way up the hill. Don’t get me wrong, I wanted to run up the hill, but I heard somewhere that you shouldn’t run from predators, so we did the mall walker pace to the top.
Ahhh, safe and sound once again in the car, other than my heart pounding out of my chest. So, we get back on the road, only to shortly thereafter encounter Skull Valley. Seriously???!!! At this point of course I have come up with all sorts of crazy theories about 1//2 man 1/2 creature were animals (yeah, i really do read too much trashy vampire/werewolf fiction : p ).
Finally I reach Peeples Valley and a local gas station opens up like an oasis in the desert. Except of course the place is spelled wrong, ‘Peeples’ instead of ‘Peoples’, only reinforcing my theory that this place is home to a colony of wereanimals. They are Peeple too! A short way away was a town called Mecca. Seriously.
Well, at the gas station I was told that the local woods contained a large population of Javelinas http://www.azgfd.gov/w_c/urban_javelina.shtml and that is likely what I encountered…..Yeah, ok local guy, intent on keeping the secrets of your tribe safe. Javelina, sure thing.
One other important fact…in all my travels, especially through the small towns, I have seen so many for sale signs. But in Peeples Valley, not a one. Interesting….
So, I continued my drive out of the mountains and into the desert, which was no less freaky. I would occasionaly pass blinking neon motel signs, which did nothing but evoke images of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Keep moving, stranger. I got up the guts one time to take a photo in the desert, and immediately got back into my car. Max cried the whole time I was out, I took that as another sign to get my ass back in the car and keep moving. Through all of this, I kept checking for engine trouble lights and my gas gauge, even though I knew perfectly well I had a full tank and that the car was just fine.
Finally we reached I-10 and the relative safety of the interstate truckstop, where we slept for the night. What a day!
Old abandoned service station. There was a for sale sign next to the 100 year old cactus....
Old abandoned service station. There was a for sale sign next to the 100 year old cactus....I think I like this perspective better~
Apr 04, 2009 | Categories: Female Traveling alone, Photojournalism, Traveling with dogs, Uncategorized, USA color | Leave A Comment »
Hi all,
After a little contemplating the past few days (while holed up in a warm hotel room finishing up some editing), I decided it was time to really follow the weather : ) I kept heading south and the cold and snow and sleet just keep following! So, the new strategy is to head west to the coast. The ocean hasn’t treated me poorly so far, so I’m going to give it a shot.
For friends and clients and client friends, give me a call or send an email if you want to get together or need some updated portraits. Would love to get together for some hiking, doggy play time, drinks, or photoshoots.
E-mail is info@aleciahoyt.com
Phone number is 808-258-9064
Aloha,
Alecia
Apr 01, 2009 | Categories: Uncategorized | Leave A Comment »