A little hiking, some bird watching, and erosion at the edge of Lake Ontario
Thanks for viewing, and comments are always welcome. M 🙂
Category: Geology
Rebirth in Great Smoky Mts. – Serenely Beautiful
See updated version of this post (with Zoom In capability) here
A wonderful five mile one-way roadway just east of Gatlinsburg, Tennessee, in the foothills of Mount LeConte, the third highest peak in the Great Smoky Mountains, at 6,923′ (2010 m.) The turn-outs allow access to old growth forest, streams, waterfalls, wildlife and more. Recently, Sandy Paws and I found unexpected tranquility in the resurgence of forest life, ten months after devastating fires scorched the region.
Thanks as usual for viewing, and click on for a closer look. Comments are always welcomed. M 🙂
Pine Barrens, Lost Railroad and Civil War
A few weeks ago, I explored a small but typical part of an abandoned single track railroad constructed in the early 1860’s. It transverses the New Jersey Pine Barrens, an immense area of 1.1 million acres of sandy soil characterised by oak and pine trees, cranberry bogs, blueberry cultivation and underlying aquifers. When new, these now forgotten rails carried some 17,000 troops to America’s Civil War.
Alien to the peace and tranquility of this warm afternoon, I could almost feel the undeniable apprehension of regiments of soldiers riding these very tracks towards the inevitable battles to the south, 155 years ago.
As usual, click on the image for a closer look, and thanks for viewing. Comments are always welcome. M 🙂
UTAH: Day Three and Four – Lake Powell, Natural Bridges and Salt Lake City
Our four days exploring in Utah, continued early Saturday morning, 11/7/15, at the ‘outpost’ of Bullfrog, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area where we rented a small boat to explore nearby parts of Lake Powell, specifically Moqui Canyon. Later we would view the remarkable terrain in Natural Bridges National Monument, spend the night in Salt Lake City, and fly home Sunday, 11/8/15.
This post contains 18 images most with comments. Browse through quickly, or click on for higher visual resolution.
As usual, thanks for viewing and comments are always welcome. M 🙂
UTAH: Day Two, 11/6/15 – Arches, Canyons and Dinasours
With my son Steve, daughter Holly, and seven year old grandson Tyler we spent the night in Moab, and were beginning our first full day. Now we were in the heart of the Colorado Plateau (Utah,) one of the most impressive scupltured and gorged terrains in the world.
This post contains 21 images.
ARCHES NATIONAL PARK – MORNING:
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NEXT: COLORADO RIVER SCENIC BYWAY, RT. 297 – MID DAY
The series below
These 500 foot (150m.) cliffs, right along the river, offer climbers world class rock faces.
A little further, my grandson leads the way to a fallen strata slab exposing nearly 200 million year old dinosaur tracks…AWESOME! Talk about being in his climbing glory!
Further above the tracks, Tyler “discovers” petroglyphs on the cliff faces, and uncle Steve confirms the sighting.
NOTE: PLEASE SCROLL DOWN AFTER THE BLANK AREAS ABOVE AND BELOW THE SECOND IMAGE BELOW> THE WORDPRESS EDITOR IS BEING PERSNICKETY, AND I WANT TO PUBLISH THIS BEFORE I DIE!
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NEXT: CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK – LATE AFTERNOON to SUNSET:
The Series Below
Incomparable switchbacks of the Shafer Trail dropping 1400 feet (426 m.) from the Caynyonlands “Island in the Sky” Mesa
The mesas to the south-east, and snow topped La Sal Mountains beyond
Holly and Tyler
the forth image below, there is a car visible just below and right of center, way down on the 100 mile long White Rim Trail, ringing the “Island” Mesa.
NEXT: BULLFROG MARINA, GLEN CANYON NATIONAL RECREATION AREA:
Under a million stars, it took five hours on virtually isolated roads to to reach our stay for the night. It was around 11:00 PM in Bullfrog, an outpost at this time of the year where the sky is virtully void of “light pollution.” This slightly wide angle picture was taken at an exposure to approximate the actual experience. It shows the winter Milky Way. Also the Andromeda Galaxy (M 31,) is visible just right and below center, some two million LY distant. Here, in this dark, moonless sky, naked eye oservers might be able to see another galaxy, elusive M33, which is also in this image, although very faint, just right of center, 1/10 up from bottom. A star cluster known as the “Double Cluster,” is to the left.
The last two days of our four day adventuere will be posted around 12/6/15
As ususal, thanks for viewing, and comments are always welcomed. M:-)
UTAH: Great Salt Lake and Wasatch Mts – Day One
My previous post was a prelude to this short series highlighting our recent four day adventure to Utah. Along with my son, daughter and seven year old grandson, we would experience a memorable, whirlwind adventure.
Please click on any of the images for a closer look.…
Day two will follow shortly.
Thanks for viewing, and comments are always welcome. M 🙂
Church Bay, Bermuda – 6/29/15
Two weeks ago as part of a memorable family cruise, Jeanne and I visited this little beach on Bermuda’s south coast.
Click on images for higher resolution.
Thanks for viewing, and as usual… comments are always welcome. M:-)
