Thursday, March 2, 2017

Day 123, Thursday, March 2, 2017, Valley of Fire State Park, NV, Day 3

The Fire Wave
Thursday, March 2, 2017, Valley of Fire State Park, NV, Day 3, 0 Miles, 4,899.3 Miles For the Trip

After breakfast I put on my hiking boots and headed out to see some of the trails. Most of them were do overs - I've been to the Valley of Fire park 4 previous times. Still, I took a bunch of photos, a few that may be new.

One that is definitely new is one with some one taking a photo at the top of a hill through the legs of a companion. Good thing the speed limit is 25MPH!

One of the hikes was to the Fire Wave. I took lots of photos, including one of people standing on top, ignoring the notice not to climb it. There are interesting rocks (close to gravel) that cover parts of the sandstone - completely different color & texture; looks like the wind blows them onto the slickrock.

On the way back I watched a Peregrine Falcon land on top on one of the rocks along the trail. As it landed, I saw another wing flapping. Of course I had my 17 -35mm lens on the camera so a photo was impossible. After getting back to the Tacoma, I changed lenses to my 80-400mm walked up the road to the highest, closest viewpoint of the rock, but, of course, the birds stayed on the nest behind the front edge of the rock. I waited 1/2 an hour, than gave up. I don't have the patience to be a good bird photographer!

I also did the White Dome hike where I met a photographer using a manufactured pin hole camera. While he doesn't need to worry about depth of field since pin hole cameras have an infinite focus, trying to keep people out of a 3 minute exposure in the slot canyon was tough. Many, many more photos at today's LakeshoreImages page.

After that it was back to the trailer to relax. I'm hiked out for the day.

I had a quick shower before dinner. The showers next to my site are disabled set ups that have the water control around the corner from the shower itself. That wouldn't be a problem, but the handle is so heavy that it eventually falls towards which ever side is downhill. Since a normal temperature is slightly towards full hot, while you are in the shower that is where it goes. Full hot is hot, and the handle is around a wall from you!. Of course if you liked a cooler shower, it would fall to full cold, which doesn't sound pleasant either. I finally stuffed my towel around the handle to hold it in place. At least they have a shower curtain, a shelf for stuff & a bench (although no hangers for your clothes).

Dinner was the left over fried chicken from yesterday. There is enough for at least another night.

Until Tomorrow -

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