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| Fly Geyser, NV |
I hesitated to use today's photo since the quality is so bad, but there is an explanation below...
While it still looks & feels like I'm in the desert, the night time temperature sure dropped more last night than in the last few weeks. It was down to 45°F outside & 51°F in the trailer when I woke up at 4:00AM. I turned on the furnace for a bit to get the temperature up to the 60's, & set up the electric heater to keep it there.
I hate waking up at 4:00. It is too early to get up & get going, but you have been asleep long enough that you really don't feel like going back to sleep. I usually take as long as an hour to get back to sleep at that time in the morning.
Another boring drive across US 50. I did stop to photograph Sand Mountain along the way. I stopped for the night (actually, afternoon) at the Fernley RV Park. I'm in site 1 for two nights at $30.41 per night. Full hookups, although the TV cable isn't working (not that I mind).
After setting up I decided I was close enough to another very photographic place - Fly Geyser, to make a side trip. I say close although 94 miles each way is only close in the West. Wikipedia has information & the history of the geyser. National Geographic magazine did a feature on it, and many photographers have made some wonderful images there. I stopped at the Friends of Black Rock in Gerlach to ask about access - they used to give tours of the site. I've been on their mailing list for a couple of years, hoping to hear about better access to the geyser. Unfortunately, a few years ago the owners closed access to the site due to it being trashed by idiots. Now, the only way to shoot it is from State Route 34 over a half mile from the geyser. They didn't have any news other than the same rumors that keep appearing. They no longer give tours of the site, but at least I bought a "T" shirt!
While I did have my 300mm lens & doubler, giving me the equivalent of a 600mm f:5.6 lens, it was windy enough that even with the VR (vibration reduction) turned on & mounted on my tripod, the photos were lousy. All I can use them for is to remind me that I was there. To see how wonderful the images can be with proper access, check out Diana Petersen's page of photos. I met her at Valley of Fire State Park in southern Nevada earlier in the trip, although I didn't know she was a photographer - she was showing her husband's flutes at the time. I wish I had seen her website at the time - I might have found out how she gained access to the site. A few other photos are on today's LakeshoreImages page.
Anyhow, after a disappointing trip, I headed back to the campground & started a couple of loads of laundry.
There is a Chinese Buffet next door to the campground, so that will be dinner tonight.
Until later -
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