Rainbow Basin Natural Area

I've posted a few snapshots from the CamCo's car camp in Rainbow Basin in a Picasa album. You should be able to click through.

I've been making stitched panoramas in Windows Live Photo Gallery because it's more pleasant to sit at my laptop in a warm room than at the PhotoShop-enabled PC in my cold office. Usually, I prefer not to stitch my pans so viewers see the edges of the photos, but WLPG does retain the cock-eyed border which can be fun. 

Below you see the crazy skewed stitch that happened when I joined three images in two stages. Interesting, but you will see the proper image in the Picasa album.



What happens when you make a lazy edit in Windows Live Photo Gallery. 



You can click the images for larger versions.



Elph magic

This lovely little blossom surprised me once in Owl Canyon in the Rainbow Basin Natural Area. Then again on the LCD of my pocket Elph. I'd snapped the macro handheld, low, so low, below my eye level.

Walking Wilshire With Mary

This rainy morning I jumped on the 720 Rapid bus to go downtown and meet Mary Forgione and a small band of lunatics.  Our goal was to walk Wilshire (rain or shine) to the beach.

We did it! We started with twelve walkers and finished with ten. I think two bailed out before we had even crossed the 110 Freeway.

In rain and shine, we swapped stories and listened to Mary and Terry Ginsberg tell us about the architecture and history of landmarks. We visited the lovely Los Altos apartment building in Westlake, stopped for a snack in Hancock Park, made wardrobe adjustments when the sun came out in Beverly Hills, lunched in Westwood.

Courtyard of Los Altos Apartments.  

In the end, we had walked 16 miles in about 6 hours. Departing from Wilshire and Figueroa on the steps of the Sanwa building at about 8:15 in the rain and arriving at the feet of Saint Monica at about 3:15 in blustery, sunny beach weather. 

The Angeles Chapter's Wilderness Adventures Section sponsored the outing. Mary uses Wilshire as a training/maintenance hike when the mountains get too snowy and icy. Her latest idea - walk Wilshire in the evening to see all the lights! Can't wait for that one!

Moonrise in the White Mountains

A Pyramid in Philadelphia



A Pyramid Building

It was a hot few days in Philadelphia. Humid, too.
Finally Monday saw a break and the sky was overcast. Fat raindrops bombed pedestrians but not too much. It was comfortable to be walking up Arch Street and I noticed an icon. 

More Chihuahua!

Two more slideshows from Mexico.

Arco y Circulos
Check it out.  I noticed that I seem to have an affinity for slices of circles.

Chihuahua Pots

This collection is from a pot-firing demonstration.

I love my Elph

My Elph is usually there with me, so I can quickly snap surprise visitors like this little guy.

He stopped by Ron and Ann's yard on Saturday and was not particularly amused by the attention.

Chichuahua Dogs

I don't use online photo sharing much but I made an abum of dog pictures.
Finally some imagery from my trip last year!

Cupcake in a Box

This sweet treat was a  nice surprise from my office neighbor.

Thanks so much, Jesslyn!

Ah, Dahlia!

Office creatures

Mom and the New Deacon Alex

The ACS Relay Has Heart!

Luminaria at the Downtown Los Angeles Relay for Life.  This is a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society



What's going on is CicLAvia Spring 2011, a community event that opens LA streets to cyclists, walkers and loads of people engaged in outdoor activities that don't involve motors.  It was a great experience with people of all ages, from lots of neighborhoods, with every concept about riding a bike. As diverse as Los Angeles, everyone was out there.

This was the second CicLAvia. I missed the first one, but I hope to make it to all the others.
You can check the CicLAvia website for route and details. I'll just say that I cycled the complete route and a little more - probably 16 miles. This is my third time out on my new bike, in my latest iteration as a biker.  The longest I've pedaled in decades. 

I felt good while I was on the saddle. Now - well, yes - I am stiffening up. It will be "interesting" tomorrow.  At least, I had a bit of that endorphin high. After the ride and lunch with Cullen, I came home with energy enough to do a little garden cleanup and a little house work.

Now, I'm ready to hit the shower and steam my tired shoulders.  I'll leave you to look at the pictures...

 

Top: eastbound on 7th Street near MacArthur Park; eastbound on 7th approaching Westlake Avenue; eastbound on (I think) Heliotrope Avenue leaving the Bicycle District. Left: westbound on 4th Street leaving Boyle Heights. Below: the extreme east end of the route in Hollenbeck Park.
Way at the bottom: Watching the bike stream at City Hall on 1st Street.

Worms in the Garden

Janet keeps a beautiful garden and one of her best tools is the worm pit.  She constructed it from one layer of a compost system. It is generously large, making it easy for us to add kitchen scraps and spent flowers.

And it is easy to reposition, so the tomatoes, sweet peas and other flowers that follow thrive in the worms' footprint.

How to Start a Decade

New Year's Weekend 2011 at Panamint Dunes

longitude W117.8, latitude N36.8

Step 1:  Collect a posse like this one;

Me, Carole, Bob, Norm, Min, Alison, John, Janice

Step 2: Get out to the campsite for Panamint Dunes just north of Highway 190 on Lake Hill Road.  Set up camp;

View of the hill in the lake.

Step3: "Plan" your cross-country walk from here to there;

View of the dunes from camp

Step 3: Walk the walk and spend a lovely day watching the light change on the dunes;

View from the "backside" of the Dunes, looking southeast.

AB + JB up on the Dunes

Step 4: Walk back and relax. No pictures of relaxing, but you get the idea.



Panamint Resort breakfast debris



The relaxing part is very important. Have a beer, eat a good dinner. Hit the sack early, because the next day after a yummy breakfast at the Panamint Dunes Resort (with all the bacon you can eat) . . .

You may find yourself driving through a snow storm that threatens to close the highway and the alternate routes. 
It could stress you out.



The drive home was a trial for most of us. For my part, I figured I could pull over and snuggle into my sleeping bag with plenty of snacks to keep me comfortable until morning. No need for that. The snow let up at the 3000' marker.



Happy New Year! 

Welcome to the 'twenty-teens'!