Monday at Palo Duro Canyon State Park

We woke up early Monday morning...and when I say early I mean EARLY!  We were up by 4:00 A.M.  This was so we could shower and then hike to the Lighthouse, probably the best known landmark in Palo Duro State Park.  We wanted to get there for sunrise and it is nearly a 3 mile hike just to get to it.

We began hiking about 5:00 a.m. using our headlamps and packing in all our "photo gear".  I made a MAJOR error - when I got done showering and pulled on my socks I realized I had pulled out an older pair...nothing wrong with that except they were a little thin.  Well, there isn't anything wrong with it until you start rubbing a blister on your foot because the sock is so thin!  I did OK after we stopped and I put on a blister band-aid, but it was going to be a lot more painful than it should have been!  Won't make THAT mistake again (I hope!)

Anyway, we trudged along in the dark (it was actually pretty fun!) until we reached a picnic table just below the last climb up to the lighthouse.  There we realized it was simply too much for us to attempt.  20 years ago it wasn't quite so strewn with boulders and rocks - don't get me wrong, it was a tough climb then, but with the erosion and changes we just couldn't make the climb (certainly not in the gray twilight of early dawn!) We took our first pictures of sunrise close to this rest area.

Disappointed we headed back down the trail to see if we could find a place to set up and get some more early light photos.  As we walked back toward the trail head I turned around and got this shot of The Lighthouse and Castle Peak.

We found a wash and walked along the dry area managing to get a few nice shots.

 We headed back down the trail and as we rounded a bend we saw this horseshoe shaped cut-out with these lovely yellow trees blazing against the red rocks behind. I carefully worked my way around the rim to get this shot of the wash below.

 Back to the trail again.  I saw this great formation, but the clouds were right behind it so it wouldn't show up clearly in the picture - I was bound and determined to capture the formation against that beautiful blue of the sky - so we moved off trail, following some stream beds until I worked my way around where I could manage these shots.

 We finally made it back to the trail head and decided to take a little break before we went back for our afternoon "photo walk".

After a short break we wandered down to the Sunflower Rest area. There was a valley area here, nice and flat!  We wandered around this area enjoying the peace, quiet, and beauty of the trees.

It was getting later in the day and we knew we needed to find another spot for our evening shoot - so we headed "off trail" again.  Close to the Fortress Cliff camp area Pepaw had spotted a small trail that lead around a bluff so off we went.  We were so happy we went exploring!  Just the other side of the bluff, after a short and fairly easy climb we saw some amazing formations - and what a view!!!

Did you notice the moon high above the formation?

 So with the sun quickly setting we headed back to camp to heat up dinner, upload pictures and get ready for bed.  We both agreed we wanted to come back to this same spot early in the morning for some sunrise pictures as well!  Tune in tomorrow to see how THAT went!

Arriving at Palo Duro Canyon - November 18th

This year for Thanksgiving break Pepaw and I decided to take a trip to Palo Duro Canyon State Park near Amarillo, Tx.  We got up very early on Saturday, Nov. 17th and took our time driving out to Canyon, Tx. where we had reserved a hotel room for the night. After we checked in we decided to go on out to the State Park and just drive through to refresh our memory.  We had only been there once before, about 20 years ago as a day trip with the kids while we were staying at Caprock Canyon about an hour away. It was as beautiful as I remembered.  We drove all the way around the park - including some of the camp grounds and picked out the spot we were hoping to get the next day.  There was a big mountain bike race going on so we didn't hang around long but we had learned what we needed to and we were really looking forward to coming back the next morning. I was so excited I could hardly sleep!

We woke up nice and early, went for breakfast, and then headed out to the park.  The gates opened at 8:00 and it wasn't much after that we were in line to check in!  We went in to get our campsite (we got the one we picked out the night before!) and then headed to the visitor center so I could get my state park hat pin!  We parked on the upper deck of the parking where there is a scenic overlook and I took this shot. The sun wasn't very high in the sky and there was a mist you could barely see in the distance.

Our first "official vacation" view of the canyon! We walked down the hill and wandered around the visitor center.  I got my hat pin and it was back to the car.  We were supposed to go set up camp - but that would have to wait!  The morning light was just tooooo good! We stopped at one of the turnouts to catch a quick picture (or two) of Capital Peak.

Then we climbed back into the car.  We didn't make it very far before we saw another photo opportunity.  Pepaw had spotted a bluff ahead with some beautiful light.  I was right behind him, but got a little sidetracked by the field of grass and the deer.

I finally caught up with him near the top of the bluff where I was able to capture these shots of the same peak.

We drove a little farther down the road to one of the low water crossings and took some "reflection" pictures of the same peak.

We decided we better get on to the campsite and get set up, so off we went to the back of the park.  We were staying in the Mesquite Camp Area.  It didn't take too long to get the tent set up and our gear stowed.  In fact we were very pleased with how smoothly everything went!  We fixed our lunch, sat at our picnic table and enjoyed the view as well as the peace and quiet of the early afternoon.  Soon it was time to scout out an evening area where we might be able to get some shots of our first sunset.

We drove down the road and spotted a small trail.  We parked the car and decided to do a little hiking.  I had been talking about how great some of this would be to show the kids in my classroom about Earth Science.  We spotted this cave and it was so perfect, showing how water could wash from above and create the cave.

The first shot is from the front of the cave looking up at the sky, the second is from the back of the cave looking at the door and "sky light".  It was so cool to wander around this formation.

We walked back down the trail and I spotted this little cactus growing in a rock.  I shot it from several different angles.

By now we knew we better find a spot for sunset, so we climbed up another trail where I found a nice rock to sit on and watch the sky light up! I first noticed it shining on the tip of the bluff behind us as it began dropping behind the bluff across the valley.

I turned to shoot the actual sun setting behind the bluffs across the valley where the sky was turning to gold.

I couldn't stop going back and forth between the two views - the bluffs behind, the darkening sky and the actual setting sun across.

On one side the sun was showing it's golden glow, on the other beautiful pinks and purples.  Watch what I saw!

And my final shot of the day was of my best friend, doing what he loves!

It was time to leave the bluff (it gets dark QUICK!) so we sped back down to the car, drove back to camp to back up our pictures, eat our dinner, and find our way to our beds so we could get up VERY early for a hike out to the famous lighthouse peak in the morning.

Houston Photowalk

Scott Kelby's annual photo walk took place this past weekend.  Pepaw and I LOVE these photo walks.  It gives us a great excuse to get out there and take pictures.  This year we decided we would join a group of folks down in Houston at the Armand Bayou.  This would also give us the opportunity to visit with Brenda and Harwood.  

We got up early Saturday morning and drove out to the Bayou.  We were, of course, early so we went to the park right next to Armand Bayou and walked around there first and warmed up our cameras.  I was not very happy with the photos I got there ... like I said, I was just warming up. 

At about 9:00 we made it to our stop for the day and met up with our group.  They went over the plan for the day and we began walking around the trails taking pictures.  This is what I saw.

We started out on one of the trails in the forest ecosystem...

Looking at the start of the trail

 These beautiful red berries were all along the trail

Not sure what these are, but they sure looked interesting!

 Mushrooms growing inside and outside the bark of a tree along the trail

The backside of the trail - headed back to the trail head

 You could only see this building from the back part of the trail, there is so much of the forest reclaiming this area!

After walking the trail loop we met up with Brenda, Harwood, and Chris.  We visited and then walked around the "farm" area.  Again, here is what I saw :

The windmill

Another look at the windmill

The rusted wheel on a piece of equipment in the shed

 One of the handles on one of the "out-buildings"

Same handle, different view (Thanks Pepaw!)

 An old chain hanging by one of the windows on an "out-building"

 The garden

A bee on one of the flowers in the garden along the fence

 A leaf by the pond

Milk cans by the porch of the old farmhouse (I really wish it had been open so we could have gone inside!)

Time passes so quickly on these walks!  It was already time for us to head back and go to lunch.  We walked back over the boardwalk toward the entrance and I just had to stop and get a shot of the "wetlands" ecosystem.

The view from the boardwalk

That was really about all I got this time.  We all headed out, enjoyed a REALLY good lunch and had SUCH a great visit.  It was so much fun spending the weekend shooting photos and visiting with family... I know we'll be going out again real soon!

Getting There

I feel as though I may be making some progress with this getting back into it "stuff".  We started over on the C25K AGAIN... after two runs I hurt my knee and couldn't run for about 3 weeks.  I was really upset, I wanted to get through most of the training before school stuff started again - but that was not to be!  After several rounds of physical therapy for a minor tear to my chondral tendon I was able to complete Week 2 Day 1 of the program.  I ran 2.5 miles in 30:45.  I feel like some progress is being made, slow as it may be.  My focus must remain on taking it very slow and easy.  I don't want to do any more damage to my knee - nor do I want to irritate my back.  I have to remind myself that I am not entering 5K RACES, but for me 5K RUNS...there is a difference.  My goal will simply be to run the 5K and try to improve a little every time.  October is still a ways out there and I have lots of time left to train...I have only just begun!  We run again today at the gym on the treadmill, then I think we are going to take it to White Rock on Saturday... a very short outdoor run just to begin getting a feeling for it again.  I really do miss the early morning quiet peaceful pace and seeing the beauty of the trail.  I am REALLY looking forward to it!

I also wanted to take this opportunity to share some family fun.  On June 29th we flew out to Garden City, Kansas to surprise my Aunt Pat for her 80th birthday.  I hadn't seen her or a lot of my Kansas family in about 7 years so I was really looking forward to this trip!  Thought I'd share a couple of pictures from the get-together!

This is my beautiful Aunt Pat!  Doesn't look 80 now does she?

We were blessed that all Aunt Pat's living siblings were able to attend the party.  In order from right to left (and in birth order):  Aunt Pat, my Dad, Aunt Barbara, Aunt Helen, and Aunt Almeda.

Sadly we had to return home Sunday afternoon after a wonderful visit with family.  Always hard to say goodbye!