UNpics... (about 40 of them)

[Twisties]

Some pics from the Pied Piper run out to NH, from the NE area, and from the way home. These are from the dSLR. Sharon and I took some people and riding shots with the P&S. One of us will post them separately.

 

The Pied Piper Run was a lot of hard riding, and few stops. Monday was a play day in Yellowstone and on the Beartooth. We each went our own way, so there was time for a few photos. Actually, there should have been time for many photos, but we lost hours to road construction, and then had to outrace afternoon thunderstorms. Jamie and Les were behind and Sharon and I and they had to ride through hail. So it was a good thing we hustled. But I got a few shots in.

 

 

Near the restaurant at Lake, Yellowstone, on the Pied Piper Run.

 

 

Looking west from an overlook on the Beartooth, just about where the Chief Joseph takes off, on the Pied Piper Run.

 

 

A tundra flower from the WY-MT border up on the Beartooth. This is a true tundra here, with what looks to be permafrost, pooled water in any event. The plants are maybe 2 to 6 inches high, all the tundra adaptions.

 

 

These were hidden in the turf, maybe all of 2 inches tall.

 

 

A veritable giant, perhaps 6" tall.

 

 

Tiny tundra clover.

 

Bullett and I broke off from the Pied Piper at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, on Lake Superior. We had an hour in the park, and made it up by showering after dinner. So we managed to have our stop and eat with everyone too! Yes, they did let us sit with them.

 

 

Check out the tiny black spots on the edges of the petals.

 

 

I don't know that this is a particularly good photo, as photos go, but I really like the abstract van Gogh like quality of the water, almost as if it were made with brush strokes. The water's clarity and color is stunning. They say to watch for fish. Yeah right, that's like a 100 feet down. Well I guess when "fish" means sturgeon, a 100' is plenty close enough. The lake trout and salmon can get get pretty impressive too I suppose. We only saw snorkelers in wet suits.

 

 

 

Somebody was keeping an eye on us the whole time we were there. Unfortunately this is way too cropped in to print, but it's ok for screen resolution. Again, not a super shot, but it tells the tale.

 

I didn't get to bring the dSLR out again until NH. We only rode once there. Out to Rangely, ME.

 

 

I'm going to break all my rules here and show three of the same subject. I thought it was worthy, and I like presenting the different scales of the image. In a print you can keep enough detail that this isn't necessary, but at screen resolution if you present the setting you loose the fine detail.

 

 

Close.

 

 

Closer.

 

 

Closest.

 

By the way, it is these insect on plant photos that I live for, well birds are better, but I don't get many of those. To me these shots show the interactions of the web of life. Unseen, but known to me as an environmental chemist, are the complex interactions of pheromones, a world of chemical attraction, repulsion, and as some have said, even chemical warfare. A truly fascinating subject, well for me anyway.

 

 

To me, this is New England. The iconic still water with perfect reflections.

 

 

We were looking around the ponds when some of the UN passed us by. I think possibly Roger (rogera) in the lead. The GS's had matched lighting.

 

 

 

Damn frickin' weeds!

 

 

 

 

...and varmints, man those things could do some damage.

 

 

New England is history too. For us coming from the west, where 1849 is about as old as anything gets, the four hundred years of

European settlement out east seems old. Nothing like Europe itself of course, but we were remarking upon all the cemeteries on the Pied Piper Run, and I was taken by all the architecture. I think I could photograph buildings for months in the area. On the way to Rangely there were 4 covered bridges. This one from Stark was the most elaborate and photogenic.

 

 

Although, to my eye, it has "Puritan" written all over it, never the less the builders engaged in a degree of frivolity.

 

We rode back much the way we had come, making our way back through NH and Vermont, to Ontario.

 

 

As we approached Sault Ste. Marie Sharon spotted a pair of Sandhill Cranes in a field, so we went back for a few shots. At about 150' we weren't going to get anything stellar, but I figure any bird shot where you can make out the eye is a success.

 

 

I apologize, Lightroom, the photo editing software I use, doesn't let me adjust the position or size of the copyright info. Normally not an issue, but on this one it is. I don't get to see it until after it is all processed, and I'm too lazy to go back and reprocess this one. It and the next shot are our "Francois" shots. Miles of sunflowers in northern Minnesota, along US-2. Reminded us of the miles of tulips Francois posts.

 

 

We made for the Theodore Roosevelt National Park and Little Missouri National Grasslands. We had never heard of either until our ride out I-94 on the Pied Piper. No time to stop on the way out, it was our 720 mile day, and we were outracing this one phenomenal thunderstorm for about 200 miles of it. So we dropped in on the way back. The signature lilies were done for the year, but we found some interesting things:

 

 

 

A perfect sphere.

 

 

 

Grass.

 

 

Hiding under a shrub.

 

 

Grass.

 

 

Bergamot was blooming in the low spots, or so the ranger told us. I think this is it.

 

 

They said that Yellow Upright Coneflower was also in bloom. This has to be it. One of the things that I like about flower shots is that often you see flowers within flowers. Here check out the little stars up on the cone.

 

We made our way to Montana:

 

 

 

Things started getting pretty gooooooood!

 

 

When we had come out on the Pied Piper Run, we had to outrun a thunderstorm on the Beartooth, and couldn't make many pics. This time we made sure to stop in Red Lodge for the night so we could make the Beartooth in the morning. We walked to town for a leisurely breakfast, so the road could thaw out a bit, and started up about ten. The road construction limited our shooting some, wha'ch'ya gonna do when you have to follow a pilot car? But we got some shots. There is no way to do this justice. The only thing I've seen comparable is Trail Ridge through Rocky Mountain National Park.

 

 

Here the road winds down to Cooke City.

 

 

We had a too close encounter with one of these in TRNP, but got better photo's in Yellowstone. Either park, these things are on the road, and not terribly friendly to motorcyclists.

 

 

We rode out through W. Yellowstone and down the Teton back on a chill and gloomy day. The overcast conditions made for a funny photo. Not so intense as the front, in the park, yet you have it all to yourself on this side. The riding was a lot better then we recalled too.

 

Made it home with a stop for "square ice cream" and some peaches from the Brigham City, UT area.

 

16 days on the road. Was great meeting so many of you. Although we'll say mare about the people when we publish the P&S shots, I just want to thank Paul and Kath (rocer); and Steve and Kelly (BarNone and Potter) for tremendous hospitality, great food, and great friendship! The best part of the UN for me was meeting so many of you.

 

[OoPEZoO]

as always.......awesome pics Jan

[SageRider]

Beautiful, Jan!

Thanks!!!

[VinnyR11]

Gorgeous shots. Just beautiful.

[John Ranalletta]

Thanks for the photos. They are spectacular.

 

You'll enjoy these.

[marcopolo]

Great photography Jan. Glad you guys had an enjoyable trip.

[Kathy R]

Ahhhh, that was very nice Jan!! Thank you!

[RoyTemple]

SUPER photos Jan,

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

Roy

[Twisties]

Thanks for the photos. They are spectacular.

 

You'll enjoy these.

 

Indeed, of course he gets to use artificial lighting and a tripod. I doubt he's riding a bike to the museum either. Can you say jealous? I'm just green with envy. Very beautiful. That's what I'd like to achieve, but it's important to me to do it in the wild and in natural conditions.... though I couldn't really tell you why. I do need to start using a tripod though. I carried one on a trip this spring and it came apart on the road. Need to find something more suitable. Right now I only shoot brightly lit subjects for my macro shots. I'm missing a whole other world.

[AZgman]

Very impressive Jan!

[doc47]

My Lord, Jan!!! What an eye for detail!

That was a feast!

Grey Dog and Sputnik and Dances With Roads are on the Beartooth right now.

Last time I was there a pica (pika?), not watching where it was going and snuffling busily around the rocks, came up within two feet of me. Was he ever surprised when he looked up and saw me.

 

This month's newsletter from www.photo.net has a whole pantload of insect photos with links to more.

[marty mayer]

WOW!!!

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

Marty

[ltljohn]

Jan,

Great pics!!! Thanks for sharing.

[Foot]

Great Stuff Jan!!

[rocks]

Thanks Jan!

 

It was great to meet you and Sharon.

 

Great Pics!

[90%angel]

Thanks for sharing, Jan!

 

So often, I think we all try to capture the "big picture" of where we are in our photos. But there is such beauty in the little details; the blade of grass, the tiny flower, the little insects, etc. Thanks for bringing us the details!

[Whip]

After I got past the flower and bugs.

 

Very Nice!!

 

 

 

[Endobob]

Thank you for sharing! Fantastic attention to detail. I loved the water/cliff shot - it does look like a van Gogh oil!

 

Since I take very few photographs sharing yours and other's on this Board with my wife has given her a much better appreciation of why I "must" ride and explore this beautiful country!

[George Brown]

Wow - you have a great eye!

[Rocer]

aaahhh!!

[Angel]

spectacular....

[RBertalotto]

DETAILS! We need details........

 

In the old 35mm days most fantastic pictures like this had camera/setting details.

 

I have a D70 with a few lens, and although I used to take some pretty amazing pictures with my 35mm Nikon gear, I've yet to do with the D70 what you have here.

 

How about some "Digital Photo Hints from Jan"

[Twisties]

DETAILS! We need details........

 

In the old 35mm days most fantastic pictures like this had camera/setting details.

 

I have a D70 with a few lens, and although I used to take some pretty amazing pictures with my 35mm Nikon gear, I've yet to do with the D70 what you have here.

 

How about some "Digital Photo Hints from Jan"

 

Canon Rebel XSi. Macro shots mostly with the Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro lens. Aperture priority, bracket from about f/5.6 to f/18, choose sharpest shot. Sometimes, when subject is well lit, underexpose a stop (using evaluative metering). Recently changed to spot metering for macro, will see how that works. Spot focusing for sure. A few of the macro shots with the Canon 70-300 f/5.6 IS lens, it does a pretty nice job.

 

[JustJean]

OMG that was fantastic!! More!

[dhanson]

Settle down Jean, we passed most of those, were you looking?

 

P.S. +1 on the best part was meeting the people. I liked the hosts and food the best tho, WOW!

[RBertalotto]

THANKS!

[gottago]

Thank you Jan. Made me feel like I was tagging along.

[Paul_Burkett]

Simply beautiful.

[Mike O]

Well done. I always enjoy your photography (and skills)...

 

Mike O