Monday, January 29, 2007
Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles has always fascinated and mystified me. I completely understand our nation's lack of interest in trains as a method of travel. Amtrak is horrendous in terms of on-time arrivals and even worse in terms of locations that they travel to. However, with both the Red and Gold Lines going directly to Union Station, as well as the Metrolink trains, I am hoping that Union Station will again be a central hub within the city.
It's interesting to think of life in Los Angeles in the 1930's, when "Old Chinatown" existed where Union Station sits today. The scenario of eminent domain must have played out much differently then, in the way that "Old Chinatown" was destroyed to make way for Union Station.
Today's photo is of the interior of Union Station, of one wing which is closed off to the public. It is still pretty accessible to the photographer, though, as you can see.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Lincoln Graveyard
I don't usually title my photos, but this one just seemed too easy. This "Lincoln Graveyard" is not Abraham Lincoln's graveyard. And it's not in a city called Lincoln, either. But I found this series of old cars near the side of the contemporary version of the Lincoln Highway in Nebraska on my way to Omaha in 2002. (I'm not really a car guy, so I can't say if they happen to be Lincolns. I kind of doubt it, though.)
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Filling Station (Rancho Cucamonga, CA)
In keeping with the last photo's theme, I thought this shot of the old filling station in Rancho Cucamonga along Route 66 would be a logical next choice. This station - although still standing - sits vacant near the northwest corner of Foothill Boulevard and Archibald Avenue. Directly across the street is "The Deli," which is a pretty awesome sandwich joint. On its walls are photos of the area that date back at least 60 years.
Rancho Cucamonga itself is a city that I have a love-hate relationship with in terms of Route 66. I love this station and "The Deli." I love the older-feeling western end of town. But the development and box housing that have sprung up along Foothill Boulevard near I-15 are almost enough to send me into convulsions. Don't get me wrong. I understand that preservation here was not really an option. After all, there wasn't much to preserve. And at least RC did decide that they wanted to recognize Route 66's importance to the area. But it's still hard on MY eyes. (I really couldn't find anything online regarding Rancho Cucamonga's Master Plan and their development of the Foothill Boulevard corridor. Apparently, since it is complete, all mention of it has been removed from even the city's own website!)
Monday, January 22, 2007
Toward Death Valley (Keeler, CA)
This photo was taken on our way from Death Valley back to Lone Pine on the same trip. This place was in Keeler, just off the highway (190) that leads into Death Valley from the west. This shot was taken at night, using the headlights of my car as the light source that created the shadows.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Burning Man
In honor of having just bought my Burning Man tickets for this year on Tuesday, and needing to get back to posting some photographs, here is a great shot I took from the man in 2005, when I was last there.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
More on the Outdoors (Tahoe Desolation Wilderness)
As much as I loved my recent hikes to the Bridge to Nowhere, I have to say that they do not compare to camping or, better still, backpacking.
Back in August, I had the pleasure to go backpacking in the Tahoe Desolation Wilderness of the Eldorado National Forest with my wife and a couple of friends. Beginning at about noon on Thursday and going until about noon on Sunday, we covered just shy of 30 miles. Not much, I know, compared to what some people cover in that same time frame. But it was our first time out, however, so I'm pretty pleased with it.
We learned a lot that trip, about what to prepare for next time and how to be better prepared for a longer stay. But, overall, we did really well in terms of meals and water (fortunately there are plenty of lakes out there, such as Susie Lake, seen here). The biggest down side was that some of our gear was not as sturdy as it could have been, but we will improve upon that before our next trip.
Back in August, I had the pleasure to go backpacking in the Tahoe Desolation Wilderness of the Eldorado National Forest with my wife and a couple of friends. Beginning at about noon on Thursday and going until about noon on Sunday, we covered just shy of 30 miles. Not much, I know, compared to what some people cover in that same time frame. But it was our first time out, however, so I'm pretty pleased with it.
We learned a lot that trip, about what to prepare for next time and how to be better prepared for a longer stay. But, overall, we did really well in terms of meals and water (fortunately there are plenty of lakes out there, such as Susie Lake, seen here). The biggest down side was that some of our gear was not as sturdy as it could have been, but we will improve upon that before our next trip.