Photography

Highland Theatre sign re-lit

2011-05-18T07:58:00.000-07:00

Last night I had the pleasure of seeing the historic rooftop sign at the Highland Theatre on Route 66 in Los Angeles as it was being re-lit. Amy Inouye was already at the microphone when I arrived last night, and she deserved to be center stage for her untiring efforts to promote this area and its ties to the Mother Road.

The National Park Service's Kaisa Barthuli was in town for the event as well, showing just how important this ceremony and location were to all of Route 66.

A good sized crowd was on hand to eat cake, and to watch the switch get flipped to turn the lights on at the first of many signs along 66 in Highland Pa rk!

Tohono Chul

2008-04-05T08:32:00.001-07:00

Today's photo again takes us back to nature in Tucson. This shot was taken a couple of weeks ago at Tohono Chul Park. Obviously, there were a lot of blooming flowers a couple of weeks ago, not only here but throughout the entire desert southwest. Many museums and parks can help with your desert bloom experience, too.

Saguaro National Park, Tucson AZ

2008-04-01T07:46:00.001-07:00

Another desert shot, this taken a little over a week ago near Saguaro National Park near Tucson, AZ.

William Heise County Park

2008-03-27T07:28:00.000-07:00

It's been too long since my last post. But either today or tomorrow I'll be getting some new shots back, so I should be adding more to the mix soon. In the meantime, this shot was taken at William Heise County Park in San Diego County, near Julian, a few years ago. This park was - as you can see from the photo - affected by the Cedar Fire in 2003. We were there in 2005 on a little mini-vacation for Julie's birthday.

US 50 - Colorado

2007-10-30T06:35:00.001-07:00

Took this back in 2002 on my way to Omaha for the Preseving Historic Roads Conference. I don't recall exactly where it is, so if anyone has that information, let me know. (All I know is that it was just off of I-70 west of Denver somewhere.)

A Tree

2007-10-22T07:09:00.000-07:00

Well, it WAS a tree. It still sort of is. Unfortunately, I can't remember exactly where or when I took this. I just remember that it seemed to be the only older thing around. All the rest of the plant life was new growth, so I figured this must have survived a somewhat recent wildfire. And I felt that it was indicative of Southern California right now, unfortunately. My heart goes out to all those who are struggling against the wildfires, especially those fighting them.

Dancing in Prague

2007-10-03T06:22:00.000-07:00

The "Fred & Ginger building" in Prague was designed by Frank Gehry and is officially called the "Nationale-Nederlanden Building."

Vitus Cathedral - Prague

2007-10-01T07:06:00.001-07:00

This is Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle. Note the construction on the left hand side of the shot. Still an absolutely wonderful site!

Prague - Cityscape

2007-09-28T07:03:00.000-07:00

Another shot of Prague from April, 2005.

More Prague - Town Hall

2007-09-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

This is a shot of the town hall in Prague, with one of the churches in the background. Unfortunately, that's about all the information that I have on this one. If anyone can provide any more details on them, I would be greatly appreciative.

View From Room - Prague

2007-09-22T07:47:00.000-07:00

I was discussing some of my photographs with co-workers yesterday, trying to decide what photos to put up in my new office. Europe definitley became a topic of conversation. So I decided to re-visit some of my photographs from that trip. I thought this would be a nice shot to add. This is the view we had out the window our first night in Prague a few years ago when we stayed at the Hotel at St. John. It was a great room and one I would highly recommend.

Sycamore Inn (Rancho Cucamonga, CA)

2007-09-21T07:43:00.000-07:00

Another shot from along Route 66 in Southern California, this one of the Sycamore Inn's sign in Rancho Cucamonga. Nearby is also the Magic Lamp, with another great neon sign, complete with flame coming out the lamp's spout. (I'll have to try to find the photo I have of it again!)

Preservation Lost - Trader Vic's (Beverly Hills, CA)

2007-09-20T06:52:00.000-07:00

Today's photo is also available in my book, "Finding the End of the Mother Road: Route 66 in Los Angeles County." It's a shot of Trader Vic's, a long-time icon along Route 66 in Beverly Hills. Unfortunately, due to heavy redevelopment at the Santa Monica and Wilshire Boulevard intersection and along each corridor, Trader Vic's is slated for demolition.

Up Down In Out (Chagrin Falls, OH)

2007-09-18T06:33:00.000-07:00

This photograph of mine still always intrigues me. Shot in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, I still cannot get past how crystal-clear the reflection in the glass is, and yet how visible the railing on the inside portion of the stairwell is still so clearly visible in front of the inside light. And, with just a hint of it showing, the pine garland with christmas lights and the interior ribbon just provide a hint that it should be snowy and cold outside, but there is no hint of snow, just an overcast sky visible in the upper left. This was a strange mix of a lot of things to me.

2007-09-14T07:28:00.000-07:00

This stairwell in Boston inrigued me quite a bit. I think that a fear of heights might make it a bit difficult for me to find my way onto it, though.

More Verticality

2007-09-13T22:38:00.000-07:00

Keeping the vertical theme going is this shot from downtown Ojai, taken about five years ago just after Julie and I met.

Behind Bars (Williamsburg, VA)

2007-09-12T06:55:00.000-07:00

Keeping with yesterday's vertical imagery, today's photo comes from Williamsburg, VA.

More Nature - The Redwoods

2007-09-11T07:27:00.000-07:00

A couple of years ago (back in April 2004, to be precise), Julie and I traveled north along the Pacific Coast Highway to Tillamook, Oregon, where we then cut inland to Portland. Along that trip, we went through the Redwoods. Of course, when in the Redwoods, you HAVE to take the gratuitous shot of the trees looking straight up into them. Here's mine.

On the Lincoln

2007-09-10T19:48:00.000-07:00

In going through my old photos, I couldn't believe that I hadn't posted this in my blog yet. I love this shot, despite its simplicity and relative flatness. There's something intrinsically interesting in the old "L" being repainted on the leaning telephone pole, with the original Lincoln disappearing into the distance.

Aztec Hotel

2007-09-05T06:52:00.000-07:00

The Aztec Hotel is perhaps the crown jewel of Route 66 in Los Angeles County. It is definitely one of the two most-photographed Route 66 structures in LA County and may be the best known. It is also amongst the best known hotels along the entirety of the Mother Road, from Chicago to Santa Monica.

Over the last several years it has undergone some major renovations and restorations. This includes repainting the exterior. Looking at the Aztec today from the outside, its shell would be the same as these two photographs (taken in 2001), but the colors would be vastly different.

Congratulations to Kathie Reece-McNeill, owner of the Aztec, and all of her staff for such a wonderful job of restoration, which is still in process. I encourage everyone traveling the Mother Road to continue their trek into LA County and stop in to see Kathie at the Aztec!

Last Photos From Mendocino Botanical Gardens

2007-09-03T07:42:00.000-07:00

Here are the last photos from the Mendocino Botanical Gardens. There were several left for me to post, but after a few days on the road, I felt it only fair that I post all of these at once to make up for the missed days.

More Mendo

2007-08-27T06:41:00.000-07:00

I just can't help continuing to post my photos from the Mendocino County Botanical Gardens. So here's another close up taken on that wonderful trip.

Believe It or Not, More from Mendocino!

2007-08-26T08:16:00.000-07:00

Oops - More Mendocino

2007-08-23T07:57:00.000-07:00

Sorry I missed yesterday. Still more from Mendocino!

A Rose is A Rose

2007-08-21T06:35:00.000-07:00

Remember last Monday when I said I'd be posting at least a weeks' worth of photos from the Mendocino County Botanical Gardens, the Garden by the Sea? Well, this is the eigth one, and I'm still growing strong.

I'm partial to roses. It must have something to do with living two blocks away from Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena. But the rose garden at Mendocino was not very photographable, at least in my opinion. This, however, was nice.

Another Set of Flowers

2007-08-20T06:49:00.000-07:00

More from the Mendocino County Botanical Gardens.

More Mendocino

2007-08-19T08:59:00.001-07:00

And they just keep coming, don't they? This place really was extremely beautiful and very easy to shoot good photos at!

For Mom

2007-08-18T07:12:00.000-07:00

I spoke with my mom last night, and she said she's been looking at these photos from Mendocino County Botanical Gardens daily and loves them. So this is for her.

An Overview

2007-08-17T06:57:00.000-07:00

This is probably the widest view that I took from within the Menodocino County Botanical Gardens. It gives a pretty good overview of the gardens area that is closest to the Pacific Coast Highway and the entrance. As you can tell, this area is overwhelmingly beautiful, and well worth a return trip sometime!

Botanical Gardens Hillside

2007-08-16T06:38:00.000-07:00

Another from Mendocino Botanical Gardens, showing the hillside where the continent ends and the ocean begins.

Mendocino Gardens on the Coast

2007-08-15T07:28:00.000-07:00

If you have looked at the link posted on Monday to the Mendocino County Botanical Gardens, you will notice that it is also called the Gardens By the Sea. This expansive garden is located between the Pacific Coast Highway (California Route 1) and the Pacific Ocean. It covers a great distance from the Gardens' entrance to the edge of the ocean, and the walk is wonderful. But views like this through the gardens and tress to the ocean make the anticipation of the ocean's edge all the more wonderful.

More Mendocino

2007-08-14T06:57:00.000-07:00

As promised, another today from the Mendocino County Botanical Gardens. This one is higher resolution than normal for me on my blog. I left it that way because as I lowered the resolution to where I normally would save it to, the flowers just became way too fuzzy. So higher resolution and added a "copyright" line. Hope you enjoy it.

Mendocino County Botanical Gardens

2007-08-13T07:10:00.000-07:00

Around six weeks or so ago, I visited the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens in Fort Bragg, California with Julie and her family. This place was incredible. I took about 70 photos that day. My normal 1 in 10 ratio of good shots was dramatically increased at the Gardens, only because of how incredibly beautiful the whole, huge area is. It was hard NOT to get a good shot.

Today will be the first of a multitude of shots that I post from there. I will post one each day for the remainder of the week, all from these Gardens.

"A Tree" - Santa Barbara County, CA

2007-07-16T06:17:00.000-07:00

This burnt-out-looking tree was found alongside a small trail located at a rest area on CA-154, near Lake Cachuma.

Solitude

2007-06-28T06:10:00.000-07:00

This photograph was taken in Northern California along the Pacific Coast Highway in April, 2004, shortly after the previous shot on Coleman Valley Road. Still a little rainy, and cool, but a beautiful day, and a wonderful opportunity to show how few people were on the road around us that morning.

Coleman Valley Road

2007-06-25T06:35:00.001-07:00

I can't believe I haven't posted this photo yet! I absolutely love this shot. I think that this is one of my favorites of all the shots that I have taken. It was shot in April, 2004, during Julie's and my trek up the Pacific Coast Highway to Tillamook from the Golden Gate Bridge.

The name of this road is Coleman Valley Road. It runs inland from the Pacific Coast Highway, just a couple of miles north of Bodega Bay, to a junction with the Bohemian Highway. This was a great little sidetrip that was recommended to us by a coffee shop owner in Bodega Bay. It was still pretty early in the morning when we hit this spot after leaving our campsite. YOu can still sense the fog in the air. It obviously had a small amount of rain in the air prior to out drive through, too. And you can even get a sense of the 180-degree turn in the road as well.

Ah, I think it's time for another road trip!

More Quintessential Chicago

2007-06-21T06:34:00.000-07:00

This is another one of the quintessential Chicago landmarks. The Art Institute of Chicago - located on Michigan Avenue in the Loop - is also considered a bit of a jumping-off point for Route 66 travelers. This museum is one of the premiere art museums in the world, but is so much more than that. Almost directly across the street is the Chicago Architecture Foundation and its store. This, too, is a must-stop while in Chicago.

Chicago, IL - The "EL"

2007-06-20T21:01:00.000-07:00

It has been WAY too long since my last post here. Have some photos back from my wedding anniversary trek to Chicago, and will be posting some of those over the next few days. Today, the gratuitous shot of Chicago's "EL."

FOR SALE

2007-05-13T06:39:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder that all photographs seen on this blog are available for purchase. For more information, go here or contact 66 Productions.

More Desert - Near Death Valley

2007-05-03T07:41:00.000-07:00

This was taken near Death Valley on the west side of the park, on our way in to the park from US-395.

Essex, CA

2007-05-02T06:24:00.000-07:00

I am a huge fan of the desert and its weather and environs, and find it to be absolutely beautiful. I took this shot in 2001 during the Harley Owners Group tour of Route 66. I had been following their tour since Chicago and was supposed to meet one of the owners near here to hitch a ride through a portion of the desert with video camera to my eye. It was a great ride, I might add, through a beautiful stretch of desert and on up to Cadiz Summit from this spot at Essex.

Route 66 Western Terminus - Downtown Los Angeles

2007-05-01T07:07:00.000-07:00

Initially, Route 66 ended in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles at the intersection - seen here - of 7th and Broadway, in the heart of the Theater District. In 1936 the highway was extended to Santa Monica, reaching Lincoln and Olympic. Effective in 1964, the highway was then truncated to have a western terminus in the heart of what is now "Old Pasadena" at Colorado and Arroyo Parkway. And in 1975 the road was again shortened, this time at the California border.

Today, Los Angeles' Theater District is in the beginning stages of a revitilization, in part due to the Los Angeles' Conservancy's efforts, and their annual program entitled "Last Remaining Seats." Additionally, the Conservancy offers walking tours of this area.

Like anywhere else along Route 66, this area is worth the time and effort to see, and is quite safe, especially for the experienced traveler who already has their eye on what is happening around them. (Dispelling a myth here, there is PLENTY to see and do along Route 66 in Los Angeles County, and all areas that the highway traversed in LA County are quite worth visiting.)

Formosa Cafe, West Hollywood CA

2007-04-30T07:15:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since my last post, and for my loyal viewers / readers, I do apologize. Part of my reason for being so bad on this website lately is that I was preparing for yesterday's Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. I spent a couple of hours there yesterday signing books and talking to people about Route 66. Well, really, it was more like I was trying to push sales of the book, because few people by our booth seemed interested in buying, and few people were coming by our booth to begin with.

But since I was doing a book signing yesterday, I thought that putting up another image that is in the book would be a good idea, so here's a shot of the Formosa Cafe in West Hollywood. I've been in this place a couple of times and have to say it has a great, incredibly interesting vibe. Lots of good weird about it, if that makes sense. Worth a stop and a look, if time permits, in your travels along the Mother Road in Los Angeles County.

My 100th Post

2007-04-08T10:19:00.000-07:00

I'm just going to tease you today by saying that this is my 100th post in this blog. No photo to provide, though, as I'm still feeling lazy.

Actually, I hope to get out today and spend a lot of time driving 66 in SoCal and shooting as many photos as I possibly can. So that is anything but lazy!

Extremely Un-Dry (Bodega Bay)

2007-04-02T07:04:00.000-07:00

From the Owens Dry Lake to Bodega Bay and a separate road trip. This was taken in April 2004 when Julie and I drove up the coast from San Francisco to Tillamook, OR. From there inland to Portland.

The night before this was taken Julie and I stayed in the campground at Doran Regional Park. It is literally on the small isthmus that separates the Bay from the Pacific Ocean. It was mid-April. There were about two or three RV's and no other tents in the entire campground. I woke up freezing my a** off, but it was absolutely wonderful. A beautiful night, a beautiful morning, and a great day on the road.

Owens Dry Lake

2007-03-27T07:13:00.000-07:00

Another shot from along US-395, this one of the Owens Valley and Owens Dry Lake. For those of you who are not up on California history, the city of Los Angeles stole the water rights in the Owens Valley ages ago, and the result was the drying of the Owens Lake. Recently, an effort has been made to restore some of the Owens River, but the likelihood of the lake ever being restored is, in my opinion, next to nothing.

Manzanar

2007-03-26T07:48:00.000-07:00

Not too far away from Mount Whitney, and with the Sierra Nevada Mountains in the background, is Manzanar. Manzanar was an internment camp during World War II and is now a National Historic Site. As of last time I was there a couple of years ago, the interpretive center was still under construction. Definitely an embarrasing part of American history.

Blue Skies Over Whitney

2007-03-23T06:47:00.000-07:00

Another wonderful blue sky, this one near Mount Whitney. Whitney is the tallest mountain in California and the contiguous 48 states and is a part of the vast Sierra Nevada Mountains. It is easily accessible from Bishop along US-395.

Desert Building (Burning Man)

2007-03-20T06:10:00.000-07:00

Another buildling out in the middle of nowhere. I can confirm that this one burned down in September 2003. Nothing currently remains of it, except photographs and memories.

Meteor Center (Arizona)

2007-03-19T21:10:00.000-07:00

Continuing the desert theme, but moving further east. This is the old lookout tower at Meteor Crater in northeast Arizona. This tower was alongside old US-66. Obviously, there's not a lot left there to look at. But the state of decay combines perfectly with the surrounding beauty to make for a wonderful location.

Sunset in Death Valley

2007-03-18T10:14:00.000-07:00

Well, in Death Valley National Park, that is. This was taken on our way back out of Death Valley, out the westward exit toward Lone Pine and Bishop and toward US-395.

Death Valley Sand Dunes

2007-03-17T11:15:00.000-07:00

This was taken a few years ago in Death Valley National Park. Still one of my favorite locations of all time, and definitely a place that we want to get back to.

More Desert - Four Peaks (Phoenix area)

2007-03-16T07:35:00.000-07:00

More from the desert southwest, this from outside of Phoenix at Four Peaks. (There's a pretty good brewery named Four Peaks Brewing Company, too, by the way, but their own website appears to be down.)

Mojave Desert

2007-03-15T07:20:00.001-07:00

More from the Desert Southwest, this from alongside Route 66 in the Mojave Desert, near Goffs.

More Desert Southwest (Sedona, AZ)

2007-03-12T22:53:00.000-07:00

Another photo of the red rocks that seem to be prevalent in the Southwest, this one from Sedona, Arizona. I have to admit that this area is one of the more beautiful that I have been to on a mile-for-mile comparison. From the time that you begin to descend into Oak Creek Canyon from the north until well after you leave the Sedona area in the south, beauty abounds. But it is still not my favorite place to visit. I'll leave that for future photographs and posts.

New Mexico 66

2007-03-10T11:18:00.000-08:00

From one eastbound-northward curve on 66 to another, this one taken in western New Mexico. It's really hard to see in the upper right, but if you look closely, you can see where the dreaded superslab cut through the mountain as opposed to the path taken by the Mother Road around the obstacle. This is probably one of my favorite locations along 66 in New Mexico, just because of its natural beauty and the way that the highway hugged the landscape rather than destroying it.

More From 66 - Pasadena, CA

2007-03-07T07:28:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday, the Eagle Rock Center for the Arts held their annual auction. The auction - held (sort of) on 66 near the intersection of Colorado Boulevard and Eagle Rock Boulevard in the Los Angeles community of Eagle Rock - is called their Annual Route 66 Auction. For the first time this year, I donated an item for the auction. This photograph is the print that I donated to them and is a night shot of the Suicide Bridge in Pasadena, a portion of 66 from 1934 until 1940. This particular shot was taken on New Year's Eve (technically New Year's morning, as it was after midnight) this year when the bridge was closed prior to the Tournament of Roses Parade.

Another from 11/11/06 in Victorville

2007-03-06T07:11:00.000-08:00

One more from the anniversary celebration in Victorville on 11 November, 2006.

Quarterly Update

2007-03-05T07:06:00.000-08:00

In honor of the first edition of the 66 Productions Quarterly E-Update being released this past weekend, I thought I would put up this photo to get back in the Route 66 frame of mind again.

This photo was taken on the 80th Birthday of Route 66, November 11, 2006. It was shot at the car show in Victorville, California, during the 11th Anniversary celebration of the California Route 66 Museum.

More From Burning Man

2007-03-04T11:40:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd post another shot from Burning Man today.

On My Mind

2007-03-03T19:08:00.000-08:00

I've been sick for several days, and really bad Thursday night and Friday morning. Feeling better today, though. Realized that the nice, warm weather with sunny, blue skies was part of the reason for the improvement in health. And that made me realize that there is something badly missing for me right now: the desert.

And that, of course, can only mean one thing. Well, OK, it can mean a lot more than one thing. But, in this case, with a friend of mine sending several emails lately, it means BURNING MAN! I wish it were just around the corner. It seems like it should be. I can't believe we are still about 175 days away. Oh well. Until then, thoughts of the man burning are enough to keep me warm and cozy! (By the way, lest any of you think I'm that stupid, someone else's flash hit just about the time my shutter opened ... I wasn't stupid enough to use my flash, but theirs certainly helped me!)

More From Pipestem

2007-03-01T22:00:00.000-08:00

This takes us back to Pipestem Resort State Park. This was taken at Indian Branch Falls within the park. This waterfall is located below the Nature Center, and I believe that this was the first time that I was on this trail and at this falls. What I was most surprised about by this location is Julie's willingness to walk right to the edge of the falls and look down. Craziness! (I wish she had uploaded those photos for me to link to!)

Another From West Virginia in the Fall

2007-02-28T08:07:00.000-08:00

Another from our West Viriginia trip in October, this one from Hawk's Nest State Park.

Other Foliage

2007-02-26T06:53:00.000-08:00

In October, Julie and I went to West Virginia for a few days right around the time of peak fall foliage color. In addition to seeing some of my family, we also spent a couple of nights at Pipestem Resort State Park in the southern part of the state.

We were blessed with mostly good weather, and got in one wonderful hike, too, while we were there. This is just one of the many photos that I took that show some wonderful foliage, as you will see over the next several days.

More Float Details - Rose Parade 2007

2007-02-25T09:20:00.000-08:00

If you read the link in my last post, you will have read "Every inch of the float must be covered with flowers or other natural materials, such as leaves, seeds, or bark." This photograph shows detail of another float, showing the use of materials other than flowers that cover some of the floats.

Float Details - Rose Parade 2007

2007-02-23T07:15:00.000-08:00

You are probably already aware that the floats in the annual Tournament of Roses Parade are dressed with roses and other flowers. But seeing them on TV does not do justice to the what the floats actually look like in person. This detail shot shows one of the floats from this year's parade and the ornamentation involved in the floats.

St. Louis in Pasadena on 66

2007-02-19T11:00:00.000-08:00

As promised yesterday, today's photograph is of the City of St. Louis' entry in the 2007 Tournament of Roses Parade. St. Louis is another one of the metropolitan areas along Route 66 that has a lot to offer the roadie that is willing to look for it. However, much like Los Angeles, St. Louis' hodgepodge of multiple and complex alignments can be difficult to track without a knowing guide or guidebook. I, myself, have gotten lost there twice.

More OK Rose Parade

2007-02-18T09:54:00.000-08:00

This is the last of the Oklahoma Rose Parade photos that I will be putting up. Tomorrow, I'll move on to St. Louis. This one shows a bit of the Will Rogers OK/CA Route 66 connection.

Oops - More OK

2007-02-17T06:47:00.000-08:00

Well, yesterday I accidentally put up the wrong photo. I meant to put up a shot of the band itself, but instead posted another one of the OK floats. So, here is the photo I should have posted yesterday of the Oklahoma All-Star Centennial Band.

More Rose Parade / Oklahoma

2007-02-16T07:21:00.000-08:00

Continuing from yesterday, today is the Oklahoma All-Star Centennial Band from this year's Rose Parade.

Oklahoma - in California (Rose Parade)

2007-02-15T07:14:00.000-08:00

I scanned some new photos in a couple of days ago and have not taken the time yet to clean them up (I always clean dirt from the scans, but rarely - if ever - alter the nature of the photograph itself) but I thought I would start posting a series of shots in honor of Oklahoma's Centennial in 2007.

This first one was shot on January 1, 2007. In California. It was taken during the annual Tournament of Roses Parade, which happens to traverse a portion of Route 66 for most of its journey. There's no doubt that the cities of Duarte and St. Louis (both Route 66 towns) and the state of Oklahoma (which 66 also runs through) realized this connection while taking the journey down the parade route.

I posted some of the upcoming photos in the Route 66 egroup, and heard back from one of my friends, who sent me this link. And it's a pretty darn good link for anyone interested in taking a trip to Oklahoma, perhaps for the annual Route 66 celebration that happens in a different city every year and this year is being held in Clinton.

I Love This Name - Wenceslas Square, Prague

2007-02-13T22:01:00.000-08:00

I've been debating for awhile whether or not I wanted to post this photo. I love it and hate and find it amusing all at the same time. So I really am not sure if it is very good.

I am amused at the "fuji" and "olympus" signs, since this was shot on kodak ektrachome using a pentax camera.

I hate the lower half of the photo, finding it way too dark and not terribly interesting.

But I love the way those two signs stand out on the middle line, with that gorgeous sunset in the background.

And since I've been showing so many Prague photos lately, I thought I would keep it going with this one.

(Besides, I have a bunch of scans to do tonight, and didn't have too much more immediately ready to post at the moment!)

Prague Castle - Guards

2007-02-12T07:56:00.000-08:00

Two more shots from Prague, these from the castle area showing a guard shack and also some of the guards just after they have been relieved.

Prague Overview

2007-02-11T08:55:00.000-08:00

This was taken from the hills near the castle overlooking Prague.

Another Prague Streetscape

2007-02-09T06:45:00.000-08:00

More from Prague this morning. (I REALLY wish I could go back!)

Prague - Residence

2007-02-07T07:00:00.000-08:00

One of the things that I really enjoyed about all of Europe was the blend of old and new. It seems that the places in Europe that we went - Prague, Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck, and Budapest - all have a very nice blend of old and new, with the eye toward restoration and adaptive reuse of their historic structures. It leeds creedence to the belief that Americans are a disposable society. Too bad. We have a lot of historic structures worth saving that we just do not put forth the effort to keep.

This is another one of those shots I took in Prague that the building just seemed really neat, but I can't tell you exactly why. If I remember correctly, this is located near the Magika Laterna Theatre, which was anoter enjoyable experience in Prague.

Buildings - Prague

2007-02-06T07:30:00.000-08:00

After yesterday's seemingly "newer" side of Innsbruck, I thought I'd show a streetscape shot from Prague this morning. I know, not much in common really, aside from the fact that they were both shot on the same trip to Europe. But hey, at least I posted another photo this morning!

Innsbruck

2007-02-05T07:04:00.000-08:00

Two more shots from Innsbruck. I especially like the blue building on the left in this first one.

More Trains (Austria)

2007-02-04T14:44:00.000-08:00

This was taken in April 2005 on our train ride from Salzburg to Innsbruck.

Storm - Slovakia / Austria border

2007-02-03T08:27:00.000-08:00

This was taken on the train ride from Salzburg (Austria) to Budapest (Hungary), and as best as I could tell from the map and what I knew of our route, we were near Bratislava (Slovakia) at the time that I shot this.

Another Train Station (Santa Barbara)

2007-02-02T08:07:00.000-08:00

Taken from the Amtrak train, this photo is the Santa Barbara train station. I took this during Julie's and my train ride to San Luis Obispo for Julie's birthday in 2004.

One More From Union Station

2007-02-01T20:17:00.000-08:00

One last one, the BACK of the building. Well, I think it is the back. To me, the front faces the tracks, like in the days of the Harvey Houses, such as the La Posada in Winslow, AZ, the El Garces in Needles, CA, or the Casa Del Desierto in Barstow, CA. All 3, of course, are on Historic Route 66.

Union Station (Los Angeles) - Interior

2007-01-29T06:58:00.000-08:00

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.

More Water - Union Station, Los Angeles

2007-01-28T11:03:00.000-08:00

Keeping in the water theme from yesterday, here's some more water, this in a fountain adjacent to Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles.

My Own Boat (PCH, Northern California)

2007-01-27T08:44:00.000-08:00

Another of my titled photographs, "My Own Boat" was shot in Northern California along the Pacific Coast Highway in April 2004, while Julie and I were driving up to Portland. He's a little difficult to make out, but there is a rather large bird on the roof of the boat, hence the title.

Lincoln Graveyard

2007-01-25T07:09:00.000-08:00

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.)

Filling Station (Rancho Cucamonga, CA)

2007-01-23T07:26:00.000-08:00

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!)

Toward Death Valley (Keeler, CA)

2007-01-22T06:51:00.000-08:00

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.

More Desert (Artist's Palette, Death Valley)

2007-01-21T07:40:00.000-08:00

From one desert to another. Last photo was from Burning Man at Black Rock Desert in Nevada. These photos are from Artist's Palette in Death Valley National Park, California. The color photo is from the drive up the narrow road to Artist's Palette, the black and white is the palette itself.

Julie and I went to Death Valley in 2003. It was pretty darn hot, almost too hot even for me. My car hated it, too. We came in from the west side (think Bishop, Lone Pine, and that wonderful drive up and down 395) and had been in snow outside of Bishop the day before.

Death Valley is definitely a place we want to get back to!

Burning Man

2007-01-19T07:06:00.000-08:00

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.

More from Tahoe Desolation Wilderness

2007-01-10T07:13:00.000-08:00

Three more from the backpacking trip, two from Half Moon Lake and one from Gilmore Lake.

More on the Outdoors (Tahoe Desolation Wilderness)

2007-01-09T07:20:00.000-08:00

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.

The Final Word on the Bridge

2007-01-08T22:15:00.000-08:00

I'll go back sometime, but not sure when. Until I do, here are my last two photos. Hopefully next week I'll move on to the Rose Parade. Look for more in the next few days, though.

The Real Proof about Bridge to Nowhere

2006-12-30T10:45:00.000-08:00

OK, so the last post was really a tease.

The Bridge to Nowhere Exists, and Here is My Proof

2006-12-27T07:01:00.000-08:00

Back on September 23, my wife Julie, co-workers Jamie and Jill, and I all decided to hike to bridge to nowhere. We didn't make it.

On December 16, I found out why. I did the hike by myself that day, and covered the distance from trailhead to bridge and back in about 5 hours. That includes a 30 minute break at the bridge, four stops to change from boots to sandals and back, and re-filling my water twice using our filter system.

The "trail" itself has been washed away in places and is difficult to find, unless you know to REALLY look for it. Sometimes on the way up the trail, I was actually climbing up the hillside when I didn't need to in order to look for a trail that I thought was there but wasn't. It's kind of crazy. But so worth it, as these pictures can attest.

The story of the bridge, by the way, is that the Republic of California decided in the mid-1930's to build this road up the canyon where the East Fork of the San Gabriel River flows down the San Gabriel Mountains. A huge flood in 1938 destroyed a lot of the road, but left the bridge intact. Today, bungee jumpers routinely make the trek out there for the jump off of the bridge.

(Having problems getting the photos to load, but will do so later.)

More Budapest ... on the Train

2006-12-26T07:54:00.000-08:00

This past (Christmas) weekend, I was in both Sacramento and Tucson. Julie and I drove both places. I don't even want to know the total mileage that was covered. I'm afraid to ask. It would have been so much easier in a plane ... other than the airport crap. And it would have been easier on a train ... if Amtrak knew how to stay on time, and had a decent amount of service in this country. But alas .....

So, with transportation in mind, and thinking back to a year and a half ago and how easy it was to get around Europe, I am posting several more shots from Budapest today, all of the train station there. If I remember correctly, the station that we arrived at and left from was the Keleti Station.

Farmer's Market, Budapest

2006-12-16T10:14:00.000-08:00

Since I'm about to get ready to leave for the Farmer's Market in Pasadena (I hope it is open today, I haven't checked!) I thought I would post these photos from a permanent farmer's market that I visited in Budapest. It's in an old train station there.

Another Old Diner (6 & 40, West of Denver)

2006-12-14T07:27:00.000-08:00

Found this place on my way to Omaha for the 2002 Preserving Historic Roads Conference. It is west of Denver along current I-70. I don't remember the exact location, but I believe it to be in Idaho Springs.

Individualism (101 Near Solvang)

2006-12-12T07:36:00.000-08:00

Been involved in an interesting discussion over the last 24 hours about chain stores and how crappy they are. Well, I feel that way, and so do others (albeit for different reasons). Unfortunately there are actually Wal-Mart supporters out there who just do not understand individuality and personal flair and flavor. They probably buy pre-made gingerbread men, too, so that they all look alike.

Anyway, it's made me think about locally owned businesses lately. And when I opened my photos folder on my computer this morning, to see what locally owned business I had photos of, the first one that showed up in the list was this one, and it made me wonder whatever happened to the owners of this place after all the chain restaurants opened along the 101 at the nearby exit to Solvang.

More Salzburg - Train Station

2006-12-10T06:32:00.000-08:00

This was taken from the Salzburg train station on our way out of town to head to Budapest. I loved riding the trains in Europe. Very close to on time every time. Very pleasant and enjoyable, and an opportunity to see the countryside a little bit, too. Definitely beats flying, and although you don't have the flexibility that you do while driving, it is a lot less stressful, too. Now if only Amtrak were as extensive and on-schedule!