Starting out, it was perfect weather. Then, in the early afternoon, the comfort index skyrocketed and my shirt was soaking wet under my backpack. Add in a dose of the wind going flat, it was even hot under my Mudhens baseball cap that arrived a couple of days prior.
As I was leaving the house, my neighbor ask me where I was headed today. I told him there wasn't anyplace in particular today because I had already done research on places where my pictures were hot, warm, cold and even dead as far as sales were concerns. It has been most successful in the past to just go and let the trail lead me where ever. Surprisingly, it works and I find more to shoot that sells on those kinds of days.
Several years ago, I would get in the car, pull out onto the street and basically followed the path of least resistance. Some of my best images were the result of those kinds of days and now that I ride the bus and trains, it's even more amazing what I run across. Today, I saw a bob cat running along side the rail tracks where the scrub bushes were growing. It's been a while since I have seen a bob cat in the wild. About a month ago, I saw a coyote for the first time in a couple of years. I don't feel comfortable walking some of the trailheads because of the wildlife more than people looking to do harm. I keep aware of my surroundings. The thing is, when you find something interesting and you start to plan out the angle, light etc.,etc., and you loose awareness sometimes. But, I've worked on it knowing that it is a slight problem here and there.
As far a learning the new settings on the new camera, today was a break through on a couple of them and as a reward, I stopped at a Sonic and had a chocolate milk shake complete with whip cream and a cherry on top. It was a boost of needed energy as the walk to the next bus stop was a bit further than I had planned. So, that required another reward and I stayed on the bus until I was across from Spouts Market. My favorite from them is a four-pack of Pistachio Muffins. Oh, are they so good. Then, I backpacked them to the return bus stop and to the rail station.
