A Surprise From the Sierra Navada

Fishing on the Rock again.

Ducking the main sail in low quarters!

Even since the Osprey flew the nest at the end of summer, I set out to find a new action web cam. There has been a previous post about this. Yes, one was found and it was mentioned "in part" in that same post.

Watching the daily dose of 2-mile-lone freight trains being pulled through town several times a day by Union Pacific locomotion has been a trill for a big kid. Me! On the other hand,  Amtrak is also amazing as their  daily consist has gone from the normal of 12-cars down to 11 after the holiday. Plus, three or four times, the old private cars are pulled from west to east or east back to the west. Either way, the freight trains are general freight and always one of straight containers. There has been some freights with as many as 8 engines. Some pulling. Some pushing. Yesterday, there was one that was made up of 10 locomotives. That is the most that I have ever seen in any trains consist. Ever! And I have watched trains ever since I was a kid walking home from school.

At the same while,  I have watched the weather systems move over the Sierra Nevada range and dip down arriving in North Texas a couple of days later, On Monday, it was raining with freezing rain on the web cam. The nights have been in the low 20s--even dipping to the upper teens a couple of time.

When I clicked on the cam this morning.....I gasp from the beauty of snow capped mountains that came over the night.  The gold of the Aspen trees leaves below the snow caps just sent chills of excitement and joy through my soul. I remember the old Lutheran and Methodist hymn: "For the Beauty of the Earth" by Conrad Kocher in 1838, and I give thanks.

Nature's Flying Stain Glass

Well, every year about this time, give or take a window's week, the Monarch butterfly reaches North Texas from its days of milkweed leaf chomping, it's lush silk-spun chrysalis they encased themselves into in Canada and the Great Lakes before they take flight to winter in Mexico.

I found one spot where there were as many as 7 Monarchs on one plant. The most that I have seen in one place outside of  hundreds in the air overhead.

Plant milkweed in your garden and start watching around Columbus Day for the arrival. First you will see one or two, then a dozen. Look up and you might catch a brief view of one of the waves.
These are the great-great grand children of last years arrivals.

Eureka and No Way!

Eureka. After looking for the spot where an old image was taken for more than a year, today was the day when the lost puzzle piece dropped on the table. That would be picture A. On the other hand, I did not go looking for this one and I didn't hang around long after snapping this shot. That would be picture B.

Picture A: Highway to Dallas

Picture B:  A reptile that  was soaking in the sun.

Lamborghini Anxiety

Ever get nervous that someone is going to scratch or dent your ride when it's parked in close quarters? Well, I have and the dang car wasn't even mine! Still, it was a nail biter for nearly 40-minutes.

Coming off that shoot, it was to a convention-of-sort- of several auto clubs in Dallas and their weekly show somewhere in the Metroplex. Now, these cars are old, generally, but have been tripped out by their owners and instantly become an item of pride. It's also like a mini BBQ cook off with each conclave of club members doing their own cooking and feeding their own families and crews. One member who goes by the name Tiny Loko,did offer me a bottle of water, which was very much appreciated. Although, it was declined because I carry my own water when out shooting, especially in hot or humid conditions, or both!

I have always loved car shows. My uncle was a 30-year union electrician at Cobo Hall in Detroit when it was built.  He gave  me and my dad a very interesting and in depth look at behind-the-scene at Cobo. We also got a chance to see the car show of all car shows in Detroit, when Detroit was at the peak of its glory. I will always remember that car show and the super tour of behind-the-scenes of the show and of Cobo itself.

Still, that Lamborghini had me on pins and needles. The sound of that engine was awesome. It's a 7-speed stick where shifting really is fun. The truck is for special shipments for protection and some privacy. For that reason, alone, I did try to respect that. However, it was being loaded on a public street and not on private property so, it was game for editorial use.

I'll do a seperate post of some of the cars at the Dallas Auto Clubs Show at Flap Pole Hill. 

The Prep. Tires are expensive, too!

15-minutes to get to here and the space gets closer.

There! Tie'er down securely. Note the plad pads on two of the GT to keep its rag top from hitting the roof for any reason. This is the way to ship your car. The truck is a registered user of the Secure Container Program at the Port of Oakland, Ca.

Fate Is Funny

 It's no secret that I love planes and I love trains. To me, not because they are both transportation related, trains and planes go hand-in-hand. And, it's no secret that I am or have been disappointed by Boeing for some time because they just don't have any interesting planes in design channels and are about to kill-off the best airplane that ever flew, the 747. But, somewhere down the line, they will get back on track after they stop playing with composit material and determine that they have the new space age material already.  Design is the next step to get back on track. There is more to it than it being that simple. It's just that I'm getting old and I want to see as much of the next generation aircraft that I can while I can still kick dust instead of pushing it up.

Somethings just are not meant to be. Fate is funny like that. You might as well laugh. No sense in being or getting in a dither over things. I could have seen the new 737-800 MAX that Boeing flew into Love Field yesterday. It had the Boeing paint and those magical word on its side: Experimental. It will have those words on its side, until the FAA certifies the air frame to be air worthy, which should be about this same time next year if some part doesn't fall off or something mechanical like that breaks. It was brought into Love to Southwest for them to gawk at since Southwest will be getting the first one. I've got pictures of the 787 Dream liner that came into DFW a while back. All my photo buddies were all lined up to get shots as it come into DFW on 18 L or 18 R. At the last minute ( like they didn't know ahead of time) the ACT switched it over a couple of miles to the east on 17L,or 17C, or 17R. I could not tell from that distance which one it was lined up with. American had the big show set up in the hangers on that side of the field rather than on the west side of the field at their other Maintenance hanger.

Southwest did the same, but trying to get a shot on those days when they plan on purpose to keep you at bay just isn't worth it to me at my age. Even when I have been a fan of Herb and Gary since Herb's napkins days,so I stayed home. I was going to go over to Love and watch it take off and get some good shots today. I missed the departure by 21 minutes. AARGH! When I checked the status the flight was already crossing the Oklahoma line on its way to Chicago.
 
Now, yesterday, I posted the post about the Amtrak trains and the Union Pacific freight trains that roll through this little California town nestled into the Sierra Nevada Mountains. What I didn't mention in that post is that I have been having a laugh fest about where the Amtrack train looses so much time in Nevada. There is a little town called Winnemucca, Nevada. I'm always kidding myself when the station boards clicks and says that the train will be late by so many minutes. And it hasn't even left the station in Winnemucca yet. I say  what when amucca in Winnemucca?  As it is, it seems that there are a lot of freight trains switching in that area and being in the mountains, pulling 100-110 car trains with eight locomotives is totall y because of the mountains. That's why the UP built the Big Boys in the 1930s. It takes power to come across the mountains. But, Winnemucca must be a good little town and I enjoy having a little fun  at their expense when it's not their fault.

So, today, while I am looking at the stats for N8704Q, the Boeing 737-800 Max that had just taken off from Love Field, I was looking at where the plane had been. It had come to Dallas from Denver.
Looking back farther, It has been hanging out at Pinal Air park (KMZJ) near Marana, Arizona and had gotten there from Boeing Field International, Seattle. But before going to  Denver, it had left Pinal Air park and had last been seen----get this----near Winnemucca, NV. of all places on the globe for that plane to run a flight test to and then back to Pinal, had me in tears, my stomach was hurting from laughing so hard that I just shut down the computer for a bit and sat here at the desk shaking my head. Fate had gotten the last laugh! And I knew it.

The activity log reads:

Unknown Pinal Air park (KMZJ) Near Winnemucca, NV 01:53PM MST Last seen 04:18PM MDT 1:25

You couldn't make this stuff up if you tried. I had said in a previous post that a mail truck was an equal opportunity pumper and what do I see but an actual fire pumper at the gas station getting gas a couple of days later ....not just any pump at the station, but the one right behind me. Two feet away.

Now, to get even with me for laughing and saying, "what went amucca in Winnemucca,?"  The closest airport to my house and one where I could have gotten the best shot departs ahead of time and had the activity log rubbing it into my face with the  word, Winnemucca!.  Don't tell me that Fate isn't also a practical joker. I've got the proof now!☺☺


If you would like to see the picture of the plane in the Boeing Experimental paint that was on the plane here at Southwest hangers at Love, the link is included here:

 http://flightaware.com/photos/aircraft/N8704Q

Natures Boquet on  a lake shoreline.

Mail Truck, a Pumper and a Zephyr

This is a story about a U.S. Mail truck. The same kind you see going up and down neighborhood streets, or parked behind the local post office branch in your town or neighborhood. Nothing unusual about that. The other is a full size red fire truck. The same kind you see at your local fire station and a historic Zephyr east bound (6) and west bound (5) from California to Lake Michigan. and the Windy City.

About a month ago, when all the nesting hawks, ospreys, owls and eagles had fledged their nest, most of the web cams were turned off for the balance of the year. The experts say that it only takes 30 days of doing something routinely before it becomes a habit. And, yes, after the birds were gone from the nest, it was more difficult to find a good web cam to watch. The resorts are rather dumb. The airports pan to much and don't focus on the action stuff. The scenic sites are no where near as good as a good IMAX movie so those are out. Then, I'm thinking, my  like for watching trains is still active. Why not look for live web cams of trains coming and going. It didn't take long before I had found  a link to some pretty neat train cams. Freight trains are good because they are made up of all kinds of cars. Then, there are coal trains that are hopper car after hopper car after hopper car for more than a mile. At least watching a container train you get variety. Twenty-footers, forty footers, red ones, blues ones, green ones, white ones, rusty ones and once  in a while a slip deck that is all open on the bottom except where the container sits on rockers.Those are unusual and can be rather interesting.

But, the best part was that an Amtrak came through twice a day. It runs from  Emeryville, California to Chicago. It's known east bound as the California Zephyr No. 6 and its known west bound as the California Zephyr No. 5. The little thing to remember here is that I have actually ridden this train. It was a delight years ago and I have a deep yearning to do it again. However, there is not an arrive time but there is a departure time. The reason for that is that Amtrak shares the Union Pacific  tracks through the mountains to Denver and shares the tracks with Burlington Northern Santa Fe from Denver to Chicago. And where that happens, one must remember that freight revenue over passengers is always Trump (nothing to do with the elections, thank goodness). However, being a good student of transportation, it didn't take long to get the system down to where you could be more accurate than the station boards.
 The west bound is always able to make up 7 minutes, so if the station boards say that the train is running 32 minutes late, he will actually only be twenty-five minutes late. You also learn that it takes on that section of track 1 hour to go from point A to point B. So when you do the calculations--which my train friends call "railroading", you can actually plan, go put away the dishes  or start dinner or load the dishwasher and not miss  seeing the cool blue and gray engines pulling  the 9 cars, sometimes, even twelve or thirteen. The eighth car is always the dining car. One of the coolest cars on the train. Amtrak does carry certified chefs on board that actually prepare the meals. The week before Labor Day, he was pulling 12 cars. Even had a  club car one day and a scenic vista car one day. He also had an old private Pullman car, which is the way to travel for sure. Those cars are fantastic and private. They are of the vintage of presidential campaign cars where you see the bunting on the back deck and the candidate waving to the crowds! A rather romantic version of a time gone by and most unfortunate it only survives sporadically. At one time, you could have the railroad pull your car anywhere for a dollar a mile. Still cheaper today than a private jet, flight crew, but certainly more  laid back and enjoyable than a jet.  That's for sure.

So, in this little town seen via web cam, there are two gas stations on a very wide and well planned out street corner just up from the rail station. The stations face the cross streets with their "C" store operations  and their pumps in this beehive California town.  The town is up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains  and is a typical vacation spot for camping, skiing, boating, hiking, back-packing, hotel and restaurant fans along with daily local activities.

So, a couple of days ago, this mail truck pulled into the one station that is more for the townies than the other one. The other:  a name brand station and people off the interstate. Travelers can use their brand credit cards there. But, generally, the business is pretty equal but weighted to the local station 3:2. It's  judged by the number of fill ups ordered up by the station more than anything else. I was a bit shocked to see a mail truck getting gas at a local gas station but when you think about where this is, it probably make more sense than maintaining a tank and dispensing facility at the post office. Plus, maybe you don't want that around the trucks or what ever.

Two days after seeing the first mail truck come in to get gas, a second mail truck came in to the station across the street. Being struck as funny, I said out loud, "Oh, look at that, an equal opportunity gas pumper!"  Two days later, the mail truck was in at the local station again.

Today, while getting gas at my Kroger gas station, I was pulling in to my regular side that had no one at either pumps, but the middle and far right pumps were full. So, not being a total jerk, I pulled up allowing someone to come in behind me normally instead of having to jockey around to get to the empty pump. As I was getting out of the car, this big red fire truck pulled in and was going around the station. Not to worry. He must be doing an inspection or something I though, until he pulled up right behind me. In my many decades of filling up my car, I have never had a fire truck pull up behind me, get out of the truck and do the same routine that I'm doing. The fireman walked up to the door of his truck after beginning his fill up. I said to the fireman, that," I had seen on a web cam that I watch trains on, a mail truck get gas at one station and then go across the street the next time to the other station and get gas and I had called him an equal opportunity gas pumper. When I saw you pull in it reminded me of that! I had to chuckle." He acknowledged the humor.

Upon leaving the station the thought occurred to me that no one is going to believe me that I had just gassed up at Kroger's next to a full size fire pumper. So I went back to get a shot. As I was driving on to the lake to see if the pelicans had arrived ( and they had)  another thought occurred to me that they shop at Kroger's and like anyone else, get fuel points too.  I wondered if they do, indeed, get full points for diesel. So, long story shot, I have seen another equal opportunity pumper for real and this one really was a pumper.

Equal Opportunity Fuel Points!

The Pelicans have returned and greeted by the turtles

100 cars of this is rather boring. Seeing 8 engines pull a mile long train over the mountains wasn't.

24/09/2016:edited for clarity

A Double Take At The Lake

One reason that I assign two days for the lake is that there is always something different happening there. When shooting editorial images, especially the variety of things happening,  also builds a portfolio of news images that can be used from a draw file. You need an image of a UPS truck, you have one. You need an image of a fire truck, you have one. It's that simple. But, most of all, the different things that I have seen at the lake is most amazing. And I'm not talking about eagles, hawks, owls and pelicans and ospreys ( although I have learned a lot about Ospreys from several web cams from Montana to Maryland to Delaware.

 I'm talking about things like a steam boat on the lake. Yes, a fully functional genuine steam boat--home made, no less. A full size fire pumper in the lake. A stolen car being recovered from the lake. Sadly, I've seen a couple of drownings. Of course, there are the sail boats, and rowing club sleek long 9-man racers, too. Within the past six years, a new kayak and standup paddle board and canoe rental has returned. Now, the weekends are filled with colorful boats all over the lake.  I've seen several coyotes, one deer, lots of fish and turtles, a large outdoor weddings, a large red heart made up of humans wearing red slickers,

Today, I have added two more new things. One is a three panel solar power back pack a gentleman was wearing. He said that it charges his phone and supplies power to his music and can support his computer if so desired. Actually, it was rather smart-looking and I can see one under my camera bag one December or one birthday soon.

But the last thing that I saw today that made me turn around and come back to take a second look to make sure that what I was seeing was what I thought I was seeing. In short. It sure was!. Walking on two feed, having a feast as it wandered from insect to insects, bugs worms, grubs  and such things.

When I was a kid, my mom and dad let me raise a dozen or so. I entered them in the county fair and won blue, red and white ribbons for a number of year. The checks that came in the mail from the Fair Board afterwords was worth all the effort. So what was it? Why it was a big Rhode Island Red that was obviously now free-ranging since in the city they are permitted. Chickens are. But the rule on roosters is: If it crows, it goes! Someone either got tired of their one egg-a-day chicken or it got out of the cage.

 Obviously, someone found out the hard way and like so many people have done with dogs and cats, they take them to the park and let them loose. Only this summer I found a rabbit in a cage sitting under a tree that someone left on their lunch hour.  The good thing about chickens is that they can fly up into the trees at night for safety. This one was happy and fat and just doing the chicken thing as it would hunt and peck for food as it wondered in an area that was very well protected with plenty of places to hide and a food pantry for a life time. Not to mention being only a short stroll from a creek that feeds the lake for its water.

So, to the red hen on E. Lawther Drive, welcome to free-range White Rock Lake!

A gentleman with a neat solar cell back pack. He said that it supports his phone, music and computer on a full charge.

A free-range hen at White Rock!!!!!!!

I had to turn around and come back to make sure what I saw was what I thought I saw!.