Aquamarine Blue Waters, Sandy Beaches, Craggy Shorelines and Palm Trees. I must be in Hawaii!

In the early morning, just after sunrise, we boarded a van and Marie from Blue Hawaii Photo Tours led us through an amazing days of sights, sounds and Hawaiian history and culture. We roamed from Waikiki to various scenic spots along the eastern shore taking photos of rocky shorelines, soft sandy beaches and towering mountain ranges. All the while, Marie helped the four of us with our cameras. Yes, even me. I learned some shortcuts and a few techniques I never thought of. We visited Makapu’u Point, Lanikai where you can see an old WWII Pillbox observation station, Kualoa Beach Park with the Chinaman’s Hat Island jutting out in the bay. We made our way to La’ie Point where a giant tsunami punched a hole right through a small island in the bay. From there we venture to the North Shore where the famous surfing beaches can be found with names like “Sunset Beach,” “Banzai  Pipeline,” and “Pupukea Beach.” At Laniakea on the North Shore,  we watched the Hawaiian Green Turtle cavort in the surf with its human swim partners. They seemed to revel in getting flipped completely over by the crashing waves!

While on the North Shore, we visited a massive Banyan Tree that has become a fixture in TV shows and Movies including the new “Jumanji 2” coming out this summer. While there, I got to practice my portrait photography with a member of our tour. She volunteered to be the model for the group as we used the Hawaiian backdrops for a different type of photography.

Also on the North Shore, we dined at one of the many food trucks that can be found throughout the area. The food was excellent. I had Thai Chicken Satay and some fresh Mango from a nearby fruit stand. Great lunch!

On the way back to Waikiki, we passed the Dole Plantation and Marie filled us in on the amazing maturation process for a single pineapple. It takes over a year for one pineapple and the plant only produces two fruit! After two years, they dig up the plant and start all over!

After the tour, I rested a bit then took a long walk through Waikiki. If I was a shopper, I would have been in heaven. You can find everything from very high end to down and dirty basic. My walk included a rather hairy section of sandy beach where an unusually high tide was filling the walk that was supposed to be there with water. But I didn’t drown and enjoyed a very nice dinner at Hula Grill part of  Duke Kahanamoku the Godfather of Surfing’s Restaurant empire. Their special included two types of native fish, Ono and Mahimahi and some native veggies. Of course I had to finish it with a slice of KIMO’S FAMOUS HULA PIE® – Chocolate cookie crust, macadamia nut ice cream, hot fudge, toasted mac nuts & whipped cream. My new favorite dessert!!!!!

It is now Friday morning and I have decided to catch on my blog and relax a bit. This evening I am going to a Luau at Diamond Head. Stay tuned – there will be a lot more to come!

London Bridge, Dr. Seuss Trees, and Mighty Sequoias – From Arizona’s west to Central Cal

Lake Havasu City – the home of The London Bridge. Yes, the one brought over from London and plopped down in the middle of the desert, spanning a man-made channel onto an island on Lake Havasu. Did I mention this is a desert? Yes all 104º of it! Interesting town totally focused on water sports and the Colorado River waters held back by the Parker Dam. It was so hot, after a good lunch looking out over the London Bridge and crystal clear waters of the lake, I decided to hit the movie theatre and see King Arthur. Interesting retelling of an old tale. Entertaining on a hot May afternoon.

The next morning I was up before dawn heading west to Joshua Tree National Park – 2.5 hours away. A very interesting drive through very desolate desert landscapes. There were long stretches of road when I was the only one on the highway. I also discovered an interesting feature of California desert highways – they do not smooth out the dips. It was quite an exhilarating drive hitting multiple dips in a row at 72 mph. It’s a good thing I don’t get sea sick!!!

Joshua Tree National Park is a contrast between the low Colorado Desert and the high Mojave Desert. In the Colorado, the Creosote Bush and Cholla Cactus are abundant – the high desert features the Dr. Seuss looking Joshua Trees. These are not really trees but relatives of the Yucca. A starkly beautiful park with abundant desert flowers and plants and extremely weathered rock formations.

Leaving Joshua Tree, I decided to check out Pioneertown – an old western town where they shot Gene Autry and Roy Rogers pictures. It was a quaint stretch of old wooden buildings. Since it is the off season, it was mostly abandoned with one artist in residence selling his pottery wares.

Leaving the old west, I ventured into the bowels of California – the central valley – on my way to Sequoia National Park and its sister park Kings Canyon. I decided to take nine hour drive and just sightsee without stopping to take pictures. I will go back. Central California is a virtual garden with so many colors and textures created by the agriculture and landscapes. AND Sequoia National Park is worth repeating and really diving into. I have decided to return right after my Hawaii expedition (which I have started as I sit here in Honolulu typing this post.)

My long drive ended in San Francisco. After spending over 11 hours on the road, I decided to take Tuesday off and just enjoyed the sights and sounds of San Francisco – taking a trolley ride to Fisherman’s Wharf for a seafood dinner and enjoying the fog enshrouded environs. Early the next morning I hit the road to the airport, parked my car and five and a half hours later I was in Hawaii. Again 45º in San Francisco to 84º in Honolulu. I wonder what my body is thinking?

Tomorrow – I am scheduled for an eight and a half hour photo tour of Oahu. Can’t wait! Stay tuned – Hawaiian pictures coming soon!

From 29 to 92! (degrees, not age – although walking around at 92º?)

The last two days saw extremes in temperature as well as altitude. I sit here in Lake Havasu City at 490 ft Sea Level where the daytime temperature is supposed to hover around 92º. Two days ago, I drove down a snowy mountain and then climbed ice-covered rocks at 9,500 + ft Sea level in 29º temperatures on my way to try to photograph Zapata Falls in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of Colorado.

On my way to the falls, I passed through the oldest town in Colorado – San Luis. There I visited the very interesting The Stations of the Cross Shrine that sits on a mesa above the town. The climb to the shrine passes Huberto Maestas’ impressive life-sized bronze sculptures depicting the 12 stations of the cross.

As I made my way north through Southern Colorado, the flurries slowly dwindled and gave way to blues skies with large puffy clouds. The road to get to the falls was an experience in itself – especially for my Ford Fusion. Needless to say, I could have used a Jeep!

My attempt to photograph Zapata Falls was thwarted by an icy mist that immediately covered my lens. I have added the attempt to this blog as well as a much less impressive lower falls. The falls is located in a narrow canyon that you have to rock skip/wade to get to. The falls is 30 feet tall, which in my experience isn’t big, but the blueish ice hanging to the cliff beside it was interesting as were the jagged rock walls of the canyon.

Below the falls in the valley, pushed up against the mountains, lies the Great Sand Dunes National Park. These massive dunes are constantly shifting, moving between the westerly winds and the storm winds from the northeast. After wading the shallow creek that borders the dunes (about 35 yards of cold mountain stream) the dunes spread out before you. The highest dune is 750 feet above the valley floor and while this doesn’t seem to be that high, I’ve been there twice and haven’t made it to the peak. Think walking on the beach only at an angle. With every step forward, you go about half a step back. The sand is constantly moving if there is any wind at all and sometimes it can be blinding. I have included a shot of the sand being blown with the mountains behind it. When I first arrived, it was calm and beautiful, then the winds picked up and I slid my way down the dunes. My lenses are still a little crunchy because the sand gets everywhere!

I ended my Colorado adventures with a movie (Guardians of the Galaxy 2 – a guys gotta have a little fun!) and a steak dinner in Fort Garland.

Yesterday, I said goodbye to Red River, New Mexico and made my way to Lake Havasu City. It was 29º when I hit the road and the snow on the trees was beautiful on this clear blue sky day. Along the way, I visited The Painted Desert National Park and Petrified Forest National Park (they are connected North to South.)  I Have added some photos from Painted Desert. I will add my Petrified Forest shots after I have enjoyed my day in the heat and sun of Lake Havasu, which I can see from my livingroom window!

Stay tuned!