A Cold Winter's Afternoon

The old YMCA building has long since been converted to condos. It retains its noble exterior. It has never been clear to me where these people park. Probably in a lot next door, but parking is sometimes tight, even in this small town.

Late Afternoon in Staunton

With the sun out and the chill diminished slightly, I managed to catch some of the play of the late afternoon sun on the buildings. 

Staunton Streets

Beverley Street remains the place to see store fronts. Small towns always have an antique (=junk) store or two to display local 'items of interest'. Often there are few such items to be found in the sea of unrelenting junk.

Finding Details in Staunton, VA

During December, we house and cat sat for some friends back in Staunton. In spite of the bitter cold spell that we experienced, I was able to find times to get out the house and walk the streets of Staunton looking for some interesting bits to shoot.

Mt. Shasta and Important News about the Blog

We stopped for food and gas in Redding on our way north out of California toward home. We've have now passed from desert wasteland to snow covered peaks as Mt. Shasta looms in the background.

The Last of Our Time in Southern California

Windswept and largely barren. This is not a place to stop and rest after cross Death Valley.

Leaving Death Valley

 Driving west from Death Valley, we cross over/around the Panament mountains and down into another valley similar to, but less spectacular than, Death Valley.

Badwater Basin - II

It is clear why this place got the name of badwater since it is it is filled with only salty water. This view across the valley is a good reminder of what those in the gold rush saw as they tried to cross into the California gold fields this way. Just imagine how awful it would be to try to walk across this without water.

Badwater Basin

Into Badwater Basin we head next. This is the location of the much advertised lowest point in North America.

Dante's View

As the sun moved up in the sky, we headed for Dante's peak to catch the panorama from there.

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes at Sunrise - V

As the run breaches the horizon and crests the hills to the east, the tops of the local hills are lit and the mood on the sand begins to change.

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes at Sunrise - IV

Think of it as environmental portraiture. There are actually a couple people in most of today's photos. Once you find them, you can't not see them.

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes at Sunrise - III

That this vast expanse of sand has any plants in it is remarkable. Yet, life finds a what. Clearly, the little rain that falls here (usually this is the case but 2022 saw flooding) seems to be enough to satisfy these drought resistant plants.

In fact, they seem to be spreading with the small fronds reaching the top of the local dune.

But not all are so lucky. Some expansion attempts don't work out well and we just get bare stems in places.

 

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes at Sunrise - II

By carefully picking the directions to shoot, I could, in spite of the footprints everywhere, make it feel quite empty.

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes at Sunrise

One of the things that the photo workshop offered that inspired this visit to Death Valley was sunrise here on the dunes at Mesquite Flat. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to do it on my own.

Death Valley - Devil's Golf Course

As we end our excursion along Artist's Drive, I found a place where it seemed as if gold was just lying on the ground everywhere. Rest assured, it is not gold.