Afterthought /  by Dave Hileman

I took these quick shots of tools my grandson uses just on a whim when I saw them on a work space he uses. It sparked a long-dormant idea that i would like to take images of old tools in some yet to be determined creative fashion. I have always been enamored of the old tools you might find in a barn or a shed that have been used for years or decades. Old tool boxes that are battered and worn but tools inside still ready to use. The worn handles and lost luster speak of projects accomplished. iI that photo project ever happens, you read about it here first and if you wish you can get your name on the waiting list for fabulous prints:)

No Planning Needed.....Really! /  by Dave Hileman

We were told once, in what was clearly another era of travel that having an RV meant you could just decide in the morning which way the wind or your whim might take you. Well today that might find you parked along side a road hoping no one bothers you. Reservations for Florida State Parks are 11 months in advance and it is not easy to get into most of them over much of the year. When we made reservations for Yosemite a few years ago 425 campsites were gone in 11 seconds. SECONDS. So you can just bop a long, and we do sometimes, but not without some sense that it is an okay thing to do at that location at that time of year. If you want a busy campground, national park, state park or near any ocean, plan ahead.

Here is our travel plan done on software called RV Trip Wizard. There are six pages here covering 117 days with 54 stops and 7700 miles between those stops not counting travel at locations. Are you still flexible? Somewhat. We have a small number of unplanned days, we have several Harvest Hosts and they can be changed easily and with no fee, most parks you can also cancel within time frames. So, yes, we do have some options and likely will not hit all of these as planned. But Big Bend, Zion, Arches and many more we will keep or lose the opportunity. Trying to visit and photograph the 400+ National Park Units means planning or an unlimited budget. Hmmmm..

Boy + Cookie = Happy /  by Dave Hileman

This young man, Lev, was the ring-bearer at the wedding we attended last June. Smart, funny kid just a joy to be around. And he liked his cookie.

Another goal, might be too strong a word but I would like to learn a bit about taking portraits. I heard of the 100 stranger challenge - where you ask 100 people you do not know if you can take their photo. Intimidated by that idea but….

Photo Goal 2023 /  by Dave Hileman

One of my intended goals is to get better at bird photography. This is an example of why i need to do that! This is a Common Snipe and the first one I have photographed. I took this image in Texas on the Gulf Coast where Whooping Cranes winter. ( I did see three Whoopers but at several hundred feet) I saw three Dowitchers along the shore and took a couple of shots, then this one, in poor light with lots of bright reflections in the wrong place caught my eye and I snapped a shot thinking it was yet another Dowitcher. Wrong. Again. It was my first sighting of the Snipe and, obviously, my first photo. Because I was careless I did not even ID this until months after and still wish I had been thoughtful with the photo. If it is worth taking it is worth taking as well as one can.

So, one goal is more thoughtful shooting in general and planning for birds in particular. (By the way this Snipe is my 421st North American species)

"When at first you don't succeed..." /  by Dave Hileman

Winter - Spring travel plans are set. We will leave depending on the weather on the 22nd of January - just two weeks to finish preparations. This is partially the same trip we cut short last winter but with a lot more time in Florida and the sun.

Our first destination is on the Atlantic where we stay a few days at Gamble Rogers then on to Silver Springs and many other state parks, Harvest Hosts and a stint at Disney. We will have six weeks in Florida including a week in the Panhandle on the Gulf and then head to Texas to finish - hopefully - the trip we aborted last year when we had a serious electrical malfunction and returned to Hohenwald for repairs. In Texas we have a brief stop in the East then head for West Texas and Big Bend National Park, Fort Davis, Guadalupe National Park, Carlsbad Caverns (NM) then with a couple of more parks we are on to Southeastern Arizona and the Chiricahua National Monument (soon to be a National Park). Then going north we see six or seven additional parks in AZ, revisit the Big Five in Southern Utah along with three new ones and two state parks, then back to the north part of New Mexico after a short stay for three Colorado parks. We have 11 National Park units on the plan in the general area around Albuquerque. Next stop is Amarillo and the two parks plus a state park in the Texas panhandle, a stop in OK City, a NRA in Centrial OK and our last park in AR, Fort Smith. Our final stop is at the Oliver Rally at Lake Guntersville, AL in late May and an overnight in Knoxville on the way home.

Altogether we expect to be gone 4 months and travel about 11,000 miles and add 33 new parks to the growing list and 12 to enjoy again. We still have some trailer preparation to make, obviously lots of packing of clothes, gear and food. The actual planning is up to the last bit in May but we should be finished with that this week. Most of the reservations are made with some too early to make but we have them alerted on our phones. We also intend to have a few “where will we stay” places.

Our friends, Rusty and Janet, will join us at a few places in Florida and travel to the Texas parks. One concern is my camera. The new one developed a glitch and would not turn off, so they are sending me a new one, just a bit of a race to make sure it is here before we leave as they are in very short supply.

Frozen in place in Waco, Texas shortly before the electric issue sent us home. We hope to avoid both electric malfunctions and the 17 degree ice storms next time around.

“For I can't help falling in love with you” /  by Dave Hileman

Cindy (and I) at Disney’s Grand Floridan lobby during Christmas season. Disney is one of her favorite places and we enjoyed the gingerbread Christmas displays at several locations around Disney World. Celebrating her birthday adds a special day right as the winter seems to close in after the New Year. I am privileged to have been a part of most of her celebrations and blessed everyday just being with her.

We are embarking an extended trip starting late this month and the planning is almost done. I will share the details Monday but most of the planning, scheduling, navigating and much more that makes a trip (and a life) successful is due to her comprehensive approach to our trips. We get to spend hours together on the highway, in campgrounds, on hiking trails, in National Parks and exploring byways and local restaurants. Those moments provide special memories.

Even if the memory is being iced in in the middle of Texas.

Happy Birthday.

Test Four /  by Dave Hileman

I tried the “eye detect” for birds and was pleased. So I went out to a park to “borrow” other people’s dogs to try the eye detect for mammals. One stationery dog and three walking toward me. 19 shots and two not in focus. Shot with my 56mm lens. I was very happy with these results. And grateful to the nice dog owners who were all gracious.

Steady walker - first one missed others good

Bouncy puppy black with black eyes, five shots no misses

hyper active little dog with just one miss

placid, easy going older dog, no misses.

Not a Test... /  by Dave Hileman

…Cause he had a lot of these days called birthdays:) Dennis has been very instrumental in helping my photography get to the next level (You can decide where that level is:) He is always informative, a good teacher, well versed with 50 years of experience in all kinds of equipment and, most critically, always willing to help. A good friend, now, along with Kathy his significantly better half - I look forward to those days spent shooting photos and sharing the experience with Dennis. They are too rare but always a blessing. So, Happy Birthday my friend.

You can visit his blog, Tuesdays and Fridays have new content at www.thewanderinglensman.com

At Chincoteague Island on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

Test Three /  by Dave Hileman

Back at the NC Museum of Art with a couple more shots. These are with the 16-80 lens, which I like a lot. I am not too sure I had the right settings on some of the photos I took and I do not have the element activated that tells you when you are correctly exposed. I am trying to only use the histogram at this point.

This is a 20 foot tall outdoor “quilt” - good colors and a bluebird on the top

This alcove was very dark, with some bright light patches, pretty pleased.

I saw this hawk land and was able to approach to about 35 feet. He was backlit and in a tangle of branches. Using the smallest focus point and spot focus I got this shot. Very happy with it particularly do to the relatively short focus of the lens.

Frist of the X-T5 shots outside. This is Cindy in a new installation of mirrors.

Test Two /  by Dave Hileman

One of the features is “eye detect” for birds, people and animals. I shot these at a local lake where we often walk. All of them are cropped severely. The turtles were about 25 feet away, the buffelhead and the gulls were 100 -120 feet from shore and moving slowly. The Great Blue Heron about 40 -50 feet away. The camera located each one but not necessarily the eye. I did not switch the settings for the turtle I just wanted to see what happened if I did not change. Nothing really in this case. I was pleased as these were all hand held with the lens at full tilt about 400mm and I am not the most steady shooter. Plus there was a bit of wind.

Good feather detail - eye is not as sharp as i hoped

Bright white feathers in bright sunlight is a tough assignment but the Fuji did well.

This is a tiny duck bobbing and diving, never still and a long way from shore. Pleased with this.

,These folks lived up to their reputation and did not move. Lots of detail in this photo.

Test One /  by Dave Hileman

Well, it happened, I purchased a new camera. A Fuji X-T5 to replace my X-T3. While it still works fine it has a lot of shutter clicks. And the new one adds, IBIS to help stabilize shots, larger photos for more detail or better cropping and lots of other new features. I have a lot to learn and set up yet. This week some of the first photos with the new gear. Today’s image is from the North Carolina Museum of Art not far from our house and a great place to walk and explore. There are outdoor installations like this tall metal tree and three large indoor spaces.

Be Beary Careful Out There Today /  by Dave Hileman

Katmai National Park

Thus ends 2022. For Two Lane Touring it was a mixed bag indeed. There was a new post every day of the year, although a couple were late in the day because someone in our vast staff forgot to change the PM to AM. Still over 600 photos and more than 365 posts. The first trip ended prematurely when our electric system melted while in Texas. We had to abort the trip, return to the Oliver factory and leave the trailer to have extensive work done. Once we picked the repaired trailer up we toured for two weeks in Kentucky (two new parks) and Tennessee. We were also able to take a short trip to the Outer Banks, two weeks in Pennsylvania and the nation’s newest National Park, New River Gorge. A trip to Florida for a wedding was extra special. We also completed the plans begun in 2019 before Covid hit for a two week trip to Hawaii. This was our last state to visit and we spent time on three islands and saw 6 parks. Once home we did a trip to Florida for Disney with friends and a short stint at a VRBO in the Blue Ridge with good friends with photography in mind.

2023 plans Monday.

The Twelve Days (012) of Christmas: The Star /  by Dave Hileman

First there is the heavenly phenomenon that awoke the Magi to the birth and led them to Bethlehem from Jerusalem. But there is the one who the star was for, Jesus. Christmas may not be the correct day, we may be off by a year or so for year one, but make no mistake the reason this celebration has lasted over two millennia is the reality of Jesus: foretold, born, lived, crucified, risen, ascended and one day returning. Each year we are reminded of one person among all of humanity that has changed more lives, given more hope, redeemed more people than any of us can conceive. Christmas is the joy of Jesus come among people and changing life for the better. God with Us!

Twelve Days (011) of Christmas: Family /  by Dave Hileman

Special memories, laughter and appreciation of the stream of generations always changing that make up our time and place and the roles we fill over the years. Few joys are equal to seeing grandchildren become responsible, accomplished adults and each Christmas brings an awareness of those changes. We are so blessed.

Ellary, Addie and Kellen

Twelve Days (010) of Christmas: Food /  by Dave Hileman

Christmas is an indulgence for us. Peppermint Stick ice cream, Cindy’s mint sticks, caramel squares, party mix and more. We had waffles with raspberries Christmas morning, an amazing charcuterie board that our daughter-in-law, Laura made along with lots of treats and a Christmas night dinner. Our son Gregg and other daughter-in-law, Jessica took us for a very nice dinner at Season’s 52 and we are still eating well today. Not sure what day the diet starts but it needs to be soon!

Christmas Dinner

Cindy’s scallops and…

my salmon with mustard dill sauce at Seasons.

Twelve Days (009) of Christmas: Ornament Carving /  by Dave Hileman

This is a rather new activity for me ending my third year of learning a bit of the craft. I still have a long way to go and I need to carve much more often if I am going to see Improvement. However I did a variety of efforts in 2022 but the one that seemed like it would be easy turned out to be much more time cosuming than I expected. I did several including the shelf of seven and one for Cindy plus a few more and about 9 that just broke. Oops.