I erred and this did not post on time Thursday. Technically it did post on the right day just 16 hours later than it was intended to be unveiled to the world. Sorry if your day did not go well because you were so distraught by the lack of a timely photo to go with your morning coffee. .
Anyway, the Bison for your daily post of a horned animal, this weeks secret theme.
The magnificent antlers on the caribou - this one is in Denali National Park, Alaska, seem like they would be almost unable to traverse the woods and brush they can navigate with relative ease.
Hmmm, is there a theme developing this week?
These are also, like the Mountain Goats from yesterday adapt at scampering across rocks in seemingly impossible ways. But they are not quite as “inclined” to pick the steepest places to try and walk. This specimen was on the road to the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone National Park.
I watched them for an hour or more and still could not see how they stayed on the mountain. Just unbelievable. I was told they were there to lick some minerals that are present in the rocks. These were near to Glacier National Park.
Jill and I hiking among the toadstools. They are unique formations found in Southern Utah in the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. The day we were there was hot and it was mid afternoon so our hike was limited to about 2.5 miles. Eerie shapes were abundant here.
I was taking photos of this corn field. Mostly fairly close up. I know, why don’t I find something useful to do? However, that is what I was doing. Just before leaving the field I thought I would take a quick shot for reference about the field. When, later I was processing, i thought that I had a huge dirt spot on my sensor. But upon inspection it was a hang glider.
Last week I posted the “Red Chair” photo, today the “Yellow Hike” shot. This lake was in Banff, Canada.
Summer flowers at Brookgreen Gardens in SC. Lots of sculptures and flowers here, well worth the 1/2 day and if you can arrange it on a day the restaurant is open, very nice place with well prepared food.
Celebrating two years of marriage today. Blessed beyond words.
This phot is from the Grand Teton National Park just a few miles south of Yellowstone National Park. This river, not this actual view, was where Ansel Adams made one of his more celebrated photos, The Tetons and Snake River, is a masterful black and white photo. This shot is about 1/2 mile west along the river, clearly not in B&W nor is it a celebrated photo. But I enjoy looking at it and recalling the lovely hike along the river for about 2 miles.
Watching the grizzlies grab salmon was very interesting. This bear was at Lake Clark National Park. The southern edge of the park is a massive, 6 or more miles across, shallow bay. It is ringed with mountains. And filled with hungry bear. We saw 16 in about 2 hours from an airboat that we reached by seaplane from Homer. Several caught fish but this one was very close and we were able to see all the details of the dinner.
…sorry, I mean tail. This whale was spotted while heading to the Kenai Fjords on the National Park boat.
Lake Clark National Park, Alaska, is remote and on a bit of rock as we approached the landing site on the sea plane was a nesting site for these gulls. After we disembarked the plane I walked up the beach 100 yards and I shot mom and her chick high on the rock.
Somewhere near Banff, Canada.
The seal won the majority of the meal, as he should for he caught the salmon. However the persistent and annoying gulls were able to snare a few bites as well. Near Valdez Alaska.
Watching for bear in Alaska while hiking is important and having bear spray is, I presume, also something you ought to have. You cannot enter Canada with the spray, so it must be purchased in Alaska. It was not something needed or even allowed when we walked among the bears at Katmai National Park but walking trails you just did not want to startle a bear or end up between a cub and her mom. The closest we came on our trip to any issue was with this grizzly. He was feeding in a field about 75 yards from the edge of a gravel road. I stopped and got out of the truck, beside the truck I should say, and started to photograph. He was moving slightly closer, at about 50 yards I opened my door and moved where I could easily get back inside. He stopped shortly after, maybe 30 yards away, and stared at us for a couple of minutes but then went back to feeding. He then moved across the field and into some woods. I did have the bear spray out and accessible but, with the truck did not really need it.
The main trail leading down into Bryce Canyon is a series of switchbacks over and over again.
