Simply Could Not Resist /  by Dave Hileman

This is not a very good photograph, taken from a moving trolly in San Francisco in the late day but it is one of the hills where Steve McQueen raced the Mustang chasing the Charger. Bullitt (the detective's name not the projectile or the speed of the cars!) is fifty years old next year. Still an amazing chase scene - even with the green VW appearing too many times. Watch the movie. 

Red Oak Victory & Freedom (two photos) /  by Dave Hileman

This flag is flying from the last remaining of the more than 700 Victory ships built during WWII. The Red Oak is docked at the Rosie the Riveter NPS site in Richmond, CA across the bay from San Francisco. This yard built about half of those ships most in a very short time. This ship had many duties during WWII but also served during the Korean Conflict and in the Vietnam era. During Vietnam it ferried high explosive shells across the Pacific. 

Delight in Song /  by Dave Hileman

This is one of the many Western Meadowlarks we heard and saw at the Tall Grass Prairie National Preserve in Kansas. Hearing one is nice, hearing dozens is a joyous symphony.

"Let the whole world bless our God and loudly sing his praises." Psalm 66:8 NLT 

Lone Cypress /  by Dave Hileman

This is the protected signature of the Pebble Beach conglomerate, so you can't sell or use this image for commercial purposes. (There goes my plan for world domination of the single cypress tree photo industry.) Both it and the drive were a bit of a disappointment. The drive was over stunning scenery but it is crowded with homes and you only get brief glimpses of the shore, the roads are public but they are gated so they charge you to take the famed 17 mile drive. The first portion along the shore leading to the pay road is much nicer. The three or four stops are like the "lone" tree, hyped past the reality. We drove south of there on US 1 toward Big Sur and the views were incomparable. So, if I were to eliminate one thing from the trip is would be this 17 mile drive off Monterey.

Quiz Answer /  by Dave Hileman

So if you guessed the school in Topeka that was the case for Brown v Board of Education you got it. This school was chosen out of five possible sites for the case because the school was nice and the education really was pretty equal. They wanted the issue to be only segregation policy and not the "equal" aspect of the laws. The display makes you both depressed by the vitriol from otherwise sane and reasonable people and proud of those who did the right things, courageously, and for the right reasons. The range of our National Parks - after visiting 35 in 6 weeks is really amazing. You need to get out. 

_DSF6820.jpg

Sea of Grass /  by Dave Hileman

The Flint Hills in Kansas are just beautiful. Rolling hills with various shades of green. This shot is from the Tall Grass Prairie National Preserve. Birds were singing everywhere as storm clouds swept through and we had occasional rain on our hike into the bison preserve. Here are a few on a distant hill (preferred distance!) with young calves. 

Old Fort Bent /  by Dave Hileman

Beautiful reconstruction on original foundations and walls of this adobe trading post built when this area was the northern boundary of Mexico. Very well done, well presented site with wonderful isolation from any outside sights or sounds. More later. 

Lonely? /  by Dave Hileman

This is Route 50 across Nevada. It is nicknamed the "loneliest road in America" and it may be. There is not much but three small - eccentric towns - six mountain ranges and the Great Basin. Two places to buy gas in 283 miles. You don't really care the price. But the scenery, the snowy mountains, are worth the trip. And it leads to Great Basin National Park. 

Can You Imagine? /  by Dave Hileman

At the Monterey Aquarium you meet creatures you did not know existed except on the pages of Sci-Fi writers. The sea is full of things that glow, pulsate, mimic, wave, swim, float and intimidate. When we read "So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that scurries and swarms in the water," the scope of that work doesn't impact you while reading. It seems like God just decided to have fun with this aspect of creation. 

Muir Woods National Memorial /  by Dave Hileman

John Muir was instrumental in the effort to save many of the trees and natural areas for us to enjoy with his influential writings and talks leading to an awareness of the value of saving these areas from development. Several are now a part of the National Park Service. These woods were set aside to honor him and they include many of the Sequoia trees he loved. Here is Cathedral Grove looking up! More on him later as we also visited his home and lots here at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Muir

Any Idea? /  by Dave Hileman

Saw this little creature on a walk by the shore just north of Monterey. It was a bit shy and curious and would duck and peek over and over. I don't know what it is, does anyone here?

Create Your Own Rainbow /  by Dave Hileman

Near Grizzly Falls in Kings Canyon was so full and so fast that you could not get near it without getting soaking wet, not damp, not misty, soaked! So I tried to get a photo and each time the water spotted the lens instantly - so those shots have lots of water spots. This one I hid behind a tree and while cleaning off the lens saw this rainbow in the spray. 

Joshua Tree at Sunset /  by Dave Hileman

You sort of have to take the iconic shot at Joshua Tree. However, you find yourself really interested in the variety of trees and the extensive numbers of the unique trees. We really liked the northwest corner of the park. We were also surprised by the town of Yucca, much more there than we expected. 

The King's Canyon /  by Dave Hileman

A mostly remote National Park the canyon drive is one of the few places to easy see some of this amazing land. King's Canyon NP is between Sequoia and Yosemite. This is a short walk down a steep hill to the river near Knapp's Cabin. The river is waaaay over normal. In fact people were warned not too even try to wade in any portion. Stellar country.