A look back at this year's trip #1

BIG bus and 'our' bus

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - This huge red and white snow coach takes folks up to and onto the Athabasca Glacier (left).  It's late June (2012) and we were at the Columbia Icefields visitor center in Alberta, Canada. This portion of the Canadian Rockies is about halfway between Banff and Jasper on the Icefields Parkway.  It was cold and windy with plenty of clouds...a perfect day.

Our short vacation in the Keys is over

Heading home to OB

Soaring with the pelicans

This guy had damaged wings but still soared

Follow the leader - - the 3rd pelican down on the left has a big hole in  his beak

Close quarters flying

IN THE MIDDLE KEYS - - Some days you don't get much choice in your subject(s).

Another type of Keys flyer

Free as a bird - - almost.  A line is attached to the parasail

IN THE MIDDLE KEYS - - You are fine as long as you keep the front of the sail up.

Birds in The Keys

The snowy egrets have started an advertising campaign

So, the brown pelicans have taken to the sky in search of vittles

This osprey has its talons full with a houndfish / alligator gar.

While this osprey refines his gliding technique

MM 81.5 ISLAMORADA, THE FLORIDA KEYS - - We spend a lot of time taking pics of birds.  We have lots and lots because here in The Keys birds are everywhere and present plenty of photo opportunities.  Then the fun begins as you have to decide between what's good/really good/even better and eliminate the rest.  And then you get an osprey pic with a 'fish' which locals identified as a hound-fish or alligator gar.

Key West..The good, the bad and the ugly

The holiday spirit is 'different' in Key West:  a crab trap Christmas tree

The 'unofficial 'currency' of the Conch Republic

Cruisin' and 'boozin'

The Southern Most Point marker:  next stop Cuba

Parrot-Head Headquarters

Thanksgiving Break

Sunrise and a lonely cormorant

 THE FLORIDA KEYS MM 81.5 - - We had to walk about 50 yards from our accommodations at The Ragged Edge to catch the sunrise.  It was time to abandon Ormond Beach for a few days and Thanksgiving is  a perfect excuse.  And, with this  being Florida and winter in most other parts of the country...the campgrounds are full.

Towed 'toad' along the Oregon coast

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - From this year's wanderings.

A new dance step

Ruddy Turnstone in winter colors trying out a new move

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - It's tough trying to work a new dance step into your foraging routine.

Looking for the next meal

Still life with Spanish moss and palmetto bushes

The quest for food:  Great Blue Heron gazing...

Red-shouldered hawk checking things out...

and a large 'gator looking for small treats

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - We made our first Fall trip to Lake Woodruff NWR today hoping that some feathered visitors from Up North had arrived on their migratory trip to warmer weather.  Summer rains have left the wildlife reserve with high water, not the best situation for the birds who spend some time in DeLand.  The usual suspects, though, were on hand and resolutely on the lookout for something to fill their stomachs with. 
    

Rat-a-tat-tat

Red-bellied wood pecker

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - After a steady diet of pigeons and blackbirds, it was nice to see something colorful for a change. 

Playtime

A pigeon searches the surrounding area for anything edible

Neighborhood rose

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - I have added a new lens to my Canon equipment, the first in seven years.  This 70-200mm telephoto lens adds a lot of versatility.  I went out today looking for our neighborhood cats - - which usually number between 5 and 10 over  a three block walk.  Naturally,  they were all hiding out.  So you get another pigeon on a red tile roof and a red rose.  Perhaps the weekend will provide us with some bird action.

By the numbers

California gas $$$.  No, we didn't get any at this price.

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Here's the final tally for our working vacation:
14,921 miles traveled
149 days away
136 nights camping
8 nights staying with/at (Lydia's) relatives
5 nights in lodging...mainly due to weather or no viable campgrounds nearby
9 U.S. National Parks visited:  Rocky Mountain; Glacier; North Cascades; Olympic; Yosemite; Zion; Bryce; Escalante Staircase; Capitol Reef
4 Canadian National Parks visited:  Kootenay; Yoho; Banff; Jasper
See Lydia's blog for more info. 

St. Louis

Our friends in Zion NP were sad to see us leave.

ST. LOUIS, MO - - We haven't crossed the Mississippi River yet, but we're close.  We've been taking it "relative"-ly easy.  As in visiting some of Lydia's relatives in St. Louis.  We haven't camped out for two nights...a record on this year's trip.  The schedule puts us back home in Ormond Beach on Sunday.

Sky shots

Sunset in Hanksville, UT

'Moon set' in Zion NP

A pine tree, much older than it looks, trying to survive - - Bryce Canyon NP

Clouds, Aspen in Fall color and an empty (Utah) Rt. 12

SHAMROCK, TX - - Along the way to Texas...

VERY SAFE

ESCALANTE, UT- - About a week ago we spent some time exploring Bodie, a 'gold and silver mining ghost town' now in a state of 'arrested decay.' The precious metal was kept in the bank's safe in between shipments elsewhere.  The mine's stamp mill culled the precious metals bu did not possess the equipment to separate the gold and silver alloy extracted.  The quite fancy safe still resides in the ruins of the bank.

The road goes on forever...or it seems that way

Open road, open range...heading to Nevada

Chow time

Mo's location in Florence, Oregon, is on the river

Fresh-caught dungeness crab waiting to get cooked

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Tony's Crab Shack in  Bandon, OR

Warm crab and shrimp sandwich with lettuce and cheese.  Yum.

GOLDFIELD, NV - - Catching up on some of our favorite places (and meals) to eat.  These locations are in Oregon.

More Oregon Coast pics

Pacific sunser

Waves along the shore ... without fog

GPS co-ords in case you lose your lighthouse

Sea stacks near Yaquina Head

IN SOME BAR IN (PLYMOUTH) NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WITH WI-FI AND A LUNCH MENU - -

Along the Washington Coast

Rock cairns on driftwood along the Washington Coast

A tugboat headed for work in the San Juan Islands