Bob Kent 6/7/21 Bob Kent 6/7/21

Sunrise, Sunset

“Regular mornings are for showers, coffee, catching up on the news, dressing for the day. Daybreaks are for quiet, peace, and standing on rocks to take bad selfies with the sun. Morning is responsibility, daybreaks are freedom—a smooth, blank page upon which I can write whatever comes to mind.” Gina Ryder

Sunrise, sunset
Sunrise, sunset
Swiftly fly the years
One season following another
Laiden with happiness and tears

Lyrics from Sunrise Sunset Fiddler on the Roof

There is something special about sunrises and sunsets. For me, they stop time.

A few weeks ago, there were some cool clouds above Mammoth Mountain. There was a good chance they would turn color at sunset. I went out early to scout out a location because I didn’t have a go-to site in mind. I found a viewpoint that I liked way earlier than I thought I would. I set up my tripod and camera and just watched as the sunset progressed. I ended up being at that spot for around an hour and a half. To me, it seemed like only a few minutes. Sunsets and sunrises have a way of grabbing your soul and stopping time. See the scene I captured below.

It seems I am not alone.

As I did the research for this post, I found others felt the same way. Gina Ryder, who lives in New York, decided to try a “Sunrise Therapy” to counter her winter blues. She put to words what I feel watching a sunrise or sunset.

Studies have shown that appreciation of natural beauty increases your emotional wellbeing, raisess your concern for others, and increases your satisfaction with life. If you want to experiment to see if the studies are true remember sunrises and sunsets are natural beauty at its best.

For some, making time for watching sunrises and sunsets comes naturally. For others, not so much as the pillow has magical powers to make us stay put. An article on the Psychology Today website gave some tips to help you develop your sunrise/sunset watching skills:

· Grab a camera or sketchpad. The goal is to really see the sunset and capture the moment-to-moment experience, not create an artistic image.

· Make it a meditation. Take several slow, deep breaths to relax your body and calm your mind. Then intentionally focus on the sunset, noticing how the colors and light change as the sunset first builds in intensity and then fades.

· Listen to music that thrills you. If you’re more attuned to sound than sight, use music to put yourself into a receptive state of mind.

Nature gives us these sunrises and sunsets freely. There is one of each every single day. I highly suggest you take some time to enjoy these gifts. They will do you good!

I would love to hear what your most memorable sunrise/sunset experience is.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post. Feel free to comment or to share it with others!

Bob Kent 6/10/19 Bob Kent 6/10/19

Heaven

A few years ago, I experienced a drought of clouds for what seemed like an eternity. Every time I went on a photo expedition it was nothing but blue skies. It was frustrating as I love clouds in my landscape images. Well this spring ended the cloud drought in a spectacular way!

Spring or 2019 - Wildflowers, snow, and winter that won’t go away!

Now the cloud “drought” was not all bad as any day in the Eastern Sierra is a good day; with or without clouds. The lack of clouds forced me to experiment with new compositions and subjects which made me a better photographer. In the end I still wanted clouds.

I am here to say with the Spring of 2109 my cloud drought is over. The last couple of meanderings has been off the charts. There were clouds, and I mean awesome clouds, everywhere you looked. They weren’t high clouds, so they didn’t go orange and red at sunrise and sunset, but it didn’t matter. Their size, complexity, brutishness made them totally photogenic. The main key to getting great images was to just get out there, and stay out there, capturing the clouds as they morphed throughout the day. All the while I was in heaven.

The road and clouds inviting us to explore!

I am doing research on a photography class I am going to teach at the Mono Arts Council in the fall. The class will not focus technology but on using personal vision, style, and composition to create “remarkable” photographs. During this cloudfest I started to apply some of the things that were newly learned from my research.. It was difficult to do things differently.

I may be biased but it made a huge positive difference in the impact of the images I was able to create. I will have to wait to see if the peer reviews from my fellow photographers agree with my self-assessment.

In any case sit back and enjoy my vision of heaven on earth, even though it is extremely cloudy.

Storms over the Eastern Sierra. Lots of snow still on Mammoth!

and on and on and on! Truly Heaven on Earth!

FYI, as I mentioned above I will be teaching a Photography Composition class at the Mono Arts Gallery on September 28th. Then on the 29th will facilitate a field trip to put what you learn into practice. You can sign up here. Would love to see you there!

Feel free to comment and share!

Bob Kent 1/5/19 Bob Kent 1/5/19

My 12 Best Images of 2018

The 12 Best of 2018

Why 12? To be different. Everyone else has a Top 10. Besides I like the idea of one for each month. Even though I did not take as many images last year, it was an awesome year for my photography. Mainly for two reasons.

During most of my trips up to the Eastern Sierra there were luscious clouds in the sky. Nothing improves a landscape photo like clouds.
I started concentrating on the improving the composition of my images. Specifically working on improving the foreground area. To me, it made a huge difference.

So here we go.

The 12 Best of 2018

During most of my trips up to the Eastern Sierra there were luscious clouds in the sky. Nothing improves a landscape photo like clouds.
I started concentrating on the improving the composition of my images. Specifically working on improving the foreground area. To me, it made a huge difference.

So here we go.

# 12 Independence God Rays

The most unexpected spots sometimes consistently provide the most awesome images. In this case there is a pocket park located on the south side of Independence. It is a nice spot to stretch the legs and take a health break. On multiple times I have captured incredible images like this with awesome light and clouds. Right from within 15 feet of the street next to the park. Notice how the foreground creates an alter for the God rays.

Independence God Rays -1361 Final Cropped.jpg

# 11 Hot Creek Sunset

The area behind the Hot Creek gorge is one of my favorite places to watch a sunrise or sunset. The area around a certain white bridge is well magical during a sunrise or sunset. Add awesome clouds high enough to catch the suns last rays and change colors, well see for yourself. Think a couple of chairs, a bottle of wine, and some good company.

# 10 Clouds Over the Owens Valley

Remember the first reason I said my 2018 images were awesome? Yes clouds. I have always loved the cumulus clouds that have a flat bottom. Bit of trivia as here is the explanation of why they have flat bottoms. The flat bottoms of cumulus clouds define the exact height at which a critical combination of temperature and air pressure causes water vapor within the rising current to condense into a visible cloud.

# 9 Minaret Sunset

Sometime bad things produce beautiful scenes. Forest fires are natural but with the drought and other factors the fires of late have been terrible. Their smoke at sunset though creates some of the most beautiful sunsets you will see. This is the case with this sunset over the Minarets and the smoke from the Lions fire. The Minaret vista has a wonderful view but trying to capture it as a still image is difficult. In some places there are tall trees that obstruct the main image. In others there is nothing and the impact of the image gets lost in a mass of complexity. Even though I only had a few minutes to capture the scene I walked around and found the foreground to anchor the image. I think it paid off. Do you?

# 8 June Lake with Moon

June Lake is gorgeous. For years I have tried to get an image of June Lake that captured the feelings I get when I view the lake. I have always come up empty and this year I focused on getting an image that I liked. I got several, but I think this one shows the lake off at its best. Morning alpenglow, still water, clouds, and the moon.

# 7 Heart Lake Viewpoint

The Heart Lake trail out of Coldwater campground, was a hike I did not take for years because I thought it was too short and did not have any special scenery. Was I ever wrong as it had some spectacular view, wildflower, and if you walked past the lake just a bit this scene?! This scene has three of Mammoth’s most widely recognizable locations in one view: Mammoth Mountain, Lake Mary, and Mammoth Crest. Another example of using the foreground to make the image more interesting.

Heart Lake Viewpoint II -9361 V1.1-46.jpg

# 6 Heart Lake

Heart Lake is a small lake with only a hint of any interesting geology formations visible Just a simple little alpine lake. Sometimes simpler is better.

# 5 Grant Lake with White Line

Three things led to this capture.

One, the willingness just to wander. We had done the June Lake Loop earlier from the other direction but coming home with the clouds and sunset we decided to do it again.

Two, preparedness - five minutes before the clouds were ten times more colorful, five minutes after the light was gone. Like Goldilocks’ porridge this was just right. I usually travel with the camera ready to go and already on the tripod. Being ready allowed me to capture the image.

Three, listen to your photographer’s assistant. My wife has developed a keen eye for scenes worth stopping for. I was in a keep driving mode and she told me to stop and take the image. She was right, this image got more comments on Facebook than almost all my other posts.

Grant Lake White Line -3431 Mid 1.1-22.jpg

# 4 Parker Lake with Logs

I do most of my shooting very early in the morning or around sunset. The hike to Parke Lake is one of my favorite hikes; one I have done many times. When I went with some others on a mid-morning hike, I did not plan on doing much shooting. I was stunned when we reached the lake, the water was still fairly calm and the light was not too harsh. I took my time to find the foreground to anchor the image and came away with one of my favorite images of my favorite lake. Shows that you should never assume and approach the creation of your art with an open mind.

# 3 Sage Hen Road with Trees

We were taking some friends on a day tour of the cool things around Mammoth in the fall. Even though this location had passed its fall color peak, I thought the views were worth going there. Well sometimes it all just works; the light coming through the leaves, the blue sky with clouds, and a nice leading line.

# 2 Whitney Fish Hatchery

The Whitney Fish Hatchery is a wonderful oasis in the Owens Valley. The building is picture card perfect but one I had never captured to my liking. This day all the elements of a great image were working overtime; the clouds, the light, just everything. While my photographer’s assistant was setting up our picnic, I walked around to see if I could find a new perspective. Did I hit the jackpot! This was the FB post and calendar page that got the most comments. I think you can see why.

Whitney Fish Hatchery Palms -1487 Final-1.jpg

# 1 Cloudy Silver Lake

I knew as soon as I took this picture it would be the best image I captured on this trip and probably of the whole year. It is a rare gift to get still water and storm clouds. It is even a rare gift to get them late in the day. This image is taken from one of our favorite places to sit and have a picnic. We just sit and soak up the beauty around us. Occasionally, we will have deer and ducks join us to make it even more special. it was tough to choose between Whitney Fish Hatchery and this image as the best. Our personal connection to this spot was the tie breaker.

Cloudy Silver Lake -3481 Mid Cropped-23.jpg

The above is my ranking, which of these images was your favorite? The bar is set high for 2019 but it will be fun to beat this list. Just pray for a cloudy 2018!

Bob Kent 9/22/17 Bob Kent 9/22/17

Dad Why Do the Trees Change Colors?

Every year I reluctantly hang on to summer and resist the coming of Fall. Despite my best efforts the days keep getting noticeably shorter, the nights have a chill, and heck it is mid-September and just snowed in the Sierra! So, I will throw in the towel and look forward to Halloween and Fall colors. Hopefully, this post will give you a bit of trivia and a lot of information on how to successfully see Fall colors in the Sierra.

Every year I reluctantly hang on to summer and desperately resist the coming of Fall. Despite my best efforts the days keep getting shorter, the nights have a chill, and heck it is mid-September and it just snowed in the Sierra! So, I will throw in the towel and look forward to Halloween and Fall Colors. Hopefully, this post will give you a bit of trivia to impress your friends and a lot of information on how to successfully see the Fall colors in the Sierra.

Why do leaves change color?

The short answer is simply the leaves get less light. There is more to it than that! Here is your trivia facts that you can use to impress your fellow Fall Color lovers.

Trivia Fact 1. In fall the days grow shorter. The reduction in the total amount of light the tree leaves receive induces a chemical change causing a corky wall to form between the twig stem and the main portion of the leaf.

After a while this corky wall causes the leaf to drop off the tree. Before it falls however, the wall blocks the in and exit vessels which traps sugars in the leaves. With reduced light an no new food the green chlorophyll pigments die. This allows us to see the two other pigments the leaves always have had - carotene (yellow) and anthocyanin (red).

Trivia Fact 2. The reason the leaves look more vibrant after sunny days is that the sunlight continues to produce anthocyanins after the blockage occurs. During cloudy days less anthocanin is created and the leaves take on a more pastel tones.

Eastern Sierra Fall Colors Locations

While the Maine, Vermont, and the Rockies are better known for their fall colors there are plenty of places in the Eastern Sierra that put on quite a show. As the California Fall Color Web Site says “Dude, autumn happens here too.” Here are a some of the locations that usually have good showings:

Big Pine Canyon
Bishop Creek Canyon
Lower Rock Creek
Rock Creek Canyon
McGee Creek
Convict Lake
June Lake Loop
Sagehen Summit (Hwy 120)
Lee Vining Canyon
Lundy Canyon
Virginia Lakes
Conway Summit
Walker River Canyon
Lobdell Lake
Monitor Pass
Hope Valley

Viewing Etiquette

During the peak viewing time, there are tons of site-seers and photographers. Lately there are a lot of Photography Tour groups as well. There is enough beauty to go around to see so folks please be respectful of your fellow viewers! I remember a time where I was at North Lake very early in the morning. The sunrise was so beautiful and peaceful. That was until a large group of tourist that had broken up into two groups decided it was okay to loudly yell things to each other across the lake, ruining the peace for all others. Think before you yell, walk in front of someone’s camera scene, or bogart a location while other photographers are waiting behind you.

Incredibly Helpful Resources for Planning Your Trip

Generally, the colors start changing first at higher altitudes usually in late September and the 1st week in October is best overall for color viewing. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. The change in fall colors is a very fickle thing. It does not always start on time. One location might look gorgeous one day then after a sudden wind storm, cold freeze, or snow storm be totally decimated the next day.

Fortunately, there are a lot of kind people that actively track and publish the current conditions. Some of the best sites are:

California Fall Color
California Fall Color Map
Parchers Bishop Creek great for the Bishop Creek Canyon; North Lake, South Lake, Aspendell, and Lake Sabrina.
Mono County Fall Color
Calphoto Yahoo Group need to join.
Sierra Fall Colors
Natural History Wanderings Foliage Reports

Best blog post and How To Book

G. Dan Mitchell provide an incredible amount of valuable info!

· Sierra Nevada Fall Color Season – Coming Sooner Than You Think!

Hope this helps you in your quest to see one of nature’s best shows. Maybe I will see you out there among the colors!

Bob Kent 1/10/17 Bob Kent 1/10/17

Sunrise to Sunset in Southern California

My brother and his family come home every holiday season. He is a photographer too, so we look for some time while he is here to go out to shoot. I enjoy his company and it forces me over the rest of the year to get out and to check out places in Southern California for his next visit.

Now I am a 3rd generation Angeleno. I have lived in Southern California all my life. Between work and exploring I get around a lot and considered myself a seasoned local. I thought I had been to most of the interesting places we have here. Wow was I wrong. After a few years of checking sites out for our shooting day, I have realized there is absolutely no way possible you could ever see all that is interesting in Southern California.

This year's photo shoot happen to be on a day where we also had a lunch planned in Marina del Rey with one group of friends and a dinner with family in Calabasas. So we figured we would find a place to shoot the sunrise down south and work our way up to catch the sunset at El Matador State Beach. This way the social engagements were in sync with our photo shoot.

We chose to do the sunrise at the Griffeth Park Observatory. I have been to the Observatory many times at night. I had never even thought about going there for sunrise. It was awesome. It was a clear day and Los Angeles in the golden glow of the morning is beautiful.

After a while it was time for breakfast. Since we were close to downtown and my brother wanted to shoot the Bradbury building I suggested Philippe. Most people know Philippe for their French Dip sandwiches; usually before a Dodger game. What most don't know is Philippe has a great breakfast. My favorite is their Pork Chops.

After breakfast we headed over to the Bradbury building. For those of you who aren't familiar with the Bradbury it is a historic office building at the corner of Broadway and 3rd. It was built in 1893 and has this incredible 19th style century interior with very intricate ironwork ornamental railings and a glass ceiling. One of the building's claim to fame is being used in the cult classic movie Blade Runner. That is only one of the many movies and TV shows shot in the building. Others including Pay it Forward, Marlowe, Outer Limits, and Chinatown. It is free to check out the lobby and the first staircase platform. Well worth the time to visit and there is a host of other things to see within walking distance including the Grand Central Market, Disney Concert Hall, and the new Grand Park.

Right across 3rd street from the Bradbury is one of my favorite building murals. It is called the “Pope of Broadway” and is a painting of Anthony Quinn dancing. Eloy Torrez painted the mural in 1985. He portrays Anthony Quinn as a Christian icon. The image of Quinn has the traditional posture of Jesus on the cross; outstretched arms, slightly bent knees and head tilted to one side. The small enclosed parking the mural is behind gives it a church-like setting to view the mural. The religious theme is reinforced by crosses under Quinn's arms. These crosses are painted in arched doors which mirror the design of the door in the north entrance to the Bradbury building just across the street. I was so excited when I saw the mural this time. Over the years it had gotten pretty worn down. It was faded and the paint was flaking off. Viewing it this time I was overjoyed to see that it had been restored to its original glory.

So after the Bradbury, we went to our lunch and then headed for El Matador State Beach. It was suppose to rain later that day and there were these beautiful high clouds heralding the storms coming. It looked as though they would not block the horizon. This would set up the possibility that they would turn that nuclear red you sometimes see just after sunset. Alas, that was not going to be the case. We had the wonderful subdued pastel sunset instead. What gave the soft sunset some character was the fact that there were 20+ commercial fishing boats just off the shoreline. There must have been one hell of a big school of fish off the beach because they were all still there well after sunset.

Big Stopper

We then headed off to dinner. It was a great way to spend sunrise to sunset and a reminder that Southern California is a treasure trove of beautiful places.

Bob Kent 12/14/16 Bob Kent 12/14/16

Don Henley was Wrong You can go Back

In Don Henley's song the “Boys of Summer” there are the lyrics:

Out on the road today I saw a Deadhead sticker on a Cadillac.
A little voice inside my head said:
"Don't look back, you can never look back."
I thought I knew what love was.
What did I know?
Those days are gone forever.
I should just let 'em go, but

Well this last weekend I successfully looked back and came away with a smile. Forgive the long winded set up to this story but it will put in perspective how I “went back this weekend.”

In Don Henley's song the “Boys of Summer” there are the lyrics:

Well this last weekend I successfully looked back and came away with a smile. Forgive the long winded set up to this story but it will put in perspective how I “went back this weekend.”

Awesome Cove Somewhere South of Pigeon Point Lighthouse

When I had just gotten my permit we went on a family vacation. It was my Mom, Dad, and myself. We were going to drive down from Los Angeles to San Diego. Then we were going to take Highway 1 all the way to San Francisco.

Now at the time we only had a Volkswagen station wagon. At the time with a Volkswagen I don't think there was any thing that was power/automatic. Locks, windows, transmission everything was manual. The clutch on that station wagon, to put it mildly, was super stiff. My Dad drives us down to San Diego and we are having a good time. When we start to head north to San Francisco he asks me if I want to learn to drive a stick. I said sure.

The on-ramp to the freeway was pretty steep and there was stop-and-go traffic. I had to stop on a hill. That is when I met the “clutch.” I must have stalled that engine 15+ times trying to get moving in first. The line of cars behind us was growing and so were the drivers displeasure. They were not as displeased as my Mom was though. She started telling my Dad to switch seats with me and get us out of there. Each time she repeated herself was a little bit louder and with more urgency. Dad just smiled and said “no he has to learn sometime and now is a good as any.”

You see when my Dad was on vacation he was never in a hurry. One time at the produce inspection stop Arizona/California border the guard asked my Dad if we had any fruits or vegetables. My Dad said “only this orange.” It had a green spot on it and the guard said we could not take it into California. So my Dad, not wanting to waste it, peeled that orange and ate it. Yup in the car, right in the inspection lane, with the guard watching through the window. That was fun, but I digress.

So after the umpteenth time of popping the clutch and stalling I nailed it and off down the 101 we went.

The Cool Things You See When You "Turn Here"

Another thing my Dad liked to do was stop and explore anything interesting. A trait I, have to admit, I have inherited from him. So as I drove up the twisting and turning Hwy 1 he would all of a sudden say “turn here I want to see that.” So across the road I would turn. Each time I thought Mom was going to have a heart attack. Well by the time we got to Monterey, me and that clutch were “simpatico.” I loved that car from that trip on and was sad when we sold it.

So this past weekend a friend of mine, who lives in Oakland, was having a party. Now he has a couple of sub woofers that he had replaced and had offered to give the old ones to me. They were big and too heavy to ship. His party gave me an excuse to drive and pick them up. More importantly, it also gave me an excuse to re-live the adventure I had learning to drive on Hwy 1 with my Mom and Dad. As you can see from the pictures in this post the beauty along Hwy 1 is second to none. The memories it brought back were priceless.

Early Saturday I started the 444 mile journey mostly in the rain and fog. Most of the trip I could not see more than an eighth of a mile in front of me. It was fun and even beautiful through the fog. Sunday. I drove back those same 444 miles; still overcast but no rain and a little fog toward sunset.

Same Cove Next Day Before the Fog Set In

One memory that this trip brought back was one I always associate with that trip with my Parens. It is the reason, that to this day, I am not a big artichoke fan. Just off of Hwy 1 there is a town called Castorville. Castorville's claim to fame is being the “Artichoke Capital of the World.” My Mom bought a twenty five pound bag of artichokes. For weeks after the trip the three of us were eating artichoke this and artichoke that. By the time we finished that bag I really did not want to see another artichoke again. The memories of my Mom, artichokes, and the whole trip flew back into my mind when I saw the sign for the Castroville turnoff.

So Henley was wrong. You can go back. I will do this drive again but take my “photographer's assistant, i.e., my wife”. Maybe just maybe we will take longer than two days to go up and back! Maybe, we will play some Grateful Dead instead of Don Henley while we drive...

Bob Kent 12/5/16 Bob Kent 12/5/16

Quests in the Owens Valley are Fun

Over the years I have had fun with quests finding the Petroglyphs that are in the Owens Valley and the Tablelands. The first quest started with some photography friends; Paul, George, Kahlee, Nate, Dave, and some others. We were at a meet up in Lone Pine when I convinced them we should try and find the Petroglyphs near Keeler. We looked near and far and came up empty. Over the course of next few summers I finally found a ranger that gave me the clues that allowed me to find them.

You see most people won't tell you exact directions to where they are. If you are nice they will give you clues. That's it clues. Giving just clues are done for good reason. The Petroglyphs are treasures, looks into the past, some 6,000 years old. Some folks don't do well in respecting how valuable they are. They either vandalize them or put their own mark next to them to try and become immortal themselves. Sorry to tell them “Betsy and Mark 1983” will only get folks extremely mad and you will be cursed at for the next 5,000 years . So to find these sites you have to do your research on the internet and talk to people to get clues. Then you weave it all together to guess where they are. Finally, you have to go out and look.

Benton Crossing a Cool Place on the way to Hunt Petroglyphs

Over the years I have had fun with quests finding the Petroglyphs that are in the Owens Valley and the Tablelands. The first quest started with some photography friends; Paul, George, Kahlee, Nate, Dave, and some others. We were at a meet up in Lone Pine when I convinced them we should try and find the Petroglyphs near Keeler. We looked near and far and came up empty. Over the course of next few summers I finally found a Ranger that gave me the clues that allowed me to find them.

You see most people won't tell you exact directions to where they are. If you are nice they will give you clues. That's it clues. Giving just clues are done for good reason. The Petroglyphs are treasures, looks into the past, some 6,000 years old. Some folks don't do well in respecting how valuable they are. They either vandalize them or put their own mark next to them to try and become immortal themselves. That mark will only get folks extremely mad and they will be cursed at for the next 5,000 years . So to find these sites you have to do your research on the internet and talk to people to get clues. Then you weave it all together to guess where they are. Finally, you have to go out and look.

It took me three or four years and multiple hikes to find Sky Rock and then I found it by sheer luck. One time I was sure I was on the right path and ran into some rock climbers and we started to talk. I told them what I was looking for and they looked at me funny. She then told me “most people don't access that site using this trail.” Now that was the nicest way that I have ever been told that I am on the wrong freakin' trail! But she was kind and gave me some clues. "Try the trail about a half mile down." She then gave me the clue worth a million bucks. She said “once up the slope get up on the top of the rocks because you won't see it from the trail.” Without that clue I think I would still be looking.

Now that I had found the petroglyphs at Sky Rock, Fish Slough, and Keeler I thought I had only have a couple more to go. The elusive ones for me were the Thirteen Moons and Chalfant Petroglyphs. I am pretty sure I now know where the Thirteen Moons is and I just have to plan a hike to find them. Chalfant was another story. A lot of people know where they are. After those idiots cut parts of the petroglyphs out with chain saws no one tells you where they are. They just look at you and smile and say no I don't know where they are. Not even any clues.

Well I did my research. I found a web sight with some detail and then found an old Zerox directions sheet the visitors office gave me years ago. The directions were not that precise. Drive x miles from Bishop, turn left, and go to the end of the road. That's it.

Unfortunately, I was coming from Benton Crossing not Bishop so I had to guess the distance. The road that I thought was the one, wasn't. In the drive down however we passed a road that fit my memory of the internet site's info. So we took a gamble and down the road we went. It was the road! There were the Chaflant Petroglyphs! I felt like I had just won the Kentucky Derby! They were beautiful! I don't think I have used that many exclamation points in a row in my lifetime. But finding those elusive petroglyphs was that exciting to me.

Anyone See a Petrified Crow in the Picture

There was an added bonus that day. A storm was coming in and the clouds were putting on a show. I took some pictures of the clouds at the petroglyph site. Then stopped several times on the way home to take more pictures. In hindsight, I did not stop enough. There was one scene where the clouds had turned gold. They were so bright their reflection turned the water in Crowley Lake gold as well. It was gorgeous and I did no stop. Still kicking myself. Oh well.

As we drove back to Mammoth it looked like it was already snowing in town. It was and we preceded to get 6-8 inches of snow that night and the next day. It was beautiful but it was cold and I was not anxious to put on chains. So we stayed in and enjoyed the fireplace. So no fresh snow pictures for Christmas cards.

Back at home started doing more research on the petroglyphs and read there are like 400 petroglyphs in Red Canyon. Hmmm… I have another quest to go along with finally finding the thirteen moons! Stay tuned.

Bob Kent 9/26/16 Bob Kent 9/26/16

Tom's Place

When we are in the Sierra we really enjoy visiting Toms Place. The bar is a perfect local rustic dive bar you would find in small towns back east. The bartenders we have come to be friends with, Jo Jo and Donna, are the best. Great Margaritas and Bloody Mary. The food in the restaurant is delicious comfort food.

On Labor Day Toms Place has a Car Show and BBQ. It makes for a fun visit and this year there were over twenty pretty "sweet" cars at the show. The images below are just a sampling of the cars that were "in attendance."

Toms Place has been around for a long time which is part of its charm. Originally built in 1917 by a German man not named Tom but Hans Lof. It started with a gas station to service the traffic coming from Southern California. Lof added cookhouse, store and corrals.

In 1923, Thomas Yerby purchased the business and Tom built the original Tom's Place Lodge in 1924. Hence the name Toms Place.

This pretty much sums up the type of cars that were at Toms Place on Labor Day

Speaking of Mustangs there was a sweet 1965 restored to original condition.

Incredible Tear Drop Trailer for "Roughing It"

Looking at the blanket in the truck bed below you would have thought the owner had it custom made. That was not the case. The owner told me he had won it in a raffle at another car show a few weeks earlier. The raffle had several versions of the blanket with different colors. When he claimed his prize the girl recognized him and said I know what color you want orange!

Cool cars, the BBQ was delicious which made for a great day!

Bob Kent 9/10/16 Bob Kent 9/10/16

Another Bucket List Checked Off – Getting to a Sierra Pass

Hiking Mono Pass Yosemite is a great hike full of wonderful views of granite peaks and alpine meadows. It has a hidden gift in being able to see Mono Lake 4,000 feet below you!

October 2024
- Oct 20, 2024 Three Days of Fall Colors in the Eastern Sierra Oct 20, 2024
May 2023
- May 18, 2023 Cloudy with a 100% of Spectacular May 18, 2023
December 2022
- Dec 30, 2022 20 Yards of Track Dec 30, 2022
July 2022
- Jul 9, 2022 Channeling Huell Howser in the Eastern Sierra Jul 9, 2022
June 2022
- Jun 24, 2022 Quiet Moment - Waterfall Jun 24, 2022
May 2022
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January 2022
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December 2021
- Dec 12, 2021 Owens Valley: The Tule Elk on Hwy 395 Dec 12, 2021
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- Apr 1, 2019 My Path to Better Wildflower Images Apr 1, 2019
March 2019
- Mar 25, 2019 March in Like a Lion ( and leave the same way!) Mar 25, 2019
- Mar 15, 2019 The End of the Line (well maybe) - Keeler Mar 15, 2019
February 2019
- Feb 26, 2019 Lone Pine the Little Town Below a Big Mountain Feb 26, 2019
- Feb 18, 2019 The Word of the Month for February - Snow Feb 18, 2019
- Feb 11, 2019 The Wildflowers are Coming, the Wildflowers are Coming; are You Prepared? Feb 11, 2019
- Feb 4, 2019 Nature’s Vastness is Good for Our Souls Feb 4, 2019
January 2019
- Jan 20, 2019 Hike Big Sycamore Canyon - Tejon Ranch Jan 20, 2019
- Jan 13, 2019 Clouds and Glass Jan 13, 2019
- Jan 5, 2019 My 12 Best Images of 2018 Jan 5, 2019
September 2017
- Sep 22, 2017 Dad Why Do the Trees Change Colors? Sep 22, 2017
- Sep 11, 2017 Eastern Sierra Early Morning Scramble (ESMS) Sep 11, 2017
August 2017
- Aug 14, 2017 Another Hidden Gem Along Highway 395 Aug 14, 2017
July 2017
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- Jul 24, 2017 Mom, why is the sky blue? Mom, Why is the sunset red? Mom, why does it always looks better in the Eastern Sierra? Answers to questions you May have always wanted to know Jul 24, 2017
- Jul 10, 2017 The Streams are Alive Jul 10, 2017
June 2017
- Jun 27, 2017 Water Everywhere! Jun 27, 2017
January 2017
- Jan 23, 2017 Cannot Fight It Might as Well Join It Jan 23, 2017
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- Jan 2, 2017 My Top Images of 2016 Jan 2, 2017
December 2016
- Dec 29, 2016 Operation Santa Status - A Success Dec 29, 2016
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- Dec 14, 2016 Don Henley was Wrong You can go Back Dec 14, 2016
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- Oct 31, 2016 Dia de los Muertos 2016 Oct 31, 2016
- Oct 24, 2016 Of Frequency and Luck Oct 24, 2016
- Oct 17, 2016 Show ‘Em That Flat Penny Oct 17, 2016
- Oct 10, 2016 Fall Colors in the Sierra Oct 10, 2016
- Oct 3, 2016 What a Summer! Looking Back as We Move To Fall Oct 3, 2016
September 2016
- Sep 26, 2016 Tom's Place Sep 26, 2016
- Sep 19, 2016 Unbelievable - Time again for Fall Colors Sep 19, 2016
- Sep 10, 2016 Another Bucket List Checked Off – Getting to a Sierra Pass Sep 10, 2016
January 2016
- Jan 23, 2016 Lake Havasu Balloon Festival Jan 23, 2016
November 2015
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July 2015
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May 2015
- May 22, 2015 Some Things Age With Grace May 22, 2015
- May 15, 2015 Welcome to the Website Launch May 15, 2015

Working to complete my 54 for Dave Quest I have done more hikes this summer than ever before. I came to realize though I had yet to hike to a mountain pass, ever. I had come close. Once on the McGee Creek trail but was stopped by snow. Another time on the Crystal Lake hike but was going to Crystal Lake not the pass. So I had never actually stood on top of a Sierra mountain pass. It became a bucket list item! So I started looking for a day hike that got me to a pass.

Mono Pass in Yosemite seemed to fit the bill. It was in the Yosemite high country in which I love hiking in. It had a reasonable difficulty level at eight miles in length (round trip) and 900 feet of altitude gain it figured it would be pleasant hike.

The description of the hike on the Yosemite Hikes web page seemed to good to be true to get to a pass. “There are only a few stretches where the incline is steep enough to make you notice you're climbing.” Well it was to good to be true as one of those “stretches” was as over a mile and had a pretty steep grade.

Even with the unexpected climb I really enjoyed this hike. While it did not have a big lake at the end like some hikes do; the high country meadows and the view down Bloody Canyon to Mono Lake more than made up for it.

Mono Pass is the type of hike I like because it starts of flat and saves the climb later on once your warmed up. My start time at 6:30 AM was perfect to catch the first morning light on Mammoth Peak

eing late in the summer most of the creeks were dry. That is good and bad. Bad, because I imagine the streams were knock down gorgeous. Good, because I did not encounter one mosquito on the entire hike. Dana Fork was the primary exception to this water drought and provided a beautiful log water fall right next to the trail.

Looking Up the Trail in the Morning Light

There are a couple of decaying mining cabins along the trail. A bit of background on these cabins. The Homer Mining Index, one of the few papers in the area at the time, states that Fuller and Hayt (or Hoyt) discovered antimonial silver in Mono Pass and called their claim the Golden Crown. The Mammoth City Herald, another newspaper of the day predicted that within a year, thousands of miners would be working in Mono Pass at the Golden Crown. The mines never panned out and Mono Pass will be remembered as a way for miners to cross the Sierra to get to Dogtown and Monoville, mines on the eastern Sierra near Mono Lake. The cabins are a quite reminder of the mining history of the area.

There is long section that climbs up. After that ordeal you are rewarded as the trail weaves in and out of a stunningly beautiful alpine meadow. There are also beautiful views of Mt Lewis and the Kuna Crest.

Just before the pass is a lovely unnamed pond. A short distance farther up the trail, at the summit, is a small lake appropriately named Summit Lake. This is the end of the Mono Pass trail and the beginning of the Bloody Canyon trail. It is also the edge of Yosemite Park. Up to this point the Mono Pass trail was beautiful forest and meadows. In contrast, Bloody Canyon is barren rock. An incredible difference and a testimonial to the impact the Sierra has on the weather and the land around it.

I continued for a for just over a quarter of a mile down the Bloody Canyon trail toward Upper Sardine Lake to get a scenic look of Mono Lake 4,000 feet below. The view is awesome and one of the reasons I did this hike!

This was a wonderful hike with great views of the Yosemite high country, granite peaks like Mammoth and Mt. Lewis, and Mono Lake. I will definitely do it again and maybe finish at Spillway Lake.