Category Archives: Travel Blogs

Adventure, Big Bend National Park, Troy's Blog

Window Trail

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Entering Big Bend National Park

Our Monopoly board brought us to explore Window Trail which lies inside of Big Bend National Park. This is a moderately difficult trail which covers 3.6 miles in total and covers some beautiful scenery along the way. We were fortunate to be there during the spring when many plants were beginning to bloom and the temperatures were ideal for a hike in the desert. Not to cold and not to warm.

Walking through the desert

Along this trail we enjoyed a number of great sights including Yucca’s and cactus in bloom, a couple of white tail deer, colorful birds, and a friendly road runner. This trail follows the bottom of a canyon most of the way where water drains during heavier rainfalls.

Taking a quick break on the trail

About halfway to the end of the trail we decided it was time to explore a place to take a few minutes to relax and take in the great desert mountain scenery. What’s the first thing kids want to do when stopping near rocks? Well climb them of course and this we did as some of the nicest seats were higher up. This is not recommended by the park although we were definitely not the first ones to do this as I found an orange peel in one of the crevices left by a previous climber.

Window Trail through the canyons

Once entering the canyon portion of the hike there were stairs built to make the trail easier to traverse as during other times of the year there can be water flowing through here which is, of course, the way this canyon was created.

The window where the trail ends

At a couple of points along the way we wondered if we were at the end of the trail. I can say definitively now that the end is very obvious because of seeing the window it was named after and it drops off to the desert floor very abruptly. I’m not sure a person would survive a drop from the window.

Rocks smoothed by years of water and debris sanding them down

As you get close to the window the rocks become extremely slippery due to the running water carrying debris which has sanded down the rocks giving them a polished appearance and feel. It was interesting, especially in this dry season, to see how high the water can get in this canyon and how fast it must rush through to wear down the stone underneath.

The end of the trail with a steep drop to the desert floor

Carefully climbing near the end there is just a narrow slot with a large drop-off which is all very slippery requiring some care to get to. It would be interesting to see this area from the other side after a heavy rain. There must be an interesting waterfall for a short time.

A road runner encounter on the trail

During our trek back we encountered this road runner that didn’t seem to care we were there as it walked right next to us on the trail. Other hikers behind us had the same experience. This particular bird must be use to hikers on this trail and understand prey can be found scurrying as hikers pass by making them easier to find. It gave us the opportunity to all see a road runner finally as each time before the birds would be gone before everyone could see them running across roads in front of the car.

Photos, Troy's Blog

Spring is Coming

The snow is quickly melting and warmer temperatures are moving in bringing with it an increased desire to go outside and leave our winter dens in Minnesota. People are smiling more and generally in a better mood. Geese are taking advantage of more open water and making their annual trek north in search of places for food and the perfect nesting grounds.

Geese migrating north

Ducks are following suite as there are numerous different types that we don’t usually see except for their migrations. As water becomes more accessible there are more and more flying through. Even though the ice is retreating it is very likely these ducks will be dealing with a spring snow storm or two yet.

Ducks taking a break from their long flight

It’s nice to be able to spend more time outdoors with lighter coats and not be cold after awhile. It won’t be long before the trees will begin showing signs of life confirming winter is in months past. This year spring seems to be a few weeks early which many people seem to agree is perfectly ok. Only a few that are passionate for winter activities are morning the loss of snow and ice.

The receding ice

Even though there appears to be no sign of life in the trees there is one that is taking advantage of this early part of spring – pussy willows. They are quickly extending their buds and preparing to flower. An event many miss as this happens while there may be a few spots of snow and ice still visible. Amazing to me that these plants can grow so quickly with temperatures cooling off to below freezing at night.

Pussywillows beginning to bloom

As these pussy willows progress you see these bright yellow pollen shedding anthers basking in the brighter sunlight inviting any insect nearby. Watching for a short time reveals a multitude of bugs stirring and consuming this abundance of food that never appeared to be alive a few moments before. Yes, spring has begun and so has the re-appearance of life after surviving in the cold, barren landscape for so many months.

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Adventure, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, National Parks, Troy's Blog

Meandering Through the Smoky Mountains on a Horse

Exploring a National Park by driving and hiking through it is the most common, riding a horse was something different for us and what better place to do that than Great Smoky Mountains National Park? There are a couple of horse stables in this park. The one we chose was Cades Cove Riding Stables because that was the one closest to where we wanted to explore that day.

The Rhododendrons were just starting to bloom

Our ride lasted for about an 45 minutes through beautiful forests of the Smoky Mountains so it was long enough to enjoy it but not too long where those of us not use to horses would get sore. The day began cloud covered with the threat of rain but we managed to stay dry and see peaks of sun as the ride continued making for a great summer morning while taking in these surroundings. Several of the Rhododendrons were just beginning to bloom along the trail providing for an even prettier landscape to ride through.

Beautiful scenery on a beautiful summer morning in the Smoky Mountains

The trail leader was very knowledgeable about the horses and trails and took care of any potential issues with the horses quickly. Some horses just don’t perform as well next to certain other horses so sometimes it’s best to keep them separated in a group. Once in awhile a horse wants to go at a different pace than the rest of the group and needs to be put back in their spot to follow the group for the best and safest ride for all. If your in Great Smoky Mountain National Park and are interested in spending time on horses, I definitely recommend Cades Cove Stables. And NO, I was not compensated to say that.

Riding through one of the numerous streams

Adventure, Lake Superior, Troy's Blog

The Frozen River

After a day snowmobiling through Northern Wisconsin we (my cousin and I) wanted to take in a waterfall or two coated in fresh snow so off to Gooseberry Falls we drove. That was the last weekend of the season the trails were open for snowmobiling as it worked out. How fortunate for us?! I was expecting the river to be flowing freely surrounded by fresh snow for some very picturesque landscapes. To my surprise the ice was still well intact over much of the river and waterfalls. For a comparison I’ve included a photo of these same waterfalls during the summer.

Surrounded by Ice

I’ve never been to this area during the winter to see what the waterfalls look like iced over so this was interesting to explore in a completely different perspective. Seeing the waterfalls frozen made me wonder what the process looks like during the winter as the ice gets thicker and thicker. I was also surprised how many people were visiting the falls and taking in a beautiful winter day exploring this state park.

Gooseberry Falls in the summer

Most of the visitors were hiking around the falls, which is what we were doing while some were there to photograph the ice covered waterfalls and one individual was climbing up and over the frozen portions of the falls. Taking some time to talk with him, he says this is his winter version of rock climbing, an activity keeping him out and about enjoying life. It was fun to watch as he picked through the ice with axes and cleats.

Climbing the ice walls

While hiking through the state park I discovered trails in locations I wasn’t aware of trails before. I’ve been to this state park a number of times and never discovered a trail on the opposite side of these waterfalls on top of the cliff overlooking this gorgeous landscape. The views from this newly discovered trail are well worth the extra distance required to get to them. That’s were many of these pictures were taken from. You can see the different angles between most of the waterfall photos and the summer shot.

Peering inside the layers of ice covering the river.

Because one of my goals for 2016 was to photograph snowflakes, I’ve started to look more closely at some of the details in the ice and snow this year. Especially melting ice and snow. The picture above shows the layers that make up ice covering the river as portions are beginning to melt. Some of the freshly fallen snow was beginning to melt and gliding down the ice creating interesting trickles across the several inches of ice still coating the river.

More layers of melting ice.

As we continued our hike around a portion of the Gooseberry River I found a few other locations providing a snapshot into the layer upon frozen layer of water making up this thick sheet of ice. In the above photograph you can see the layers underneath the top layer which is still coated in snow. The darkest portions are running water flowing underneath all of this ice. I believe the water depth in this area is several feet so while it looks relatively shallow, that look is deceiving.

Waterfalls frozen in place

Making our way to the lower falls you can see the magnificent rocks covered in all of this ice. in our explorations we confirmed water running under much of this as there were a few spots open to the water underneath as well as sounds of rushing water muffled by layers of ice. There were some great shapes created from the freezing and thawing during the recent days. It’s interesting to look at all these little details that combine together to make this amazing ice walls. Sometimes I forgot I was standing over running water as I was attempting to photograph these small icicles and crystals and their curious shapes.

One of the many icicles making up this huge ice wall.

Darkness was approaching on this already cloud covered light and the wind was growing colder so it was time to exit this beautiful ice river and falls. Before we did I was amazed further by the resilience of trees that grow out of these rock ledges as in the winter they are also ice covered. How they continue to grow surprises me and I work with plants almost every day. These tree roots and icicles clinging to the side of this stone wall made for a sight you don’t expect to see.

Tree roots growing through ice and rock

Gooseberry Falls State Park has a beautiful visitors center with great information about the North Shore of Minnesota but was unfortunately closed as we were exiting. In the absence of park personnel, we were sent on our way by some of the park residents. Although they seemed to prefer our departure instead of wanting to be interacted with.

Local resident deer sending us on our way

Adventure, Lake Superior, Troy's Blog

Fun in the Snow

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In early January there was a discussion on getting out on snowmobiles this winter with my cousin and brother for a guys weekend in Northern Wisconsin. Well, that was unless my wife decided she wanted to join us. The first weekend in March was the date set but as warm as winter was we weren’t completely sure there would be enough snow on the trails to go. A couple of weeks before the chosen date we were a little more comfortable so we reserved a couple of sleds, since my brother was unable to go, with the option of canceling if the snow melted before the first weekend in March which was entirely possible as forecasts called for 50’s or warmer the weekend before with possible rain to follow and no snow in the forecast to replenish what melted.

Stopping in front of the Apostle Islands

As the day approached my cousin and I kept a close eye on the trail reports wondering if the trails would remain open for us. Two nights before we decided to reserve our hotel room as well because the trails were most likely going to be open and our day in the snow at 70 miles per hour would be on. We were expecting icy trails especially on the turns making the snowmobiling experience a little less exciting but a day on the trails is still better than a day working. Soon after getting the sleds and hitting the trails we found the trails to be in great shape with no ice and a good base of most of them. To make it even better, fresh snow fell while we were out tearing across the trails. In the photo above you typically would see some of the Apostle Islands, home of the famous ice caves, behind us but the snow was falling heavily enough it blocked the view of them.

The freshly covered snowmobile trail

For me, it was an amazing adventure as it has been a few years since I was last on a snowmobile. Way too long! I had forgotten how much fun it is to weave through the forests of Northern Wisconsin near Lake Superior with nothing but the roar of the engine and the wind smashing against your helmet. There’s an excitement when your moving at 60 miles an hour flying by trees and feeling the sled wobble beneath you giving you the feeling that a slight wrong move could cause you to lose control. It sounds dangerous and it can be. There are only specific situations to get going that fast and hope that a deer doesn’t bounce in front of you. At those times it is a very freeing calmness and heightened awareness of what’s in front of you.

A great way to see the forest of Northern Wisconsin

The rest of the time you are traveling around 30 miles per hour maneuvering around turns and climbing up and down the hills enjoying the sights passing you by. It was a challenge for me not to stop every couple of hundred feet and take pictures of the amazing landscape covered in a fresh blanket of falling snow. The choice was to explore more trails or stop more frequently to photograph the sights currently around us. Most of the time I opted for exploring more trails.

Flying through the snow on a one horse open sled

For a short time I attached the GoPro to the snowmobile for a different perspective. In the photograph above you can see white streaks in front of the sled. These are snowflakes capturing the headlights on the snowmobile. It kind of looks like preparing for warp speed through space. Using the camera on the sled was a little challenging because the constant vibrations would shake it loose and I didn’t bring the appropriate attachments to secure it better.

A fresh snowfall brings out the winter wonderland along the Brule River

In one area there was a bridge which spanned the Brule River. I did have to stop and turn around to photograph this scene. It just looked like the perfect scene of winter. When I imagine a winter landscape it either has mountains in it or a river flowing through a forest covered in snow. Pretty much what you see in the picture above and below. This was a great adventure that I hope to repeat next winter!

Beautiful Northern Wisconsin landscape

Adventure, NASA, Troy's Blog

Houston, We Have a Problem

The problem was our time here was too short. We were in Houston for a couple of days before boarding a cruise ship to the Caribbean and were looking for something interesting to explore. Researching things to do in Houston, NASA was at the top of the list and reading different people’s experience here we decided that’s how we wanted to spend one of the days.

Exploring the Moon

General admission gains access to a days worth of exhibits which include different space capsules, informational movies, multiple types of space trainers, equipment used on different space travels, and even a lab situation where moon rocks were examined all put into settings made to give you a good idea of what it’s like going into space. In addition, you can visit Independence Plaza which holds a shuttle carrier holding a shuttle, Rocket Park were there are several different rockets used to travel into space, as well as a couple of other buildings showcasing some of NASA’s current work via a tram.

Experimenting with Moon rocks

We were in Houston visiting Johnson Space Center and this could be our only chance to experience this with our children so we decided we wanted to take in the full experience and went on the VIP tour. With this tour you get to visit areas not available to any other tour such as the underwater training center as well as get up close and personal in some of the areas were the tram does go such as historic mission control and building 9 where you can view new technology that may be used in future space endeavors along with lunch which can be a little expensive at a place like this.

Skylab Space Station Trainer

Our first stop was the underwater training facility. Here they have a life-size International Space Station for astronauts from around the world to train on. Luckily for us, there were a couple of astronauts training so we could see how they prepared to work in space. It’s very interesting because while underwater they each have at least two assistants for training and safety. This pool is massive as you might imagine to hold a replica of the Space Station. With space suits on these astronauts can’t get themselves into or out of the pool so they have a small crane to get them in and out.

Underwater training pool

Next we explored building 9 and got to see many of the new creations meant for use on the moon and beyond such as advanced rovers and other exploration vehicles. There were different types of space suits on display, Robonauts which can be used to explore areas not as hospitable to people, and the Orion capsule being built for possible missions back to the moon. Surprisingly, this Orion Capsule has much the same design as capsules already used to go to the moon. The technology to operate them, however, is much better and so is the equipment that can be used to explore more of the moon. Also in Building 9 there is a Soyuz capsule currently used to transport astronauts to the International Space Station and parts of the space station for these capsules to connect to. Seeing these in person is really interesting.

NASA's nxt Lunar rover

Something we got to experience, that very few get to be a part of, was the launch of astronaut Scott Kelly live. While his launch took place in Kazakhstan, the people at Johnson Space Center prepared an area for their VIP tour guests to view the launch. Because of this launch our trip to see the new Mission Control needed to be delayed as a number of NASA officials were in Mission Control as this trip began. Our experience watching this brought the United States involvement in the International Space Station to life more than any news story could. This post was not intended to coordinate with his return almost a year later. That is just a lucky coincidence as I had planned on this post a week or so before realizing Scott Kelly was returning home from his year at the space station.

Watching Scott Kelly's launch at NASA

After watching the launch to the International Space Station, our tour continued on to Rocket Park where there are several different rockets used to propel people into space. The highlight of Rocket Park is the Saturn V rocket which was used to take people to the moon. In the photograph above you can see a person walking under the rocket on the far side to indicate just how massive this rocket really is. You could stand inside one of the rocket engines and there are five engines that powered this rocket from the Earth. Walking around Rocket Park you can start to put together the timeline from the first rockets to Saturn V and even see the equipment that went into making the shuttles. Most of this rocket was used to get it off the ground and to the moon. Very little was needed for the return trip.

Saturn V

On to Mission Control. Here we were able to sit at the actual desks used to control these missions to the moon and some of the earliest Space Shuttle flights. It really felt like going back in time and humbling to be in this amazing and historic control center. There was a few minutes of presentations by NASA officials and then we had some time to look around this piece of American history. How much better could our experience get?

NASA's old Mission Control

How about witnessing the new Mission Control as they maneuver the International Space Station for the docking of the Soyuz Capsule with Scott Kelly aboard? Here I learned information I was unaware of before such as NASA is the organization that actually flies the space station and a trip from Earth to the International Space Station takes mere hours. I always imagined a trip of this distance would take a day or more. One other surprise to me was how ordinary a launch appears in Mission Control. Not all the desks were filled and people appeared to just be doing their everyday business and having conversations with colleagues just as many of us do only they’re in control of vehicles thousands of miles away and responsible for the lives of those aboard. I’ve seen more chaos in a grocery store. This was the end of our day at Johnson Space Center which required relaxing by the pool of our hotel the rest of the night just to absorb all of the information and experiences from this day. The night sky has a little different appearance now.

NASA's new mission control

National Parks, Troy's Blog

Fireflies in the Smoky Mountains

While exploring Great Smoky Mountain National Park we came across a brochure explaining the synchronous fireflies. Fireflies are visible  in many areas and we’ve enjoyed and evening or two watching these interesting little insects near our home. I’ve even taken some time to try and photograph their nighttime dances with some success. It was decided that a trip to Elkmont, which is the best location for viewing this nightly light show in June, that night would be an enjoyable way to end a great day in the Smokies.

A Dobson Fly also waiting to see the light show.

According to the brochure, the peak days were already behind us but that there were great light shows for several weeks still to be seen. As we arrived in the Elkmont area our first challenge was to find a spot to park which proved more difficult than expected as we were there a couple of hours before nightfall. Apparently we weren’t the only ones wanted to witness these synchronous fireflies. Eventually we followed others and parked alongside the road and walked back to the viewing area which was being descended on by hundreds of other people. This must be a good show if there are this many people here this early in the evening.

Little River in Elkmont

As darkness began to fall over the area we wondered into the forest next to Little River and found what appeared to be a nice relaxing spot to lose ourselves in the increasing darkness along with others hoping to witness a firefly spectacle. While waiting for these insects to begin their show we explored the river’s edge until a flash caught our attention back in the woods. And then another, and another. The show was beginning! As the minutes went by there was some firefly flashing but nothing more spectacular than we would see near home. After about 20 minutes we decided it was time to retire for the evening as it was a long and eventful day leaving us ready for our pillows.

A single firefly lighting up the night

On our way out of the forest we stopped to talk with another couple who lived in the area. During the conversation they explained that the show had not really started yet and we should stay awhile longer. Soon after there were golden streams of light blinking all over. It was beautiful and exciting to watch. They were all over the place showing off their tricks of flight and color. Now it makes sense what all the publicity was about. We couldn’t imaging what the show would be like during the peak season. Now this was about as perfect as it could be to end a day full of adventures.

The show is getting better

And better

This is definitely worth seeing

National Parks, Troy's Blog

Agate Fossil Beds

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument one of the smallest national parks we’ve visited but an interesting place to explore with some surprising things to learn. Before finding this place because of the Monopoly board I had no idea that fossils have been found in this part of the Midwestern United States. Once again another pleasant surprise from our Monopoly adventures.

Some of the mammals fossils

This park requires only a few hours to explore but has much to offer for it’s size with information on the significance of the area for the Sioux as well as fossils to view both in the visitors center and along trails. In addition there are great views of the plains that make up large expanses of the landscape in western Nebraska.

Looking out at the vast prairie

One of the unique fossils which has been preserved in this national park are corkscrews dug deep into the earth by a type of land beaver that use to reside in these hills. When you see them you can’t help but wonder why they dug these burrows in the shape of a corkscrew. I question if it was to help them get in and out of their underground home. Maybe they couldn’t climb in and out of these deep holes any other way. Still, these corkscrews called, daemonelix or devil’s corkscrews, added a lot of steps each time entering and exiting these dens. A workout just to get up and go outside and retreat back into shelter. Probably worse than stairs in our houses.

There are fossils hiding in these hills

Photos, Troy's Blog

Snowflakes Age

Sparkling like diamonds

My last post on snowflakes showed some of the attempts at photographing a snowflake. While playing around with the camera and trying to get close ups of snowflakes I realized how interesting light reflecting off of them can be so I wanted to photograph snowflakes in the sunlight and see how sunlight reflecting off of these little crystals would look especially after seeing a fresh snow and all of the little sparkling diamonds and their range of colors in the sunlight.

Still some of the original snowflakes form visiable

What I found was a little disappointing but still fascinating. On a recent snowfall I went out about 6 hours after it was done and the sun began to shine. It was about 20 degrees Fahrenheit so still well into the freezing temperatures which should preserve the snow. In this short time most of the snowflakes were no longer in their original shapes but melting together to form larger pieces of ice. There were a few snowflakes here and there that had kept the form in which they landed in tact but not many as you can see in the above photo. The sun is reflecting off of one of these snowflakes only hours old.

The melting snow

Looking at the same bright snowflake from another perspective shows the melting even better and how unique an relatively intact snowflake is shortly after a fresh snowfall. I have never taken time to look closely at a recent snowfall so it was fun to discover how they transform in such a short time.

Attempting to capture individual snowflakes

I tried many different ways to capture single snowflakes and their unique shapes without any success as you can see in the photo above. Still, I find it interesting to see the ridge of larger ice crystals formed by the melting taking place in the sunlight on this juniper tree.

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In areas that have had more time in the sunlight the progression was even further as all of the snowflakes had melted into larger pieces of ice which reflected the sunlight beautifully. As they continue to melt further in the warm sunlight they create icicles. Fascinating and beautiful.

Snow melting and creating icicles

Photos, Troy's Blog

Snowflakes

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One of my goals for 2016 is to photograph snowflakes so here is my first attempt. It was really interesting to see how unique and beautiful snowflakes can be. While learning how to begin doing this I saw several images of individual snowflakes that were amazing. As snow falls they appear white but when looking at them closely you can see the ice crystals which are more clear. Taking the photographs of snowflakes was not as much fun as I hoped mostly because I was tired and cold and not really wanting to be outside at that time after work but sometimes images aren’t convenient and available on our schedule. Once I finished and was able to view them on the computer it became a lot more fun to see the different shapes, sizes, and formation of these ice crystals. I won’t look at snow the same again.

A Golden Snowflake

Since I was photographing these at dusk I needed to take time to work with lower light which meant longer shutter times on the camera and using additional light to get sharper images. After all was complete and I looked at these on the computer I saw how interesting it can be to reflect different colors of light off of these crystals so the time of day worked out well and taught me more than I think I could have learned photographing these at another time of day. With my equipment there isn’t much more I can do to get close ups of snowflakes so next time I want to try different compositions to get interesting pictures of snowflakes. Investing in better equipment isn’t something I want to do at this time.

Each one is Unique