Howling Point

Siberian Reindeer

Caught Santa's helper resting up before the big day. Wondering if anyone ever wrote a variation on the story where instead of coal the bad kids got skewered by this rack of antlers.

Sloth Bear

My spirit animal.

Squirrel

One of the zoo's free range residents, this guy was mocking the visitors near the Eagle Walk aviary.

Playing With Contrast

Bright sun breaking through during the winter storm still visible in the sky.

Stormy Day

Bright sun broke through around me, but the winter storm was still on the horizon.

Early morning wait

Racers waiting to descend the stairs to the Cove for the 8:45 heats.

Best view in the house

The locals always know where the best seats are.

Safety First

The first heat proceeding under the watchful eyes of San Diego's Lifeguards.

Crowds

I tend to get cranky when I have to share a lane. This kind of crowding would drive me nuts.

Race start

Entering the water for the 10:00 am heats.

Breathing

Swimming near the front of the pack on the outbound leg.

Victory

On the rocks after completing the one-mile swim.

Entering the Cove

Racers entering the cove for the 8:45 heats.

Lifeguard On Duty

'Nuf said.

Ray entering

*thunderous applause* Ray entering the cove for the 10:00 am heats

Not how this was supposed to go

Start for two of the three boats at the morning Dory Boat Race. Both lost their crews and one flipped. Note the capsized white boat (Eileen) under the sitting competitor on the left of the image. That boat, the Eileen did go on to finish the event.

Dory racers

This boat was the one out of three that started without losing its crew, and went on to win the morning event.

Crew of the Eileen

Still rowing hard despite having been tossed twice and suffered a capsized boat on the start. They went on to grab second place in the tumultuous event in heavy surf.

Open-water finishers

Sprinting for rankings at the end of the Surf Race event.

Surf Race finish

Finishers at the open-water swim race portion of the lifeguard competition.

Race start

"Victims" heading out at the start of the men's Rescue Relay.

Save me

One of the competing lifeguards between events.

Home stretch

Racers in the Surf Ski race at the final turn before heading to the beach.

Surf Ski racer

Racer at the turn shot from the pier.

Tough day

It was a tough day for many of the competitors with big surf adding to the challenges.

Heading to the finish line

Finisher in the men's Surf Race

Moonset over Black Rock Nature Center

Moon setting during an early hike on the Hi-View Trail at the Black Rock Nature Center at the west side of the park.

Hemingway

This is part of a rock climbing / bouldering area of the park known as Hemingway. Various signs pointing to different specific features, including Banana Cracks and Maggies Farm.

Banana Cracks

This is a rock climbing point named Banana Cracks in the Hemingway area of the park.

Nature Finds A Way

When you want that shady forest experience but you're in Joshua Tree? This is how nature finds a way. Taken in the Hemingway climbing area.

Rocks

Nothing more to say. Taken on the Split Rock Trail.

Hidden Mickey?

The fact that I immediately started trying to count hidden Mickeys says I've been spending too much time at that other park. Taken on the Split Rock Trail.

Geology at work

Assuming it's not a manufacturing defect or a rendering error, so now wishing I'd paid more attention in Geology classes over the years. Fascinating.

First Night Star Trails

Star trails from a composite of 30-second exposures shot on a Canon Rebel T6i the night of May 17, 2022. The vantage point was just past Intersection Rock on the Keys Ranch Road, and the camera was set at ISO 3200 and f/5.6.

Second Night Star Trails

Star trails from a composite of 30-second exposures shot on a Canon Rebel T6i the night of May 18, 2022. The vantage point was just north of the Jumbo Rocks campsite turnoff (which was also the source of the red light) on Park Boulevard, and the camera was set at ISO 3200 and f/5.6.

First Impression

The South Entrance to Zion National Park on the second day of our roadtrip.

Court of the Patriarchs

The view while waiting just west of the Zion-Mt. Carmel tunnel.

Scale

It's been tough for me to pick shots that capture the true vertical scale of this place. Hopefully leaving the road and cars in helps.

Checkerboard Mesa

The ranger says that white stuff is called snow. Apparently it's some sort of natural phenomenon that we don't get here in San Diego.

Tired on Day Two

Onofre wants you to know what he thinks of forced photo ops on scenic overlooks. Taken at the Checkerboard Mesa pullout.

Another First Impression

This is the Capital Reef National Park taken from the Panorama Point pullout near the entrance to the park.

Random erosion

Tough to capture the scale, but this remnant of the erosion process was larger than my car and just sitting there on the side of the road.

Stay on Target

For scale, that's a two-lane lane road, and I think the trench is easily wide enough for an X-Wing to navigate.

Faces in the rock?

Couldn't help but stare at the erosion patterns here. Kinda think this is how Mount Rushmore could have turned out if it had been carved by Picasso or Dali.

Eph Hanks Tower

Viewed from the picnic area at the entrance to Capital Gorge.

Bryce Canyon

Randy provides scale for our first impression of Bryce Canyon National Park.

The First Alternative Horse

This was the first of the alternative animals used for the parade, and captured my attention for the theme.

Bagpipes

Can't have a parade without bagpipes.