Good Morning From Lone Pine.

[Zacs-Master]

Booked a hotel just out of town as thought it would be quiet. Quiet isn't the word - no taxis as there's nowhere else to go within two hours! It was 93deg last night at 6:30. Amazing trip,across Death Valley yesterday. On to Yosemite today.

[pixie374]

Morning zacs xx it sounds great :-) how long are you there for?

[ummmm]

Glad you're having a good time...

[Zacs-Master]

Thanks ladies. Just in LP for one night on stopover between Vegas and Yosemite. Yosemite for 3 nights.

[albaqwerty]

I remember you posting about your 25th - take it you've decided she's a keeper then ?

Hope you are both having a wonderful time :-)

[gness]

Glad you're having a great trip, Zacs...was going to suggest you stop off at Calico Ghost Town but I think it's way out of your way....x

[mikey4444]

I visited Death Valley about 20 years ago, and thought it was an amazing place. Far too hot didn't even begin to describe it !

My two friends and myself thought we would see if you really could fry an egg on the bonnet of the rental car. We sort-managed it but then spent the rest of the road trip, desperately trying the get the sticky mess off.

This was in late September....God only knows what it would be like now.

There is a sign on the side of the road, over the Panamint Mountains, on the way out of the valley that said " Turn AC off in summer months"

Apparently the extra strain of running the AC, on top of the car driving up the hill, would cause the engine to conk out.

You will enjoy Yosemite Zacs.

[mikey4444]

Zacs...I recall we stopped here for petrol ::::

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swansea,_California

The only other place called Swansea I have ever seen !

[Buenchico]

Lone Pine?

Someone just has to post this, surely?

;-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4CVIopqLvY

[ethandron]

A champagne and strawberry breakfast at the bottom of the Grand Canyon is truly memorable.

[marval]

You sound to be having a wonderful time.

[jno]

lots of great Ansel Adams photos here

http://tinyurl.com/hjr446m

[mikey4444]

Thanks for that jno......I have two large format books of his photos, both bought when on hols in California.

I also have "Moonrise over Hernandez" framed and on my wall at home.....poster size !

[zebo]

In Yosemite, make sure you go to along Glacier Point road, some fabulous views. So very jealous, one of my favourite places, hope it isn't impossibly crowded. Well worth taking a horseback ride.

[Zacs-Master]

Once again thanks for all the comments! Seems like it's a popular trip! Drive thru TIOGA pass was.....words fail me......stunning doesn't even come close. Mrs Z and me became quite emotional at some points such is the magnificence of the scenery. Jno, as photography is one of my hobbies many thanks for the link. Going to Ansel Adams museum tomorrow!

[waterboatman]

Looks like you're having a wonderful time zacs. We drove Death Valley in Land Rovers. We put a steel plate on the spare wheel, (on the bonnet) We did indeed fry eggs on it, bacon too!

Make the most of it mate. :o}

[Buenchico]

Am I the only person who finds Ansel Adams' images rather boring? Of course they're technically very good but they don't seem to carry any 'emotional message' for me.

My favourite American photographers include Dorothea Lange and Sally Mann. (I'm not too keen on the works of Man Ray or Robert Mapplethorpe though). However I'd rather see an exhibition of photos by the likes of Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Doisneau or Martin Parr.

[mikey4444]

I can't agree with you about Adams Buenchico, but here is another one of my favourite American photographers ::::::

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=o+winston+link&rls=com.microsoft:en-GB:%7Breferrer:source%3F%7D&;rlz=1I7ADFA_en&source=lnms&;tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjau5DB5YjNAhWjDcAKHdZdBNcQ_AUIBygB&biw=1024&bih=726

[Buenchico]

Outstanding, Mikey!

[mikey4444]

Yes...good isn't he !

Many years ago, there was an exhibition of his photos in our local Art Gallery here in Swansea. Not sure why as we not really on the "art map" here, in the same way other large cities are.

I bought a large format book of his work after seeing the exhibition, but I can't find it again now !

Included in the exhibition, was an explanation of how he achieved these marvelous train photos. Apparently it involved miles of cables and dozens of synchronised flash bulbs !

Like Adams, the photos were pin-sharp...he may have a member of Adams's F64 club.

[Zacs-Master]

The AA gallery at Yosemite visitors centre is a travesty of the great mans work. It's just a shop with very overpriced repro's of his and other photographers work ($2400 dollars for a 600 X 400 framed print!).