rumors of my death, greatly exaggerated

I've spent the last couple days feeling like death. There's a flu-like something going around. Anyway, I'm alive, despite lack of posting here, lack of work, etc. etc. I've been looking at these too long, so I cut out the redundant ones, and I'm just putting them up onto the page. Death Valley was magnificent. For-real beautiful. I'll let the pictures tell the story.

manzanar, and before, and after

So, day 2, I wake up after not the most restful night. I'd spent about 3 hours sleeping in the hammock, and when that got too cold, I moved to the tent, which was warmer, but really uncomfortable, as I hadn't brought a ground pad. I went into town, got some breakfast, and decided I just wanted to get moving. So, I started off down the road. I'd expected it to be a shitty 2 lane affair, but found an expansive four lane highway for a lot of the journey south. I put a lot of miles under me in the first few hours, and the country was no less amazing than what I'd seen the day before. I shot out the window, while driving. It's not nearly as dangerous as it sounds, when you're the only car on a four lane road. It's also not terribly productive, but I can't stop myself. Then, I came to "Manzanar":http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manzanar. the middle three pictures are all from there. It's one of the things we as a country should be ashamed of. It's a pretty long list of things. Like a good tourist, I stopped, took my pictures, and moved on. It is worth remembering, though.

mono lake

Looking back, I wish I'd spent more time at mono lake. I'd spent the whole firs tday stopping, though, and really wanted to move on. These photos are all from all the stopping. Still, really amazingly beautiful.

pass part 2

Anybody get the pun in the title? Passe-Partout? no? just me? ah well, I'm allowed to be a little goofy after the day I've had. this is the second part of the pass, where it got really amazing. For some reason I can only see these pictures with a ton of contrast, in black and white. Sorry if they're a little over wrought. It was sublime. Wilderness and danger all around, but pulling me further on. Of course, on the road, there was only a little danger, inherent in driving a winding two lane road.