“Only the hand that erases can write the true thing.” — Meister Eckhart
“Experience is a good teacher, but she sends in terrific bills.” — Minna Antrim
“No man who continues to add something to the material, intellectual and moral well-being of the place in which he lives is long left without proper reward.” — Booker T. Washington
“Be wiser than other people, if you can, but do not tell them so.” — Lord Chesterfield
In the last post from Jeff Shank’s tips, he addressed where to serve the ball. In this portion of his 100 Pickleball Strategies, he provides pointers regarding the return of serve.
Not only does Jeff discuss where to return the ball, he explains how to handle different types of pickleball players such as those who hit the return of serve hard, i.e. bangers and those with weak backhands.
He also talks about one of my favorite service returns and that is down the middle, slightly to the even server’s side to cause confusion. Watch for this at about the 5:08 mark.
Jeff also gives some pickleball pointers for those who are a bit slower getting to the Non Volley Zone (NVZ).
NOTE – To find out about this series of posts – 100 Pickleball Strategies by Jeff Shank– read the first post HERE
To See additional Pickleball Videos Covering Many Aspects of the Game Click Here (primarily for beginners and less experienced players)
Check out Additional Pickleball Info and Videos! (for all players including average to more experienced players)
Snow melt and recent rains created streams with a strong flow
As we hiked the various trails, there were places where the streams were flowing higher and faster than “normal” because of recent rains and the snow melt. We are not novices when it comes to water crossing, but one must be prepared.
The photo above shows just one place where we had to make a stream crossing. Understand that this was the “best” place we could find for a number of yards in each direction. Other areas were wider or had less debris for our feet to rest. Logs can be very tricky when used as part of a pathway because they can roll. I always “test” them first before putting all my weight on them. This is one place where hiking poles or walking sticks might be helpful depending on our style. I was careful and lucky so my feet remained dry on this hike despite a number of similar crossings.
I think it is important to make sure we have the correct hiking boots or shoes. I strongly recommend having hiking boots/shoes that are waterproof at least partially if not totally. Another precaution we take is to carry at least one extra pair of socks each. Nobody wants to hike in wet socks. Wet socks are not only uncomfortable, but I feel it can cause physical problems for our feet. [I also have a couple of very large safety pins that can be used to pin a wet sock or two to the outside of my back pack to hasten drying if needed.]
What can be more important to hikers than their feet?
BTW…One other thing I learned via experience is to make sure the hiking boot or shoe has a good solid “toe bumper” in the front. Those tree roots and rocks are continuously trying to stub my toes and the more tired, the more they seem to be nipping at them! Generally speaking, purchasing budget hiking footwear doesn’t pay in the long run or walk!
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.
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Meta Data – Day XX YOY – Year of Yosemite
File Name: 3539.JPG
Capture time: 3:56:45 PM
Capture date: June 7, 2016
Exposure: 1/60 sec @ f/4.0
Focal Length: 6mm
ISO 80
Canon PowerShot A590 IS
“The most destructive thing I’ve ever done was believe someone else’s opinion of me.” — via the Teal Blue Jay
“Speeches that are measured by the hour will die with the hour.” — Thomas Jefferson
“The human race is challenged more than ever before to demonstrate our mastery – not over nature but of ourselves.” — Rachel Carson
“It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that have to announce that I ate kale and liked it.” — Greg Behrendt
While standing atop Lembert Dome and admiring the panorama, one mountain stood out above all because of the somewhat unique formation pictured above. Cathedral Peak is one of the Tuolumne Meadows “All Stars”.
The picture was taken with my Canon PowerShot SX50 HS which has quite a reach and from a long distance away. Cutting through that much atmosphere does affect the image negatively, but the view is still impressive.
You can see other photos of Cathedral Peak at these links:
Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 30 (Cathedral Peak)
Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 46 (Tuolumne Meadows)
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.
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Meta Data – Day 110 YOY – Year of Yosemite
File Name: 0318.CR2
Capture time: 1:29:43 PM
Capture date: June 7, 2016
Exposure: 1/400 sec @ f/8
Focal Length: 30mm
ISO 100
Canon PowerShot SX50 HS
“Nature is never finished.” — Robert Smithson
“You can’t get much done in life if you only work on the days when you feel good.” — Jerry West
“Theory is wasted if it is not accompanied by the practical.” — Y. AlGohar
“My pessimism extends to the point of even suspecting the sincerity of the pessimists.” — Jean Rostand
Nevada & Vernal Falls with Big Cap off to the Left as seen from Glacier Point
In preparation for visiting a national park for the first time, it is very hard to visualize the relationship of the major points of interest. Looking at a map is abstract. Of course it provides a “sense of place,” but it can not prepare one for the actual physical experience (IMHO).
Let’s take the photograph above for example. The map can pinpoint Nevada Falls (upper) and Vernal Fall (lower), but it cannot adequately convey the juxtaposition to each other and the overall physical relationship to their wider surroundings. (Half Dome is not in the picture, but is off to the left.)
See the partial map below with noted points outlined by ovals and rectangles:
I particularly like the zig-zaged relationship of the falls that flow in the Half Dome neighborhood, but this cannot be truly appreciated from looking at a map. The other half of the problem is that when looking at photographs, it is hard to get a sense of the total layout of the area because pictures are narrow in scope. Plan we must, but we also need to be prepared for “surprises” and to be flexible in our goals.
I didn’t see one person arrive at Glacier Point and leave within a few minutes. Everyone I watched lingered and walked around as though they couldn’t soak in enough of the views. I admit, I was one who lingered for a length of time.
I wish these photographs and my skills could depict the grandeur of the panorama that was cast before me, but they are only a lesser reproduction.
For another part of the panorama seen from Glacier Point incuding Half Dome, located just to the North (left) of the above photo check the link below:
Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 63 (Glacier Point-Half Dome)
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.
See previous Year of Yosemite (YOY) posts HERE. If you want to read the introduction to the YOY series, CLICK HERE.
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Meta Data – Day 109 YOY – Year of Yosemite
File Name: 0279.CR2
Capture time: 3:01:40 PM
Capture date: June 6, 2016
Exposure: 1/400 sec @ f/6.3
Focal Length: 20mm
ISO 100
Canon PowerShot SX50 HS
Like all photographers, I depend on serendipity… I pray for what might be referred to as the angel of chance.
– Sally Mann
Photograph Copyright by Jeff Ross – ALL Rights Reserved
** – Photograph Notes – **
Pink and white bougainvillea at the Desert Botanical Garden (near herb garden) against an orange wall.
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April 25, 2014 – Early Afternoon
Canon PowerShot SX50 HS
1/30 sec @ f4.5
ISO 100
Focal Length 14 mm
See Jeff’s other photographs on Instagram
“The face of tyranny is always mild at first.” — Jean Racine
“We cherish our friends not for their ability to amuse us, but for ours to amuse them.” — Evelyn Waugh
“Sometimes we spend so much time and energy thinking about where we want to go that we don’t notice where we happen to be.”
— Dan Gutman
“We rarely think people have good sense unless they agree with us.” — Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Ally Bank states:“Of the nearly ten billion pennies minted each year, half of them are removed from circulation.” They want to do something about this.
Apparently Ally Bank, will be distributing pennies in public areas in select cities (see link below) and these, (as I am led to believe) when found, can be cashed in for $1,000 each.
The photo below, provided by Ally Bank, shows the fake penny that is part of the bank’s “Lucky Penny” promotion. (Ally Bank via AP)
You can see the Ally Bank video and learn the details at the Ally Bank special web page.
PS – The link above also has several interesting facts about pennies such as;: “President Lincoln is the only face on U.S. coinage facing to the right. All other portraits on coins face left.”