Month: November 2016

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 133 (Sun Begins to set on Half Dome)

Jeff

Half Dome near Sunset

The sun begins to set and the light on Half Dome turns golden

The last several posts were focused around Lembert Dome, but today’s post is of Yosemite’s most famous feature, Half Dome. We were fortunate to be in residence within walking distance of this field and I was drawn to it on a number of occasions.

Recent rains left a bevy of puddles in the low lying areas, to the delight of photographers seeking to capture reflections of the iconic rock as it loomed over the meadow. It is hard to get tired of this view!

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
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 133 YOY – Year of Yosemite

File Name: 0284.NEF
Capture time: 7:09:24 AM
Capture date: June 7, 2016
Exposure: 1/250 sec @ f/8
Focal Length: 18mm
ISO 320
Nikon D3300

 

STATUS QUOtes — 20161115

Jeff

“Procrastination is the thief of time.” — Edward Young

“Give thanks to unknown blessings already on their way.” — Native American saying

“It’s okay not to be okay as long as you are not giving up.” — Karen Salmansohn

“Even though we’re a week or so away from Thanksgiving, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. [ed]” — Richard Roeper

 

JBRish.com originally published this post

See previous STATUS QUOtes HERE

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 132 (Lembert Dome – On top of the World)

Jeff

Hikers resting on top of Lembert Dome

On top of Lembert’s Dome, hikers were resting and having a snack

This picture is a screen shot from part of a panorama. Of course I could have just singled out the one photo with the couple in the middle, but I had the pano handy. Because this is a section of a panorama, some of the people might have slight distortions.

**NOTE** when merging a number of photos into a panorama, items that are moving (i.e. people) have a tendency to be distorted.

It was absolutely breathtaking to stand on Lembert Dome and to slowly move in 360 degrees and view the total magnificence of the surrounding mountains. The sky was beautifully blue and clear with a few puffy clouds.

The feeling was exhilarating; trust me!

If you want to see the entire pano from a larger file click on the link below. Kindly keep in mind that as a courtesy, I have altered the faces of those who might be recognizable.

Large Pano

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
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 132 YOY – Year of Yosemite

File Name: 0233.NEF
Capture time: 1:28:50 PM
Capture date: June 7, 2016
Exposure: 1/200 sec @ f/13
Focal Length: 18mm
ISO 100
Nikon D3300

** Because this is part of a panorama, I have provided the Metadata for the one picture that makes up the central part of the image. The other images would have similar specs.

 

STATUS QUOtes — 20161114

Jeff

“Do the work. Be the prize.” — Unknown

“Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.” — Victor Hugo

“We’ve got to live, no matter how many skies have fallen.” — D.H. Lawrence, Lady Chatterley’s Lover

“At a dinner party one should eat wisely but not too well, and talk well but not too wisely.” — W. Somerset Maugham

 

JBRish.com originally published this post

See previous STATUS QUOtes HERE

Pickleball Video – WOW! Points from the USAPA Nationals VIII

Jeff

If you enjoy pickleball, I think you will be transfixed when watching the video below containing what the creators call “jaw dropping points” from the 19+ men’s doubles gold medal match at the USAPA Nationals VIII. The match features the teams of Wes Gabrielsen and Kyle Yates against Daniel Moore and Matt Staub.

I think I have had entire games that were shorter than the first point shown in the video (…just kidding!)

**NOTE** – One thing I found interesting is how the players used the soft game to set up the power game. It seems to me that there were very few (if any) points won off of the soft game. Most were won with the power shot set up by the soft game; worth noting!

 

To See 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)

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 131 (Near the End of the Lembert Dome Trail)

Jeff

The first picture below is from yesterday’s YOY post. It was near the beginning of the Lembert Dome Trail hike.

 

There is no way one could envision what I like to refer to as the “big reveal” at the end of the trail. Each step, even those that were labored, had me hoping for something spectacular at the end. The quest for the big payoff is always in the back of my mind.

The photograph of Lembert Dome below shows several people looking toward the top of the dome and perhaps assessing whether or not to hike up that incline. I had no such hesitation. Having made it to this point, I needed to go to the top IF I COULD!

I wasn’t going to take any significant risks and luckily for me, the hiking surface was rough-textured and allowed relatively easy footing. I was also able to find a ridge that allowed me to place my equipment there and then provided a gripping point for me to hoist myself up.

By the way, the big payoff isn’t always at the end of the trail. Once in a while it is something I experience along the trail at a distance from the end.

 

The trail ends at the top of the dome

Nearing the end of the Lembert Dome Trail for one of the best views at Tuolumne Meadows

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
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 131 YOY – Year of Yosemite

File Name: 0217.NEF
Capture time: 1:20:20 PM
Capture date: June 7, 2016
Exposure: 1/160 sec @ f/13
Focal Length: 18mm
ISO 100
Nikon D3300

 

STATUS QUOtes — 20161113

Jeff

“Before you can win, you have to believe you are worthy.” — Mike Ditka

“So, if you are too tired to speak, sit next to me, because I, too, am fluent in silence.” — R. Arnold

“Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver.” — Ayn Rand

“It gets late out there early.” — ‘Yogi’ Berra

 

JBRish.com originally published this post

See previous STATUS QUOtes HERE

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 130 (Hiking – So It Begins)

Jeff

The trail begins

Hikers begin their journey to Lembert Dome – the trail begins

One of the most exciting periods of any hike is locating the beginning of the trail. Finding the trailhead and confirming that indeed you are on the correct path is major step number one! This, at least for me, is where the anticipation begins to build!

The beauty of hiking is as Forest Gump pointed out: “My Momma always said, ‘Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.'”

The same can be said about new hikes: “You never know what you’re gonna get.” The photo above looks like a nice, level, relatively easy to follow meandering path, but that can change in a matter of a few feet. There can be a drop off or a sudden steep incline. You just can’t tell until you get there.

Additionally, I am always wondering what I will find around the bend. Will there be a bird I have never seen? Will I encounter a large mammal? Will there be a pond or a river? What beautiful vistas will I be able to capture with my smartphone or camera?

Any step along the way can become a revelation. I have friends who don’t understand why I like to hike. After all, it can be hard work…but it is an adventure and often one that only a select group of people attempt. When someone tells me to “Take a hike,” I am often glad to comply.

 
Do you have a question about our visit to Yosemite? Ask it in the comment section.

 

JBRish.com originally published this post
*All photographs Copyright by Jeffrey B. Ross with all rights reserved.

 
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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STATUS QUOtes — 20161112

Jeff

“Compassion is a verb.” — Thich Nhat Hanh

“People seldom become famous for what they say until after they are famous for what they’ve done.” — Cullen Hightower

“You just don’t luck into things as much as you’d like to think you do. You build step by step, whether it’s friendships or opportunities.” — Barbara Bush

“If I had only known, I would have been a locksmith.” — Albert Einstein

 

JBRish.com originally published this post

See previous STATUS QUOtes HERE