Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 158 (Sentinel Dome Trail – Onward & Upward)

Jeff

Sentinel Dome Trail - Near the Start

The Sentinel Dome Trail was a popular upward trek

The picture above provides some indication of the general aspect of the Sentinel Dome Trail. When climbing to an elevated view, one should expect that the trail would lead upward and it certainly did. There were times when the trail would taper off a bit, but it is basically uphill all the way. I wouldn’t say it was strenuous, but as this shot shows, there is some rock scrambling along the way.

As yesterday’s post indicated, there were wildflowers along the trail and they would provide a good excuse to pause and catch our breath as we examined the floral beauties. Although this is a bit of a traipse at times, the vistas and wonders to be seen are well worth the effort if you are fit for uphill hiking.

 
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 158 YOY – Year of Yosemite

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Pickleball Ball Speed – Fast, Faster, Fastest!

Jeff

As a pickleball Ambassador for North Phoenix, Arizona, I am privy to much information that is shared among the various ambassadors via the USAPA Pickleball Ambassador’s Forum. In a recent posting some information was disseminated that I think would be of interest to the pickleball community at large.

When we are playing pickleball and all players are standing just behind the boundaries of the non-volley zone, we are only about fourteen or fifteen feet apart. If there is a heated volley exchange, that ball can come flying by pretty fast. Did you ever wonder how fast that ball is traveling when it whizzes toward you?!

Well, a couple of USAPA Ambassadors have done some research based on speed tests using a radar gun and here are the speeds of balls in various sports.

**NOTE** All numbers presented are MAXIMUMS. Obviously, the ball could be hit with less power and thus be slower.

    Pickleball

  • Most volleys at the kitchen line are somewhere between 30-40 mph. The reaction time at the non-volley zone would be approximately .24 of a second.

  • Other volleys (not at the non-volley zone) would most likely be somewhere in the 25-30 MPH range with the fastest balls probably approaching the 40 MPH limit.

    •  
    How About Other Sports?

  • – tennis serve = 167.3 mph
  • – baseball pitch = 105.1 mph
  • – baseball hit = 120.5 mph
  • – ping pong ball = 69.9 mph
  • – badminton shuttlecock = 306 mph
  • – jai alai pelota = 188 mph
  • – golf ball = 208 mph

**NOTE** – A baseball can be thrown more than 90 mph, but the distance between the batter and the pitcher is 60.5ft. This would allow a reaction time of nearly half a second at the faster speeds.

STATUS QUOtes — 20161214

Jeff

“Live with wolves, and you learn to howl.” — Danish Proverb

“There are two means of refuge from the misery of life — music and cats.” — Albert Schweitzer

“Those who serve arrogance as their main course will eat humble pie for dessert.” — Frank Sonnenberg

“If I had my way, any man guilty of golf would be ineligible for any office of trust in the United States.” — H.L. Mencken

 

JBRish.com originally published this post

See previous STATUS QUOtes HERE

Photography – Do What You Love to Do

Jeff


Chipmunk wants to be a photographer
Even this chipmunk was interested in photography

As a photography enthusiast, I follow a number of professional photographers via their blogs. One such photographer is Australian-based Gina Milicia. Not only is Gina a wonderful photographer and podcaster, she also appreciates quotes.


Anyone who follows JBRish will surely notice that I publish four STATUS QUOtes nearly every day. Gina recently published a quote that I really like. It is from Elizabeth Gilbert:

“I told the universe (and anyone who would listen) that I was committed to living a creative life not in order to save the world, not as an act of protest, not to become famous, not to gain entrance to the canon, not to challenge the system, not to show the bastards, not to prove to my family that I was worthy, not as a form of deep therapeutic emotional catharsis … but simply because I liked it.”– Elizabeth Gilbert

I am fairly certain this is from Giblert’s book, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear.

I heartily recommend Big Magic to anyone who has the least bit of creative inkling in their bones. It will change the way you think about creating and about life.

ALSO…if you haven’t visited Gina Milicia’s website and you are interested in photography, I can recommend that as well. I have listened to a good number of her podcasts and I admire her not only for her skill, but for her willingness to share her expertise with the wider photography community. Even if you are not a professional photographer, there is a lot to learn by subscribing to her newsletter and/or keeping up with her blog.

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 157 (A Carpet of Wildflowers – Phlox)

Jeff

Spreading Phlox was abundant at Yosemite

Along many of the trails and paths we hiked, we came across purple or pink phlox

This somewhat dainty plant was abundant during our late Spring, 2016 visit to Yosemite. It is most likely Spreading Phlox (Phlox diffusa). The color of the phlox ranged from light purple or pink to very pale renditions of both bordering on near white.

We would often come across pockets of phlox clusters separated by only a few feet which sometimes looked as though someone had strewn beautiful bouquets along our path. I hope all the hikers took time to appreciate the beautiful display.

 
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 — 20161213

Jeff

“If ya ain’t got it in ya, ya can’t blow it out.” — Louis Armstrong

“When you choose the behavior, you choose the consequences.” — Dr. Phillip McGraw

“The world makes way for a person who knows where they are going. [ed]” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Never lend your car to anyone to whom you have given birth.” — Erma Bombeck

 

JBRish.com originally published this post

See previous STATUS QUOtes HERE

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 156 (Colorful Sun on Tunnel View)

Jeff

Sun setting on Tunnel View

The Scene from Tunnel View – Early Evening

We had been past Tunnel View a prior to this and stopped a couple of times, but this particular stop came closest to having the best lighting. Earlier stops were near midday or when light was harsh. This scene has a bit of a fall look because of the orange/brown trees, but those are trees that are dead or dying. Much like other areas of the United States, drought and insects have taken their toll on the trees in our national parks.

Tunnel view is a major stop on the way to or from Glacier Point. It is almost always crowded. Buses, campers, cars, hikers, nearly everyone stops at Tunnel View to take photographs. My advice is if you do stop, move around. Don’t stand in just one place. There are so many wonderful views to capture.

El Capitan (left) and Half Dome (middle) are obvious to most visitors, but the jutting series of rocks the right, just in from the edge, is Cathedral Rocks.

I missed getting Bridalveil Falls in the shot. It was there, but I failed to take the picture from an angle that would have included it. I forgot that it was just off to the right. Also…if you have a wide angle lens, that would be a great tool for this vantage point.

NOTE – I do have a couple of previous pictures from Tunnel View with the falls in them, but the light was not as good in those shots.

 
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 — 20161212

Jeff

“Memory is never a precise duplicate of the original… it is a continuing act of creation.” — Rosalind Cartwright

“The more important an activity is to your soul’s evolution, the more resistance you will feel.” — Steven Pressfield

“I thought being an adult meant knowing what you believe, but that has not been my experience.” — John Green

“I hate to spread rumors, but what else can one do with them?” — Amanda Lear

 

JBRish.com originally published this post

See previous STATUS QUOtes HERE

Sonoran Winter Holiday at the Desert Botanical Garden – Phoenix

Jeff

The Schilling Entry Arbor and Tranquility Fountain beckons seasonal guests to enjoy the winter holiday season in Sonoran Desert style.

Holiday Cheer at the DBG Entrance

Traditional festive decor can be found in many areas including the membership kiosk. While these items would be at home in any holiday display in the United States, they take on a special nuance when surrounded by nearby saguaro cacti and succulents.

Traditional Holiday accents at the DBG

It was somewhat strange to see the poinsettias taking their place next to traditionally xeric plants, many of which are native to the Sonoran Desert and other arid regions. The colors of the temporary plants play well off of the green aloes in the raised bed.

Poinsettias seem right at home next to their cacti neighbors

This yellow/white poinsettia with a bib of white cyclamen was strategically positioned near the main ticket booth. A swath of burlap is used to cover the less decorative standard pillar base.

Less traditional yellow/white poinsettias lend a nice accent when placed against the white cylcamen

During the Las Noches de las Luminarias celebration, the Desert Botanical Garden boasts – Eight thousand hand-lit luminaria bags and thousands of white twinkle lights will set the Garden aglow this winter for 21 magical evenings” – but I don’t think they were counting this rebar candelabra waiting patiently for the evening visitors and its chance to shine.

Candelabra in waiting for the evening display

The Las Noches de las Luminarias event is one of the major valley attractions this time of the year with a variety of music venues, holiday themes and a wonderful seasonal ambience set against the beautiful Sonoran Desert backdrop. If you attend, dress warmly and bring gloves!

Candelabra in waiting for the evening display

Above photograph courtesy of a screen shot of the Desert Botanical Garden website

It is a wonderful time of the year in Phoenix at the Desert Botanical Garden.

Year of Yosemite (YOY) – Day 155 (Four Mile Trail 5/5 – Half Dome Close and Large)

Jeff

Half Dome close up along Four Mile Trail

A close up view of Half Dome from a vantage point along the Four Mile Trail

Much like my Grand Canyon experience, there were times when hiking the trails at Yosemite, it was difficult to put the camera down and walk. There was a tendency to step to the side every twenty to thirty feet to take another picture. Luckily digital photography is not expensive, but there are often time constraints.

I took several shots of Half Dome from the Four Mile Trail and for this photo I used my Canon bridge camera to get closer to the dome to show as much of the color and texture as could capture.

 
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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