Rainy day views of the USS Lexington in Black and White
A rainy vacation day did not stop me from venturing out with my new Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master lens to visit the site of the USS Lexington in Corpus Christi Bay. The rain meant having an adjacent seawall empty of other people for clear shots of the massive ship. I am always looking for unique perspectives of oft photographed subject matter, and the views from the seawall afforded that opportunity. I also go to catch a glimpse of a sea turtle swimming by!
Walk into 1923 at the Pioneer Museum in Chloride New Mexico
New Mexico is full of hidden gems, like the Pioneer Museum in the very small (population 10) ghost town of Chloride, New Mexico. When the store went out of business in 1923, it was sealed off, and essentially became a time capsule for the period. All the shelves are just like they were that last day it was open in 1923. The current owner gives a fascinating history of both the contents of the store and its former owners. Chloride is not exactly on the beaten path, but what hidden gem is? If you are visiting Truth of Consequences, this is a great day trip to make as the roads leading out there are great for driving as well. Have you been here?
Farewell to a loyal friend in the Jeep Renegade Trailhawk
It is the end of an era in vehicle ownership for me, as I have had the last adventure in my beloved Jeep Renegade Trailhawk. What started in March of 2019 and took me on 73,000 miles all over New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah, comes to a conclusion in February 2022. In all those miles the Jeep never let me down once, not on road or offroad. It is very bittersweet selling it, just like it was selling the Mazda3 I had before the Jeep. I guess this is the way it goes. In the last two months though, the Jeep went out in style driving on the national seashore in Corpus Christi, up to the top of a mountain in Tucson, and on the snow in Valles Caldera National Preserve with four people and three dogs in it! Just like the Mazda3 got me and Kiki out of Florida, and the Jeep was at the heart of desert adventure in New Mexico, perhaps the next vehicle will take us to the completion of our journey all the way to where the Road meets the Sea.
Driving through solid rock at the Gilman Tunnels of New Mexico
The Gilman Tunnels in the Jemez area of Sandoval County in New Mexico were one of the last more well known, of the lesser known, curiosities in the region I had never yet been to. That was remedied on a winter day with a few snow flakes falling. Up an unassuming neighborhood road you go to end up driving right though a solid rock tunnel. No supporting structures needed to hold up these tunnels hewn right out of the mountainside. Have you been to the Gilman Tunnels? If not, check out the map link below to go visit them this weekend!
Taking the more scenic route back from Tucson, Arizona led to the discovery of the Salt River Canyon Bridge in southeast Arizona. This is a fantastic place to stop, take a break, and enjoy some very nice views. You can even stroll out over the Salt River on a pedestrian bridge while getting a close up view of the bridge you’ll eventually drive on to climb out of the canyon. If you have the time and do not mind a bit of a hike, you can go down to the river itself. Have you been here before?
Stories from the city, stories from the Sea in Texas
It was my first time to see the Sea, or some part of it, in over 2 years, the longest such stretch of my life, and 2 years too long. Corpus Christi, Texas offers city and sea experiences, both of which you can drive right too. I had never driven on a beach before, as it is not the custom in Florida (I don’t count Daytona). It was both convenient to go a few miles down the shoreline to your own spot and have all your gear right there, but also disconcerting because a car could drive by you while relaxing on the beach! I brought my new DJI Mavic 3 Cine drone with me, and my new Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master lens to capture these images. I really enjoyed the results of holding my camera low, with a slow shutter speed, and letting the small waves come in and create seascape dreamscapes.
Night photography from the front door in San Antonio
The first stop on a recent trip to Texas that was purely for leisure (no photo work!) was to San Antonio. The Airbbnb was actually walking distance to the Alamodome, which is also where I first really tested out the new Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master lens I had just received a few days before. This is the kind of photography I used to do quite often when I lived in Tokyo, because architecture to photograph at night was like here, just a short walk outside my own front door. The Alamodome was totally deserted this evening, but fortunately, someone left the lights on. I was super impressed with the performance of the new 24mm lens, which was good, because it was the only lens I brought on the Texas trip!
