Photography thread

Post by **BlackBart** » 23 May 2022, 10:35

We took a random drive up to the Flathead Valley in NW Montana. A bit blustery but nice day. We saw a bison herd at the National Bison Range, stopped at an overlook where the white wall of the Mission Range hits you in the face, explored a couple of little towns on Flathead Lake, and had a chilly picnic on the west shore. We drove through a burn on the east shore from a year ago that burned down the mountain and across the highway to the lakeshore, taking out several vacation homes. On the way home we stopped for wild honey - take a jar, leave the money in a box, pretty cool.

Pretty crappy with a phone, but there were three large groups on the hillside, and all moving as one piece around the hill heading south. There was a cold north wind and I wonder if the signal went out to head around the knob out of the breeze. There was a tiny bright orange calf chasing her big mama and they were trucking! They're usually on the other side of this hill and you don't see them from the highway. You can pay a fee and drive twisty dirt roads right through the herds - but NOT FAST, and not in a low sports car!

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The Mission Range - our little Switzerland

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West shore of Flathead lake, in a state park. Water is about 3' to 4' low, anticipating the spring runoff. Water has that glacial green tint. You're looking sort of NE through a gap in the islands out to the main lake. Ranger Janet in her little scooter shooed us out of the campground where we stopped to picnic. She was a very serious person.

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Post by **gnalan** » 23 May 2022, 12:51

volvolugnut wrote: ↑23 May 2022, 07:37 Today's photo: Scotland wildlife.
volvolugnut

That made me laugh really hard. It's been a rough day and I need a good laugh.

BlackBart wrote: ↑23 May 2022, 10:35 Ranger Janet in her little scooter shooed us out of the campground where we stopped to picnic. She was a very serious person.

It's not illegal to picnic in a public campground, the last time I checked, so I wonder why she made you leave.

Post by **BlackBart** » 23 May 2022, 13:21

State Park with picnic grounds, boat ramp, and campground. We had no reservations and hadn't paid for a site, so we were shooed. We were packing up to go anyway. "Can I bribe you with a brownie?" "No."

Post by **volvolugnut** » 23 May 2022, 14:19

Southern Oklahoma has the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge with a herd of buffalo. Many year ago we were visiting a remote area of the park in the winter. We heard a noise in the distance. Suddenly, a group of buffalo come running through the trees. I believe they were running just for fun.
You can drive through this park year round on a state highway. Often, you can see buffalo and longhorn cattle near or on the road. Occasionally, some bold person will get hurt trying to get a selfie with the animals.
I need to get photos of the buffalo.
volvolugnut

Post by **BlackBart** » 23 May 2022, 14:49

They're such amazing, immense, and fast animals!

When I was in school in far off Montana, I drove from Denver to Bozeman in my loud Ford Capri V6. Decided to go through Yellowstone in the fall. The entrance booths were all closed, no rangers to take your money, and the tall snowplow marker poles were all installed along the roads. The roads in Yellowstone had no shoulders or stripes, no markers or reflectors. I had this whole park to myself apparently, and it was late at night. I was blasting down the road from the Cody WY side through the mountains, my bright lights on.

I suddenly saw a bright round dot in the distance straight ahead. I thought, That's weird, there are no reflectors here, maybe that's some bridge marking. I kept flying along. The dot MOVED...and then there were TWO! Holy crap!, I slammed on the brakes and slowed to a stop just as this very large Buffalo was turning his head to see what kind of annoying thing was coming at him. Standing right in the middle of the road, at night. I shut the lights off.

It was very clear to me this was his park and I was a loud, rude intruder. We sat face to face. I shut the engine off and remained still. This lasted a while while he looked at me, then turned his head and slowly wandered off the side of the road. I waited until he had moved off, started up and motored off much more slowly.

It was both very lucky, and a fantastic memory.

Post by **gnalan** » 23 May 2022, 17:57

I miss the Pacific Northwest. I used to see hundreds of deer running wild, and elk too, among other animals.

One day heading back home I counted over 200 mule deer in just a 12 mile stretch of road.

On the same stretch of road, but a different day, I had to stop and wait on a flock of turkey to cross the road. I lost count after 40, but there were a lot of them.

Another day, and another road, there was a huge herd of wild elk running around. I pulled over, got out, and just admired their size and speed. I lost count of them after 60 when they decided to turn and run off.

I've seen moose up close while walking through the woods. Way too close. I walked up on a cow and her calf before realizing what I was seeing, and at that point I was about 12 feet away from them. I made sure there were plenty of trees between me and them in case she decided to charge at me, but that was definitely something I'm glad I saw up close. (Those were, and still are, the only moose I've ever seen.)

I've seen bison, wolves, coyotes, and I even saw a peacock one day walking around. (I've also seen a peacock, before I moved, walking around down in southern Ohio.)

Being back in Ohio all I get to see running around in the wild are stray cats that roam the streets.

I miss the mountains, the animals, living out in the country so far into the middle of nowhere that it's all dirt or gravel roads. Even the feet of snow we'd get I miss. Ohio is just flat and boring. All cats and cornfields here.

Anyone out west have a couch I can stay on for a few nights? Maybe I can take a nice road trip in my S60, and possibly get a hand swapping out the struts and shocks too, and couch surf? (Just thinking out loud...)

Post by **volvolugnut** » 24 May 2022, 15:27

Today's photo: primeval forest (Scotland).
volvolugnut

Post by **matthew1** » 25 May 2022, 10:56

I stopped in to Swedish Motors in Boulder last week to see manager Sophie and service writer Brett Borders. If that place was in my neighborhood, I'd go there to work from their couches all day. I can't say enough how nice and fun to be around Sophie and Brett are. That place is just so warm and welcoming, and naturally there's car talk for days to be had. If they'd have me for days at a time, I don't know...

These are photos of Brett's fantastic 1979 242 GT with huge aftermarket turbo...

Post by **matthew1** » 25 May 2022, 11:00

gnalan wrote: ↑23 May 2022, 17:57
I miss the mountains, the animals, living out in the country so far into the middle of nowhere that it's all dirt or gravel roads. Even the feet of snow we'd get I miss. Ohio is just flat and boring. All cats and cornfields here.

Anyone out west have a couch I can stay on for a few nights? Maybe I can take a nice road trip in my S60, and possibly get a hand swapping out the struts and shocks too, and couch surf? (Just thinking out loud...)

You're welcome here. You won't get away from cats, or cornfields in the east of the state, but you've got a couch here.

Post by **gnalan** » 25 May 2022, 11:14

matthew1 wrote: ↑25 May 2022, 11:00 You're welcome here. You won't get away from cats, or cornfields in the east of the state, but you've got a couch here.

I appreciate that Matt. If I can map out a nice road trip of places I would like to visit I'll keep that in mind. I love cats.

How are you and Oliver doing?

Photography thread

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