Album USA-Canada.2007: The Deserts from renovatio06

Approaching the Valley of Fire

nobody@ipernity.com (renovatio06) — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 06:30:24 +0000

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This is what the little street looked like that goes right to the unpaved road leading into the valley. To the left, you see part of the rock I had climbed for the previous shot. It was about half way up from where I'm standing.

Freeclimbing

nobody@ipernity.com (renovatio06) — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 06:26:01 +0000

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Well, not really. But I climbed that rock to about 90 to 120 ft. above the road level to take this shot, camera dangling from my neck. On second thought - that was a bit dangerous..

Silver Dome...

nobody@ipernity.com (renovatio06) — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 06:19:41 +0000

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... I believe was the name of this vista point. Really, the scenery revealed every shade of color there is. Amazing!

Cactus and "Star"

nobody@ipernity.com (renovatio06) — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 16:35:40 +0000

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You wanna watch those things in the foreground as well as the thorned desert bushes and grass. I almost tore my shirt on one of them...

Sunset over Fire Canyon

nobody@ipernity.com (renovatio06) — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 16:33:19 +0000

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There's a small road leading towards Silver Dome in the Valley of Fire. I had to run and climb a little rock hill to catch the sun when setting. Boy, these sights are so putting things - including us - in perspective...

The Burning Valley

nobody@ipernity.com (renovatio06) — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 09:03:01 +0000

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I have really never experienced such surreal lighting conditions as today. It's hard to describe and capture the sheer amount of different shades of color that were visible. It was a stunning sight and I can only hope I manage to get some of it across.

Valley of Fire

nobody@ipernity.com (renovatio06) — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 08:33:26 +0000

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This afternoon, we went to Valley of Fire National Park, Nevada. Folks, what can I say: It was the most spectacular sight I've seen to this day. I think, I need to come back here, when I'm in Las Vegas again for NAB. And then I'll try to go out there on a motorbicycle - hooray!

The Desert

nobody@ipernity.com (renovatio06) — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 08:53:14 +0000

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Like I said: Whether is was a life-changing experience will have to pass the proof, but it was most certainly one of the more memorable experiences in my life.

The Desert

nobody@ipernity.com (renovatio06) — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 08:42:40 +0000

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This may have been a life-changing experience, but I don't know yet. All I can say for now is that never in my life has the sheer sight of anything given me goose-flesh right away. The desert did! The amount of open space, the almost surreal light, the reflections, the heat, the quietude - all of it! It lifts your spirit higher and higher, to the very elevation where the birds soar. This afternoon was quite something...

THANK YOU! To all of you!

nobody@ipernity.com (renovatio06) — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 07:39:38 +0000

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My dear flickr friends,
please accept my dedication of this shot as means of appreciation of your comments and visits, your faving, invitations and vibrant participation in this trip! I would really like to stress that it means a lot to me and it often feels, as if you guys were with me, sharing this - eventually life-changing - experience. Thanks to all of you! Please understand that apart from doing the tourist bit, I'm really busy collecting as much information as I can, making friends with people here, getting to know my current whereabouts, going places and bottomline investigating anything worthwhile knowing about Canada in general and Vancouver in particular.
I don't mean to make excuses - or maybe I do. Whichever way I put it: There might be a lot depending on these mere three weeks (probably less, as I intend to go back to the desert again for a week) and there's only so much time. Plus, I have been limited in my energy to go about things due to the short flu attack over the past days. I think I've embarked on the path of recovery, but it felt pretty bad at some point.
So, if I don't get around to replying to your ever-so-appreciated comments individually, I can only hope you don't take it as disregarding anyone of you - because I don't! I do read every comment and it resonates with my heart and mind and I feel blessed to have you guys on my stream. As soon as times get back to a little bit more along the lines of "normal" (whatever that means), I will show my respect in returning to my "routine" of answering as timely as I can.
Deal? ....

Worshipping the Sun and the Rocks

nobody@ipernity.com (renovatio06) — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 06:54:18 +0000

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Here I am - enjoying a unique moment there in the desert of Nevada, the Valley of Fire to be exact. I have been looking for exactly that: A moment in complete seclusion, but out in the open land, face towards the sun, a soft breeze, not a sound, the warmth of the rocks soothing my skin. Noone and nothing to disturb the peaceful quietude - you never get anything like that in Europe, not even in the mountains.... there's always something or someone to disturb the SACRED MOMENT. To me, such moments are genuine experiences of spirituality.

A little allusion to Antelope Canyon

nobody@ipernity.com (renovatio06) — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 06:48:13 +0000

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My colleages at Boinx took the most spectacular photos of Antelope Canyon, which I hope they'll post over the next few days. I didn't get to go there, so that's as close as I got to their shots (a little *tongue in cheek* ;-))

White Dome

nobody@ipernity.com (renovatio06) — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 06:38:47 +0000

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... in the Valley of Fire.

Prehistoric Dragon

nobody@ipernity.com (renovatio06) — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 06:42:20 +0000

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... carved in stone or something....

Gigantic Turtle

nobody@ipernity.com (renovatio06) — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 06:35:23 +0000

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... as seen in the Valley of Fire after climbing that rock near White Dome.

Color & Contrast

nobody@ipernity.com (renovatio06) — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 06:24:28 +0000

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Funny, what contrasting sights you see in the desert... what a place!

Prickly Fella!

nobody@ipernity.com (renovatio06) — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 06:18:50 +0000

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You don't want to get too close this fella....

P.S.: Shoot - the color never come out as shot... what's going on?

Eventually: Cacti!

nobody@ipernity.com (renovatio06) — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 06:15:42 +0000

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I've been always looking for the archetypical sight of cacti. On my last day in the desert, I finally get to see some, albeit not the tall plants I had expected. So, that's as close as it gets, cactuswise ;-)

On the Edge...

nobody@ipernity.com (renovatio06) — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 06:08:01 +0000

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I did a little rock-climbing again in Red Rock Canyon, west of Las Vegas. Shot from a little spot between two major rocks, where I squeezed myself in to take this one.

A New Sight at every Turn

nobody@ipernity.com (renovatio06) — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 07:01:55 +0000

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I didn't make much progress in terms of distance when driving up. At every corner, every bend of the road there was something worth shooting. Sometimes from within the car as I drove past, but for the most part I had to stop, unboard and take a quick shot. This trip was an experience that got to every hair of me.