A Bridge - Not to Far

So with gas prices going up and up I am trying to get my arse in gear and make more bike commutes to/from the job site. I will normally do this when I do not have other appointments that I need to use my car or motorcycle. Really, I need to first work on more bike time and then motorcycle as second choice and the car as last choice. Bus service is horrible in Salem so that option is off the table.

If I can get back to my glory days of commuting around 120 days per year as I did when we first moved out here that would be great. Over the last couple of years that total as gone down to around 80 days average per year. It is amazing how long I can make a tank of gas last when I ride more to/from work or small trips.

So long story short....As I commute from home in the hills of West Salem to a location just outside of downtown Salem I pass through Wallace Marine Park most of the time and ride over the Union Street Ped/Bike bridge. This is an old railroad bridge that the City bought for a dollar and of course has had to do some mitigation on the old lead paint and some other issues. It is probably one of the best improvements I have seen Salem do in the almost eight years I have lived here and it is a popular and useful bike/walk-way for many!

The shot I added in is from a morning back in late January this year. Sun was starting creep up and the bridge is standing tall crossing the Willamette River. Many mornings I ride across this and have to ask myself why am I going to this day Job? Photography and riding are much more pleasant than an office but, something has to pay the bills and the job will do for now.

Enjoy the shot and wishing you many great Sunrises!

Tim -

Feb. - Baskett Slough NWR

Finally was able to get out to the National Wildlife Refuge that is about 10 miles from my house here in West Salem. It was a glorious morning the light fog and clouds lifted leaving a little bit of a milky sky and temps warming up from about 32 degrees overnight.

I came from the southerly side off of Hwy 22 and slowly crept along the gravel road that runs through the main section of the NWR. There were plenty of Canada geese in the fields and many coming and going, Redtail Hawks flying around a few American Kestrels and a pair of Bald Eagles sitting in some small trees above the shallow water areas. I didn't have a long lens with me today so didn't try to get much in their direction. Did try to catch them as they decided to take flight and go elsewhere.

One bird that 'finally' let me get close enough to shoot was a Great Blue Heron. I have tried over and over but anytime I come upon them and stop my car they seem to know how far to fly off so they will not make for good picture taking. This time though, I never left my car as I just rested the 70-200/f2.8 lens on the window of the car and tried not to jitter to much when I press the shutter release. I didn't have a beanbag with me to help with vibration but overall I think all the shots I took of this magnificent bird came out pretty well. So I'll share one here with you all and hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Get outside and enjoy nature or hit a wildlife area near you and take in the sounds and sights it has to offer. Thanks for stopping in, and hope you come back and visit again. Eventually the Heron shots will make it to my website where you can buy a printed photo or download a digital copy.

Tim -

No Picture Post

Just saying Hello from Salem, OR. Not much going on here but we have been in a decent dry streak with little or no rain in our area for the past couple weeks. Must mean that later in the spring we will be wishing for sunshine?

Hoping to get my arse out of bed one of the weekend days coming up and go out to one of the local NWR's, National Wildlife Refuge's and maybe capture some animals on digital and post later. Maybe just some landscape shots also?

going to head off the computer for awhile and see if I don't fall asleep.

Tim