Hood River - Mid August

Okay, I am able to head to Hood River, Oregon for a weekend with the family but can not get photos posted to my smugmug web-site! I promise to myself and all those fans, I will be getting some of the categories updated this weekend 8/25-26. Follow a link on the right side of this page to get there and if you like something, feel free to make a purchase!

Like I said, we went to the HR for a weekend to hook up with my wife's friend and her husband who were up from the San Fran area. First time I or any of us had spent any time in the area except for passing through on i-84 or one visit for a Thomas the Train thing. Have stayed up North from there in Trout Lake, WA. which is basically at the foot of Mt. Adams fantastic view from there.

Anyway there are quite a few things to do in Hood River, good eats, places to stay and activities such as biking, hiking, wandering around and of course "Wind Sports!" tons of folks hit the columbia gorge to Sailboard or Kiteboard, you choose your fancy. Our friend is the old school person and does the sailboarding so have put up a shot of some folks out doing their thing.


Also spent some time doing what they call the 'Fruit Loop' in the Hood River valley, which is basically a ton of spots to stop at and get fresh fruit and other assorted goodies from the many orchards, wineries and local folks who make a living off the land. Included is a shot of some lavendar growing as part of 'Hood River Lavender Farms'. The relaxing scent from those plants was simply amazing. Pretty fun thing to do and would recommend it for anyone spending some time there. Great scernery and super folks to talk with about their products, etc.

Hey couldn't forget to throw in a shot of a small flower from our back deck, you see you do not always have to travel to find some beautiful things!

Well it was a short weekend as they always are. Hope things are going great in your world, as things are going pretty darn good in our world. From Salem, OR. Bye for now - Tim

Mourning Dove - Sunset & a Blimp

Well here we are the close of another weekend the second full one in August! I have recovered quite well from last weeks State TT's and got in a good little ride with Scott's Tuesday night rides this past week. I took Monday and Tuesday off as it really was getting old going to the day job every Monday and Tuesday.

Since I had some time off I was hoping I was going to get some photo work done, maybe like posting out to Smugmug and cleaning up files on the PC here at home. Got a few files cleaned up but nothing new posted and now am aiming for this week - week of 8/13/07.

Back towards the end of July I was spending an evening with my Pentax ist-DS out on the back deck near the bird feeders. I keep a Sigma 135-400 lens attached and mounted to my tripod for some of the closer work. I am still a bit skeptical on the glass work of this particular lens but some other landscape shots have come out quite nice, so I will keep it for a while longer. Anyway, I was able to be still for a long enough time to allow some Mourning Doves to continue feeding off of seed and insects from the ground. I took this shot between two slats on the deck and have cropped in to get a closer feel.

The same evening, I got bored with the birds so tilted the camera on the tripod and took some shots of some tall pines just a few hundred yards away. Looks kind of cool with the darkness of the trees, the clouds drifting by all the while the sun is setting beyond the Eola Hills.

A couple of days later while having dinner I look out the window and there is the 'GoodYear' Blimp cruising by! Not sure where they were going and never saw anything in the local paper about it, so obviously was not that interesting to many. My daughter thought it was really cool as this was the first time she had seen one and my first time in the last 20 years or so!

Thanks for reading and feel free to drop a line at tim@trephotos.com anytime you like.

Bye,
Tim

OBRA State TT's

Wow, Did that totally suck wind or what? I added around 4 minutes and 30 seconds to my best time on the Peoria 40K course. By added, I mean, slower....1:06:11 which gave me DFL for the master mens 40-44.

Wasn't feeling bad hitting the turn around with a just over 25 mph average, was trying to conserve some as it was going to be a consistent head wind on the way back. Really affected me, but didn't seem to bother much of anyone else.

I can't complain to much, it was a great course as usual and I felt in decent shape. Could afford to drop a few LBs and train a little harder. Speaking of which I finally went out on one of Scott's Cycle group gathering rides tonight [8/7]. I rode with the faster group of the slower group, as I didn't feel like getting dropped with the overall fast group. Didn't know many of the names or faces in my group as I had not been on this ride in over two years. I train alone....all by myself, maybe not the best tactic and my TT results show not riding high paced rides can affect you.

Sorry no photos of the TT that I am aware of, but will have a blimp story and some more feathered friends here later this week.

Bye
Tim -

My Ride & the Kestrel

Whoa! It has been a while since I have been out here working on the bloggishness of my site. Can I use that long b..... word? I will try to do some updating over the next several days and try to get more regular on blogging. Wanted to make sure what I was to be regular on! It also helps having our daughter out for four days at a camp (her first) so we will not see much of her until Wednesday. Hope she makes it through.

Back in June I was taking a little ride, a bit rainy and some wind out on the west side of the 'eola hills' from where I live in West Salem. Just ahead of me along Greenwood rd heading south I see two birds hanging by the side of the road. As I approach one flies off but the other kind of hovers by the road. I go by it and then turn around as I thought it looked like a little immature Hawk or something. After staring it down and having it retreat to the brush about seven feet from the road I felt better and kept peddling along. Still not sure what type of bird, but am sure it is a member of those 'Birds of Prey'!

As curiosity killed the cat so did this feathered friend spark my interest. So later in the day around 4:30 PM I drove back out to the area with some of my camera gear and would you believe it, the little bugger was sitting in a field across the road from the AM siting. So I walked along the road and got some shots and it was working its wings with the wind and flew off to a post close by my car parked on a side road. Then I just let the bird sit there on the post and it allowed me to get closer to it, until I was about 15-20 feet max distance from it. I was also shooting with a 70-200/f2.8 lens so didn't need to be super close!

Anyway after about five minutes the little fella tested it's wings and flew back across the road next to another field. That is where the other shot came in, as I was able to sit along the side of the road where the bird flexed its wings and made itself look like a big old monster....can you see it!

It eventually flew off to some small scrub oaks and blackberry vines near the field and away from the road so I packed up and headed for home. Upon return I was tring to figure out what the bird was and thinking a 'Sharped Shinned Hawk' or a 'Copper's Hawk'? Obviously in an immature stage but was not paying attention to markings on the head. Neither was correct, after looking at my birding books, the answer was right in front of me.....'American Kestrel'. Looks like it is in the immature stage and watching it learn to fly I would guess that to be true.

No harm came of this bird while capturing the images and I gave it as much space as needed so hopefully not to stress it. What a great day that was, and makes me appreciate those rare moments when I get a chance to be so close to something so beautiful. Oh yeah it was back on June 24th, I have ridden by there several times since but have yet to see the Kestrel or any of its other family. I took a bunch more shots but just sampling two out on the blog.

Tim -

Backyard Birds

Earlier I had posted about various birds that visit the feeders in my backyard and here I am wondering what the male House Finch is saying or asking the Female. Maybe something like, " Hey I know a great place for some bird seed.." or looking at his beak, she might let him know that he has a 'little something' on it and it looks embarrassing! More will be posted to my smugmug area that has the birds!

These little devils are starting to let me set up my gear outside and then I stand/sit and wait for a little while and let them get comfortable enough to come and eat and hang around the feeders. Some of the shots I have taken are from within the house so not only shooting through all the glass in the lens but also the window glass.....way too much glass.

So another little House Finch is hanging out on a plant trellis looking all cool and then "Poof"!

He makes his whole little body and feathers just pop out! Kind of like saying "How do you like me now! You want some of this?!"

Of course the equalizer in the whole show is when the friendly Cooper's Hawk comes around and sits on the feeders. Now he is looking for a free meal too, but most of the other birds that hang out for the free meals do not like becoming a meal themselves. I am not totally sure this is a Cooper's Hawk or possible a Sharp-Shinned Hawk? If you know, feel free to let me know.

Thanks for reading and hope you enjoy!

Tim -