Louise & Richard's Adventures In North America and Beyond

Alcatraz Island National Park

Posted on February 26, 2016 by R & L

A very special place to visit. We were just spellbound by our step back in history when we visited this National Park.

Of course we just love a good boat tour, but the journey here was quite short – only 1.25 miles from San Francisco to Alcatraz island.

We were fortunate to arrive on a day when the Hospital (which isn’t even noted on any of the maps) was open for a brief time to the public – so we made a bee-line straight for the Hospital. Fascinating to see generally how crude the machinery was back in 50s and 60s, probably not just because this was a prison filled with the “most wanted” criminals.

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black and white photograph of a prison hospital ward through the bars

A Hospital Ward for two prisoners – spacious compared to the usual cell.

black and white photograph of old fashioned hospital operating room at Alcatraz

The Operating Room at Alcatraz

black and white photograph of the old X-Ray equipment at Alcatraz

The X-Ray Room – did it help the warders see through walls?

Black and white photograph of old enamel bath in hydro-therapy room Alcatraz

Bath in the Hydro-Therapy Room at Alcatraz

black and white photograph of hip bath in Alcatraz hydro-therapy room

Hip Bath in Hydro-Therapy Room in Alcatraz

A National Park Ranger also gave a talk about “The Birdman of Alcatraz” (Robert Stroud) who was moved into a cell in the hospital wing as the only way to keep him in true solitary confinement in the entire prison.

We then took the included audio tour. This was imaginatively directed by past prison warders and inmates. Was incredibly well done and you had the opportunity to pause the commentary if you wanted to spend longer at any point. After about an hour of being guided from one part to another, or to a different episode that occurred, we were led outside to the view of San Francisco. As I left the building, as a reflex, I took a deep breath of fresh air and enjoyed the warmth of the sun. this brought home to me what a terrible place this would have been to live in as an inmate or even work as a warder / guard!

This time we did not have long enough to explore beyond the Hospital and the Prison Tour where we could have discovered the wildlife that has taken to “The Rock” as its home. However, we did look through one Ranger’s spotting scope at a hummingbird on her nest which had eggs visible.

A place I am sure we will return to, perhaps with are time to explore further.

Click this link to go to the Full Gallery on www.richardkingphot.com

Gear: Nikon D800, Nikkor 18.0-35.0mm f/3.5-4.5, Lexar Digital Film, Photoshop and NIK Silver Efex Pro 2 for post processing.

Posted in National Parks, Places to Revisit | Tagged #Alcatraz, #blackandwhitephotography, #Federalprison, #Nationalpark, Alcatraz Island National Park, Birman of Alcatraz, black and white photography, CA, California, Famous Alcatraz Prison, fine art prints for sale, images available to license, Lexar Digital Film, Nikkor 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5, Nikon D800, Robert Stroud, San Francisco, USA, www.fulltimervingwiththekings.com, www.richardkingphoto.com | 4 Comments

Joshua Tree National Park is a MUST!

Posted on February 4, 2016 by R & L

We had our first visit to Joshua Tree National Park on Monday and we were back again yesterday!. It was so beautiful.

On Monday we came in at the south park entrance and went to the Visitor Center, as we usually do, in order to pick up the park map and newspaper. We soon discovered why we had not seen any Joshua Trees on the way in, only Mojave Yuccas. The Joshua Trees just do not grow in the southern part of the park.

Mojave Yuccas

We were so pleased that we did come into the South as the scenery of the desert mountains was breathtaking.

Desert Mountain Landscapes from California

Desert Mountain Landscapes in Joshua Tree NP

On our progression North we also encountered areas where certain plants thrived and then just as quickly disappeared from the terrain.

There was also great variety in the terrain itself. Initially it looks as though we were driving through a series of rock piles albeit hundreds of feet tall. Then there were areas of massive boulders that had been eroded and smoothed before being thrust upwards.

Rounded Boulder Landscapes in Joshua Tree NP

Rounded Boulder Size Joshua Tree National Park

There are plenty of pull-offs with Exhibits which provide a good explanation of the landscape and mans’ influence.

The Joshua Trees were fantastic. We did find some of the best were off the main road on unpaved roads or even 4 wheel drive only roads (Snowflake really came into her own on these).

Joshua trees against the desert mountain backdrop (I just love B&Ws!)

Joshua Tree and Desert Mountain Landscapes.

We left the park on a 4 wheel drive, high clearance vehicle track that provided a very exciting drive for us back to Tigger.

Yesterday we entered the park from the , initially a similar landscape, the massive rock piles, but then it was dramatically different. No desert mountain panoramas to feast our eyes on, but more localized views. However, Keys Viewpoint provided a very unique 180 degree vista from the Salton Sea at 235 feet below sea level through Palm Springs to Bighorn Mountain.

We also really enjoyed the Hidden Valley Loop nature trail. This was an almost circular area of various types of vegetation completely encircled by rock cliffs. The entrance was about two feet wide and the area had been used by cattle rustlers to conceal their captive herds.

Hidden Valley Loop Nature Trail

Gear: Nikon D800; Nikkor 80.0-400.0mm F/4.5-5.6 VRIII; Lexar Digital Film; iPhone 6

Posted in General Information, National Parks, Places to Revisit | Tagged CA, California, desert mountains, Joshua Tree, Joshua Tree National Park, Keys View, Lexar Digital Film, Mojave Yuccas, Nikkor 80mm-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VRIII, Nikkor TC-17 EII, Nikon, Nikon D4S, trails, USA, www.fulltimervingwiththekings.com, www.richardkingphoto.com | 3 Comments

My photography blog about Shooting Gorillas

Posted on January 20, 2016 by R & L

It is difficult to know where best to blog – photography or full timing. Because photography leads us to destinations that we can achieve because we are full timing – a chicken and egg situation!

So for those subscribers to the full-timing blog who are not subscribers to my photography blog (sorry for the repeat if you are)…….

But here it is – please enjoy, “like” and “share” all you have to do is click on the image.

Click the image to go to the full story

We just love the San Diego Safari Park and we know we will make many visits there over the next few years. Definitely a place that is high on our recommendation list.

R & L

Posted in Photography Blog, Places to Revisit | Tagged CA, California, fine art prints for sale, Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla), images available to license, Lexar Digital Film, Nikkor 80mm-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VRIII, Nikkor TC-17 EII, Nikon, Nikon D4S, Places to Revisit, Richard King Photography, San Diego Safari Park, USA, wildlife photography, www.fulltimervingwiththekings.com, www.mothernatureimages.com, www.richardkingphoto.com | Leave a comment

Visiting With The Ancients

Posted on January 6, 2016 by R & L

We spent a week or so on the Colorado Plateau in Utah. Apart from the obvious landscapes of Arches NP, Canyonlands NP (both Island in the Sky and Needles) we have had the opportunity to visit several sites of the Ancients.

Anasazi, Ancient Pueblo Ruins, Colorado Plateau

Five Kiva House Cliff Dwelling

We find these absolutely fascinating, whether Petroglyphs or Ancient Pueblo Ruins, our imaginations run riot to envision these little, ancient folk, and their inhabitation and use of these structures. We try and rationalize why the locations were selected for these structures.

In order to visit the sites of these ruins we have also enjoyed the hikes up washes, over slick rock and to the top of mesas. Fortunately this area of the Colorado Plateau has an abundance of sites to visit, unfortunately we have only had a week or so to do everything (including some fantastic high clearance vehicle (HCV), 4WD park roads – the raison d’être for Snowflake – who has performed perfectly).

The Petroglyphs have been dated by the experts based on the style of the images portrayed, some of which are as old as 6,000 years BC (yes not a typing error!). The “Newspaper Rock” Petroglyphs are probably the most famous, but it was our first time to visit them. They are incredible and some are quite different from anything else we have seen over the years.

Ancient Anasazi Communications (Petroglyphs)

Petroglyphs made by the ancient Pueblo Dwellers.

The series just outside of Moab, UT cover a considerable length of the face of the mesa. Some were obviously damaged and removed as part of the road construction, but many survive at about 10 – 20 feet off of the ground. The explanation is that the Ancients bored into the rock and erected a form of scaffolding in order to reach that height. Very ingenious!

Unusual Petroglyphs of many of the ancients holding hands

Sticking Anasazi Petroglyph of large beast being captured at front and back

We also visited the sites of ancient pueblo granaries. There are many scattered over the Colorado Plateau whereas there are fewer dwellings, indicating that the Ancients were nomadic and created stores of food in the granaries marking their routes.

Granary at Five Kiva House Cliff Dwelling

Then we finally hiked Mule Canyon to revisit one of my favorite Ancient Pueblo Ruins – the “House On Fire” ruin. I hope you enjoy finding these locations and perhaps share them with us.

“House on Fire” Ancient Pueblo Dwelling

The images are all in black and white as I feel this is the best way to give them a sense of history.

Gear: Nikon D800, Nikkor 80mm-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VRIII, Lexar Digital Film

Posted in History, National Parks | Tagged "House on Fire" ruin, "Newspaper Rock", Anasazi Ruins, Ancient Pueblo Dwellings, black and white photographs, Canyonlands National Park, Cliff Dwelling, Colorado Plateau, Island in the Sky, Lexar Digital Film, Moab, Mule Canyon, Nikkor 80mm-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VRIII, Nikon D800, petroglyphs, single room pueblo, Utah, www.fulltimervingwiththekings.com, www.richardkingphoto.com | 6 Comments

Medora and Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Posted on November 16, 2015 by R & L

En route to our home base in South Dakota, we stopped for a few days to enjoy the beauty of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP) in North Dakota. Since the south entrance to the park is in the town of Medora, this seemed a convenient place to camp and led to us discovering a few other treasures as well as the north and south units of this fabulous National Park.

Medora and the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation are dedicated to creating an enjoyable atmosphere for happy visitors. Many employees and volunteers come from around the world to work here in the summers, including a man who is dedicated to accurately and appropriately impersonating Theodore Roosevelt; at a daily Town Hall meeting held throughout the summer season and various other venues.

Joe Wiegand, as Theodore Roosevelt (www.teddyrooseveltshow.com), was incredibly realistic

As so many others have done before us (this was the 50th anniversary) we spent a glorious evening dining al fresco on local cuisine – “the Cowboy BBQ” – roast bison, pork and chicken followed by “Medora, The Musical”, a high quality musical production in an impressive outdoor theatre that we descended to by escalator.