It was on this day, 51 years ago, that a small plane crashed in Clear Lake, Iowa - killing Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper. When you get a chance, watch this clip of Don McLean musing on 'the day the music died ....'
They say - and we don't know who 'they' are - to take a great picture you have to have three things going for you,
1) know how to use your gear - 10% or less,
2) know the location or subject beforehand - 10% or less,
3) luck - 80% or more.
I biked about 7 miles today - after having Scott at Rim Cyclery make some adjustments - to literally protect my ass. I returned to the Castle Valley road and Arches National Park, armed with gear that I know how to use. As you know, I had already been to these locations before - so basically I had 1) and 2) covered - could I get 3)? In other words - could I get lucky?
Speaking of getting lucky - liquor sales in the US are up - but it is the cheaper brands that are selling more - which means that people are drinking more on a volume basis, of cheaper alcohol. It's interesting that based on sales, vodka is the biggest seller, accounting for 40% of the revenue. Correct me if I am wrong but isn't vodka a socialist drink and wouldn't this drink cause it's imbibers to think socialist's thoughts? And doesn't 40% roughly break down to the number of left leaning voters in the US? Could republican dominance be simply a tall glass of bourbon away? Don't get me started on Tequila - Lou Dobbs favorite drink!!
OK - where was I?
It has been generally overcast here in the AM - with slight clearing in the PM - very unusual for this area - not that the fact that these conditions are the cause of the liberal global warming conspiracy - which we know is supported by overwhelming scientific evidence - evidence which can't be trusted because it is empirical and based on the scientific method - the preferred method of course being to assume that global warming is a left wing conspiracy and to marginalize and ignore any evidence that would tend to support it.
OK - where was I?
So - overcast PM - could I get a shot anywhere - and for you folks on the 'right' I mean 'shot' as photo - not 'gun' - just to be clear.
OK - where was I?
I drove up into Arches around 4:00 PM and it was overcast with a translucent sun - I took some photos and then decided it was a washout and started to leave - that's when I saw the raven crow beast in the distance. But behind that charcoal, demonic, vile, wicked, malignant, revolting, depraved, beastly, winged, feathered, fowl; were the peaks of the La Sal Mountains peering over a very low cloud. I pulled off the road and as I waited the cloud moved along and lowered and the sun lit up the Navajo Sandstone in the foreground creating a great photo op.
I am not sure I did the scene justice but I have included some photos that show the beginning of what I was seeing as well as it's conclusion.
Oh yeah - Mabel asked me to pass along this link - something about a smart cousin and she keeps reminding me that the real star of Groundhog Day was a Phil alright - Punxsatawney Phil. I let Mabel know, I've got a BBQ and I know how to use it - she saw her shadow and I haven't seen her, or her shadow, since.
Now - to the raven crow beast .....
To quote from verse 211 of the Krome Koan,
'Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that they AREN'T after you.'
More later,
Phil
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