Day 2, Part 1 - Moonscape Overlook and Factory Butte

Sunrise at moonscape overlook

We were on the road at 6:15 AM for the 7:34 AM sunrise. We were tired, but exhilarated. As the sky got brighter, more of this amazing vista came into view.

Factory Butte

A butte is defined as, "An isolated hill or maintain with steep or precipitous sides, usually having a smaller summit area than a mesa." Factory Butte was named because early settlers of southern Utah thought it resembled a factory. In particular, it resembled the Provo Woolen Mill that opened its doors in 1873. What follows are photos that I took of Factory Butte and the surrounding area on day 2 of our adventure.

Day 1 - Goblin Valley

 

Our fearless leader Caryn wasted no time. After a brief introduction, we were on our way in four-wheel-drive pickup trucks with four to a cab and supplies in the back. That afternoon, we were headed to Goblin Valley State Park. There, we wandered amongst the stone "goblins" taking numerous photographs from multiple prospectives.

We then moved to a different spot to take in the sunset and the "blue hour." These are times when photographers typically get their finest pictures. Our new spot was home to "The Three Sisters" (not to be confused with a formation of the same name outside of Provo.)

It was two days before the full moon, so the moon rose about 1 1/2 hours before the sun set. Here are "The Three Sisters" at dusk.

But wait, there's more. We continued to take pictures until after the sun set, and into the "blue hour." The "blue hour" or "magical hour" occurs just before sunrise, and just after sunset. The serene lighting makes for wonderful photography. The next picture was taken toward the end of the "blue hour." The formation is lit primarily by bright moonlight.

This image represents my first quantum leap during the workshop. Until then, I had only heard and read about merging multiple images taken at different exposure settings into one single image.

The human eye can sense a wider dynamic range of lighting than a camera. That is, the eye takes in a wider range of lights and darks. The dynamic range of a photograph can be improved by placing the camera on a tripod to keep it stationary, and obtaining multiple images with different settings. With Caryn's help, I was able to get my Sony camera to cooperate. The merging itself actually occurs later with the help of a computer.

Tomorrow is another day.

Day 0 - The Utah Saga Begins

 On Monday Oct 14, I boarded a plane in Cleveland, Ohio. Bob boarded a plane in Eugene, Oregon. We were both headed to the  Denver, Colorado airport. 

Goodbye Cleveland and Lake Erie

From there, we boarded our flight to Grand Junction, Colorado. Meanwhile, in 1988, then colleague David left Milwaukee, Wisconsin to live and work in Grand Junction. He and I worked closely together at the Medical College of Wisconsin, and were best of friends.

Eric                                       David

  Here we are in a 1988 group photo. David met us at the Grand Junction airport. We had not seen each  other for 36 years. David was the perfect host for a night. The next morning, he dropped us at the airport so we could pick up our rental car. We would spend two days and nights with David after our photo adventure. So, the morning of Oct 15, we were off to Hanksville, Utah, and the adventure began immediately.

Travel Destination, Cleveland!

photo by Eric Schreiber

Once or twice a year, the moon passes directly between the sun and the earth, and casts a fleeting shadow along the path of the eclipse. Only the people who happen to be within a narrow band less than 100 miles wide witness a TOTAL solar eclipse. Along that band, the disk of the moon is nearly an exact fit over the disk of the sun. On April 8, 2024, Cleveland, Ohio was in the middle of that narrow band. Since we knew that this, we were at the ready with our cameras. The photo above is the best shot I got.

    As totality approaches, fish and wildlife go crazy. Bees instantly cease all activity. Humans, being smarter than fish and wildlife, go crazy years in advance. Several out-of-town friends visited. We stood on a balcony of our building and watched this fleeting event brought about by the chance of nature.

    I find it fascinating that keen observers studying the sky have been able to predict the occurrences of solar eclipses for thousands of years. If you wish to learn more about this eclipse and eclipses in general, considerable information is available at

https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses

Travel to San Francisco, Singapore, New Zealand, and New York

 What follows below are many entries made during our early 2024 travels with Bob and Sheree. If you start here and scroll below you will experience our trip in reverse order. If you wish to see the entries in chronological order, click here and click on Newer Post for the next entry.

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Back to the USSA

 

Two hours out of Auckland - 14 hours to go

Over Louisiana - three hours to go

We crossed the international date line and got our day back that we had lost flying to Singapore. According to the clock, we landed three hours before we took off on the same day. We made our way to the Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge Saturday evening and did our best to sleep.

View from the Marriott
Brooklyn Bridge on the left. Manhattan Bridge on the right.
Empire State Building in the distance.

    On Sunday, we got to spend time with Sam and Laura, and our granddog Ruby. We were more than ready to get back to Cleveland, which we did on Monday.

Last Stop, Auckland

 To see the entirety of this 5+ minute video, you can click here. The drive from Huka Lodge to our hotel in Auckland was beautiful, but subdued. We were anticipating the long trip home that would begin in two days.

    After the indescribable beauty we had experienced for the last 16 days, Auckland was a bit of let-down. Maybe it would have been better if we had started with the excitement of two days in Auckland before we experienced the upcoming journey through the countryside and waterways. As it was, we spent much of our time anticipating and preparing for our journey home.

That said, Auckland is a beautiful, robust city. More than a quarter of the New Zealand's population lives there. The streets were lined with trees and shrubbery.

The four of us went to the Maritime Museum which displayed the extensive maritime history of New Zealand. I found the sheer size and beauty of NZL-32 sailing yacht dubbed Black Magic that swept the 1995 America's Cup competition overwhelming. The roof of the building housing the yacht had to be expanded upward to accommodate the mast.

The keel alone was gigantic

Huka Lodge

 The Huka Lodge here on the North Island and the Otahuna Lodge on the South Island stand out as the most spectacular of the trip, with stiff competition from the rest. This clip from their web site captures the mood:

The lodge began around 1920 as a rustic getaway for passionate fly fishermen. It began to evolve into a luxury estate in the 1980s. Visitors include Bill Gates, Rod Stewart, James Mitchener, and Michael Douglas.

    Although New Zealand has not been a colony of the United Kingdom since 1907, Queen Elizabeth II visited the former colony on several occasions. On at least four visits, she stayed at the Huka Lodge. She dined in this dining room.

Sheree Eric Jessica Bob

Why they would allow the likes of us to dine there as well remains uncertain.

    But wait, there's more. The activities were numerous. We only scratched the surface. Out the back doors of our rooms was the Waikato River with a swift current, just as it becomes whitewater leading to Huka Falls, a 15 minute walk from our lodge.

Our "back yard"

Huka Falls

This picture was taken from an observation deck over the falls. We would have an opportunity later to see the falls up close and sprayed.

Let me introduce - hukafalls JET 

We did that! Our fearless pilot, she took time-out to take this picture of us wet and happy.

The Jet Boat was our morning adventure. Our afternoon was more sedate but just as thrilling. Lake Taupō is the largest lake in New Zealand, covering 240 square miles. It is a crater lake, located in the caldera of the Taupō Volcano.

  

The afternoon was one of total relaxation. We enjoyed a quiet boat ride across the lake, sipping wine, and headed for the famous Māori rock carvings. The Māori are descendants of the Polynesians who arrived in New Zealand only 700 or 800 years ago. Before that, the only mammals in or near New Zealand were bats and dolphins. There were LOTS of birds, some huge and flightless - hunted to extinction. For more information about the rock carving and links to information about the Māori, click here. Please watch the video on the web site.

    

Next came fishing. There is an abundance of rainbow and brown trout. Only artificial lures can be used. That worked.

We had the freshest rainbow trout ever for lunch. It was a wonderful day, but I was tired. I did need to get recharged before evening.

I have been reminded that any blog entry about the Huka Lodge would be incomplete without mention of Gertrude.

Gertrude

Gertrude welcomes each guest individually, and ingratiates herself at your table as well during meals. If you leave your room unattended with the back door open, Gertrude is likely to make herself welcome, explore your possessions, and make herself comfortable on your bed. So far, she has avoided being on the menu.

    Birds abound! Here is a sampling:

Crayfish is considered a delicacy by all in New Zealand

Cape Kidnappers Lodge

 Located at Hawkes Bay, the scenery speaks for itself. We enjoyed three nights at the lodge, took great walks, and visited the nearby town of Napier. 

View through a hole in a wooden fence

Sheree took a bike ride along the coast of Hawkes Bay and the South Pacific Ocean beyond. She snapped this picture along the way. The rain began moments after her return to the lodge.

We visited the nearby town of Napier, a nearby small town geared toward tourists and cruise ships. We did have the opportunity to go to a farmers' market geared more for the locals.

Town of Napier

Farmers' Market

Farmers' Market