SALTON MARINA

© Lydia Marcus 2010 / www.lydiamarcus.com
Photographed March 28, 2010 in Salton Sea, CA
Nikon 24mm f/2.8 lens and a Nikon D80 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera (Body only)

THE TOURIST

"The Tourist" © Lydia Marcus 2010 / www.lydiamarcus.com
Photographed April 3, 2010 at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Photographed with a Nikon 55-200mm VR

WHAT, NO PINK FLAMINGOS?

This was my first visit to the Salton Sea. There is an incredible beauty in it's isolation, stillness, and silence.

To learn more about the history of the Salton Sea I highly recommend watching the documentary Plagues & Pleasures on the Salton Sea narrated by John Waters (http://saltonseadoc.com)

© Lydia Marcus 2010 / www.lydiamarcus.com
Photographed March 28, 2010 in Salton Sea, CA

JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK

1/23/2010 I visited Joshua Tree National Park with flickr friends. Vivid blue skies and a smattering of light snow dusting the park just made everything that much more picturesque.

From the nps.gov website:

"Joshua Tree encompasses three of California’s ecoregions. Its geology shows the effects of plate tectonics, volcanism, mountain-building, and stark erosion. With elevations ranging from 900 feet to over 5,000 feet above sea level, the park is home to a diversity of biological communities found nowhere else in such proximity. Sand dunes, dry lakes, flat valleys, extraordinarily rugged mountains, granitic monoliths, and oases are all found within its nearly 800,000 acres. Each feature makes its contribution to the natural tapestry of the southwest."

Joshua trees are so beautiful far away or super close up.


Even their shadows are pretty.


Me hamming it up in front of one of the Joshua trees. Photo by Matthew Dillon, a flickr friend.


Me too!


I don't know why, but these signs just always crack me up. I don't want to do something 'til I'm told I can't do it! I never wanted to shoot or camp so badly before. ;-)


I think this one can easily ;-) be misinterpreted to mean that dogs off leash are totally okay! LOL.




This rock formation already looked like a man's profile to me but the Joshua Tree mustache just cements the deal. :-)


Speaking of mustaches, I shot this photo of this little girl at the end of the night at a local 29 Palms pizza joint. She got the fuzzy thing out of a vending machine that sold facial hair (and mole) disguises). A little drag king in training - so cute.


There were a lot of great hiking spots at Joshua Tree. These snow covered rocks were beautiful. Matthew Dillon took all these shots of me.






I like that this shot shows off my yoga booty. :-)


Laurie Thomson, a fellow flickrite, took this shot of me. I love it! Wonderful use of natural hair light.


Sunset light over Joshua Tree




Photo credits © Lydia Marcus 2010 / www.lydiamarcus.com
Photographed January 23, 2010 in Joshua Tree National Park
Twentynine Palms, CA

AERO CRUISIN' AMERICANA

Photo by © Lydia Marcus
Photographed February 10, 2009 on Route 66
Cool Springs, Arizona
www.coolspringsroute66.com

THE BAGDAD THREE

Photo by © Lydia Marcus
Photographed February 8, 2009
Bagdad Cafe, Newberry Springs off Route 66

A COUGAR IN KINGMAN

Photo by Lydia Marcus.
Photographed February 9, 2009 in Kingman, Arizona on historic Route 66.

AREA 66

Photo by Lydia Marcus

Photographed at Area 66 (off historic Route 66) in Yucca, Arizona on February 9, 2009

GEYSER GAZING

I visited Yellowstone National Park in the summer of 2001. Old Faithful gets all the fame but honestly it was one of the least impressive geysers that I saw at Yellowstone. Old Faithful is known for it's frequency of eruption and the great height it achieves, but this tiny geyser called Pink Cone Geyser was probably my favorite at the park. While Old Faithful's bursts last anywhere from 1-5 minutes, this little guy generally sprays for 1 - 2 hours at a time!!!!! Plus you don't have to deal with the crowds to view it. If you ever get to Yellowstone - go check it out! - Lydia Marcus

Polaroid Photo by Lydia Marcus. Pink Cone Geyser photographed at Yellowstone National Park, July 5, 2001.

HOLE N" THE ROCK

Hole N" The Rock is one of the wackiest and most unique tourist stops I have ever visited. I HAVE to stop here every time I visit Moab. I look forward to checking out the gift shop for one of a kind items and stopping by the petting zoo to see an unusual assortment of animals that includes those wacky and very odd ostriches. Hole N" The Rock is a kitsch tourist attraction at it's very best. - Lydia :-)

From the website www.theholeintherock.com :

"Travelers along U.S. Highway 191 in Southeastern Utah are amazed to discover this unique 5,000 square foot home and gift shop. Inside are fourteen fabulous rooms arranged around huge pillars. A fireplace with a 65 foot chimney drilled through solid sandstone, a deep french fryer, and a bathtub built to the rock are among the attractions.

Outside the living quarters is a rock and cactus garden and nearby are picnic tables and benches carved from stone.

In a 12-year period Albert excavated 50,000 cubic feet of sandstone from the rock. During this time he completed his famous painting "Sermon on the Mount" and his sculpture of Franklin D. Roosevelt on the face of the rock above his home.

When Albert died in 1957, the home was not complete. Gladys, in keeping with his wishes and lifelong dreams, continued to develop the home and gift shop into the world-renowned attraction it is today.

When Gladys passed away in 1974 she was laid to rest next to Albert in a small cove within the rock near the home. The simple stone markers were sculpted by Gladys.

Hole N" The Rock Home, Gift Shop and Tradin' Post 12 miles south of Moab, Utah U.S. Highway 191"

Polaroid Photos by Lydia Marcus. Photographed at Hole N" The Rock in Moab, Utah, July 3, 2001

Get Your Kicks On...

That's Me in the doorway at Roy's Motel.



Photos by Lydia Marcus
Photographed on Route 66, February 8, 2009

FAMILY VACATION CIRCA 1979

In August 1979 I went on a road trip with my Mom, Grandma Belle and her boyfriend Harry. We travelled all the way up North until we hit Canada. Our main stops along the way that I recall were San Francisco, Seattle, and Vancouver. Here's a Polaroid (One Step camera using Time Zero film) of three generations. The car was my Grandma's Chevy Monte Carlo (bright yellow with a black landau top). The Monte Carlo had just passed through the Chandelier Tree in Northern California. From Wikipedia: "Chandelier Tree is a 315 foot (96 metre) tall coast redwood tree in Leggett, California with a 6 foot (1.83m) wide by 9 foot (2.74m) high hole cut through its base to allow a car to drive through. The hole was carved in the 1930s."

To see more photos from this series, check out my flickr set FAMILY.

A SPECIAL STATE

I am dying to go on a summer road trip. Meanwhile, I'm going over old shots from past trips and I'm sure quite a few will appear on this blog over the next few months.

I saw this sculpture, "The Spirit Of Wyoming," in front of the State Capitol Building in Cheyenne, Wyoming. It's one of the most memorable and amazing pieces of art I've ever seen. It looked incredible (and very different) from every angle.



From the web: "Conceived as a symbol to represent Wyoming's people, "The Spirit of Wyoming" depicts a cowboy and his horse at odds against nature and it's elements. This handsome bronze statue stands on the west lawn of the Capitol and is the work of national and international award winning sculptor and artist Edward J. Fraughton. The statue weighs nearly 4500 pounds and stands on a five-foot, pre-cast base for a combined height of over 18 feet."

I've driven through Wyoming on quite a few trips and there's something really special about the place. I always feel some kind of energy that I really just like. They call Montana "Big Sky Country," but when I think of that description, I really think of Wyoming more.

The Spirit of Wyoming photo by Lydia Marcus. Photographed July 31, 2003 in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

THUNDERBIRD LODGE

Summer 2003 in Laramie Wyoming - Gas was $1.44 - $1.64!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thunderbird Lodge photo by Lydia Marcus. Shot July 31, 2003 in Laramie, Wyoming using a Canon PowerShot S400.