Satterfield Photography

April 18th

Woke up early, took a shower and hit the road.  No wind today, so far!  Since I have plenty of time, I went to City of Rocks State Park and got my cameras out.  That was the plan to begin with, be here for early morning shots before heading to my next stop, Picacho Peak State Park, AZ.  City of Rocks is a very cool spot, it is a small area of the Chihuahuan desert.  The "city" is made up of large rocks formed about 34.9 million years ago and sculptured by erosion.  The campsites are each contained within a rock grouping so you sleep and eat surrounded by the giant rocks, which also provide some privacy.

Once I had my shots, I headed west to Picacho Peak State Park  south of Casa Grande, AZ.  That's when I remembered that I had intended to purchase some real tent stakes for my new tent...  Sure enough, hard, rocky ground means bent cheap stakes that come with every tent.  And, then the wind began to blow.  I had to tether one corner to a low growing bush to keep the tent from blowing over.  Goodness you would have thought I'd never gone tent camping in my life!  Rookie mistake. I ended up sleeping in the Jeep, intermittently, and mostly watching the traffic on I-10.

I was able to get some nice shots of the saguaro in the park.

• In peace, I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.  Psalm 4:8  NIV

April 19th

Salton Sea is about 5 hours away so, after a quick trip to Walmart for tent stakes, I head west.  Got stuck for a while in a weird vehicle situation.  Person driving an AZ red Rogue could not decide how fast to go.  Came up to pass me and then just slowed down a car length in front of me, and kept going slower and slower and slower.  So, I passed them and about 10 minutes later we  had a repeat.  After the third time, I looked for an excuse to get off the highway and give this person plenty of time to get to their destination, or at least get far enough ahead of me so as not to tangle up my day any further.  

I never knew that America had it own version of the Dead Sea.  Salton Sea is a landlocked lake that lies 227 feet below sea level.  It was formed in 1905 when high spring flooding on the Colorado River broke through the irrigation canal gates and flowed into the Salton Trough.  When engineers were finally able to stop the flooding in 1907, the Salton Sea had been born.  Because it was the site of an ancient lake dating back to 700 AD, the water did not soak into the ground.  There is no outflow, but there is enough inflow to keep the water level somewhat stable and it has become a big stop for California migratory birds.  This despite a salinity of approximately 60 PPT where the oceans are approximately 35 PPT.

A few campsites from me there is a huge family gathering, it is Easter weekend after all.  Looks like probably 4 generations, they have bike riders, scooters, even a group of teens wearing rabbit ears!  Horseshoes, an Easter egg hunt, and the sound of laughter all day long and into the night. Adding to my enjoyment was some pretty cool flora. I ended up sleeping in the Jeep once again as there is a railroad track right across the highway with freight trains going by about every hour or so...

I finally learned why there are so many tires lying on the beach of the Salton Sea.  Seems that during its heyday in the 1950s and 1960s, it was a popular destination for boating and the tires were used as docks and mooring points.  The sea has shrunk some so now the tires are exposed on the beach several yards from the water.

• For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.  1 Peter 1:18-19  NLT

April 20 - 21

Joshua Tree National Park is only a couple of hours' drive north even though my camp site is on the north side of the park.  I decided to take Box Canyon Road to I-10 and thence to the North Entrance.  I did not know that Box Canyon Road turns into Pinto Basin Road and then Park Boulevard, which is where the main North Entrance is....  Thus, I took the long way around.

My campsite was easy to find and it was all sand so easy to pick a spot to set up the tent.  The only drawback is that the parking area is just a wide spot in the dirt road into the campground, and there is another campsite directly across the road.  It was impossible not to overhear every conversation across the way.  But, it's only two nights!

Joshua Tree is a transitional area, the western half, with elevations over 3,000 feet is Mojave Desert habitat while the eastern half, less than 3,000 feet lies within the Colorado Desert.  The park brochure reads "This habitat of the lower Colorado River valley is part of the much larger Sonoran Desert, which spans southern Arizona and northwestern Mexico."  Driving through the park, you can see how the Colorado.  And at this time of year, lots of flowers, trees, bushes, and cacti are in bloom!  About the only fauna I saw were adult humans acting dumb, small humans climbing big rocks, a little bird that seemed to find me interesting and a lizard that just wanted more sun time.  Was really glad to not see a rattlesnake, but really did want to see a desert tortoise - but no luck there.

It is amazing how plants and animals adapt to their living conditions, the kangaroo rat getting water from its food - seeds, leaves, stems, and insects.  Also amazing is how beautiful many of the cacti are when they are in bloom, my timing was perfect for the ocotillo, but a bit late for the hedgehog cactus.

• And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whos seed is in itself, upon the earth; and it was so.  Genesis 1:11  KJV

April 22 -  Death Valley

First stop the Visitor Center – thermometer outside says itis 102 – about right for 3 in the afternoon. Heading to Badwater Basin, stopped at 20-Mule Canyon for a few shots.  Didn’t realize it was a 1-way road, no wonderI got such weird looks as I passed folks on my way back out.  Badwater Basin is awesome!  It is the lowest elevation in North America at 282 feet below sea level.  Yet it lies in the shadow of 11,049 ft Telescope Peak.  I walked out onto the salt flat like everyone else.  Since it was getting late, I did not venture very far out so didn't see any salt polygons.

According to Wikipedia - 20 Mule Team Borax is a brand of cleaner manufactured in the United States by The Dial Corporation, a subsidiary of Henkel. The product primarily consists of borax, also known as sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, or disodium tetraborate, and is named after the 20-mule teams that were used by William Tell Coleman's company to move borax out of Death Valley, California, to the nearest rail spur between 1883 and 1889.  The Billie Mine, which is underground, is presently the only active borax mining operation in the Death Valley area.

It brought back childhood memories for me due to the connection with Death Valley Days, an American Western anthology series featuring true accounts of the American Old West, particularly the Death Valley country of southeastern California. Created in 1930 by Ruth Woodman, the program was broadcast on radio until 1945. From 1952 to 1970, it became a syndicated television series, with reruns continuing through August 1, 1975. The radio and television versions combined to make the show "one of the longest-running Western programs in broadcast history." The series was sponsored by the Pacific Coast Borax Company, makers of 20 Mule Team Borax and Boraxo, and hosted by Stanley Andrews, Ronald Reagan, Robert Taylor, and Dale Robertson.

On to my stop for the night, where I took a cold shower as there was no hot water. And, forget about TV as there is no signal.  Watched The  Chosen on my phone and went to bed.  Will be up before dawn for sunrise shots at Mesquite Sand Dunes.

• I cared for you in the wilderness, In the land of drought.  Hosea 13:5

April 25-26  Sequoia NP and Kings Canyon NP

The Airbnb for tonight and tomorrow night is actually a tent!  Not just any tent, however, it is huge, shaped like a yurt, and comes with power and heating.  Cooking facilities are outdoors, as is the toilet, but that is to be expected.  It is also at about 9,000 feet and close to my photo ops.  Unfortunately, it is raining and very, very foggy, especially at this altitude. The owner notes indicated that GPS isn't always reliable in this area so have provided directions and a phone number.  Sadly the directions aren't useful when you can only see about 20 feet.  I drove a couple of times past where I thought it should be without finding my tent.  Contacted the owner who agreed to meet me a a location I did find and provided escort to the site, about 100 yards from where I had parked.  The fog was so heavy I could not see it from the road.  Bad news, light and heat are usually provided by solar, but they had to replace the solar charger and, since there was so sun that day, it was not charged.  So, a small propane heater and battery powered lights were provided.  I did find a very unique tree close to my site.  The holes you see are made by the Acorn Woodpecker, storing their winter supply of acorns. The heat ran out about midnight and the temperature was in the high 20s.  A very chilly night.

Up the next morning, made some coffee, and headed to Sequoia NP and found myself in the middle of a bicycle race - up the mountain and back down.  Driving on narrow, twisting, mountain roads is pretty easy unless you are sharing it with cyclists as you never know what you will find making that next turn.

I arrived at the Visitor Center to be told that unless I had chains in the vehicle I would not be allowed in the park.  I get it, but I was very disappointed.  I contacted my host to let them know there would be no point to spending another freezing night as I would not be able to get the shots I wanted in any case.  Now, my challenge was to drive back to my lodging with the bicycle racers to pack up. Found a hotel for the night and put Sequoia & Kings Canyon on the list for another trip instead.  I did, at least, find some pretty flowers to photograph along the way.

• Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.  Matthew 7:13-14   NIV

April 27 - 30 Yosemite

I decided to sign up for a photography workshop for the first time ever and I was so hoping it would turn out well.  It totally exceeded all my expectations!!  Sunday we were to meet at 1:30 for orientation/introductions and I expected that would be it for the day.  Wrong!  We were given about 30 minutes to gather up and caravan into the park for an evening shoot.  I hadn't even checked in yet, but since I knew I wouldn't be driving (we carpooled to reduce congestion in the park) but providing gas for those that did, I grabbed my camera and locked the Jeep.  Oh my goodness.  Even with clouds and fog Yosemite is awesome!  And, because of the clouds and fog we were able to capture images that not everyone gets to see.  Granted, we missed some of those expansive landscapes with the sunrise/sunset, but we found some beautiful shots.  Getting the top part of Half Dome became a goal as it was shrouded in clouds and fog almost every day.  Shooting with a group of 11 other photographers is very different from what I'm used to and I found it quite interesting.  At each stop we had a time-frame for shooting a were admonished not to wander too far from the group, but otherwise we were pretty much on our own.  Our mentor pointed out some opportunities but also encouraged us to go our own way.  I found it interesting that, even though we all buddied up with our mentor when he was shooting (which he only did as long as none of us wanted help) so we could emulate his shots, we all found our own best angle.  This was apparent in our daily image reviews in the middle of the day.  I saw images that were very different from what I had shot and sort of wondered, "Where did you find that?" even though I knew we had been in the same place.  I learned a lot during this 3-day workshop that I am applying now to each day's shooting.

• Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.  Proverbs 19:20

May 1 - 6  Olema Campground near Point Reyes National Seashore

I spent the morning of May 1st making one last trip into Yosemite for additional photos and then the rest of the day went to getting to Olema Campground and getting set up.

I will be camping in the tent for the next six days as I travel to points north, south, east, and west.  It's a rather large campground with RV and tent sites, several bathrooms with showers scattered throughout.  I had a variety of neighbors during my stay - a family gathered to celebrate a 20-something birthday, a retired couple with their 2 dogs, four couples (each arriving in a separate vehicle) that shared one tent site.  Yes, they had four tents; nice, roomy tent sites!  Fortunately each site came with at least 1 tree for privacy.  The location was great as it was within an hour or so of several places I wanted to see.

5-2-25

Point Reyes National Seashore - as a resident of a land-locked state, I love being near the ocean.  And the northern California/Oregon coastline is beautiful so I expect to find some really awesome photo ops in the next few weeks.  Point Reyes consists of a mixture of ocean breakers, expansive sand beaches, open grasslands, brushy hillsides, and forested ridges.  It is a haven for elephant seals and Tule Elk, and it is equally great for having a beach day or an inland hike.  The Point Reyes Lighthouse was retired from service in 1975 when an automated light was installed, and it is now maintained by the National Park Service.  I hiked from the parking lot down to the former dock and dock manager's house, where I found many elephant seals having a nap.  When I walked around to the back, I found more than a dozen piled up against a white picket fence, napping and arguing over napping space encroachment.  And, boy did they smell bad!!  Whew!

• He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.  Psalm 107:29

5-3-25

The Muir Woods experience wasn't exactly the quiet, peaceful, contemplative experience I was hoping for, but that's my fault for planning it for a Saturday.  Silly me, I thought that since it was before school is out, and because it costs $9.50 to park in addition to the Park entrance fee that it wouldn't be crowded.  And, it wasn't at first, since I arrived at 7:30 and had to wait for them to open up.  However, by around 9:00 there were so many people you couldn't hear anything but people.  I admit, part of me wanted to shout "Why are you here?  You're talking so loud you can't hear anything else and you're walking so fast you can't see anything around you!"

• Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.  Galatians 6:2

5-4-25 

The Golden Gate Bridge - oh my!  I drove across it twice, there was supposed to be a toll but there was no toll booth.  So far I haven't seen a bill in the mail, but maybe it will be waiting for me.  When I first got into running, I heard about the Bay to Breakers marathon which is run across the Golden Gate Bridge.  I was not enticed as, at that time, the thought of walking, much less running, across a bridge filled me with terror! Driving across suspension bridges isn't my favorite thing either, however, I did enjoy the view as I drove across the iconic, orange, bridge that links San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean.

And, since I had to cross the bridge into San Francisco, it wasn't a great leap to decide to visit Alcatraz.  It was the star of a couple of great movies, but the reality of it is very different.  When you see the actual cells, which have been staged as if they were still occupied by the most notorious of villains, you realize that it wasn't a place you would ever really want to spend time.   Which is kind of sad, as the island itself is quite beautiful, gardens are being restored to life after years of neglect, and the natural flora and fauna are returning.  I was surprised to learn that it actually began as a military fort in the 1850s and the main prison building was built in 1910-1912 as a US Army military prison.

• If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  1 John 1:9

5-5-25

Santa Rosa, California, is the home of the Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center.  I, along with millions of other Americans have always been a fan of Charlie Brown and all the Peanuts characters.  Since I was close by, I decided to visit the museum that honors their creator.  The museum houses many reproductions of various comic strips, has a few "hands on" exhibits geared toward engaging young people, and a recreation of Charles Schulz's home office, including desk, worktables, bookcases with books, etc.  I learned that the museum is in Santa Rosa because it was Schulz's home from 1958 until his death in 2000.  His widow, Jean Schulz, still lives in Santa Rosa and is very active in the museum.  I spent several hours just reading the comic strips and admiring the genius of Charles M. Schulz.

The drive from the campground to Santa Rose took me through some beautiful wine/farm country and I had to stop several times to photograph the wonderful vistas provided.

• One's pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.  Proverb 29:23

5-6-25

Hanging out in the campground.  Rain is predicted for tonight so I will pack up the tent today and sleep in the Jeep so that I'm not packing up a wet tent.  The mowers came by again and I learned that they are Katahdin hair sheep.  There are several breeds of sheep that actually shed their hair each spring and grow it back during the summer and fall, which makes them ideal for a small farm as it is difficult to find sheep shearers that are willing to bother with a smaller operation.  I've been thinking more lately about having goats instead of sheep as goat's milk can be another source of revenue, and I am learning to love goat cheese.

• As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:  1 Peter 4:10  ESV

5-7-25

My route from the Olema Campground up to Sue-Meg State Park was all on US101 which means mostly 2-lane highways with lots of small rural towns in between.  You can find some of the most interesting stuff along those back roads, including the Free Boat shown below.  It is also very much vineyard, orchard, farming country and the rainy, cloudy weather meant the farmers didn't have to irrigate.  It was a long drive and I made it longer by stopping frequently to photograph or just enjoy the view.

• Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’  Jeremiah 6:16 ESV

5-8-25

Sue-Meg State Park f/k/a Patrick's Point State Park after either Patrick Beegan who was said to have filed a claim for the land in 1851, or Patrick McLaughlin, a squatter who arrived in the 1870s and is credited with planting the first apple trees in the area.  Sue-Meg is the original place name used by the Yurok people who began efforts to have it reinstated more than 100 years ago. The California State Park and Recreation Commission agreed in 2021 as part of the broad effort by the California state government titled "Reexaming Our Past Initiative".

The culture of the Yuork is displayed in many areas throughout the park and during summer there are many ranger-led activities to show how this culture affected the area around the park.

Aside from the culture of the Yurok, Sue-Meg is a beautiful area along the Northern California coast and is also hoe to coastal redwoods, Sitka spruce, western hemlock, pine and several varieties of fir.  The sandy beaches and sheer cliffs make if interesting for a photographer and the Agate Campground where I stayed also offered a quick way down to Agate beach, so named for the agates to be found on the beach.  Sadly, the rainy weather was not conducive for making the trek down a very steep trail due to the muddy conditions.  However, the foggy weather did contribute some to the photos I was able to take along the Rim Trail.

Along the road from the campground to Redwoods National Park, I stopped for lunch in an empty parking lot and was soon joined by a vehicle that took me back to my early childhood.  During the years between age 7 and age 10, we lived in a suburb of El Paso and our subdivision was one of many that were served by the Bookmobile from the public library.  As an adult, I've been able to drive myself to all the local libraries and did not realize that the Bookmobiles were still in service.  Well, they certainly are in this section of Northern California!  I introduced myself to the driver (and her supervisor) and they allowed me to come on board and interrupt their lunch break.  They make a circuit that involves 4 other locations each day.  The book selection is about what I remembered and they still take requests for particular books - so if you are reading all the Nancy Drew books, you can get them in order!  ^_^

At Redwoods National Park I learned about the difference between the Giant Sequoias found in Muir Woods and the Coastal Redwoods of Redwood National Park.  Coastal Redwoods are among the tallest trees in the world and they have two types of leaves.  The ones on the lower end of the tree are fan-like and the ones at the very top are more like very long pine needles that reach up into the clouds to capture moisture from the fog.  The 1.5 mile Lady Bird Johnson Trail was mostly quiet as there were not as many people and the trail winds across a small ridge with several benches to just sit and enjoy the quiet and the birds.  As I was enjoying my rest a couple from Alabama stopped by and asked if they could share my bench.  We then embarked on a long and enjoyable conversation as we shared life stories.  I am always amazed at the skill with which God brings the right people together at the right time in their timelines.  And, I thank you, Lord, for bringing this couple into my day to help me remember those you have added to my timeline, just when I needed them to be there.  They had two pieces of great advice for me - 1) go on a safari and 2) when I leave the campground to head north, be sure to take the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway rather than following the 101.  Absolutely took the 2nd, not sure yet about the 1st - but it is under consideration!

• Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.  Proverbs 19:20  ESV

5-9-25

Sue-Meg campground to Klamath Falls, OR, via the Newton B. Drury Scenic Byway, which is part of the Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park that was incorporated into Redwoods National Park.  I stopped several times to take photos or short hikes into the woods.  What a beautiful, quiet, peaceful way to spend time.  I decided that a visit to Mt Shasta would have to be on another trip but I did snap one shot from the highway, one of the few divided highways on this trip.  I pulled over for a brief rest along the Rogue River and, just after I snapped the photo below, I looked up to see someone falling/diving from that rocky platform across the river!!  What  shock!  I was not expecting that at all.  I waited for several minutes and finally saw someone exiting the river on the near bank so I guess all was well.

• For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.  Isaiah 55:12  ESV

5-10-25

Crater Lake National Park has been on my bucket list ever since we lived a very short 2 months in Portland and were not able to make the 5 hour drive to see it.  Set the Cascade Range - 21 square miles of water so blue it hurts your eyes rimmed with cliffs up to 2,000 above it. It is more than 1,900 feet deep and surrounded by trees, wildflowers and wildlife.  There are around 90 miles of hiking trials which offer various views of the lake.  You can hike to a dock on the shore and take a boat tour around the lake - takes a couple of hours and you can learn a lot about the geology and history of the lake.  You can even take a boat to Wizard Island and hike to the top for what I am told are the best views of the lake ever!!  

I have to admit, my proposed images did not include as much snow as I found when I arrived.  Climbing a 10-foot snow embankment to get a glimpse of the lake certainly was not my original plan.  I laughed when I read the note on the door of the lodge at Rim Village. "See you in May" indeed!  Maybe it was supposed to say June...  This one also will have to go on another trip as the plan was to spend time hiking around the lake.  What was I thinking!?!?

The clouds were phenomenal!!!  I probably took more than 30 photos, these are just a few.  The other stars were the flowering plants, bushes, and trees!  Everything everywhere smelled so wonderful!  And, the variety on display everywhere I went made the lack of sun and warmth so worth the price.  As you can see, I also have an affinity for old barns...  Maybe because I miss the ones I grew up with and then raised our children around.  Someday soon.

• Ask rain from the Lord in the season of the spring rain, from the Lord who makes the storm clouds, and he will give them showers of rain, to everyone the vegetation in the field.  Zechariah 10:1  ESV

5-11-25

I went on an early morning walk from my hotel this morning, just enjoying the natural area and the quiet.  As I headed by towards the hotel, I met a couple on a similar journey.  The husband asked me if I had a particular goal as I had my camera with me and I told him that I was just open to whatever God decided to put into my path.  The wife said "Amen" and we resumed our separate journeys.

Across from the hotel my eye caught a locomotive in a park so I wandered over to see what it was about.  Next to it, I found a veterans memorial garden with stone and metal tablets noting details of the various military actions that US armed forces have participated in and a red brick garden.  Each brick contains the name, rank, and service dates for a veteran.  There were many poignant reminders that each airman, soldier, seaman, and marine are someone's son, husband, brother, uncle, and nephew.  

Thank you to the folks of Klamath Falls for erecting this memorial to honor the veterans from the Klamath Basin.

• He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.  Revelation 21:4 ESV

5-12-25

I could have made the drive from Klamath Falls to Yachats in 4 hours but opted to take the slower back roads route along the coast, which made it about 5 hours assuming no stops along the way - of course there were several stops along the way.  In addition, I drove in the rain and the snow and the rain and the fog all the way across the mountains and over Grants Pass.  My plan for the next 2 days was to try a couple of campgrounds that had no reserved sites available but did boast a few First Come First Serve sites.  The reality was that those sites were terrible - out in the open, or right next to the bathroom, or right next to one another.  There were a few sites marked as Open, but I learned that those were still available to be reserved (not sure how that was possible as I reserved sites months in advance, but oh well) and if you pick that site and someone reserves it online, you have to leave when they show up!!!  How dumb is that!?!?  So I drove into Yachats and booked a very nice room at a very reasonable cost for the next two days. And still had time for a short walk along the coastline after dinner.

•  Where shall I go from your Spirit?
      Or where shall I flee from your presence?
   If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
      If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
   If I take the wings of the morning
      and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
  0 even there your hand shall lead me,
      and your right hand shall hold me.   Psalm 139:7-10  ESV