Off to the Redwoods...

[Drew Wiley]

I'll tip off the Bigfoot hunters that there's another potential sighting!

[Vaughn]

Last internet check before I am off-line for 5 days!

Tim -- we can only hope and get real mellow...
Garrett -- I live in the same climate as where I am going (just 40 miles up the highway). Next month I'll get into the heat when I pack into my old wilderness (Yolla Bollys)!
Toyo -- that is why I bought a smaller pack! No more 90 pounders for me! That was a couple decades ago! Of course carrying the 4x5 on the pod over my shoulder with the pack on sort of defeats the concept of a smaller pack (but the pack itself weighs less!)
Drew -- maybe I should forget about the skinny-dipping then...

The only stops I'll make are at the Visitor Center to get my permit and perhaps a stop to get some rattlesnake medicine. I have always found that drinking a couple ounces of snakebite medicine around the fire at night keeps the rattlesnakes away. Scotland makes some good medicine...

Until next week!

[Andrew O'Neill]

Be safe!

[Vaughn]

I made it back! Used up all my 4x5 film, but used only 2.5 rolls of Tri-X in the Rolleicord. Might try to get something developed tonight. I had still air in the mornings and windy mid-day onwards. The mosquitos obnoxious from late afternoon until dark -- and always busy under the redwoods -- less so on the creek bed. I was enjoying a bug-free moment up above the creek when a fawn wandered by about 4 feet away -- then the mom noticed me, huffed, and all took off...leaving me with all the mosquitos that had been following them around. I had to leave, too! I saw elk, otters, deer, and a wonderful hatching of some sort of gnat that filled the air above the creek. No eagles this time, but a group of vultures took interest in the black shrouded figure on the creek bar -- I waved to them to let them know I was not quite dead yet...in fact feeling much better...

I took ten 4x5 film holders. Mistakes cost me three sheets (15%!) -- my first mistake of the trip was reading my meter wrong -- the exposure time was 30 seconds...not the 30 minutes I gave it. I was using Tech Pan at ASA 16 at f/16 under the redwoods and 30 minutes sounded reasonable. I left the lens open on one sheet and pulled the wrong darkslide on another (working from the front of the camera). So it goes. We'll see what I'll get. I pushed a few things/ideas, so I'll see if they worked.

Very light rain one night -- got to set-up and try out my new MSR shelter (just a fancy tarp) for the first time. Not too bad. I was hoping for some early morning fog, but got mostly sunshine as any fog moved out by sunrise. Only a few lonely rhododendron flowers left from the spring. Found a couple of early ripe berries. Saw a couple people the first day and several people on my last day -- had the creek and the mosquitos to myself for the 4 days in between. All-in-all, a great trip -- and as a bonus, I called in and I did not have to report for jury duty this morning!

[Andrew O'Neill]

Welcome back!

[Toyo]

I made it back! Used up all my 4x5 film, but used only 2.5 rolls of Tri-X in the Rolleicord. Might try to get something developed tonight. I had still air in the mornings and windy mid-day onwards. The mosquitos obnoxious from late afternoon until dark -- and always busy under the redwoods -- less so on the creek bed. I was enjoying a bug-free moment up above the creek when a fawn wandered by about 4 feet away -- then the mom noticed me, huffed, and all took off...leaving me with all the mosquitos that had been following them around. I had to leave, too! I saw elk, otters, deer, and a wonderful hatching of some sort of gnat that filled the air above the creek. No eagles this time, but a group of vultures took interest in the black shrouded figure on the creek bar -- I waved to them to let them know I was not quite dead yet...in fact feeling much better...

I took ten 4x5 film holders. Mistakes cost me three sheets (15%!) -- my first mistake of the trip was reading my meter wrong -- the exposure time was 30 seconds...not the 30 minutes I gave it. I was using Tech Pan at ASA 16 at f/16 under the redwoods and 30 minutes sounded reasonable. I left the lens open on one sheet and pulled the wrong darkslide on another (working from the front of the camera). So it goes. We'll see what I'll get. I pushed a few things/ideas, so I'll see if they worked.

Very light rain one night -- got to set-up and try out my new MSR shelter (just a fancy tarp) for the first time. Not too bad. I was hoping for some early morning fog, but got mostly sunshine as any fog moved out by sunrise. Only a few lonely rhododendron flowers left from the spring. Found a couple of early ripe berries. Saw a couple people the first day and several people on my last day -- had the creek and the mosquitos to myself for the 4 days in between. All-in-all, a great trip -- and as a bonus, I called in and I did not have to report for jury duty this morning!

Sounds like an awesome experience.
It is such times that refresh our spirits.
I am looking forward to your results
T

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Vaughn, welcome home. Sounds like a good trip. Hope the results are what you expect.

[Bill Burk]

I took ten 4x5 film holders. Mistakes cost me three sheets (15%!) -- my first mistake of the trip was reading my meter wrong -- the exposure time was 30 seconds...not the 30 minutes I gave it. I was using Tech Pan at ASA 16 at f/16 under the redwoods and 30 minutes sounded reasonable.

Let's see, If my calculation is right that's 2/3 stop less than 100 times the necessary exposure... even without reciprocity law failure. That's not much worse than placing Zone I on Zone VI which I did not so long ago. I printed such a negative a couple weeks ago... (Developed N-1) My highest density on negative is 1.8 in the clouds. It printed fine on Grade 2

[Vaughn]

Off again!!!

I am off for a couple more nights of backpacking in Redwood Nat. Park tomorrow -- taking the 4x5 and six holders of Tech Pan. Also taking one of my boys -- Bryce, just got home from a year in Bolivia and a couple nights out will help readjusting to CA culture and the English language! I'll leave the Rolleicord home this time. Last month's solo trip (for 6 days) in the same place, I took both cameras, all told -- 22 pounds of photo-related stuff. By leaving the Rollei & film at home, and taking six 4x5 holders instead of ten, this trip's camera gear will be around 17 to 18 pounds. If I load up the kid with the food and stove, this will be a walk in the park!

My tripod and head weigh 7 pounds (old Gitzo Al. 300 series w/ Bogan 3-way head). For several hundred $$$ I could up grade to a carbon fiber and knock 3 or so pounds off there, but it is nice having a pod I feel I could knock a bear's nose with and get his/her attention!

Bill -- I had direct sunlight drifting slowly through the otherwise dark scene -- that negative most likely will be toast. I will try to reduce my percentage of errors this trip!

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Awesome! Enjoy. If we weren't getting ready for a trip June and I could make a trip down.