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Approximate Focus Distance : 6.38m
Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens + Canon Extender EF 2X III
ISO Speed 1600
Aperture : f/8.0
Exposure : 1/2000 secs
Focal Length : 600mm
Florida's Turnpike, designated as unsigned State Road 91 (SR 91), is a toll road in the U.S. state of Florida, maintained by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise (FTE). Spanning approximately 309 miles (497 km) along a northwest–southeast axis, the turnpike is in two sections. The SR 91 mainline runs roughly 265 miles (426 km), from its southern terminus at an interchange with Interstate 95 (I-95) in Miami Gardens to an interchange with I-75 in Wildwood at its northern terminus. The Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike (abbreviated HEFT and designated as unsigned SR 821) continues from the southern end of the mainline for another 48 miles (77 km) to US Highway 1 (US 1) in Florida City. The slogan for the road is "The Less Stressway". The mainline opened in stages between 1957 and 1964, while the extension was completed in 1974. The turnpike runs through Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, where it parallels I-95, and through Orlando, where it crosses I-4.
Tolls on the turnpike are an average of 6.7 cents per mile (4.2 ¢/km) for cars and other two-axle vehicles using SunPass. A trip on the entire turnpike (not including the Homestead Extension) would cost $22.59 with Toll-by-Plate, and $17.45 with SunPass.
The turnpike was originally entirely on the ticket system, but due to congestion in the Miami and Orlando metro areas, a coin system was implemented from the Three Lakes toll plaza north to the terminus at I-75, and from Lantana south to I-95, in the 1990s. In 2015, the portion between the Golden Glades toll barrier and I-595 in Davie was converted to a cashless toll system. Additional projects to convert the turnpike to an electronic collection system were completed between I-595 and Lantana in 2019, and from SR 429 north to I-75 in Wildwood in 2020.
The final stretch of the turnpike to use the ticket system ran between what are now electronic toll gantries at Lantana (mile 89.4 in Palm Beach County) and Three Lakes (mile 236.5 in Osceola County). This section was converted to a cashless system on November 8, 2021, removing the final cash-based toll collections and converting the entire length of the turnpike to electronic toll collection.
The SunPass electronic toll collection system, in use since 1999, has become the primary method of paying tolls on the turnpike, with 80% of customers using the electronic tolling as of October 2009. SunPass can be used on most Florida toll roads, in conjunction with other electronic toll collection systems in Florida (E-Pass and LeeWay). SunPass users benefit from an average of a 25% discount on tolls and access to SunPass-only exit ramps. SunPass transponders are available at the gift shop and gas stations at all service plazas, as well as Walgreens, Publix, and CVS stores statewide.[18] Since 2021, E-ZPass, which is used primarily in the Midwest and Northeast U.S., has also been accepted on Florida's Turnpike.
As the Turnpike and its system of roads are primary routes for emergency evacuations, tolls may be suspended, in cooperation with the state's emergency operations center and county governments, when a state or national emergency, most common being a hurricane watch, warrant rapid movement of the population.
Eight service plazas are located along the turnpike, spaced about 45 miles (72 km) apart. All eight plazas are open 24 hours a day and located on the center median of the turnpike for access from both directions and offer gasoline, diesel fuel, internet access, travel and tourism info and tickets, picnic areas, TV news, gift shops offering Florida Lottery, family-friendly restrooms, and pay phones. A convenience store/gas station is located at the Snapper Creek plaza on the Homestead Extension of the turnpike, while the remaining seven are full-service plazas, featuring a selection of franchised fast food restaurants. Three of the service plazas (Pompano, Port St. Lucie/Fort Pierce, Turkey Lake) also provide E85 ethanol. The Turkey Lake plaza also has a Tesla Supercharger for Tesla electric vehicles. Superchargers are also located at Ft. Drum plaza, and Canoe Creek and Okahumpa are scheduled to open Superchargers in 2021/22.
The operation of Sunshine State Parkway gas stations and service centers was originally bid out under separate contracts, and as a result, differing petroleum brands operated concurrently along the parkway, with varying levels of service and pricing. This practice was discontinued in 1995 when all service center operations were combined to improve supply and continuity of service; with Martin Petroleum, a Florida corporation, operating the stations with Citgo brand fuel at its stations. Since then, the Venezuelan government, under President Hugo Chávez, nationalized Citgo, and in 2006, political controversy resulted in a movement to remove the brand from the turnpike.
In 2009, Areas U.S.A. signed a 30-year contract for operation of food and retail concessions, taking over operations from Martin Petroleum and HMSHost. Florida Turnpike Services, L.L.C., Areas' partner, replaced the Citgo brand with Shell, the current brand for gas stations along the turnpike. Many of the restaurant brands were also changed over, with Dunkin' Donuts replacing Starbucks locations as well as KFC, Pizza Hut, Villa Pizza and Wendy's replacing most Popeyes and Burger King locations. The reconstruction and renovation of six of the service plazas began on November 1, 2010, to be completed in 2012. The Okahumpka and Ft. Pierce plazas will begin reconstruction when the other plaza projects are complete. Total renovation costs are estimated at $160 million.
Credit for the data above is given to the following website:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida%27s_Turnpike
© All Rights Reserved - you may not use this image in any form without my prior permission.
The Baltimore checkerspot is a medium-sized butterfly with a wingspan of approximately 1 ½ - 2 ½ inches.
Usually found near wetlands where it can be fairly common.
Young larvae of the Baltimore checkerspot feed on white turtlehead
wisconsinbutterflies.org/butterfly/species/80-baltimore-c...
Approximate Focus Distance : 13.1m
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM III Lens
ISO Speed 1250
Aperture : f/7.1
Exposure : 1/800 secs
Exposure Bias : -2/3 EV
Focal Length : 600mm
Approximate Focus Distance : 11.6m
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM Lens
ISO Speed 1600
Aperture : f/7.1
Exposure : 1/160 secs
Exposure Bias : -2/3 EV
Focal Length : 600mm
Approximate Focus Distance : 11.7m
Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens + Canon Extender EF 2X III
ISO Speed 640
Aperture : f/7.1
Exposure : 1/2500 secs
Exposure Bias : -1/3 EV
Focal Length : 600mm
Approximately 20 km from Alta.
The Ice hotel is a stunning place to visit. This is one of many ice sculptures inside the hotel / igloo.
Approximately 20 teams of horses and wagons and 40 horseback riders annually make the three-day trek from Clear Spring to Boonsboro Maryland to commemorate the building of Route 40, the National Road. The historic National Road was America’s first federally funded highway and was traveled by more than 200,000 people per year either heading west to the frontier or east bringing their livestock and goods to market. Print Size 13x19 inches.
Approximate Focus Distance : 7.24m
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM Lens
ISO Speed 640
Aperture : f/9.0
Exposure : 1/800 secs
Exposure Bias : -1 EV
Focal Length : 600mm
Anyone that knows me, knows I am a dyed in the wool Electro-Motive Diesel fan, especially the SD70's, with few exceptions. So when I was called out of the hotel in Chicago, Wednesday night, and my conductor handed me our train profile, I got a little excited.
We were called for the I16602 out of CPKC's Schiller Park Yard, and according to the profile it was going to be lead by CP 7043 with KCS 4030 as a DPU on the rear of the 45 car double stack train.
Right away I noticed a problem with having KCS 4030 on the rear of the train. Upon arriving at the yard office, that yes that is the way CPKC had planned to run the train.
Phone calls were made to address the problem, and eventually it was decided to take the DP off the rear and just run the train with both locomotives on the front of the train.
Now to me things were really getting exciting, with a pair of EMD SD70AC variants in the lead. Even cooler to me was the fact that one of each were in CPKC's predecessors paint, Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern
Anymore in CP's later years finding a EMD on the roster became pretty hard with the exception of four axle units as CP had been buying General Electric locomotives almost exclusively for years as power for road trains, so to have a EMD leading let alone a SD70 version is still somewhat rare.
Finally after shuffling some stuff around we departed and had a decent trip home to North Baltimore, OH. After pulling up to the crew change pad, I headed in tied up and took off out the door with photographing the train after departing the yard.
Heading east from North Baltimore I finally found a place that would work, and pulled off the side of the road, and waited about 40 minuets later for the train to show up.
In this early afternoon view CSX train I16602 is eastbound passing a recently harvested bean field as it approaches the interlocking at Godsend, outside of Fostoria, OH. with CP 4073 a EMD SD70ACU leading KCS 4030 a SD70ACe pulling approximately 6400 feet of double stacks bound for Canada.
Approximate Focus Distance : 6.97m
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM Lens
ISO Speed 1600
Aperture : f/7.1
Exposure : 1/100 secs
Exposure Bias : -2/3 EV
Focal Length : 600mm
Approximate Focus Distance : 24.9
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM Lens
ISO Speed 1250
Aperture : f/7.1
Exposure : 1/3200 secs
Exposure Bias : -1/3 EV
Focal Length : 600mm
And now for the colour images!
I plan to present these images in (approximate) order from early light until after sunset. We visited the park mornings and evenings over four days and on many of those days we had a pass that allowed us to stay after the park closed, so we got that lovely light after sunset, and only one day did we get to come in early to get light before sunrise. I'm taking the liberty of placing those morning and evening twilight images together near the end of this colour series. This order is not scientific - I did not look at capture times - but more about the feeling of the light as it changed throughout the day and which images I like together.
I'll start with another image of that lovely belly button feature and the dune in front of it. You can see that amazing texture of the dunes, emphasized by the early morning light.
White Sands National Park, New Mexico, USA.
Back in October, I took a trip to White Sands National Park in New Mexico, USA with my Flickr friend (and real friend!) Frank Loose. You can say all kinds of horrible things about social media - and you'd be right - but it can (and Flickr, in particular, can) be an amazing way to connect you with people with shared interests. Frank and I connected over ten years ago on Flickr and have become fast friends since then. We've been talking for years about doing a photo trip together and we finally did it in October this year when we travelled to New Mexico to photograph White Sands. If you'd like to read about our trip, you're welcome to check out my blog post about it.
White Sands National Park covers about a third of a huge dunefield between the San Andres and Sacramento Mountains in southern New Mexico. White Sands is a bit of a misnomer, as the dunes are actually made of gypsum, not sand, and though they are white in bright sunshine they can take on some amazing colours – from beige to pink to blue – depending on the light conditions. Frank and I photographed the dunes over four days of morning and evening visits and really came to love this magical place. I hope you enjoy this series of images (and do check out Frank’s beautiful work as well!).
If you'd like to see the whole series, in the order they are meant to be seen, take a look at my White Sands Album. If you prefer, you can just look at the colour images or just at the more experimental black and white images.
Approximate Focus Distance : 24.9m
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM Lens + Canon Extender EF 1.4x III
ISO Speed 1250
Aperture : f/9.0
Exposure : 1/2500 secs
Exposure Bias : -1 EV
Focal Length : 840mm
Approximate Focus Distance : 7.29m
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM Lens
ISO Speed 1600
Aperture : f/6.3
Exposure : 1/60 secs
Exposure Bias : -4/3 EV
Focal Length : 600mm
Approximate Focus Distance : 11.6m
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM Lens
ISO Speed 1250
Aperture : f/6.3
Exposure : 1/60 secs
Focal Length : 600mm
Approximate Focus Distance : 6.97m
Canon EOS 5DS +
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM III Lens
ISO Speed 1600
Aperture : f/7.1
Exposure : 1/160 secs
Exposure Bias : -4/3 EV
Focal Length : 600mm
Approximate Focus Distance : 19.0m
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM Lens
ISO Speed 640
Aperture : f/7.1
Exposure : 1/1600 secs
Exposure Bias : -2/3 EV
Focal Length : 600mm
The shard is a skyscraper in London that forms part of the London Bridge Quarter development. Standing approximately 306 metres (1,004 ft) high, the Shard is currently the tallest building in the European Union.
Approximately 30 Galaxies Visible in This Part of the Cluster
Background Information
Markarian's Chain is a stretch of galaxies that forms part of the Virgo Cluster. When viewed from Earth, the galaxies lie along a smoothly curved line. Charles Messier first discovered two of the galaxies, M84 and M86, in 1781. The other galaxies seen in the chain were discovered by William Herschel and are now known primarily by their catalog numbers in John Louis Emil Dreyer's New General Catalogue, published in 1888. It was ultimately named after the Armenian astrophysicist, Benjamin Markarian, who discovered their common motion in the early 1960s. Member galaxies include M84 (NGC 4374), M86 (NGC 4406), NGC 4477, NGC 4473, NGC 4461, NGC 4458, NGC 4438 and NGC 4435. It is located at RA 12h 27m and Dec +13° 10′.
The bright members of the chain are visible through small telescopes. Larger telescopes can be used to view the fainter galaxies. (Wikipedia.org)
Technical Information for Image
Telescope: William Optics Zenithstar 81 Refractor
Mount: iOptron CEM25P
Imaging Camera: ZWO ASI294MC Pro. Gain 120 at -5C.
Filter: Optolong L-Pro
Guiding: William Optics 50mm, 200mm FL, ASI290MC camera
Exposures: 20 x 180s each Bin 1x1
Capture: ASIAIR Pro
Guiding: ASIAIR Pro through ASI290MC camera
Polar Alignment: ASIAIR Pro
Site: Borrego Springs, CA USA, Bortle 4
Processing: Pixinsight with Touch up in Corel PaintShop Pro.
Approximate Focus Distance : 8.02m
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM Lens
ISO Speed 1600
Aperture : f/7.1
Exposure : 1/200 secs
Exposure Bias : -1 EV
Focal Length : 600mm
Approximate Focus Distance : 21.8m
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM Lens
ISO Speed 1250
Aperture : f/8.0
Exposure : 1/1000 secs
Exposure Bias : +5/3 EV
Focal Length : 600mm
Very small flycatcher, approximately 9 cm, easily recognizable by the yellow stain in loro. The contrast between the dark gray-blue head with the yellow ventral drew attention when observed. The eyes are yellow-gold, highlighted against the dark area of the head. Has quick movements, almost never stops. Hunting invertebrates in flight and in the middle of the foliage canopy, drops up to 2 meters above the ground.
Papa-moscas bem pequeno, aproximadamente 9 cm, facilmente reconhecível pela nódoa amarela no loro. O vivo contraste entre o cinza-azulado escuro da cabeça com a parte ventral amarela chama a atenção quando observado. Os olhos são amarelo-ouro, destacados contra a área escura da cabeça. De movimentos ligeiros, quase nunca fica imóvel. Caça invertebrados no meio das folhagens da copa e desce até 2 metros do solo.
Approximate Focus Distance : 9.53m
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM Lens
ISO Speed 1250
Aperture : f/7.1
Exposure : 1/100 secs
Exposure Bias : -5/3 EV
Focal Length : 600mm
Approximately 4,000 years old; a massive granite capstone rests on the three upright supporting stones of this dolmen in a field within Dartmoor National Park.
Known as Spinsters Rock, one theory links the name to the three Fatal Sisters of Norse mythology who weave the destiny of the world; presumably referring to the sisters, Urd, Verdandi, and Skuld who lived at the bottom of Yggdrasil - the World Tree.
Paris is known for its carousels, with approximately 20 scattered around the city - often close to tourist attractions. Situated below the Eiffel Tower, this is perhaps one of the most famous - and most photographed - of the carousels in Paris. Happy Slider Sunday! :)
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“The word carousel derives from the Spanish carosella—or the Italian garosello, depending on whom one asks—which means “little war” and refers to a Byzantine battle game brought to Europe during the time of the crusades. The machines began as a safer alternative to jousting and other forms of combat exercises, which often injured knights-in-training. Over time, non-soldiers started climbing on the fake horses, just for fun, and it didn’t take long before skilled artisans got to work carving whimsical figures—not just horses but other farmyard animals, wild beasts, and even mythical creatures. Thus, the modern carousel was born.
Before the advent of electricity, carousels were cranked by hand or pulled by draft animals; sometimes a circular pit was dug into the ground beneath the main platform, where the horses, donkeys, or oxen trudged on their endless rounds. But it was the introduction of the steam engine that spurred the rapid proliferation of the fanciful contraptions throughout Europe and the Americas. These engines also powered the popular band organs, whose carnivalesque music is now so associated with the joy of riding a merry-go-round.
Carousels became wildly popular in the 1800s and continued to enchant not only children but adults as well through the first half of the 20th century. In the U.S., the popularity of the merry-go-round waned with the advent of roller coasters, but theme parks are not as common in Europe. Also, in France carousels typically stand alone, without the accompaniment of a carnival or other rides.”
Source: Juliet Blackwell. The Timeless Magic of Parisian Carousels From The Lost Carousel of Provence author, a history of whimsical merry-go-rounds. Article available at: www.readitforward.com/authors/juliet-blackwell-parisian-c...
SCT operate approximately 2 return trips a week between their Penfield Depot and Port Germein to exchange Adelaide loading from their 7GP1/3PG1 services. The loading is dropped off on a purposely built siding at Port Germein with shunts occurring when the GP/PG services arrive, any Adelaide bound loading from these services returns to Penfield whilst loading from Adelaide is exchanged and placed onto the train.
Late running SCT Shuttle service 4414S powers through the trackside grass at Korunye with SCT010/SCT008 in charge of 17 wagons on Sunday the 24th of November 2019, a late running 7GP1 held up the return service, with these wagons and locomotives exchanged with the loading before forming the return service back to Penfield. The locomotives were replaced by CSR005/SCT013 which continued working 7GP1 towards Forrestfield.
© Dom Quartuccio 2019
Approximate Focus Distance : 9.47m
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM Lens
ISO Speed 1600
Aperture : f/8.0
Exposure : 1/200 secs
Exposure Bias : -1/3 EV
Focal Length : 600mm
Approximate Focus Distance : 11.6m
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM Lens
ISO Speed 2500
Aperture : f/6.3
Exposure : 1/40 secs
Exposure Bias : -1 EV
Focal Length : 600mm
Approximate Focus Distance : 11.4m
Canon EOS 5DS +
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM Lens
ISO Speed 2000
Aperture : f/7.1
Exposure : 1/15 secs
Exposure Bias : -2/3 EV
Focal Length : 600mm
Approximate Focus Distance : 10.1m
Canon EOS 5DS +
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM III Lens
ISO Speed 1600
Aperture : f/7.1
Exposure : 1/160 secs
Focal Length : 600mm
Approximate Focus Distance : 6.97m
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM Lens
ISO Speed 1250
Aperture : f/7.1
Exposure : 1/320 secs
Exposure Bias : -2/3 EV
Focal Length : 600mm
Pangong Tso, Tibetan for "high grassland lake", also referred to as Pangong Lake, is an endorheic lake in the Himalayas situated at a height of about 4,350 m (14,270 ft). It is 134 km (83 mi) long and extends from India to China. Approximately 60% of the length of the lake lies in China. The lake is 5 km (3.1 mi) wide at its broadest point. All together it covers 604 km2. During winter the lake freezes completely, despite being saline water. It is not a part of Indus river basin area and geographically a separate land locked river basin.
Pangong Tso can be reached in a five-hour drive from Leh, most of it on a rough and dramatic mountain road. The road crosses the villages of Shey and Gya and traverses the Chang La, where army sentries and a small teahouse greet visitors. The road down from Chang La leads through Tangste and other smaller villages, crossing a river called Pagal Naala or "The Crazy Stream". The spectacular lakeside is open during the tourist season, from May to September.
An Inner Line Permit is required to visit the lake as it lies on the Sino-Indian Line of Actual Control. While Indian nationals can obtain individual permits, others must have group permits (with a minimum of three persons) accompanied by an accredited guide; the tourist office in Leh issues the permits for a small fee. For security reasons, India does not permit boating.
Pangong Tso is in disputed territory. The Line of Actual Control passes through the lake. A section of the lake approximately 20 km east from the Line of Actual Control is controlled by China but claimed by India. The eastern end of the lake is in Tibet.
The Khurnak Fort lies on the northern bank of the lake, halfway of Pangong Tso. The Chinese has controlled the Khurnak Fort area since 1952. To the south is the smaller Spanggur Tso.
On 20 October 1962, Pangong Tso saw military action during the Sino-Indian War, successful for the Communist People's Liberation Army.
Pangong Tso is still a delicate border point along the Line of Actual Control. Incursions from the Chinese side are common.
Approximate Focus Distance : 6.72m
Canon EOS 5DS +
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM III Lens
ISO Speed 1600
Aperture : f/7.1
Exposure : 1/400 secs
Exposure Bias : -1 EV
Focal Length : 600mm
Approximate Focus Distance : 6.97m
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM Lens
ISO Speed 800
Aperture : f/7.1
Exposure : 1/15 secs
Focal Length : 600mm
Approximate Focus Distance : 7.54m
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM Lens
ISO Speed 1600
Aperture : f/9.0
Exposure : 1/20 secs
Exposure Bias : -1 EV
Focal Length : 600mm
Approximate Focus Distance : 31.3m
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM Lens
ISO Speed 640
Aperture : f/7.1
Exposure : 1/640 secs
Exposure Bias : -1/3 EV
Focal Length : 600mm