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PENTAX K-5 • 80 ISO • Pentax DA 15mm F4 ED AL Limited
B+W ND 1000 filter
Shutter Speed: 10 sec
La Lauch • Haut-Rhin • Alsace • France
PENTAX K-1 • FF Mode • 800 ISO • Canon FD New 85mm f:1.2 L
Scoptics adapter FD/PK
Beer Pancakes with Strawberries • Crêpes à la Bière aux Fraises
It almost looks like farming still exists throughout the Rockies even though many original farms are now plots for growing prairie castles. Who could really use food from (growing) plants instead of industrial plants? Soylent green, anyone? Ah, an original farmstead with all the textures! Can you believe that I have gone by this place with Rabbit Mountain in the background, before but never really noticed. Rule one! Stay awake.
Like most remaining early farmsteads, this place is covered with inedible leftovers. Some cleanup is awaiting but only if this place gets it's imminent prairie castle. Then it's all "out damned spot!" By then, Trump would need new pasture for his pet mule. Until then, this is a good collection of the old and even older. However, it looks like more weather is building over the divide.
I could no longer social distance at home for Saturday but decided that I probably had not contracted Donnievid-19 yet, even while Boulder County cases keep escalating toward a thousand but I hope most are in Boulder especially after congregation of the idiot young at Boulder Creek. Time (two weeks) will tell. I never stopped and talked to anyone on my trek. I waited until last Wednesday's senior moment at King Soaker's before shopping again. I have not contracted Trump's corona yet. I test every morning by sniffing my jar of hand sanitizer and downing and tasting my spoon of apple cider vinegar. Both still work. I must have dodged it one more time and another 14 days til the next explosion. As usual, I trekked out on the flats toward the Foothills for anything I may have missed by not thoroughly observing. I found this shot and my trek became a bit of release for me. Gotta do what I can while spring starts sprouting colors.
The feedlot shots on my recent trek also became a bit of release for me. Gotta do what I can while spring reluctantly sprouts colors. We got an inch of the rain we really needed while the San Juans already lost snow pack to 2%. Sheesh! We might get more tomorrow. A cover of snow in the Rockies atop leftover corona will be our blow to the Trumpandemic virus as skiing is restarted.
Stay home! I've seen many things everywhere along my paths on display in the Rockies. My day stretched out nicely as I traveled back and found other hits on rural routes on my way home and some captures I liked. I hookied over to Mac Lake for a look-see and little look-found. The Trump troopers without masks congregate everywhere. Even this day is stretching on. With so many snaps in my directories, pictures are everywhere if I break my safe home distancing.
Fie fi fo fum...I smell the Fancy Feast from my sweet Mum.
Here I am, arms hanging off either side, legs doing the same and I thought that I may as well rest my head too while I was at it. Now, I assure you I am NOT, repeat N-O-T fat. I am simply relaxed and the Tuxie spread is there on accounta I layin' flat with my arms and legs hanging down on either side. Oh and I am working on growing back my one white eyebrow. The rest are black and the white one fell out to my dismay. It is making its way out again to enhance my beauty.
Bonaire is part of the 'Caribbean Netherlands' (along with the islands of Sint Eustatius and Saba). They are referred to as the BES and are special municipalities of the Netherlands. Residents of the three islands are Dutch citizens.
Bonaire sits off the coast of Venezuela and along with Aruba and Curacao is referred to as the ABC Islands.
Salt flats.
Linn Run as it passes over flat rock. The water was roaring today as we were here during the rain, not the best day to try out the natural water slide. A return trip in the spring when all the rhododendron are in bloom is on my bucket list for next year.
And that is what it is , the Grandstand at Epsom Downs Racecourse - home of the Derby . Come June this place will be heaving with people here to watch the races .
The first race at Epsom Downs was recorded in 1661 and the predominantly flat course was mentioned in the diary of Samuel Pepys. Similarly, Charles II was said to be a regular attender of races. Epsom houses the third largest racehorse training facility in the country and the course featured heavily in the 1952 film ‘Derby Day’. Epsom Downs is situated on the largest remaining public space south of London, and as it is a public area people can watch the Derby for free – a race that used to be the most attended sporting event of the year.
With an overall course capacity of 120,000, Epsom also opened a new Duchess’s stand in 2009, which holds 11,000 people and cost a total of £23.5 million to build. Just a few minutes down the road from Epsom town centre, Epsom Downs is extremely easy to get to by car, accessible by coming off Junction 9 of the M25.
During the racing season AA signs direct racegoers from the motorway to the course. If travelling by train, there are three stations all with very good access to the track. Epsom train station is just a ten-minute taxi or bus ride away, with a shuttle bus service available on Derby day. Epsom station is well served by services from London Waterloo and London Victoria. Alternatively, Tattenham Corner station is a half mile walk from the course, with Epsom Downs station slightly further away.
The grade 1 course at Epsom Downs is one of the best in the country as you would expect of a track that hosts two Classics. Shaped like a horseshoe and measuring 1m4f in circumference, Epsom hosts flat racing only.
The grandstand is positioned to the left of the open end of the left-handed horseshoe which is stiff and undulating in nature. Although the home straight at Epsom is 3½f in length, a chute coming off Tattenham Corner allows for 5f straight races to take place. There are two other chutes that allow for six and seven furlong contests with a slight left bend prior to the reasonably sharp left turn onto the home stretch. There is a minor elevation on the right hand side but the hint of bias is largely cancelled out by the slightly better ground usually being on this side of the course.
Horses at Epsom have to deal with the difficult undulations, with a rise of 105ft in the first 5f of the course alone. The second last turn goes into an incredibly steep downhill, with a 92ft decline spread out over 3½f. This makes the final part of the course exceptionally fast paced with the result being exceptionally exciting finishes in tightly contested events.
An absences of long distance races means that this is far from an uncommon sight either. As there’s no complete circuit at Epsom, the course cannot hold races greater than a mile and a half.
Five Furlongs at a Rapid Pace
The straight 5f course at Epsom is virtually downhill all the way, bar the final 100 yards, making it the fastest of its kind anywhere in the world. The high-standing of the course also allows it to attract some very talented sprinters, ensuring some rapid times are posted for minimum distance races.
In 2012, this was something officially recognised in the Guinness World Records as Stone of Folca won the Epsom Dash in an incredible time of 53.69s. Some still believe that the course record belongs to Indigenous though, who clocked 53.60s in June 1960 but this was prior to the introduction of electronic timing. Stone of Folca was a 50/1 outsider when storming to a record-breaking win. He started from stall number two, trailed by Desert Law and Catfish who began out in gates 16 and 15 respectively.
There aren’t a huge number of contests over the minimum distance. A lack of five furlong races means it’s hard to get a real sense if there’s any bias but from the little info we do have, a spot away from the middle appears to be preferable.
This didn’t always used to be the case as research published in 1983 found that for the preceding seven years, there were three times as many winners from the top four stalls than the bottom four stalls. Whether the drainage has trained or this was just a statistical anomaly is unclear but for now there isn’t much bias over the straight five furlong course.
In terms of races over six to eight furlongs, once again there is little in the way of bias. Whilst there is a left-handed turn to contend with, there have been a number of wins for horses with high draws, suggesting the vagaries of the going tend to equal things out.
An Ultimate Thoroughbred Test
When looking at shape, distance and undulations, Epsom has certain similarities with Brighton but there’s nothing else that really compares with the test the Surrey course offers. Its turns, hills and cambers mean that horses must work every muscle when competing here. A fine sense of balance is an absolutely essential trait too, as is plenty of raw speed in the shorter races as those setting the early pace often end up being difficult to catch on the downhill finish.
The stiffness of the test produces shocks here and there (see 50/1 Qualify in the 2014 Oaks) but, ultimately, Epsom is a course that continues to identify some of the best colts and fillies around. A long list of truly great names have claimed glory on the switchback course and this will continue to be the case.
The biggest race every year at Epsom is without doubt the Epsom Derby. Scheduled to run each June, the Derby was first contested in 1780 and runs over a distance of 1m4f. Widely known as Britain’s richest race, the Derby is the most prestigious of the five ‘Classics’, and is the middle leg of the Triple Crown.
Trainer Aidan O’Brien has seen his horses win the previous three, becoming the first person to train three consecutive winners at the Derby (2012-2014). Two other famous races also run at Epsom every June are the Epsom Oaks and the Coronation Cup. The Oaks was established in 1779 and measures 1m4f, whilst the Coronation cup wasn’t run until 1902, and measures the same distance.
HTT Folks
Netherlands based Piper PA-31 Chieftain PH-PNX seen surveying a large part of East and West Sussex at 4,000 feet
Out of Southend Airport, they completed a couple more parallel Flight Lines before lobbing into Shoreham for gas and then carried on to complete the last two sections down to Seaford Head to the East and Bognor Regis in the West
276A6401, 276A6402 & 276A6404
These council flats are by the same architects who designed Cuba Street's famous bucket fountain. I'm not sure of their date but assume they were probably built in the late 1960s or early 1970s.
I've been thinking about buying this t-shirt. Decided to copy the add while I ponder the purchase.
If you are really interested: funnytimes.com/gift-items/new/felt-earth-cats-t-shirt/
An iconic building in NYC. This was the 1st time I have ever been to this location. A little sad since I only live 30 minutes from NYC
I chose these pink flats and navy pantyhose with my outfit today! Now to grab a pink purse and it's out I go!
The upper tier of Indian Flats Falls off of Middle Prong Trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
There was a fascinating exhibit at The San Diego Air & Space Museum about Leonardo Da Vinci when we visited. Here is his model of ball bearings -- made of wood but of course today of metal and an essential part of many things we use and depend on.
The San Diego Air & Space Museum in San Diego, California
*EXPLORED*
Saltwick Bay, Yorkshire
On Saltwick Bay near Whitby lies the wreck of a trawler named the Admiral Von Tromp which foundered In October 1976. How it became wrecked is a mystery which will never be fully solved.
The one man who could have solved the riddle died in the water that day.
At 1am the Skipper Frankie Taal set off from Scarborough Harbour. Mr Walter Sheader,(10 Longwestgate) Pierman on the West Pier helped cast them off. He stated that everything seemed normal and that the crew were definitely not drunk(if they had been the whole thing may have been easier to explain). Frankie Taal set a course for the Barnacle Bank fishing grounds - 45 miles NNE of Scarborough. He then had a cup of coffee then came back to check again on John Addison. Everything seemed normal and he went to bed leaving Addison on the wheel - he was an experienced man on the wheel.
Then skipper Frankie Taal was woken as the vessel was bumping and heeling. Crew member John Marton thought the boat had been run down - it simply didn't enter his mind that the boat could have gone on the rocks. The boat was heeling over off Black Nab on Saltwick Bay. The skipper was incredulous and asked Addison "What the hell are you doing!". He simply looked back in stunned silence.
How exactly did a modern boat with all the navigational aids run aground on Saltwick Bay. The weather wasn't bad and they had enough fuel? It was foggy but that shouldn't be a problem as they were not heading anywhere near the coastline. Captain Abbey from the coastguard even charted the boats course and when it sank it was heading due west. That was 90 degrees off course. The boat had been heading straight towards some of the worst rocks on the coast!
Strangest of all was the testimony of a senior nautical surveyor at the inquest. He stated that the boat if left to its devices would not have gone onto the rocks. It really was driven onto the rocks by a deliberate act.
Frankie Taal made valiant attempts to save the boat. They all put their Lifejackets on and then he tried to anchor the boat. Then the vessel turned broadside and it then started to fill with water. He had already sent out a mayday - having to get John Addison out of the way - who was still looking stunned and was powerless to act. The boat was now sinking in thick fog, with a heavy swell breaking on the stern.
The rescue proved very problematic. The boat was heeling over. Frankie Taal ordered the crew to hang onto the starboard side but the seas were too heavy. They instead went back into the wheelhouse. They stayed here for an hour. The wheelhouse slowly filled with water and in the end their heads were banging on the ceiling. In the end they had to leave through an open window - Skipper Taal was last out. Addison was already dead at this stage - drowned in the wheelhouse.
The rescue showed how difficult it is to save lives even in the modern age. The Whitby Lifeboat tried again and again to get near and failed. The Coxswain of the Lifeboat, Robert William Allen, even spoke to the skipper - who said that everyone was alive. The boat tried 7 times to get close. At one point the vessels even touched. Yet heavy seas and fog hampered the rescue. They could even have snatched the crew yet at that moment they were still imprisoned in the wheelhouse. Rocket lines were thrown by the Coastguard but again this failed because the crew were trapped inside the wheelhouse.
When they left the wheelhouse then problems were bound to occur. George Eves was on top of the wheelhouse yet a huge wave knocked him off. That was the last the skipper saw of him. He died drowned. Skipper, Taal was washed overboard and was eventually saved by the inshore Lifeboat. He drew their attention with his whistle on his Lifejacket. The Coastguard had thrown him a line but he did not have the strength to catch it. The other survivors were washed ashore.
It was a tragic loss with two men dead. Quite why it happened will never be explained - Addison died in the water. He drowned and pathology reports showed no signs of alcohol. He spoke to Alan Marton just after the accident happened just saying Oh Alan!" in a quiet apologetic voice. He seemed stunned and unable to act. Skipper Taal had to remove him from the wheel in order to try to rescue the boat.
The crew onboard the Admiral Von Tromp were:
- Frankie Taal, 35 Princess Street, who had 23 years at sea. Saved by inshore Lifeboat.
- Alan Marton, mate, 22 Longwestgate. Survived.
- Mr Anthony Nicholson, engineer, 6 Avenua Road.
- Mr George Edward Eves, East Mount Flats, Scarborough,fish hand. Who drowned
- Mr John 'Scotch Jack' Addison, Spreight Lane Steps, Drowned in the wheelhouse. His body was found on 25th October In Runswick Bay.
A Silver Medal was awarded to RNLI Lifeboat Coxswain Robert Allen. He had skillfully dropped anchor and tried to drift towards the trawler. A Bronze Medal to the Helmsman of the inshore Lifeboat, Richard Robinson, for taking Frankie Taal off Black Nab.
Source: Scarborough Evening News 11th November, 1976.
Spruce Flat Falls, Treemont Area, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
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Lovely farmland already showing signs of a great harvest! Maybe, no as big as the US Great Plains but still lovely!!
Our Daily Challenge ~ Plane (and/or) Plain ...
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