Mountain Goat, Mount Evans, Colorado, USAThis mountain goat was found along the Mount Evans Scenic Byway, near Denver, Colorado. We were definitely above 12,000 feet when this picture was taken, so there were not too many food choices for this goat. Mountain goats are not native to Colorado and naturally do not roam south of northern Wyoming. Goats were released in the Mount Evans area in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Mount Evans stands at 14,264 feet and the Mount Evans Scenic Byway can take you within 134 feet of this summit (14,130 feet). This road is the highest paved road in North America.
Extreme caution should be exercised on this road not just because of the narrow roadway, winding turns, blind curves, and lack of guardrails, but because the lack of oxygen is so pronounced. Visitors from altitudes below Denver's 5,280 feet, should acclimate to higher altitudes in stages over a period of days. Going directly from sea level to the summit within a 48 hour period can cause severe reactions, including death.
Cable Car, San Francisco, California, USAHere's another photograph which instantly says "I was there". We've been to San Francisco many times, but have yet to enjoy Rice-A-Roni while there.
Wind chimes, Atlanta, Georga, USAWind chimes make pretty noises in the breeze and look pretty too!
Space Rocket, US Space and Rocket Center, Huntsville, Alabama, USA
40 years ago, a group of three brave astronauts from the United States of America were en-route to the Moon in a cramped space vehicle. 2 days later, they would make history and land on the the Moon.
Landing on the moon was an achievement not just for those three astronauts, but a grand accomplishment for countless thousands of scientists, technicians, factory workers, other astronauts, and bureaucrats who made it all possible.
Amicalola Falls, Georgia, USATaken from the top of Amicalola Falls, the sounds are relaxing even at the start of the big 729 foot (the highest in Georgia) tumble. The base of the falls can be reached by descending a great number of wooden steps or by walking up a steep trail from below.
Boathouse, Lincoln, Alabama, USAThis boathouse was in a bend of the Coosa River near Lincoln, Alabama. At the time of this photo, the water was so low that the boathouse may not have been too useful to the owner.
Staircase, Pilgrim Monument, Provincetown, Massachusetts, USAThis is a view looking up from the base (or near the base) of the Pilgrim Monument in Provincetown. The monument commemorates the landing of the Pilgrims at Provincetown and their signing of the Mayflower Compact. At over 200 feet tall, there are plenty of steps to climb!
Independence Pass, Colorado, USASometimes we just have to take a picture showing that we've been somewhere. Sometimes the picture is of us with a sign or a well known icon which documents that we really went somewhere. If done well, there is nothing tacky about such a documentary picture.This picture was taken Memorial Day weekend more than decade ago. Walking just beyond this sign, the snow was over 10 feet deep!At 12,095 feet (3,686 meters) above sea level, the summit of Independence Pass straddles the Continental Divide and is the second-highest paved mountain pass in Colorado. The pass has a 6.5% grade on both sides of the summit.
Diet Coke, Norcross, Georgia, USAEvery day millions of people drink diet soft drinks. While drinking these is fairly routine, the ingredients are things you likely won't find in your house or in nature.
Independence Day Fireworks, Atlanta, Georgia, USAFireworks are not exactly structures, but are definitely designed to be big. Queue up the Sousa and enjoy.
Great Bend of the San Juan River, Utah, USA
When we fly, we like to look out the window. Sometimes we know generally where we are and what we've photographed thanks to a map display on the aircraft. Sometimes, with or without the roaming map, we need to conduct research to determine what is in an aerial photograph.
If we're not sure what we're looking at, we use a variety of methods to determine what is in the picture. We often plot a great circle route map (as a starting point), examine prior and succeeding photographs, calculate time from take off, and try to find the landscape on Google Maps. We also often use Google's Picasa desktop tool to heighten colors and details.
Ultimately, Google Maps is the key, as it shows actual landscapes, but even this can take time as many landscapes can look nearly identical. Once we find the location for our picture, we then need to see if there is an associated name.
In the case of this photo, we used all of the methods described above. There were many similar bends in the landscape, so we had to further refine the criteria and look at the landscape from a variety of angles in Google Maps.
Parade of Colors, Pensacola Beach, Florida, USAThis weekend marks the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots in New York City. These riots ushered in the modern gay rights movement. The riots were the result of constant government persecution of gays and other sexual minorities.
On June 28, 1969, the patrons of the Stonewall Inn fought back after the police raided the bar. The raids were done to intimidate and shame the patrons, especially those who were transgendered and transvestites.Today, gays, lesbians, and transgendered people live more openly in the United States. There is still much progress to be done for equal rights, but progress is being made, albeit slowly.
Cobblestone Street, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Every day many people around the world walk through cities and towns on modern concrete sidewalks. In olden days folks often walked with the horse and mule traffic on dirt and rock roads. The cobblestone road was invented to give horses a good grip during all weather. Eventually, pedestrians needed to get out of the way of horses, so sidewalks were invented. Sidewalks can be made of stone, wood, concrete, brick, and any number of smooth surfaces which make walking easier.
Eastern Airlines DC-9, Tallahassee, Florida, USAThis scene says so much about how things used to be. First, it features the storied Eastern Airlines, which has now gone into history. Second, it shows folks casually strolling across the tarmac to a jetliner with neither guided paths, security officers, nor roll-aboard carry-on luggage.
