gordon_lukesh1

Certainly take the cog up Pikes, especially after the first snows. See Manitou Springs from where you can get the cog. Garden of the Gods is stunning but I have also have see Monument Valley which is huge. But GofG is a must see. I walked the Senior US Open golf at the Broadmoor and it is a stunning a setting as can ever be found, many of the golfers agreed. We had a Sunday brunch at the Broadmoor a while ago (res recommended). It was spectacular and with glasses of champagne set three of us back $160! Downtown C Spirngs is gorgeous and a fun restaurant is the Metropolitan, it is underground with an entrance that resembles a Paris metro. Good place as well for a drink before heading off to, say, Mackenzies for exceptional steaks.

We use Visions in Santa Fe for large prints. While they are only 75 minutes from us, you can work with them by mail/e-mail. Their prices are very reasonable and their quality is excellent (they changed owners recently and everything really improved).

There are places where you shouldn't use a tripod. For example, don't carry a tripod into Red Square and put a camera on it, you will get the attention of the police. The Louvre and others in Paris allow photos (without a flash!) but again don't try to take a tripod in. If you visit the Taos Pueblo with a camera such as a Leica they will say "You must be a professional!" and remind you not to sell any photos without their permission. They may even ban tripods. One must remember that the Pueblo is their home and respect their privacy.

Went up to Yellowstone last summer (thru Jackson and the Tetons). At one point we were taking photos of bison and my girlfriend said "Look!" as a 2,000lb bison walked by me. I'd like a large car to sleep in so a male bison wouldn't get enamored with the car I'm sleeping in! We stayed in Canyon in some cabins. This is right in the middle of the "Figure 8" that makes up the main roads. One hint: Don't try to get to Canyon at night from the south: In cool weather the bison like to sleep on the paved road and it can take a long time.

 

IMHO it is impossible to take a bad photo of the Tetons! Just an aside.

A. My girlfriend and I have two M6TTL bodies and the 21mm, 50mm and 135mm lenses. Because of some business travel, we have carried these two many parts of the world, including the US Southwest, Europe and most recently Moscow and Siberia. Just over a month ago we went to Krasnoyarsk, about 2,000 miles east of Moscow and 14 time zones ahead of NM, boarded the Aleksandr Matrosov and sailed down river (north) several hundred miles and as far as Vorogovo. We were taking part in a scientific conference while on board. We do carry a small Canon digital for "tourist" photos but the Leicas give us tremendous B&W photos. The film is processed by a professional studio in Santa Fe and we enlarge up to 11x14 and the studio does the larger prints. I am addicted to the super wide angle 21mm with an orange filter, which really enhances clouds.