steve_ralser

Thanks to everyone who replied. After a long time and many ups

and downs we will be moving to Madison in January. Between

now and then there are lots of things to do - sell a house, buy a

house (can't really ret with 3 dogs), prepare for a an art show etc.

We'll miss NM but will be back

Steve

Thanks for the replys to date. I realise I will have to change my

style/ecosystem. I'm interested in the range of possibilities -

especially those that would be on a week-week basis. As we are

both geologists - we will still get the western experience (my wife

will continue research in NM). We're not worried about the

winters (although I'm from Aus., my wife is from Maine) - and we

both spent a few years in New Brunswick, Canada.

thanks

Steve

We are contemplating moving from Socorro NM to Madison WI -

and of course are having ah hard time about making a decision.

Part of the decision will be based on what I can do photography

wise. I am particularly interested in nature/landscape/ wildlife

posiibilities in the area. Moving from desert, good weather, the

Bosque, sky to flat lands, trees and greeenery is making the

decision hard (our colleagues have already pointed out

cornfields, beer-gutted cheeseheads, and snow). Any help is

appreciated.

thanks

Steve

I got Evening's book back for ps 5/5.5 and wasn't happy with it. I

wouldn't recommend it for beginners. However Real World

Photoshop is great - highly recommended. I also liked

Eismann's book. Have a look at

http://www.creativepro.com/author/home/40.html

This has a series of articles (including how tos) by Bruce Fraser

(one of the authors of RWP). This will give you a feel for his style.

i find the articles wver useful

Steve

We went to see in december, with no crowds (probably because

we paid $10 instead of waiting an hour and paying $5 - babies

require this). We thought it wassuperb - especially the different

prints from different times in his life.

Btw the book is 85 or 95 at Costco (I can't remeber which).

Steve

Don't forget the Abiquiu - Ghost Ranch area between Espanola

and Chama. The Chama River valley between Abiquiu Res. and

the moanstery is also particularly nice. Try the Bisti badlands

south of Farmington. The high road between Chama and Taos

(Hwy 64) is great.

Steve

You can get slide film in Socorro - but it can be hit or miss. It is

also not that cheap. Try the VC at the Bosque (very expensive)

also try Furrs SUpermarket (in the Video section) or the drug

store across the road from Furrs. The New Mexico Tech

bookstore sometimes has slide film as well. The choices in

Socorro are usually Elite 100, Sensia 100 or Kodachrome 64.

As someone mentioned it would be better to overnight it from

B&H.

There is a Super Walmart (24hrs) in Belen (1.5 hour return from

Socorro) - they probably have slide film as well. Take exit 196

(the northern most exit)

Albuquerque is a 2.5 hour return trip - the cheapest slide film

would be Elite 100 at Costco. Camera & Darkroom or Kurts on

Central (east of the university) will have the best selection.

There's also a Ritz in Corondao Mall.

If you want to get stuff processed try Carls Darkroom - 2 or 3 hr

processing open 9am - 6pm.

Steve

<p>Information for this years Festival of the Cranes photo

contest is available at the Friends of the Bosque web page:</p>

<a href= "http://www.friendsofthebosque.org/">

www.friendsofthebosque.org </a>

<p>As the Bosque del Apache has been chosen as a focus

refuge to promote the upcoming centennial celebration of

national wildlife refuges the theme for this years contest is

�Scenes From National Wildlife Refuges�.

Differences from previous years contest include a) only

amateurs and children can enter; b) $5 per photo entry fee for the

amateur division ( no fee for children) c) prints must be matted in

white, unframed, with a maximum matted size of 11� x 14�.

Prizes are currently being finalized. If anyone would like to

donate a prize (tax deductible) please let me know.</P>

Steve

All the above info is correct. Socorro is 75 miles south of Abq. We very rarely have multiple cloudy days in a row. If you want info. about Socorro etc. go to the New Mexico Tech web pages (www.nmt.edu) - it will have links to things around Socorro.

Steve

There is one change of note happening at the Bosque. The current

director Phil Norton (who is responsible for much of what we see now,

and makes the bosque such a wonderful place to visit) is leaving. He

will be heading to the Klamath NWR in nth Calif. Hopefully his

replacement will be of equal or greater caliber and that there will

only be improvements to the bosque experience. This move was reported

in last weeks Socorro paper.

Steve

I'll be visiting my wife (who is on sabbatical) in Minneapolis next

week. As she will be busy with her work I need to find things to do.

What places around Minneapolis are worth visiting for nature/scenic/

animal photography. TIA

Steve

Bob,

There are still a multitude of birds at the Bosque at this time (e.g thousands of ducks, (last weeks count said 25,000 ducks), heron, yellowlegs, turkeys, pheasants etc), as well as coyote and deer. A lot of these can be photographed from the car with the lenses you have. I was down last week with relatives, but did not take any photos (it was also very windy). We saw 2 coyote stroll along the road in front of us. There well still be some snow geese and canada geese (those that realise they have too good a life here and don't want to migrate). Most wintering birds (geese and cranes) have left. The 2 ultralight whoopers left last Thursday (although we didn't see them on Tuesday). One thing to remember about spring in NM - it is the windy season. If you can't get down till just before sunset, to make the most of the last light you may want to turn left just after entering the refuge tour loops (the end of the Farm Loop) and catch the various birds along the shore here - you can photograph from your car (approx 20 ft from the shore) ducks, yellowlegs etc. If it looks like a colorful sunset do the farm loop after you've spent some time with the birds. The sunsets with the water in the foreground and the Chupedera Mtns in the background are pretty speccy. I'm hoping to get down later this week (depending on my allergies).

p.s. just drop of a G3 for me on your way through Socorro.

Steve

In addition to heading up the eastside of the SAndias - head west to

the Acoma area (about 45 min). Acoma is the oldest continuously

occupied town in nth america, and sits on a plateau. Great photo

opputunities, but you need to get a photo permit (5or 10 $) to take

photographs on the pueblo.

Head south to the Bousque del Apache (ca. 1hr 45 min) to photograph

lots of birds and great sunsets and sunrises. You should try and get

there for a fly-in or fly-out.

<p>

Steve

Of course Socorro is a cultural hotbed (the birds think so, or they

wouldn't come back every year). For those so inclined we have culture

usually twice a month during the university semester - (then again we

don't live in Socorro for the culture and nightlife). The symphony

will be here in March (maybe a little late for the birds) If someone

wants some culture during the evenings (and cheap culture at that -

where else can you see a full symphony orchestra for $12), here is a

web page for our performing arts series, www.nmt.edu/mainpage/pas/

homepage.html

<p>

Those people who saw Contact - don't expect to see Chaco Canyon next

to the VLA - it has fooled many a student.

<p>

Another place I enjoy near Socorro is the Quebradas Backcountry byway,

which is east across the river (Rio Grands) from Socorro.

<p>

Steve

Just writing to say that I saw the first geese and cranes flying over

our house (in Socorro) on Sunday.

For those that don't know Socorro is that thriving metropolis 20 miles

north of the Bosque

Festival of the Cranes is nov 19-22. (in addition to the Festival of

the Crayons - which this year I have been told will include a Whooping

Crayon - if you are here for the cranes you will see the crayons on

School of Mines Road). The URL lists the program for anyone that is

interested

<p>

http://www.nmt.edu/mainpage/festival/homepage.html

Although I don't like using DEEt I will. What strength you use (20% vs 100%) is also dependent on what the bugs are. If there are only mozzies, 20% or less is usually good enough. However having spent 2 summers working in the Canadian arctic i can attest that blackflies require full strength DEET. One solution I found was to wear very light, loose fitting longjohns ( which I got in Australia years ago) and spray a less toxic concentration on those. The mozzies (which could bite throough the longjohns) were reppelled by the spray on stuff, and the blackflies which could tolerate the lower concentration couldn't bite through the material. This was in places where the bugs sometimes approached a concentration of Avagadros number ;>

A geologist who was working in New Brunswick, Canada before I got there refused to put on any insect repellant. Apparently his face ended up looking like a pin cushion, and he ended up in hospital with blood poisoning.

<p>

Steve

This is a response to the side issue - so kill it if you want. The Valles Caldera is currently privately owned and is therefore off limits. Selling it to the government will ensure that it is accessible and will preserve a geologically unique feature. The money would come from a special fund (from oil taxes i believe) earmarked for acquisition of land. This fund is currently used to help balance the budget and not for its intended purpose.

<p>

Sorry for going way off topic.

August is to early for the the birds at the Bosque (except for those which are there all year). If you are going to Chaco, you might consider a stop at Acoma on the way. You could also do a loop, go west from Abq - Acoma then north to Chaco (only camping availbale at Chaco), then head north to the Bernallilo - Farmington Rd (HWy 44), then head SE and head over to the Jemez Mtns (Los Alamos). There is some spectacular scenery on this route. The Jemez is also geologically spectacular. (On a side note the Valles Caldera, the caldera from the volcano which created the Jemez has been offered to the government - this is a unique area which the republicans do not want to buy)

<p>

An afternoon tram ride up the SAndias can lead to some interesting photos.

August is still monsoon season in NM, so be prepared for spectacular thunderstorms. Here in the rift, you can usually see the whole of hte storm and other storms in other directions.

We often have them circling above the bulidings here on campus at New Mexico TEch in Socorro - especially the administration building.

<p>

Steve

I'll just clarify my question a bit - What I am interested in is some areas that we shouldn't miss that are accessible by car (plus some walking) rather than by hitching. We will be there next week. I've spent 6 weeks hitching and hiking on the south island - and often you are at the whim of your lifts - with time constraints not allowing you to stop in the middle of nowhere (esp. on the west coast where it can sometimes be problematic to get further lifts.

i know the photographic potential along some of the major trails in Fiordland area is superb (some time I may scan some of my slides and put them on my web page) - but this trip will be somewhat different. My wife considers it more of a honeymoon (we didn't really have one when we got married) - she is also quite happy for me to spend time taking photos, so no hassles in that regard. As we are both geologists, we plan to spend time looking at rocks as well (e.g. Alpine Fault, Moeraki Boulders).

<p>

Sean - if you have time you need to go backpacking when you are there. For a short trail, try the Routeburn Track (3 days). I did the Keppler Trail before it was completed, in bad weather, so I am not sure how it compares scenically with other trails. Longer tracks that are worth doing include the Rees-Dart and Dusty Sound. Many people say that the Milford Track, although still spectaular, is overrated.

<p>

Steve

We'll be travelling to NZ and Aus next week, starting witha week in the south island of NZ. We'll do a circuit from Cristchurch to the west coast (Glaciers etc.), down to Fiordland and back to Christchurch. Are there any places we shouldn't miss. Last time i was there I hitched around - this time we will rent a car.

<p>

thanks

Steve

I have to disagree with Don - The area around Socorro (the main town north of the Bosque) is scenic (although it is very different fromsome of the places youmention). You could try the Quebradas back country byway (east of Socorro), the Magdalena Mountains (there is a road to the summit, with superb views, and numerous walking trails) - it all depends on what takes your fancy. There are recent lava flows west of Albuquerque at Grants and east of Socorro on US 60 (the Malpais). Don't forget White Sands, or 3 rivers petroglyph park.

Bandalier NM is worth a visit, as is Chaco Canyon - it especially interesting to visit Chaco and Acoma on the same trip.

Remember if you miss the Bosque you miss the Owls world famous Green Chile Cheese burgers (actually better GCC burgers can be had at the Coyote Moon, 5 miles north of Socorro, or at Evetts cafe in Magdalena, 26 miles west of Socorro).

<p>

Steve

We just got back from Florida yesterday. We only had a few days (with one day of rain). Our favourite spot was Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. A variety of birds, alligators, turtles were congregating around the waterholes adjacent to the boardwalk. My 100-300 lens was more than adequate for the birds in this area (I would have preferred a 300 f4 or 2.8). We went through Sanibel mid afternoon. We found the bird population a little low (maybe we were a bit to early in hte afternoon). Here I would want bigger lenses.

Steve