All posts by richardhoeg@gmail.com

Transitions

Year 4,

Back to Minnesota … back to Winter, or is it Spring?

This morning I drove over to visit the Wisconsin State Hwy #13 grasslands near Cloverland and the Roy Johnson Mitigation Wetlands. Given none of the lakes or area ponds are ice free, and the fact that one could still find snow in the deep reaches of the forests, I had low expectations. I was pleasantly surprised to find an area that was thinking Spring might be around the corner.

Canada Geese and Trumpeter Swans were finding minuscule openings of water to stage, and a few early migrants … mainly red-winged blackbirds, robins and American Kestrels were present in reasonable numbers. Early arrivals of other grassland birds were not yet present.

Still lingering in the area were Rough-Legged Hawks like the one pictured below as it waited for more favorable weather and southerly winds to push northward. When I return home I found a few Goldfinches starting to wear their summer plumage.

Transitions …

Homecoming Aurora Borealis!

Year 4,

After driving over 4,000 miles during the past two weeks, and visiting some fantastic locations including Santa Fe, the Grand Canyon, and Durango, Colorado deep in the Rocky Mountains, Molly and I arrived home yesterday afternoon. Although I was tired from all the driving, and looking forward to a night in my own bed, when the Northern Lights numbers popped I had to head to a frozen lake and hope Lady Aurora would dance. It was a fine performance. She did not disappoint. For ten minutes shortly after 10 pm the light show was spectacular. The refrozen melt water out on the lake ice made for cool reflections.

I then move over to NW Wisconsin to the Davidson Windmill, and hoped for a repeat performance. However, when the 2 am hour approached I realized it was to be a one dance night and I contented myself with a starscape “green glow” image at the windmill.

Lady Aurora Dancing Over Boulder Lake … 25 miles north of Duluth

A Few Minutes Later … more rays / spikes but less light

Ten Minutes Before Lady Aurora Came out to Dance … intense light

The Davidson Windmill Starscape Green Glow

Delightful Durango and the Molas Pass

Year 4

As my faithful readers know, I hate interstate highways. Thus, I chose US-160 to take us through the mountains from the Grand Canyon to the Great Plains. During our drive we stumbled on the delightful mountain town of Durango. Given a perfect weather forecast, we decided to hang in Durango for an extra day which meant we had a full day to enjoy the area. Wow! And I repeat wow!

This morning Molly ran and I cycled. Midday we hiked together. This afternoon we took it easy and drove US #550 between Durango and Silverton through the Molas Pass.

Twas truly a fantastic day which was enhanced by staying at a great small motel owned and now 100% run by Nigel and Tammy, The Adventure Inn. Today was the one year anniversary of their purchase, and the day of breaking free from the chain Knight’s Inn. They are investing significant sweat and financial equity. Our room was super clean, near many trails, had blistering fast internet and modestly priced. Both Nigel and Tammy were a wealth of local information which as noted earlier made for a Delightful Day in Durango … including this drive to Silverton.

Driving up to the Molas Pass … Molly’s pic from the passenger seat of our car.

The Molas Pass!

Me Coming Down off my Photographic Perch