Half way down on the lift

Our free ride down was stunning - cool breezes, so silent with just the wind whistling thru the pine trees. I took this photo when we were about 2/3rds of the way down. I was so busy enjoying the elements, I forgot I had my camera. 3 more days of hiking and then we started back to Arizona. Back to the desert - back to oven-baked bottoms on leather seats - back to drops of prespiration rolling down your cheeks - but, also back to my wonderful friends at the Art Club!!

Park City, UT

After spending a few day's with Lar's daughter, Sarah, we went on to Park City, UT to spend time with friends. We arrived Monday night, and Tuesday morning we climbed this mountain - a 2.5 mile hike with 1,400 elevation gain. Our incentive - we got a FREE lift ride down the mountain. Guess they figured anyone able to make a climb like that deserved a free ride. Please note there are 3 people sitting and I am the one still standing to take the photo.

Sarah and her "Equipment"

After arriving in Vancouver, our next stop was Boise, Idaho to watch Sarah in advanced equestrian cross country event jumping, then on to Hailey, ID for a few days to visit with her. Sarah and her husband own/operate an equestrian facility south of Bellevue, ID. Sarah trains and competes -- can hardly wait until she is ready for the next Olympics. This is one of her horse trailers and trucks. And, that is her picture-perfect barn in back. They have a huge indoor arena and an even larger outdoor arena for training and practice. Pretty snazzy, huh?

Kodiak, AK

This was our typical view of the landscape, so now you know why I have such limited photos of a beautiful state. My friends, Susan and Tom Roper, took a cruise up here in May, 2008, and Susan took over 4,000 photos - all fantastic! Her paintings from some of those photos are equally fantastic!

Seward, Alaska

We were on a Resurrection Bay Wildlife Cruise out of Seward, AK. The little white dot is the Tahitian Princess. Notice how low the clouds are and it was only when we were out in the bay that you could see blue sky above the clouds. We saw lots of Orca whales, seals, birds, etc. - captain was a researcher of Orca whales, so it was fascinating to follow a family around as they played with our boat.

Totem Lodge, Ketchikan, AK

Who says whitening strips don't work on your teeth?? Clarity-wise, this is the best of the totem poles photos in Heritage Park. From Ketchikan, we went to Skagway, cruised Glacier Bay, Valdez, Seward, Kodiak, Juneau, Sitka, Victoria, and back to Vancouver.

Man of Honor, Ketchikan, AK

The Ketchikan guide advised that this was a Man of Honor, he was responsible for saving a village and the villagers honored him by carving this totem pole. There is no one above him and no one below - he was solely responsible. This is a rare event. Please note that I took this photo just before the deluge of rain. By the way, did you know that if your digital camera gets wet, you can put it in a bag of rice, close the bag, and in the morning, your camera will work again? It seems that the rice absorbs all of the moisture and condensation overnight. And you thought I didn't learn anything in Alaska....

Totem Pole - Ketchikan, Alaska

Lar and I just returned from a month of traveling. We drove from Arizona to board the Tahitian Princess in Vancouver, BC for a 14-day Alaskan cruise. I took this photo at the Heritage Totem Pole Park just outside of Ketchikan, AK. I wanted to concentrate on totem poles because my next watercolor series will focus on the figures in the poles. The weather was cold, wet, foggy, and lots of rain, so photography inexperience really comes out of the woodwork here. Not being able to use flash on interior shots really blew my opportunity to get great images that were stored inside. Please don't feel sorry for me because the weather was so cold, wet, foggy and rainy...I live in Arizona. I loved dressing in seven layers and wearing a coat and gloves. After living/working as an ex-pat in Mayfair, London, England, I enjoyed being in a maritime climate again. "Dry heat" is for the cactus wrens!!