The Volcano Took the Day Off

We climbed up to a spot from which you can see the Geldingadalir volcano in Iceland - except that it was taking the day off. No lava bombs, no fleeing villagers. Sigh. Also posted below are photos of the masses of people hiking up to the same spot, the warning siren that goes off when there is a gas alert, and a close-up of the lava in the valley.

Volcano Messages

We hiked up to an overlook from which you can see the Geldingadalir volcano in Iceland, to find the following mass of stickers on the side of the transmitter station that the government had installed there.

Some Extremely Hot Springs

These are the boiling hot springs at Hafnarfjorder, in Iceland. Bathing not recommended. It also helps to pinch your nose - it’s a bit stinky.

The Concrete Church

This is the Hallgrimskirkja, the Lutheran church that dominates the skyline of Reykjavik. We flew to Iceland for our first international trip in two years (about time!) and got some fine weather for this photo.

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The COVID Memorial

This is an art installation across the street from the White House. Each white flag represents one COVID death. Quite impressive.

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How to Get Drenched

This photo was taken from the Maid of the Mist, at the foot of Niagara Falls. Wearing the poncho they provide is not optional - you are going to get wet.

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On Top of Trail Ridge Road

Here we are at the ridge above the mid-point of Trail Ridge Road, in Rocky Mountain National Park. And no, we did not hike very far - just from the parking lot, actually.

No, this is not my house

Actually, it is the Elms estate, in Newport, Rhode Island. I took my dad there a few days ago, and we toured the grounds. The Newport mansions were scheduled to open to public viewing a few days later.

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Wagon Wheel Gate

This nifty gate is located next to a coffee shop in downtown Silverton, Colorado. It was not the best day - gloomy and cold, but did not stop a fair number of motorcyclists from getting out in their insulated finery.

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Droopy Cactus

This poor cactus is sadly in need of inflation. Spotted during a walk with friends a few days ago in Scottsdale, Arizona. We did a longish road trip from Colorado to Santa Fe, then on to Scottsdale and back around through Durango.

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A Whale in the Desert?

This is Ethyl the Whale, located on the grounds of the Santa Fe Community College, and constructed from plastics that cannot be recycled. As a scuba diver, I can attest to the massive amount of plastic floating around in the oceans. Not good!

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Just When Does Spring Arrive?

Here is a nice view looking west from Evergreen. They just got what looks like about eight inches of snow. Sigh. Maybe we’ll have Spring in May.

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Careful Who You Ride With

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This sign was posted at the bottom of the Sierra lift at Copper Mountain. The ski patrol takes explosives up this lift to do avalanche mitigation work. So, was this for insurance purposes, or do they just have a screwy sense of humor?