Category Archives: Chattanooga

Fisheye

Posted by dkrashb on
Multiplying the effects--Hipstamatic Tintype with Fisheye lens attachment!

Multiplying the effects–Hipstamatic Tintype with Fisheye lens attachment!

I have been on a new mission:  to learn how to get better photos out of my iPhone.  As those of you who visit my blog often have undoubtedly seen, this led to getting addicted to the Tintype-like settings in Hipstamatic followed by a shooting spree of many of the same landmarks I’ve already shot far too many times before.

Similar to first image, but shot with the Camera! app instead of Hipstamatic

Similar to first image, but shot with the Camera! app instead of Hipstamatic

Well, now I have a new toy.  So, I’m on a whole new spree.  I succumbed to the temptation of taking a simple, no-need-to-carry-anything-extra device for photography, and added stuff that complicates it and requires carrying more stuff.  However, this is the stuff:

The three-lens set

The three-lens set

Perhaps it’s not obvious from this image, but the size of these little lenses are about the diameter of a quarter.  One acts like a 2x teleconverter for the iPhone (or any smart phone) camera lens, making images appear 2x closer than they appear through the phone lens by itself.  A second provides both wide angle views and (by unscrewing part of it) macro capabilities.  The third creates a fisheye effect.

Fisheye Tisen using Camera! app on iPhone

Fisheye Tisen using Camera! app on iPhone

 

Nearly the same image but with Hipstamatic app and Tintype effects

Nearly the same image but with Hipstamatic app and Tintype effects

I have often wanted to try a fisheye lens.  There are just times when fisheye looks so darn cool.  However, no matter how much I wanted to give it a try, with prices ranging from $600-$1600, I just felt like it was more than I wanted to spend for something I wasn’t likely to use all that frequently.

In contrast, the fisheye attachment for the iPhone would have been $20 if I’d bought it by itself and was closer to $15 because I bought the 3-lens kit.  Now, of course, I’m not going to get the same quality of images shooting with an iPhone with a $15 attachment stuck over the lens, but playing with what fisheye will do allows me to find out whether it is something I will use regularly or not with very little expense.

Tisen heading down the path

Tisen heading down the path

The lens attaches to the phone by sticking a magnetized washer that fits around the built-in lens.  Once the magnet is adhered, the lens itself sticks to the magnet.  Or, it could be the other way around–the magnet might be in the lens.  In any case, it’s a simple but not foolproof way to attach the lens.  The magnet is not strong enough to keep the lens from moving around when bumped.  Because the screen is hard to see in bright sunlight, it’s hard to tell if the lens is no longer properly centered.  Other than that, it’s a pretty ingenious system.

I am really digging how much of the foreground and background can be fit into a single image with the fisheye effect.  I love being able to put Tisen in the foreground (at the end of a 4 ft leash) and still have the skyline in the background.  The only problem with the extreme wide angle of fisheye is the tendency to end up with your feet in the image.

Looking down into a courtyard

Looking down into a courtyard

Caverns and Tripods

Posted by dkrashb on
One of my favorite shots of formations in the cave

One of my favorite shots of formations in the cave

Caves are dark.  Really dark.  In fact, the darkest places on earth.  They are one of the few places you can go where no light penetrates.  Of course, most cave tours don’t let you experience total darkness.  This would be a problem trying to make your way through the narrow, rocky path with slippery spots, tripping hazards, and so many places to hit your head that the guide has special names for the worst of them.

Sabre Tooth Tiger--definitely could have used a tripod

Sabre Tooth Tiger–definitely could have used a tripod

But, some cave tours do turn off the lights for a moment so you can experience what total darkness is really like.  The expression “can’t see your hand in front of your face” came from cavers.  It is absolutely true when you are in total darkness–you have to imagine  your hand is where you think it is because there is no visual confirmation.

The Iguana formation

The Iguana formation

Obviously, just about anything that contains the root “photo” in it doesn’t work in total darkness–photosynthesis, a photodiode, photoreactions, and certainly not photography.

After all, “photo” means light and when we’re talking about total darkness, we’re talking about rendering anything based on light useless.  Our own eyes as well as our cameras are unable to see anything in total darkness.

Mini-stalagtites growing from the ceiling

Mini-stalagtites growing from the ceiling

That said, I wasn’t trying to shoot in total darkness.  I was trying to shoot in the dim lights provided on the tour.  This isn’t much light.  There are a few choices to make in these conditions:

  1. Crank up the ISO setting as high as is tolerable.
  2. Sacrifice depth of field for a larger aperture opening to allow more light in.
  3. Use a flash.
  4. Use long exposures and set the camera on a tripod for sharpness.
Waterfall formation

Waterfall formation

I decided against choice 4.  While I could have asked to see if bringing along a tripod would be a problem, I felt there was too much risk of damaging formations and/or tripping over them if I were trying to carry my big, bulky tripod through the cave.

I brought a flash unit, but decided against using it because, in part, of the un-predictability of flash bouncing off strange shapes and formations.  Plus, I only had one flash and it was going to have to be on my camera.  I was confident I would not get the kind of lighting I needed from that.

Big room view

Big room view

I did open up the aperture a bit (from f/22 to f/16) to get a slightly faster shutter speed even if meant slightly less depth of field.  I definitely cranked up the ISO setting.  However, I drew the line at 8000 ISO.  Higher ISO settings get too noisy for my tastes, especially when the scene is quite dark.

This meant shutter speeds as slow as ⅖ of a second.  That may sound like barely an instant, but it’s actually quite challenging to hold a camera perfectly still that long.  In the end, I was mostly pleased with the images I got, but all would have benefitted from a tripod.

AU0A0165

Raccoon Mountain Caverns

Posted by dkrashb on
A highly reflective pool below cave formations

A highly reflective pool below cave formations

As unbelievable as this may seem, there is a place within 15 minutes of Chattanooga that we haven’t been to before.  It’s called Raccoon Mountain.  There is the Raccoon Mountain Caverns part of Raccoon Mountain, a tourist attraction advertised by a multitude of billboards.

Outside the gift shop, an old cable car did not instill confidence

Outside the gift shop, an old cable car did not instill confidence

Then, there is the Raccoon Mountain Reservoir part of Raccoon Mountain.  While I’m anxious to hike in the Reservoir part of the mountain, it was a rainy Sunday and my husband is still struggling with stress injuries in his feet, so, it was a good day to go discover the caverns part of the mountain.

A city of stalagmites

A city of stalagmites

We headed out with the Tom-Tom app running on my iPhone since we weren’t sure how to get there.  However, given that we knew we needed to take interstate 24 towards Nashville and once on 24, there was a billboard telling us where to turn every 100 yards or so, using the GPS was probably overkill.

We made it there without a single wrong turn.  When we pulled into the drive, there were two directions to go:  one was to the campgrounds while the other was toward the gift shop.  The “campgrounds” reminded me of my very first “camping” trip as an adult.  I went with a group of friends who had to explain to me, first of all, that we would be parking next to the tent.  I had visions of us backpacking into the woods, so this notion of sleeping where we would park was somewhat disappointing.  However, I still pictured us with a secluded camping site next to our parking spot.  When they started loading up their truck with coolers and junk food and cases of beer, I grew suspicious that we were not going to enjoy the outdoors at all.

AU0A0120

In fact, we paid for a tiny little campsite that had just enough space for the truck and two tents next to a fire ring and a picnic table.  The site was so narrow, there was less than 3 feet between our tent and our neighbors’ tents on either side.  There was little shade, no privacy, and I really thought we would have had a better time camping out in our friends’ backyard where we’d have had far more privacy and indoor plumbing much more conveniently located.

While the campgrounds made me worry about what the caverns were going to be like, there was no need to panic.  The caverns were well maintained, respected as a natural artifact, and lighted with natural lights (I don’t know why, but I’m just not a fan of colored lights in natural caves).

Stalagmites in silhouette loom in the background

Stalagmites in silhouette loom in the background

The 45 minute tour we took covered only about ⅓ of a mile in the largest open area.  They also offer “wild” cave tours that involve dragging oneself through mud and tunnels and the like.  I’ve done that once in my life, but that’s a long story.  Maybe some other day we’ll come back to experience the less traveled part of the caves.

The lower right area is just big enough for a raccoon den

The lower right area is just big enough for a raccoon den

Hip Art

Posted by dkrashb on
We arrived after the yoga class had already started

We arrived after the yoga class had already started

One of the unintended consequences of playing more with my iPhone photo capabilities is that I sometimes lose track of what photos I’ve taken.  Take today’s selection, for example.  When I shoot with my DSLR, I have to pull out my CF card, put it into a card reader, and plug it into the computer to download the images.  By comparison, photos on my iPhone just magically appear on my computer without me doing anything.  It’s so magical that I don’t always remember to go look for the photos.

Not everyone participated in yoga

Not everyone participated in yoga–or maybe they did?

So, today, when I discovered these Hipstomatic images from two weekends ago when my brother and sister-in-law were visiting, it was like finding a gift hidden in the back of a closet.

The continuation of the sculptures down the hillside

The continuation of the garden down the hillside

The Bluff View Art District is a lovely little area on top of the bluff across the Tennessee River.  It’s a collection of historical houses turned into bed and breakfasts, restaurants, and a bakery and coffee roasting company.  The entire district is rumored to be owned by one person.  Although, the district is only one small square, we’re talking at least 6 or so large mansions that have been renovated and turned into successful businesses.

View down the hillside overlooking Veteran's Bridge

View down the hillside overlooking Veteran’s Bridge

The first time Pat and I came to Chattanooga, we stayed in one of the bed and breakfasts.  The one we were in looks over the cliff and offers spectacular views from the patio and bocci courts.

It's a good thing this hang glider can never take off--that wing won't get him very far

It’s a good thing this hang glider can never take off–that wing won’t get him very far

However, it was January, so we didn’t really spend a lot of time on the courtyard.  The other part of the Bluff View Art District we missed was the sculpture garden.  It’s a beautiful garden that’s deceptive in size–from the street, you assume it is only a strip of grass.  But once you enter the garden, you see that it rolls down the hill further than is visible from the road.

The sculpture of fish normally has water flowing over it, but it was cool looking with the water off, too

The sculpture of fish normally has water flowing over it, but it was cool looking with the water off, too

While I probably wouldn’t drive hours out of my way to see the sculpture garden, I thought it was worth taking my brother and sister-in-law across the bridge to check it out before they headed home.  Given the weather was rainy and dreary, we decided to drive over.

Another view of the physics-challenged hang glider

Another view of the physics-challenged hang glider–if this is Icarus, it explains a lot

We made our way slowly through the garden, me exercising my Histamatic app thoroughly along the way.  Many sculptures had been added since the last time I’d been in the sculpture garden.  It was really nice.

Sometimes, Hipstamatic randomly changes the lens/film on me--I kind of liked this though

Sometimes, Hipstamatic randomly changes the lens/film on me–I kind of liked this though

As we turned a corner to enter a stone patio area, a smiling young woman looked at us and said, “I just got engaged!!!”  She was so excited, I almost laughed out loud.  I realized she probably wouldn’t understand the humor.   I don’t mean to sound jaded, but let’s face it, getting engaged is the easiest part of being married.

My brother and sister-in-law--looking as happy as ever

My brother and sister-in-law–looking as happy as ever

We got caught in her enthusiasm and took pictures of the two of them together with their camera.  The boyfriend had managed to pull off the engagement as a big surprise.  It seemed like they were going to get off to a great start.

Tisen doesn't quite fit in the frame when I attempt an aerial view

Tisen doesn’t quite fit in the frame when I attempt an aerial view

Another Turn for Cayce

Posted by dkrashb on
A split second of stillness while Cayce nibbles at the glove

A split second of stillness while Cayce nibbles at the glove

The last, but not least, bird we exercised on Saturday was Cayce.  Cayce the wonder vulture.  I got to witness a new side to Cayce.  Cayce’s next door neighbors, a pair of Peregrine Falcons, are currently nesting.  Wings to Soar is hoping to have their first fledglings to release to the wild as a result.  This is an exciting extension of their program from education to restoration.  Peregrine Falcons were a critically endangered species that has, through captive breeding and release programs, been removed from the endangered list.

However, during nesting, the falcons are fed through a hatch in the side of their enclosure that opens into a shelf up where the birds nest.  To reach the hatch, John and Dale have a ladder set up outside the enclosure.  When we took Cayce around the Peregrine Falcon’s enclosure, Cayce clearly thought that ladder was the boogie man.  Or whatever Black Vultures might be terrified of.  She jumped straight up in the air when she saw the ladder and refused to go past it.

Checking out the surroundings, Cayce is still nervous about where the ladder was

Checking out the surroundings, Cayce seems more relaxed with all her neck feathers fluffed

I tried taking Cayce back around the corner while Dale moved the ladder.  Then we tried to come back around.  I thought Cayce was following me, but as soon as I got passed the corner, she jumped straight up in the air again and made an attempt to land on a tree.

Fortunately, as soon as Dale came back into sight, she hopped back down and seemed a little more relaxed.  We ended up not being able to fly Cayce, but she did hop up and down from our gloves and run along the ground between us.  She just wasn’t up for flying.

One of the challenges of shooting Cayce in flight is the length of her wings.  She has such a long wingspan that the tips of her wings are always a blur in flying shots.  While I don’t mind having some motion showing in the photos, I’d like to have more of her wings still.  Regardless of what I want, on this day I don’t have the opportunity to try.

Shooting Cayce on the glove is a lot like trying to take portraits of a 2 year old.  She squirms and wiggles and moves her head. She flaps and jumps and basically makes it almost impossible to get a good shot.  This is complicated by her black feathers and black face, which suck up light and often leave her as a dark shadow.

In spite of these challenges, I think at least one image I came home with gives a good idea of Cayce’s personality:

I like to think of this as Cayce's "Hey, what are you doing?" look

I like to think of this as Cayce’s “Hey, what are you doing?” look

I don’t know if vultures have a sense of humor, but when I look at Cayce, I have to think they do.  There’s just something about the way she tilts her head like she really wants to know if you’re paying attention.  I suppose she could just be looking for food, but it makes me happier to think she at least find us entertaining.

Tisen via Hipstamatic--he's all up for lounging on the couch these days

Tisen via Hipstamatic–he’s all up for lounging on the couch these days

Eskimo Kisses

Posted by dkrashb on
Theo shows off his impressive wing span

Theo shows off his impressive wing span

Each of the birds at Wings to Soar has a distinct personality.  Yet, all of them seem to have a special bond with Dale.  I don’t know exactly how to describe what a bond looks like when it comes to these mighty hunters, but there’s a level of trust and calm that the birds have with Dale.

Using his ridiculously long wings, Theo looks like he could glide forever

Using his ridiculously long wings, Theo looks like he could glide forever

I suspect the birds would be far more agitated being handled by me if Dale weren’t nearby.

Whatever the effect Dale has on the birds and vise versa, there are times when I’ve noticed her expressing what can only be described as a motherly affection for the birds.  For example, once during an educational program in an open field, a train came through blowing its whistle and scaring the bejesus out of Theo.  Theo was flying with a light line hooked to his jesses to prevent him from flying far, but he did take off and fly as far towards the trees as possible.

Theo with arced wings mid-flap

Theo with arced wings mid-flap

Dale had to go retrieve him from the middle of the field.  I swung the camera around and followed Dale for a bit.  When she retrieved Theo, the two of them bent their heads towards one another in some form of secret greeting.  It was like they were reconnecting after a fright.  Theo immediately appeared to relax.

Theo reaching for the glove

Theo reaching for the glove

On Saturday, when it was Theo’s turn to fly, that affection came through loud and clear.  Theo didn’t seem particularly motivated to fly.  After flying to me a couple of times, he wasn’t into modeling for my camera, probably because he had a full belly.

Theo making a mid-flight adjustment in response to Dale moving

Theo making a mid-flight adjustment in response to Dale moving

To coax him into flying, Dale stood close to his perch and then backed away so Theo would get a longer flight in.  This didn’t work so well the first attempt–Theo was obviously confused as to why Dale was running away and tried to land on her glove at her side.  The only thing to do when a raptor is trying to land on you is to give them the glove–you sure don’t want them to land anywhere else!

Theo gets lined up with the glove an come in for the approach

Theo gets lined up with the glove an come in for the approach

The second time Dale tried this approach, she started running away sooner and ran faster.  As she approached the distance Theo normally flies, she turned back towards Theo, but kept backing away.  Theo performed some impressive maneuvers in his attempts to avoid colliding with Dale as she changed speed and direction.  I wish I’d been set on video–I swear I saw Theo fly backwards at least twice.

Theo looks like he's all set for a landing, but Dale is still in motion

Theo looks like he’s all set for a landing, but Dale is still in motion

In the end, they did a graceful mid-air eskimo kiss just before Theo readjusted one more time to land on Dale’s glove.  The amount of effort Theo made to get to Dale’s glove spoke volumes about what this owl feels about his momma.  The smile (just visible through the feathers of Theo’s wings) on Dale’s face as she nearly collides beak-to-beak with a Barn Owl speaks volumes about Dale’s own feelings.

Theo and Dale rub noses before Theo manages to back up and land safely on the glove

Theo and Dale rub noses before Theo manages to back up and land safely on the glove

It’s hard not to smile when you see Dale working with these magnificent birds.

Back home, Tisen hung out with Twiggy, making themselves comfortable on the couch

Back home, Tisen hung out with Twiggy, making themselves comfortable on the couch

That Hawk Don’t Hunt

Posted by dkrashb on
Screeching to a mid-air halt, Cody prepares to land gently on the glove

Screeching to a mid-air halt, Cody prepares to land gently on the glove

While training Cody on Saturday, one of the things I realized was that I had lost my healthy respect for the fierceness of his talons.  I was holding Cody on my glove when it suddenly struck me, “Oh yeah!  He has incredibly strong grip strength and really sharp talons on those feet!”  It was as if I had completely forgotten that raptors can accidentally injure their handlers pretty easily if said handler isn’t paying attention.

Mid-air ascent--after riding the ground effect, Cody rises to the height of the glove

Mid-air ascent–after riding the ground effect, Cody rises to the height of the glove

Fortunately for me, Cody and the other raptors I get to work with are accommodating and don’t intentionally try to harm people.  Perhaps even more fortunately, the realization struck me as Cody was working his way up my arm, but in time for me to adjust so he headed back out toward my hand and away from the end of my glove.  I can’t imagine what it would feel like to have one stray talon sink into the soft part of my arm–I’d like to keep it that way.

Ground effect--Cody floats on the bubble of air close to the ground

Ground effect–Cody floats on the bubble of air close to the ground

Having recalled the inherent danger in handling raptors, I stayed a bit more on my toes as we flew Cody.  Cody is about as sweet as it gets for a Red-tailed Hawk.  He ended up in captivity after being found starving.  He was taken to a falconer for rehabilitation.  The falconer attempted to teach him to hunt, but no matter what prey he encountered, he wasn’t interested in hunting.

Coming in for a landing--Cody touches down

Coming in for a landing–Cody touches down

Cody’s story reminds me of a story from my childhood about a bull named Ferdinand.  Ferdinand wanted to sit in the pasture enjoying butterflies and flowers rather than fight with bull fighters.  I don’t remember how the story ended exactly, but given that it was a favorite of mine, I would guess Ferdinand ended up happily wiling away the days in a pasture where he could be his gentle self.

Another float into the finish--I love the way Cody flares to a stop before landing on the glove

Another float into the finish–I love the way Cody flares to a stop before landing on the glove

This also parallels Cody’s story.  While Cody may not be interested in killing rodents, he’s happy to hang with the people who care for him.  He watches attentively as we work with him.  He seems curious–he clearly knows his usual training routine has been changed.  I suspect he remembers me, but I can’t offer any evidence that this is true.  He looks at me like he finds me interesting, but he doesn’t seem upset by my participation in the training process.

This is a back-view of Cody flaring to a stop

This is a back-view of Cody flaring to a stop

We fly Cody for a while and then Dale flies him without me so I can see if I can get some good shots of Cody in flight.  Cody is naturally photogenic.  Of all the birds, he’s the one I always end up with a bunch of great shots each time I shoot the birds.  However, he’s looking slightly less well groomed on this particular day.  He seems to have molted one of his tail feathers.  Almost like a missing tooth in the middle of a bright white, well cared for smile, the gap is hard to miss.

After the flare, Cody uses any remaining momentum to float gently to the glove

After the flare, Cody uses any remaining momentum to float gently to the glove

We try not to stare–no point in making Cody feel self-conscious.

This is Tisen's idea of "flare"

This is Tisen’s idea of “flare”

Night Time Renaissance

Posted by dkrashb on
Bright moon, pink clouds, twilight sky--but too much wind

Bright moon, pink clouds, twilight sky–but too much wind

Sometimes at night the clouds lay low over the city and reflect back the light from the street lights below, luminous against the twilight blue sky.  Usually, the phenomena of having low-lying clouds with a clear sky above is accompanied by wind.

If there is no wind, the clouds don’t break up.  They lie like a blanket, impenetrable, creating only a haze of light that just isn’t as interesting as on windy nights.  On this particular night, not only was the wind blowing hard with the clouds breaking up nicely, but the moon was bobbing and weaving amongst the blowing clouds.

For this special effect, the assistance of Tisen was required--a surprise pull on the leash captured Tisen's own form of art

For this special effect, the assistance of Tisen was required–a surprise pull on the leash captured Tisen’s own form of art

Who could resist trying to get a photo of that?  Of course, Tisen also needed to go out, so being the multi-tasker that I am, I hung my DSLR around my neck and put Tisen’s collar around his.

While I always take my iPhone with me when I wander around Renaissance park, I had no intention of using it tonight.  The iPhone is a light hog, like all digital cameras with tiny sensors.  Getting a night time image with an iPhone isn’t something I’ve figured out how to do and this wasn’t going to be the night I tried again.

Shot while swaying with a post I was trying to lean on for stability

Shot while swaying with a post I was trying to lean on for stability

I’m glad I didn’t bother trying with the iPhone.  With my DSLR set on ISO 10,000, I was still shooting at shutter speeds over 3 seconds long.  This is because I was being greedy.  I wanted lots of depth of field, which meant sacrificing light to get it.

This may not have been the best decision.  Armed with my camera and with my tripod tucked neatly in the closet back at home, I was buffeted about in the wind like a human sail.  I tried leaning against a light pole and discovered the light pole was also blowing in the wind.  We swayed together as I contemplated the hopelessness of getting a good shot in these conditions.

Closer to still, if only the clouds would have paused

Closer to still, if only the clouds would have paused

I remembered some of the lessons I learned about wind from hang gliding.  First and foremost, it cycles.  If you stand still and pay attention, you’ll feel it start to ease up until it will suddenly drop and be still.  Sometimes this lasts only a split second.  Sometimes it lasts several seconds.  I needed 3 second windows of calm to get any sharp photos.

To make matters more difficult, the wind tossing the clouds was blowing at a much steadier pace, keeping the clouds blowing across my frame during the exposure.  Even the plants in the foreground weren’t settling down when the breeze would briefly die.  Everything was in motion.  There were to be no sharp shots that night.

This is my favorite--the effect of the wind blowing everything in the long exposure reminds me of an impressionist painting

This is my favorite–the effect of the wind blowing everything in the long exposure reminds me of an impressionist painting

Tisen was happy to return to the indoors–the wind was cold and Tisen’s leg is sore.  He has created yet another hot spot because of his allergies.  We are treating it topically for the time being in the hope of avoiding more steroids.  The pink self-sticking tape was hard to resist–he looks so cute in pink.

Tisen spent most of the day napping--he managed to wake up long enough to yawn mid-day

Tisen spent most of the day napping–he managed to wake up long enough to yawn mid-day

I got one pose out of him before he went back to sleep

I got one pose out of him before he went back to sleep

 

The Easy Way to Point Park

Posted by dkrashb on
View from canon in Point Park

View from canon in Point Park

My plan was to walk from Cravens House to Sunset Rock to Point Park and then back to Craven’s house.  This would be more like a loop vs just an out and back.  Since both Sunset Rock and Point Park are 1 1/2 miles from Cravens House, the math in my head indicated we’d be walking 3 miles regardless of whether we did the loop or the out and back.

I forgot about the part between Sunset Rock and Point Park.  Turns out that’s something like an extra mile.  While I wouldn’t have minded the extra mile, the rest of the crowd turned against me.  Pat completely over-ruled any consideration of walking to Point Park.

Making our way back down the trail

Making our way back down the trail

When we got to the point in the trail where we had to pick between walking back towards Cravens House or up to Point Park, Pat asked if we were going to Point Park.  We were all surprised.  Then, he clarified that he was asking if we wanted to drive up to Point Park after we got back to Craven’s House, not if we wanted to walk to Point Park.

Oh well.

On the way back to Craven’s House, the trail did a switch-back near the top of the cliff and then passed below Sunset Rock.  When we were at the top, we passed a group of young adults who had hung camping hammocks between some trees that hung over the edge of the cliff.

Two hammocks visible from the trail below the cliff

Two hammocks visible from the trail below the cliff

We took some photos for them with their iPhones as we went by.  I attempted to get a shot for me as well, but I had one of my typical moments where I believed I had my camera set on aperture priority and didn’t worry about checking the exposure.  Several minutes later, when we were well down the trail, I took a peak and discovered my shot was a giant black rectangle.

When we passed underneath, I managed to get a shot of the two visible hammocks from below.  It looked a lot scarier when we were looking down from the top.  All I could think to myself was, “I don’t care how strong those hammocks are, how can they know the trees will hold?”  After all, the trees were right on the side of the cliff with very little place to grip with their roots.  I had visions of them toppling over and dragging the hammocks with the young campers with them.

Tisen making sure I'm coming along

Tisen making sure I’m coming along

For the record, we have seen nothing on the news about any hikers who fell from Sunset Rock, so I think they were OK.

We made it back down the trail, past the square tree branch, off the cliff, and back to Cravens House.

While we did make it up to Point Park (via automobile), we made only a quick jaunt around the asphalt path and skipped the off-road trail out to the point.  I felt like we short-changed my brother and sister-in-law, but they plan to come back.

My brother and sister-in-law posing being the wheel of a canon at Point Park

My brother and sister-in-law posing being the wheel of a canon at Point Park

Walk to Sunset

Posted by dkrashb on
Sunset Rock Hipstamatic Style

Sunset Rock Hipstamatic Style

In the effort to entertain my brother and sister-in-law, I came up with the following itinerary:

  1. Have them assist in a birds of prey program at a local festival.
  2. Take them to lunch at a famous barbecue on a hill with goats.
  3. Haul them up to Lookout mountain and take them hiking for a couple of hours.
  4. Drag them out for Mexican-fusion at favorite taco spot.
  5. Give them a tour of husband’s workshop.

We are now on #3.  Hauling said brother and sister-in-law up to Lookout Mountain for a relatively short, easy hike.

Sunset Rock via DSLR

Sunset Rock via DSLR

One of my favorite short, easy hikes on Lookout is the hike from Craven’s House to Sunset Rock.  There are many routes to choose from so it’s easy to make the hike as short as 3 miles or as long as 10, depending on how long you want to be out.  Regardless of which route you choose, the scenery on Lookout and the views from the overlooks are always fantastic.

Our fearless hiking crew

Our fearless hiking crew

The rock formations on Lookout are amazing in and of themselves.  The sandstone (or maybe limestone?) splits, drops, careens, and leans in ways that make you feel like you’re doing something really dangerous by walking on stone that might fall off the side of the mountain at any moment.  If the trail were along the creek with the same rock formations, it wouldn’t be quite as adventurous, but it would still be beautiful.

Chunks of ice remind us it's only spring on the calendar

Chunks of ice remind us it’s only spring on the calendar

Water runs between the rocks from time to time.  We were surprised on this early spring day to discover chunks of ice lingering in one microscopic waterfall.  Just another reminder that only the humans around here are convinced it’s supposed to be spring.

Even the mushrooms look like they are winterized

Even the mushrooms look like they are winterized

Tisen enjoys this hike, too.  He likes to linger behind, sniffing, and then dart back in front.  Sometimes, he stops to check on me if I’m hanging back.  I’m not sure if he’s worried I’m going to fall off a cliff (a reasonably probable occurrence) or if he thinks I might sneak off and disappear to some new life that doesn’t include him.  He really doesn’t have to worry about the latter–I’m not anxious to find out what life will feel like without him.

Tisen checking on Mommy

Tisen checking on Mommy

We made it to Sunset Rock in tact, although Tisen scared me to the point that I yelled at him when he got so close to the edge that I really thought he was going to lift his leg and immediately topple down the cliff.  I called him three times and when he ignored me, I panicked and yelled his name at the kind of volume that echoed off the surrounding cliff sides.  He looked up at me, surprised and sheepish.  I couldn’t remember having ever raised my voice at him before; I felt a little foolish.

View of the valley from Sunset Rock

View of the valley from Sunset Rock

The view from Sunset Rock is not actually better than the view from Point Park, but making the hike through the woods and up the mountain makes it feel so much better.