F. P. Dorchak

Speculative Fiction (New Weird) Author

Nature

Garden of the Gods Hike

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Garden of the Gods Park, Colorado Springs, CO (© F. P. Dorchak 2017)
Garden of the Gods Park, Colorado Springs, CO (© F. P. Dorchak 2017)

I took a beautiful hike through Garden of the Gods (GoG) park yesterday evening, after my gym workout. I was going to stay and do my cardio at the gym, by my wife, whom I met at the gym, suggested I take a break from all my gnarly shit and just enjoy the evening–and I’m glad I did (sometimes I need her to tell me to take a goddamned break…). I took my Nikon with me and got some really cool shots! I spent about an hour-and-a-half hiking through it, and it was great—fewer people. Better shots without people in them—though one woman, admittedly, would have made an incredible shot, but the moment passed as soon as it’d presented itself. She had been wearing an incredibly bright, radiant blue one-piece tube-skirt (or whatever they’re called) and was walking toward me in the middle of a narrow section of red rocks, her blonde head down. It was so incongruous! Contrasting! It would have made a fantastic shot! But, I couldn’t get the camera up quick enough, and the moment had passed. You couldn’t see her face, which made it even better.

Anyway, I took my favorite hike, which is around the west side of the park, on the single track. It traverses all kinds of rocky terrain and goes up and down. I love it. Love the rocks, love the squirreliness of the trail. The view. Saw a Scrub Jay (I think they’re called), a rabbit, and a whole herd of some 11 or 12 deer. I’ll try to post some of the images where I can, but I’m using new software (Adobe Lightroom) and there’s a bit of a learning curve. I may just try to upload a few onto Facebook. That’s probably the easiest thing to do. We’ll see. I’m really behind on my short story work, so….

 

The WYO Road Trip

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Road Trippin' Through The WYO. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 11, 2017)
Road Trippin’ Through The WYO. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 11, 2017)

This past week, my wife and I took a road trip up to God’s Country. Well, at least that’s what Wyoming and my wife think (and I may have slightly overstated my wife’s position, however…). As much as I love trees, Wyoming really doesn’t get the credit it deserves. Wide open spaces. Wind. Pronghorn. Wind. Cool rocks. Wind. Eagles. Wind. Snow fences. Wind. Wind River Canyon. Wind. Wind River Mountains. Wind….

As we drove up, along I-25 we counted 11 overturned campers and 18-wheelers—yes, 18-wheelers. A gnarly windstorm the previous day had actually closed down sections of roadways, and we were getting tossed about pretty good in spots (sections of Wyoming roads were still closed to light, high-profile vehicles). But on the way up and back, I took pictures. I love taking pictures! Some of those images are in this blog.

NOTE: Not all of these images are great quality (i.e., sharp), because we were moving, but I did stop and get out for a few of them. I’m still learning the ins and outs of the camera. Most of the images in this post have also been compressed, so click on them for better views.

Wyoming Golden Eagle. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 7, 2017)
Wyoming Golden Eagle. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 7, 2017)

The first time I whipped out the camera was well into Wyoming, somewhere between Casper and Shoshoni. We’d come upon a large bird feeding on a carcass along the road. You’ll also find lots of carcasses along near every road you travel up there. And wind. anyway, we slowed down, turned around, and I got out my camera and tried to get a shot or two before the winged beast took off. Didn’t get very many good shots because the bird was spooked by our presence and had flown way out and I had to crank my 300mm telephoto and didn’t use a tripod. I initially thought it was a hawk…then had the funny thought that its shape also strangely reminded me of a pheasant—though I knew it wasn’t, it’s just what its profile body reminded me of at one point—but as we later looked at the photos on my laptop, my Wyoming cousin-in-law, Phil, blurted out that it was an eagle. It must have been a young one, because of its size. We’ve seen plenty of eagles before, so it was surprising it didn’t register on us that was what it was at the time! Anywho, back at our eagle/carcass visitation, we waited for a few minutes for the eagle to return but it didn’t. It just sat on its fence post and watched us. We continued on.

As we drove toward Riverton, we drove past some really cool rock formations. I love WYO (this is how the WYO’s abbrev their state name on signs) rock. They’re not Adirondack rock (or maybe they are, I just haven’t researched them—they’re in Wyoming v. my beloved upstate NY), but I still like em. They’re wicked looking.

Wyoming Rock. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 7, 2017)
Wyoming Rock. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 7, 2017)
Wyoming Rock. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 7, 2017)
Wyoming Rock. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 7, 2017)
If Wyoming Were Antarctica. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 7, 2017)
If Wyoming Were Antarctica. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 7, 2017)

There’re also lots and lots and lots of wide open spaces (and wind), and The WYO had just come out of a gnarly spell of snow, like a couple foot of it (have to sound “local”), so there were lots of “white caps.” That’s what all the remnants of snow reminded me of, all around the terrain. And as I watched the desolate landscape roll past, I noticed in the growing twilight how a light blue cast was falling upon the “white-capped” terrain. It looked très cool. Reminded me of the Antarctic (had I been there). So, I snapped off some shots as we sped by at some 80 mph—that’s The WYO’s speed limit (not stopping, just taking some “hip shots” out the windows, which is what a lot of what these images are). When I noticed this blue cast, I began messing with the camera settings until I got the blue I was shooting for (pardon the pun). Doesn’t the blue image remind you of the Antarctic (had you been there)? Took some more rock shots and sunset images…loving how the fading, golden light hit the rock faces. As we entered Riverton, Wyoming I took a couple of sky shots of aircraft.

The Approaching WYO Sunset. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 7, 2017)
Riverton Skies. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 7, 2017)
Riverton Skies. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 7, 2017)
Wyoming Americana. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 11, 2017)
Wyoming Americana. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 11, 2017)

After we left Riverton Saturday morning, we drove out by way of Highway 135, towards Sweetwater Station. As you leave Riverton this way, you crest a high mesa with a breathtaking view of the Wind River Mountain Range that is part of the Rocky Mountains. It was somewhere south and past the Gas Hills Road (Route 136) where I spotted a weathered and abandoned (?) trailer. So, I hopped out and took a couple of shots. When I got back in the vehicle, my wife spotted…

The carcass.

Wow, all bones, no meat, a little connective tissue. I’m no expert, but it was probably a pronghorn, since they are so prevalent here. They are everywhere. Along with the wind. By comparison, we only saw two deer, up and back. So, of course, I had to take some shots of that. Don’t mess with Texas? Don’t mess with Wyoming.

Don’t Mess With Wyoming. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 11, 2017)
Don’t Mess With Wyoming. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 11, 2017)
Don’t Mess With Wyoming. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 11, 2017)

After we peaked the mesa (the name of which I either do not know or have forgotten…the Wind River Basin and its overlook?) I snapped some cool views of the Wind River Mountain Range and surrounding rocks. I wished I could adequately convey the depth-of-field of some of these images that looked cooler to the naked eye. If you look closely you’ll see there’s a ledge. And that it was really, really high. With lots of wind.

Wind River Basin Overlook? (© F. P. Dorchak, March 7, 2017)
Wind River Basin Overlook? (© F. P. Dorchak, March 7, 2017)
Wind River Basin Overlook? (© F. P. Dorchak, March 7, 2017)
Wind River Basin Overlook? (© F. P. Dorchak, March 7, 2017)

We continued on. Stopped at Sweetwater Station, which is at the intersection of 135 and 287/789. Hung a left. Just over the rise there, is this long-assed snow fence. Had to get an image or two of that. There are a lot of snow fences in The WYO.

Sweetwater Station, Wyoming (© F. P. Dorchak, March 11, 2017)
Sweetwater Station, Wyoming (© F. P. Dorchak, March 11, 2017)
Snow Fence, Outside Sweetwater Station, Wyoming (© F. P. Dorchak, March 11, 2017)
Snow Fence, Outside Sweetwater Station, Wyoming (© F. P. Dorchak, March 11, 2017)

Long story short, there were lots more open spaces, wind, and pronghorn…but another really cool photo op presented itself, and I blurted to my wife to Stop-stop-stop! (she was driving so I could shoot photos) as I sighted something really neat: a pronghorn sitting pretty-as-you-please atop a hill! At first as we came up on this hill, I was wondering if what I was seeing was one of those many sheet metal hilltop silhouettes—elk, jackalope, cowboy-on-bucking-bronco—but, nope, it was the real deal! We hooked a u-y and came back around. I managed to get a couple of shots as it remained “reclined,” but it spotted us and got up, showing me its white ass. For quite a while, actually. Its white ass. It just stood there…its white butt pointed toward me. I’m thinking this must be a pronghorn thing…showing your displeasure at being disturbed by showing the object-of-your-displeasure your white ass. After a while, it sauntered off.

King of the Hill. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 11, 2017)
King of the Hill. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 11, 2017)

The miles and the scenery rolled by…and as I looked out the side, my wife remarked about the beautiful clouds before us—and they were gorgeous! I switched to my 18-55mm lens and caught the images embedded. It looked so incredible! The pictures kinda capture it, but no picture can adequately capture what the naked eyes see….

Gorgeous! (© F. P. Dorchak, March 11, 2017)
Gorgeous! (© F. P. Dorchak, March 11, 2017)

And this brings up a cool point: since I’d gotten back into taking “serious” pictures with my Nikon, my wife has also become more aware (or perhaps vocal is the better term) of photo ops. We were taking about this as we were driving. How photography has you look at life differently. I know I’ve always loved to just watch the scenery go by on road trips, but now, also getting back into photography with a really nice camera has changed how I look at the world. Besides all the “standard beauty” to be viewed, I’m now looking at picture composition and capture, and it was cool my wife was doing the same thing!

After the cloud shots, I then just started messing around…and took some monochrome (B&W) shots. It’s amazing how monochrome changes the whole “tone” (ummm, pardon the pun…) of an image!

Gorgeous! (© F. P. Dorchak, March 11, 2017)
Wyoming Noir. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 11, 2017)
Wyoming Windmills Sans Quixote. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 11, 2017)
Wyoming Windmills Sans Quixote. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 11, 2017)

We then came upon a bunch of windmills. Yeah. The WYO. Wind. We eventually crossed the WYO/COLO border. A little bit inside Colorado, we passed this dual rock formation that we think must be part of a residence or something. Or a Colorado Rapa Nui cousin connection to Easter Island? As we drove on and through Fort Collins, I attempted an artsy shot or two. You be the judge. Or not. In any case, we were both back into heavily trafficed civilization.

Sigh.

THAT is something I do miss from The WYO…their drivers are nowhere near as stupid and in-a-hurry as they are in Colorado. And there are far fewer of them.

Colorado Rapa Nui. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 11, 2017)
Colorado Rapa Nui. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 11, 2017)

Urban artsy:

Fort Collins Building. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 11, 2017)
513 Riverside, Fort Collins. (© F. P. Dorchak, March 11, 2017)

So, hello, home, it’s good to be back. We had a good family visit…and a good road trip. Hope y’all enjoy the photos. It was fun taking them!

The Photographer, Sweetwater Station, Wyoming (© Laura and F. P. Dorchak, March 11, 2017)
The Photographer, Sweetwater Station, Wyoming (© Laura and F. P. Dorchak, March 11, 2017)

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Wind and Snow

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Wind and Snow (© F. P. Dorchak, Feb 23, 2017)
Wind and Snow (© F. P. Dorchak, Feb 23, 2017)

Yesterday we had respite from the fifty-, sixty-, and seventy-degree weather we’ve been having—it actually snowed! And it had come down pretty hard for a while there. Where I was at the time, north of Colorado Springs, we even had some accumulation. It was pretty fricking cool, pardon the pun.

As I later drove down I-25, I couldn’t keep my attention away from Pikes Peak. It was—simply stated—majestic!

Snow was being blown off the ridges of the Front Range and were beautifully backlit!

Damn it, but I hadn’t my camera with me, so I kept hoping the majesty that was Pikes Peak would remain to some degree (again with the puns…) so I could capture it.

I got home, grabbed my camera, lenses, and tripod, and rushed outside.

Below are some shots I managed to capture. I used UV and polarizing filters and my 18-55mm and 70-300mm lenses. Did a couple black & white images. All files are compressed using Coral PaintShop Pro X7.

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Frozen Branches

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Frozen Branches (© F. P. Dorchak, Feb 2, 2017)
Frozen Branches (© F. P. Dorchak, Feb 2, 2017)

Thursday and Friday of last week we had a bit of an ice storm…in that I don’t know if it was actually termed an “ice storm,” but we had everything coated in a layer of frost and/or ice—and it was beautiful! Since I am a fan of taking shots of branches, I thought “Frozen Branches” would be a great compliment to my previous post!

Donnelly’s Corners, July 14, 2015
Know it. Love it. Donnelly’s Corners Soft Ice Cream Flavor Schedule, 2015
Donnelly’s Corners is a Very Special Place. Upstate New York Registry of Very Special Places, July, 2015.

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Bobcat!

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I see you...and I will get you in your sleep.... (© F. P. Dorchak, 2017)
I see you…and I will get you in your sleep…. (© F. P. Dorchak, 2017)

Yesterday, about 5:15 p.m., my wife, Laura, was standing at the entrance to our home making strange, truncated sounds, let’s just say. She was at the door because I was making a [store bought] pizza and the house starting getting smokey from previous food residue in the oven’s bottom I-didn’t-spy-with-my-keen-eye before turning on the oven getting extra crispy. I live in a perpetual haze, so it didn’t bother me, but my wife (being more human) had opened some windows. I have that effect on enclosed spaces. Anyway, as she was at the doorway uttering these “strange, truncated sounds” and clipped sentences with tones of excitement and surprise, I came over to see what was up.

She pointed out a bobcat casually strolling across the way from us!

She said she’d seen this rabbit run faster than she’d ever seen any animal run before and thought one of the neighbor’s dogs might have been going after it…but it was no dog!

So while she’s running throughout the house looking for our binoculars, I sprinted for my Nikon, and sprinted back, hoping in the process neither of us would plow into the other. We were good.

As we watched the bobcat, and I’m taking shots, my wife mentioned how cool it was that s/he just owned that sidewalk—and indeed s/he did! S/he was so majestic and beautiful! Casual. Like the rest of us, just sauntering home after a day’s hard work. Not interested in any bunnies, just making his or her way through the neighborhood. As I’m taking more shots Laura says I should go after it in the car so—great idea!—I waste no time and make for the SUV. Camera in hand, I hurry (appropriately following all speed limits, bien sur…) and find the critter farther down in the creek bed. I pull over, hit the hazards, and twisted as far as I could in my seat, rippin’ off one-handed shots I hope are in focus, cause I’m not an operative of Cirque Du Soleil (but it’s a good thing I do those twisty stretches at the gym) and my other arm just couldn’t do what I was asking it to do in that position in the vehicle. I don’t know whether or not bobcats attack, but more so, if the thing decided to sprint at my getting out of the vehicle on a busy-ish section of street at that time of the day, I wanted to be able to still follow it. Anyway, I got some really cool shots, but many have those “devil eyes”—which do look totally cool, as you’ll see below—and are not quite sharply focused, and a few are not centered in the frame (or whatever the official term is). All images are compressed.

About one or two years ago I’d seen my first up-close bobcat as it walked directly in front of my home-office window. It paused and looked right at me…looked at me, like “Yeah so? What are ya gonna do about it? I didn’t think so.” Then turned and continued on its way….

So this is entirely cool! What a majestic and beautiful animal, and I’m glad we both got to see this one!

Images taken with a Nikon D3400 and 70 – 300mm zoom lens, from a closest distance of about 20 – 30 feet.

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White Rock – Garden of the Gods – and Time

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White Rock, Garden of the Gods? (© F. P. Dorchak, 2017)
White Rock, Garden of the Gods? (© F. P. Dorchak, 2017)

I think this might be White Rock, in the Garden of the Gods. As I’ve mentioned, I haven’t kept good notes from that January 1st, 2017 day I went out and took these. But I like the perspective from which I took it. It has such a neat, prehistoric look and feel to it. Many times when I go someplace—any place, really, it just depends if my mind “goes there”—I always wonder what that location looked like millions of years ago…and what it will look like in the far future.

Damn, am I ever really in the moment?

But what if considering the past and the future is being “in the moment”? If that moment is really only a perspective, if that “spacious moment”…that “spacious present” some Great Thinkers talk about really is all that…would not that mean that “present moments” really expand out into other moments? Cross and permeate chronologies? And if there really is no Time…the forward chronological progression of successive moments…that it’s all a Human Perception as I believe it is…than wouldn’t this make sense? That the moment is far more voluminous than we give it credit for? It’s a concept that actually expands in ways we have little perception…or maybe we can, if we allow ourselves to be open about it?

Yeah. If I’m not thinking about writing, I’m thinking about weird shit.

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