Exit78 Photo of the Day #136

Clematis blossom, west – central Arkansas, May 16, 2018 (Apple iPhone 6s)

Clematis¹

Clematisis a genus of about 300 species within the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae. Their garden hybrids have been popular among gardeners, beginning with Clematis × jackmanii, a garden standby since 1862; more hybrid cultivars are being produced constantly. They are mainly of Chinese and Japanese origin. Most species are known as clematis in English, while some are also known as traveller’s joy, a name invented for the sole British native, C. vitalba, by the herbalist John Gerard; virgin’s bower for C. viticella and for C. terniflora; old man’s beard, applied to several with prominent seedheads; leather flower for those with fleshy petals; or vase vine for the North American Clematis viorna.

(Note: I am also posting photos in a series called Photography Now & Then at Haw-Creek.com)

Endnotes:

1. Wikipedia, accessed May 17, 2018

Series notes:

• The photos in this series are (usually) randomly selected from a batch of photos specifically “curated” for Exit78 Photo of the Day.
• Each photo in this series is an “original work” – a copyright term – of Michael Goad.

Post-processing¹ #28 |

Glen Canyon Dam Bridge, US 89, Page, Arizona, October 10, 2015 (Pentax K-3 II from 36°56’07.0″N 111°29’07.8″W)

Glen Canyon Dam Bridge²

The Glen Canyon Bridge or Glen Canyon Dam Bridge is a steel arch bridge in Coconino County, Arizona, carrying U.S. Route 89 across the Colorado River. The bridge was originally built by the United States Bureau of Reclamation to facilitate transportation of materials for the Glen Canyon Dam, which lies adjacent to the bridge just 865 feet (264 m) upstream. The two-lane bridge has an overall length of 1,271 feet (387 m) with a deck 700 feet (210 m) above the river, making it the one of the highest bridges in the United States. The bridge was the highest arch bridge in the world when completed in 1959.

The dam and bridge are in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, as is the Colorado River under the dam and downstream to Marble Canyon, Arizona.

1. Post-processing – Image editing to enhance the photo closer to what the eye “saw.” Images in this series are selected within a day or so of being edited and are either posted at the time or scheduled for posting at a later date.
2. Glen Canyon Dam Bridge – Wikipedia

Exit78 Photo of the Day #135

Hope Plaza, a 16-foot granite structure at the entrance to John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park in Tulsa, Oklahoma, contains three larger-than-life bronze pieces by sculptor Ed Dwight inspired by photos from the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot. One of them, titled Hostility, is of a “white man fully armed for assault​.”

“Hostility,” a “white man fully armed for assault​,” Hope Plaza, John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park, Tulsa, Oklahoma, June 26, 2013 (Pentax K-r)

Photo from Tulsa Race Riot, May 31 – June 1, 1921, used as a subject for sculpture by Ed Dwight titled “Hostility” in Hope Plaza at Tulsa’s John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park

Tulsa Race Riot (Wikipedia – accessed May 16, 2018)

The Tulsa race riot, sometimes referred to as the Tulsa Massacre, Tulsa pogrom, or Tulsa race riot of 1921, took place between May 31 and June 1, 1921, when a white mob attacked residents and businesses of the African-American community of Greenwood in Tulsa, Oklahoma.This is considered one of the worst incidents of racial violence in the history of the United States. The attack, carried out on the ground and by air, destroyed more than 35 blocks of the district, at the time the wealthiest black community in the nation. More than 800 people were admitted to hospitals and more than 6,000 black residents were arrested and detained, many for several days. The Oklahoma Bureau of Vital Statistics officially recorded 39 dead, but the American Red Cross estimated 300.

The riot began over a Memorial Day weekend after a young black man was accused of raping a young white female elevator operator at a commercial building. After he was taken into custody, rumors raced through the black community that he was at risk of being lynched. A group of armed African-American men rushed to the police station where the young suspect was held, to prevent a lynching, as a white crowd had gathered. A confrontation developed between black people and white people; shots were fired, and twelve people were killed, ten white and two black. As news of these deaths spread throughout the city, mob violence exploded. Thousands of white people rampaged through the black community that night and the next day, killing men and women, burning and looting stores and homes. About 10,000 black people were left homeless, and property damage amounted to more than $1.5 million in real estate and $750,000 in personal property ($31 million in 2018).

Some black people claimed that policemen had joined the mob; others said that National Guardsmen fired a machine gun into the black community and a plane dropped sticks of dynamite. In an eyewitness account discovered in 2015, Greenwood attorney Buck Colbert Franklin described watching a dozen or more planes, which had been dispatched by the city police force, drop burning balls of turpentine on Greenwood’s rooftops.

Many survivors left Tulsa. Both black and white residents who stayed in the city were silent for decades about the terror, violence, and losses of this event. The riot was largely omitted from local and state, as well as national, histories: “The Tulsa race riot of 1921 was rarely mentioned in history books, classrooms or even in private. Blacks and whites alike grew into middle age unaware of what had taken place.” (New York Times, June 19, 2011)

(Note: I am also posting photos in a series called Photography Now & Then at Haw-Creek.com)

Series notes:

• The photos in this series are (usually) randomly selected from a batch of photos specifically “curated” for Exit78 Photo of the Day.
• Each photo in this series is an “original work” – a copyright term – of Michael Goad.

Exit78 Photo of the Day #134

In 2013, we took a roundabout, meandering route on our way to visit Jessica and family in Wisconsin.  Part of it was through western Minnesota.

Minnesota River Valley National Scenic Byway, Minnesota, September 7, 2013 (Pentax K-r)

Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway (HowStuffWorks.com)

Historical Qualities of the Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway

Once a wild and untamed river valley, the land of the Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway used to belong solely to the Dakotas. The land was rich and fertile and seemed ripe for the picking, yet struggles erupted during the same years that the Civil War was raging.

In 1862, the largest and bloodiest Native American war in the history of the United States occurred. For ten years, the land was divided between the Dakota people and new settlers and the first reservations were developed, but the Dakotas eventually wanted their land and their way of life back. The result was a six-week war in which many settlers and Dakotas were killed.

When the war was over, Abraham Lincoln pardoned many of the more than 300 Dakota men who were going to be hanged. The remaining 38 men became part of the largest mass execution in U.S. history.

Natural Qualities of the Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway

When you aren’t driving through enchanting towns and pastoral fields, you see that the land is overtaken by nature and the wilderness that’s native to Minnesota. Prairies and woodlands combine to form natural areas full of plants and animals. The natural areas along the byway are perfect places to see the Minnesota River Valley’s natural ecosystems.

The Minnesota River is now gentle and calm. However, the river valley was once filled by the Glacial River Warren. The glacial river carved the valley down into ancient bedrock and exposed outcrops of gneiss. The valley topography varies from one to five miles in width and from 75 to 200 feet deep. The Minnesota River flows from the Hudson/Mississippi Continental Divide in Browns Valley through the steep bluffs and low floodplain area that characterize one of the most impressive landscapes in Minnesota.

(Note: I am also posting photos in a series called Photography Now & Then at Haw-Creek.com)

Series notes:

• The photos in this series are (usually) randomly selected from a batch of photos specifically “curated” for Exit78 Photo of the Day.
• Each photo in this series is an “original work” – a copyright term – of Michael Goad.

Exit78 Photo of the Day #133

Mossy Cave Trail, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, October 8, 2015 (Pentax K-3 II)

Mossy Cave Trail (Utah.com)

The Mossy Cave Trail in the northern end of Bryce Canyon National Park offers hikers the chance to experience up close the hoodoos and spires of the park without having to descend 1,000 feet to the bottom of the amphitheaters. This trail follows a stream that leads to a natural grotto, a shelter cave that looms protectively over the trail, bearing ice sickles in the winter and lichen and moss in the warmer seasons.

Trail Head: 37.666277, -112.10997
Trail Type: Hiking
Length: 1 mile round trip
Difficulty: Easy

Unlike the majority of the hikes within Bryce Canyon, this trail is not reached by turning south onto Highway 63. Visitors coming in from the west will pass that highway, and the main park entrance, and will instead continue for 4 miles as if they were en route to Tropic.

Mossy Cave Trailhead

The stream was artificially created by pioneers who needed to find an irrigation source for the towns of Tropic and Cannonville. The ‘Tropic Ditch’ has changed the geology along its course, creating an actual erosion-canyon, as opposed to the rest of the park’s canyons formed from frost-wedging.

Fork in the Trail

The trail forks just over a quarter of a mile in.

Right Fork (Waterfall)

This fork of the trail heads north, following the stream until it dead ends at a small waterfall.

Left Fork (Mossy Cave)

The left fork of Mossy Cave Trail swings southwest until it reaches the cave.

(Note: I am also posting photos in a series called Photography Now & Then at Haw-Creek.com)

Series notes:

• The photos in this series are (usually) randomly selected from a batch of photos specifically “curated” for Exit78 Photo of the Day.
• Each photo in this series is an “original work” – a copyright term – of Michael Goad.

Exit78 Photo of the Day #132

Heading west, our first stop is often a state park or Corps of Engineer park somewhere in Oklahoma.  We’ve stayed at Canton Lake’s Sandy Cove campground twice.

Sunset, boys at play on swim area marker rope, Sandy Cove, Canton Lake, Oklahoma, August 29, 2009 (Pentax K10D)

Sandy Cove (Recreation.gov)

Overview

Sandy Cove Campground is located on the north end of Canton Dam in northwest Oklahoma on the North Canadian River, just 2.5 miles from the town of Canton.
Canton Lake hosts a large number of campers, picnickers, boaters, fishermen and hunters every year, as one of few places in western Oklahoma to offer all of these activities.

Natural Features:

The campground is nestled in a woodland of blackjack oak and post oak trees, providing an excellent camping environment.

Recreation:

Canton Lake is known for its fishing opportunities, especially walleye fishing. The Walleye Rodeo fishing derby is held annually in May and draws thousands of visitors to the area.
The lake’s gently sloping sandy beaches are inviting for swimmers and sunbathers. Water skiing is popular on the broad expanse of water paralleling the dam, where winds are subdued.

Facilities:

Though none of the campsites are adjacent to the lake, Sandy Cove is a very popular destination. It offers 35 family sites and one day-use group picnic shelter, all with electrical hookups. Amenities include flush and pit toilets, showers, drinking water and a large swim beach.

(Note: I am also posting photos in a series called Photography Now & Then at Haw-Creek.com)

Series notes:

• The photos in this series are (usually) randomly selected from a batch of photos specifically “curated” for Exit78 Photo of the Day.
• Each photo in this series is an “original work” – a copyright term – of Michael Goad.

Exit78 Photo of the Day #131

Our first trip to Bannack, a former Montana territorial Capitol, mining camp, and  ghost town was in the late 70s, when we lived a few hours away in Idaho.  On that trip, we camped in the very rustic campground next to the town.  We’ve made our way back to Bannack at least twice since we left Idaho.  Today’s two campgrounds  next to the town are more modern and the ghost town is now a state park.

Hallway, Hotel Meade, Bannack State Park (ghost town and first territorial capitol), Montana, July 30, 2010 (Pentax K10D)

Hotel Mead (Spirit of the West – Montana Outdoors, July–August 2003)

The Meade Hotel is a Bannack landmark and one of the town’s most widely recognized buildings. Built in 1875 as the Beaverhead County Courthouse, it was an example of immense civic pride. Little expense was spared, and over the years much of its splendor—like the winding staircase, stately courtroom, and several big iron safes—has survived. Just a few years after the courthouse was built, however, the county seat was moved to Dillon, and the building was converted into a hotel.

Though no longer lodging guests, the hotel still attracts thousands of visitors each year. During special events, its old dining room rings to laughter and the clink of dishes as volunteers heap breakfast plates with biscuits, eggs, and ham.

(Note: I am also posting photos in a series called Photography Now & Then at Haw-Creek.com)

Series notes:

• The photos in this series are (usually) randomly selected from a batch of photos specifically “curated” for Exit78 Photo of the Day.
• Each photo in this series is an “original work” – a copyright term – of Michael Goad.

Exit78 Photo of the Day #130

Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, has the largest Amish population in the United States.  (Few Amish communities exist in other countries.) The Amish are among the fastest-growing populations in the world, with an average of seven children per family. Because of rapid population growth in Amish communities, new settlements are formed to obtain enough affordable farmland.

Amish Country, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, May 20, 2009 (Pentax K10D)

Amish (Wikipedia)

The Amish (/ˈɑːmɪʃ/; Pennsylvania German: Amisch, German: Amische) are a group of traditionalist Christian church fellowships with Swiss Anabaptist origins. They are closely related to, but distinct from, Mennonite churches. The Amish are known for simple living, plain dress, and reluctance to adopt many conveniences of modern technology. The history of the Amish church began with a schism in Switzerland within a group of Swiss and Alsatian Anabaptists in 1693 led by Jakob Ammann.[2] Those who followed Ammann became known as Amish.

In the early 18th century, many Amish and Mennonites immigrated to Pennsylvania for a variety of reasons. Today, the Old Order Amish, but also the New Order Amish and the Old Beachy Amish continue to speak Pennsylvania German, also known as “Pennsylvania Dutch”, although two different Alemannic dialects are used by Old Order Amish in Adams and Allen County, Indiana.[4] As of 2000, over 165,000 Old Order Amish lived in the United States and about 1,500 lived in Canada. A 2008 study suggested their numbers had increased to 227,000, and in 2010 a study suggested their population had grown by 10 percent in the past two years to 249,000, with increasing movement to the West. Most of the Amish continue to have 6–7 children while benefitting from the major decrease in infant and maternal mortality in the 20th century. Between 1992 and 2017, the Amish population increased by 149%, while the U.S. population increased by 23%.

(Note: I am also posting photos in a series called Photography Now & Then at Haw-Creek.com)

Series notes:

• The photos in this series are (usually) randomly selected from a batch of photos specifically “curated” for Exit78 Photo of the Day.
• Each photo in this series is an “original work” – a copyright term – of Michael Goad.

Exit78 Photo of the Day #129

The Devil Kitchen Picnic Area is just inside the south entrance of Colorado National Monument adjacent to Grand Junction Colorado.   It has numerous picnic tables in an open graveled area and a structure with two sheltered areas with tables out of the sun.

Devils Kitchen Picnic Area view, Colorado National Monument, Colorado, October 1, 2015 (Pentax K-3 II)

Devils Kitchen is a large rock grotto across the entrance road and down a 3/4 mile trail.

(Note: I am also posting photos in a series called Photography Now & Then at Haw-Creek.com)

Series notes:

• The photos in this series are (usually) randomly selected from a batch of photos specifically “curated” for Exit78 Photo of the Day.
• Each photo in this series is an “original work” – a copyright term – of Michael Goad.