Sunsets and Camping

The sun was setting just as we arrived at our second campsite, causing me to end my phone conversion with my friend Melanie and quickly grab the camera (Melanie, being a awesome photographer herself, understands and will forgive me for the quick hang-up.)  Now with the first shots taken I begin to help Rick with the assembly of the tent and placement of the camping supplies when I heard a voice in my head. It was Chris, from our photo meetup group. In a previous meetup photo shoot he said, "that if you wait awhile after the sun sets you will be able to capture a even more beautiful sky with great hues of orange and red," and he was right. The second photo I took almost one hour later. 

Camping | Hot Springs, NC

A few weekends back I had the opporntinity to go on my first camping experience. This being the first time, I was not sure what to expect. I know, me camping, but I did it and found that camping was not bad at all. In fact, I found so much enjoyment and relaxation in it that I look forward to planing more camping trips. 

We went to the campground associated with the Hot Springs Resort and Spa in the NC mountains located in the town of Hot Springs. (They also have a nice resort with hot spring hot tubs located across from the campground.) Our camp site was located in a very nice shaded area between the French Broad River and the railroad, the river nice, the train loud at 2:00 am. Overall it was a very nice site with a picnic table and fire ring. The campgrounds had little cottages that one could rent, a couple bathhouses with a shower and bathroom, and of course port-a-potties in several locations. And I suppose you could go do a "county" behind any tree if you would prefer. Me, I walked to the outhouse with a flashlight. 

Nice shady site.

Our camp site.

Proof that I was really there, no photoshop here.

Mushrooms?

The French Board River.

Incredible vines near our camp site.

More incredible vines.

First camp site fire built by Rick.

Fire in the dark.

Train, need I say more.

The bridge to get you to the store with the coffee!

The bridge coming into Hot Springs, NC

The small river side quaint individual cabins you can rent.

The store that had hot coffee by 7:00 am!

Grapsus Grapsus | Red Rock Crabs of the Galapagos

On our second day on the Galapagos we spent the day on the Island of Isebela. We got to see many of the islands animals, the red crabs being just a few. 

With a little research online I found out that the scientific name of these red crabs is Grapsus Grapsus, and that they are also referred to as "Red Rock Crabs" or "Sally Lightfoot Crabs." These crabs have the incredible ability to walk on water,  jump from rock to rock and can climb up vertically.

First Excursion on Santa Cruz | Galapagos | Ecuador

Our tour guide called this excursion the "hard walk." A long part of the walk was on an ancient lava flow which had become broken over time. Our cautioned against anyone that would have trouble walking on very rough terrain not to come. The terrain was difficult at times and by the end of the day my legs were sore along with a strained right angle, but it was worth every step and the occasional twist of the ankle.

We started on a water taxi and this was the first to see.

First Blue Booby of the day.

Couldn't you just live here...

...and look out at this view all day.

A stay here is in order...

...with a nice stroll down this path.

Here are the first Black Marine Iguanas we saw and everyone stopped to take photos.

Here is the first and only blue heron we saw, had to take a shot.

Andi was here.

"Paradise" the bar.

"Paradise" seating.

The Black-Necked Stilt bird.

We made it to the top of the jumping off point.

Then we climbed down using the scary staircase in background. 

But all was worth it, just look at this water.

Las Grietas, "the crack", or where the younguns jumped off.

More of the Las Grietas.

Then we moved to the shark resting lagoon, only one shark was resting.

And so was one black marine iguana.

and I thought a close-up was in order...

ohh, nice sleeping iguana.

The trail leading back from the lagoon.

Hot Now!

I finally got to go in a Krispy Kreme donut store when the "Hot Now" sign was lit and have a donut, well two, but you get the point.

As we were coming to a end of our Chapel Hill photo shoot and walking down Franklin Street, with camera still in hand, I happened to see a light, a bright light coming from the right side of the road, could it be, yes is was.... Hot Now was lit and I was off running, I was about to get my first hot off the rollers Krispy Kreme donut!

I stopped outside to take several picture of the Hot Now sign and I guess it drew attention because once inside a guy asked me "if this my first time in a Krispy Kreme."

Anyway, the donuts were delicious hot and I should not be allowed in a Krispy Kreme store again.