More Than Rain......

Apart from all the rain we are getting at the moment, we are also getting some lovely conditions with fleeting light and great clouds, and even rainbows.
On Friday afternoon I was out around the Mt Egerton area and caught this set that showcases the great opportunities seemingly around every bend.


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Clunes Falls

As you all know I am a huge waterfall fan, and on Thursday I had the opportunity to add another waterfall to my local collection. A few years ago I was told about one just north of Clunes ..... I've been waiting this long to capture it as it only flows after very heavy rain. The main fall is well over 10 metres and there are some really nice lower cascades adding to the whole picture. The second image here gives you an idea of the lovely setting for this waterfall...looking down into a lovely gorge that makes its way to the Tullaroop Creek. 
Many thanks to Stephen for allowing me access....the image he showed me from a few weeks ago had a huge amount of water flowing....hopefully I may still get a chance to see it flowing like that if we can get the forecast rain. 
I have another waterfall I'm hoping to get to next week that only flows after heavy rain.......I'm sure there are more out there so please let me know if you know of any hidden gems in the district.

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Getting Back to Normal

My first full day back home on Wednesday gave me a range of images, starting with a nice sunrise at Lake Wendouree and a chance to get airborne again, and then this image of what may well be the first new set of cygnets this year.
Later in the day I re-visited Peerewur Falls at a friends place out at Bungaree where the water level is twice what it was just a few weeks ago. Well worth clicking on this for a larger look, too!
You are going to be seeing plenty of water in the next few weeks as I re-visit all my favourite spots to capture what has now become, after last nights rainfall, the wettest September on record.


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I'm Back.......

I'm back in Ballarat after another great successful USA trip. 
I thought I would start this post with a couple of images from the trip. The first image here is from what may be a new all-time favourite waterfall that we visited - the 198 feet Palouse Falls in Eastern Washington. Just a State Park, this location far exceeded anything I was expecting after seeing many images online for years. An incredible landscape of granite split by the Palouse River, a spot I would love to spend 12 months exploring. 
The second image is from Glacier National Park in Montana where I spent an evening playing around on the Lower MacDonald River...another great location that would be worth many visits. 
Locally, knowing the amount of rain we have had locally whilst I was away, and plenty more to come over the next few days, I was keen to have a look around and made a trip to the East Moorabool River near Ballan where I was shocked to find that the waterfall I was planning to capture in full flow was actually totally submerged! So I had to settle for a couple of cascades on the river. I think it will be quite some time before the water level drops at this spot, and should make for some interesting images as we head into summer.



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Mt Rainier Glory

I'm sitting here in Los Angeles waiting to board the flight home to Australia after another great trip. One last image to share before I get home as a follow up to my last post from Mt Rainier. As noted in that post, we didn't get to see the mountain that first couple of days, however on our last day when we drove in to the park we were treated to a magnificent view of this 14,000 foot mountain in all its glory. We got to do a very nice hike as well this day which offered some fantastic views of the mountain. 
Our last full day was spent with friends in Los Angeles in temperatures close to 100 (38) as the famed Santa Ana winds blew into the city. Not expecting this sort of heat when we get back to Ballarat!
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Mt Rainier Moods

With just a couple of days left before we head home, our last major port of call has been Mt Rainier National Park in Washington. We were last here 7 years ago, and this time it delivered seem fantastic atmospheric conditions. These 3 images start with our first end of day when some incredible stormy skies kept me busy...the blues here are quite amazing! Shortly after this the fog came in really heavy and all looked lost for a sunrise of any note. Nevertheless I was up early on the banks of Reflection Lake for what turned into the best sunrise of the trip...and one of the best of all our trips. Once again the weather turned quickly into a very wet day, with a touch of snow. However these conditions produced some great images as we drove through the park. I have many more to go through, and we do have another day in the park tomorrow before flying from Seattle down to Los Angeles for one last day and night before flying home....and planning the next trip!


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Still Number One

We have just spent 2 days camping in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, and once again this park confirms its ranking as my No. 1 USA National Park...and that's after five visits!
A couple of images from the amazing Midway Geyser Basin that is one of the most amazing places on this earth...it's always a thrill to experience the power of this place.
As always on this trip I'm running out of time to get a couple of images posted...however, i do have some of the most amazing erupting geyser images I'll get to very soon...like I said our 5th visit, and still getting incredible images!

The Wild Wild West

On Friday we arrived in Cody, Wyoming for another book signing at the local "Legends" bookstore. And the local radio station turned up to interview me...all very flattering! Cody is famous for its connection to Buffalo Bill, and the whole town is well known for its western feel. The signing went really well, and afterwards we had a chance to go for a hike along the Shosone River canyon, just a few miles out of town. One of the amazing things about the USA is the incredible landscapes you find in between the National Parks...and this is one of them. On the way back to the car we came across this rattle snake catching some late afternoon sun.... yes, I kept well back!
Today we head into Yellowstone National Park for 2 days camping and we have been told the bears are quite visible at the moment...we have our bear spray ready to go!

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Montana Marvel

Many days and miles have past since my last post.......here's a very quick post from Montana. We have been up north for about 5 days and have visited North Cascades National Park in Washington and then onto Glacier National Park in Montana. Some amazing scenery that I will share in more detail when I get home as camping really takes up a lot of free time and also with limited internet access.
I know Ballarat district has been getting very heavy rain  and all the waterfalls will be booming....however, things aren't too bad here in Glacier National Park on the McDonald River from a couple of nights ago......the late evening golden sunlight reflected off the rocks added a very nice highlight to this scene.
Off to Cody, Wyoming in the morning for a book signing before heading into Yellowstone National Park (my favourite!) for a couple of days camping...I'll be back soon!
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Sequoia and Ventura

It's amazing how little time you seem to have when travelling....just finding the time to prepare and post a few images always feels like a rush!
Since the last post we had a very successful book signing in Three Rivers, the gateway to Sequoia National Park. Two different people bought 4 books each...including an 87 year old lady that was so excited to get the book after reading about it in the local newspaper!
We've just arrived in Ventura on the coast after a couple of days in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Early tomorrow morning we head over to the Channel Islands National Park and are really looking forward to spotting some humpback whales on the one hour ferry ride across to Santa Cruz Island.
This group of images shows a couple from Sequoia National Park, where though it was very sunny and clear the whole time there, I still found some interesting views along the Kaweah River, and the last one here was just around half an hour ago underneath the Ventura Pier.


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Catching Up in California

It's been a few days since my last post....and after 3 nights camping we are now in Three Rivers California with some wifi access. 
I did another talk at the Mono Lake Visitor Centre in Lee Vining the day after the first one and once again it was a great success. We are getting great feedback on the book and the talks .... almost overwhelming when someone comes up to you after the talk to get a book signed and says how nervous they are to meet me!
We spent 2 fantastic days and nights in Yosemite National Park and our opinions of this park have risen higher after seeing 2 sections of the park that have been closed on previous visits due to snowed in conditions. 
A few bits n pieces in this range of images......
1. The Bookstore at the Mono Lake Visitor Centre
2. Mono Lake Early Morning
3. The well-named Rainbow Falls at Devils Postpile National Monument
4. On the Edge - me at Taft Point, high above Yosemite Valley
It's Saturday afternoon here in Three Rivers and we are just about to head off for a book signing and wine tasting event. The organisers of this event have put us up in a lovely 2 bedroom unit overlooking a golf course....and its a very pleasant 30 degrees as I write this sitting on the verandah....mmmmmmm.....I think I could get used to this!



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Snow Time

It's been a while since my last post. We had a fantastic snow event last Saturday here around Mt Roland and Sheffield and of course I wa...