Snow and rain: fire indices plunge. Is the season over? (DIAL-UP WARNING)

[DemoTex]

It is cold and wet in central Oregon. The fire managers are sending firefighters home from some of Oregon's big fires. It will take very low RH's to get things going again (and lightning). Might happen, but I doubt it. Looks like six more weeks of tedium.

But I'll read, write, and take new photos. Looks like I'll have a gallery showing in Atlanta later this year. I'm working on my portfolio.

Check out these cityscape photos of Bend, Oregon (some awesome stuff here).


This great woman came around the corner on her bicycle as I set up in the middle of Minneapolis Street. She apologized and offered to move out of my camera range. "Please ride straight down the middle of the street," I said. "PLEASE!"


A padlocked speakeasy-like bar called the "Mate Bar" by the sign. No one I know has ever seen it opened.


Popular counter-culture alley in Bend



Late night coffe scene in Bend






BTW: I'm on "off days" in Bend. Going back out to the lookout tower tomorrow morning. But we are back on normal duty hours, so I can sleep in at the hotel until about 6 AM.

[depakid]

1. Don't bet on it

The region is well known for extended Indian summers which can coincide with Chinook winds.

[DemoTex]

2. I would never bet on it - or relax my guard.

In fact, we have a slight chance of lightning later this week. But the ERC (energy release component) is really too low for sparse lightning to do much fire-wise. But things could change later in September.

[Wilms]

3. Wonderful images. I must ask.

What camera are you using? :)

[DemoTex]

5. Canon EOS 5D Mark-II

These images were shot with a 16-35mm f2.8 wide-angle zoom on a Manfrotto tripod still rig. I used the 2-sec timer to keep camera shake to a minimum. The camera raw images were light enhanced in PhotoShop and white balanced to about 3500-degrees (IIRC).

[Wilms]

9. A really good tripod is a really good thing.

And so analog!

[nosmokes]

4. Thanks.

[lunatica]

6. The photos are amazing

I love them. What a picturesque place. I really like the one where you're outside and take the photo of the inside of the eatery. And the Lone Pine Coffee Roasters is excellent. They're all very good and have something interesting which I don't usually notice in photos. That's your presence. As if you're part of the story. It's like you're on the outside looking in at these images but not attached to them. Like you're reacting and documenting these scenes without anyone knowing you're there, except me, the person looking at your photos.

Interesting. Did you have any idea your photos of this town had such an effect?

[DemoTex]

7. Some of the local professional photographers are amazed.

Maybe it is the outside eye. Who knows.

[Arctic Dave]

8. Somedays, I wish I were you. ;)

[pinboy3niner]

10. They are pretty awesome, Mac

It looks like it will be an interesting show.

You and Nick get a good night's sleep. Sounds like you'll need it to apply your creativity during the slow days in the tower. At least the firefighters should get a break for a while...

[stevedeshazer]

11. Thanks for the great pics, it ain't over.

Betcha there's one more jag of 90s in the next couple of weeks.

But it sure has been a wet spring and (relatively) wet summer in the Northwest.