Mark, I have to give you some major kudos.
You have just described what sounds like one of the coolest observing trips
possible in the mid-northern latitudes.
The trip to OSP and back that you and your son did sounds a great deal like
the fantasy trips that I've envisioned many times. You've combined my
former(-ish) life and my present life.
In a previous incarnation, I spent many a moon roaming the desert areas of
eastern California, in a trusty 4WD or on foot. By 'desert areas' I mean
the mountain ranges of the greater Death Valley region. Grandview
Campground would mark roughly the NW-most part of my personal kingdom of
joy back in those days. It was centered on a mountain range called the
Panamint Mountains.
Living in the Bay Area, however, it's awfully darn hard to get across the
Sierra during a time of year when it isn't beastly hot over in those parts.
And with the cruddy weather we've had the last few years, I haven't had the
chance to spend many spring breaks over there, even though that's my normal
practice at that time of year.
But you guys headed up through northern Nevada, and it sounds like you beat
the heat to some extent, at least compared to the DV region. I'd also be
psyched to check out Steens Mountain sometime - I think there's a road up
there. Must be as dark as the inside of a cow up around that neck of the
woods.
I also want to throw in some kudos for taking your gear on dirt roads and
4WD trails. Those sorts of driving surfaces strike fear into the hearts of
most observers, and with good reason. (Witness several Willow Springs ORs,
for example) However your OR reminds me of one basic fact: If one can crack
the technical nut of taking observing gear into dirt-road terrain, it's the
next best thing to having a giant magical 'OFF' switch that makes
artificial lighting a distant memory. I'm surprised that more observers
don't hanker to get out into the hinterlands of the Basin and Range -
geezus, there's some dark skies out there. Makes all of our local stuff
look rather bright. I guess that a place like Shingletown or Bumpass is
about the best paved-road compromise to be found within a reasonable
distance. But, if we open up those lonely-highway and dirt-road doors,
there's some serious SQM numbers and NELMs to be had. Gimme a big lonesome
mountain range out in the desert, a dirt road up to its crest, some BLM
land or Forest Service land, the scent of pinyon pines and junipers, dinner
cooking on the Coleman stove, my therm-a-rest pad and sleeping bag laid out
in the back of my Jeep, a distant station coming in on the wireless, and my
Obsession all set up and ready to go as twilight deepens. Oh lordy, a
recipe for paradise pie! Only the SoHem could match it for red-lining the
fun meter.
Sorry, I'm all fired up by this OR. As far as NoHem trips go, I can't think
of a more kick-ass observing trip. I'm hankering to get out there into the
good 'ol creosote-bush and pinyon-juniper country right now! Thanks, Mark,
for an OR that pushed all my buttons. Good times!
Marek
-- What TAC's Mailing List Is About http://www.observers.org/Join.shtml Interested in WebCam, DSLR or CCD Imaging? http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TAC-imaging/ To Sub-scribe or Unsub-scribe from TAC http://seds.org/mailman/listinfo/sf-bay-tacReceived on Wed Sep 6 01:47:39 2006