Arizona Treks

Yesterday I went with a friend to Lost Dutchman State Park again.  It is so sad that they are closing the park this summer.  Seeing that most of the people there are volunteers it can not be that expensive to operate the parks.  It is probably a political move and I find that to be appalling, it seems that the government has forgotten the people who they are sworn to serve.  I can not see that closing these parks will help close the budget shortfall, there is a rumor that it will actually cost more short term to close them than to keep them open.  Raise the prices for entry, ask for more volunteers but do not close the parks "permanently" then patrol them to make sure the people do one enter their property.  It would not surprise me if the more influential people would be allowed to use the parks after they are closed.  Anyway, enough of soapboxing.

The weather was nice for this trip for a short time.  We took a short hike on which I carried the 5D and that is where this color photo came from.  The desert is so green now, I am hoping for a spectacular wildflower season.

After the hike, we set up our large format cameras and waited for the light.  Unfortunately there was a period of great light while we were hiking.  Regardless i made 2 negatives and the friend made 1 (he was using his 8X10).  The light was really nice but only lasted a short time.  We were hoping for some great light just before sunset but alas, a storm in Surprise obscured the sun and it was not worth making any exposures.  We left then but I am a little disappointed that we did not stick around for moonrise.  At the time it appeared the clouds would obscure the moon but on the trip back to the house I saw the moonrise and it would have been great.  Oh well, watch for the right weather conditions again.