Monthly Archives: March 2015

 

 

I made it into Tucumcari, NM today and I’m staying at the Blue Swallow Motel tonight!  Had a nice dusk sky and got a shot of the famous Neon Sign!  During the day I hit the mid-Point of Route 66 and made a couple of images below!

 

 

A few interesting things along the way!

 

 

Tucumcari is known for some great murals depicting Route 66 lore, here were a few of my favorites!

 

 

Well gang, I’m tired, more Route 66, The Mother Road tomorrow!!!!!!

 

 

Blessings and sweet dreams……

 

the pilgrim

 

 

Can’t wait to share my first day on the road with you, but FIRST, a big, big thanks to the great people of Peoria Camera Club!!!  I met so many great people and we really had a wonderful time at both the club meeting Friday night and the all day seminar on Saturday.  This was a really warm group of folks and they really made me feel welcome , and I really appreciate that!  So thanks again folks, you’re super!

 

Now today was supposed tone my travel day, and it was, 644 miles today from Peoria to Oklahoma City.  I did get a chance to shoot a few things related to Route 66, so let me share some of those images!  If I didn’t really expect to get much today, and I had this much fun, can’t wait for the next four days!

 

 

 

Sure hope you enjoy these, can’t wait to try it gain tomorrow!!!

 

Blessings

 

the pilgrim

 

 

Leg one is down, I’m in Peoria and I had great dinner with some of the club members, really nice guys, this is going to be fun!!!  Now I made a stop in Bloomington, Indiana to see my dear friend Jim Haverstock and he surprised me with a trip to local legendary burger place, Hinkle’s!  We tried to go to Hinkle’s once before an it was closed so I was anxious to get back to Bloomington and give it a try. Below is a great article bout this burger place which was founded in 1930!

 

Let me get right to the rating, but let me explain something first, over time I’ve started to classify burgers in one of two categories, thick patty burgers and thin patty burgers.  They are really different and it’s not fair to rate them in the same category!  Hinkle’s Burger is the new Number One Burger in America in the thin patty category.  You have to go to this great little place and try one of their juicy, delicious burgers!

 

Hinkle’s currently owned and run by Debbie Clark and her husband Gary,  Their two sons help them run the place and they treated us really nice!

 

Below is the newspaper article and a picture of their store front  I hope you can get buy sometime and try their great burger!  My advice, get the double, it’s fantastic!!!

 

 

 

The burger really was great, but having any meal with Jim is a great meal,  we had a wonderful visit and I will certainly be back at Hinkle’s with him again!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

Forgive me, but I’m gonna brag!!!  My bride slipped  this card into my luggage!   Without me knowing it.  Thanks sweetheart, me too!!!!

 

 

 

I hate flying, I hate airports, and I hate dealing with the TSA, and packing for weight and bulk and size….  solution!  Drive yourself!  There is something about seeing America at 60 mph as you drive through it, versus being at 40,000 feet above it, at 550 mph!!!  It’s the people, the  places, the weather, the fresh air, being able to take all the photo gear you want, a cooler full of ice, your favorite foods, and the clothes, you may not need, but what the heck, there’s room!!! A good book on CD, maybe some Ricky Skaggs tearing up the Mandolin, or light Jazz, wow, gonna be nice!  Finally got my iPhone 6 and so I’m good to go with bluetooth in the new ride.

 

Over the coming three weeks I promise to try and blog every day, and share where I am, and what I’m seeing, and photographing.  The subject matter on this trip will vary widely! Americana along Route 66 in Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.  The wonderful Nelson Ghost town near Henderson, NV (near Las Vegas), more Americana and antiques there!!!  My favorite National Parks, Arches and Canyonlands in Utah.  Spectacular vista like nothing else in the national park system!  Can’t wait!

 

What gear for this trip?  

Since I had the room I brought my Guru Gear Bataflae 18L loaded with:

 

2  Fuji X-T1 bodies (one with the Battery Grip)

 

8mm f 2.8 Rokinon Fisheye  (12mm equivalent)

 

10-24  f 4 Fuji wide angle zoom  (15-36 equivalent)

 

14mm f 2.8 Fuji wide angle lens  (21 equivalent)

 

 

23mm f 1.4 Fuji wide angle lens  (35mm equivalent)

 

18-55 f 2.8/f4  Fuji mid range zoom  (28-85 equivalent)

 

18-135 f 3.5/f5.6  Fuji Super zoom   (28-200 equivalent)

 

56mm f 1.2 Fuji telephoto lens  (85 equivalent)

 

60mm f 2.4 Fuji Micro lens (with three Fuji Ext tubes)  (90 equivalent)

 

50-140 f 2.8 Fuji telephoto zoom  ( 75-210 equivalent)

 

Nikkor 300mm f 4.5 IF-ED manual focus lens with Fuji adapter  (450 equivalent)

 

1  Fuji X100T  (In an extra 5XB Dome bag with chargers and spare batteries)

 

8 extra batteries for X-T1s

 

5 extra batteries for X100T

 

Two chargers for each camera type.

 

Cleaning supplies

 

Polarizers (Singh Ray) for all lenses except the Fisheye

 

 

Really Right Stuff TVC-33 Versa Series 3 Tripod

 

Really right Stuff BH-55 LR ball head

 

Apple Mini iPad for operating remote shooting App from Fuji

 

The Guru Gear is a trunk bag, to be worked out of,  When walking away from the car, I have both a Dome Vest and a Think Tank belt system, depending on how much I will be carrying.

 

I leave in the morning for Peoria, I’m ready and prepared, but please pray that I give them a great talk and seminar!  I’m happy to be brought in for them, and I want it to be a great experience for them!!!

 

I’m really looking forward to a couple of weeks with Jack out west,  shooting and having fellowship with my dear friend, and killer shooter!  I always shoot better when Jack and I teach together, he makes me get to the top of my game!  Jim Begley has the same affect on me, run around with great shooters and it will elevate y our game too!!!

 

Stay tuned and come along with me!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

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