Wow!

The last two portrait sessions were awesome! More fun times photographing great families and making memories. The colors of the foliage this fall was better than expected. The photo shoot in Letchworth with the Johns family was very colorful late in the afternoon the sun lighting up the trees and fallen leaves.

This past weekend was a rainy one. I recently made arraignments with the Kindred Ground Farm owners Tammy and Jim Anderson (where we get our Community Sponsored Agriculture vegetables all season) to use their barn. They recently began renovations to make their barn into an event location to handle parties, wedding receptions and other events. It's a gorgeous barn with wonderful ambiance to do a photo shoot and honestly, spectacular lighting.

 I can see doing lots of shoots here, inside and out!

Photo Shoots

Had a busy day today.

A great portrait photo shoot this morning, lots of fun with a wonderful family. I can do yours too...

And a fun photo shoot this afternoon with a friend testing out his new "toy". It's not just all portraits...

Have another family family portrait session scheduled for tomorrow afternoon in Letchworth State Par, should be fun!

Perfect Fall Day

I had a meeting this morning in Geneseo and then wanted to drive into Rochester. It was a perfect fall morning, sunny but crisp. I parked on Main Street, thought I'd let Rosie soak up some local flavor while I was at my meeting. She's quite the attention getter, I always get some comment, usually, "oohhh a Mini, cute car!"

How perfect, a spot in front of Kelly's

Headed to Mini of Rochester to introduce Rosie to her new Dr.'s office, it looks just like the dealer in California so she was pretty comfortable.

Got some floor-mats while I was there so her carpet stays nice and clean, they're perfect, made just for her model.

And of course, since it was such a nice day, a wash and dry with some tire dressing. She looks nice in the fall foliage all clean and shiny.

Edits

Now that I've been home for a bit I've had the opportunity to go through the hundreds of photos I took over a two week plus time period.

I hit the ground running as they say, getting all situated at home, I had photos to edit from a family portrait photo shoot I did just before I left and I had business portraits scheduled for Wednesday. I also worked at the Courthouse and my buddy Cliff was in town on Friday night to do a benefit comedy show and I always help out by doing some photojournalist photos of the show for both him and the benefit group.

I'll be posting some of the edits from my trip occasionally.

You just have to live and life will give you pictures. - Henri Cartier-Bresson

"Tobacco Sky" from Joshua Tree National Park

Rosie's New Home

There she is, liking the comfort of the garage! Marcea drove her and her first comment was "oh my". I did decided to make Aunt Julie an offer which she accepted. She commented that she was going to be watching to make sure I took good care of the car.  I have a cover for my HHR which is now in the driveway relinquishing it's spot for the little Mini.

Home Sweet Home

Left on September 25. Got home yesterday, October 6.  Visited with a great friend and his wonderful wife in LA, got to experience midnight Sheriff's patrol LA style, and see the sights in the LA area. (Thank you Cliff and Alba!) Traveled through the Mojave Desert, checked off two items on my bucket list, Joshua Tree and the Grand Canyon National Parks. Experienced traveling the length of the United States from California to Geneseo NY. Received a wonderful welcome home from the love of my life (who missed me very much, almost as much as I missed her...). Two weeks on the road, 3101 miles, 89.15 gallons of fuel, 34.7 mpg @ avg. speed of 70.46 mph. Gotta see if Aunt Julie will cut me a deal on buying Rosie...

Rosie Cooper's Lament

Today I drove from St. Louis Missouri to Mansfield Ohio. Rosie and I got our first taste of rain together, she really is of English stock, (her manufacture point was Oxford England.) While she likes warm weather, windows down, radio on tooling around, she is also fond of cooler weather and rain is certainly not an issue. She's also liking the 91/93 Octane fuel I've been giving her at the suggestion of the service technician at Ontario Mini in California. The manufacturer recommends it and it's obvious why. They also state she'll get better mileage as the higher octane will not clog the throttle body and cause her to use more fuel. It's a trade off to the increase in cost. She's getting 37 miles per gallon average, and let's just leave it at that I'm not babying her.

This will likely be my last post regarding the trip I've been on.  I'm only five hours from home and honestly that's why I've driven several long days. Home sounds good right now. While the sound of Marcea's voice on the phone is comforting, I'd love to see the smile that goes with it. The trip has been amazing, any time you can have fun completing a task it s win win situation, throw in a couple of checks off the bucket list and that's a complete success.

Finally, my Mother-In Law Connie, Marcy's aunt Christy and Marcy's sister Pam have all weighed in on Rosie's and my escapade. These blog posts have been actually a way for Aunt Julie to see how her car made it from California to Geneseo. So it's actually fitting that they all exchanged these emails. I leave the "California Trip" postings with them, first Connie then Christy's response and finally Pam's.

Dear Abbie, I need your advice. My mother picked me out specially, added the goodies she wanted and really loved me. I was happily sitting in a comfortable covered space in Los Angeles, minding my own business, helping my mother get around the busy city and then my life changed. I woke up one morning in the Los Angeles Sheriff Department parking lot. I had done nothing wrong, I promise. I stayed there for a couple of weeks, it was OK, no one bothered me. Then this big guy arrived and we drove away. I got a bath which was fine as I had gotten a little dusty but then we started driving and driving and driving. We were in some new and interesting places, lots of rocks, beautiful cloud formations, cacti everywhere.  We also found some good places to eat and I think the guy who was driving found some beer joints along the way.  One day we were on Route 66, my mother talked about this highway often. It seemed as though we were covering a long distance but I was enjoying the ride, my driver and the cool music we found along the say.  I spent a lot of time parked on various motel parking lots but it was nice to get a rest. Now I have found myself in this small community where the tree are strange colors, not like California at all.  The red head has turned me over to this place and I am sure I will be well taken care and loved but I will miss my mother and California. Is there any way I can make this adjustment easily?

Dear Rosie,
My advice to you is to settle into your new home in a beautiful valley with a river running through it.  The big guy and his lovely wife will treat you well, I am sure, with regular baths and some much needed waxing (on all your parts!!)  They will drive you to some pretty places where more food and alcohol is served and even to a golf course or two.  You may have to live outside for a while until suitable living quarters can be arranged, but fear not!  You will beloved and pampered in a true Cooper style. Enjoy the change in weather and seasons and even the snow!  Yes it is beautiful and white and will coat everything, even you.  Then comes spring in the northeast and it is a beautiful time.  Flowers blooming, birds chirping and gardens to be planted and tended.  The summer will be the best time for you, California girl, as you will get to go to lakes and vineyards!!!  So, for now, enjoy the beautiful fall weather and the changing trees and temperatures.  You are now an east coast gal!
 Love,
Abbie

Dear Ms Cooper,
We regret to inform you that your mother has retired to Florida.  It is time to spread your wings and choose a new path. 
Affectionately,
Life
PS:  Your mother wants you to keep your tires rotated and call her.

Tulsa OK, to Collinsville Illinois

Well, another long day of driving. Started at sunrise and made it through St. Louis Missouri before finding a nice Double Tree in with a Porter's Steakhouse on premises. I believer that trumps Buffalo Wild Wings which was last nights dinner, tasty, but a steak and a class of bourbon may be calling my name.

The scenery is starting to look more like home. The vast expanses of desert and rock have given way to rolling hills and green trees, some of them changing colors. The classic rock stations of California which gave way to Latin stations in New Mexico and Arizona have given way to oldies and Country stations in the area I just passed through. It has been an interesting experience to travel through areas I've never been to and seen the different people and cultures.

Enjoy the photos from today. Tomorrow, more eastbound and down.

Sunrise in Tulsa OK

Besides wanting everyone to notice I was observing the speed limit, notice how straight the road is ahead!

Welcome to Missouri

Great mural at the Missouri Welcome Center and the friendliest so far on the trip!

Scenery changes

Yup, there's the arch, looks just like it does in the pictures.

Livin' On Tulsa Time

Nothing today except driving. Wanted to get a big chunk out of the way. Left Santa Rosa at 7:30 and got to Tulsa OK at 4:30, but that includes a time zone change, so it was 8 hours of driving. 537 miles through New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma. 
Rosie is resting in the Parking lot and I'm gonna go get a bite to eat.

Eastbound in New Mexico

Old route 66 sign at rest area

The rest areas in Texas are nice!

I couldn't' resist the Tulsa Time reference, the song has been going through my head since Tulsa started showing on the road signs.

("Tulsa Time" is a song written by Danny Flowers. Don Williams recorded and released it as a single in 1978. "Tulsa Time" would be Don Williams' eighth number one on the country chart.  Eric Clapton also recorded "Tulsa Time" for his 1978 album Backless which was later featured on his live album Just One Night.)

Williams AZ to Santa Rosa NM

Well today was pretty much just a driving day, so not too much to post. I did stop at Meteor Crater in AZ, it is Meteor Crater the most well known, best preserved meteorite crater on Earth. Meteor Crater is nearly one mile across, 2.4 miles in circumference and more than 550 feet deep and is the result of a collision between a piece of an asteroid traveling at 26,000 miles per hour and planet Earth approximately 50,000 years ago. Once again something pretty cool to see in person.

After that it really was just a whole lotta nothin'.

I did see some amazing scenery after I crossed into New Mexico.  Interesting how the geological landscapes changes.

First view of New Mexico

And some interesting events along the way,

Where'd our trailer go Shaggy? (Look at the side of the truck cab)

There it is Scooby, how'd that happen?

Glad I'm not on that side!

Look! A mirage!

Anyway, Rosie and I are comfortable here in Santa Rosa, tomorrow Amarillo Texas.

The Grand Canyon

Well, not very often do you get to complete two things you've always wanted to do in three days. Today I visited The Grand Canyon and it is that for sure. I left early, it's an hour drive from Williams where I'm staying, I got to the Canyon at 8:00 AM. I spent the next four hours traveling the South Rim. I took the blue line shuttle to the red line at the recommendation of the Ranger at the Visitor Center. She was right, the vistas are spectacular.

Not many people when I got there but by the time I got back to Rosie in the parking lot it was packed. If anything I can say in the difference between Joshua Tree and The Grand Canyon is that there were fewer people at Joshua Tree and it's VERY much less commercial. No hotels or lodges or banks or restaurants, just the environment. Not to take away from the grandeur of the Canyon, just an observation, and honestly they're bot spectacular in their own right. Do not miss either if you get the chance and are a nature person.

Made the drive back to Williams and decided to grab lunch/early dinner, it was about 2 ish my time so I decided to take a tour of downtown. Made the turn onto Main St. and it was like Rosie said "stop here they have food for both of us!" An old gas station converted into an Italian Bistro with wood fired pizza and more.
Alas, Rosie waited patiently outside longing that the pumps were still operable. (Me too, at 13.8 per gallon!)

Had a great lunch of a meatball, (yes, "A" meatball, the size of a baseball), Mama's Spicy with Homemade Marinara, and a ceasar side salad with Flat Tire Amber Ale from New Belgium Brewing Co.

Tomorrow I head east on Route 40, starting early, gonna see where the day takes me, I have no other "must" stops on my way home.