Being that I am refused attendance on a desert peak climb, by my old peak climbing section club, and also refused his company on my carpool to Colorado fall colors, by the biggest peak bagging webmaster that I know, I expected to go on to other things. Photography and videography has long been my gist, and being out now of most major peak bagging, I had better go on to some of what I like to do. That my web creation software subscription is shortly due to run out of the year long contract that I had signed up for, and it looks that my web hosting agreement is costing me more money than it will ever pay back, I expect to post further on my free Facebook pages. I don’t foresee any big peaks, or hiking or travel trips, to be climbing and posting, with no partners or evermore anyone interested, and mostly I have done it all, or most road trips that I will ever do.
Near completely exhausted everyday now, I drag myself up to get to my computer, and check my e-mail, and the news. I subsist on caffeine to get me moving, and force myself out to get reading and food, with groceries. Doing a slight bit of yard work, I manage lately to walk a mile or so, to take photos, and see the neighborhood. It’s a miserable existence. Enjoying my tech, it’s about all the fun that I have now.
Friday night, though, I had completed upgrades to my OS software, using the golden master candidate, on all of my computers. Saving me perhaps some $500 of expense compared to other OS users, I will soon be getting even more free upgrades. I look forward to being able to go about with less worry about my watch.
So, I got up early Saturday morning, at about 5:20 a.m. Checking on the local event, the Great Reno Balloon Races, I saw that it was shortly away, to get there quickly, and an op to find out about a highly photogenic event. I had some food to be able to take my many pills, and motored off. Not so many times was I ever able to get going out of my home, so quickly. Mostly, I feel really lousy, and it is so hard to get moving to do anything.
Over to the main street along which the event occurs, I saw lots of parked cars, well away from the park by which the event is held. A few balloons floated ahead, with flashes of glow, in the pre-morning darkness. I got a parking spot along North Virginia Street, and started to walk along the roadway, southward. Other people were doing the same.
Coming then to Rancho San Rafael Park, I entered the area, and saw the event to the south. Hundreds of viewers were set up to gaze upon the attraction, and thousands more at the event grounds to the south, where the balloons were taking off. Deciding that this was a good spot to take my photos, I walked over for a good viewpoint. Plenty of people with chairs, and cameras.
Meandering over to the Evans Creek trailhead trail, I shortly got a nice spot, and started with my photos. Clouds in the sky to the east, and I took sunrise photos. The mass liftoff wasn’t till 6:45 a.m. Two balloons took off as the national anthem was sung, and then the sunrise didn’t glow real red, but I took photos anyway.
The balloons began to inflate, and then some began to lift off. I had all of my cameras, and iPhone, and shot away. My 300 mm telephoto lens came in handy, and I zoomed in on some of the better balloons. Others were playing, with plenty of children, and watched the event unfolding. Soon, balloons floated overhead and to all sides. I took out my iPhone, and shot many panoramas. The sun glimmered nicely orange in the midst of the array, and I sure was enjoying this! I made sure to capture the right shots, and then to use my other cameras. I did one video pan, then took back to stills, and then the event was getting to be over. I began to depart the scene, and others were leaving, too. Sauntering back to North Virginia, I took a few shots as I walked north back to my car, and noted the traffic situation. Not real safe for pedestrians. The Stead 7 bus drove on by, and stopped in front of me at a bus stop. Getting to my car, I managed to drive off.
On my way back home, I stopped to try to use my watch to get some food. It didn’t work, again, for the second time. It states to require a “double click,” which I did a few times, but then I had to get my phone to pay the food bill. Having the breakfast sandwiches, I got to the computer, making coffee, and the downloads took about an hour or so. I resolved then not to post them on Facebook, but to use my software for maybe my last time, if I don’t do a fall colors road trip.
Capturing 485 images and movie clips (1.04 GB, 1920 x 1080 pixels, 0:59), I walked maybe 1.69 miles over 1 floor. Spending 3.77 on food, I drove maybe 20 miles round trip, and didn’t pay anything for either parking or park entrance or event fees.
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