Tractor

Tractor
Originally uploaded by gamp

I've been messing around with HDR photography. I don't like things to be too surreal, but some of it is cool.

Erik and I went exploring in the plains of Northern Colorado and came across a retired man name Leo that had 45 tractors in his yard. This is one of them.

We also explored the nearby town of Dearfield, which used to be an African American "colony". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dearfield,_Colorado


Incidentally we made an interesting discovery that a number of county roads are now private roads and you can be charged with trespassing for driving on them. This is disturbing to me. In this area the roads are apparently owned my Anschutz.

Zombie Cheerleaders

Zombie Cheerleaders
Originally uploaded by gamp

The Halloween party at The Bomb Factory in Denver featured many zombies and some cheerleaders.

Rooftop Snipers

Rooftop Snipers
Originally uploaded by gamp

Here we see some secret service snipers and spotters. These guys were visibile to everyone. At one point though a hidden sniper came out of a roof top to my right and pointed his rifle in my general direction. As soon as I saw him he walked back away on the rooftop. Maybe I look scary with my zoom lens. This is the Obama rally in Denver on 10/226/2008. I believe there were over 100,000 people there.

It snowed

I looked out of my door this morning and saw snow

Santiago Mill

Waldorf Mill
Originally uploaded by gamp

This is a part of Waldorf, Colorado - Ghost Town

Their are abandoned ruins, gold mining history, and one of the best preserved gold mining mills that is accessible (via 4wd)

other sites that discuss Waldorf:
home.comcast.net/~TommyPages/Waldorf.htm l
travel.webshots.com/album/554536618fuGnQ W
www.flickr.com/photos/carpeoreo/26025775 80/

The image here is an "autostitched" image created by combining multiple images of the site into one distorted cool looking and ominous photo.

More Belize photos, featuring the evil gutter crab! click click click http://ping.fm/hCpUI

Tonight's confluence park fire spinning pictures are up, rear curtain flash style http://ping.fm/zBakc

Tonight's confluence park fire spinning pictures are up, rear curtain flash style http://ping.fm/zBakc

Posted some photos from Belize, here is a photo and photosynth of the Jaguar Temple http://ping.fm/jTIED

Skaguay Revisited

3D Pelton Wheel
Originally uploaded by gamp

I went back to the skaguay hydroelectric plant, the abandoned power plant that is only reachable by 5 miles of the worst hiking I can imagine. This time I attempted to take the easiest and wettest route I could find, and it was much better and less deadly. I also went with another explorer, jmt3x. We got farther than I had before, going beyond the power plant up the hill through the tunnel, across a bridge that won't be there for long, and to the site that used to have a large trestle. I'm still sore from the trip, but hopefully I have some good photos to show for it. Pictured here is a 3D anaglyph of one of the pelton wheels.

first visit: http://redphone.blogspot.com/2007/07/skagway-power-plant-found.html

Cheeseburger Monument

I've been reading through Ramble Colorado by Eric Peterson and I came across a cheeseburger monument. Apparently one of the places credited with the first cheeseburger, and the place that got the trademark was the Humpty Dumpty Barrel Drive-In. It was also Colorado's frist drive-in. Louis E. Ballast trademarked "cheeseburger" on March 5, 1935. That's apparently the last that was heard about it. The site of the bbq and burger restaurant is now a key bank. You too can find the stone at 2776 N Speer Blvd in Denver.

Ramble Colorado: A Wanderer's Guide to the Offbeat, Overlooked, and Outrageous
New: $9.99 (47% savings)
Used: $6.99 (63% savings)
Rating: 0 of 5, review(s)

Jami and I

Jami and I
Originally uploaded by gamp

Jami came up for the weekend and we saw as much of Colorado as we could. Here we are near the Aspen visitors center at Rocky Mountain National Park. We also drove up Mt Evans, rode the motorcycle along the South Platte River, ate sushi at Fontana, pub fare at Tommyknockers, and crab at my house.

Apogaea 2008

Fire Kiss
Originally uploaded by gamp

I'm still uploading photos from this years Apogaea festival, but I think most of the best are already up. This one I've title "Fire Kiss" and is a silhouette of a Erica kissing another reveler while spinning flaming poi.

It was a great event this year, lots of people (not sure how many but hundreds, lots of dancing and fire, and what more could you ask for?

The Bohners also burned their whole shack front after the giant squid effigy was torched. Good times.

Destroying a car

The car the next day
Originally uploaded by gamp

At Apogaea this year, Colorado's regional burning man event, there was a camp called Metal Camp. Metal Camp appeared to mostly be sponsored by the Iron Anvil, a Denver steel fabrication and art shop. Well, they had an "art car" of sorts. No, it didn't drive. But what it did do was provide lots of entertainment.

They set up the car on a tarp and laid several tools of destruction around the perimeter. At first only one person was allowed to hack at the car at a time, but eventually pandemoniam took over. The tools included sledgehammers, a double headed axe, an about 60 pound gear on a swining pole, and a 100 pound splitting device.

On Friday the pounding began, and people took turns destroying the vehicle. At first I was napping in my tent and I heard windows shattering. I eventually made it over and learned the ways of the double headed axe. After trying to knock some car parts off I decided to make a nice cut through the bumper, then I went on the roof and did what I could to split the entire thing in half. It was then finished off with the 100 pound splitter. I also had some fun with the big gear tool.

The destruction actually continued into Saturday, when at some point some over ambitious people flipped the car, spilling gasoline into the pristine earth. This ended everyones fun.

Actuall later some people hacked at other parts and even a neighboring car. Joy!

If you head by the Iron Anvil on a first friday you may be able to break something smaller with these tools. Have fun.

Circle of Fire

Circle of Fire
Originally uploaded by gamp

Last night at confluence park there were more people in attendance than ever before. Dragon even made a speech about it. Unfortunately they didn't want to leave when the park closed at 11 and that could become a problem. Mostly the problem is with some new drummers who don't seem to care if neighbors complain, and in fact invited the police to come and stop them. So we may not have fire spinning at the park for long.

Mountain Goat

Mountain Goat
Originally uploaded by gamp

I rode up Mount Evans on my motorcycle and saw a mountain goat. Picture that, or wait, you don't have to because I also had my camera. I actually saw it twice, or I saw two goats. Once at the summit next to the bathrooms, then again at summit lake next to the, uhm, bathrooms. I think he liked the salt on the walkways. At one point he was charging down the path at me but then saw me and decided to pose for this shot.

Windsor Tornado Damage

Windsor Tornado Damage
Originally uploaded by gamp

Windsor got hit pretty hard with a recent tornado. This shows some damage near the daycare that made it in the news. I walked around town on May 25th and took some photos, although I had the camera set on the wrong iso (was set for fire spinning).

Here's some details about the tornado http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windsor%2C_CO
hit on May 22, 2008

Fire Spinning at Zoolander

Pyro Pixie
Originally uploaded by gamp

I got some great shots of (a fire spinner who wishes to remain nameless):edited at a little party called Zoolander: The Return of Mugato on Saturday. The party marks the return of the gog at the new gog which is called The Bomb Factory. It's also known as the former residence of ManiaTV.

This shot is another attempt at combining flash with the slow shutter photo to capture fire spinning. I think I'm getting better at it.

Also I had a significant number of girls that wanted to show me their boobs for photos. I'm not sure what it says about my ethics or taste but I can't complain.

Fire Spinning at Confluence Park

_IGP5034.JPG
Originally uploaded by gamp

It's getting warm and the fire spinners are back at Confluence Park in Denver again. Last week the cops showed up and stopped it, right when it was stopping anyway. Spinners have been practicing their art at the park for 7 years now, and have been featured on CNN national news, and the local Westword magazine. The spin poi, hula hoops, staff, darts, swords, and juggle. Luckily no cops showed up last night, maybe because it was Cinqo De Mayo and they were busy in other parts of town.

Last night I also tried some new techniques with a flash towards the end of the night, and had one ok photo as a result. (not this photo, this one is just ambient light)

Double Cheeseburger Spicy McChicken

Double Cheeseburger Spicy McChicken
Originally uploaded by gamp

Ok so the only interesting thing I've done in the past week was make and eat a double cheeseburger double McChicken sandwich. It was good.

It wasn't my idea either, it was inspired by a blog post http://groceryeats.com/2008/02/28/big-macchicken/