10,000 hours

Last weekend I made some wet plate images at the David Davis Mansion in Bloomington.  It was a hot weekend! Saturday was in the upper 90's with a heat index of 110. Sunday was a bit cooler, in the 80's with a heat index in the 90's. It was a challenging day, but I was able to make quite a few nice images despite the heat and humidity. Luckily I was able to tap into my "wet plate knowledge bank" to correct for a few errors here and there, and keep the process moving along both days.

Author Malcom Gladwell wrote in his 2008 book titled "Outliers: The Story of Success" that one needs 10,000 hours in order to be successful. This "10,000 Hour-Rule" describes practicing a craft until you have mastered the task.

One place where I have had my practice time is in wet plate collodion photography. It has been a fantastic journey of learning chemical compounds, the art of pouring plates and also making adjustments on the fly for variables in the process.

The back of my dark box I made in 2007. A big wind storm picked it up and flipped it over a few years back and I lost all the chemistry (including the silver bath all over the place, hence the stains). A lot of plates have come out of this dark box over the years.

I've taken wet plate images in 100+ degree heat and in below zero temperatures. At living history events, on the side of road, in a few cemeteries and inside historic homes. Even with all this experience the process can go from stable and perfect to out of control and crazy at the drop of a hat. Sometimes multiple issues happen at once and shooting needs to stop while diagnosing the issues.

I'm not writing this to talk about how fantastic I am, I am writing this for those out there that are in the beginning or middle of your own 10,000 hour journey. Maybe you are just starting in a new career, or learning a new skill set at work. Of course this may seem daunting at first; just keep working at it and learning a little bit at a time. After a while some of it will stick, the newer stuff will make sense, and you will become an expert in your area.

Photos of Alex Timmerman taken about 20 minutes apart in Bloomington. He moved slightly in the first image so we took another 1/6 plate in the same location. A 2 second exposure in semi overcast open sun and 14 second developing.

I look back on the plates I made 12 years ago and the images I am making today. The learning curve has been steep at times, but so rewarding now that I can make wet plate photographs the way I always wanted to. Stick with it! It will be o.k. Make mistakes, learn lessons, try something new. We are only on this planet once, why not go after those things you always wanted to do and try them out!! 

Day 9 Home at last

We woke up early in St. Louis to get our last two sites in before heading home. We also woke up early because of all the hotels we stayed at -this one was simply the grungiest, scariest most awful place in the three years we have been traveling for family vacations. I could write a lot more about it but I will not let it overshadow the great time we had in St. Louis.

Our first stop was the St. Louis Zoo. We got a tip from the hotel clerk (see silver lining) to park on the street to avoid the parking fee. We found a spot about two blocks from the entrance and made our way through the gate and into the park.

We made it early enough to feed and pet the sting rays. It was a fantastic experience! The rays are in a shallow pool and you can gently pet their backs or feed them shrimp, fish or squid. The kids had the chance to feed them and it was great watching their faces when the rays took the food from their  hands. The outside of a stingray feels like slippery leather as they pass gently under your hand.

We walked the zoo and visited the insect house (of course Kalli's favorite) the Herpitarium (snakes and reptiles Logan's favorite) and other indoor and outdoor exhibits. I had the chance to see my favorite animal, the okapi in the Red Rock exhibit. 

We had lunch at the zoo and then drove over to the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (The St. Louis Arch). We purchased tickets online the night before and this guaranteed we would have a spot. This was through the recommendation of my friend Doug Harding who is a park ranger at the Arch. I had a chance to chat with Doug as we waited in line to go to the top.

We took the north tram up to the top. Four of us in a round pod straight out of the 60's with swivel plastic chairs and a clear door to view the superstructure as we made the four minute journey to the top. Cool to me, a bit disconcerting to Kalli and Logan. 

The top was crowded, but we had a chance to take some photos from the apex 630 feet up. We made a selfie and transmitted it through Facebook while at the top. The technology we have is amazing btw, to capture images and trainsmit instantly. We returned on the south tram on a three minute trip to the bottom. 

We walked to Arch visitor center which is also the Old Courthouse. A beautiful building which started construction in 1816 and was completed in 1864. Can you imagine what this building would say if it could talk after viewing all the change in downtown St. Louis?

The Courthouse was decorated in bunting and 33 star flags in the rotunda and it was an amazing site to see. A perfect ending to our family vacation.

We were so close to the 4000 mile mark we drove a bit past our house to get the even number on the odometer. The car pulled in the driveway with 4000.1 miles. We visited eight different states  from the plains to the mountains, arid desert and back to the Midwest. Hiked three national parks (Arches, Canyonland and The Grand Canyon). Visited three National sites - Petroglyph National Monument, The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial and the Oklahoma City Memorial. Changed and replaced one tire in Utah. Rode some original parts of Route 66. Visited Mark Twain's home. Ate  picnic lunches in amazing places and overall had moments together that will last a lifetime. It was a fantastic family vacation. I am sad to see it end......

Day 8 St. Louis Missouri

We started out day in Edmund outside of Oklahoma City with a hearty breakfast at Waffle House. We haven't been to a Waffle House since our 2013 trip when we had our first Waffle House experience in Virginia. It was fantastic and a great way to start the day.

I had a chance to meet up with Mark Zimmerman who lives in the Oklahoma City area. In 2007 Mark and I traveled to New York together to visit John Coffer for the annual wet plate jamboree. It was nice to meet up with Mark again after all these years.

Mark led us on a trip down Oklahoma State Route 66 which follows the old Route 66 roadway. The newer road is wider and closely follows or overlaps the the original road, with pieces of the original road still driveable. We traveled a short stretch of original road outside of Arcadia. We also found pieces to drive on along the way as we meandered the state road from Oklahoma City to Tulsa while avoiding the 4 lane interstate.

Abandoned Route 66 roadway next to present day Oklahoma Route 66.

I am big on living history, and it was interesting to drive on the actual original roadway. It is narrow and wanders tighter curves than our modern roads. The concrete where visible is lined with white concrete on either side of the road. I have nostalgia for these pieces of roadway but can clearly see how this narrow wandering road needed to be upgraded for large vehicles and interstate travel. 

In Tulsa we were snapped back into reality. Bumper to bumper traffic with trucks and congestion as we crawled through town. The trip was diverted to state roads due to an accident on I-44. We hit Missouri and had multiple delays with five different accidents on the highway. Two were really bad, with one parking us on the highway for an hour. The worst traffic of the trip was today- go figure. 

We traveled through the heart of Missouri and made one last stop at the Uranus Fudge Factory in Uranus Missouri.  Fudge packed in Uranus! Talk about a great business!! After a day of stressful driving it was a welcome diversion. They just opened their business a few weeks ago on the historic Route 66 roadway and will fit in nicely with the past and present attractions along the road.

Tonight is our last night of vacation. We are staying in St. Louis and will be visiting the Arch and St. Louis Zoo tomorrow. Mileage should be over 4,000 miles for the trip. It is sad to be almost done but it will be nice to sleep in our own beds tomorrow!

Day 7 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

We woke up in Albuquerque, NM to a beautiful sunshine day. We packed up the car and headed to Petroglyph National Monument. The visitor center is the anchor for three different locations of petroglyphs in the surrounding residential area. They provide a map to find the parking areas tucked away between houses and gas stations and fence lines.

We visited two of the three Petroglyph canyons: Piedras Marcadas and Boca Negra. The petroglyphs are chiseled into the sides of volcanic rock that is left over from a lava flow 200,000 years ago. The images are thought to be as old as 2-3000 years ago by early native people. Others are younger (4-700 years ago)  and made by newer native people, Hispanic explorers in the 1600's and explorers in the 1800's.

There are some 20,000 images created on the lava flow rocks in these three areas. Some are easy to see while others are harder to find. 

After visiting the Petroglyphs we headed out of Albuquerque. The city sits in a bowl and is visible from

The highway east and west and from the surrounding hillside. It was typical city traffic and I was glad to get back on the highway away from big cities.

New Mexico looks like a blend of Arizona and Utah. Some cliffs and red soil, cactus and scrub trees. As we traveled east the grasses started to take over the rocks and cactus. We crossed the top of Texas and the landscape changed again. It suddenly became very flat and trees started to enter the landscape. Next came crops like wheat and corn and livestock grazing.

Texas turned into Oklahoma and we felt most at home so far. Oklahoma looks like a Midwest state. It could be Illinois or Iowa if you didn't know it.

We stopped at the Oklahoma City Memorial downtown before heading to the hotel for the evening. It is an amazing memorial, dedicated to the victims, survivors and rescuers of the Alfred P. Murrah bombing on April 19, 1995. It is dramatic especially at night. 

A busy driving day, but a fantastic journey. We are at about 3,200 miles for the trip and have seen so much. Sadly the Route 66 gas stations and attractions that dried up when the two lane through town shifted to a four lane road dot the landscape. We wondered what Rt 66 must have been like to travel in  it's heyday. The I-40 eastbound rest stop in Clarendon, TX was not only the cleanest rest stop I have been to, but an amazingly well done tribute to Route 66.

Day 6 Albuquerque, NM

This morning we woke up in Valle, AZ had a crazy overpriced  McDonalds breakfast just outside the park and then spent the late morning and early afternoon on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. It was beautiful with blue skies and cool temperatures as we stopped at lookout points, gift shops, and hiking spots to see the canyon.

The canyon is amazing. I imagine a helicopter trip overhead would be fantastic. Or possibly a hike or trip to the canyon floor to see the Colorado River Rapids would also be pretty cool as well. 

Wednesday seemed to be the best day to visit. It was noticibly empty even when comparing to the day before. We never had to wait for a parking spot and the lookout points were also fairly sparse. It was nice. 

I stopped at a Navajo stand just outside the park and picked up a beautiful turquoise pendant shaped like the state of Arizona. I like simple settings and not the more complicated jewelry set with silver etc. This pendant is just perfect.

The rain we saw in the distance came over the canyon just as we were finishing our last lookout point. It rained from early afternoon and followed us off and on as we traveled south to Flagstaff and then on I-70 East. We saw a lot of lightning on the plains and mountain tops.

A quick side trip to Windslow, Az to visit the "corner" mentioned in the Eagles' song "Take it Easy" and a pit stop for dinner and another for gas were our only diversions in our five hour drive East.

Arizona changed into New Mexico as night was falling. It was dark most of the way through until we reached Albuquerie at 11:00 pm. Mountain Time. This is the first of our three day drive east going home with our next leg an eight hour jaunt from Albuquerie to Oklahoma City. We will be up early tomorrow :) 

Hopefully you take mercy on my writing. It is usually done after long days in the sun and long drives in the car. Tonight is the latest we have traveled at night. As I wrap this up it is 11:30 pm MST and 12:30 am CST. We are on the march eastward towards home, unfortunately. 

Day 5 Valle AZ

We woke up and made the Richfield, UT to Zion National park in about 2.5 hours. While approaching the park we started seeing warning signs for full parking lots and full shuttle parking as well. It was crazy. As we approached the park, traffic was heavy. Cars were parked nose to tail and shoe horned in every cubby hole on either side of the road for miles leading to the entrance. After a fairly quiet two days in Arches and Canyonland this was a shock to the system. We made the executive decision to abandon the overcrowded park before we even entered and headed for the Grand Canyon instead.

A quick four hour or so drive (lol) through lower Utah and upper Arizona brought us to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Complete with construction in the middle of absolutely nowhere!

Arizona is an amazing state.  It starts out with scenery much like Utah. As we traveled further into the state the plains opened up and the buttes and mesas became the anchors in a vast rolling hillside of red soil, rocks and scrub trees and bushes. 

After climbing from about 5000 to 7000 feet we found ourselves smack in the center of the Kaibab National Forrest. Sparse trees and groundcover gave way to tall pine trees and the lush smell of pine needles. Temps cooled by 20 degrees and there was a whispering sound as the wind came through the pines on the hillside.

We plunged back down to 5000 feet and encountered what I always thought would be Arizona landscape. Dry, arid and hot with barren plains and high cliffs. It was mesmerizing. 

This lasted until we made the climb into the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The Kaibab Forrest was back along with cooler temps. The entrance on Rt 64 is about 24 miles from the visitor center. We drove and parked, stopped to get our passport book stamped, took in the canyon as the sun was starting to set and then left for the day. 

We are resting tonight about 20 miles south of the park in Valle. Tomorrow we will be up and finish our tour of the park and then start our journey home.....

Day 4 Richfield, UT

We had an unexpected stop in Richfield, UT today. We are about 3/4 of the way to Zion National park. I ran over something on I-70 and it blew out the left rear tire.  We will be getting it fixed in the morning. Meanwhile I am doing laundry and blogging while Tracy is with the kids downstairs as they get a chance to swim in the hotel pool.

We woke up in Moab, ate another crazy breakfast at the hotel and then headed for Canyonlands National Park. 

Utah is one of the most amazing states I have ever visited. The landscape changes constantly with every turn of the road. The terrain, colors, sky, weather change constantly and vary greatly.

A photo of the "Monitor" and the "Merrimack" my Civil War tie for the trip.

We hiked a one mile rim hike at Grand View Point. It was a nice morning hike which ended with us all having a snack at the end of the rim overlooking a panoramic canyon viewpoint from 8000 feet above. One heck of a family picnic.

We stayed on the Island in the Sky portion of the park which with a few side trips in the car is about 40 miles of driving. We hiked 6.25 miles today, with some uphill and semi challenging terrain to navigate. 

Oh the views! From the hiking trails to the pull off areas the views were spectacular. It was almost surreal being so high up and looking so far into the canyons below.

All in all between Arches and Canyonlands we have hiked about 18 miles. Total car miles from Illinois is sitting at around 1,700. As mentioned above Utah is an amazing state and the drive from Canyonlands to Richfield has been everything from mountains to valleys, forests to dry desert and every hue and color imaginable in the rocky landscape. I can't wait to see Zion tomorrow!

Day 3 Arches National Park

We woke a little after 7 am, dressed, had some hotel breakfast (which was absolutely nutty with all the July 4thers eating before heading out of Moab) and headed for Arches National Park. While hunting for a radio station I found the Morman Tabernacle Choir, a fantastic accompaniment to the scenery around us.

We visited The Badlands last year and had a taste of what a park like Arches would be like. It is, however, simply breathtaking. The scenery is so bold and colorful with mountains, rock formations and the clouds overhead all competing for your attention.

The morning was surprisingly cool with thunderstorms the night before bringing a cool front to the region. It was highs in the low 70's as we started hiking in Park Avenue Viewpoint and Trail. 

Temperatures didn't stay cool - they were nice and toasty in the 90's by the early afternoon. We took advantage of cool spots under juniper trees and in canyons where the rocks are cool and comforting. After six hours of hiking and driving we took refuge from the heat and headed out of the park.

We did a little sight seeing and a little shopping in downtown Moab. We stopped for gelato at a local coffee shop and sat a spell under the veranda outside. I had coconut chocolate chip which was simply fantastic!

After our break we returned to Arches to see the park at sunset. It was overcast with storms coming in over the mountains but we decided to go anyway.

We drove to the Delicate Arch trailhead. It is the arch used on the Utah license plates and on their welcome signs at the state borders. We heard it was beautiful at sunset so that was our destination. 

The trail was 1.5 miles straight up 480 feet of elevation over some very tricky rock face areas. Nothing unnavacble but some rocks to stretch to get footing and a sheer drop ledge to walk up at the end of the climb.

With the sky still overcast I was anticipating a pretty dull greeting at the top of the climb. Just as I rounded the corner of the last leg of the climb I was greeted by yellow streaks of sunlight breaking from underneath the clouds! Quickly I and about 80 people of all different nationalities picked up their phones, cameras and started taking pictures for the few moments the sun lit the arch. It was fantastic!

We climbed down the 1.5 miles as the sun set behind the mountains and dusk set in. It was almost completely dark by the time we reached the parking lot. A fantastic way to end a fantastic day.

All in all my fancy phone recorded 27,528 steps with 65 floors climbed and a total of 11.47 miles. A great day at Arches.

.Day 2 Moab, UT

Today was the second day of our adventure. We left Salina, KS after a hearty red, white and blue pancake breakfast at IHOP. We drove westward on I-70 through the central and western part of the state. The landscape changes dramatically. Greenery gives way to arid soil with short grasses and sparse shrubbery.

At the 31 mile mark before the Colorado border Joe Walsh's "Rocky Mountain Way" came on the radio.  Western Kansas gave way to eastern Colorado and the landscape remained mostly the same. The only telling feature were the  large white clouds building on the horizon signalling mountains are soon to come.

About 60 miles outside of Denver I started getting the worst altitude headache. The rest stop where we ate lunch said we were at over 5000 feet in elevation. No wonder - this flat lander isn't used to it. Luckily it was short lived and went away shortly after it came.

We drove through Chicago like traffic and construction as we navigated through Denver. Once past the city we started the slow climb through the mountains. My little four cylinder car struggled mightily with a full car load, the air on and the thermometer showing 100 degrees. We made it though, twisting and turning through the mountians. It was quite the workout!

I have never been on the western side of the Rockies and they are quite different than the eastern side. The rock formations, vegetation and landscape all point to the arid desert we were about to encounter on the western side of Colorado.

This is a stop we made at the visitor center in Georgetown, CO about 40 minutes from Vail.

After a few gas stops and a few stretches of the legs we entered Utah. Wow! This is an amazing looking landscape. We hit a few thunderstorms as night fell making the last few miles "interesting" to drive in. Mostly due to the roads easily filling with standing water, sheets of rain, rainbows, wind, and beautiful horizon lit mountian formations.

Just after crossing the Utah border.

We are resting in Moab after a 786 mile journey today. Glad to get a shower and soon some sleep. We need to prepare for some hiking on Sunday in the National Parks! 

Day 1 Salina, Kansas.

We started our summer vacation journey on July 3rd, leaving home and traveling 580 miles for our first overnight in Salina, Kansas. After about 12 hours total time on the road (with gas and food stops) we are calling it quits on our journey west.

We stopped for a bit in Hannibal. Missouri to see a few of the Mark Twain sights. Unfortunately the town was packed for an annual festival weekend. We walked around town and vowed to return on a weekend this fall when it isn't so busy and crowded.

We walked to the Mark Twain Memorial Lighthouse. It is 54 feet tall, 200 feet above the Mississipi River and 244 steps to visit. There are names carved and written on the side of the light house.

Downtown Hannibal is quaint mixed with tourist stores and shops. When it isn't wall to wall people it will be a fun place to explore.

Missouri is lush and hilly with corn and bean fields mixed with livestock and fence rows. Kansas starts out the same but transforms into vast rolling hills of grass and sparse trees. Heards of cattle look like dots on the hillside as they freely roam the hills and valleys. The sun was setting and the shadows excentuated the shapes and lush green colors of the horizon filled landscape.

We are roughly 6 hours or so from Denver. I look forward to rolling hills of grass giving way to the Rockies! We will be traveling through Colorado tomorrow. Wondering what our 4th of July adventure will be like this year? We shall see tomorrow.