Pierce Brosnan as a burned-out hit man meets up with Greg Kinnear's struggling business man. It's a 90 minute movie, by the 30 minute mark, no characters were developed and the plot had not progressed past Pierce and Greg meeting in a Mexican Bar. We turned it off at that point (hence a 20 second review instead of the full minute). Life is too short to be bored by a movie that hasn't started by the 1/3 mark.
0 out of 5 stars.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Hot Weather Escape
With temperatures headed into the 100's, we needed a plan. And the plan was a morning hike to Sweet Creek Falls, south of Mapleton, and then onto the beach to cool off.
The hike to the lower falls was nice and easy. The info we had said that after the lower falls, if the water is low you can cross the creek and continue to the upper falls. We got to the lower falls, took some pictures, then went onto the overlook for the lower falls. From there we took the steep "trail" thinking it would turn back upstream and we would cross above the falls. Well, that "trail" was so steep were were scrambling on hands and feet until we got to a pretty washed out section. We decided that descretion was the better part of valor and that we didn't want to have to pay for a medivac helicopter to come fetch one or both of us.
As we headed back past the bottom of the falls, I looked across the creek and noticed what looked like at trail on the other side. I crossed and sure enough, I was right. With only a little more difficulty, Kim and the dogs made it across. We continued on to the upper falls.
By this time the day was hot and we were tired. We took the road back, along which we saw the renegade melon, pictured.
After lunch at a pub in Florence, we headed to the beach where we found wind, fog, and very cool temperatures. Apparently when the weather is hot in the Willamette Valley, the air rising sucks cool air off the ocean and makes for a cool windy day at the beach.
We spent about half an hour on the beach, letting the dogs chase the floats. After that, it was time to head home and, ironically, warm up.
The hike to the lower falls was nice and easy. The info we had said that after the lower falls, if the water is low you can cross the creek and continue to the upper falls. We got to the lower falls, took some pictures, then went onto the overlook for the lower falls. From there we took the steep "trail" thinking it would turn back upstream and we would cross above the falls. Well, that "trail" was so steep were were scrambling on hands and feet until we got to a pretty washed out section. We decided that descretion was the better part of valor and that we didn't want to have to pay for a medivac helicopter to come fetch one or both of us.
As we headed back past the bottom of the falls, I looked across the creek and noticed what looked like at trail on the other side. I crossed and sure enough, I was right. With only a little more difficulty, Kim and the dogs made it across. We continued on to the upper falls.
By this time the day was hot and we were tired. We took the road back, along which we saw the renegade melon, pictured.
After lunch at a pub in Florence, we headed to the beach where we found wind, fog, and very cool temperatures. Apparently when the weather is hot in the Willamette Valley, the air rising sucks cool air off the ocean and makes for a cool windy day at the beach.
We spent about half an hour on the beach, letting the dogs chase the floats. After that, it was time to head home and, ironically, warm up.
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Proxy Falls, Oregon
Proxy Falls are located on a .8 mile trail accessible from the Old McKenzie Highway (Hwy 242) in Oregon. Both Upper and Lower Falls are beautiful, the Upper falls especially so because of many cascades.
I packed up the dogs, my camera, and my tripod and headed out to continue my attempts to get a good waterfall picture. The secret, I am told, is to get there before the sun does. I doubted that would happen, but I decided to try anyway. Much to my surprise, when I got to the overlook of the Lower Falls, the sun had not broken into the valley where the falls flow. Of course, in the ten minutes it took me to get set up, the sun broke over the trees, creating glare and the high contrast I was hoping to avoid.
As I was taking shots, a family hiked past. A girl asked me "Are you a photographer?"
"No," I said. "I'm just a guy with a camera."
With only minor difficulty, I hiked down to the bottom of the falls to take more pictures. There I ran into a real photographer who was doing a story for an outdoors magazine. I assume his pictures turned out better than mine.
After the Lower Falls, I went to the upper falls. I got a few good shots there (see picture), but had to back away when another group with a dog showed up and decided to stay for a beer and a smoke. Shasta, didn't much care for their dog and proved too much a distraction to allow for photography.
I took the dogs back to the car, hiked back to the upper falls, got a few pictures (you know, about 100), then headed back home via the Dee Wright Volcanic Observatory and Sisters.
I packed up the dogs, my camera, and my tripod and headed out to continue my attempts to get a good waterfall picture. The secret, I am told, is to get there before the sun does. I doubted that would happen, but I decided to try anyway. Much to my surprise, when I got to the overlook of the Lower Falls, the sun had not broken into the valley where the falls flow. Of course, in the ten minutes it took me to get set up, the sun broke over the trees, creating glare and the high contrast I was hoping to avoid.
As I was taking shots, a family hiked past. A girl asked me "Are you a photographer?"
"No," I said. "I'm just a guy with a camera."
With only minor difficulty, I hiked down to the bottom of the falls to take more pictures. There I ran into a real photographer who was doing a story for an outdoors magazine. I assume his pictures turned out better than mine.
After the Lower Falls, I went to the upper falls. I got a few good shots there (see picture), but had to back away when another group with a dog showed up and decided to stay for a beer and a smoke. Shasta, didn't much care for their dog and proved too much a distraction to allow for photography.
I took the dogs back to the car, hiked back to the upper falls, got a few pictures (you know, about 100), then headed back home via the Dee Wright Volcanic Observatory and Sisters.
Monday, July 10, 2006
Lost in the Mail
I came home yesterda and this was in the mail. From the size and weight, as well as the addressee, I could tell it was a Christmas card. You gotta love the Post Office, 7 months to return this. Later I was looking at it again and noticed the post mark was from 2000! Apparently postage was 33 cents back then. I opened it and read our annual letter. It's about as exciting as this blog. Oh well...
So today, Kim called me at work and said, "Guess what came in the mail today."
I took a couple of stabs at what it might have been and then she told me. The The 2001 Christmas card we sent to the same people! This is just too odd. Our best guess is that the people who were living at the address where our friends used to live are moving and were cleaning out that desk drawer. At any rate, the 2001 letter was less exciting than this blog, which tells you it must have been a slow year!
So today, Kim called me at work and said, "Guess what came in the mail today."
I took a couple of stabs at what it might have been and then she told me. The The 2001 Christmas card we sent to the same people! This is just too odd. Our best guess is that the people who were living at the address where our friends used to live are moving and were cleaning out that desk drawer. At any rate, the 2001 letter was less exciting than this blog, which tells you it must have been a slow year!
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Salt Creek Falls
Salt Creek Falls (in this picture) was formed by a lava flow into an existing valley. The distance from top to bottom is 262 feet. There is a sign on the side of the creek about fifty yards from the falls warning about dangerous falls ahead. Seems like an understatement to me.
On Saturday, Kim and I packed up the dogs, three bottles of water, and a pound of cashews and made the hour and fifteen minute drive to Salt Creek Falls. We did the 3 mile loop trail from there to Diamond Falls, which if not as spectacular, is just as pretty. Once we hit the trail, the mosquitos started hitting us and the dogs. A little bug dope kept them at bay from us, and we kept moving so they wouldn't have too much of a chance at the dogs. For the first half of the hike, we moved in and out of mosquito pockets. They left us alone for the second half.
I took a boatload of pictures at Diamond Falls, but the sun against the bright water against the dark background of basalt and pine trees made for too much contrast, even with the polarizer. Hence, no posted pictures.
On the way back we stopped a DQ for burgers and a Heath Bar blizzard which almost put me in a diabetic coma. All in all, a good, if warm, hike.
On Saturday, Kim and I packed up the dogs, three bottles of water, and a pound of cashews and made the hour and fifteen minute drive to Salt Creek Falls. We did the 3 mile loop trail from there to Diamond Falls, which if not as spectacular, is just as pretty. Once we hit the trail, the mosquitos started hitting us and the dogs. A little bug dope kept them at bay from us, and we kept moving so they wouldn't have too much of a chance at the dogs. For the first half of the hike, we moved in and out of mosquito pockets. They left us alone for the second half.
I took a boatload of pictures at Diamond Falls, but the sun against the bright water against the dark background of basalt and pine trees made for too much contrast, even with the polarizer. Hence, no posted pictures.
On the way back we stopped a DQ for burgers and a Heath Bar blizzard which almost put me in a diabetic coma. All in all, a good, if warm, hike.
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