Random Post - MyShadowProductions # 95

 Hi everyone!

Like the heading says, this is a “random post”. No, it’s not a blog about a “random post” in a fence line somewhere, but that might be an idea for a future adventure? Kind of like a man outstanding in his field :)

Actually, while I was looking into and learning how to Upload one of my longer movie/videos onto YouTube I happened upon some videos about a guy visiting all 77 provinces in Thailand. His name is Paddy Doyle and I believe he is from Australia? (Ireland/England?? edited 4/24/22) He taught English (Home Room, edited 4/24/22) for a few years in Chumphon and Chiangmai before starting his trek by small motorcycle to visit all 77 provinces, which he just finished. I believe it took him about 55 weeks.

Here is a map of Thailand’s Provinces: (the ones I visited outlined in red)

When I was there I visited about 13 of the Provinces during one trip or another. The ones I visited were (In no specific order):

Singburi, Lopburi, Saraburi, Ang Thong, Ayuttaya, Chonburi, Rayong, Mahasarakham, Khon Kaen, Bangkok, Chai Nat, Chiangmai and Roi Et.

Anyway, his YouTube videos just caught my interest and for me were easy to watch and enjoy (different than my experience with other YouTube vloggers).

I want to share a link (below) to his most recent video as he celebrates the “finish” of this journey. He does a great job of mentioning all 77 Provinces in his summary with an appropriate snippet of video. It might take a few views but maybe you can spot the Provinces I listed above as he summarizes. If you are at all interested in his videos, I highly recommend googling Paddy Doyle YouTube videos and watching as many as you can.

Now for the end of this “random post” you can watch the video that Paddy Doyle posted to celebrate the conclusion of his journey, just CLICK HERE!! (Be patient with the ads and click “skip ads” when you can to make sure you see all of his video)

Hope you enjoy it!!

Steamboat Springs - MyShadowProductions # 94

Hi everyone.

Well, it didn’t snow but it was windy and cold on Tuesday so it was kind of a screwy day to explore. I think Steamboat in the Fall is probably very pretty because there are a lot of aspens everywhere and other trees along the Yampa River. Tubing or rafting is probably fun in the summer as well as fly fishing. The Yampa River is fast flowing and fairly wide.

I am definitely disappointed that I wasn’t able to experience skiing on the snow here that has been compared to Utah’s snow at Alta, but that is due to waiting so long in the ski season :)

The moose and elk around here really aren’t shy about posing for photos!!

Did you notice this photo in the previous post’s movie/video? Verrrry large stockpile of harvested pine tree trunks from trees killed by the pine beetle. It appeared they were processing them and making pallets.

Here are a couple of movie/videos created from my photos:

                         Happy April !!

Steamboat Springs - Ski, Hike, Explore - MyShadowProductions # 93

Hello everyone!

Sunday afternoon I took the Bustang Outrider bus from Denver’s Union Station to Steamboat Springs. The route is I-70 West to US 40 with some stops in Idaho Springs, Empire, Winter Park, Fraser, Tabernash, Granby, Hot Sulphur Springs and Kremmling. After Steamboat Springs it goes on to finish at Craig, CO.

It is a little over a 4 hour drive and the bus is very comfortable. The scenery changes quite a bit over the journey, wide valley vistas, sheer cliffs, switchback roads, briefly follows the Amtrak rails, some barren, high desert like areas, evergreens and snow, deer grazing (their colors of light tan blend in perfectly with the sagebrush) and the not too appealing small mountain towns mentioned above. Also goes through the Arapaho and Roosevelt and Routt National Forests.

The bus crosses two passes, The Berthoud Pass and Rabbit Ears Pass (covers several miles of road at near 10,000 ft and has both an East and a West summit). Oh, and my hotel is named after the pass, Rabbit Ears Motel (very nice, family owned hotel, well located in Downtown Steamboat Springs and steps away from the bus stop for a trip to the Steamboat Ski Area).

The bus arrived in Steamboat Springs a little before 7:30 pm and I decided to walk the approximately 1 mile to the hotel along the Yampa River Trail. Believe it or not, they have sunsets in Steamboat Springs too :)

Here is a short movie/video of the bus trip and walk to the hotel. Not the best of photos, oh well:

This morning, Monday, the sun was out and I made it to the Ski Area, got my rentals and was on the gondola around 9:30 am. Sometimes the early bird doesn’t get the “worm”, he gets hard snow (icy) conditions and what felt like no control, on a green run mind you. The long green run down from the gondola is named “Why Not”, sounded good to me but by the time I reached the bottom my knees and ankles were done. Never had this happen before. I talked to one of the lift guys and he said things would “soften up” around 11 am but the longer I waited it just felt like it was best to surrender and live to ski another day :)

I did get some photos on the “run of the day” just for the record:

After lunch the clouds are moving in and the weather report is calling for wind and snow tonight and tomorrow so it could get interesting. With that in mind I am going to explore for the rest of the day and see what tomorrow brings when the sun comes up.

I will head back to Denver on the bus at 7 am on Wednesday.

Oh, on the way here, there are some yellow signs with black lettering along US 40 about every 5 miles or so that advertise for a store called F. M. Light and Sons in Steamboat Springs. I think it is a store for rancher/cowboy clothes and supplies??

One of the signs said “Use your head when buying a hat”

Fair warning, I will hopefully have some interesting photos from this evening and tomorrow to share later.

Adios for now.

P. S.

I have been playing with making some longer movie/videos with the iPhotos albums and the “Memory Video” tool and then uploading them to YouTube. Normally these would be too large to upload on Blogger but by going through YouTube first I can then download on the blog. Plus the iPhotos “Memory Video has better music selections.

Try this test video and see what you think??

 https://youtu.be/kGLM_mIc0uI

Boulder - Hike Red Rocks and Anemone Trail - MyShadowProductions # 92

Hello again, Happy March Madness time :)

Started today’s adventure here waiting for a bus to Union Station, I skipped the Golden Arches :)

I decided to get out of Denver for the day so I took the Flatiron Flyer (aka bus) to Boulder. 

I “walked” west down the Pearl Street Mall to The Peoples’ Crossing:

From there I “hiked” the Red Rocks and Anemone Trail. It seems that I had the same kind of idea about a year ago, click here for MyShadowProductions post #32 on March 4, 2021.

Here is the AllTrails map for the hike:

If you look closely to the right and center of the map, there is “Mork and Mindy House”, didn’t know it was filmed in Boulder?? Click here if you are interested in the Mork and Mindy trivia :)

Here are a few movie/videos created from my photos:

In the video you may have noticed several areas with a lot of downed and scorched trees. From what I could find out, there was a fire there at the end of October in 2010.

Also in the second movie/video is this photo:

A paraglider !!

In Boulder, panhandler line of the day, “Hey man, you got an extra dollar? I am saving up so I can go to Amsterdam, there’s gonna be a nuclear war here!”

Also, saw a couple of unique signs:

Read the sign behind it too :)

               Well, it has been great blogging with you again!

              Happy St. Patrick’s Day Week !!

            Or, Happy National Pi Day 3/14 or even better 3.14 :))

MyShadowProductions #91 - Puerto Vallarta South Beaches Hike

Buenos dias on my last full day in Puerto Vallarta:)

Found my way around a large outcropping of rocks at the end of Playa Amapas and was able to hike about 2 miles to the south along some very impressive beaches and rocks.

On the hike I bought some shrimp on a stick or as the guy said “you want shreemps?” Also had what I call a Mango Bonito, a carved mango on a stick with lime juice squeezed on it. The guy I bought it from had a Bulls hat, I told him I was from a city 3 hours from Chicago. As I walked away I heard him tell his amigo that I was from Chicago, lol.

Google photos will show you where you took photos on a map, see the photo below for 2/22/22 photos:

 FYI, if you want random children and adults and seniors to break out in short disco dances, drive down the Puerto Vallarta Malecòn on your fancy gold bicycle with a boom box playing “Staying Alive”. Again, I failed at the photo opportunity, one hand was full of a cup of homemade vanilla ice cream and the other hand had the all important spoon :)

I saw a news article headline that said Van Jefferson (plays for LA Rams I think) chose an appropriate name for his new son born during the Super Bowl.

My immediate thought is that he named him “Mini”. As in, Mini Van Jefferson, lol. Luckily Van and his wife chose Champ.

Here are some random photos from today:

                     Nice, modest church near my hotel.

                            Amazing vine structure!

They have pipes in Mexico too!

Got it framed literally around the corner from hotel for 175 pesos, a little less than $9 US :)

Just got my COVID Test for the flight home, literally around the corner as well.

The following movie/video is the Isla Rio Cuale area in Puerto Vallarta Centro. It is a funky, cultural and seemingly under appreciated area but is interesting nonetheless:

Last sunset for this trip, wanted to get a sunrise photo but just couldn’t find a good spot, maybe next trip?

                               Thanks for visiting the blog !!

MyShadowProductions #90 - Puerto Vallarta Day Trips

Buenos dias a todos!!

Catching up on some movie/videos created from my photos on several Day Trips from Puerto Vallarta :)

Jardín Botánico de Vallarta, Vallarta Botanical Garden:

The next movie/video is Playa Mismaloya, Mismaloya Beach:

Up next, San Sebastián del Oeste, a Pueblo Magico about 1.5 hours east of Puerto Vallarta in the Sierra Madre Mountains:

These photos are in the movie/videos but they have been catching my eye and just wanted to share again :)

Photo above and below are “Bathroom Signage” at the Botanical Gardens. The NCAA sure could use this information!!

Have a great day! Buen Dia!

MyShadowProductions #89 - Puerto Vallarta 19 Feb 2022

Hola!!

Maybe it’s just me but it seems like there is a sunset every day :) This one happened last night:

Took a day trip today to Yelapa, a village only accessible by boat (Internet says there is one very rough path for quads and four wheeled trucks?) 16 miles south down the coast from Puerto Vallarta. Took a Water Taxi (+/- 30 passenger boat) from Los Muertos Pier in Puerto Vallarta. The cost was $400 round trip. Before you say What? Is he crazy? That’s 400 pesos or about $20 US dollars, $10 each way for an exciting and scenic 45 minute boat ride in the Bahia de Banderas (Banderas Bay). By the way, I haven’t seen Antonio anywhere.

                           Bought ticket here

Luckily we missed the canon fire from the Pirate Ship!!

Along the way we passed Boca de Tomatlán where I started the hike last Tuesday and the beaches like, Playa Colomitos, Playa Los Animas and Playa Quimixto and several others in between.

Yelapa, to me, was a little strange/unique/hard to explain vibe. Ownership of land is limited to indigenous people and that definitely influences the “development” and “layout” of the village. The hills/mountains and jungle and rocks and waterfall have influences too! I read on the Internet that Jack Nicholson, Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper rented a house there in the 1960’s, that probably explains it all :)

The water taxi arrived at the pier about 11 am and would leave at 4 pm for the return trip, leaving 5 hours to explore. (Did you check my math? Lol)

I am going to let the photos speak for themselves, here are a few movie/videos created from my photos:

The shrimp tacos were really good with the guacamole and chipotle salsas :)

The art on the curvy wall appeared to be painted by school children? Maybe just recently or the paint and supplies have been left there for affect?

This workbook shows some of the planning:

In hindsight I should have found and taken a photo of that scene on the wall, duh! I did get the horse’s ass part in this photo??

More to come mañana !!