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The Colors of Yellowstone National Park

by Brian on October 15, 2012 in Travel, United States, Wyoming

Abyss Pool, West Thumb Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Amazingly vibrant color, more than any other single thing, is what puts Yellowstone in a league all by itself. For some unknown reason, though, the park’s collection of frequently erupting geysers gets most of the attention. Old Faithful, it seems, is as much a national landmark as the overexposed giant heads of Mount Rushmore. But seeing a column of water burst from the ground like an ordinary city fountain is every bit as exciting as it sounds. Having to wait 90 minutes or more to actually see one makes it decidedly less so.

The Otherworldliness of Yellowstone National Park

by Brian on October 12, 2012 in Travel, United States, Wyoming

Ignorance truly is bliss.

To say that we were ignorant about what we’d find at Yellowstone National Park is a bit of an understatement. We knew the park contained a geyser called Old Faithful but not much beyond that. We assumed, given its close proximity to the adjoining Teton Range, we’d mostly find more of the same at Yellowstone: alpine lakes, mountains, and rugged natural beauty. What we found, instead, was like nothing we’d ever seen before.

Hop-a-Palooza

by Brian on October 10, 2012 in Food & Drink

Crafty brew-crafters long ago discovered that increasing a beer’s alcohol and hop content also considerably increased its shelf life. A useful discovery for Imperial Brits trying to concoct a brew stout enough to survive the long journey from England, around the Horn of Africa, to its subjects in India – all without the aid of refrigeration. More recently, Americans have discovered a seemingly insatiable taste for this highly hopped style now commonly referred to as India Pale Ale.

My first introduction to the beautifully bitter American IPAs came in the early 1990s via California brewer Sierra Nevada. For years their Pale Ale was not only my beer of choice but was also the only IPA I could find on east coast shelves – and then only in specialty shops and bars.

Soon, though, Sierra was everywhere and so too were IPA drinkers. About a decade after my Sierra conversion I got a taste of what was to come when I discovered Dogfish Head’s hoppier, and more expensive, 60 Minute IPA (first brewed in 2003). Shortly thereafter, all hops broke loose.

Mormon Row, Grand Teton NP

by Brian on October 8, 2012 in Travel, United States, Wyoming

Grand Teton National Park John Moulton Barn Mormon Row

John Moulton Barn, “Mormon Row” Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Around the turn of the 20th century Mormon settlers established 27 homesteads in the shadow of the Teton Mountain Range in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Today, six building clusters remain and are preserved as part of Grand Teton National Park’s “Mormon Row.”

An Amateur’s Guide to Better Vacation Photos

by Brian on October 5, 2012 in How To, Travel, Travel Tips

You just get back from the most amazing trip and rush to download the hundreds of photos you took only to discover – Meh. I’ve done it. I still do it. Although these days I’m doing it far less often.

Taking great photographs doesn’t need to be complicated. In fact, today’s cameras are so user friendly you no longer need to know your ISO from your a-hole to capture awesome images. But while technology has shrunk the photography learning curve from a mountain to a molehill, care and attention is still needed to get the most from your gear.

Here are eight easy tips you can use right now to dramatically improve your travel photos.