Short and sweet...
I know many of you (how many of you are there, anyway?) would love to see daily updates on my project, but sometimes I'm not near an internet connection, so forgive me if I miss a day or two here and there.
In the next two upcoming entries, I'll fill you in on my very interesting flight to Atlanta and my 20 year Milton High School Reunion party. But, right now, I'm on a dial-up connection, and am away from my laptop, so I'll keep this entry brief, saving the details for when I get back to my satellite connection and my regular computer.
But, I do have a special request: If anyone that attended the reunion has photos of the party, Please send me copies! I was having so much fun that I didn't take a single picture. And I'm a photographer! Shame on me.
You can email the photos to me at holt@holtwebb.com
And, tune in Tuesday, as I'll have new updates for you. Until then... as Casey Kasem used to say, "Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars!"
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Wild Horses!
Hot Hot Hot!
It’s been a scorcher today. Without the air conditioning on in the RV, it felt like an oven. Now that it’s cooled off a little bit outside, I can shut the air off and just turn on the fans to bring in the breeze. Poor cats.
Good news! I was talking to a friend in Redding who told me of a wild horse sanctuary nearby. It’s on a 5000 acre ranch near Shingletown, CA (www.wildhorsesanctuary.org). I have a call in to them to talk about a visit. This means I can photograph the wild horses now, without having to wait until I get to Wyoming. See… every time I get delayed, something good comes out of it.
Shane’s gotten a bit farther on the Rover – he’s installed the engine mounts (which he had to make from scratch!), and will now be able to make those minor adjustments to make it fit perfectly. I got some good video footage of the installation, too. Completion of the project is still going to take a while (waiting for custom-made parts from other shops), but should have it complete by the end of September. I know, it’s way behind schedule, but that’s to be expected when you’re tackling something that nobody has ever done before.Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Biofuel, biofuel, biofuel!
Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel... I haven't found any Biodiesel yet, but this is getting close. Today, I found ULSD (Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel) at a local Redding TA Travel Center. ULSD is the government's latest response to reducing emissions from diesel fuels. As opposed to conventional diesel sulfur content (which can be as high as 500 parts per million), ULSD is limited to
15 parts per million -- a significant reduction. And, it's relatively affordable. Prices hover around the same price as traditional diesel (which can vary from around $2.85 to $3.99 per gallon). I've been running my generator on ULSD for much of the afternoon while I work on my images and try to keep the RV cool while sitting in the hot parking lot at the Rover Hybrids shop, and have noticed a significantly reduced exhaust fumes. So far, so good!And, ULSD is just one option. There are numerous others, including Biodiesel, Vegetable oil, Ethanol (for gasoline engines), algae... the list goes on. To help keep things straight, I've provided a "bio fuel chart" from the Sierra Club's latest online newsletter.
Click on the chart to enlarge it
Chart Courtesy of Sierra Club
Lessons learned, part one...
Whenever I hop in the RV for an extended drive, I hook up two video cameras to help document the trip... one is mounted on the dash for a driver's-eye view of the scenery, and the second is mounted in the passenger seat for a simultaneous shot of me driving (and talking about where I'm going).
Well, those tapes taught me a valuable lesson -- that I look like a complete jackass when I get frustrated with and complain about other drivers. Watching myself act that way has caused me to be more patient and understanding behind the wheel.
I consider that a Lesson learned.
Well, those tapes taught me a valuable lesson -- that I look like a complete jackass when I get frustrated with and complain about other drivers. Watching myself act that way has caused me to be more patient and understanding behind the wheel.
I consider that a Lesson learned.
Monday, August 20, 2007
My first appearance on TV!
Hi Mom, I'm on TV!
Redding's ABC affiliate, KRCR, came by yesterday to do an interview with me
about my Vanishing America Project. It actually went well. I felt good in front of the camera, said what I wanted to say, explained the project well, maintained a neutral ground in the political battle over the environment, and was pleased with the whole process.
Unfortunately, my first time in the spotlight wasn't to be...
The Redding News ran my story at 6:30 and 11, but had technical difficulties, so both pieces were cut short... but, I had fun with it, and I'll use the experience to help me improve my technique for the next time.
And, I have to admit, I look good on camera! Who'da thought? ;-)
Redding's ABC affiliate, KRCR, came by yesterday to do an interview with me
about my Vanishing America Project. It actually went well. I felt good in front of the camera, said what I wanted to say, explained the project well, maintained a neutral ground in the political battle over the environment, and was pleased with the whole process.Unfortunately, my first time in the spotlight wasn't to be...
The Redding News ran my story at 6:30 and 11, but had technical difficulties, so both pieces were cut short... but, I had fun with it, and I'll use the experience to help me improve my technique for the next time.
And, I have to admit, I look good on camera! Who'da thought? ;-)
Mt. Shasta
Day trip to Mt. Shasta!
Yesterday morning I drove about an hour north of Redding to the town of Mt. Shasta. It was a beautiful drive as I crossed over the Western edge of the Cascade Mountain Range and Lake Shasta. Due to a very dry season, there wasn't any snow to speak of, but the lush coating of evergreens definitely made up for it. The only disappointment was Lake Shasta itself, which was down over 100 feet. It was sad, looking like an open-pit mine that had recently been puddled with a little rain.
Upon arriving in town, I met up with my friend, Debbie, who gave me a fantastic tour of the area, including the numerous small lakes scattered around the mountains. It was, indeed, picture postcard perfect. The air was crisp and cool, but the sun kept the temperature warm enough to put off wearing a jacket until the evening.
We had a fantastic lunch at a great little pub called Billy Goat's Tavern and later had an incredible dinner at an organic Japanese sushi restaurant called Vivify, owned by Sachio and Ayako Kojima.
There are a lot of great things to photograph in Mt. Shasta and the surrounding areas, and, fortunately, the community is keeping a watchful eye on development to make sure the areas are protected. The only real danger is the climate itself, which is producing less rain and snow, resulting in a lower water table and causing the lakes, rivers and streams to slowly dry up. Now, I'll admit, I don't know if this is merely a temporary naturally-occuring condition or not, but the residents are definitely concerned. I'll be sure to keep an eye on it and let you know what I'm able to find out.
On a different note, later today I have an interview scheduled with Redding's ABC affiliate KRCR, channel 7. It's my first TV interview. Wish me luck!
Yesterday morning I drove about an hour north of Redding to the town of Mt. Shasta. It was a beautiful drive as I crossed over the Western edge of the Cascade Mountain Range and Lake Shasta. Due to a very dry season, there wasn't any snow to speak of, but the lush coating of evergreens definitely made up for it. The only disappointment was Lake Shasta itself, which was down over 100 feet. It was sad, looking like an open-pit mine that had recently been puddled with a little rain.Upon arriving in town, I met up with my friend, Debbie, who gave me a fantastic tour of the area, including the numerous small lakes scattered around the mountains. It was, indeed, picture postcard perfect. The air was crisp and cool, but the sun kept the temperature warm enough to put off wearing a jacket until the evening.
We had a fantastic lunch at a great little pub called Billy Goat's Tavern and later had an incredible dinner at an organic Japanese sushi restaurant called Vivify, owned by Sachio and Ayako Kojima.
There are a lot of great things to photograph in Mt. Shasta and the surrounding areas, and, fortunately, the community is keeping a watchful eye on development to make sure the areas are protected. The only real danger is the climate itself, which is producing less rain and snow, resulting in a lower water table and causing the lakes, rivers and streams to slowly dry up. Now, I'll admit, I don't know if this is merely a temporary naturally-occuring condition or not, but the residents are definitely concerned. I'll be sure to keep an eye on it and let you know what I'm able to find out.
On a different note, later today I have an interview scheduled with Redding's ABC affiliate KRCR, channel 7. It's my first TV interview. Wish me luck!
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Catch-up time at Rover Hybrids...
Not much went on yesterday. I caught up on some work, researched information about where to track the Wild Mustang herds, and interviewed Shane (the owner at Rover Hybrids, where we're doing the veggie conversion). It was a busy, but uneventful day.
Today, Shane and I will take some measurements of my RV storage compartments so we can have some custom fuel tanks made, and then he's going to teach me to weld! (We should probably have the local fire department on hand for this one...)
Tomorrow, I head up to Weed (population 3300) with a friend to do some exploring.
And, Monday, I have my very first interview scheduled with Redding's local ABC news affiliate, KRCR!
Today, Shane and I will take some measurements of my RV storage compartments so we can have some custom fuel tanks made, and then he's going to teach me to weld! (We should probably have the local fire department on hand for this one...)
Tomorrow, I head up to Weed (population 3300) with a friend to do some exploring.
And, Monday, I have my very first interview scheduled with Redding's local ABC news affiliate, KRCR!
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Redding, California... Veggie Conversion Time!
Well, I finally made it to Redding!
It was a fairly uneventful drive -- a little traffic in Reno -- but other than that, it was gorgeous. The majority of the drive took place in Lassen National Forest on Hwy 44. Hundreds of acres of trees, streams, and fields -- picture postcard landscapes everywhere you looked.
After coming out of the forest, and winding my way down some quaint country roads, I pulled in to the Rover Hybrids lot in Redding to meet with owner Shane Ballensky just in time for lunch. And after a huge burrito from Burrito Bandito down the road, Shane and I went back to the shop and, well, talked shop.
He showed me everything he's been working on for my project...
from the vehicle all the way down to the individual components that filter the used vegetable oil that I'll be using as fuel. We're actually converting not only the RV to run on veggie oil, but we're converting a 1994 Land Rover Defender 90 series as well. And, since you can only run veggie oil through a properly converted diesel engine, Shane has 
replaced the stock Land Rover V8 gas engine with a Cummins diesel engine. Not a small task, but definitely a necessary one.
Now, all of this actually does have a purpose: I'll be towing the Defender behind the RV so I can have access to all those wonderful places that the RV can't get to. And, I can't very well protect the environment in a gas guzzling V8 now, can I?
While Shane is working on the conversions, I'll be trekking through Northern California, Oregon, and possibly Washington to get some images and video footage for the project. (Washington, and in particular, Walla Walla, is where my friend, Lisa Curtis goes to school. Lisa has been working on a fantastic presentation about how climate change affects California's Mono Lake. You'll be able to see her PowerPoint slideshow on the Vanishing America website once it goes live.)
And, of course, I'll keep you all posted on my progress... stay tuned!
It was a fairly uneventful drive -- a little traffic in Reno -- but other than that, it was gorgeous. The majority of the drive took place in Lassen National Forest on Hwy 44. Hundreds of acres of trees, streams, and fields -- picture postcard landscapes everywhere you looked.After coming out of the forest, and winding my way down some quaint country roads, I pulled in to the Rover Hybrids lot in Redding to meet with owner Shane Ballensky just in time for lunch. And after a huge burrito from Burrito Bandito down the road, Shane and I went back to the shop and, well, talked shop.
He showed me everything he's been working on for my project...
from the vehicle all the way down to the individual components that filter the used vegetable oil that I'll be using as fuel. We're actually converting not only the RV to run on veggie oil, but we're converting a 1994 Land Rover Defender 90 series as well. And, since you can only run veggie oil through a properly converted diesel engine, Shane has 
replaced the stock Land Rover V8 gas engine with a Cummins diesel engine. Not a small task, but definitely a necessary one.Now, all of this actually does have a purpose: I'll be towing the Defender behind the RV so I can have access to all those wonderful places that the RV can't get to. And, I can't very well protect the environment in a gas guzzling V8 now, can I?
While Shane is working on the conversions, I'll be trekking through Northern California, Oregon, and possibly Washington to get some images and video footage for the project. (Washington, and in particular, Walla Walla, is where my friend, Lisa Curtis goes to school. Lisa has been working on a fantastic presentation about how climate change affects California's Mono Lake. You'll be able to see her PowerPoint slideshow on the Vanishing America website once it goes live.)
And, of course, I'll keep you all posted on my progress... stay tuned!
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Lone Pine to Reno -- DETOUR
Hwy 395 Closed!
Along the way, I was fortunate enough to see some beautiful landscapes... cool mountain streams meandering through open pastures, and shallow creeks cutting through deep canyons with sheer cliff faces on either side. As I've said before, things happen for a reason. I was also treated to a fiery sunset on my way in to Fernley.
I only had another 35 miles to Reno, but it was already 9pm and my eyes were getting tired. (That’s what 9 hours of driving will do to you.) So, I pulled into a rest stop off I80 and settled in for the night. I’d rather not stay in a rest stop, but between the three big rigs parked here, my multitude of alarms, locks, and security stickers, I feel well protected from any kind of theft or vandalism while I’m here.
Tomorrow, I should make it all the way to Redding.
I left the lovely Boulder Creek RV Resort at around noon today. I would have left earlier, but I did a short workout when I woke up, and had to take a nap to recover. The drive up to Reno was pretty, but fairly uneventful. I stopped at a tiny BBQ joint in an even tinier town called Lee Vining. It’s a tourist stop across from Mono Lake. The tri-tip sandwich was almost as uninspiring as the service.
Along the way, I was fortunate enough to see some beautiful landscapes... cool mountain streams meandering through open pastures, and shallow creeks cutting through deep canyons with sheer cliff faces on either side. As I've said before, things happen for a reason. I was also treated to a fiery sunset on my way in to Fernley.I only had another 35 miles to Reno, but it was already 9pm and my eyes were getting tired. (That’s what 9 hours of driving will do to you.) So, I pulled into a rest stop off I80 and settled in for the night. I’d rather not stay in a rest stop, but between the three big rigs parked here, my multitude of alarms, locks, and security stickers, I feel well protected from any kind of theft or vandalism while I’m here.
Tomorrow, I should make it all the way to Redding.
Next stop: RENO
From Lone Pine, CA to Reno, NV...
Today, I head farther north up the 395 to Reno -- the next stop on my way to Redding.
Yes, I know there are quicker ways to get to Redding, but that's not the point of this trip. The idea is to "stop and smell the roses", not zoom by them so fast that all you get is a pink blur. Since I'm due in Redding on Wednesday, I don't have time to stop and shoot this time around, but at least I get to see it, and then, when I come back through here in a month or two, I can take the time necessary to make some beautiful images.
I'll be pulling out in about 2 hours. I've had a productive and restful stay at Boulder Creek, and look forward to seeing some interesting landscapes as I pass by Yosemite, Mammoth, and Mono Lake. It should be about a 6 hour drive, but I'm sure that time will fly by!
Today, I head farther north up the 395 to Reno -- the next stop on my way to Redding.
Yes, I know there are quicker ways to get to Redding, but that's not the point of this trip. The idea is to "stop and smell the roses", not zoom by them so fast that all you get is a pink blur. Since I'm due in Redding on Wednesday, I don't have time to stop and shoot this time around, but at least I get to see it, and then, when I come back through here in a month or two, I can take the time necessary to make some beautiful images.
I'll be pulling out in about 2 hours. I've had a productive and restful stay at Boulder Creek, and look forward to seeing some interesting landscapes as I pass by Yosemite, Mammoth, and Mono Lake. It should be about a 6 hour drive, but I'm sure that time will fly by!
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