USS Litte Rock at DaybreakBuffalo Naval & Military Park When I arrived, the fog I came for was nowhere to be found and it was still very dark. Later, it actually turned out that it was the darkness through which I could not see the fog even though it was there, in some spots. Instead of walking along the marina towards the observation tower I turned the other way as the illuminated ships at the Buffalo Naval & Military Park provided a visual target to go after.

As I walked along the river the southeast sky started showing some light and beautiful blue tones right over USS Little Rock and Croaker. Add the illumination, Skyway with its street lights, General Mills in the distance, and the almost mirror-like surface of Buffalo River and it was quite a view!

I walked all the way to the ships, returned back to the edge of Lake Erie and noticed a strange phenomenon. Some leftover chunks of ice were floating along the shore and birds used them as an island to rest on. That is not the strange part though. What I did find strange was the direction in which the ice was floating. From the lake back into Buffalo River and further inland.

I followed the icebergs and when they were passing under the street lights on the shore noticed the interesting contrast in the cool sky colors and the warm color tone the ice got reflecting the streetlights. The below long exposure further accentuated the effect. Here and there I reached for the Coking Blue / Yellow filter in the past but there was no need for it this morning, it all unfolded right in front on me.

Golden & Blue on Buffalo RiverBuffalo Naval and Military Park at Daybreak

Golden & Blue on Buffalo River, Buffalo Naval and Military Park at Daybreak

Enjoy the Beauty that Surrounds You! (#etbtsy)

Would you like to see more photographs from Buffalo, NY? Visit my Buffalo Cityscapes gallery and enjoy! To get a dose of blue goodness, click through to my Buffalo in Blue collection of photographs. Please, let me know if you have any questions about any photo products offered, or not offered, I will be happy to help! For a quick reference to all photo galleries and collections as well as all photo products currently offered through my site, please, visit the Products page.

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Previously from the Valley of Fire: Road Trip through Mars

Colors and Textures around Lake MeadNevada Desert near Las Vegas My spring road trip itch is growing out of control. What we started in 2013 on our first family road trip grew into a passion. And yes, things are in the works for 2017 but we're not there yet. So when I had a recent opportunity to get a taste of a road trip adventure on a short one-day trip into a desert, I could not pass on that. Deserts have so much character and they are so different from the environment I have been used to all my life. Yes, they're dry, desolate, possibly hostile. But when you take a moment to pause, to look, to breathe in the hot air, to notice their grandeur, to notice the details, they're so beautiful at the same time. 

The best idea after arriving in Las Vegas, Nevada? Leaving it as soon as possible. I'll admit, I did lose a little bit of time before doing just that. First, I drove in to a small local diner offering Mexican cuisine. Yes, it was only 10 a.m. Pacific Time, but in Buffalo, NY the clock was already showing 1 p.m. And I did not even have a breakfast yet! Mexican food is another tradition on our road trips, due to the southern destinations of the first two. After getting more than filled with a burrito and an enchilada platter back in the car it was, destination set in Waze, and off. I was happily leaving the city in my rearview mirror.

Once I paid my dues and entered the Lake Mead National Recreational Area it was real, and I was slowly getting into a road trip mood. It was not the true full experience though I must admit. My crew was missing and I could not shed that feeling for the rest of the day. I simply had to accept this was merely a prep for the true next road tripping adventure.

Happy on the RoadNevada Desert near Las Vegas It was not my first time driving the road but it was still as much fun, possibly even more as last time it was merely a way to get to a destination in Southern Utah. This time, it was part of the destination, or destination #1 of 2. With the road moving up and down the hillsides of Lake Mead and left and right to wind among the peaks the road trip feeling was settling in. As I met the first few motorcycles I was a bit jealous that they had the better experience on this wonderful road. Maybe one day.

I stopped at pretty much every pull out area and actually wished for more. The road seemed to look its best when there was nowhere to stop. Yes, I said the road. While the surrounding desert certainly offered wonderful views I actually like the sight of a paved road making its way through beautiful landscapes. In places like this it can create road trip themed billboards.

When I was not trying to integrate the road into the landscape I was on a lookout for one of two things here. Some areas were very rich in textures, others in colors. It was amazing to observe how everything changed from pull out to pull out. And one more thing made the experience more intense. I left Buffalo, NY that morning with temperatures around the freezing point and here, still before noon, it was in the high 80s. Eventually, the thermometer hit 92°F.

Intense Desert ColorsNevada Desert near Las Vegas

Lake Mead National Recreational Area near Las Vegas, NV

What was my destination #2? That's for another post.

Enjoy the beauty that surrounds you (#etbtsy)!

Did you enjoy this post and the included photographs? Would you like to see more of my travel photographs? Visit my Landscapes Faraway or Travel Photography galleries or the On the Road photo collection. Please, let me know if you have any questions about any photo products offered, or not offered. Looking for a present? I also offer ready to hang solutions like canvas gallery wraps, prints on metal, and matted and framed ready to hang photographs.

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... and not for a pit stop.

Previously from the Czech Republic: A Stroll through Moravian Countryside, Sunset Stroll through Southern Moravian Countryside, Rolling Hills and Poppy Fields, There are as many pubs as there are poppy seeds ..., More Travel Treasures, Drying Garlic, Treasures of Travels, The Power of Simplicity (of the iPhone), Take Me Home, Country Road ..., Sound of Music Induced Moment of Nostalgia, Travel in Space & Time, Of Trains & Stations, Rock Cities, Mills, History, and More, All About the Rolling Hills, An Irresistible Urge to Stop

St. Jacob on Route 432Moravia, Czech Republic I had seen the view so many times! And I kept my foot on the gas pedal heading further. The light did not seem right, the sky was bland, the weather was terrible, or worst of all, I did not have my camera with me. Places like this have their way of ripening though and at some point just scream stop!

That is what happened here, I just could not bear another missed opportunity. I was also curious about the church seemingly in the middle of nowhere. And once I photograph something I usually take the time to learn at least a little bit about the subject.

I pulled into a nearby dirt road, parked, and headed out to explore. It was a nice warm summer day with some clouds floating overhead, creating a nice colorful scene of blues, oranges, and yellows.

In the end, I left with a few images both including and excluding the road and having stopped already took that opportunity to further check out a few smaller side roads too.

Kostel sv. JakubaMoravia, Czech Republic The morale here? Stop! You can always stop again in the future if conditions improve but that should not be an excuse not to stop. And these days, that is where I find the cell phone cameras useful. If I really do not like the conditions, I at least snap a quick photo with my phone serving as a reminder to add the location to my official shooting list.

Enjoy the beauty that surrounds you! (#etbtsy)

Do you enjoy reading my photography blog? Would you like to see more landscape photographs from places beyond Western New York? Visit my Landscapes Faraway gallery and enjoy! Please, let me know if you have any questions about any photo products offered, or not offered, I will be happy to help!

Using my links to do your shopping keeps me sharing more photographs and writing the stories behind them and costs you nothing. You can also use the Amazon search box in bottom left for anything not mentioned here. I truly appreciate each purchase, no matter how large, no matter how small. Thank you!