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Movie: Paris, Texas (1984)
Once again, the opening scene in the Sonoran desert lanscape of the Mexico border absolutely grips me. I think it’s my favorite scene of the movie. Though the characters are good and Wim Wenders is capable of milking the most from a character, he might be milking too much in this film. But maybe I’m…
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Movie: 13 Conversations About the Same Thing (2001)
This film is like a sonata, where the characters and stories are like carefully composed themes and motives that recur and interact to form a whole work. It felt a little rigid to me at points, but it ultimately shuns the clichés it flirts with and effectively expresses the elusiveness of the one thing we’re…
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Movie: Syriana (2005)
This is an exposition on some facets of global oil power struggles. It seems to revel a bit in the complexities of the issue, but ends up presenting some interesting perspectives. It’s written by the same author as Traffic, and follows a similar format. It was interesting enough to make me curious about the book…
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Mist in rouge
It’s sunrise season again! This morning is the first of the summer that I leave before sunrise on my commute. Heron Lake is enchanting, reflecting the pale dawn rouge through a layer mist created by the cold, dry air.
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The Ironclads – Ironsides
There is another brief rain shower early in the morning, but then it seems to clear up, so we hike back up to Mount Boner where Ann takes her turn leading Shaking the Pope’s Hand 5.7. There’s a freezing wind blowing, so we decide to hike further in to Ironsides. It’s cold there too, so…
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The Ironclads – Punk Rock and Mount Boner
We drive up the South St. Vrain creek despite heavy cloud cover, hoping for the best. I retain my optimism, but we set up our tents before starting the hike, just in case. About five minutes into the hike a steady drizzle convinces us to have a beer in the tent before climbing. This works…
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Crystal Wall after work
Liz, Doug, and I all get out of work early and return to Crystal Wall hoping to get at least a couple of routes in before dark. We’re greeted by scant sprinkles and a small rattlesnake, but otherwise have perfect conditions for climbing. Doug manages his first outdoor lead on a fun 5.7ish route around…
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Movie: Traffic (2000)
It’s amazing how the War on Drugs has disappeared from the spotlight since this film, yet it still grows every year. This is a well-deserved bashing of that war that is also a very good movie. Many perspectives are represented, the drama is believable, and the fall guy isn’t the straw man so many indictment…
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Movie: The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)
I was snared from the very start by the Mexican border landscape where the entire movie takes place. Having twice been dropped off on the border with a backpack and left to hike north, these images of the Sonoran Desert really stir up the feelings from those days. The story that takes place there has…
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Hike to The Bishop
Dad has half the day free, and agrees to show us the hike up to The Bishop near the Cathedral Spires. This area was closed for raptor nesting the last time we looked, but today the parking area is busy when we arrive. The recent rains have made for a mushroom extravaganza. I photograph eight…