A Pathway Through The Woods

Summer in the Wasatch Mountains is beautiful. This inviting path through the aspen groves is just one of the thousands of equally inviting paths in this wonderland of high mountain meadows and forest. It was an exceptionally clear day and the lighting was perfect for color and contrast. We will be spending more time in the high mountains due to the need to socially distance and I hope for more photos like this one. 

Provo River Trail at Vivian Park

The Provo River Parkway runs from the shoreline at Utah Lake for 15.2 miles to Vivian Park in the Provo River Canyon east of the city. This photo was taken very near the end of the trail in Vivian Park, a small community of private houses and cabins along South Fork Road. The park is one of four along the Parkway in Provo Canyon. 

Yellow Onions

I am intrigued by the massive amount of food in some of the local stores. These onions were in a shipping container in front of the store. The container was about four feet square and about three feet high. The onions were being sold by the pound. The patterns and colors of these accumulations of a single vegetable are also amazing. These onions look like what you would see coming out of the fields rather than the sanitized and regularized, carefully stacked one in the average supermarket. 

The Bonneville Shoreline Trail looking south

The Bonneville Shoreline Trail extends both north and south of the entrance to Rock Canyon on the hills east of Provo, Utah. The southern extension is just a footpath along the edge of the Wasatch Front. It is popular with mountain bikers and hikers. We live just a block or some from the trail and although we walk north more frequently, we do enjoy the trail to the south. We also like to hike the trail in the early morning before the sun comes up over the mountains. 

Riding on the Provo River Trail

We have been riding our Catrike 700s for more than ten years now. Fortunately, here in Provo, Utah, and the surrounding area, we have many miles of paved and relatively smooth trails to ride. The Provo River Trail has been a favorite of ours for as long as we have lived in Provo. We are right on the river and enjoy the cool shade and beautiful views. 

Drought in Utah

At the time of this post, Utah is currently suffering from drought. This condition has, with a few seasons of exception, has been going off and on for many years. Here is an assessment of the condition from Drought.gov, 

The U.S. Drought Monitor started in 2000. Since 2000, the longest duration of drought (D1-D4) in Utah lasted 288 weeks beginning on April 3, 2001 and ending on October 3, 2006. The most intense period of drought occurred the week of July 23, 2002 where D4 affected 33.44% of Utah land.

Presently, almost the entire state is in some stage of drought. The photo above shows Silver Lake, a small reservoir in the Wasatch Mountains. The brown area surrounding the lake is the part normally covered by water. This reservoir was likely drawn down to supply a larger reservoir lower down the mountain known as Tribble Fork Reservoir which underwent extensive dam reconstruction. But both Silver Lake and Tribble Fork are extremely low and reflect the dry conditions of the state. 

Bloom where you are planted

I have mentioned this in previous posts but it bears repeating: bloom where you are planted. This little sunflower plant would not seem to have any of the advantages of a favorable location but it did manage to bloom exactly where the seed fell and germinated. From the looks of the plant, it may have a second bloom also. 

White with foam

From time to time we walk along the Provo River. We are only less than a five-minute drive from the trailhead in the city. The Provo River Trail in Provo, Utah is right next to the river and heavily shaded by old trees. The temperature in the summer is usually quite a few degrees lower than the rest of the city. There are two water diversion dams that create small waterfalls and add a lovely touch to the river. It sometimes hard to believe that we are in the middle of a good-sized city and only steps away from apartment houses and commercial businesses. 

Aspen Trees in the Summer

Aspens are one of my favorite trees. I love the contrast of the white tree trunks and the green undergrowth. We took an adventurous drive over the Alpine Loop, a backroad through the Wasatch Mountains, and enjoyed the clear blue sky and the aspen groves along the high mountain ridges. What we didn't expect were the huge traffic jams along the road at the various trailheads. We spent about half an hour not moving while the Forest Rangers tried to untangle the traffic. It looks like our idea of a beautiful weekend drive was the same idea as hundreds of other people from the valleys. 

Thistles and a Bee

As the summer wears on, the wildflowers in the Wasatch Mountains change. The latest and most prominent flowers are those of the thistles. I found it difficult to completely identify this particular flower because the name "thistle" is applied to two different plant families and a number of species. You might note the bee on the flower on the right. 

Cottonwood Cotton

"The snows of June consists of “cotton” from the cottonwood trees: small bits of cotton-like fibers enclosing a small green cottonwood seed. The cotton is nature’s distribution agent, allowing the seeds to be widely dispersed as they are blown in the wind." See "Cottonwood trees and the snows of June." The white stuff all over the ground is Cottonwood snow or cotton. In some places along the Provo River in Provo, Utah, the piles are inches deep on the ground. We ride our Catrikes down the Provo River Trail and ride through a number of areas where the seeds are thick on the ground. 

The Shoreline of Utah Lake from the Utah Lake Shoreline Trail

The shoreline of Utah Lake is overgrown with vegetation. This photo was taken from the Utah Lake Shoreline Trail and the water comes up to within a few feet of the edge of the trail. The green on the water is algae. Utah Lake is quite large, about 95,000 acres but it is quite shallow, only about 6 to 8 feet deep in the deepest part of the lake. The variability of the water quality in the lake has prevented it from becoming a huge aquatic attraction for boating, fishing, and other water sports. 

Provo Pioneer Village, Provo Utah

No, this is not a photo of the Provo Pioneer Village but it down there somewhere in the city. Some time ago, I took several photos of the Provo Pioneer Village and posted them here on Walking Arizona. The Village was built and organized next to a Provo City Park by the Brigham Young Chapter of the Sons of the Utah Pioneers. The photos have not and will not be offered for sale. After the photos had been online for a couple of years, I got an angry comment from someone claiming ownership of the entire premises and demanding that I take down my photos. Since the Village is open to the public and there are no signs limiting photos, I had no notice that someone owned all the rights to the pioneer artifacts and re-creations on display. Too bad they didn't bother to post a sign saying no photos allowed. I was happy to give the Village a little publicity but in response, I think I have taken all the photos down. 

Normally, unless posted otherwise, a public place can be photographed and the photograph sold without obtaining any specific permission. I am always careful not to include recognizable people in my photos unless they show a street scene or other very public place. 

As to the Sons of the Utah Pioneers, I have about 15 or more great and great-great-grandparents who crossed the Plains and qualify as "pioneers" by arriving in the Salt Lake Valley before 1868. I have been asked many times to join a chapter of the National Society of the Sons of Utah Pioneers and have always deferred because of time constraints. Now, I suppose I have another reason for not joining this organization. I can't imagine the person that demanded that I take down my photos "owned" all of the objects in the Village but if he was speaking on behalf of the National Society of the Sons of Utah Pioneers, I suppose he could limit photographs under a claim of ownership but I failed to see any notice on the premises about photography being limited. I wonder if he knows how many photos of the Provo Pioneer Village there are online? A quick look showed me hundreds, if not thousands of photos of the Village. I guess he better get busy telling all these people to take down their photos. 

The issue of copyright of photos is complex but the issue of taking photos in public places depends on the local definition of "public." Obviously, on military installations and other government areas, photography can be restricted or prohibited without specific permission. With a photograph, there is an issue of whether or not the photo was published. But in the case of a public attraction, all of the items on view are certainly published (put on public view) and some may be more than a hundred years old. However, the copyright law in the U.S. is that anything published that could be protected is now in the Public Domain if published before 1925. In my opinion, it would nearly impossible to prove that any of the items on public display as old artifacts could be claimed to be protected by copyright. In fact, any work (artifact) published before 1977 without a copyright notice is also in the Public Domain. So it would probably be necessary to put a notice on any more recent items that are still covered by copyright.

So why did I take all the photos down? Simple, I don't want to have anyone think that I intentionally or otherwise violated someone's claim to ownership or copyright. I have published, to the date of this post, 4497 photos without a previous claim of any nature involving copyright or whatever. I own the copyright to all these photos. They are my original work. Oh, by the way, if I missed a photo of anything in the Village, I will be glad to take it down. Let me know. 

I suppose I do have to disclose at this point that I may have a subscription to the Sons of the Utah Pioneer's Pioneer magazine that was given to me as a gift but I have yet to see a copy arrive because it is published quarterly. I like the magazine, too bad I have a problem with the organization. I will be glad to give up my subscription if that is a problem for the Society also. 

The Utah Lake Trail in Provo, Utah

In the future, the Utah Lake Trail will almost circumnavigate Utah Lake. Presently, it is a short extension of the Provo River Trail that follows the shoreline of the lake for about a mile or so. The trail becomes almost impassible just before it ends abruptly. The vast expanse of grass and other plants on the left side of the Trail is the Provo River Delta which is currently being reconverted into an active river delta. Currently, the Provo River runs on the south side of the historic delta in a river channel. After excavating some river channels on the delta, part of the river will be diverted into the delta area. The Utah Lake Trail is also planned to be extended. We hope we live that long. 

Fountain on the grounds of the Provo, Utah City Center Temple

This is the fountain on the grounds of the Provo, Utah City Center Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Since the beginning of the pandemic shut down, the Temple grounds have been closed. I was attending the wedding of one of my family members and we were able to take photos for a short time. I am hoping that someday the restrictions will be lifted and we will again have access to the Temple and beautiful grounds. 

Wedding at the Provo, Utah City Center Temple

One of my family members was married in the Provo, Utah City Center Temple and my wife and I were able to be there for the wedding. This is the only reason that I could have access to take some photos of the temple from this location. The grounds and the temple are closed except for marriages. We have a lot of adjustments to make in our lives because of the pandemic. 

A Hike in the Superstition Mountains, Arizona

Summer is definitely not a good time to go for a hike in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona. But we did take a hike some years ago in the very early Spring. Most people in other areas of the country would call that mid-winter. It was a lovely clear day and we enjoyed the fabulous rock formations and the cactus. I used to have a website about hiking in the Superstition Mountains but I didn't keep it up as I got older and busier with other things. 

Provo Temple on the edge of the morning sun

The shadow of the Wasatch Mountains on the eastern side of Provo, Utah sweep across Utah Valley every morning. This is the Provo, Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is located on the hillside above the city. This photo was taken from the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, well above the level of the temple. You can see LaVell Edwards Stadium of Brigham Young University in the background. 

Early morning at the mouth of Rock Canyon

The mountain's shadow provides a cool early morning walk near the mouth of Rock Canyon, just east of Provo, Utah. As the sun comes up, the landscape on the west side of Utah Valley begins to emerge from the mountain shadow. In places where there is a break in the mountain ridge, such as Rock Canyon, the sun comes up a little earlier than the area still in shade. 

Morning Moon over Utah Valley

With a clear blue sky in the early morning, we could see the almost full moon floating over Utah Valley. We live on the west side of the Wasatch Mountains and we have the shadow of the mountains usually for hours after the sun officially has risen. You can see by this photo that most of the valley is already enjoying the warm summer sun. Actually, we get up early so all of our walk is in the shade of the mountains. 

Graffiti on the Bonneville Lakeshore Trail near Provo, Utah

There is apparently a segment of our society that feels they can totally disregard any semblance of civilization and propriety. Grafitti on manmade structures is disrespectful and damaging but graffiti on nature shows a disconnection with the world and is a desecration. Here is another example from the Bonneville Lakeshore Trail. 

This area is only about a 10-minute walk from my house. 

Mayflower Rock Memorial in Plymouth, Massachusetts

Quoting from Wikipedia: Plymouth Rock:

Plymouth Rock is the traditional site of disembarkation of William Bradford and the Mayflower Pilgrims who founded Plymouth Colony in December 1620. The Pilgrims did not refer to Plymouth Rock in any of their writings; the first known written reference to the rock dates to 1715 when it was described in the town boundary records as "a great rock." The first documented claim that Plymouth Rock was the landing place of the Pilgrims was made by Elder Thomas Faunce in 1741, 121 years after the Pilgrims arrived in Plymouth.

In 1774, the rock broke in half during an attempt to haul it to Town Square in Plymouth. One portion remained in Town Square and was moved to Pilgrim Hall Museum in 1834. It was rejoined with the other portion of the rock, which was still at its original site on the shore of Plymouth Harbor, in 1880. The rock is now ensconced beneath a granite canopy designed by McKim, Mead & White.

It is a nice tradition and it is a beautiful place. The rock in on the beach under the "canopy" you can see in the middle of the photo.  

Lichen and Flowers

I love the beautiful Spring flowers in the desert but I also love the subtle yellow-green hues of the lichen on the rocks. It amazes me that this small, inconspicuous partnership can grow in such a hostile environment: on the side of a rock where temperatures reach almost 150 degrees in the summer. Here is a short explanation about lichen from Wikipedia:

A lichen (/ˈlaɪkən/ LEYE-ken or, sometimes in the UK, /ˈlɪtʃən/, LICH-en) is a composite organism that arises from algae or cyanobacteria living among filaments of multiple fungi species[1] in a mutualistic relationship. Lichens have different properties from those of its component organisms. Lichens come in many colors, sizes, and forms and are sometimes plant-like, but lichens are not plants. Lichens may have tiny, leafless branches (fruticose), flat leaf-like structures (foliose), flakes that lie on the surface like peeling paint (crustose), a powder-like appearance (leprose), or other growth forms.

I have often thought that I should have gotten a degree in Lichenology, a branch of mycology.  

Along the Apache Trail

The Apache Trail is a historic road. It was originally a trail used by the Apaches to move through the Superstition Mountains. The Apache Trail is a rough unpaved road that stretches for about 40 miles from Tortilla Flat to Roosevelt Dam. I first rode down the Apache Trail when I was 12 years old and returning from Camp Geronimo Scout Camp near Pine, Arizona. Since then, I have driven the road many times to camp and hike. If you are afraid of cliff-hanging single lane roads with traffic, then you probably don't want to drive the unpaved portion of the Trail. 

Springtime along the Apache Trail

You could live in the desert for years and never see flowers in this profusion. Most of what happens in the desert requires patience and a good power of observation. This is one of my older photos taken in 2008. I love the shape of this large saguaro cactus and the almost invisible yellow California poppies on the hillside. It has been a while now since I last drove the Apache Trail, one of the few long maintained dirt roads in Arizona, but I can still remember much of the road. 

Saguaros Bloom in June

From Wikipedia, Saguaro:

The saguaro (/səˈwɑːroʊ/, Spanish pronunciation: [saˈɣwaɾo]) (Carnegiea gigantea) is a tree-like cactus species in the monotypic genus Carnegiea, that can grow to be over 40 ft (12 m) tall. It is native to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, the Mexican state of Sonora, and the Whipple Mountains and Imperial County areas of California. The saguaro blossom is the state wildflower of Arizona. Its scientific name is given in honor of Andrew Carnegie. In 1994, Saguaro National Park, near Tucson, Arizona, was designated to help protect this species and its habitat.

Some saguaros are cristate or "crested" due to fasciation.

A house sparrow nesting on a saguaro cactus

Saguaros have a relatively long lifespan, often exceeding 150 years. They may grow their first side arm around 75–100 years of age, but some never grow any arms. Arms are developed to increase the plant's reproductive capacity, as more apices led to more flowers and fruit.

A saguaro can absorb and store considerable amounts of rainwater, visibly expanding in the process, while slowly using the stored water as needed. This characteristic enables the saguaro to survive during periods of drought. The saguaro cactus is a common image in Mexican culture and American Southwest films.

We grew a saguaro cactus from about 5" tall to over 10 feet tall when we moved from Mesa, Arizona to Provo, Utah. That took about 30+ years. One of the things I miss most in Utah is the cactus. But the mountains are a great tradeoff.