McBeast goes to Washington DC

[Greg In Austin]

Those are vents for the power supplies for the HID KC Lights... we were not sure they were needed but they added them just in case.

.

[Greg In Austin]

Maybe we were overly optimistic, but we were hoping to see other SMBs during our trip..... and we did think we saw one when a class B Sprinter crawled past us on the highway. We caught up with it, but it was not a SMB.

You would think we would see more living right here in Austin!

Soooo we will have to wait for one of the later trips. There are a bunch planned.

Lost Maples in just a week or so.
Guadalupe Mnts late Summer
Boulder CO in the Fall
Big Bend in the Fall

Lubbock will be visited, but I am not sure it belongs on the same list with the above.

[Txn2daBone]

Soon...very soon, the chances of seeing another SMB in the neighborhood will increase.

Actually, my first trip in the SMB will be to Big Bend later in the year. I know you'll enjoy that as I've been there about the past 5yrs in a row. With over 800,000 acres to explore there's lot's of things to experience...there's a few pics of Big Bend in my album.

The Guadalupe Mountains...amazing! I made the hike to the peak just last year.

And just a suggestion while in West Texas....The McDonalds Obsevatory in the Davis Mountains. It boasts as being the darkest place in Texas when the sun goes down. They have star parties with numerous telescopes at the visitor center and it's just too cool...I've never experienced the night sky like that before.

Anyway I'm sure we'll pass one another sooner or later down the road.

Enjoy your adventures!

Ric

Guadalupe Mountains rising above the low cloud cover

[Greg In Austin]

For years we were out to Big Bend twice a year; it is one of my favorite spots on the planet.

The Davis mountains just north and the UT McDonald Observatory is also great. They have expanded the program line up such that you can now spend a full day there from about 10am until after midnight (when there is a star party). THe have remotely operated sun telescopes that can keep you busy even during the afternoon. The outdoor star parties with their laser pointers are amazing and load of fun; the last one we went to happened to have a number of shooting stars right in the middle of the program. It is still one of the two or three darkest spots on the planet; one spot in Hawaii and one spot in Siberia are supposed to be darker. That does make for an absolutely amazing night sky.

Although I know much of Big Bend NP like it were my back yard, we have not spent ANY time in the new Big Bend Ranch State Park. I think we may head there and get back into some of the newly opened areas that are only open to permitted visitors.

.