my birthday was at the Napa Rose in the Grand Californian

black and white palm, five, coconut palm

black and white palm, five, coconut palm, originally uploaded by yodamon.

While I was in Kauai Hawaii this year I decided that I would try and do a series of black and white palm photos. Here is the latest one, If you would like to see the rest of the series, go here Palm Black and White Series

drive to work

I drove to work in the vette last week, it was a sweet ride.  

the nephew ryan in Kauai

The view out of my Kauai Princeville condo. Sweet!!!!!

a strange trip

I was in San Francisco or better yet San Bruno California this last week for training. I rented a car big enough to seat five to use over the week. I thought I would rent it here and drive it down to the Bay Area. I thought I should get a SUV but the had none available so I opted for the Chrysler 300. The trip over was fast and good. The weather was cold and wet in all week and that's where the problem started. I dreaded the drive back as I knew that the trip back would be icy. On Thursday I started looking at the road control for the Sierra Nevada passes on I-80. I checked the road controls and saw a window on Thursday that I should have left but that would have made me miss two days of class. Not an option as I need this training. I opted to stay at least until Friday. Friday morning I kept my looking at the road controls and thought about dumping the car at SFO and riding home with one of my class mates. I called and they stated that if I dumped the car and ended my contract without returning the car to where I picked it up I would be charged the full rate plus $65 a day for the one way trip. I even tried to get a plane ride home at the tune of $880 for one way that night. No way! After lunch Friday I decided to go. Class was good and I learned a ton.

The Trip Home...

I decided to try and drive it. I made it all they way into the Sierra's, up to the Alta exit and then I was denied access and forced to turn around. I got a room at the Holiday Inn in Auburn and had a beer. At midnight I got a call that my daughter was in a car wreck. She was bumped up and scared but ok. Back to sleep in an hour or so. Saturday morning I looked at the road conditions again and the conditions were not good. I waited another hour and it was the same. I thought and thought about the alternatives and thought I could stay and wait for an opening for $250 a day that the room and the car was costing me. Another option was to dump the car and riding the Greyhound bus over the hill.

I did just that. Time was short. I drove to Roseville and dumped the car. The rental attendant gave me a ride to what he thought was the bus depot and then return back to the car rental depot when he didn't know the way. I called a Taxi and the guy said 10 minutes. 20 minutes later and 3 phone calls a lady cab driver arrived. She had tattoos all over but all she had to do was drive and fast. We pulled into the bus station and the driver was closing the side doors and told me I was supposed to be early but he let me on. The fair was $26 from Roseville to Reno. Actually a bargain. It was 10am when the journey started. Only one seat was left and I took it. We stopped at Colfax to put the snow chains on.

Trip Observations:

• I sat next to a guy with brain damage. He was going to Sacramento to renew his marijuana card and he was bringing back his stash. I learned of the car crash that ruined his life, several times (90 mph into a tree while on crank).
• There was a girl in front of me, young and pretty with red hair. Every five minutes she texted. She was going to meet her boyfriend. She had lots of food and nice clothes.
• A lady next to the red head was on the bus for the first time as her husband didn't want her to drive in the snow. She complained about the toilet and talked on and on about her grand kids.
• It was a woman's birthday celebration at the Circus Circus.
• A tall older black man kept coming back to the toilet every 15 minutes with a big smile.
• A woman was standing up almost the whole ride. She stated to all that she had a cramp.
• A young guy with long dread locks smiled.
• The couple next to me kept filling these plastic Champagne glasses with Patron tequila.
• The couple behind me was going to get a license to get married.
• A blond french girl went to the toilet and came out immediately.

A six hour trip later and I know a whole lot more about people that I did at the beginning.

A visit to Buck Bean, a great local brewery

At the BuckBean Brewing Company for the Black Noddy

An early morning shot, the clouds didn't come out as orange as they looked in the shy. The moon seems to be in a great spot.

Out to Amendment 21 bar and restrant for burgers

After the Reno Tweetup, hitting Amendment21 for food

Bottled the beer the @PunkAss and I made this last month. Check out a new blog of mine that details this experiment of mine. http://sparkshomebrew.blogspot.com/  

Panorama Sparks Nevada Marina 89434 USA December 2008, originally uploaded by yodamon.See the Original Size (14,000 pixels)

The morning I was taking pictures with Santa and the dogs for Scraps Dog Bakery I noticed that the Sparks Marina had a nice look to it. The light was good so I made a panorama. I did have to shorten it because the far image to the left had a stitching issue and the shore line didn't mate the other images. I really didn't loose too much and still have a wonderful panorama.

My wife's mom, Jeanine Haberman (Meyer) found this photo when looking through her fathers (Harry Meyer) things, Harry is Indy 500 winner Lou Meyer's brother. This is a photo of four Indy 500 drivers an two unknown people.

left to right
unknown
Floyd Davis (1941 winner) #16
Lou Meyer (1928, 1933, 1936 winner)
Lou Moore (2nd 1933, 3rd 1934)
Fred Frame (1932 winner) #34
unknown

Santa (Ryan Enwald) was taking care of all the dogs at the Sparks Marina today. I took over 220 photos and saw lots of old friends. All in all a great day plus 2 donuts.

a little fun at work, not really

a little fun at work, not really
Originally uploaded by yodamon

These little rows of green lights seem to run my life as of late. 2x12 the Enterprise Manager stamps them out. All the while humming with the green glow.

Panorama Nevada Washoe County Mount Rose Highway State Route 431 November 2008

Panorama Nevada Washoe County Mount Rose Highway State Route 431 November 2008
Originally uploaded by yodamon

I took this panorama the other day on a lunch drive from work and forgot to put it up. This is up the Mt Rose highway, SR431, across from the Montreux golf course. It turned out to be a nice day for the drive/photo.

I have been looking at Adobe Flex/AIR as a cross platform application delivery/hosting environment. The thing that I like the most is the ability to put my applications in front of Windows and Apple users. I come from a Microsoft development environment and some of the methods Flex/AIR uses for UI, database, security don't sit well. Don't get me wrong, Microsoft has its issues as well, I'm just used to them and I am now trying to look beyond.

star trails

star trails
Originally uploaded by yodamon

This is one of my favorite startrails photos. Check out this photo and read the description to see how it is made.

mt rose on election day

mt rose on election day
Originally uploaded by yodamon

I thought about adding to the sierra black and white series. I went out at lunch today, with a hint of snow on the valley, and took some photos of mt rose.

Napa, getting lunch for the trip up the valley

Oakville Grocery in Napa this weekend

Summer vacation at the Disneyland hotel

Sent from my iPhone

My wife and her mom and 3 of her 4 sisters. can you find her?

Kitta and a 2000 Peju Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve

@PunkAss and I went to Coel for a pint of Guinness last night. Here is a beauitful shamrock just before it disappeared.

Drove the vette to work today. Chilly but fun!

2008 Spring IGT Cash Sharing BBQ

IGT Cash Sharing BBQ

Sent from my iPhone

The vette, myself and Maddie

 

Java Jungle with Jordan, d-town reno

Hanging at Java Jungle with Jordan, d-town reno

Jimbo and his mad fists

golf in Kauai, Kiele golf course at Kauai Lagoons

I visited some golf courses while i was in hawaii. I got some great shots. you can see them over at flickr (just click the photo to go there). golf in Kauai, Kiele golf course at Kauai Lagoons Originally uploaded by yodamon

sierra nevada, mount rose

sierra nevada, mount rose
Originally uploaded by yodamon

here is a photo of mount rose that i like a lot!

Stinky and Stinky jr (James and Ethan Reed)

I ran into James and family outgetting coffee

daylily - hemerocallis

daylily - hemerocallis
Originally uploaded by yodamon

I found this photo from last summer. I have these great daylilies in my backyard and they photograph beautifully.