I've just finished posting the pics from my latest Mojave/Nevada rocket
trip. Didn't get many decent aerial photos this time, mainly because I
lost a complete rocket and camera payload and wasted two full days
searching for them. But there are a few good aerial shots, plus many
pics of old mines, mining equipment, ruins, scenery, etc.
http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=3009006&a=32287461
I saw some wildlife on this trip, including an antelope, a coyote, a badger, and a couple foxes. One afternoon a tiny bat quietly fluttered around me, also going in and out of the Trooper, briefly landing here and there. This went on for several minutes before he finally flew away.
I also found a large rock on top of a hill, which had Indian petroglyphs on it. Nearby there were 3-4 "sleeping circles". These are small round clearings where the natives cleared away the surface rocks to make a smooth place to camp.
I explored some interesting mining areas, in particular the Noonday mines in the Mojave desert and the Nivloc mine in Nevada. The Noonday mines were a series of silver and lead mines. Each of the mines were originally connected by a small mine tram that moved ore from the mines, across a wooden trestle, and then through a tunnel to be loaded into railroad cars on the other side of the mountain. The Tecopa Railroad served the Noonday mines and several other mines in the area, hauling ore to the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad. Both railroads are now defunct.
The Nivloc mine was operated off and on from the turn of the century until the early 1940's. A steel headframe towers over the shaft, surrounded by several decrepit buildings. Ore from the mine was transported across a wooden trestle to a large wooden orebin. Concrete foundations and other remains mark the site of a sizeable mill.
The rocket I lost was the second stage of a two-stage rocket, and was fairly expensive. In addition to the camera and timer, it also had an altimeter and reloadable motor hardware. Not to mention the cost of the fuel for that flight, plus the irreplaceable photos. I wasn't able to get a good bead on where it came down, so I don't even know if I was searching the right area.
I also had one smaller camera rocket that crashed, destroying the camera. And the pocket camera which I normally carry with me when hiking broke down after the second day. On the plus side, I did manage to sell several of my mounted photos to some of the locals.
‰
http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=3009006&a=32287461
I saw some wildlife on this trip, including an antelope, a coyote, a badger, and a couple foxes. One afternoon a tiny bat quietly fluttered around me, also going in and out of the Trooper, briefly landing here and there. This went on for several minutes before he finally flew away.
I also found a large rock on top of a hill, which had Indian petroglyphs on it. Nearby there were 3-4 "sleeping circles". These are small round clearings where the natives cleared away the surface rocks to make a smooth place to camp.
I explored some interesting mining areas, in particular the Noonday mines in the Mojave desert and the Nivloc mine in Nevada. The Noonday mines were a series of silver and lead mines. Each of the mines were originally connected by a small mine tram that moved ore from the mines, across a wooden trestle, and then through a tunnel to be loaded into railroad cars on the other side of the mountain. The Tecopa Railroad served the Noonday mines and several other mines in the area, hauling ore to the Tonopah and Tidewater Railroad. Both railroads are now defunct.
The Nivloc mine was operated off and on from the turn of the century until the early 1940's. A steel headframe towers over the shaft, surrounded by several decrepit buildings. Ore from the mine was transported across a wooden trestle to a large wooden orebin. Concrete foundations and other remains mark the site of a sizeable mill.
The rocket I lost was the second stage of a two-stage rocket, and was fairly expensive. In addition to the camera and timer, it also had an altimeter and reloadable motor hardware. Not to mention the cost of the fuel for that flight, plus the irreplaceable photos. I wasn't able to get a good bead on where it came down, so I don't even know if I was searching the right area.
I also had one smaller camera rocket that crashed, destroying the camera. And the pocket camera which I normally carry with me when hiking broke down after the second day. On the plus side, I did manage to sell several of my mounted photos to some of the locals.
‰