Regards from...

[Doug Nelson]

We get a couple of users in exotic (to us) locals and we ooo and ahh over them (ok, I ooo and ahh over them).

But we're as exotic to them as they are to us!

How about starting separate threads with 'Regards from' wherever you're at? The most humble homeland is interesting to anyone that's never been there.

Post some snaps and maybe some idea of the local POV. This is the 'worldwide' web, lets act like it!

[chris h]

Doug,

Zimbabwe certainly is exotic but the NWest UK is merely damp !
I was hoping Tom might show us some snaps of Montana but I don't know if cameras have reached those parts. Did Lewis and Clark use rollfilm or Video ?

[Matt Elder]

I'm sure after the last Olympics you've had enough of Australia and Sydney. Would I be correct in this assumption?!

[thomasgeorge]

Rumor has it that Lewis and Clark didnt take any photo's on the expedition, 'cause they traded all the digital camera and laptop batteries for whiskey at St. Louis. I however, resisted the temptation and attached is a rare shot looking east on the bluffs overlooking the Cottonwood creek area. That pretty well is what this whole area looks like. Dont wander too close to the edge...its about 200 feet straight down. The fall aint bad...it's the sudden stop that gets ya! Tom

[kathleen]

tom, it is very beautiful in a solemn kind of way. do you ever miss trees and green? was your childhood home in nw?

matt
bring 'em on!

i bet we all will have done a bit of travellin by the time the wknd's over.

[thomasgeorge]

Kathleen- I grew up with lots and lots of trees and about 80 inches of rain a year. Dont miss it a bit! The landscape here is simply awe inspiring once you really start to look at things. Tom

[Ed_L]

Nice shot Tom! And your neighbor's house didn't even get in the way!

Ed

[thomasgeorge]

Ed, The nearest house is about 2 miles from where that was taken. Thats why I love it here--population density is less than 1 human per sq. mile-- just about right for a crotchity old geezer like me. Tom

[Chris W.]

Ok Tom,

My bags are all packed just tell me how to get there....

I do love that shot. I'm still digging around trying to find my pics of the place here...I'll get to them pretty soon though.

[Sam]

Tom, that's a great photo. It looks like one of those places where it looks kind of desolate, but is really teeming with life (quite often of the small, invertebrate variety). Is there much wildlife there?

I must say if I ever get the chace to visit US, Montana/Colorado would be my first stop - the mountains, the huge cattle ranches, the skiing ... (well, that's my impression of what it's like, anyway)

Matt - please post your pics of Sydney. I spent some time there in the late 80's and loved it to bits. Ended up working on a sheep farm near Cowra (d'you know it?) and then up in Queensland (Longreach, Atherton Tableland) - very, very happy memories indeed.

One of those trips one does as a carefree youth ... those days sadly gone now [sad smilie!]

[thomasgeorge]

Hi Sam, Your impression is pretty much correct--the Western parts of Montana, Wyoming and Colorado are basically the Rocky Mountains--great skiing etc. and the Eastern portions- huge expanses of broken,rolling, sometimes flat mostly treeless semi-arid counrty--around 12 inches of precip/year. Lots of wildlife though. Elk,deer,rodents,Prairie dogs,coyotes,skunks,rattlesnakes etc., and a few people just to keep things sturred up! Oh yea, Huge Ranches 10-50 thousand plus acres and lots of insect type critters--mostly of the biting and chewing kind! Tom

[Sam]

Sounds dreamy to me ... but, alas, in my dreams is where it'll have to stay for now [*very* sad smilie]

Do you guys all ski there? One of my long lost passions. Not much snow in these parts y'know ...

[thomasgeorge]

lots of folks in these parts like to ski, but its around 3-4 hour drive over narrow, icy roads to get to the slopes. I content myself with simply falling down in the drive way--hurts just as much here as on the slope and its cheaper than taking a trip to do the same! Tom

[Sam]

Like sailing - you may as well stand in a cold shower and rip up $100 notes ...