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CapnSteve

(352 posts)
Sun Aug 10, 2025, 03:34 PM 23 hrs ago

Grand Canyon and Star Party 2025 - Side Trips Edition!

During our eight days on the South Rim we took some epic side trips as well:

1) My wife sprung for a mule ride down into the canyon on Bright Angel trail. Here is Paco (foreground) my capable mule, and Joey, her mount next to him. The drivers reffered to us as our mule's name for the day, so I was Paco!
Rokinon 14mm:


2) Sore from the time in the saddle, we drove down to Wupatki Pueblo National Monument the next day.
Rokinon 14mm:


3) We then went to Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument. Here is the ash volcano itself. Last eruption was about 10k years ago. This appealed to the geologist in me. I geeked out!
Nikkor AE 70mm-300mm:


4) On the other side of the volcano was the Bonito lava flow, where Apollo astronauts trained, tested lunar rover prototypes, and refined moon experiments. A'a lava flow. Geeking out continues...
Rokinon 14mm:


5) Another shot of Sunset Crater Volcano area. Looks like another planet.
Nikkor AE 50mm-300mm:


6) The Milky Way.
Rokinon 14mm:


Thank you!

21 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Grand Canyon and Star Party 2025 - Side Trips Edition! (Original Post) CapnSteve 23 hrs ago OP
And *I* thank you for sharing these wonderful and otherworldly photos, my dear CapnSteve! CaliforniaPeggy 23 hrs ago #1
Thank you CaliPeg! CapnSteve 23 hrs ago #3
Thanks for asking, and I am feeling well! CaliforniaPeggy 23 hrs ago #5
Yay! CapnSteve 20 hrs ago #16
What a great 8 days that must have been! Thanks for the pics, Paco Deuxcents 23 hrs ago #2
Thank you 2 cents! CapnSteve 23 hrs ago #4
Great pics and a great lens Grumpy Old Guy 23 hrs ago #6
Thanks G.O.G.! CapnSteve 22 hrs ago #9
Glad to hear you finished RAGBRAI. Grumpy Old Guy 18 hrs ago #19
WHOAWOWWONDEREDWHATINTHEWORLDYOUBEENUPTO CapnSteve. George McGovern 23 hrs ago #7
Thanks George! CapnSteve 22 hrs ago #10
Marvelous! hermetic 23 hrs ago #8
Thank you hermetic! CapnSteve 22 hrs ago #11
My sentiments exactly... ultralite001 20 hrs ago #13
Thank you! CapnSteve 20 hrs ago #14
"" AllaN01Bear 20 hrs ago #12
Thanks! CapnSteve 20 hrs ago #15
i esp liked the mules . i think mom and i did that tour many yarans ago. a life time that a way. AllaN01Bear 19 hrs ago #17
Paco was awesome! Sure footed and strong CapnSteve 18 hrs ago #18
Loved the pic from Sunset Crater Volcano slightlv 16 hrs ago #20
Thanks slightly! CapnSteve 15 hrs ago #21

CaliforniaPeggy

(154,736 posts)
1. And *I* thank you for sharing these wonderful and otherworldly photos, my dear CapnSteve!
Sun Aug 10, 2025, 03:40 PM
23 hrs ago

These are all absolutely wonderful! Sharp and clear and full of glorious details.

Thanks for taking us along!

Grumpy Old Guy

(4,010 posts)
6. Great pics and a great lens
Sun Aug 10, 2025, 03:52 PM
23 hrs ago

I have the 14mm Samyang, same lens, different name. I actually have two of them because I bought one for my wife. I've used it for astro & landscapes. I really love ultrawide lenses. I also bought a Canon RF16mm for travel because it's tiny and weighs practically nothing, but I think the Samyang/Rokinon might be sharper.

I love the pics of the mules and the Canyon.

CapnSteve

(352 posts)
9. Thanks G.O.G.!
Sun Aug 10, 2025, 04:20 PM
22 hrs ago

Yeah, just love that lens. Worth the weight!

I did finish RAGBRAI LII. 406 miles over seven days, but left the camera at home. Lots of corn!

Grumpy Old Guy

(4,010 posts)
19. Glad to hear you finished RAGBRAI.
Sun Aug 10, 2025, 09:05 PM
18 hrs ago

Maybe I could have done it too if I had taken better care of myself over the years. I still have eight bikes, (down from a high of fourteen).

George McGovern

(8,606 posts)
7. WHOAWOWWONDEREDWHATINTHEWORLDYOUBEENUPTO CapnSteve.
Sun Aug 10, 2025, 03:54 PM
23 hrs ago

This fabulous posting leaves no shred of doubt! Thanks so much for inviting us all along on your expedition!

P,S. Including camera/lens settings reveals you do know what the heck you are doing!

ultralite001

(1,937 posts)
13. My sentiments exactly...
Sun Aug 10, 2025, 06:46 PM
20 hrs ago

The Grand Canyon star parties... The trips to the Dark Sky observatories...
I miss my Dobsonian telescope (a casualty of the Camp Fire)...

Thank you for sharing your adventures... It does a body good...

AllaN01Bear

(26,905 posts)
17. i esp liked the mules . i think mom and i did that tour many yarans ago. a life time that a way.
Sun Aug 10, 2025, 07:21 PM
19 hrs ago

that photo of the universe was lovely.

slightlv

(6,265 posts)
20. Loved the pic from Sunset Crater Volcano
Sun Aug 10, 2025, 11:09 PM
16 hrs ago

with the lone tree on top of the ash mountain. Really cool framing!

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