Is Droning A Word? Meeting The Future At McHugh Creek

It was sunny.  Almost no clouds.  Not really cold for a November day (high 30˚s F).  So what am I doing still at home?  Yes, getting chores done, but get out while it's sunny, boy.


So I drove down to McHugh Creek.  It was getting late - 3:45pm.  Sunset would be around 4:30pm.

The upper parking lot is gated off at this state park area these days as the legislature needs to cut services to residents so they can give billion dollar tax credits to the oil companies.

But I needed to move around.  The sky was glowing as the sun was slowly floating down toward the water.

That's when I saw something that didn't belong.

 It was coming down.

It's the white spot just below the center of the picture at the right.






And yet lower.

Again, it's the white spot below and to the left of the center.  Against a tree tilted to the right.   Clicking the images will enlarge them a bit.

And now it's almost on the ground.  But then it went back up and I saw the men controlling it near the creek.




It's in the upper left this time.  The control panel has a monitor so you can see the view from the drone when it's flying.  I understand the appeal and I get there are lots of good applications.  Imagine taking it when hiking in bear country.  Not only can you check to see if there are bears behind the bushes, but if you find one, you can send the drone to hover over it to distract it from you.   Do they come with bear spray units?  I think I'll let others try this out first.


I had come to see the water and move my legs.  I'm coming to believe that my Achilles tendon is actually healed and walking on the trail was wonderful.

Then on up the trail before it starts getting dark.  There was no snow at all at McHugh and the trail was dry and hard - perfect hiking conditions.  Since I'm testing my heal,  about a mile and a half roundtrip would be fine and get me back before dark.

I knew how to take pictures like this with my old film Pentax so that the sun wouldn't overexpose, but still have a lot to learn with the digital.

I stopped at Potter Marsh briefly on the way home.  It's mostly covered in ice now.

[Reposted because of Feedburner problems.]