Elk Mountain is solid on my right, and Colorado snow is melting on the farther slopes.
I glide across Medicine Bow River as stars fade out in turn, the clouds of night still dark against the morning grey, one hint of color showing where dawn will be.
The air I split in two seems not to care, nor Wyoming law my speed, nor anyone my passing here.
It is well with the tires and the motor and my life. I think how friends will ask about this trip. Those I can never show such a morning to.
I will say the trip took an effort, but was always a delight, and sometimes an ecstasy.
Now is the ecstasy. A silver moon hangs high overhead. The air is clear like a trumpet note. Already the farm houses are spilling yellow light from kitchen windows, where breakfasts sizzle on the stove.
The land wakes as on its first day. Animals that watch me pass I am
watching too. Deer and antelope
stand grazing in herds as clouds test
colors of pink and red and silver.
Just hours from now I will swoop down
on Cheyanne like Indians used to swoop.
From among the trucks that got up early too. From the side toward Laramie and ocean. From whatever is told by men who ride two
wheels across a country in the open air.
“I believe the muffled blast of the .410 shotgun after Billy Reeder held his breath for what seemed forever and then with an utterly forsaken cry pulled the trigger and blew his big toe off so he wouldn’t be sent to Vietnam.” From Rain on the River by Jim Dodge
Bygone years long past yes but now as easy as
well let’s say politician lying I could take you back
there actually right there on Pennsylvania Route 30
which is the one-and-only Lincoln Highway the
first U.S. road to cross our country—if it still
can be called ours—from coast east at New York City to
coast west at San Francisco and where I was was west of
Bedford Pennsylvania and a little past Schellsburg and
on beyond the buffalo yes amazing for Pennsylvania
buffalo farm we were there to see and no problems
driving no roadblocks arguments or flats until now so
sudden ahead ahead there was him or her hit down in
the road and smashed over on the shoulder harmed
awful and no not a person but a deer which in my
thoughts is almost as bad to see here or on any
road and I will never not anytime in my lifetime or
beyond if there is any forget the look oh lord the
terror on that poor animal’s face connecting right to
mine our faces do you see? face to face but as a
glimpse because of the car speed but mind what you
glimpse because this one has followed me through
life more miles than that Lincoln Highway adds up.
he lived on a hill that looked two ways with one looking down below on the black sand beach and the other up the side of a steep high cliff on this icelandic coast so famous and where tourist droves flock to stare and wonder and take their selfies and eat their snacks and some even wading
out there in that roaring north atlantic surf which first thing he warned us about since two of those idiots were swept in and disappeared by sneaker waves they call them just last monday he said sternly eyes leveled as a man used to newcomers like us arriving to rent his small airbnb cabin right down the road there he pointed
and when you get down there look up above you on that cliff and see my rope still hanging down that i used to climb up with my long spear to stab puffins and bag them for dinner fixed right there in this kitchen and so good they were and silly laws are against it now but by god i still could climb that rope up there if I wanted to and here’s the house key which should be all you need because our place is ready ready as always now take care and enjoy your stay
we drove down and parked in front looked out along the black sand at the waves that grabbed and swallowed those people looked up at the cliff and the old rope hanging down sort of proud looking then slipped the key in the lock and turned it it it what no back again no try again try try try and damn that sorry thing and okay you try it if you’re so smart but nothing either now what next call help
the call brings him fast out in his yard seeming almost mad and looking down toward us then walking fast his long arms swinging and head up straight and down the hill he came as if saying what the devil is wrong with these pathetic tourists who can’t even open a door but okay okay now do not say that to them or anything else no no don’t now the poor things just let them in and back you go up quick your big mouth shut
arriving on the scene his hand impatient held out ahead of him to grab that unsuccessful key he wordless took it slammed it in the lock and turned it it it what no back again no try again try try try and damn that sorry thing he swore
and puffins gathered up there over us on the cliff might have laughed seeing him him especially him helpless huffing at that lock his own lock and saying damn that sorry thing that lock which finally somehow did have a mercy he never showed those puffins and let us in
i guess i may need to replace that lock he mumbled muttered eyes lowered down and his head too before back up the hill he went and
i imagined this I did I imagined i could hear those puffins up there above us
This is, for now, the last of the Iceland drone photography. This is being posted in the midst of the U.S. Covid-19 crisis. Who knows when it will be possible to safely fly to Iceland or other countries again? As I ponder such thoughts, reviewing these views and experiences becomes even more satisfying. The following contains scenes titled “Peace in the Valley,” “Swan Family Roaming,” “Fall Colors with No Trees,” “Waves and Waterfall,” and “Color Around the Lakes.” View on the largest screen possible for the best experience.
The exploration of beautiful Iceland continues with the following episodes: “Black Sand, White Waves,” “House at the End of the Road,” “Swans on a Remote Lake,” “The Town of Kopasker,” and “Hofn Iceland and its Surroundings.”
The town of Kopasker is memorable for the best fish cakes I ever put in my mouth.
These videos were taken in very high resolution. They are best viewed on the largest screen you have available.
Continuing my Icelandic journey and its views from above, this installment includes videos titled “Black Rocks by the River,” “Around Lake Myvatn,” “Looking Across to Hornstrandir,” “The Town of Flateryn,” and “Eastern Icelandic Coast.”
Continuing my drone photography of Iceland, this installment features episodes titled “Remote Lakes on a Windy Day,” “Iceland’s Westfjords Region,” “Dark, Remote Landscape in Iceland,” “Village by Lake Myvatn,” and “The Town of Eskifjordur and its Pool.”
On the subject of swimming pools, every Icelandic child is required to learn to swim before graduating from school. Because of this, every village seems to have a pool. Most pools are outdoor pools with heated water. Most pool water is heated by mixing Iceland’s abundant geo-thermal heated water to obtain a comfortable temperature. Outdoor hot tubs are also very popular in connection with the swimming. During our recent two weeks in Iceland, we swam in six different pools, including Eskifjordur.
As someone who used to fly small airplanes – I have over 500 hours as a pilot – it is similar but unique to fly a small drone and use it to photograph the landscape. My drone has a nice five inch screen on the controller that lets me see what the onboard camera sees. But you are pretty busy flying to follow the screen in detail, and five inches isn’t very much for detail anyway. So when I get home and load the files on my computer and begin viewing them on a 27 inch screen, it is almost like flying with the drone myself. This is especially true with high resolution video. And the ability to slow things down or speed things up or zoom in close adds more. So the editing is a lot about discovery, and the following is some of the results.
I spent the first two weeks of September 2019 traveling in Iceland and flying my drone. I flew at every opportunity, accumulating many hours of footage. Iceland is a great place for drone photography, partly because it is so scenic and also because you can fly almost anywhere except in the national parks. My drone is a DJI Mavic 2 Pro with Hasselblad camera, shooting 4k video. I hope you will enjoy flying with me!
A second group of videos from Iceland, made from flights with my camera drone. This was done in September 2019, my third visit to the country. However, this trip lasted over two weeks and included driving the “Ring Road” all the way around the island, plus many side trips as well.
