How I spent my Christmas (pic heavy of course!)

[jorgemonkey]

I was COOOOLLLLLLDDDDDDD! Well being from CA anything under 50 degrees makes me shiver. My wife & I wanted to visit my family in UT, but she didn't want to fly because she is pregnant, so we decided to try the train and see how that went

So after a scary bus ride (no joke, we reported the driver for almost crashing the bus twice, driving the wrong way down a 1 way street, etc) we got to the Oakland train station, grabbed our tickets, and literally got on the train as the doors closed. Eight minutes later we pulled into Emeryville, got out bags, and relaxed for an hour or so until the California Zephyr arrived. That also gave me the first chance to pull out the camera & start shooting.

1. One of the Capitol Corridor trains leaving the station


2. The best part of the trip. Chugging over the Sierras with fresh snow, while eating in the diner car. It couldn't have been better. This is Donner Lake.


3. We left Emeryville at 8am, and we arrived in Salt Lake City at 3am (an hour early). It was cold, icy, and snowing! But it was able to get one of my favorite photos from the trip here.


4. After getting a few hours of sleep, we took a trip with my parents down to Provo Canyon


6. We also took a trip to a place called Thanksgiving Point, where they have a drive through Christmas lights show. I looooove VR. 1/40th of a second from a slow moving car


7. As a real surprise to all us kids, my parents bought themselves a Wii for Christmas. My Bro in law shows us how to play while holding a kid


8. The next morning we got a pretty decent sunrise. I was hoping to get the sun more on the clouds, but you take what you get


9. Later we set out to try to photograph some trains. Never saw one, but I did get this image from the drive


10. My niece's look of surprise while opening presents

[jorgemonkey]

Round 2

1. I told my parents they have a very photogenic area where they live. So to prove it I spent about 45 mins out walking in the 18 degree temp.


2. A gate that I really liked


3. No, I didn't place the can. I walked by & saw where it was, and it screamed, "Photograph me!"


4. Later in the day we stopped by the Provo River Parkway and wandered around for a while looking for stuff to shoot.




My dad. I always have a camera in my hand, he always has his video camera




5. This was the first time in my life I had ever seen ice crystals like these. I spent a good amount of time photographing them.

[Photo-John]

Nice stuff, Scott! I like the one of your dad with the video camera.

Does your family live in American Fork?

[jorgemonkey]

Close, they live in Lehi which isn't very far away.

Except for catching a cold right after Christmas, I had a blast out there. It was fun after getting home comparing last years photos with this years, and seeing how my shooting style has changed, as well as my skill.

[Old Timer]

Wonderful to ride along with you on your Christmas adventure Scott. Thanks for taking us along on the ride.

[photophorous]

Sounds and looks like a great trip. Thanks for sharing.

How did you like traveling by train?

Paul

[Frog]

Thankyou, Scott. I see why that one of the train is one of your favs, with the trees reflected on the back. Liked the rest too and was quite smitten by the can in the snow, saying, "serve very cold"

[mtbbrian]

Glad you had a Great Christmas, Utah Style!
Brian

[jorgemonkey]

How did you like traveling by train?

Paul

The train was awsome! I hadn't been on a train ride (excluding small gauge in the mountains) since I was a kid. Going by train isn't very stressful at all, no long lines for tickets, no x ray machines, all that stuff. You're able to get up and walk around whenever you want, grab some food from the diner car, head to the observation car and relax.

Granted, if I were to fly, I'd fly from Oakland, which means I've got about an hour drive from SJ. Get there about 1 1/2 hours before departure, 2 hour flight, find my way out of the airport, and drive to my parents. Also you get stuffed into a small space where you can't get out of your seat.

Driving takes 10-12 hours (depending on weather, and if there are any cops present on the road). You're stuck in a car, gotta stop to eat, bathroom breaks, stretch breaks, all that stuff. On the train you can do everything, and not worry about a thing. I actually was able to look at all my photos from the trip, rename, edit & caption everything by the time I hit the Sierras on the way home. All I had to do was upload to my site once I got home

[Alison]

WOW! You got some great shots!
Love the perspectives and pov's. And those mountains...WOW!
Would have loved to have seen a shot of your wife though. I bet she looks stunning with a growing belly

You looked at the pics and edited them all on the way home? So I'm guessing you have a laptop huh? What one do you have?

One thing that scares me about laptops is that they become slow very fast. Especially with adobe on there.

[Jimmy B]

Looks like it was a very nice trip! thanks for sharing.
JB

[jorgemonkey]

I've got an HP laptop that I've had for about a year or so. I am very picky about what I install on the computer, and it still runs pretty fast. I use it for school & photography stuff.

Here is my gettin-bigger-cause-she's-pregnant wife