Maybe we've been gone from Minnesota too long. Yesterday Steve and I took a 4-hour road trip north to ... wait for it ... see snow. Snow! We went with hopes of photographing it too, taking both cameras so we could both shoot and Steve could start getting used to his before we set north again.
It was a late start, an impulse, really. After my early afternoon cardiologist appointment (everything's fine) and a trip to pick up a late lunch, when returning home I had about a 5 second glimpse of mountains to the north with snow on them. I proposed the trip to Steve as soon as I returned, and to my surprise he actually took me up on it. There are so few days when his wellbeing and sleep schedule match my wishes to drop everything and just go. There was a scramble to get the dog outside, then kenneled, make sure both cameras had fresh batteries (his didn't), and reminders to each other of what to remember to bring.
I showed him my newly discovered route of taking El Mirage north to the 303, which connected us to the 17 nicely north of most metro rush hour traffic, just entering full swing. Or is that full choke? Either way, we dodged it. By the time we reached the 303 we were already seeing several peaks with snow on them, the further away - aka higher - the whiter they were. If we hadn't needed to cross the full metro to reach them, the Superstitions way out east might have supplied some good shots.
As it was, we pulled off three times to get some shots, mostly a disappointment because of their distance. Still, I wouldn't have been interested in heading either further north or having gone up a day or two sooner. There was a reason we left Minnesota winters. Still, we both got out of the house for some different scenery, venturing as far as the south lip of the Verde Valley and a convenient McDonald's before heading back.
By then we knew we'd be losing the light before we returned, though there was still plenty to enjoy the scenery. It might have been better except for that McDonald's stop. It started with getting our hamburger order wrong. I didn't want cheese but Steve did. He decided to walk back in and ask for the right burger. Unfortunately, when they handed his bag back to him, it no longer contained his fries, or the straw for his large sweet tea. The hamburger did have cheese, though. Somehow we figured it could only get worse if he returned another time to try to get it right. So long as the car was sitting, he was able to bend the paper tea holder so it didn't spill when he was drinking, so he took a long one. Next time we go by, there's a BK two buildings away. And a Subway across the street, though he has his issues with that chain too. Maybe we'll pack a meal?
My biggest surprise came near the end of our trip, pulling into Sunset Point rest stop. We'd just passed the limit of ground photography but the sky was well lit and clouds provided a variety of formations in any direction. Pink was just forming over The Valley, aka Phoenix, its clouds visible from there at just the right angle. But in shooting just sky, the white of the clouds yielded the contrast of deep blue sky as the light meter compensated for its challenge.
Anybody remember the frustrations I've been having getting one particular prescription from my pharmacy? I'd had to make two more phone calls earlier in the morning, trying to find out what the hangup still was. Pharmacy hadn't heard diddly. Doc's assistant insisted she'd done everything right multiple times and it was the pharmacy's problem. You can guess believing which side of that debate I fell on. I finally, calmly, described to the assistant what the pharmacy had physically shown me from their incoming paperwork from her, and declined to be the go-between on this issue any longer, thinking it was time to switch doctors if they couldn't fix this. As soon as I bowed out, she allowed that she might let herself be so inconvenienced as to actually contact the pharmacy by phone to find out just what they still needed. Gee, ya think?
FINALLY!
Just after Steve and I had hit the road, my phone rang and I had Steve listen to the recording that said my prescription was ready. Before arriving home, I hit their drive thru and finally got it. Still thinking I might switch doctors, though. I've never really warmed up to this one in the years we've been down here. Just need to find a good referral. Maybe when I go back to the club as ask some people who they like or don't. I might even try Steve's doc, since he's closer. Problem is, whoever I switch to will have to compete with the service and friendliness from the people in my cardiologist's office, and that's about impossible.
Maybe while I think about it, it's time to go download yesterday's photos and see what I've got.
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