In Praise of Smaller Canyons

Sometimes, canyoneers just want to have fun. You know, plop down into a convenient, little canyon with a few rappels on a pleasantly warm winter day. Some gurgling water for atmosphere. A little breeze to remind you it's January. The undergrowth is a bit dormant and stamped down by previous rain and cold temperatures, so no bushwhacking to speak of.

This would describe Fall Canyon, a minor jewel in the San Gabriel Mountains near Los Angeles. The hike in is maybe two miles on an abandoned fire road that descends into Big Tujunga Canyon, crosses shallow Big Tujunga Creek and ascends a short distance where one can drop into Fall Canyon. Lickety-split, easy-peasy, you're at the first rappel of a mere four altogether. There's a log wedged across the rock above the rappel to remind you that this gentle canyon can get rough on occasion; after all, that log probably washed down in a flood. (There's another one below at the second rappel.)

There are reasonably solid bolted anchors at each rappel, so there's not much to do here but rig up a rope and head down the rugged rock face for 40 feet. Conveniently, the anchor was placed to avoid the water spilling down into a tiny pool.

The next two rappels are 45 and 25 feet. The morning sun is warm on the rock and you can't believe there's an El Nino threatening somewhere out there. The last rappel is 90 feet and mostly down through a waterfall. I swung from side-to-side to avoid splashing too much in the main stream, but I came out wet anyway. No big. By the time we got back to cars, I was dry. Just a pleasant day in a pleasant canyon. We'll grind out a big trip some other day.

Jerri crossing Big Tujunga Creek.

Winter trees, Big Tujunga Canyon.

Jerri taking the escalator down into the canyon while Rich uses the stairs.

Preparing the rope for the first rappel.

Rich rigging the rope for the first rappel.

A log that washed down the canyon.

Rich tossing the rope for the first rappel.

We make it a habit of watching each other set up on rappels just make sure no one goofs up, like forgetting to lock the carabiner.

Kevin starting down the first rappel.

Rich tossing the pull rope over the second rappel.

Jerri, the queen of canyons, on her throne.

Rich descending the second rappel.

Rich starting down the third rappel.

Jerri untangling her rope from some branches.

Rich headed down the last rappel.

Jerri swinging out to avoid the water on the last rappel. It didn't really work.

Kevin descending the last rappel.

Kevin on his toes.

The Less Visited Tuscany

My wife and I recently spent a week at a 1200-acre Tuscany estate called Compriano. She spent the week painting at the grounds there and I cruised around the area in a comfortable Audi pretty much depending on my good luck and eye to stumble upon good photographs. Oh, sure. Everyone tells you to do your research and be prepared. Yeah, okay. I perused the Internet until my eyes bled looking for places to go, but in the end, I decided to just wing it. The advantage of this is the sense of adventure and surprise one gets every day, but also, I ended up being attracted to places that weren't necessarily visited by the tourist hordes. Below are three towns I found that had a pleasant, medieval feel to them but apparently weren't on the tourist bus schedule. It was just the residents and me. And for the most part, they ignored me as I conspicuously set up my tripod or crouched low for one shot or another. I had fun.

Murlo

Murlo

Montalcino

Montalcino

Buonconvento

Horti Leonini gardens, San Quirico d'Orcia

San Quirico d'Orcia

San Quirico d'Orcia

Horti Leonini gardens, San Quirico d'Orcia

Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore

Sign at Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore asking women to dress appropriately. And if they can't, the Abbey supplied a robe of sorts.

Detail from the murals at Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore

Library books, Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore

Sienna in the Morning

Sienna is a wonderful medieval city in the Tuscany region of Italy. The closest thing to a mall there is a narrow street full of modern shops selling clothes, wine, shoes and more wine. To my eyes, the residents have done little to acknowledge all the tourists that come there every day. A few souvenir stands at the two main attractions, the Duomo and Piazza del Campo and perhaps more restaurants than the base population could support are about it. I saw two Siennas while there. I came early in the morning when the residents were going to work, and the narrow, ancient streets were not only charming but felt—I'm guessing—like it was a few centuries ago. No traffic jams. Only a few cars and many more motorcycles. People were walking, usually briskly, as if late.

And then there was the mid-morning transformation when crowds of tourists materialized (no doubt from caravans of buses) and the streets turned into something out of Disneyland. That's about the time I left.

The advantage for a photographer getting there early was I could freely wander around using my tripod to compensate for the long exposures necessitated by the shadowy streets without worrying about tripping someone from Japan or Germany or America. Plus, I was able to get shots of the locals going about their business, making the pictures feel a little more authentic.

So here is my take on Sienna, shot over the course of about four hours.

One of the gates into the city. A few centuries ago, this was no doubt guarded.

Side street. Well, actually, most of the streets are like this.

A resident on her way to work (I'm guessing on both points).

The Duomo, one of the city's main attractions. Early in the morning before it opens the plaza in front was mostly empty.

Detail from above the Duomo's entrance. The entire church is covered with this kind of stuff.

Nun walking away from the Duomo.

A man having a morning smoke and stroll past the Duomo.

Priest in a hurry, the Duomo.

Early bird tourists. Very convenient how they stood in the shaft of light for me.

Three windows.

Motorcyclist on a side street. I suppose this might qualify as a residential area.

There was a fair amount of graffiti in Sienna as if it's tolerated.

Hat stand in a restaurant outside of the Piazza del Campo.

Woman making her way (slowly) to the Piazza del Campo.

Yours truly at the Piazza del Campo. My kind of selfie.

Two men deep in conversation, the Piazza del Campo.

Not sure what kind of animal this is, but you can't beat the contrast between the bright color and the gray surroundings.

Feather on a street.

News stand. If I'm reading the headline correctly, it says that the Pope is ill with a tumor but the doctors say it's curable. For some reason, this was the only place I ever heard of the supposed sickness.

Man carrying what I believe is a sack of concrete. I liked the shot because it had the feeling of something that happens every day there and has been going on for centuries.

Café tables adjusted for the street's steep slope.

I'm a sucker for pictures of hanging laundry.

I'm also a sucker for long stairways.

Someone on his way to something and probably a local.