The shot I took of the squadron from my hotel room was far less dangerous than this one I took from the beach.

Posted on February 4th, 2015 under Other. Tags: AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II, Daytona Beach Florida, Nikon D750, wildlife. Comments Off on bombs away

My random, desktop image of the day is from our trip to New York a few summers ago. I tried to find out information on this sarcophagus online, and I hit the jackpot. Here it was before coming out of the ground over 110 years ago after laying there for 2,500 years!

Posted on February 3rd, 2015 under Other. Tags: Metropolitan Museum of Art, museums, new york, nikon d7000. Comments Off on Egyptian Sarcophagus

Napalm Death, Voivod, Exhumed, Iron Reagan, Phobia, and Black Crown Initiate (2/20/15)

@voivoddotnet @centurymedia

I have been going to concerts for more than 30 years now. I have seen virtually all of my favorite bands at some point in time, most more than once. Some I’ve seen a dozen or more times. However, every once in a while I get to see long-loved band for the first time. Such was the case a couple years ago when I saw Neurosis for the first time. Such will be the case next month when I will see Voivod for the first time. I have seen Napalm Death before. The other bands on the bill will all be new to me.

Posted on January 31st, 2015 under Other. Tags: metal, oakland, voivod. Comments Off on Voivod

I don’t know who creates these things, but a few days ago (January 21) was Squirrel Appreciation Day. A few days before that I took this photo on the Santa Clara University campus.

Posted on January 24th, 2015 under Other. Tags: california, Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR G lens, Nikon D750. Comments Off on Squirrel Appreciation Day

Tonkotsu Orenchi Ramen (俺ん家らーめん) Santa Clara, California

We have no ramen shops in Southern Oregon. There are a few restaurants that sell ramen, but none of them are good. So when we get out of Southern Oregon we like to look for ramen. While in Santa Clara we decided to go to the #1-ranked ramen in the South Bay.

We had time to kill as the shop didn’t open until 5 p.m. We decided to find the place first and then browse shops nearby. However, when we got there at 4:20, there was already a line of about 30 people! I felt like I was at a popular ramen shop in Japan. We put our names on the list. By the time the shop opened 40 minutes later there were well over 100 people, and the place only holds about 50 or 60 people.

I’ve sampled dozens of bowls in Japan and about a dozen in the U.S., and this was the best ramen I have had outside of Japan. I had the tonkotsu (pork broth) bowl, pictured above, and Ellie had the shio (salt broth–photo coming soon).

The wait was well worth it. Word to the wise, if you are ever in the San Jose area, check this place out, but be sure to get there at least 20 minutes before they open. If you get there after that you probably won’t make the first seating which means you’ll likely be waiting an hour or more. Also, once they run out of soup they close so you may not get any (or your choice may be gone) if you show up after the first couple hundred people.

Posted on January 19th, 2015 under Other. Tags: california, food, Nikon 24-120mm f/4 VR G lens, Nikon D750, ramen. Comments Off on Best ramen in the USA