Rocky Mountain N.P. in VR

NPR has published a _virtual reality_ presentation on the geology of Rocky Mountain National Park:
<https://apps.npr.org/rockymountain-vr/>.

I have just watched it on my computer, but in a few minutes I am going to see if my new twin-lens VR goggles can view it on my celephone screen.

Note that for either method, headphones improve the experience (as they do with nearly every possible sound presentation).

Also: Various places on the Internet host similar presentations on subjects like this one and others. More are linked at the end of this one. (Or perhaps not; for me, clicking does nothing.)

Anyway, it has made me want to go back to the Rockies and spend more time than I have.

Mark_

Fall color and some sunshine @ UW's Seattle Japanese Garden

Nice day among colorful trees in this beautiful garden.
<https://photos.app.goo.gl/4OcrF4nrxKrAc9gD2>

Mark_

At Home: Fall _and Snowfall!_

We have a couple of trees here that turn pleasant colors in autumn.
• 31 October <https://photos.app.goo.gl/kglUJgagLfVGSSv23>
• 30 October <https://photos.app.goo.gl/SIGrrxK9z6j8JwEw2>
• 28 October <https://photos.app.goo.gl/IfU3vokc4L6Xr8Ew2>
• 27 October <https://photos.app.goo.gl/9H3C6NoI9x13ZmA62>

Also, it _snowed_ today.  Not a lot, but the atmosphere was quite festive.
<https://photos.app.goo.gl/W7Dv3G1Wl2qp37iy2>


Mark_

Fall sunshine and color @ Kubota Garden

We recently visited the Kubota Japanese Garden, a bit south of Seattle.  The day opened with some cloudiness, but the bulk of that dissipated and we were left with much bright and warm sunshine falling upon gorgeous autumn color.

<https://photos.app.goo.gl/r69zj7C5jN8UpVYf1>

Mark_

Phishing on the iPhone

The bad people are at it again.

This time, it is "phishing" <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phishing> on the iPhone--attempts to get you to give them your Apple account credentials. For clarity: This is not malware residing on your device; it is a message that came in piggyback with something else.

Occasionally, iPhone (or any iOS device) will need your credentials (ID and password), and will make its request by putting up a "slip" containing the notification. You may be able to dismiss without complying, but the request would return the next time the OS needed access to Apple services. We become accustomed to just doing what is needed without thinking about context--and this is what the jerks are counting on. They display such a request (looking more or less identical to the legitimate one), and we pass them our credentials (username and password).

The article below suggests that such request be dismissed immediately, but then one should go to System Settings to see if the request is there--and if so only there to supply the password being requested.

This would be similar to our _not_ using the convenient link in e-mail from [someone posing as] a bank; instead we use the links previously stored in our Contacts address books.

<https://krausefx.com/blog/ios-privacy-stealpassword-easily-get-the-users-apple-id-password-just-by-asking>

I hope this helps.

Mark_ 

15 October 2017 21:46 

171014 WydahoCruise: Our recent "cruise" into Wyoming & Idaho

In the naming of this cruise, it has turned out that I was somewhat less clever than I had believed myself to be. "Wydaho" is already in use by people who live on a slice of the border between those two states. 

Anyway, we have "cruised", and we have taken quite a number of pictures. Here are some of them.

• Touring Nampa & Boise: Train Depots <https://photos.app.goo.gl/NhnSvRSjRYifxRNK2> 
• Boise: Capitol, Garden, and Wetland Walk <https://photos.app.goo.gl/otuocKpQCZ0VotS02> 
• Emigrant Springs, OR <https://photos.app.goo.gl/K1AixRncPgTod2k32> 
• Thousand Springs S.P., Hagerman Valley, ID <https://photos.app.goo.gl/JsCT1mXwRctoz8T83> 

• Malad Gorge S.P., Hagerman, ID <https://photos.app.goo.gl/HevFyTE1kfC2RZrQ2> 

• Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, Great Rift volcanic zone, ID <https://photos.app.goo.gl/EgQvIeYdm1c5OSsM2> 

• Yellowstone's Grand Prismatic Spring <https://photos.app.goo.gl/Lfh50qOdrgBT5i5F2> 

• Intermittent Spring <https://photos.app.goo.gl/FXB3p41OSLQs6uyM2> (Also locally known as "Intermitting Spring" and "Periodic Spring" This runs out of a mountain, then pauses for some minutes, then begins running again. (It _intermits_.) Quite remarkable to watch. 
• Wildlife Above Campground @ Kemmerer, WY <https://photos.app.goo.gl/BaYwlLheKWPLyZMk1> Pronghorn.
• Cody, WY: Museum and town, and beyond <https://photos.app.goo.gl/QXBlBpfqPR353UyJ2> 
• Buffalo Bill Cody Museum, Cody, WY <https://photos.app.goo.gl/3aGFQhwJmW4G8Jq63> 
• Drive to Shell Falls, WY <https://photos.app.goo.gl/1Qn4iGkusFOYwxUH3>
• Bighorn Canyon Loop Drive & Devil's Kitchen <https://photos.app.goo.gl/36dwgoEsel6GpW1M2> 
• Aerial Firefighters <https://photos.app.goo.gl/cTsnM11ldaUYaah42>  Greybull, WY.  <http://www.museumofflight.us>  One of these, the "flying boxcar", was used the original "Flight of the Phoenix". 
• Ten Sleep, WY <https://photos.app.goo.gl/87BTWFBJfUbO90wt1> Named for the Native Americans' experience of its being several days' travel from somewhere else of importance. • Medicine Lodge Archaeological Site <https://photos.app.goo.gl/8D6bs1bAWaeGnzyB3> 
• Big Horn Canyon drive <https://photos.app.goo.gl/61Lxz1DGSvXbmcUI3> 
• Antique Music, Kemmerer, WY <https://photos.app.goo.gl/P7xtSChBXONgyptH2> 
• South Pass City (ghost town) <https://photos.app.goo.gl/lMMULBkNE3nJSrtq2> 
• Fossils <https://photos.app.goo.gl/1oeCbtxbizqg5JUB3> 

Mark_
14:45 14 October 2017

21:03 15 October 2017

170427 Fruita, Colorado

170427 Fruita, Colorado
(Grand Junction)

As we drove toward our next campground, we were overtaken by a brand-new 1947 Ford coupe.  It had modern wheels and tires under it, and it sounded like it may have had a modern engine, but otherwise it seemed original on the outside--and shiny-new.  (And not hot-rodded, which I greatly appreciated; except for the wheels and tires, it appeared stock.)  My speed is usually 60 when a steep upgrade doesn't reduce that; this little coupe rolled past me easily--and beautifully.  (Speed limit in the countryside is 80.)

Waves of wind in the camp.
Warm enough that we could eat our late-midday snack with the door open.

Into town to mine the visitor's center, then to a great little shop for some excellent coffee. We spoke a little with the owner, who was justifiably proud of having been open for a whole year.  He was roasting his own beans, and the coffee was very good.

After coffee--late afternoon closing time--we walked into the former elementary school, now the City offices, to see what it was like inside.  All updated; nothing of interest to see there, except for some posters about local subjects, including a local legend or celebrity: Mike, the Headless Chicken.  (I have no idea.)

From there, we strolled into nearby neighborhoods, where we were soon challenged by a voice from a house we were passing:  "Hey--are you following me?"  It was the coffee house owner working on the renovation of a(nother) house.  (The coffee place was in a renovated house.)  We all laughed, and we apologized for getting caught.  Nice fellow.

After our walk, we drove around town a bit--it's not a big place--and noted a few houses that had been worked on, giving the impression of a little boom. This is a mountain-biking region, and apparently this little town is benefitting from its proximity to Moab--and likely its lower costs.  A mountain-biking festival was in town for the weekend.

We then drove out of town into the hills, where hiking and equestrian trail-heads were all along the natural-surface roads.

A little before dusk we drove back to camp for dinner and more little wind-squalls.

Mark_
R/V _Serenity_, Fruita, CO (near Grand Junction)