First photo from Hanbleceya, Steens Mountains from Akicita post (in the style of Catherine the Great)

Lots of info in this photograph: I'm up at the Akicita (pronounced a kee chee tah) post at sunrise, those are the Steens Mountains in the background, and there is basalt and juniper everywhere. The whole "taking photos of your feet" is an inspiration from Catherine The Great.

I did 2 sunrise shifts up there, keeping an eye out for camp. Akicita (roughly translated as "warrior") is a lookout post, you have binoculars and a radio to call into camp if someone is coming in. In 9 years, only last year did the Akicita post call in to camp; once because 5 cowpokes (1 woman, 4 men, all horseback, 4+ dogs) drove 200 or so head of cattle past camp no more than 300 yards away; and secondly because a BLM guy on a 4-wheel ATV came blazing into camp. It worked out great, once to keep the camp quiet and hidden, and once to make sure we had a welcome crew for the government agent. BLM Guy turned out to be very nice, courteous and respectful. He was just curious to see who had been using the spot, hanging prayer ties, etc.

I'm back from Hanbleceya ceremony, there are dusty clothes all over the living room floor, and I have a lot of settling in to do. I also have to get a Flickr account, and get going on some photographic excess for ya'll.

ps: Found out, to my dismay, that this camera only goes to F8.0 -- it really is a snap and shoot, and I already feel cramped. I wanted 16 or better yet 32 for this shot. Oh well.

More later,

Bp