Pilot Peak Solo Night Ride
  • Well, I'm back in one piece. Now that was just about as fun of a ride as it gets, 36 miles up and back, and pitch black for the return 18 mile trip. Can you say "deer in the headlights"...

    Leaving the trailhead at 9:00pm:

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    About 9 miles in and it's still a go:

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    At about 12 miles and I'm starting to get a little skerd:

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    Ah, a first good look at our target for the night, the Moon and Venus:

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    I make it to the Pilot Peak Fire Lookout. It's dark enough that "dust" shows up on my camera lens:

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    Wow, what a view of the night sky. Saturn, Mars, the Moon, Venus, and Mercury are all there:

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    Well, it's getting really dark and I've got a case of the "heebie jeebies". Time to go!

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    I'm about 3 miles down and one final look at the jewels in the night sky:

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    I make it back to the truck at 11:30pm and home in bed by 12:30pm. Ah, the life of an old, retired guy...
  • Nice pics, did you bring a telescope with you?
  • Nope, just by binoculars and camera. No racks on a sport quad!
  • Looks like a lot of fun. There is nothing like getting out and away from the city lights and taking a look at what the sky really looks like. :)

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