Far from Wordless

So, yesterday I meant to tell you all about my Dude Ranch experience, but I got wrapped up into a website and before I knew it the day had slipped away.  (Now today has slipped away as well, this is going to be a two or three part blog)

Curious the website?  Fro Knows Photo.

Anywho.

The Dude Ranch.

It was AH-MAZING on so many levels...

The first level:  The place. 
It took a good three hours to get to White Pines Ranch.  Three very flat landed hours.  Not much to see.  I rode with another mom that I had only met, er scratch that, I had only spoke with over the phone during cookie selling time.

She was very nice and I really had no problems riding with her and her daughter.  I think this was a revelation for me over the weekend that I will maybe get into later.  Anyway...the ride there was uneventful which is good.

We arrived at the destination and our two girls were uber excited that they were the first to arrive from our group.  It was like an episode of Big Brother where they only allow three guest into the house at a time and those people go running in to have their pick of beds.  I guess there are other reality shows like that as well, but for me to list them would just show what a nutjob I am for watching so many to know such details....

I've digressed.

The two girls run into the cabin and grab the most ideal bunk beds in their opinion.  Both girls threw their stuff onto the top bunks and started settling in, putting clothes in drawers, etc.

This was just the start of the many smiles I had at my daughter's excitement...again, more later on that.

The ranch really wasn't what I was expecting, but to be honest I don't know what I expected.  It's not that it under exceeded or over exceeded my expectations, it just was not what I expected I guess.   There were two big buildings.  Two levels to each building.  First level to one building was the eating area, game room and souvenir shop with offices and the other building had the barn on the first level.  On the second level were what they called dorms.

I would say, rough guesstimate was that each "dorm" held about 120 campers.  Our dorm held at least 40, each dorm had their own bathrooms with three showers, three hot showers and four toilet stalls.  Adequate for the most part.



The whole place was pretty clean, none of it gave me the heebee jeebees....so it gets a good rating on that aspect.

Let's face it, there's nothing ugly about horses, their pasture was gorgeous, the barns were clean and everyone that worked there was energetic and very well kept in their appearance.

Is that weird of me to say??   My uncle made a comment that the ranch he went to had people who looked like they were inbred.  I am not sure what an inbred person looks like, but I would go out on a limb to say that the people working at White Pines Ranch looked like "normal" well kept people to me.



We had about an hour before our orientation and dinner to explore a little and get settled in.  Buggy and I took our cameras around (me with my new one, her with my older one) a little after we had gotten our bunks set up just as we wanted them to be for bed that night.

I have uploaded my pictures, but have yet to get hers online...here's a few that I shot. :) 


I did have to brighten this one slightly in Picnik.  Here are the specs...for you photography people out there...any critiques feel free.  (f/4.0 1/320, iso100) 


No changes made to this one, but if I had it to shoot again, I wouldn't cut off the feet.


<3 I love this.
(F/2.8, 1/400, ISO100)


Wee bit Bright...(f/2.8, 1/500, iso100)

I moved her to the shadow...but i should have compensated with my exposure...FAIL...but I love the photo anyway...


(F/2.8, 1/500, ISO100)  -Not sure, should I have bumped up the ISO????

I will go into more tomorrow. I promise not to get wrapped up into anymore photography sites ...well, not until I'm done posting here. :)

(Here is what held me up today)

((Yes, I am aware that I've become totally obsessed with this photography thing...but it has challenged me.))

(((Another note...I went completely manual on the camera this weekend, only once did I flip it to Auto. YAY ME!!!)))