Day 2.175: Ridge with a view

Our Independence Day did not get off to a great start. We arrived at our chosen picnic spot (a beach at a nearby state park) to be handed a leaflet informing us that there were no picnic facilities. Also the weather, which was supposed to be clearing, was actually rolling in black clouds.

In fact, we had a very nice time, the sun shone for some of the time, the picnic was fine without 'facilities' and I even had a swim in the lake.

On the way back we stopped to look at the view from the overlook on the ridge.

Exile #4 stood on the edge*.

Exile #3 found it a little hair-raising (mouseover or click).

And the view down to downtown Albany gave us an idea.

So at 8.30pm, Exile #2's parents, Exile #3 and I went back up to the overlook to watch the fireworks from a very safe distance. It was crowded up there but well organised with lots of police and park rangers in attendance. The view was fine, but it was a little cold (especially for the past-bedtime little girl in the party).

Here's a taste of the view we had (partly because we happened to wander up to the part of the wall where a colleague of mine was waiting to see them with his family):



The pictures were taken with my Pentax resting on a coat on a low wall with a 200mm lens.

* she didn't really - she was a very safe distance from the edge!