Caleb's Geography Blog

Black Mountain Open Space Park Miner's Ridge Loop - San Diego, California

2013-12-05T19:41:00.002-06:00

Two days ago I hiked the Miner's Ridge Loop at Black Mountain Open Space Park. I really like this trail. It took me approximately an hour to hike the loop. There is quite a bit of uphill climbing on this one, especially on the first half. The second half is mostly downhill. This particular day I didn't see a single other person from the time I parked to the time I left. Parking is free. Here are some pictures from the park:

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park - California

2013-11-30T21:22:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I went to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. It was a really neat place. The park reminded me a lot of Joshua Tree National Park which I went to a few years ago. Joshua Tree National Park is only a few hours away from Anza-Borrego so the similarities are not surprising. Here are some pictures from the hike:

Me at a rock overhang along the Palm Canyon Trail at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

Looking down from Montezuma Valley Rd. into the valley where Borrego Springs and part of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park are located.

Looking up from Montezuma Valley Rd. to the mountains along the road.

Looking from a trail near the visitors center at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

Grinding stone along trail by visitor center at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

Ocotillo in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park along the Palm Canyon Trail.

Possibly Nevada ephedra? Located along Palm Canyon Trail at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

Barrel Cactus

Rock formation.

Crack in a large rock.

Large rock with a small sign saying: "Amphibilite" (commonly spelled Amphibolite).

Some scrap metal near a stream along Palm Canyon Trail.

Palm grove on Palm Canyon Trail at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

Waterfall on Palm Canyon Trail at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

Looking out from a palm grove on Palm Canyon Trail.

Looking down into the valley beneath Montezuma Valley Dr. after hiking at Anza Borrego Desert State Park.

San Dieguito County Park - San Diego County, California

2013-11-24T20:15:00.002-06:00

I really enjoyed walking at San Dieguito County Park today. The trail leading around this pretty park took about 45 minutes or so to walk. Here are a few pictures from today:

San Dieguito County Park sign.

Bamboo on the other side of a fence next to San Dieguito County Park.

Part of the trail leads beside a road.

There are a some places on the trail where you can see mountains in the distance.

Pomegranate tree at San Dieguito County Park.

San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve - San Diego County, California

2013-11-23T20:14:00.003-06:00

Yesterday I walked at San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve in San Diego. I parked for free in a small parking area located adjacent to El Camino Real. Here are some pictures from my walk:

Entrance to a trail at San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve.

Prickly Pear Cactus.

Dust Devil Nature Trail - San Diego, California

2013-11-17T19:05:00.003-06:00

Dust Devil Nature Trail in San Diego is located between El Camino Real and I-5. As such it is easy to hear traffic while on the trail and is located in a developed area. It is still a nice walk if you live close by and are looking for an easy trail. There is a free parking area adjacent to the trail making access to the park easy. Here are a few pictures from my walk there this afternoon:

Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve - San Diego, California

2013-11-16T23:41:00.000-06:00

This afternoon I hiked at Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve in San Diego. Here are some pictures:

Among the rocks of a rock outcropping near a waterfall at Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.

Looking down from on top of a rock outcropping near a waterfall at Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.

Looking up at the rock outcropping I had been standing on top of a few minutes earlier.

Waterfall area at Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.

A waterfall at Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.

Steps at a waterfall at Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve.

Torrey Pines State Reserve - San Diego, California

2013-11-13T23:15:00.000-06:00

This afternoon I took a walk at Torrey Pines State Reserve in San Diego. I parked for free at the Torrey Pines State Beach about 5 minutes walk from the entrance of the reserve. Admission to the reserve is also free if you do not take a vehicle in. Once in Torrey Pines State Reserve I walked along Torrey Pines Park Road for about 10 minutes until I reached the North Grove Guy Fleming Trail. Though this trail is easy and short (10-20 minutes round trip) it is has some great views of the ocean as well as some interesting coastal geography and flora and fauna. Arguably the most famous of flora in the reserve are the namesake Torrey Pines. Not all of the pines in the reserve are Torrey Pines, which number only in the thousands worldwide, but a few of them along the trail have signs clearly marking them as Torrey Pines. From parking my truck to driving away, I walked under an hour. Parking at the beach is more difficult on the weekends. My party has parked on Carmel Valley Road twice before on the weekend which adds about 30-40 minutes total of walking just to get to and from the entrance of the reserve. Here are some pictures from this afternoon:

Looking back at Torrey Pines State Beach and the entrance to Torrey Pines State Reserve from Torrey Pines Park Road.

Looking at N. Torrey Pines Road while walking on Torrey Pines Park Road.

Walking up Torrey Pines Park Road to get to the North Grove Guy Fleming Trail at Torrey Pines State Reserve.

Along the North Grove Guy Fleming Trail at Torrey Pines State Reserve in San Diego, California.

Torrey Pine on cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

View of a Torrey Pine with the Pacific Ocean in the background.

Opuntia Prickly Pear Cactus.

Sun setting over the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday, November 13, 2013 at Torrey Pines State Beach in California.

Gonzales Canyon Open Space - San Diego, California

2013-11-11T20:25:00.004-06:00

This afternoon I walked for about an hour in the Gonzales Canyon Open Space in San Diego. Here are a few photos from the walk:

Looking Into the Canyon From A Sidewalk Leading To A Trail Entrance

Hill with Cholla.

Barrel Cactus with yellow fruit.

Moon visible in the afternoon sky.

Top 10 Earning States By Median Household Income [Infographic]

2013-10-03T00:31:00.002-05:00


Top 10 Earning States By Median Household Income (2011)

10 Largest Metropolitan Areas in the USA

2013-09-30T15:35:00.001-05:00

10 Largest Metropolitan Areas in the USA

Above is an infographic I created showing the 10 largest cities in the United States by metropolitan area population.

Uganda

2013-08-20T17:54:00.001-05:00

Uganda is a country of nearly 36 million people. It is landlocked and the equator passes through it. The country mostly lies on the East African plateau with mountains in some parts. The tallest mountain in Uganda is Mount Stanley (it is also in The Democratic Republic of the Congo). Mount Stanley is a part of the Rwenzori Mountains and has an elevation of 16,762 feet. Part or all of several lakes are in Uganda including, Lake Victoria, Lake Albert, Lake Kwania, Lake Kyoga, Lake George and Lake Edward.

The capital and largest city of Uganda is Kampala, with nearly 1.7 million people. The second largest city in Uganda is Gulu with nearly 147,000 people. The official languages of Uganda are Swahili and English. Uganda is divided into 4 administrative regions and over 100 districts.

Map of Uganda. Map Credit: Kelisi.

Downtown Kampala. Photo Credit: Andrew Regan.

Suburban Kampala, Fall 2006. Photo Credit: Michael Shade.

Kabale Landscape, Uganda. Photo Credit: Edirisa.

"Plants in the Ruwenzori Mountains, SW Uganda, Bujuku Valley, in about 3700 m altitude. Center back, hung with lichen, a high tree Erica way forward both hands "trees" with bright green leaves (Dendrosenecio adnivalis) and Lobelia and in front of straw flowers." Photo and Description Credit: Manuel Werner.

Kaabong District, Uganda. Photo Credit: Keitsist.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo

2013-08-17T12:41:00.001-05:00

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (also known as the DRC) is the 11th largest country in the world by area. It is the 19th largest country in the world by population with over 75 million inhabitants. The DRC is home to one of the worlds most important tropical rainforest ecosystems: the Congo rainforest. It is the the worlds second largest tropical forest in the world, after the Amazon. The heart of this rainforest is the Congo river, which is the the worlds 9th longest river and the deepest river in the world. It is as deep as 720 feet in some places.

Within the DRC is Mount Nyiragongo, an active stratovolcano, which is in the Virunga Mountains. It rises to an elevation of 11,385 feet. Another volcano in the DRC and in the same mountain range is Nyamuragira, also active and rising to 10,033 feet.

The capital and largest city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is Kinshasa, with over 9 million people. The official language of the DRC is French. In fact, the Democratic Republic of Congo is actually the largest country by population with an official language of French, with France being second.

Map of the River Congo, showing national boundaries. Map and Description Credit: Hel-hama

Salonga National Park, in the Congo River basin rainforest, 2005. Photo Credit: Radio Okapi

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Photo Credit: Vberger, 2003.

Katanga Hills, October, 2011. Photo Credit: sebastienlavoie

Nyiragongo Volcano in Democratic Republic of the Congo. Photo Credit: Maik Bunschkowski, 2004.

Aerial view of the Lukenie River of central Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 2007. Photo & Description Credit: Valerius Tygart.

Guess This Southern California Tree II

2013-07-26T10:24:00.000-05:00

Now that I am in Southern California I am going post pictures of some of the trees I come across and try to identify them. Some of them should be easy, while others might take a while or go unidentified altogether. If you would like to help me, leave a comment below with your answer.

Guess This Southern California Tree II:

(Picture taken in Carlsbad, CA in July 2013)

Answer: ?

Yukon Territory, Canada

2013-07-25T15:59:00.002-05:00

The Yukon territory is a political region in the northwestern most corner of Canada covering more than 186,000 square miles (more than 482,000 square meters). It is one of three territories in Canada, along with Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. The territory's population is 33,897. Whitehorse is the largest city and capital of Yukon with a metropolitan area of nearly 23,000. Dawson City is the second largest city in Yukon with a population of approximately 1,300. Dawson City served as the capital of the Yukon territory until 1952.

The highest mountain in Yukon is Mount Logan at 19,550 feet (5,959 meters). The second tallest mountain in Yukon is Mount Saint Elias, located on the border between Yukon and Alaska. At 18,008 feet (5,489 meters) Mount Elias is not only the second tallest mountain in Yukon but also the second tallest in Canada. In fact, all but 1 of the 10 tallest mountains in Canada are in the Yukon territory.

The coldest temperature ever in Canada was in Snag, Yukon, on February 3, 1947. On that day it reached -81.4 °F (-63 °C). This is also the coldest temperature ever recorded in North America (not including Greenland).

The Klondike gold rush was one of the most important points in the Yukon's history. After gold was discovered in Bonanza creek in 1896, as many as 40,000 people hurriedly came to Yukon to strike a fortune in gold. Today, though the Yukon is no longer in the midst of a gold rush, mining of a variety of minerals is still the largest industry. Tourism, is the second largest industry. The First Nations peoples are an important part of Yukon with 14 different First Nations governments located within the territory.

Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada in 2008.

Forty Mile historic site, Yukon, Canada in 2006. Photo Credit: Maedward

Bonanza Creek, Yukon Territory, Canada in 2005. Photo Credit: Janothird

Tombstone Mountains, the Yukon, Canada. Photo Credit: David Adamec

Guess This Southern California Tree I

2013-07-17T16:24:00.000-05:00

Guess This Southern California Tree I:

(Picture taken in Carlsbad, CA in July 2013)

Answer: Washingtonia robusta (Mexican Fan Palm)

Iowa

2013-06-27T23:11:00.003-05:00

The capital and largest city of Iowa is Des Moines with a metropolitan area of nearly 589,000. Davenport, is the second largest city in terms of metropolitan area, known as the Quad Cities, with nearly 383,000 people. Cedar Rapids is the third largest city by metropolitan area with nearly 262,000 people. Other large cities in decreasing metropolitan population size include: Sioux City, Iowa City, Waterloo, Council Bluffs and Ames, of straw poll fame.

The population of Iowa in 2012 was 3,074,186 which makes it the 30th largest state by population in the United States. Iowa is the 26th largest state in the United States by area. The highest point in Iowa is Hawkeye Point, at 1,671 feet. The Mississippi river runs along Iowa in the East forming the border with Illinois and Wisconsin. The state bird of Iowa is the Eastern Goldfinch.

Iowa is the site of a crater from a meteorite, called the Manson crater, though, it is no longer noticeable on the surface in modern times. It is possible the meteor that created the crater was over a mile in diameter. The Manson crater is in near the northwest of Iowa.

Though the state has been altered by agriculture which is the dominant landscape, Iowa's natural setting is mainly tallgrass prairie and savanna and to a lesser extent forests especially near rivers. In Iowa, the prairie remains intact in less than 1% of the area it once did.

Overlooking the Mississippi River at Pikes Peak State Park in Iowa. Photo Credit: McGhiever.

Wind turbines near Williams, Iowa. Photo Credit: Bill Whittaker.

Map of Iowa. Map credit: National Atlas of the United States, 2004.

Minnesota

2013-05-29T11:25:00.001-05:00

Minnesota has a diverse geography of at least four regions: Eastern Broadleaf Forest, Plains, Laurentian Mixed Forest and Tallgrass Aspen Parkland. Approximately a third of the state is forested. The Mississippi river originates in Minnesota and Minneapolis is built along it. The capital and second largest city of Minnesota is St. Paul. The largest city is Minneapolis, the third largest is Rochester and the fourth largest is Duluth. The Minneapolis-St. Paul Metro area has about 3.3 million people and is the 16th largest metro area in the United States. Minnesota is often known a state with an abundance of water. In addition to more than 11,000 lakes, there are over 6,500 rivers and streams in Minnesota. The state experiences a wide array of temperatures, from a record low of -60 degrees Fahrenheit (-51 Celsius) to a record high of 114 degrees Fahrenheit (46 Celsius).

Skyline of St. Paul, Minnesota. Photo by: AlexiusHoratius

Blue Mounds State Park, Minnesota. Photo by: Kirs10

View from near the top of the highest point in Minnesota, Eagle Mountain. Photo: Douglas Kaye, 2006.

Summit of Lima Mountain, Cook County Minnesota. Photo: Pete Nekola.

Bear Head Lake, Minnesota. Photo: McGhiever

Luxembourg

2013-05-27T09:23:00.000-05:00

Luxembourg is one of the smallest countries in the world, in area and population. It is a landlocked country in Europe and is bordered by France, Belgium and Germany. There are three official languages of Luxembourg; French, German and Luxembourgish. The Luxembourgish language is spoken by about 400,000 people in the world and has borrowed many French words. When Luxembourg is grouped with The Netherlands and Belgium it is sometimes referred to as being a part of 'Benelux'. The name 'Benelux' is formed with the first few letters of each country: Be= Belgium ne= Netherlands lux= Luxembourg. Luxembourg City is the largest city in Luxembourg with almost 104,000 people and is also the capital of the country. With nearly 30,000 people, Esch-sur-Alzette (Which is French, it is known as Esch-an-der-Alzette in German), is the second largest city in Luxembourg.

Kneiff, the highest point in Luxembourg at 1,837 feet (560 meters). Photo by David Edgar.

Picture from Esch-sur-Alzette, the second largest city in Luxembourg.

Map of Luxembourg

What Is An Archipelago?

2013-05-23T18:39:00.000-05:00

No, an archipelago is not a music theory term; it is a geographic term for a group or chain of islands in close proximity to each other.

Some of the most well known examples include Indonesia and the Philippines, while well known countries that many might not realize are archipelago's include Japan, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. There are many archipelagos in the world, including Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, South Orkney Islands, Åland Islands, Canary Islands, Seychelles Islands, Florida Keys, Aleutian Islands, Balearic Islands and many more. Some, like the Ryukyu Islands, are a part of larger archipelagos; the Ryukyu islands being a part of Japan. Even freshwater lakes can have archipelago's, Lake Erie has the uncreative yet effectively named Lake Erie Islands. Here are the maps of two archipelagos:

Map of the Canary Islands. Map credit: Wikipedia user: Mysid

1916 map of the Western Aleutian Islands in what was then the Alaska Territory.

Undeciphered Writing Systems

2012-04-05T16:01:00.007-05:00

In the back of my mind I have always had an interest in undeciphered languages, codes and ancient languages. Most of them are bizarre and wonderful looking, like Chinese characters, Cuneiform or Mayan glyphs.

The belief by most researchers is that writing has emerged as an independent invention only a few times on earth. Once in the Middle East. Second in the New World by the Olmec and later Mayans. A third time probably in China. Finally, if it is not a hoax and if it was invented before European contact a fourth time in the Pacific on Easter Island. If there are any other languages which were independently invented, even known ones it might never be known.

Many ancient writing systems have been deciphered. However, many still have not. Due to a paucity of examples in some cases it is likely some will never be solved unless new examples emerge.

I decided to organize the data on a few of the more important undeciphered languages into a chart. I love charts and prefer getting data that way over a bunch of ponderous writing.

Permission Is Granted To Copy And Paste And Use This Chart.

Sources:

http://www.ancientscripts.com &amp

Wikipedia

Year 1 Top 5: First Place: Iceland

2011-12-01T23:51:00.001-06:00

Year 1 Top 5: First Place: Iceland
Originally Posted: Saturday, October 29, 2011

Reason I choose it to be in the top five:
"Iceland possesses a spooky and otherworldly quality. It's awe inspiring majesty can be described as nothing less than the great Viking vision of Valhalla."

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:

Skáleyjar á Breiðafirði, photo by Salvor Gissurardóttir, june 2006 coastline on the road from the landing place to the farm.

As I gathered these pictures of Iceland, I was truly blown away by the beauty of this place. Of all the countries and places I have covered so far I think this batch of pictures is the best.

Iceland is a small country. It only has 300,000 people, most of Viking descent. The island is cold, but not as cold as other places of the same latitude, why, if not for the Atlantic Gulf stream it would be frozen and barren.

Several animals have become distinct after hundreds of years of isolation in Iceland. There is a specific type of horse, sheep and dog unique to Iceland due to isolation.

Iceland is very volcanic. The center of the country is harsher than the coast and is colder and drier. Iceland is somewhat isolated but enjoys an extremely high standard of living. Icelander's on average are some of the longest lived (3rd overall and 1st in the world for men) and wealthiest people on the planet.

Flatey Thorp, 27 August 2004Photo: Kolbrún Ragna

Hvammsfjördur in Iceland 2005

Breiðafjörður, Iceland By: Reykholt 13:21, 25 May 2004 (UTC)

Snaefellsnes Snaefellsjökull Summit. 29 May 2003 --Jutta234

Church in Hellnar village with Snaefellsjökull volcano, Iceland. Chmee2/Valtameri

An Icelandic horse near Krýsuvík. Andreas Tille

Icelandic Sheep, Photo: Thomas Quine 26 July 2007

An Icelandic sheepdog, Photo: Arni Einarsson.

Sudureyri, Iceland, June 2008. Photo: Brad Weber.

Isafjordur (Ísafjörður) January 2006 Photograph: Aron Ingi Ólason

Víti, the geothermal lake at the Askja caldera, Iceland. August 1, 2010. Photo: Boaworm

Askja caldera 1991. Photo: Wolfgang Beyer.

Reykjavik, Iceland. View from the top of Perlan showing the spire of Hallgrímskirkja. 13 July 2011, Srikanth Jandhyala.

Drangajökull glacier in the Westfjords region in Iceland. August 2000. Photo: AgainErick

If you need a wide open space, Þórisjökull (Thorisjokull) is the place for you. 3-18-2007 Photo: Bromr

Kjölur, the central highland desert of Iceland. Photo: Algkalv. 18 July 2009

Cliff near Latrabjarg, Iceland. June 2008. Photo: Progresschrome

Westfjords, June 2008 Photo: Brad Weber.

Bridge over Jökulsá á Breiðamerkursandi at Jökulsárlón, Iceland. 26 July 2009 Photo: superbass

Ice block at beach near Jökulsárlón, Iceland. 11 February 2003 Photo: Andreas Tille

Eyjafjallajökull glacier, taken from the Iceland Ring Road, during a trip on 29 August 2009. Photo: Remy Osman.

The mighty, beautiful and infamous E15 or Eyjafjallajökull. Photo: Boaworm 27 March 2010.

Thermalgebiet in Hveravellir. 1 July 1988 Photo: Christian Bickel.

Norðfjörður Photo: ericoides August 2008

Year 1 Top 5: Second Place: Russia

2011-12-01T23:36:00.001-06:00

Year 1 Top 5: Second Place: Russia
Originally Posted: Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Reason I choose it to be in the top five:
"I was surprised at just how bleak much of the landscape in Russia is but more surprised at how much it intrigued me. Russia is the vastest place on earth and contains an astounding amount of natural resources and natural beauty."

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:

After a week off from posting (call it a holiday) I am filing this one on Russia!

The topic of Russia is vast. The history, archaeology and geography each could be a blog. Russia is easily the largest country in the world by land area. It is the 9th largest in population behind Nigeria and ahead of Japan. Much of the land is harsh--but it is beautiful. The capital and largest city is Moscow (Москва). Saint Petersburg (Санкт-Петербург) Novosibirsk (Новосибирск), Yekaterinburg (Екатеринбург) and Nizhny Novgorod (Нижний Новгород) round out the top 5 cities in Russia.Within Russia is 1/4th of the worlds fresh water, 100,000 rivers and the worlds largest timber reserves. Also, Russia has the second most total renewable water resources after Brasil.

Russia is a powerhouse in intellectual fields such as mathematics, science and strategy games (like chess). Russians are also a growing power in the music production field (which I am involved in). Some notable people from these fields include Grigori Perelman, Yakov Eliashberg, Nikolai Efimov, Albert Shiryaev and Garry Kasparov.

At different points in history, Russia has been considered a 'super-power'. Now, few would say it is. However, this could (and I think will) change soon. If the West continues its mindless direction, the future is Asia's and Russia is included in this. Russia is rich in oil and natural gas, a sure sign of strength. Rail transportation in Russia is dominated by Russian Railways, a monopoly which employs 950,000 people. The economy continues to improve for Russians.

Russia's physical geography is immense. Within Russia are many mountain ranges, lakes, rivers, deserts and tundra, taiga and almost every type of landscape. The land can be bleak but this makes it interesting. Cities are found all across Russia. From the northern most natural border with the artic to the eastern most natural border with the vast bering sea. Many parts of Russia get as cold as anywhere on the planet. The continental climate of much of Siberia means it also can get hot, sometimes, 99 degrees. I am definatly going to write more on Russia in the future.

Osyotr river (Осётр река)

All Religions Temple. A building and cultural center build by the local artist Ildar Xanov. Photo and description: Maarten

Peterhof, St. Petersburg

Outskirts of Serpeevka village. Cleyabinsk region, Russia. Окрестности деревни Серпеевка. Челябинская область, Россия. Photo: Скампецкий

Megalith near village Kazanovka in Republic Khakassia, Russian Federation. Photo by Anatoly Terentiev, 13 September 2000.

Khakassia view. Photo by Philipp Poddubitsky, 14 October 2000.

Megalith near village Safronov in Republic Khakasiya, Russian Federation. Photo by Anatoly Terentiev, 13 September 2000.

Kezenoy Am (Кезеной Ам), 29 July 2009. Photo: Agidel

Petropavlovsk Kamchatsky at night.

Amga

Altai, Lake Kutsherla in Altay Mountains, Russia 2001. Photo: Stefan Kühn.

Taiga Forest near Lake Baikal, Russia, 2008. Photo: Christophe Meneboeuf.

Ignateva cave entry 2009 (Вход в Игнатьевскую пещеру) Photo: Sultan Brukhanov.

Ripe Cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus), February 2006 common to the Urals. Photo: Philipum.

Ob River (Река Обь) Photo: Игоревич

Lake Uvs (Убса) Photo: Jan Sysel.

^^Look how desolate the above picure is! Just earth and water, nothing else. It is stark, vast and a contradiction of inviting and uninviting. On the one hand, I would like to be there and see this place, on the other hand, I wouldn't want to be there forever.

Yakutsk, 2007. Photo: "synchroswimr"/Stacy

*Caleb's Sidenote: Doesn't this picture look like it could have been taken in the 60's, 70's or 80's (it is dated 2007) ? I think Russia is fasinating, but it seems VERY depressing in some parts.

Lone Maiden Formation, Lena River.

Circum-Baikal Railway, southwestern tip of Lake Baikal.

Nagayevo Bay near Magadan, Russia (Бухта Нагаева, вид с Магадана) 2006. Photo: Obersachse

Forest-tundra landscape example (Norilsk, Russia environment) Образец заповедной

Year 1 Top 5: Third Place: Sonoran Desert

2011-12-01T23:28:00.002-06:00

Year 1 Top 5: Third Place: Sonoran Desert
Originally Posted: Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Reason I choose it to be in the top five:
"This is the second most read article on this blog to date (it is the most read 'real post'. The most read is a post with a printable blank map of the world) and where do you start with such a haunting yet stunning place? The Sonoran Desert is proof that sometimes the harshest places are the most beautiful."

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

There are some special places on earth that people have connected with on a deeper level than other places. Israel, Greece, Japan, The British Islands, India, Peru, all have rich cultural and mystical aspects, with landscapes which inspire and have set the scene for history--more so than other places. Another place like this is the Sonoran Desert of North America.

North America has several Desertes. The largest is the Great Basin. The Chihahuan desert is the second largest, the Mojave the smallest. The Sonoran, is probably the most famous. The Sonoran desert is also home to the most famous and iconic desert plant in the world--the saguaro cactus. And believe it or not, this cactus, is native to only this desert. No where else on earth naturally has saguaro cactus.

The Sonoran desert is a land of rich diversity. Along with the iconic saguaro cactus, few plants are as iconic as the creosote bush (Larrea tridentata). Ocotillo, cholla, prickly pear, mesquite and palo verde are also important plants. When I was in Palm Srings, Coachella area a year or two ago, which is in the Mojave desert, I saw tons of 'jumping cholla'. Though I am sure footed, I was a victim of this cactus. I really liked them though--even if they do seem to jump out and stick you. Surprisingly there are 30 native species of fish in the Sonoran desert. In geologic time, the Sonoran desert is recent (see my post on Geography Changes for how geography isn't constant-in fact far from it).

This desert has fewer natural disasters than many other areas. Flash floods, lightning storms and days of extreme heat are a few of the risks. One interesting phenomenon, which have been in the news lately are the somewhat rare Haboobs. The Phoenix Haboobs of 2011 were a reminder of strange weather phenomenons not commonly known. The Phoenix Haboob of 2011 was national headlines and several more have already happened this year.

Now that the summer is going to begin slowly lifting its terror off of the southwest, I can actually bear to highlight this region.

Scene in Saguaro National Park.

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona, USA.

Two arches in organ pipe cactus national monument. Taken Christmas Day 2000 by Pretzelpaws with a Casio QV-3000EX camera, 2004-10-27 Photo: Pretzelpaws.

Hohokam Pima National Monument, Arizona, Jan 17, 2008. Photo: BruceandLetty .

I love old photographs!
Saguaro National Park, East Unit, Southern Arizona - ca. 1935, USGS

"This is an image of the Sonoran Desert approx. 30 miles west of Maricopa, AZ. (Near 33.081359, -112.431507)" Caption and photo by: Highqueue. January 2007

Organ Pipe & antler, OPNM, 21 July 2007. Photo: PDTillman.

Taken at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. December 2006 Photo: Santryl

180° Panorama on Playa Santispac of Bahía Concepción, Baja California Sur. Several islands are visible in the bay: (left to right) Isla San Ramon, Isla Blanca, and Isla Coyote. On the right is Playa Concepcion with its associated developments visible. Photo by Gregg M. Erickson. 17 December 2009

View of Tiburon Island across Infiernillo channel. Stephen Marlett, 2007.

Photo of street in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, taken November 2005 by Stan Shebs

Baja California Desert in the Cataviña region, south of Ensenada, Mexico. Saguaro cactus. May 2003.

Chaparrales de Sonora, México 2004.

Cottonwood tree along Santa Cruz River on Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. Photo by Matthew A. Lynn.

Sunset in the Sonoran Desert, Mexico. Atardecer en el Desierto de Sonora, Mexico. Tomas Castelazo.

Hotels in Puerto Peñasco Gabrieel13

Photos from Cerro de Trincheras in Sonora, Mexico 10 January 2010, Photo: Matt Peeples.

The silhouette of a large saguaro stands at sunset in Saguaro National Park on the east side of Tucson, Arizona, 2010. Photo: Saguaro Pictures.

Scottsdale, Arizona.

Taken atop an unnamed hill in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Glendale, AZ during the Glendale Glitters 2004. Taken by user Evette.
View of the Scottsdale Waterfront on a clear December day. Photo taken from the new pedestrian bridge connecting the Marshall Way shops with the Fifth Avenue arts district. 31 December 2008, Joseph Plotz.

Saguaro National Park, Arizona, USA. Photo by Hugh Mason.

Imperial Sand Dunes, Glamis, CA. Taken 8/8/03 by Pretzelpaws with a Canon 10D camera and cropped using the Gimp. 26 January 2005. Photo: Pretzelpaws.

Hastéecöla peaks near Kino Bay, Stevemarlett. 2007.
*Beautiful Picture!

	Scottsdale waterfront.jpg

Year 1 Top 5: Fourth Place: Tasmania, Australia

2011-12-01T23:20:00.003-06:00

Year 1 Top 5: Fourth Place: Tasmania, Australia
Originally Posted: Friday, May 6, 2011

Reason I choose it to be in the top five:
"The one thing that caught me by surprise the most when looking at Tasmania in depth was how much of a Chameleon it is. On one relatively small island are all sorts of places and landscapes that could be mistaken for many other places thousands of miles away"

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:

Tasmania is located off the coast of Australia. It struck me that in some ways Tasmania is similar to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) in size and position off the mainland (of Australia and India respectively). Like many islands such as Ceylon, Madagascar or Socotra (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ed4BNecPiiM) Tasmania is a very unique place. It has a surreal quality about it and is one of the most isolated, last reached places on earth.

I also find its original inhabitants to be very interesting. Not only is mainland Australia remote but Tasmania is still further south than mainland Australia's southernmost point and a good deal off the mainland at that (over 100 miles). The Aborigonies who settled Tasmania were truely one of the most isolated people in the world, similar to the Maori of New Zealand in isolation. While recorded history of much more populated places went about in other parts of the world, the people of Tasmania were entirely removed from it and lived their own life. When Brutus killed Julius in Rome, the people of Tasmania were 10,171 miles (16.367 k) away. At Acamapichtli's coronation in Tenochtitlan, the people of Tasmania were 8,308 miles (13.369 k) away. And while Laozi and Confucius wrote books in China, the people of Tasmania were 6,000 miles (9728 k) away.

Tasmanias largest city is Hobart. The second largest city is Launceston and the third largest is Burnie-Devonport, Tasmania. Most of the time, Tasmania is cool but hot tempuratures are possible. Of all the places on earth, Tasmania would have to be near the top of the list as most interesting and unique.

Styx valley. In the valley of the Styx grow the Eucalyptus regnans, the tallest of all flowering plants. There are also ancient tree ferns and 1,000 year old myrtles. The Eucalypts are useful for wood pulp and the forest is being systematically clearfelled. Photo: TTaylor

Mount Wellington from Lindisfarne, Hobart. Photo: tubagooba

North Esk River from a bridge in Launceston. North Esk River, Launceston. The North Esk River, the boundary between Cornwall and Dorset. Photo: Kyle sb.

Huon River in Tasmania, Australia. Photo of the confluence of the Huon with the Picton river. Photo taken from the Tahune Airwalk run by forestry Tasmania in mid summer 2003. Photo: Peripitus

The peak of Frenchmans Cap in Western Tasmania, Australia from near Lake Tahune Hut. Photo: Bourgeois

Lauderdale Canal, Tasmania. Photo: Sge

Cradle Mountain covered with could and Dove lake in the foreground Photo: Peripitus

Hellyer Gorge, Tasmania Photo: anyaka

Photo: J J Harrison.

Year 1 Top 5: Fifth Place: South Africa

2011-12-01T23:09:00.004-06:00

Year 1 Top 5: Fifth Place: South Africa
Originally Posted: Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Reason I choose it to be in the top five:
"Although I wouldn't want to live in South Africa it would be a contender for top 5 most amazing geographies in the world"

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:

This is South Africa, one of the most spectacular collections of landscapes within a single country.
There is some exquisite architecture I did not know about as well.

Durban beach, Photo: Simisa

Durban City Hall, Photo: Mister-E

Union Building, Pretoria, Photo: Davinci77

Drakensberg mountains, Photo: PZFUN

A field of flowers in the West Coast National Park in South Africa, Photo: Morne

Franschoek Valley, Photo: Ngb

The Huguenot Monument in Franschhoek, South Africa, commemorating the cultural contribution of French Huguenots, Photo: Dewet

Obelisks of the Afrikaans Language Monument, near Paarl, South Africa. Photo: C. Hill.

Paarl Mountain, Photo: Nick Boalch

Grootberg and the mountain scenery of the Boosmansbos and Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserves in the Barrydale area of the Langeberg Range, Western Cape, South Africa, Photo: Winfried Bruenken