Foggy Morning Hawk

Well, I'm out and about down the hill in the middle of nowhere--Modesto, Borders Bookstore...and I know absolutely nobody hereabout, but the evening traffic tail lights and headlights are familiar, and the Coffee Corner of the Bookstore familiar, though I haven't used the computer or done post ups from these wifi spots much, only the On The Road posts of late!...anyway...Before Breakfast, took along the newer camera, and waterproof (the best camera is the one one has with--just read that oft quote!), and paddled over to the Village through Bobcat Meadow...signs up on the Boardwalk over the Lily Pad Pond, 'Lane Closed'....hmmph....went right passed...too early for the tiki temple workers laying new pipe, though at Sentinel Bridge, the Giant Gopher was growling awake!....another photog by the Woodpecker Tree...Fog over the Meadow...Rainbow on Upper Falls...pics for sometime....past the Artist's Grove, and nearing the Oak Grove, sighted Hawk, Cedar I think!...tried very hard going Tree to Tree to get Chest Feathers pic....Cedar flew across the Road and perched atop Owls' Old Oak Snag...pics, but not the knockdown that could have been!...Falls Rainbow was in background...Cedar flew to the Oaks over and on the far side of the Path...worked around, but too much time, and lost sight...continued to the Village...photo paper came, new digi bracket came (doesn't fit!), and retrieved my two Art Show pics....arms full, took the Shuttle back, and to Last Chance for Breakfast....and back at the Cabin, took a deep breath, and gathered everything I could think of....loaded Silver, and rolled off around one, with the thought to travel some distance towards Tule Lake, where the Bald Eagles are in December (it is December!)...took 120, and overlooking Big Meadow, sighted Hawk, Redtail perched on Snag...no traffic, and stopped and took window pics...pic up....found a little dirt turn out, and walked back...tinytiny clip with the waterproof, Hawk calling, calling, and then soaring off over the Meadow before I could get close with the newer camera...a bit further on, ranger stopping traffic--rock slide...must have just happened as I was second in line...turned about and diverted back to 141 to Merced....in Mariposa, asked directions while getting gas, and took 132 North....stopped to looksee at the Dam for Lake McSwain....mudflats, marshy, and lots of Birds--Canada Geese, Kingfisher call...thought to snack and stay a bit, but too far to walk with little time....and reaching for the tripod, realized I'd forgotten it!...oh!...hmmph...and continued over very scenic Road....at Modesto, thought if I could find a Best Buy or some place with camera gear, I'd stop--otherwise, an errand in Sacramento tomorrow...took awhile to find 99 north, and awhile in all the traffic just to get on 99!...but after just aways, sighted Borders, a place to post up!, and a Motel 8, and so got a room...and that's how I got from there to here, for the moment!...and I got tripod at Best, which should work okay--has a ball head (Manfrotto, 101yb or something).....so, well, here!..a post from somewhere on the Moon!...some time still for open stores, and I'll go look for a shim of some kind to make the new digi bracket fit!!...just some tape might do it...oh...report it rained a lot last night, but clearing this morning, and lots of blueblue...oh....saw Northern Harrier fly up from Roadside near Snelling...Doves too...and sometimes flocks of Little Birds...