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Re: Fall color

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avatar Fall color
September 16, 2011 02:18PM
The fall color season will be here soon. Anybody have plans for it?
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mtn man
Re: Fall color
September 16, 2011 05:28PM
Yup, Yosemite Valley 11/1 for 3 days. Maybe Eastern Sierras mid Oct. Was up in the Eastern Sierras the last 3 days. Aspens as high up on the mountain sides as I could see with binoculars not starting to turn yet.
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avatar Re: Fall color
September 16, 2011 06:53PM
Reserved a Rush Creek wilderness permit in October - first reservation for that particular date, but I wanted to pick it up from a night drop box and was told I couldn't do that w/ 'same' (i.e. day before) day.
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bluebird
Re: Fall color
September 17, 2011 10:28AM
We were planning to go up to Silver Lake for the first time, but it's closed. Not sure if we should just show up and take our chances in the area. We have a small trailer.
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mtn man
Re: Fall color
September 17, 2011 01:56PM
Just talked to the Forest Service and there has been a change. Originally Silver Lake was to be closed this time of year but the water line repair has been re-scheduled to next spring, thus the campground will remain open til Nov. on a first come basis. Thus the "x"'s you see on the reservation system. The reservation system needs to change to "W" instead of "X".



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/17/2011 01:59PM by mtn man.
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bluebird
Re: Fall color
September 22, 2011 09:04AM
Thanks for the update on Silver Lake!
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mtn man
Re: Fall color
September 26, 2011 10:13AM
Quote
bluebird
Thanks for the update on Silver Lake!

You're welcome. You may want to take some sort of shading device (awning, EZ up, etc.) as most of that campground is wide open with no shade. But then again that time of year full sun may feel good. You never know with Eastern Sierra weather.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/27/2011 04:56PM by mtn man.
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avatar Re: Fall color
September 17, 2011 10:58AM
It depends on how long the colors hang on. We'll be spending the next three weekends on a roadtrip that will take us through the Rockies so I'm hoping to experience some nice fall color there (RMNP and Maroon Bells). If the colors are still hanging around the east side in mid-October and the weather behaves I hope we can squeeze in a trip up McGee Creek or somewhere similar.
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Ohnivy-Drak
Re: Fall color
September 17, 2011 11:33AM
No real plans. Might do something spontaneous next month.
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DavidSenesac
Re: Fall color
September 17, 2011 11:50AM
The best plans for fall color much like desert wildflowers in late winter is not to make any firm plans but rather have flexibility, waiting until one can make some sense of early reports in order to try and visit target areas at peak. From one season to the next the dates of leaf change simply varies too much although in the Eastern Sierra, during the first week of October one is likely to find some worthwhile places. The window of best leaves in specific areas is often a rather short few days and stormy windy frigid weather can change conditions from good to poor in a day. That is especially important for more serious photographers.

Thus one may read web posts on a Monday after weekend visitors have returned to share reports that leaves are nearing peak for instance about North Lake. Now if weather forecast are predicting a cold windy storm on the next Friday or Saturday, the wise will take time off and try and visit the two days before that storm. And then while a storm is active find some quieter canyon bottom stream areas where one has say found areas of red and orange leaves in order to shoot intimate landscapes of freshly fallen leaves or snow with leaves. Also if one has an interest in photographing landscapes within say an aspen forest understory, then it is imperative to have the day to day flexibility to be there at short notice on a day when clouds are going to be overhead at mid day times in order to receive diffuse light. And that also requires being rather knowledgeable about interpretting NWS weather sites for the likelyhood of such clouds.


http://www.davidsenesac.com



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/17/2011 11:56AM by DavidSenesac.
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mtn man
Re: Fall color
September 17, 2011 01:52PM
Good info except that when I photo Aspens I don't want clouds that block the sun on the Aspens as the Aspen is best backlit with sun. Clouds in the background sky are great but the Aspen I find needs to be backlit with sun.
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DavidSenesac
Re: Fall color
September 18, 2011 08:32PM
Quote
mtn man
Good info except that when I photo Aspens I don't want clouds that block the sun on the Aspens as the Aspen is best backlit with sun. Clouds in the background sky are great but the Aspen I find needs to be backlit with sun.

Indeed back lit is one of several effective ways to capture fall aspen leaves. For example:

http://www.davidsenesac.com/images/print_05-z2-2.html

But so can be direct front lit in some circumstances, for example:

http://www.davidsenesac.com/Fall_2006/06-HH5-1w.jpg

However as I noted, for capturing "aspen forest understory" or for that matter any other understory imaging, say shooting in coastal redwood forests, diffuse cloud lighting is usually necessary in order for results not to be overly contrasty due to areas of sun and shade.

http://www.davidsenesac.com/images/print_06-hh14-1.html

And even when not actually down under an aspen forest understory, diffuse cloud lighting can make for wonderful more intimate landscape situations as this fresh snow scene that any sun on the white crystals would be overly harsh:

http://www.davidsenesac.com/Gallery_B/07-CC3-1.jpg


http://www.davidsenesac.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/18/2011 08:33PM by DavidSenesac.
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riverkat
Re: Fall color
September 18, 2011 08:35PM
Here are some websites that update fall color on the eastern slope just in case any one needs one ..... http://www.californiafallcolor.com/?m=201109

http://www.monocounty.org/fall-colors/

When do the colors turn in the valley?
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mtn man
Re: Fall color
September 19, 2011 10:40AM
Quote
riverkat
Here are some websites that update fall color on the eastern slope just in case any one needs one ..... http://www.californiafallcolor.com/?m=201109

http://www.monocounty.org/fall-colors/

When do the colors turn in the valley?

My experience in the Valley is that the colors are best around the last week of October.
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hikerchick395
Re: Fall color
September 19, 2011 08:41AM
"Plans" to be spontaneous here on the east side...wink
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tanngrisnir3
Re: Fall color
September 19, 2011 10:03AM
Yup! All over the Y. Valley and the East Side, esp. Lundy and Lee Vining Canyons and some spots near South Lake.

AND this year I've got waaaaaaay better equipment, so things are looking up!

Still, one of my own faves was taken with a teensy Panny FS7 and I just had the dumb luck to turn around exactly as the sun came over Coyote Ridge.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/19/2011 10:11AM by tanngrisnir3.
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Ulysses61
Re: Fall color
September 26, 2011 06:27PM
Fall colors haven't shown up yet. I spent the weekend in June Lake, Lake Lundy and up above Bishop at Lake Sabrina and Dusy basin. Really nothing of note yet. It did snow at 10,700 feet on a hike at Seven Lakes Basin above Big Pine. But no fall colors yet! smiling smiley
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tanngrisnir3
Re: Fall color
September 27, 2011 09:32AM
Quote
Ulysses61
Fall colors haven't shown up yet. I spent the weekend in June Lake, Lake Lundy and up above Bishop at Lake Sabrina and Dusy basin. Really nothing of note yet. It did snow at 10,700 feet on a hike at Seven Lakes Basin above Big Pine. But no fall colors yet! smiling smiley

Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sierra_impressions/sets/72157627621118265/with/6179851678/
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avatar Re: Fall color
September 27, 2011 09:56AM
Yup. The aspens around North Lake always seem to be one of the first ones to turn to yellow and gold.

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avatar Re: Fall color
September 27, 2011 11:17AM
Well I bought my plane ticket yesterday, and I plan on being in Yosemite Oct 22nd and 23rd. If the colors have begun, great. If not, that's fine too. We can always go further east and up in elevation if need be. Maybe I'll see some of you guys/girls out there?
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mtn man
Re: Fall color
October 21, 2011 03:11PM
Just got back from 3 days in the Eastern Sierras, Rock Creek all the way up to Twin Lakes near Bridgeport. Bottom line: Better get up there now as not only have the colors peaked the breezes are starting to strip the trees. They had a slow start this year but caught up to normal colors for this time of the year in a hurry.
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avatar Re: Fall color
October 22, 2011 12:26AM
I was in Lundy Canyon, Lee Vining Canyon, and the June Lake Loop on Friday morning.

Lundy Canyon was slightly past peek, but still plenty a great color. And Lee Vining Canyon and June Lake Loop were near peak. And best of all – no wind!
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hikerchick395
Re: Fall color
October 22, 2011 07:55AM
Yes, this weekend should be crawling with leaf peepers in the Eastern Sierra!

Was on the June Lake loop yesterday myself. Lovely color everywhere but was disappointed with the haze from Wed/Thu control burns. (Today there are a few high clouds floating around.) Hiked to Parker Lake...it is past peak, but was calm with color in the groves at the west end of the lake and plenty of showy trees on the way, at the bottom of the south facing slopes.

Up McGee Canyon on Thursday. Plenty of color left there, but some barren trees, too.
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avatar Re: Fall color
October 22, 2011 03:54PM
Quote
hikerchick395

Up McGee Canyon on Thursday. Plenty of color left there, but some barren trees, too.

That's the thing. Unless it's early in the fall color season, there will always be at least some barren trees when the major of a grove is in peak, or near peak color. Some aspen trees, even in the same grove, will turn yellow a lot sooner than the rest of the trees, and these "early bird" trees will usually be barren by the time the bulk of the trees in a grove turn to yellow (or orange).

It's very rare in my experience for every tree in a grove to turn to yellow at around the exact same time.

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Ulysses61
Re: Fall color
October 23, 2011 07:21PM
I've spent the last three days on 395, from Crowley Lake up to Mono City. Hiked Hoover Lakes yesterday, Dusy Basin Friday and Clouds Rest today.

Fall colors are past their peak. Peak was 7-10 days ago. June Lane and Lundy Lake are still beautiful, so is Aspendell above Bishop. But the peak is gone. Those who said peak would be the last week in October were incorrect. I've never seen peak fall colors ever in late October. Peak fall colors are always between Sept. 21-Oct. 15, without any exception since 1981. I base this on personal observation.
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ERICG
Re: Fall color
October 24, 2011 07:32AM
Maybe the "peak" they were talking about was in Yosemite Valley and not on the east side. I too was on the east side this weekend and there were still areas of peak color. Mcgee Creek was at prime peak colors. Maybe you just didn't look in the right places.
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avatar Re: Fall color
October 24, 2011 07:36AM
From my vantage point... peak is typically the week before Halloween.

I take it that no one takes a camera?


Chick-on is looking at you!
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mtn man
Re: Fall color
October 24, 2011 07:57AM
Quote
chick-on
From my vantage point... peak is typically the week before Halloween.

I take it that no one takes a camera?
https://picasaweb.google.com/100028009779986484219/YosemiteFall2009#
From 2 years ago in the Valley. Current Eastern Sierras ones coming.
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avatar Re: Fall color
October 25, 2011 07:56AM
Link no worky.

I thank you. Although I kinda meant something recent.
There are a lot of out of state-ers who, I presume, would enjoy a recent picture along with
"I hiked here and there and it was great". I know I would.

I was hoping to get the peak of my fav-o-rite Aspen Grove in the park at it's peak on the 16th...
but it needed a little more time. O well. There's always next year to time it right.
Or next weekend (typically too late for this grove).



Have fun


Chick-on is looking at you!
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mtn man
Re: Fall color
October 25, 2011 08:23AM
Quote
chick-on
Link no worky.

I thank you. Although I kinda meant something recent.



I noticed the link stopped working also. I tested it after I attached yesterday and it worked at that time. I have my pics. from the Eastern Sierras from last week but I have to wait for my daughter's help to post them.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/2011 08:25AM by mtn man.
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mtn man
Re: Fall color
October 25, 2011 08:31AM
Quote
mtn man
Quote
chick-on
Link no worky.

I thank you. Although I kinda meant something recent.



I noticed the link stopped working also. I tested it after I attached yesterday and it worked at that time. I have my pics. from the Eastern Sierras from last week but I have to wait for my daughter's help to post them.

Ok, the Picasa link should work now. Go back to my post and click on the link.
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mtn man
Re: Fall color
October 25, 2011 12:45PM
Quote
chick-on
From my vantage point... peak is typically the week before Halloween.

I take it that no one takes a camera?

Here are some of mine from last week. Nothing spectacular.



Pictures from my trip
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avatar Re: Fall color
October 25, 2011 03:55PM
Tanks. Looks spectacular to me.


Chick-on is looking at you!
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mtn man
Re: Fall color
October 25, 2011 04:57PM
Quote
chick-on
Tanks. Looks spectacular to me.

Double tanks for your tanks.
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avatar Re: Fall color
October 24, 2011 09:34AM
Quote
ERICG

Maybe the "peak" they were talking about was in Yosemite Valley and not on the east side. I too was on the east side this weekend and there were still areas of peak color. Mcgee Creek was at prime peak colors.

As were most of the Aspen groves in Lee Vining Canyon and a number (but not all) of the groves on the June Lake Loop. (In fact, Lee Vining Canyon still had a few Aspen groves that the majority of the trees still had a number of green leaves.)
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tanngrisnir3
Re: Fall color
October 24, 2011 08:57AM
Just got back yesterday afternoon from a spur-of-the-moment decision and trip to the valley.

The famous maple across from the Chapel


Eyvind Earle Maple #1 by tanngrisnir3, on Flickr

I don't know what this meadow's called, unless it's 'the far eastern end of El Cap Meadow', so I just call it 'Sentinel Meadow'


First Direct Sunlight, Sentinel Meadow #3 by tanngrisnir3, on Flickr

Aaaaand one more.....


First Direct Sunlight, Sentinel Meadow by tanngrisnir3, on Flickr

Then South Side Drive by that famous curve.


South Side Drive, October Morning by tanngrisnir3, on Flickr
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avatar Re: Fall color
October 25, 2011 08:01AM
Just going by the pix (and tanks for sharon) that looks like un-named little meadow
between Leidig and Slaughterhouse


Chick-on is looking at you!
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tanngrisnir3
Re: Fall color
October 25, 2011 02:49PM
Quote
chick-on
Just going by the pix (and tanks for sharon) that looks like un-named little meadow
between Leidig and Slaughterhouse

Really? It's so big that I thought that for sure it might be called "Sentinel Meadow", seeing as you can see Sentinel Falls right there in the rock.

And Slaughterhouse Meadow? Hmmmm.... not showing up on me maps o' topo.

Are there set boundaries for that one?
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avatar Re: Fall color
October 25, 2011 03:57PM
Well. I screw up. I thought it was from one of the little meadows west of Sentinel and Leidig.

From what I know. Here is a map I drew of the meadows:



thought you took photo from left blue dot. from what u just say I guess it's the right one...


Chick-on is looking at you!
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tanngrisnir3
Re: Fall color
October 25, 2011 04:04PM
Quote
chick-on
Well. I screw up. I thought it was from one of the little meadows west of Sentinel and Leidig.

From what I know. Here is a map I drew of the meadows:



thought you took photo from left blue dot. from what u just say I guess it's the right one...

Actually I took it from what appears to be exactly where that blue "BM" dot is.

Looks like there really IS a Sentinel Meadow and I was nowhere near it. Also looks like where I was has no name!
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avatar Re: Fall color
October 25, 2011 04:24PM
Okie dokie. Guess I shoulda stuck to my guns.

If I were naming it I'd go with Rocky Point Meadow.
Or "Chick-on with Big Guns Meadow" wink

Picked up a LX5 ... see if I can come up with some decent stuff...
mostly I just don't take the time... click, hike, click, hike.... repeat.

Have fun


Chick-on is looking at you!
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avatar Re: Fall color
October 25, 2011 09:17PM
Ok, you're gonna shoot me... but I have to change. I'm now nearly 110% certain your
two meadow shots are both Leidig Meadow.
Here's a pict. I took of Leidig and Sentinel Rock & Falls earlier this year:


Note the stump... also, the 'falls' in your photos are not Sentinel. It is the intermittent stream just to the west of Sentinel Creek.

Keep on shooting... smiling smiley


Chick-on is looking at you!
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tanngrisnir3
Re: Fall color
October 26, 2011 09:00AM
Quote
chick-on
Ok, you're gonna shoot me... but I have to change. I'm now nearly 110% certain your
two meadow shots are both Leidig Meadow.
Here's a pict. I took of Leidig and Sentinel Rock & Falls earlier this year:


Note the stump... also, the 'falls' in your photos are not Sentinel. It is the intermittent stream just to the west of Sentinel Creek.

Keep on shooting... smiling smiley

Good for you and the LX5! I'm about to get a GH2, so I'm sort of moving up in the world, but I will never get rid of my beloved LX5.

Is that area actually still considered Leidig Meadow? Because it was taken right by that blue dot, but the map you posted has no name for it, and I promise it wasn't in Leidig 'proper' since we were nowhere near the Lodge, Swinging Bridge, etc...

ON EDIT

Oh, I see what you mean now. I was thinking of the blue to more to the west. Perhaps it was Leidig after all.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/26/2011 09:10AM by tanngrisnir3.
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avatar Re: Fall color
November 14, 2011 07:26AM
It was Leidig for sure... here's your stump from this past weekend:
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avatar Re: Fall color
October 24, 2011 12:48PM
From the Daily Report:

Early snow was early enough to allow excellent displays of fall color in Yosemite this season. While some aspens and cottonwoods are already bare, many of the maples are near peak color now, and the more widely distributed black oaks and dogwoods are just starting to light up. Current forecasts indicate this should be a great, long-lasting color season! Word is that the east side is also near peak. All spring and summer leaves have been using pigments (chlorophylls, xanthophyll, and carotenoids) to make food from air, water, and sunlight. As temperatures cool and days get shorter, leaves on deciduous trees stop producing chlorophylls and the familiar green color fades away to reveal the other pigments which have been masked all season. Quaking aspen and big-leaf maple display the yellow carotenoids. Continued sunny days and cool nights traps sugars in leaves and some leaves will form the red pigment anthocyanin, coloring trees like dogwoods or the non-native sugar maple near the Chapel, or vines like the poison-oak along the El Portal Road a brilliant orange, pink, or even purple. The best autumn colors occur under conditions like we're expecting now--clear, dry, and cool but not freezing weather. The degree of color may vary from tree to tree and even leaf to leaf. Leaves directly exposed to the sun may turn red, while shaded leaves may be yellow. California buckeyes are "summer deciduous" as a drought adaptation, and the leaves just withered and turned brown. Leaves on marsescent trees, like some California black oaks, will linger all winter and only fall next spring when new leaves emerge. Live oaks, tanoaks, bay laurel and the conifers will keep their newest leaves throughout the winter to get a head start on food production next spring.
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Ohnivy-Drak
Re: Fall color
October 26, 2011 11:56AM
Many patches of yellows and browns, but it's true that the leaves will get blown off the branches soon enough.
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hotrod4x5
Re: Fall color
November 03, 2011 07:22AM
According to Michael Frye (who's wife runs the AA gallery) the fall color in the valley still hasn't peaked and the fall colors on the east side are great right now. http://www.michaelfrye.com/landscape-photography-blog/2011/10/22/yosemite-valley-fall-color/
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ERICG
Re: Fall color
November 03, 2011 07:59AM
Looks like that was posted on Micheal Frye's website back on Oct 22. Most of the fall colors on the east side are now gone.
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hotrod4x5
Re: Fall color
November 03, 2011 08:12AM
Quote
ERICG
Looks like that was posted on Micheal Frye's website back on Oct 22. Most of the fall colors on the east side are now gone.
Hmm, you are right. But for some reason he just sent that link to a yahoo photo group I belong to, stating that it was new. I wonder if he linked the wrong page.
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hotrod4x5
Re: Fall color
November 03, 2011 09:12AM
This is an email Michael Frye sent yesterday (Nov 2) to the yahoo group:

"We drove to Lee Vining last night, and spent the day exploring. The color is wonderful right now in all the usual places near here - June Lake Loop, Lundy Canyon, Conway Summit, etc. One of the best autumns I've seen in years"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/03/2011 09:12AM by hotrod4x5.
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ERICG
Re: Fall color
November 03, 2011 09:15AM
Thats good to hear. Last week the places I visited were all past peak.
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hotrod4x5
Re: Fall color
November 03, 2011 11:24AM
Apparently there is some kind of glitch on the yahoo group, the message was indeed three weeks old.
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