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James W. Young, Professional Photographer

2011 LDS Temples Galore Trip

I usually spend time at my summer home in Oregon in the springtime, but an interesting event
happened in late October, 2010.  I was contacted by a Glenn Cheney concerning a temple image
on my web site: An image of the Atlanta, Georgia Temple taken in July, 2006.  It was an early
evening picture with the colors of sunset on clouds in the background.  Mr. Cheney wanted a high
resolution image to make a picture on canvas to present to his parents for Christmas later that
year.  After Christmas, I heard from Glenn's parents:  President Darrell and Yvonne Cheney of
the Atlanta Temple (he is 2nd counselor).  They were thrilled, and so a conversation about the
May 1, 2011 rededication of this same temple ensued.  In fact, they extended an invitation to
myself and Karen to attend....and even to stay with them while in the Atlanta area.

During January and February of this year I began considering the possible trip to Atlanta, as
an alternate to my normal Oregon trip.  Gee, I thought, I could photograph many temples that
I have never seen...all along the way.  A long road trip could include some grandchildren to see
as well, and later would include the possible viewing of a shuttle launch from Cape Kennedy also!

My initial plan included visiting a few new national parks, some friends, and my daughter in Ohio.
Staying in touch with the Cheneys, I continued to formulate additional things to do.  Maybe I
could do extensive photography of the Atlanta Temple as well.  Then Karen looked at her school
spring vacation that occurred around that same time period.  She could fly to Atlanta, see the
temple open house, and the shuttle launch, but would have to leave before the dedication took
place.  By March, we had a reasonable plan that would have me drive across country to Atlanta,
pick up Karen and spend more than a week in the area as well as in Florida.  I had 15 different
LDS temple sites I could easily visit along the way to Atlanta and then back home.  It would
take 30-40 days, and wasn't finalized until I was half way to Atlanta: 40 days would do it!

The following maps, pictures and itinerary descriptions will be shown on a daily basis, starting
on April 4,....and ending May 13, 2011.  Each day will carry a map of the day's travels, using
letters and colors to define specifics.  The red line (with arrows showing direction) shows the
actual roads taken, along with G for gas stops, T for temple sites visited, C for sleeping in
the car, M for staying in motels, A for accommodations at friends' homes, C for Church, F for
firesides given, H (black) for a helicopter ride, and B (black) for a boat trip, and V for visits
to friends, NPs, waterfalls, etc.

ENJOY!


April 4


I left Wrightwood at 6 AM traveling east through Flagstaff, AZ, then on to my
first temple visit at Snowflake late in the afternoon.  I would then continue on to
Albuquerque, NM arriving at 2 AM.














April 5

There were no lights on the Albuquerque Temple when I arrived.  Seems that
with the considerable road construction on the street in front of the temple, the
lights were turned off at night so as not to attract visitors who could get caught
in the traffic tangle of that road construction.  The gate was open, and I walked
on site, only to be approached by temple security.  I told him what I was doing,
and he offered to turn the lights on at 4 AM.  I slept in the car until then.







I slept till 7 AM, and took the following morning images.








April 5

Lubbock Temple, afternoon and evening










April 6



Lubbock Temple in the morning







The restored barracks at old Fort Concho in San Angelo, Texas


The restored hospital at old Fort Concho

After visiting a friend in San Angelo, TX I drove to just north of Big Bend NP.
I slept in the car for the night, and took the following images of the night sky.


The rising Milky Way at 11 PM, with lingering clouds


April 7


Milky Way at 4 AM



After sunrise, I drove into Big Bend National Park, first driving to the visitor
center in the Chisos Mountains, then to the Santa Elena Canyon Overlook to the
west, and finally to the Rio Grand Village at the eastern edge of the park on
the Rio Grand River.  I left the park late in the afternoon, and drove north to
Fort Stockton and got a motel room for the night.


Chisos Mountains


Rio Grand River:  Mexico to the left, Texas to the right


Me in the Santa Elena Canyon (Texas side)


Rio Grand Village area; Texas left, Mexico right with mountains in the distance


A Mexican caballero came across the river at my request for a picture


A bee working the cactus flower at Rio Grand Village


April 8

I left Fort Stockton, and drove east and north to Killeen, TX to visit a special
family.  A young lady, Angelique lives with her grandparents, Carmen and Ruben.
'Angie' found my web site a few years back while doing a school project, and
asked some assistance for an astronomy related paper for one of her classes.
I visited this family last year, and gave a talk in a classroom about astronomy
at the school where Carmen works.  Ruben is a retired US Army veteran.


Texas wildflowers


Lupine


'Angie' at her Tae Kwon Do class


'Angie' sparring with her instructor


April 9


I left Killeen and drove to the Dallas area, first to visit the temple there, and
eventually to stay with friends Arlie and Rebecca Ordonez in McKinney.  Arlie
came with me to do the evening photography at the Dallas Temple.













April 10


I did a Stake Fireside at the Frisco Stake Center, Sunday evening, with about
450 people attending.


April 11


Leaving the Dallas area, and drove east into Louisiana to visit a radio amateur
friend in Alexandria.  Then crossed the Mississippi River at Vicksburg, then to
Jackson and north to Batesville for the night.
 





April 12


I had breakfast with a University of Mississippi professor at Batesville before
continuing into Tennessee to photograph the Memphis and Nashville temples.




The Memphis Temple




Dogwood Trees along Tennessee Route 96


View from the Natchez Trace Parkway Bridge over Tennessee Route 96, just
west of Franklin


The Nashville Temple








April 13


Leaving the Nashville area, I drove south into Alabama to Huntsville to visit the
NASA 'Space Camp' for youth.  At the end of the day I reached the Birmingham
area for a two-night stay.




Space Camp in Huntsville


'Mission Control' simulator actually in progress


These beautiful dogwood trees were found at Russell Cave NM, in the extreme
northeast corner of Alabama


I had seen these beautiful red clover areas in the center of several interstate
highways, but you can't stop.  Finally I found this area at an exit.



The Birmingham Temple at night




April 14


After taking morning images of Birmingham Temple area, I explored several old
covered bridges less than 40 miles from my motel.






The Easley Covered Bridge west of Oneonta, Alabama


The Swann Covered Bridge northwest of Oneonta, Alabama


Great White Egret, with breeding plumage, seen in a small lake west of Nectar,
Alabama


A small roadside unnamed waterfall between Nectar and Cleveland, Alabama

April 15


I left the Birmingham area and drove to Atlanta, Georgia.  I would begin a two
week stay in Acworth, Georgia at the home of Darrell and Yvonne Cheney.




The Atlanta, Georgia Temple








April16


The following day, I picked up Karen at the Atlanta airport, and we went to the
temple for a private tour of the newly renovated interior.  Darrell Cheney, of
the Temple Presidency, took us through during the last day of the Open House.


Here is the Temple Presidency:  Left to right; Yvonne and Darrell Cheney (2nd
Counselor), Beth and K. Dean Black (President), and Edwinna and Lynn Bassett
(1st Counselor)




April17


Sunday found us attending Stake Conference in the Powder Springs Ward (C-1)
then to the Douglasville Ward for a second session of Stake Conference (C-2).
We returned home, then went to the Hadaway Ward for my fireside for the
entire stake.


April 18


Monday Karen and I left fort Florida, and the Kennedy Space center, as well as
to visit the Orlando Temple.
















April 19


We visited the Cape Canaveral National Seashore, then the space center, and
finally had dinner in Cocoa Beach and visited the shores of the Atlantic Ocean.


STS-134 on launch pad B, as seen from the north


The 'BIG' lens to see the shuttle from 6 miles


The Vertical Assembly Building (VAB) at the Space Center


Launch Pad 'B' as seen from 2 miles


The end (bottom) of the Saturn V rocket


A returned Apollo capsule


Karen and the Atlantic Ocean off of Cocoa Beach


James

April 20

We drove south to Biscayne National Park and later to Key West


Biscayne NP


The boat traveled very slow through the 'Manatee Zone'


The boat captain (left) and his helper


The Lighthouse on Boca Chita Key


Our boat


Miami across Biscayne Bay as seen from Boca Chita Key




Comorants pearched on pilings with the South Miami area in the background


A Snowy Egret dries its wings in the sun.  These types of birds do not have oil
on its wings like other water foul, therefore they must dry their wings when they
get wet.


Manta Ray


Brown Pelican


Sunset off of Grassy Key on our way to Key West

April 21


Spending the night in Key West, we headed north to Everglades NP, and ended
in Melbourne for the night


Excursion boat off Key West


Looking south across the Straits of Florida


James


Karen


The east end of the old Bahai Honda Bridge


Looking west at what still remains of the Bahai Honda Bridge.  The newer road
is on the right.

Everglades National Park

White Pelicans off the coast near Flamingo at the southern tip of the park


A juvenile White Ibis


A Great Egret


A Turkey Vulture

April 22


We drove north to the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (ONWR).  For the
night we had dinner and stayed in Valdosta, FL

The Stephen C. Foster State Park in the ONWR

Tadpoles


A Dragon Fly


An alligator with a dragon fly on its left eyebrow


The Okefenokee forest


Lily pads, with a waterlily


An interesting tree in the Suwannee River in the Okefenokee State Park.  Park
visitors have fastened wood boards up the trunk, so as to climb to the swing
attached to the first limb.  We called it the 'giraffe' tree.

April 23


Leaving Valdosta, we returned to Acworth and the Cheney's home.






April 24


  Sunday we attended services in the Burnt Hickory Ward, then later went to the
  Atlanta Temple.  Both Karen and I received permission to be on the grounds to  
photograph the temple for the entire afternoon.  We were introduced to Max
 and Debi Kimball who live in a condo complex across the street from the temple.
  They gave us permission to photograph the temple from their 6th floor balcony.
The Kimballs are close friends of the Cheneys, and Max was in the Atlanta
Temple presidency.







\











The following three images were obtained from the Kimball's balcony







April 25


Karen and I drove into northern Georgia, and eventually into southwest Franklin,
North Carolina to visit friends and photograph waterfalls along the way.


Amicalola Falls, Georgia northwest of Gainsville on Georgia 52














Dry Falls, North Carolina, east of Highlands on US 64


Cullasaja Falls, west of Highlands on US 64


April 26


The next day we drove along the Blue Ridge Parkway into the Smoky Mountain
National Park, then to the Cherokee Indian Reservation just southwest of the
Smoky NP.  Then we went to Deer Creek north of Bryson City, NC to see many
ore waterfalls.








Mingo Falls on the Cherokee Indian Reservation


Juney Whank Falls


Indian Creek Falls






Tom Branch Falls


Yaling and Mike White (W4MTS), and their daughter Lena


Jimmy



April 27


Karen and I drove back to Acworth, GA


April 28


I took Karen to the Atlanta airport, then hurried back to Florida for the Shuttle
launch.  Just north of Forsyth, Georgia I saw the obvious damage caused by a
tornado that had touched down along the freeway during the night of April 27.
I stayed with John Trent (KE4QIV) and his wife Jo in Cocoa, Florida.


April 29


Although the shuttle launch was once again scrubbed, I spent a day with John
Trent (KE4QIV) and his wife Jo.  After an early rest, I left for Georgia to
photograph the damage caused by the tornado that swept across the freeway
north of Forsyth, Georgia.


The VAB from the Riverside Inn in Titusville.  We set up our tripod and camera
equipment to photograph the shuttle launch, and this is all we got!


John and Jim


April 30


 I arrived north of Forsyth, Georgia at 8 AM.  As I took photographs west of
the freeway on a frontage road, an elderly couple told me of a family that had
lost their house east side of the freeway.  It was the home of Chris Landers.
Chris, his wife Christi, and daughter Logan all suffered injuries, especially his
daughter with a serious eye injury.

Later I arrived back in the Atlanta area to attended the "Southern Lights",
a contemporary musical in the Atlanta Civic Center with 2700 youth from the
Atlanta area LDS Stakes and Wards.  The prophet of the Church, Thomas S.
Monson attended the performance.

Tornado damage west of I-75 and north of Forsyth, Georgia






Chris Landers' home totally destroyed, 1 mile east of I-75







Chris Landers in the red shirt

The "Southern Lights" performance

The choir


Elder Ballard (left), President Monson (center), and Elder Walker (right)

The "Southern Lights" performance dancers












Youth singers


Drummers

More performance dance routines









The finale


Elder M. Russell Ballard


Backstage performers


The downtown Atlanta city skyline


May 1

The Atlanta Temple dedication took place on the morning of Sunday, May 1 2011.
President Thomas S. Monson held two dedicatory sessions; one at 9AM, and the
second one at 12 noon.  I attended the second session.


The following Temple images were obtained between the two dedication sessions



















President Thomas S. Monson




Elder M. Russell Ballard and Elder Max Kimball





May 2


Leaving Atlanta early Monday morning I head for both Columbia, South Carolina
and Raleigh, North Carolina for their respective temples.

The Columbia South Carolina Temple at sunrise







Traveling to Raleigh, North Carolina







The Raleigh North Carolina Temple













May 3


Today I drive to the Outer Banks and Cape Hatteras National Seashore.  Then
I visit a ham friend in Hampton, and finally go to Williamsburg and Richmond,
Virginia




The pelicans searching for food off Bodie Island


The Bodie Island Lighthouse




Cape Hatteras Lighthouse


The view from the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse


Sand Dunes of Hatteras Island


Wright Brothers National Memorial Museum


Kitty Hawk Memorial




My ham friend, John Osborn, KD4EAQ


Williamsburg House


May 4


I have an early dinner with my granddaughter in Richmond, then drive most of
the night through Pennsylvania and into northeast Ohio ending up in Kirtland.


With granddaughter Katie

May 5


After spending the morning at the temple of the Church of Christ, I later drive
into Medina.  I have dinner with another ham friend, and then spend the early
evening with my daughter, son-in-law, and my grandson.

The Kirtland Temple (Church of Christ)











The Cuyahoga River (time exposure) in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park


Grandson Levi, and daughter Eileen in Medina, Ohio


Son-in-law Rod, with Eileen

May 6


Eileen and I spend some time together, then we all meet at the Medina chapel
for my fireside.


May 7


I leave for Columbus to photograph the temple there, then into Indianapolis,
Indiana to see the property for a temple to be built there, and finally I go
west into Illinois, to the Mississippi River, and north to the Nauvoo Temple.

The Columbus Ohio Temple











The still vacant property for the recently announced LDS temple in Indianapolis




Sunset on the Mississippi River north of Keokuk, Illinois on State Highway 96

The Nauvoo Temple

















May 8


 I attended Sunday services at the Nauvoo Ward, meet two ham friends for lunch,
and then leave for St. Louis, Missouri.  I got a motel, photographed the temple
late in the afternoon, then returned for some nighttime imaging.

The Nauvoo Temple in the morning


An original sculpted 'Sunstone' at the nearby Nauvoo quarry








The St. Louis Missouri Temple















May 9


After imaging the St Louis Temple in the morning, I headed to Mansfield to visit
my granddaughter, Ashlie. In a youth setting at a local church she talked about
her experience raising poodle dogs.

Morning images at the St. Louis Temple














Granddaughter Ashlie in Mansfield, Missouri







May 10


I had breakfast with Ashlie's grandparents, the Philpotts, then toured their 120
 acre property.  Later in the afternoon, I drove into Oklahoma to photograph the
Oklahoma City Temple.

The Philpott's property west of Mansfield


Jack








Ashlie and grandma Jan riding their horses
\





The Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple










May 11


I took sunrise pictures of the Oklahoma City Temple, then drove west into New
Mexico and the White Sands National Monument.  Continuing west, I crossed into
Arizona and the Gila Valley.  There I photographed the Gila Valley Temple, and
spent the night in a motel in Thatcher, Arizona.

Sunrise at the Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple






Drove through the panhandle of Texas into New Mexico


The White Sands National Monument, west of Alamogordo on US Highway 70


The Gila Valley Arizona Temple







May 12


I got up at 2:30 AM, and drove to the south side of the road to Mt. Graham.
There I took images of the Milky Way, and as twilight began, the four planet
conjunction of Mercury, Venus, Mars , and Jupiter in the eastern skies.  After
returning to the motel to sleep for three hours, I left Thatcher, photographed
the Gila Valley Temple in sunlight, then drove to the Gilbert Arizona Temple,
Mesa Temple, and Phoenix Temple sites (all within a 20 mile radius).  Later I
drove to Flagstaff for dinner, and went to the Grand Canyon NP for the night.

The Milky Way as seen from state highway 366 on the south of Mt. Graham


A four planet conjunction (also seen from highway 366).  Mars is in the lower
left, with Venus (brightest), Jupiter (upper), and Mercury (lower) to the right


The Gila Valley Arizona Temple in the morning










The Gilbert Arizona Temple construction site, slated for completion in 2013




The Mesa Arizona Temple and grounds


















The Phoenix Arizona Temple construction site, with a groundbreaking ceremony
scheduled for June 4, 2011




The Grand Canyon National Park late in the afternoon


The Grand Canyon at night (illuminated by moonlight), as seen in the next two
images.  Note the stars in the sky top center.

Note the lights in the Geology Museum (foreground, upper right center)


Bright Angel Canyon in the upper left center


May 13


I got up at 3 AM to photograph the Milky Way from the parking lot at Yavapai
Point.  I took a helicopter ride after sunrise over the canyon before heading to
Wrightwood, completing a 40-day, 14000 miles trip in 22 states.

The Milky Way from the Yavapai parking lot


Sunrise at Yavapai Point


The remaining images were taken from a helicopter in extremely clear skies.

The Colorado River near Tanner Canyon


The Little Colorado River Canyon (lower center, extending to the right)


Nankoweap Mesa




Nankoweap Creek




Kwagunt Creek


Battleship Rock






Trees (and the helicopter shadow) over Walhalla Plateau




Bright Angel Canyon from left center to lower right


The Colorado River (center)




Crystal Rapids (center), with Crystal Creek entering the Colorado from the right
(obscured by canyon walls)


The South Rim in the upper left, as our flight ends.

I arrived back in Wrightwood at 4 PM.

Gallery of Images  Specialties

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