![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/centennial-valley-1032-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"centennial-valley-1032-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\nWinter is dreaming time for me\u00a0but this year I’m starting a little early and\u00a0fantasizing more often.<\/p>\n
So what do I dream about during the cold and snow and weeks on end of winter inversions producing our almost reliably\u00a0gunky air? My\u00a0bird photography camping trips to destinations as wild, remote and far away from\u00a0“civilization” as I can find them. And in a typical camping season those trips\u00a0usually include anywhere from 3-5\u00a0forays to my favorite destination on the planet – the Centennial Valley and vicinity of southwest Montana.<\/p>\n
But as regular readers probably know I haven’t been there since two summers ago because of issues with my health.\u00a0We always camp out in the middle of nowhere because I\u00a0despise crowded, noisy\u00a0campgrounds and\u00a0much prefer dispersed camping with no neighbors, great views and access to wildness\u00a0but given\u00a0my recent\u00a0health\u00a0challenges I can be pretty vulnerable in situations\u00a0like that. But I’m finally seeing signs, subtle as they are, that at least some of those health\u00a0issues may be improving\u00a0so I’m dreaming, literally at night and daydreaming during the day, about Montana trips next spring and summer.<\/p>\n
Since\u00a0that’s where my mind and heart\u00a0are these days it’s also the subject of this post.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
This scene and this sign should give you a feeling for what it’s like to approach the Centennial Valley from the east, from the vicinity of Yellowstone NP which I avoid like the plague because of the\u00a0insufferable crowds. From this spot we only get a hint of the valley itself – those very far off mountains you can barely see behind the lone conifer to the left of the sign are mountains that rim parts of the valley.<\/p>\n
As\u00a0you can imagine it takes some\u00a0serious planning and a significant investment in\u00a0camping gear\u00a0to spend a week or more up\u00a0here when you’re this far away from food and water supplies, gas, vehicle breakdown repairs and even medical help. In most areas cell phone coverage is nonexistent and even something as\u00a0basic as\u00a0getting a flat tire repaired is a major undertaking.<\/p>\n
I once had 4 combined\u00a0flats on my pickup and camping trailer on a single trip to the valley which is why I have 10 ply tires on my pickup now and haven’t had one since. The road is in good shape in this spot but in others, beware – especially in spring and early summer.\u00a0It’s been improved in\u00a0the last several years but I have mixed feelings about that. There’s been talk about having it paved but the locals, mostly ranchers,\u00a0shot that proposal down and I could kiss every last\u00a0one of them for that!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/lower-red-rock-lake-1091-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"lower-red-rock-lake-1091-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\n
This is a fairly typical sunrise from the campsite we’ve most often used at Lower Red Rock Lake. This is the time of morning we usually leave camp to look for birds and wildlife so I’ve seen it often, very often, but it never fails to blow me away. On those rare mornings when we leave camp a little later I can enjoy this view out the picture window of my camping trailer while enjoying my morning coffee and Mia’s company as we both put the final touches on our blog posts just prior to publication (usually we can barely get enough cell signal to publish them here – other times we’re just SOL).<\/p>\n
The\u00a0stars at night – there simply are no words. And that delicious quiet except for the birds and frogs is to die for.<\/p>\n
When\u00a0we leave camp to look for birds and other wildlife\u00a0at just about this time of morning\u00a0as we nearly always do…<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/centennial-valley-1783-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"centennial-valley-1783-ron-dudley\\"")
<\/p>\n
this is what I see in front of me as dawn is\u00a0beginning to break\u00a0while I’m driving the three miles or so to the south toward South Valley Road and access to the rest of the vast valley, including Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. These marshes, wet prairies and sagebrush flats are\u00a0often loaded with both birds and pronghorn and even the occasional small band of elk. And there’s almost limitless wild and spectacular country to explore in\u00a0every direction, including the much higher and more dramatic mountains to the east. I’ve been exploring the valley and nearby areas for ten years now and still haven’t seen it all.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
For the last several days I’ve actually been working hard on a project related to this destination and to these photos. My ex-wife hated my “projects” (her word, not mine and yes\u00a0we’re still very good friends) because I was always\u00a0consumed by them for days on end\u00a0at the expense of everything else\u00a0and I’ll admit\u00a0she was right.\u00a0So, as is my habit\u00a0I’m consumed by this one too, although it’s been exhausting and both physically and emotionally\u00a0challenging.<\/p>\n
It’s a little premature to reveal what it is but I hope to do so soon since it relates to my bird photography, my blogging and\u00a0to the Centennial Valley by extension.<\/p>\n
And now you know at least a little more about the inspiration for my dreaming and for this blog post. Hopefully the rest of the story will follow soon but that could still\u00a0go either way.<\/p>\n
Ron<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Winter is dreaming time for me but this year I’m starting a little early and fantasizing more often.<\/p>\n