INCREDIBLE striated rainbow from the fire lookout tower.

[DemoTex]

Screw 'em. Weather phenomena are not proprietary. Besides, I'm in a real "fuck 'em" mood. Look for more posts, soon.

[Honeycombe8]

1. Wow. That's beautiful. nt

[elleng]

2. Will look.

What's with 'proprietary?'
GREAT!

[DemoTex]

9. See last night's post

I got my ass chewed over a lame - but well deserved - criticism of my government agency on FaceBook.

[elleng]

12. OH! Wasn't around last night,

storms and all that!

Power still out in DC area. I'm out of reach now, thankfully!

[Warpy]

58. Yeah, bosses love to surf Facebook instead of doing their jobs

They're getting a hell of a lot of flack these days for their incredibly slow response to recent wildfires here in the Rockies, so you can expect them to be hypersensitive to any criticism.

Since people who say goodbye to their lives for months at a time to live in a cramped tower out in the woods aren't exactly beating down their doors, your job is safe.

Still, that's why they're being thin skinned these days.

Snooping bosses will likely end up killing Facebook as people drop it in favor of more anonymous places to tell the truth.

[FirstLight]

3. that's so cool

thanks for sharing...how is it going up there these days? hope you and the forest are doing okay...

[Lochloosa]

4. We have you back Demo...Fuck'em

[DemoTex]

10. Thank you!

!

[aquart]

5. And this is why I adore your posts.

[Zalatix]

6. Hoorah. Stand your ground.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. Good for you1

DU wouldn't be the sam without your posts every summer.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

8. Hot damn, my dear DemoTex!

That is so gorgeous, it just takes my breath away!

I don't have a clue how you did it, but I'm so glad you did!

Give 'em hell!

[bigwillq]

11. Amazing!

K and R

[Zorra]

13. Awesome!

[BlueJazz]

14. I LOVE stuff like this. Thanks!

[DemoTex]

15. When I saw this forming up, it was a "holy shit!" moment.

I grabbed the Canon 5D-MkII with the 70-200-IS lens (I have two 5D MkIIs now), snapped it on the Manfrotto monopod, and started shooting. It changed so fast, and at times it was a double rainbow. I shot about 50 frames. I'll review the others tomorrow.

[nadinbrzezinski]

29. Burst mode, gota love it

Last edited Sun Jul 1, 2012, 12:42 AM - Edit history (1)

Aperture priority I take it? (I should leave this for photo forum)

[Booster]

16. Breathtaking. Good job, DemoTex. Keep up the good work.

[alittlelark]

17. I've seen those in NM... never caught on on film!

Awesome!!!

[DemoTex]

20. Actually, its simple - light filtered through cloud layers

But it's my first catch on "film" too!

[joshcryer]

18. Fuck yes! That's awesome.

Best wishes DemoTex!

[Webster Green]

19. Amazing photo!

Wow, that's incredible!

Hope you keep posting!

[pinboy3niner]

21. If that's a POLITICAL striated rainbow you're in big trouble, my friend

Great to see you, Mac. You know I LOVE your posts and your photos. You're doing a great job taking up the mantle. You know what I mean.

Love & Peace, Brother

[DemoTex]

24. Well, it could be looked at as Gay Rights support

But I support Gay Rights - always!

[Voice for Peace]

22. don't lose your job!! your lookout perspectives

are always needed here.

[DirkGently]

23. Beautiful photo!

[nadinbrzezinski]

25. Amazing.

[aaaaaa5a]

26. Fantastic picture.

If you don't mind me asking, where was it taken?

I am going to use this as my desktop screen picture.

Great work!

[DemoTex]

33. It was taken from the East Butte fire lookout tower

East Butte fire lookout tower is located in the SE corner (high desert) of the Deschutes National Forest ( N 43 40' 1.5" W 120 59' 44.7&quot .

[aaaaaa5a]

36. Thank you!NT

[xxqqqzme]

62. Wow! Is there

a 'dumb waiter' sort of apparatus to get groceries & stuff up those stairs?

[A HERETIC I AM]

27. Very cool. n/t

[Skittles]

28. WOW

that's breathtaking!

[pinboy3niner]

30. So happy to see you back, I forgot to rec

Fixed now. It's all good.

[Liberal_in_LA]

31. pretty pic

[malaise]

32. I was thinking about you

what with that massive fire in Colorado. Thanks for this beautiful pic

[DemoTex]

34. I have friends on temporary duty in Colorado

Five crew and a type-3 engine (whoops, I hope I didn't spill beans to the enemy!).

[malaise]

52. Tell them thanks from all of us

We found out yesterday that our friend's home was spared.

[burrowowl]

35. Beautiful!

Thanks DemoTex for your service and posts!

[spanone]

37. k&r...

[Bozita]

38. Wow! ... Great pic!

[freshwest]

39. Oh, wow, great moment you caught there. Thanks!

[slutticus]

40. Epic!

you should put a DemoTex stamp on this and post this on george takei's Facebook page...i bet he'll repost it so millions of people can see it. This really is quite stunning.

[DemoTex]

41. Maybe Biblical?

Could that be Baby Jesus at the end of the shaft of light? Could it be the Miracle @ DU? I ask you .. you be the judge.

[Lugnut]

42. Breathtaking!

Mother Nature in all her glory. Thank you Mac....and eff 'em.

[azurnoir]

43. gorgeous thanks n/t

[sabrina 1]

44. Magnificent, it's like a beautiful painting.

[PufPuf23]

45. Is "fuck 'em" mood regards to the USFS?

I was USFS from 1969 to 1986; a 460 series GS-11 Forester age 28 and resigned age 32 under Reagan.

Now live on my great great uncle and then great grandfather and then father's National Forest inholding as a senior citizen.

My adolescent rebellion was to go to work for the "Piss Fir Willies" rather than work for Dad in quarry or building road age 16 under YOC.

Graduated highest honors from a world class university and forestry program (UC Berkeley) and was a GS-11 professional age 28 that resigned age 32 under the federal corruption that was Reagan.

I would say "fuck 'em" all; the USFS, professional environmentalists (not professional scientists), and Federal. state, local, and Tribal politicians.

Broke my heart.

Siriusly (sic), I have scant respect for my (former?, as I no longer practice and years distant but still knowledgeable but am licensed and able but not active) profession.

[pinboy3niner]

47. Sounds familiar

I also resigned from federal service under Reagan.

I wasn't FS (I worked in transportation safety, writing studies). The conservative management of my agency wouldn't allow me to do the work that I wanted to do, so as a 13, with my agency's top award and another recent award, I just up and quit.

It broke my heart, too, because I loved the agency and I had had a great experience there--especially when the guy in charge was a prominent Dem who'd been an advance man for JFK.

I left with no job lined up to go to and suffered the consequences, but I don't regret it. My only regret is that I stayed, out of a feeling of obligation, long enough to complete my final report. I should have just said, "Fuck 'em," and left them in the lurch. If I could have a do-over, that would be perfect!

[dionysus]

46. you could publish your watchtower pics in a book, Tex. maybe you should. (hint hint)

[pa28]

48. You need to stop posting this material.

Central Oregon is a state secret. It's the most beautiful place in the country and nobody knows about it. Don't blow it for those of us who live here.

Seriously though, I've shared a few of your shots with friends and family in previous years and I hope you keep 'em coming. Nice work.

[PufPuf23]

49. Fantastic picture. Like your narratives over the last several years.

I was USFS 1969-1986 and have done consulting work in your area.

My experience in the USFS and corporate consulting grew my cynicism and despair.

There are far less USFS Lookouts than in the 1970s and aeriel technology has not kept up.

There is less local (USFS RD or Guard Stations with Engine Crews) and KV/BD crews that were also regional smokejumpers or hot shot crews as needed now than in the 1970s.

There are larger and less controlled wildfires because of negligence compared with prior to 1980 or so. One could even conclude that wildfires were allowed to grow to justify abusive timber salvage and removal of Federal lands within National Forests from Wilderness consideration. Many tracts of land have been treated post "wildfire" to preclude any economic use as timberlands and also greatly decreased the carbon storage potential within the soil and subsequent forest / vegetation for generations.

The fire suppression $$ could be more than replaced by net management $$ if silviculturists, engineers, and economists were not trumped by politics and short term cash flow.

The same is true for Tribal, BLM, and corporate forest lands with rare exceptions. Too many professionals do not even see much less comprehend their own institutional propoganda, the public is clueless for lack of understanding of scale and practice. The politics and PR trump reality.

[barbtries]

50. beautiful.

it's great that you share your experience with us. thank you.

[dipsydoodle]

51. Isn't nature great

[Agony]

53. nice k

[lunatica]

54. Another great photograph!

Thanks for sharing them with us. I look forward to your photographs every year.

[Yuugal]

55. Forest pron rocks!

TY.

[leeroysphitz]

56. Oh my god.

[The Doctor.]

57. You post to environmentally conscious sites.

Tell them they can replace you with someone who doesn't care about the environment and see what happens.

[Melissa G]

59. Gorgeous! Thanks for posting

and bringing us the spectacular views from your isolated perch in the wilderness. It helps open up my world. I appreciate you.

[GreenStormCloud]

60. Awesome. I just made it my desktop wallpaper. N/T

[xxqqqzme]

61. Breathtaking.

You have shared w/ us many times your prime view of the country. Very few have your special window of the world. We are lucky indeed.

[jwirr]

63. That must be a very rare happening. Beautiful. Your posts always give us so much to raise our

spirits. Thank you.

[hay rick]

64. K&R

[Buddyblazon]

65. Great pic, DemoTex.

Really gorgeous.

And just to let you know...those "striations" are called Crepuscular Rays. Someone taught me that as a kid.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crepuscular_rays

[Catbird]

66. Wow!!

[rocktivity]

67. Weren't there a couple of gay pride celebrations this week?

rocktivity

[RebelOne]

68. The most incredible rainbow I have ever seen

was when I was flying back to Miami from Mexico. The plane flew over a rainbow. Awesome sight. I felt like breaking into the Judy Garland song "Somewhere Over The Rainbow."

[alfredo]

69. You should send that to weather underground. They love such events.

[DemoTex]

71. Naw. I'll stick to the Democratic Underground

It's much more appreciated here (IMO). Besides, I've been here since early 2001. I'm loyal to my school!

[alfredo]

72. Yeah, I can dig it.

[dixiegrrrrl]

70. Mother Nature supports Gay Pride week...cool!!!!

THAT is a pic to be proud of snapping.
can't wait to see the rest of them.
and ....great to see you!!