Weekend on the Alvord Playa with the Steens Mountains and Curt and Erika Reesor

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Turning onto the road to the Alvord Desert Playa.  The storm clouds broke to let light on the mountains on the left.

When we reached our campsite and started to setup, the sun and clouds gave us this welcome to the Playa display.

 I kept watching the clouds to our West over the Steens Mountains hoping.

As the evening progressed, the sky became more and more spectacular.  Compared to our original destination, the John Day River which was getting pounded with rain, this was an okay second choice. 

Every few minutes the sunset improved.  Made editing all the shots really difficult.

About two hours after the sun finished it's fireworks, the moon began it's show.

This is moonlight with Curt in for scale and shadow effects.

The next three shots need to be viewed a higher res than this thumbnail.  Double click on them to see the stars and cloud movement.  This is all moonlight on the Playa.

That was it for our first evening.  

The next morning turned out to be even more incredible.

Sunrise Day 2.  My setup with a CVT rooftop tent. Comfy. 

Well here comes another spectacular display of nature.

Curt working with the playa cracks.  Photographer's shadow on the right.  Amateur!

All the color and light from the shots above disappeared when the sun moved out of the sliver of clear sky to disappear into the clouds.  What a difference that made.

After a long day on the playa, home sweet home.