Han Solo and his faithful Tauntaun set out against the stark ravages of SE Oregon's Alvord Desert. With dusk fast approaching, the beast, more accustomed to the frozen wastes of Hoth, collapses from exhaustion, dehydration and the sudden, lethal onset of a nasty case of crippling apathy. As Han struggles to carry his Tauntaun to shelter and safety, what dashing rogue will swoop in to lend aid?

Ok, what can I say? These photos were taken while killing time and waiting for the sun set on the desert floor this summer. I can think of fewer places in the world better to watch twilight descend and a nearly full moon rise. After dark, you may as well be on the lunar surface.

If you ever get a chance to make it out that way, I suggest a dip in the Alvord Hot Springs, watching the sun set and then jumping into your vehicle to race across the desert and back into sunlight again. If you time this right, you can actually watch the rays roll towards the hills and enjoy multiple sunsets. My personal record is a mere two.

Labels: nature, pirates, star wars, travels

Like many dorks of a certain age, I'm an unapologetic fan of the original Star Wars trilogy. One of my first memories is of my father taking me to see The Return of the Jedi at the Washington Square Cinemas and pestering him to read Jabba the Hutt's subtitles aloud. Along with everyone else, I lament everything George Lucas has done with the franchise post 1983. After years of watching him completely botch the new films and add distracting CGI additions to the originals, he's finally done something right. For an upcoming release of the films on Blueray, he'll be adding a long lost scene to Jedi.

It's a brief, 50-second bit that begins at the 2:00 mark of the video above. A fan at an annual Star Wars festival in Disney World filmed it during a presentation. In it, Darth Vader shoots Luke a message via The Force as he tinkers with a lightsaber. It's not much but it has me geeking out like those fans of Metropolis who go nuts every time someone finds an old print with additional footage tucked away somewhere in Argentina.

Labels: movies, nostalgia, star wars

If I ever found myself as the groom in a Portland-area Star Wars-themed wedding, I don't think Admiral Ackbar would be the character I'd pick. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

Labels: love, marriage, star wars