GTG in Wisconsin (Eagles) - DPChallenge Forums

12/24/2007 12:30:54 PM · #51

I've got this thread flagged to "watch." I'm leaving in a few minutes for my holiday trip out east. Will check the thread for updates on Friday evening.

-J

Dirtypainter

Canon EOS-40D

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8D ED

12/24/2007 12:39:02 PM · #52

Well more than likely I will already had my breakfast, and will have my thermos full of hot coffee.

So I would just need a place to meet up with the group.

fsteddy

12/24/2007 04:36:17 PM · #53

I will be coming down the day of.

Ironworker

Nikon D70

12/24/2007 05:50:38 PM · #54

I will be down the evening before. We are staying at the Grand Harbor. I believe that is only a few blocks from McDonald park. I'm all in for breakfast & lunch, just tell me where. We will probably leave in the early afternoon, the 'heat' of the day is gone by 3 this time of year.

12/24/2007 08:46:56 PM · #55

[thumb]625385[/thumb]

The official who's coming list. If I forgot anybody, add yourself.

Ironworker 28th
Kirbic
strangeghost
fsteddy 29th
Dirtypainter 29th
Bugzeye 28th
NstiG8tr

Message edited by author 2007-12-25 10:51:31.

12/25/2007 10:52:18 AM · #56

bump

Fisher Price Kid-Tough Digital

12/25/2007 12:20:33 PM · #57

In Maryland now, mooching the internet off a neighbors of my parents' unprotected wireless router. SCORE!

Bugzeye

12/25/2007 05:18:09 PM · #58

Now you shall be known as the grinch who stole the internet. lol

Originally posted by strangeghost:

In Maryland now, mooching the internet off a neighbors of my parents' unprotected wireless router. SCORE!

My wife and I are planning to arrive around dinner time Friday. We haven't booked a room yet. Wont be going to the Grand Harbor however because we are not bringing the kids, most likely will be at Super 8 or someplace like that. What if anything is close to McDonald Park?

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8D ED

12/25/2007 06:08:28 PM · #59

Brian, if you make a reservation someplace, PM me the info. Me and Andrea may be coming down Friday night.

Ironworker

Nikon D70

12/25/2007 06:23:25 PM · #60

Holly & I stayed here on a kidless getaway. It isn't far from the park. There is a Holiday Inn by the riverboat, also near the park. Otherwise Dubuque has many hotels & motels near the river.

Elmakias

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

12/25/2007 06:40:55 PM · #61

can you post an update list of what the schedule is? if i missed it, redirect me please
thanks!

//adam

12/25/2007 07:07:01 PM · #62

Originally posted by strangeghost:

Brian, if you make a reservation someplace, PM me the info. Me and Andrea may be coming down Friday night.

John,
I've been waffling as to whether I want to come down Friday evenign or Sat. AM. If you & Andrea are going down Fri. evening, let me know, and I'll make that my plan of attack as well...

12/25/2007 07:33:39 PM · #63

Originally posted by kirbic:

John,
I've been waffling as to whether I want to come down Friday evenign or Sat. AM. If you & Andrea are going down Fri. evening, let me know, and I'll make that my plan of attack as well...

We don't get back to Wisconsin until Friday afternoon so I'm waffling a bit as well. But I really want Andrea to join me on this trip so I don't want to commit to an early morning drive Saturday (which is what I'd normally do). But we also have to contend with getting in from our trip and turning around and heading back out in the car again.

Stay tuned, I'll know more by Friday.

12/25/2007 07:41:31 PM · #64

None of the Hotel/Motels are that far from the park or river. Most are on Dodge St.(Hwy. 20) The only ones really close to the river are the Grand Harbor Resort, Holiday Inn, Julien Inn and the Hilton Garden Inn which is off to the right when you cross the bridge into Iowa.
Most of the breakfast places are on Dodge St. also.

icu1965

Sony DSLR-A200

Sony 75-300 mm f/4.5-5.6

12/25/2007 07:46:53 PM · #65

The best time to shoot eagles is actually when it's the coldest out. They hang around open water, which in the winter time would be around the locks and bridges. They also hang out in trees along the banks. If you want an action shot you should go out on a really cold day, they like to fish when it's cold. In Keokuk, Iowa they have what's called eagle days. It's in January and they fixed up the old bridge where you can walk on it to take pictures and watch the eagles. You can go anytime, but they make a big deal of it in January.

icu1965

Sony DSLR-A200

Sony 75-300 mm f/4.5-5.6

12/25/2007 07:50:02 PM · #66

Originally posted by kirbic:

There are usually some active discussions over on DPReview. There are several photogs over there that go out regularly. Some of the locks along the Missippippi are good spots. I here a lot about "lock & Dam 19" which I believe is pretty far south, along the IA-IL border.

Lock 19 is in Keokuk,IA/Hamilton,IL. If anyone needs any info on these towns let me know!

12/25/2007 07:53:26 PM · #67

Originally posted by icu1965:

The best time to shoot eagles is actually when it's the coldest out.

This is true. I was down at the river today and the eagles were few and far between. When it warms up they seem to scatter. A week or so ago when it was really cold there were tons of them.

12/26/2007 10:47:06 AM · #68

We get back to Madison around 1:00 pm on Friday, so even if we have delays, we'll have plenty of time to drive to Dubuque for a hotel stay Friday night. I checked rates and found a room in the Super 8 for as low as $50 (which I can make even cheaper with an AAA discount). Fritz, if Andrea ends up not coming, wanna split a room?

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8D ED

12/26/2007 11:07:23 AM · #69

Originally posted by strangeghost:

Fritz, if Andrea ends up not coming, wanna split a room?

Sure! But tell Andrea that she really should come.. her 400/5.6 needs the exercise!

Ironworker

Nikon D70

12/26/2007 12:22:24 PM · #70

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MILWAUKEE/SULLIVAN WI
338 AM CST WED DEC 26 2007

...WINTER STORM POTENTIAL FOR FRIDAY...

.LOW PRESSURE WILL ORGANIZE IN THE SOUTHERN PLAINS THURSDAY NIGHT
AND THEN TRACK NORTHEAST INTO LOWER MICHIGAN FRIDAY. A SWATH OF
HEAVY SNOW IS LIKELY TO ACCOMPANY THIS STORM SYSTEM ACROSS
SOUTHERN WISCONSIN ON FRIDAY.

Just a heads up for everyone coming in Friday, the ride may be a white knuckler.

Fisher Price Kid-Tough Digital

12/26/2007 12:32:15 PM · #71

Originally posted by Ironworker:

...Just a heads up for everyone coming in Friday, the ride may be a white knuckler.

Yup, been watching that. We'll see whether it develops into a major storm. NOAA has no predicted snow totals yet. It WI the state by afternoon Friday, so heading SW we should be running out of it.

Bugzeye

12/26/2007 01:58:52 PM · #72

I got an eye on the weather also. My wife will be clawing at me if we are driving in the snow. Always suggesting the speed I should be going etc...

Dirtypainter

Canon EOS-40D

12/26/2007 03:50:46 PM · #73

Well unless things change it seems I got called into work that day to help set up a new overhead crane.

I should shoot whoever leaked the info that I was crane certified, AWS cert, CWS cert, and used to work with the dang company many years ago that is installing the overhead crane.

This will be very interesting indeed especially if my old supervisor is there. there might be an accident in his near future. *LOL*

12/26/2007 03:56:43 PM · #74

Originally posted by Dirtypainter:

...I got called into work that day to help set up a new overhead crane...

So you'll be shooting cranes instead of eagles??

Dirtypainter

Canon EOS-40D