Back to Hidden Valley (with my Minolta Autocord)

 Today was a quiet day. I wasn't planning on doing anything, I just wanted to stay at home and relax. Tomorrow is Easter and we will have a mini-gathering, our first in the time of Covid. I don't want to go, but my mom insists, she really misses spending time with her grandchildren (my nephews), and since we are all vaccinated, she insists it is safe. We have to go.

I was getting antsy by mid afternoon, and decided to pack up my Minolta Autocord TLR and see if I took photos somewhere. I am eager to find out if I can still focus on infinity. I sent it in for repairs a few months ago, and I have doubt as to whether it was adjusted correctly. But first, some pseudo-Chinese American food, aka Panda Express. I had not eaten lunch.

Well, I decided that the clouds were too beautiful in the sky, and it would be perfect for some vantage point shots at Hidden Valley, so I returned. I was on a mission. The only thing was, it was getting late. The park closes at 4:30 p.m., even if we had sunlight until after 7 p.m. I notice that the rangers make it a point to start closing the gate at 4:15, so no more entries, and they are waiting to see us leave by 4:30. I wonder what would happen if we got stuck inside. 

I arrived on a hot day. The thermometer gauge inside my car said it was 85 degrees Fahrenheit outside, but if you stepped outside, there was a cool wind. Today was definitely T-shirt weather. I got there at about 3:10 p.m., knowing I had about an hour and fifteen minutes maximum for my stay. There were, surprisingly, few people there, although an older Anglo man with a belly had his car parked in one spot and he had the hood open as well as all his car doors. I wonder what he was planning on doing. Please that he couldn't leave the park because his car was not working?

After stepping out I took my panorama shots, then ventured down into the lower area. It was quite comfortable. For these photos, I was using Foma 200 black and white film, with an orange filter on my lens. I was shooting at f16, about 1/60 of a second. I developed for 10 minutes today. My negatives were very, very thick. Next time, develop for 8.5 minutes. Some of the negatives have too many spots, others are relatively clean. What calls out to me is the sharpness. No wonder the Autocord has such a sterling reputation.