I did a couple of nice hikes in the Weld area yesterday: Bald and Blueberry Mountains. And during the course of those hikes, I shot dozens of digital photos.

I took the big leap into the digital world last fall when my rather well-used and abused 35mm camera finally gave up the ghost. And there's been no turning back. It's been great fun.

In fact, I use my Nikon digital camera just about every day and have gotten pretty good at annoying most everybody around me with my mildly obnoxious obsession with the damn thing.

So this morning I get up, well rested and happy, and go to download yesterday's hike photos.

Houston, we have a problem.

The camera refused to work. Happiness quickly evaporated.

And since I'm about as handy with cameras as I am with fixing cars (put the key in, turn and go), there seemed little I was going to be able to do about it.

And I was right.

I popped the batteries out and back in again. The little green light came on but there was no movement of the lens, no clicking of the shutter. No happy little "bloop" noises like usual.

So ended my repair attempt. There was nothing more to do. My camera was dead.

I guess I could take a rubber mallet to it, but maybe I'll just take it back to Best Buy and see what they can do. I've only had it 8 months. They better give me good news...