Test Drive

I'm in love.


That's right, I said it. I'm in love, with Mark (aka: my new camera aptly named by my friend).

I took the new camera for the first test drive this weekend by doing a little hiking in a few familiar spots: Wilton, Milford, and Lyndenborough, NH. Even though the water was much higher the last time I visited these waterfalls, the day still provided ample opportunity to flex the megapixel muscles of the new camera. The results were astounding.

 

 

I am a firm believer that the camera doesn't make the photographer. I think that the camera is simply a tool in the photographers arsenal. Composition, lighting, and content are also important. I still have many things to learn when it comes to the functional capabilities of this new camera (including HD video, total upgrade from my phone camera!), but how exciting to know there is only room for improvement?

 



On a totally seperate but aweomely random note, I had my first lesson in driving a standard vehicle this weekend. A Mini no less! It went pretty well and I checked one more thing of my to-do list for my lifetime.

Waterfall of the Week: Wilton, NH

The idea this weekend was to brave the city of Portland, but without a solid plan in mind, I didn't want to go and not make the most of the trip. So, when all else fails, I go hiking! With a list of waterfalls in the area I've been steadily checking off, I made my way over to Wilton, NH to take in two nearby waterfalls.

Like most waterfalls in New Hampshire, they were hidden on unmarked trails off back roads in the countryside. The first set of falls was called Garwin Falls. A dirt path led me to the first set of the falls and, while beautiful, they were not the real attraction. About a quarter mile down the path I heard the rushing water spilling over the craggy rocks.

Now, while the waterfalls was amazing, I've posted several pictures of waterfalls over the course of my time here and wouldn't indulge you if there wasn't something more to the story. While setting up my tripod for the shot, I noticed a young man, maybe 14 or 15 years old, perched on top of one of the cliffs. He was what appeared to be his father and brother, taking in the sights like me. It was what he was wearing that caught my attention. It was a Clay Matthews jersey. Yes, another random Packer fan in the middle of the New England woods. I naturally struck up a conversation with the young man out of curiosity and as it turns out he was from Vermont and thought meeting someone from Wisconsin was pretty cool. We talked about the Packers for a bit, I took my photos, and moved on.

Next, I headed about 10 miles East to the neighboring town of Milford in search of the Tucker Brook Town Forest. Nestled inside a 258 acre preserve were the Tucker Brook Falls. Strewn across the many trails the wind through the woods are 10,000 year old glacial erratics--boulders believed to be left from retreating glaciers of the last ice age. This made navigation more challenging. Usually I can find my way back out of the woods with my photographic memory and little common sense. However, the path to find the falls involved several turns and trail changes, so needed to write down instructions to ensure I could make my way back to my car!  I reached the falls after about 30 minutes of easy hiking. Peaceful, secluded, and beautiful.

Infected!

A virus hit my computer hard and fast on Saturday. Where it came from I don't know, but I'm back up and running! Sorry for the delay in posting!

Saturday was once again filled with hiking and hunting for waterfalls. This time I headed to the West side of New Hampshire, about 2 hours from my home base. It was on this trip that I found two waterfalls tucked away on trails stemming from gravel back roads. As I was driving down the first road, the image that crossed my mind was Deliverance. Now, that is no reflection on the people, simply the terrain. Very desolate, with steep cliffs and deep valleys. I trekked on a relatively easy trail to find the first series of waterfalls called Purgatory Falls. Nestled in a 100 foot ravine, the stream separates the two small towns of Mont Vernon and Lyndenborough. Initially I followed the trail toward the lower falls, but realized that a path had been made down to the base of the falls. Yes, down 100 feet into the ravine. It was a safe, but steep decent. But, for my trouble I was rewarded with an amazing eye level view of the falls and a great place to eat a quick lunch.

About another hour West led me to the town of Keene. The drive there was filled with vista views of the lower White Mountains and sparkling lakes. Located in a 26 acre preserve was Beaver Brook Falls. Set at the bottom of a steep gorge with cliffs rising 200 feet on either side, the brook ran alongside an abandoned highway. This was a stark contrast to my first hike. As I walked up the pavement of the old highway, I saw the brook slowly babbling downstream. When I reached the falls, it was hidden behind some trees. As dusk began to creep up on me, I headed back home.

A peaceful day of hiking in the woods, searching out waterfalls. That's a pretty good Saturday.

Later this week I will have an update on my next assignment! Stay tuned!

The Hunt is On

"The Basin"

Back the White Mountains I went on Saturday, on the hunt for waterfalls. Why do I call it hunting? Most waterfalls in this region are on back roads, hidden among the trees, and usually unmarked. So, like hunting, you need to plot out your trails, be prepared for quick weather changes and rugged terrain, and keep a keen ear to hear the rushing water. I got a taste of waterfall hunting when my mom and I vacationed in Duluth, MN. There are tons of waterfalls near Lake Superior. It became quite a thrill when we would finally stumble upon a beautiful waterfall.

Waterfalls also provide a photography enthusiast such as myself the landscape amazing pictures are made of. Usually surrounded by greenery and jagged rocks, the roaring water is a sight to behold. Standing at the bottom of a 600 foot drop of water makes a person realize how small they are in the scope of nature. I can't imagine a better way to spend a Saturday than humping my camera gear up miles of rugged trails to behold a beautiful cascading waterfall, carving through the woods of the White Mountains and completely undisturbed by the hand of man.


My co-workers have gotten into the habit of asking me what my plans each weekend will consist of. Like my last adventure to the White Mountains, they disapproved of my venturing into the wilderness alone to hike. But I tell them surviving in the woods is simple: you make either really smart decisions or really stupid ones. I just try to always make a smart decision. For example, the best trail I took on Saturday was the Beaver Brook trail. With an elevation change of 1200 feet, a trail that fell off on the sides to the river bottom below, and several required crossings of the rushing river bed, this trail was by far one of the hardest I've ever hiked. Now, the clue that the trail would be rough was evidenced by the sign-in book and warning signs at the start of the trail incline. It is never a good sign when the trail requires you to list an emergency contact and warns of potential "tragedy" ahead if you are not careful. For all my "moms" out there who worry about me, no I obviously did not fall to my death nor did I push the limits of my own safety. This is where the smart vs. stupid decision comes into play. I would consider myself a relatively experienced hiker and know when something is not worth the risk. The trail, which in the summer months would be do-able, was covered with ice and snow. I realized the trail was impassable with the gear I had after about a half mile and unsafe to do alone. So I turned back with the notion that I would conquer this "Everest" another day. But, I came away with some spectacular views of the lower waterfalls as the fruits of my labor!

The warning sign