As the autumn gives way to winter in the south, I am continuing to enjoy reminiscing of the Smokies. Today is Thanksgiving, and we are spending it in middle Tennessee with my brother and his family. The terrain here is hilly and not as mountainous as the Smoky Mountains, but Tennessee is Tennessee. It will […]
click the Audio below and adjust your sound if necessary [Audio clip: view full post to listen] This 2-mile hike was recommended to us by a volunteer at the visitor center in Townsend, and it was an excellent recommendation. Most of the hike was along an old railroad bed and stream. White Oak Sink is […]
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A cold, October morning on top of the world. I was, figuratively, and almost literally, too. Carl, Brent, and I scouted this area the prior day with the express intent of shooting a sunrise overlook of the Smoky forest. Little did we know we would be so lucky as to have such a wonderfully foggy […]
One of the obvious treats of autumn is the beautiful array of color, even in the simplest of scenes. The Smoky forest is replete with reds, oranges, and yellows, in addition to wonderful greens from evergreens and moss. Accompanying the color ranges are sounds of quiet breezes, acorns dropping, the “caw” of an occasional crow […]
click the Audio below and adjust your sound if necessary [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Located off Little Creek Road, just across from the turnoff for the Tremont Institutue, are the Laurel Creek Cascades. The cascades are located roadside on the way to Cades Cove, so there is a constant flow of cars […]
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click the Audio below and adjust your sound if necessary [Audio clip: view full post to listen] Autumn always tugs at me to dedicate time shooting the fall colors, preferably somewhere in the mountains. My best bud Carl and I have been doing this for the past 8 years. This year Carl, Brent, and I […]
Recently I had an opportunity to travel to London on business. It has been several years since I last traveled to the U.K., so it was good to get back. London is an exciting and vibrant city, full of pedestrians and “buzz”. I always try to travel with my camera while on business should the […]
Who said cats are curious? Our most frequent visitors were mountain goats, around the camp as well as during our hikes. These guys and gals wandered around my tripod as you can see. Note: this image was taken with a 35mm fixed focal length lens, which means I was only about 5-8 feet away!
The weather for the remainder of the trip was outstanding. This was taken on Wednesday, day 3 of the trip as the final clouds were clearing out.
Hiking distance from the Train to the Chicago Basin: 4.5 miles. Not bad, huh? No big deal. Most anyone can walk 4+ miles in an afternoon at a slow pace, right? Oops, I forgot a few pertinent details: Elevation increase of 2,500ft (to 10,800ft above sea level); 50lb. pack; rain; pouring rain; hail; pouring rain […]
The train ride was a fun experience. One of the things that impressed me was the personnel operating the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge (D&SNG). These guys were the “real deal”. One often finds new technology underneath the covers and behind the facade of today’s replication of the retro. Not in this case. This was […]
July 25, 2011 began a unique experience. It was the launch of my first backpacking trip, following many months of planning and preparation. Destination: The Chicago Basin in the San Juan Mountains between Durango and Silverton, CO. 5 Days and 4 nights communing with nature. There would be no cell phone access, no computers, no […]