Reconnecting with nature through hiking, camping, and paddling
Photographs of the land and the environment
The old brick and concrete bridge piers stand across the James River as a testimony to the ravages of time. They once provided safe and easy passage across the river and now serve merely as roosts for water fowl and baron outcroppings for pioneering vegetation.
As I hiked past this puddle of melting snow I stopped to look at the reflections in it. Snow was falling off the trees in clumps and caused ripples in the puddle.
When I arrived at the edge of the lake, this stump was absorbing the sun. As the dark wood warmed snow was converted into a small cloud of steam. As a result, this photo shows all three forms of water: frozen (snow), liquid (water), and vapor (steam).
This cascade along Jones Run in Shenandoah National Park provided an interesting photographic experience. My friend was smart enough to stay at the top. Despite my better judgement I decided to hike down a little farther from the trail. Just as I was thinking I needed to be careful on the leaves and wet rocks, I stepped on a patch of wet moss covering a large, flat downward sloping stone. As the moss gave way I began sliding down the rock face, watching my camera bounce off the stones beneath me and hoping I would be able to stop myself. Fortunately my slide came to an end before I got to the actual waterfall, about 6 feet beyond the point from which I took this picture.
Snow fell on Richmond Thursday night. A few inches accumulated but it was nearly all gone within 24 hours. I took the day off Friday and hiked through Pocahontas State Park. This photo was taken as the sun rose over the forest. The park was beautifully covered in snow and I had the place to myself. I hiked for 5 hours and never saw another person the entire time.
The sun was just beginning to rise above the trees when I arrived at this small pond.
A bright, nearly full moon shines in the clear evening sky.
These old pilings in the James River must have served as the foundation for a small bridge. Now they are simply part of the river.
I took this panoramic shot just east of the Appalachian mountains in Albemarle County,Virginia. I happened to be passing by at sunset. Despite the lack of clouds to provide a colorful sky, the valley itself seemed to almost glow in the late evening sun. Like all of the photos on my blog, you can click on the image above to see a larger, more detailed version of it.
A friend and I hiked a 6.6 mile loop in Shenandoah National Park, specifically to get photos of waterfalls. Our hike passed three significant falls but this little cascade at the top of one of them yielded my favorite photo of the day. It isn’t very dramatic and I think that’s what I like about it. The image makes me think of a quiet, little, almost secret spot, you could visit to get away from the world for a little while.