I was promised rain for Thursday morning’s hike, and that morning, the weather app confirmed that it was indeed going to rain whilst I was lumbering. It did not. Well, at least not enough to get wet.

However, I wouldn’t know that the rain was a no-show until 2 miles into my 5-mile loop when I stripped off my old Trek cycling rain jacket that gets worn for everything but cycling, stuffed it in my pack, and continued on, sadly knowing that my camera was nowhere near me because it was supposed to fucking rain and it did not.

But hey, at least I got 5 miles in and took some absolutely horrible photos (see intro pic and GIF) with my phone—the top of the line iPhone SE (rolls eyes, accepts roll as an aging luddite who would like to chuck his phone in the river rather than use it).

Friday Mourning (dressed in black)

I was back in the crisp air of the woods early Friday morning and anxious to cover more miles before a weekend of sloth and footy whilst Wifey is out of town to haze the fetus at her cousin’s Baby Shower back in Pittsburgh. I was also hopeful for some photos, because the week had been pretty shit so far.

About 3 miles in, I was coming up to a trail intersection and noticed another lumberist coming down the trail about 100 yards from me. No big deal, but I was heading to an area of trail that looks out over a spot along the river with numerous dead trees that are often perched upon by birds of prey like bald eagles, Osprey, Red-Tailed Hawks, and Rabid Pigeons.

With that, I put a little spring in my step to get to the spot alone to search the trees for birds with my camera. And thank goodness I did!

I had just come to the opening, and I could see an Osprey perched high above the river looking for breakfast. I quietly got my camera and got a few shots off, just as my fellow lumberist passed behind me, saying hi, as I was nerding out taking pics. I don’t think she even saw what I was photographing, and I probably looked like some sort of loon, but I don’t care, I got my pics!

But as SpongeBob always says,  “All that glitters is not gold.”

I got some pics, but the fact that I was shooting from in the dark woods, across the river, with a slow kit zoom lens and a crop sensor camera, up into an early dawn sky, really made things difficult. While I tried a couple of different exposures, I knew that I would need to spend some time in Lightroom trying to get it close to where I wanted. But I don’t care, I got my pics! (Didn’t you just say that?)

I was pretty geeked with the shots, and was anxious to get the last two miles in, get home to see Wifey off on her trip, and get to work in Lightroom. Sure, I wish I would have had my Sigma 600mm lens with me, but there is really no part of me that wants to carry a 5-pound lens while lumbering.

I’m happy enough-ish with the shots and edits you see here, but they are not top quality; I know that. But since I’m in the business of making memories with the forest critter while enjoying the outdoors, not making money, it’s all good.

As I finished my lumber crossing the suspension bridge over the river, I got another pic of a Cedar Waxwing (my favorite non-bird of prey) in trees. That excitement was cut short when the morning coffee kicked in, and I had to do a Clench & Scurry across the bridge and to the parking lot porto. Coffee, man.

As I type this on Saturday morning, I have 27.53 miles of lumbering in, and should/could hit 30 if I get motivated to do anything that doesn’t require a remote control, footy, and a beer, but to be honest, I don’t know if I see that happening, for my slack is strong.

Later.