Category Archives: Travel Blogs

Ice and Snow, Photos, Troy's Blog, Winter

A Beautiful Frosty Morning

March 24, 2019 Troy

An early March morning as a hint of light entered the sky, long before the sun would rise, I noticed something different as I looked out the frosty window. While the furnace fought another below zero morning I peered outside and saw a white coating covering everything outside of the house walls. Immediately I could tell it was the beginning of what should be a spectacular sunrise as the fresh coat of snow glistened from the suns rays. Do I head out with the camera to endure another cold morning or stay in the warmth and type away on the computer? Initially I was not interested in venturing out in the cold for yet another time as it was Saturday and I didn’t have anywhere to go but I did have a number of projects on the computer to work on. My mistake was glancing back outside one more time on the way to the desk and my plans for the day were changed. It was too beautiful even in the dimly lit sky for me to stay home. Besides, the camera was already in the chilled car ready to go.

It only took a few minutes to travel to a nearby park once I had all of my winter gear wrapped around me making each step feel like a flight of stairs. Along the drive I got lost in the incredible views surrounding me as an amazing frost coated most of the scene with ice crystals I didn’t recall seeing before in my life. Arriving at the park I saw the parking lot ahead of me was not plowed, but a few vehicles had entered creating a path so I followed it into a spot just before the sun breached the horizon. Quickly getting out of the car to grab the camera I headed to a place to capture the mornings first rays barely even noticing the cold surrounding me. Every step brought another unique frost crystal attempting to distract me from my destination for the sunrise. Once the sun had moved above the horizon I was able to turn my focus back to these beautiful ice formations. A few pictures told me my success would be very limited without a tripod to steady each shot on. Unfortunately, in my haste earlier in the morning I left the car without it so now I either needed to trudge back through the deep snow or continue snapping away holding the camera as steady as I could with my hands. Knowing I would not be happy with my photos unless they were clear and sharp I decided the tiring trip back to the car would be necessary and besides, in this cold the frost crystals were going nowhere.

Returning as quickly as possible, the tripod was set up with the camera on top of it ready to capture this amazing frost covering trees and shrubs everywhere. Seeing these crystals through the lens magnifying them even more to bring out their incredible structures. I began to lose track of time focusing on each branch making up the hoar frost showing its multiple layers combining together in each crystal. All of that time photographing snowflakes has now become very useful in trying to capture the details of this frost. These ice crystals where much larger and more complex than most snow flakes though and photographing them close up made it difficult to keep each portion in focus. Thankfully it remained bitterly cold so the frost persisted throughout the morning giving a lot of time to try different compositions to capture the beauty up close.

As I examined each ice crystal I could see the various layers as they developed through the night. How long did it take to create these I wondered. Are they still forming even during the morning light when they typically begin to disappear? Why are there different shapes along each branch? Some portions where rounded while others where more squared off. From a distance they appear white but when viewed up close they are clear while they no longer reflect the light that makes them look white. So interesting to study. As the morning continued on, the wind began to blow making the frost crystals more difficult to capture in focus but I continued on since this type of winter display doesn’t happen very often. I think the Northern Lights appear more frequently. Eventually I did have to stop photographing the frost to return home and work on projects which were waiting for me. Getting up before dawn and enduring the cold were all worth while just to experience such a beautiful phenomenon. Thank goodness for heat packs!

Flowers, Photos, Troy's Blog

Beginning to Grow

March 16, 2019 Troy

Walking through a store recently I couldn’t resist all of the seed packets on display so I had to pick a few out. Its been years since I started seeds indoors and I really do love watching them as they grow. They’re amazing in how they can be so hard like a rock and a few days later soften and produce a strong root and little leaves to begin life. Cold, snow, and ice are starting to get dreary so adding some life is much desired as March begins. These are annual Centaurea otherwise known as Bachelor Button. For some reason this is a flower I really enjoy and tends to do well in the cooler spring temperatures. All of these roots quickly growing out of a seed to provide the plant with water and nutrients just amazes me.

In the image below I found this little seedling with the seed covering still attached very interesting. There are so many textures in that seed shell which have expanded with all of the moisture in the soil. It’s a little on the purple side because of the LED lights they are grown under. I start them under a fluorescent lights usually but this time I added a few LED lights as well to see what difference they may make. These are all on a timer giving the a set amount of light each day. I believe they stay on for 10 hours a day which seems to be a good pace of growth without taking an exorbitant amount of electricity. In a few short weeks they will be put outside as temperatures allow. I will begin acclimating them to the higher light intensity of the sun once nighttime temperatures stay at freezing or above as these can tolerate the cooler nights.

Ice and Snow, Troy's Blog, Winter

Playing in the Cold

March 10, 2019 Troy

It’s –27 degrees Fahrenheit, schools have been closed, the post office called off mail delivery, and many people have decided to stay home from work so what is there left to do but stay cozy inside and watch a movie or read a book? For me it just means going out and doing things that you can really only do in temperatures this cold. Since everyone was off from school we decided to warm up some water and see how long it takes to freeze in this type of cold. Throwing it up in the air, it takes maybe a second before that water almost explodes into ice crystals and blow away. There are many videos available to watch as people do this but watching with your own eyes really shows how fascinating and amazing it is that water transforms at this fast of a speed. The water has to be warm enough for this to work or it will just fall back to the ground and create ice balls instead.

With the sun being out and it being so cold I decided to experiment with rose flowers and see what it’s like to sort of flash freeze them with some water droplets and see what happens. I placed them in the snow to given this extremely white background to really set off the color which seems to be preserved in the cold. I let them freeze over a period of 20 minutes or so before taking pictures. During the winter I try to keep a camera in the cold so it’s ready all of the time. When it gets this cold I remove the batteries so they will keep a charge and put them in when ready to shoot. You can use a phone camera for a few minutes but it will likely shut down in cold like this and take a while to warm back up to function again.

I’ve seen some incredible patterns in bubbles frozen and decided to give that a try. It was not hugely successful but I did get a shot or two of patterns developing as the bubble froze. I was surprised how quickly these patterns developed and then disappeared. There was a minute or so to get a photograph before the bubble began to completely freeze and disintegrate. Something I may try at warmer temperatures and see if it last longer.

Another interesting thing to look at is frost forming on windows and doors. The patterns of these ice crystals are so diverse and abstract. I tend to get lost in a picture like this just following the different branches and seeing each design and how they all work together. Does one change how another develops and it takes the moisture away? Is there a difference created by very small temperature differences? Something I should try in the future is to breathe lightly on a window and see if there are differences in how hard I breath. Does it create different patterns or just fog up the entire window pane and freeze? Something for another cold winter day.

Ice and Snow, Photos, Troy's Blog

Snowflakes Are Amazing

March 2, 2019 Troy

As the snow really started to pile up in February there were several opportunities to examine these little ice crystals and become mesmerized by their unique shapes and patterns. Often times I would be concentrating on things I needed to get done, one of which was shoveling all of this fresh snow, and if I took just a moment to look at a few snowflakes I was distracted for hours. I would drag out the camera and shoot away trying to capture each little detail of each flake among the never ending supply falling from the sky. Eventually the cold and the clock would end my session forcing me to wait until the next snowfall.

Once getting them on a computer I could examine each one even closer and study how they formed. What conditions were needed to create these? Were the conditions changing while a snowflake was being made? When multiple snowflakes landed together were they connected or just collided in the sky before settling down on my surface? I was constantly amazed at how different snowflakes look depending on what the temperature was outside.

Even within the same snowfall the snowflakes would change in appearance multiple times. Sometimes they would be large, branched crystals with ice drops frozen on the edges while other times they would be clear with amazing patterns and at different times they would be fairly non descript pieces of ice. In most forms they are fascinating to look at up close and very challenging to photograph because of their typically small size. Trying to get the entire snowflake in focus is often extremely difficult, if not impossible, unless the snowflake and camera are completely parallel to one another. Still, most of the time, they can be looked at in fine detail and their patterns can be interpreted.

One of the challenges with snowflakes is trying to figure out if there is just one or if there are multiple snowflakes stacked on each other. Which layer is currently in focus? A slight adjustment in focus can be the difference in seeing the snowflakes detail or having it be slightly blurry. Once everything appears sharp than keeping the camera and snowflake perfectly still is required. Hopefully the wind does not blow while taking the picture. All of this needs to be done outside in order to keep the ice from melting and losing any of its detail. While snowflakes are a challenging subject, the results are often worth the effort for each one. Usually over the course of an hour I can photograph four different snowflakes so it is not a quick process.

Gaining Life Experience, Troy's Blog, Twin Cities Adventures

Another Fight for Air

February 24, 2019 Troy

For the third year in a row I decided to participate in the American Lung Associations’ Fight for Air climb in downtown Minneapolis. It didn’t take as long for me to decide to sign up this time as I was motivated to perform at the fastest time I’ve climbed these stairs ever. My goal was to conquer 680 steps in 5 minutes. My best time was over 6 minutes and last year it took me more than 7 minutes to complete all of these stairs. What would it take to achieve 5 minutes? A lot of work with the biggest hurdle being my ability to breath. My lung capacity always has appeared smaller than others affecting my endurance even in high school when I played football. It’s something I’ve struggled with but with hard work and dedication I can improve the ability to breath.

At first my plan was to hike hills and climb stairs as much as I could along with riding my mountain bike. My first ride last fall was somewhat unpleasant as the bike kept reminding me of how inadequate I was to be riding at a fast pace for any length of time and that hills were an obstacle beyond my abilities. I did not take this well but all that told me was how much I really needed to be out on a trail riding the bike as hard as I could as often as time allowed to regain some of the health I’d lost over the previous year. Quitting was worse than the ride I had just completed! But now my goal of 5 minutes seemed really far away too.

Over the next several weeks I continued to get out 3 or 4 days a week either riding or climbing stairs as much as possible and improvement became noticeable which encouraged me to keep working harder, but then Mother Nature decided to weigh in. All of a sudden the ground was coated in ice with a little bit of snow mixed in making it very difficult to continue riding and dangerous to climb stairs. Now what? After a couple of weeks struggling to train it was time to do the thing I wanted to do the least – join a gym! Working out while being in a stationary location seemed absurd to me, but being ready for the climb was a higher priority, so with a month to go it was off to the gym.

Surprisingly I didn’t hate going as much as I thought I would and I was motivated to go. Rotating between the stair machine, stationary bike, and elliptical machine I sweated away trying to work my lungs as much as I could handle. And then one day it was time to enter the water and swim laps. Another activity I despised while listening to others who did laps every week. I’m not a strong swimmer but love snorkeling in the ocean. In a pool there’s no fish or corals or even a shark to motivate me. Have you ever swam with a sea turtle? You don’t realize you’re even working out. Well, until you look up once the turtle has gone and realize how far you need to swim back.

Entering the pool I planned to do 6 laps on this first attempt. Completing my first half of a lap I was breathing pretty hard already. Was swimming really this aerobic? Am I really this out of shape? There are people swimming next to me that just keep going and going – How? Returning to complete the first lap and it was time for a break to catch my breath. Once again how out of shape I must be has confronted me. Eventually I did swim 6 laps, a half a lap at a time, and sat up out of the pool almost completely exhausted. Sitting there staring back into the blue water while an internal struggle commenced – time to take a shower and leave this place, exhausted and a little defeated, or get back in the water and work even harder? Could I even stay afloat now with fatigued muscles? After a minute or two and the life guard continuing to glance my way I re-entered the pool determined to do 1 more lap. That lap completed, after stopping at the halfway point briefly, and then I did another. By this time my body was telling me safety was becoming a bigger concern with being able to stay afloat so I exited and ended my first experience in the pool.

With only a few weeks until the Fight for Air climb I continued to get better but the Stairmaster informed me that 680 steps in 5 minutes was highly unlikely. A little disappointed each week that my performance had not improved more it was time for me to take on this challenge. Unfortunately I had been battling a cold for the past few weeks and on this day it decided to stage a comeback making breathing more difficult once again but it wouldn’t stop me from trying anyway. All I could do was my best.

Getting all checked in and securing my number to my shirt and tag on my shoe it was time for stairs. A few stretches to warm up and my time arrived. Step after step, floor after floor, I could feel the difficulty I was having in breathing and my time was not going to be what I was striving for, but I didn’t stop. I did have to slow down for awhile in order to catch my breath so I could continue on and reach the top at a fast pace. With only 10 floors to go I was struggling to pick up my pace but tried to get going faster again. At that point my cold was really affecting me, causing difficulty to catch my breath, and I could feel my heart pounding. Now with 5 floors left I forced a faster pace and reached the top sooner than I expected, yet disappointed that my goal was not met. Walking around to slow my breathing back down and reduce my heart rate I felt pretty good overall so working out did make an impact verses the previous year where my chest really hurt from my heart pounding which lasted for almost a week. The hurt was more like a muscle that had been worked than what I believe a heart attack to be like so I didn’t worry too much about it and I could still breath normally.

After 15 minutes I went to check on my time and saw that it took more than 6 minutes for me to complete the climb. Not even close to 5 minutes I was shooting for but still better than either of the previous 2 times I participated in the Fight for Air climb so not all bad. My cold probably cost me a few seconds of time but even with that I would not have made it under 6 minutes. Once I finished I knew I didn’t push hard enough at the top so I was responsible for another few seconds of time. Combining those things I likely would have been under 6 minutes, but still a ways away from 5. What does this mean for me? I’ve got a whole year now to train for my goal of 5 minutes! I will continue at the gym and once warmer weather arrives get back out on my bike to keep pushing and training.

Overall it helped me to maybe feel what it’s like for those that can’t breath normally most of the time and what they must deal with on a daily basis. Knowing they can’t use their full potential because of the inability to take in the air required to do so. I’m so appreciative to be able to breath in a normal manner even if my lung capacity is smaller than others. Five minutes in 2020! (That’s 2.27 stairs per second or 136 per minute)

Ice and Snow, Photos, Troy's Blog

Carvings Made of Snow

February 17, 2019 Troy

After seeing a beautiful sunrise shining some rare sunshine through ice sculptures, I headed to another location to see the creativity brought out using huge blocks of snow. They were not disappointing! The talent possessed by people willing and able to create amazing works of art from snow is so impressive. The amount of time and energy spent during the coldest time of year, and this year provided some brutal cold weather during the carving days, to show off designs was well appreciated by many during a brief warm up. On this particular Saturday afternoon the temperature soared above freezing for a few glorious hours allowing for a comfortable time outdoors.

Near the entrance to the sculpture park there was a large Tyrannosaurus Rex guarding a maze created entirely of white snow while welcoming visitors to the creative expressions on display for only a few weeks. In front of the T-Rex was the St Paul Winter Carnival emblem, also carved of snow, declaring this area property of the winter carnival. Such amazing detail to be viewed for only a short period of time. It’s almost disappointing for these artists to put so much time into their creations and have them disappear a short time later. Continuing on around the area I came upon a sculpture of a cabin with someone lost in the comfort of a tub full of water snoozing the day away. The ability of the people carving to show such a 3-D depiction covering both sides of this wall separating outside from inside is so impressive right down to the scrub brush sitting in the window.

One of the most entertaining snow sculptures, for me, was this young person staring into an open refrigerator while scratching their head. I really enjoyed many of the details from this carving from the shelves on the refrigerator door to the cabinets on the wall right down to the brick on the wall behind those cabinets. It reminding me of the numerous times I’ve been searching for some edible treasure during a warm summer day as alluded to by the shorts and t-shirt worn by this person entranced by what was going on inside this appliance. Walking around to the other side of this snowy creation you begin to understand the quizzical stance of this young person. The contents of this mechanical ice box appear to have broken out and where having a friendly gathering on the other side of the wall. That would make any of us stand their in amazement to come across such an event.

Ending my time in the snow sculpture park was Snoopy as the Flying Ace a top his dog house. Who doesn’t love this iconic scene from a number of Peanuts episodes? Standing back and just watching as others meandered around these amazing works of art seemed like a good memory to make the return trip to my car with. Seeing all ages examining each carving, pointing, commenting to whoever they arrived here with, and photographing each one seemed like justification enough for each artist to do what was required of them to show their beautiful pieces of work for such a short time. While an artist often sees their work as they envisioned it instead of how it actually is, focusing on each flaw and how it should have been better, the spectators see such impressive displays of creativity and dedication that allows us to view each piece through our own lens and imagination.

Ice and Snow, Photos, Troy's Blog

Ice Sculptures

February 9, 2019 Troy

Every year St Paul hosts a winter carnival which includes a number of outdoor winter events including parades, competitions, snow sculpting, and ice carvings. This winter many of these events took place under extremely cold conditions but the participants are determined and came out in below zero conditions with strong winter winds to make their beautiful creations. On the last weekend of the carnival things warmed up along with a clearing sky so I made the trek to the Minnesota capital city to see some of these icy art pieces just as the sun rose over the Mississippi River. It was absolutely spectacular – a peaceful start to a rare, warm early February day.

Several other people had the same idea. All in an energetic mood on this beautiful morning exchanging brief conversation as we rotated between the ice sculptures photographing them in the morning light. I’m always amazed at the abilities some creative people possess. Able to envision these sculptures in their minds and transfer those visions to ice blocks in such detail. All of this done in dangerous temperatures where removing a glove can result in frostbite in mere minutes with little sleep while chipping away at these ice blocks for 48 hours. As the sun continued to move above the horizon it lit up this sun carved from the ice making a beautiful backdrop for the rest of this sculpture.

Out of all of the amazing pieces crafted from simple blocks of clear ice, I think this one is my favorite. The details in it are spectacular as with all of the carvings but what caught my attention was the theme. A caterpillar looking through the glass at a butterfly which is staring back. The meaning of it is what really speaks to me. One seeing the future while the other is looking back in history at what it once was. Something I believe we often have the opportunity to do if only we take the time to see it. It can be seen in the generations before us and after us, with our own family and friends and in our ownselvs. That’s what makes these creations so amazing is what each person sees in them that is unique.

Moving down the line, this was another one of my favorite ice carvings. The details where incredible creating a beautiful ice statue but my interest in watching herons makes this one more personal to me. Seeing the warm morning sun diffracting through the bumps and ridges of theses sculptures is so interesting. Another carving was of a dinosaur. I think it’s a velociraptor but I’m not sure. The snow resting on some of the grooves while others remain clear brings some great depth to the whole piece. Did the carver intend for this and plan it before beginning?

The final ice statue is called Aquaman Riding a Seahorse. This one won first place and seemed really popular among the viewers while I was there. Only the seahorse is visible in this photo as that was the portion that retained my attention the most. The clarity of the ice and the details of the head were so intriguing with the teeth, eyes, and snout. There were several other ice carvings and all showed amazing artistic skills. A fun way to spend a morning in downtown St Paul.

Exploring, Troy's Blog, wildlife

In Search of Winter Birds

February 3, 2019 Troy

It take a lot of motivation to purposefully venture out in subzero temperatures with a brisk north wind blowing. Getting up before the sun on a cold January morning seemed like a good idea until the alarm goes off and you see exactly how cold it is outside of the window. And to voluntarily do that on a weekend is not always the most thrilling way to spend those dark hours unless there’s something you’re looking for more than sleep. The motivation this morning was to find birds that migrate to this area for the winter. It does seem a little weird that birds fly to Northern Minnesota during the winter. This day began at –15 degrees Fahrenheit with wind making it feel more like –30. Once again would the vehicle start at these temperatures? Turning the key created some noise under the hood but nothing near starting, at first. A few revolutions of the starter and the engine came back to life but you could hear the hesitation as it whined as if it was begging to be turned off until a warmer day. Sax Zim bog was the destination which is world renown for winter birding. Nearing the bog the temperature had dropped to –25 degrees with a slight wind making it seem much colder. Would the birds even be moving in this cold? How will the camera function?

Arriving at the bog there wasn’t much for signs of life however there were tracks all over the place bringing promise to the adventure. The goal of this day was to witness the Snowy Owl which travels here from the artic during the winter. There had been posts online showing Snowy Owls so they were in the area but finding them may be a bit of a challenge. The morning was spent driving to the “hot spots” searching on top of power line poles, hay bales out in fields, and scanning fields for any sign of an owl possibly snagging breakfast. No success! As the morning grew longer it was time to focus on other birds that fly into the area. Fortunately there’s a nice map showing where people feed these winter birds and where owls may be present other than the Snowy. A couple of other owls on the list to see were the Hawk Owl and Great Gray Owl both known to be in this area. Until I saw Sax Zim Bog myself it seemed rather odd that people set up elaborate feeding stations during the winter so that people from all over the United States and the world can see these magnificent birds. While heading to a promising group of bird feeders I spotted something out of the corner of my eye that didn’t seem to fit the roadside which has been flying by. Quickly stopping and looking more intently, there just sitting by the side of the road was a Pine Marten. I did not even expect to see one of these here. The first opportunity to see if the camera and lens would cooperate with a nice photo. Slowly the camera turned on and became ready to photograph but the lens had other ideas. Focusing was not one of them. The auto focus was extremely sluggish and having difficulty finding something to key in on. After a little time it did finally get close to focusing on the Pine Marten but still didn’t get it as sharp as I wanted. A few shots and the Pine Marten decided it was time to retreat back into the trees it had come from. That was a little disappointing start with the camera but a great start to a day of exploring the frigid bog.

Continuing down the road there was a couple of cars stopped and talking with one another. What could they be discussing? Eventually they parted ways continuing on down the road and stopped to inform of a Northern Hawk Owl located just down a ways. Turning around to follow these new found birding friends until they stopped and discovered several other cars parked in this area just along the side of the road. There was a trail, which had been discussed earlier if that should be explored further, leading off into the forest. Now there was a great reason to follow the footprints of others into the unknown area. Spending a few minutes collecting the necessary clothing and camera equipment in an effort to stay warm while hopefully capturing a nice photo of this owl. Following the two people that pointed out this spot into the snow covered forest searching for an owl perched where it had been seen before but this day there was no owl. A couple of other bird enthusiasts were walking in the opposite direction on the trail able to provide more encouragement explaining the owl was a little deeper today but it would be obvious where because of all the other large cameras pointed towards it. They were right! Getting close the first thing visible were cameras perched on tripods each hold what appeared to be cannons but were really just very large lenses. The kind that could pick out a mosquito from 100 yards away. Following the direction of these and there it was – a Northern Hawk Owl! A beautiful bird watching over the landscape. Almost like it was entertained by the constant motion of people traveling to this one area and then stopping like there was some sort of invisible wall preventing them from going any further. As a courtesy to other photographers and birders no one wanted to risk getting too close and spooking the owl.

Retreating from the cold forest back into a warm vehicle, it was time to venture to some feeding stations and discover what kinds of birds were out today. Slowly approaching the first one, there was all kinds of activity there but it was difficult to see exactly what types of birds where fluttering about because of the shade protecting their identities. After a few minutes they moved into more light revealing Evening Grosbeaks. The color of these birds was amazing. Yellows, whites, and blacks typically reserved for summer migrants but here they are in the middle of a harsh winter day in Minnesota. Typically the birds living through the winter are more drab waiting until spring time to show off their beautiful plumage. Not these grosbeaks! There were numerous birds flying in between surrounding trees and the bird feeder offering a full supply of sunflower seeds to get through a difficult January day. Chickadees and Blue Jays accompanied the Evening Grosbeaks in gorging themselves on these black seeds moving back and forth as if they’re being orchestrated by a control tower so each can safely land, grab a few seeds, and depart making room for another bird to do the same. Occasionally there’s a conflict quickly resolved as a pecking order becomes established for each trip to the feeder. At this point the camera seemed to have woken up and accepted the cold as it began to focus more accurately on the fast moving creatures revealing these beautiful colors flashing in and out of the bird feeder. Watching the activity started to make the cold disappear bringing out the enjoyment so many people come here to find among the winter inhabitants.

There was much excitement now to see what other bird feeders held so it was off to another area spot. Driving down the road you could tell when there was something of interest as there would be several cars parked on the side of the road with people watching a particular spot. It reminded me of being in a national park and there was an animal browsing along the road. A traffic jam! At this next spot there was a multitude of birds I’ve never seen before. At first the Blacked Capped Chickadees were easily spotted. Joining them were a flock of Pine Grosbeaks in their vibrant colors. It was so much fun to watch as they hopped between the trees nearby to the ground and up to the feeders themselves in search of their next morsel of food. In an instant you could hear excitement among those watching and there was another species high on the list of wanting to see – a Boreal Chickadee. There were not many spotted this winter so to see at least one was a special treat revealing why there was so much excitement when this one was spotted. Taking a few seconds to listen, there were cameras busily shooting all around as the sound of their clicking filled the roadside. In the picture above of that chickadee you can see small pieces of wood flying behind the bird as it pecked away to get at the food hidden inside. In an instant all of the birds disappeared as if a warning bell had gone off.

Scanning the trees the reason for their departure quickly became apparent. A pair of Gray Jays, otherwise known as Canada Jays, entered the feeding area. They were quite entertaining to watch as they perched in nearby trees almost as if they were posing to say “look at me” and giving everyone an opportunity to snap their photos. Soon they moved from their perches to begin consuming the nutritious nuts capable of giving them the necessary energy for the day. As they moved on, other birds returned and everything appeared normal once again. Still a few birds remained elusive. It was time to venture into the Visitor’s Center (which is only open during the winter months) to get information on possible spotting earlier in the day and potential locations to see more birds. With this information more exploring began without much success. As the sun moved towards the horizon, the snowy owls should be reappearing for the night. Following recommendations there was an area targeted on the map to find one of these beautiful owls. Getting closer to the specified trees, there perched at the top of one of them was a larger bird. Getting closer it was revealed to be a Snowy Owl on time like it had a schedule to keep. Once again there were several vehicles on the side of the road with tripods containing cameras or spotting scopes all directed at the owl. Grabbing some photographs, the owl flew off into the setting sun bringing an end to a fun, cold day. One that hopefully will be repeated soon.

Adventures, Lake Superior, Troy's Blog

A Winter Trip North

January 27, 2019 Troy

A cold, windy winter weekend exploring the shores of a cold Lake Superior provided a beautiful landscape to those who were willing to venture into seemingly inhospitable conditions. Arriving in Duluth the night before with temperatures just below zero and a strong northern wind made me question my own sanity and the safety of the conditions to be venturing outside the next day. Just a few minutes outside was enough to make any portion of skin exposed to the elements burn and start to lose feeling. How would it be to spend hours outdoors with these conditions which were forecast to be even worse in the morning even though the sun was expected to be shining bright?

Hoping to see the sunrise from the shores of Lake Superior, two friends who had never been to Minnesota’s North Shore and I got up well before the sunrise to grab breakfast and travel from Duluth to Tettegouche State Park. Anticipating a beautiful sun rise over the vast lake to begin a day full of exploring some absolutely amazing sights, our day began to a blaring alarm clock startling us quickly and reluctantly awake. After breakfast the outside temperatures were reading 15 degrees below zero. That’s Fahrenheit! I began to wonder if my car would even start at these cold temperatures. Maybe staying in the nice, cozy hotel would be a better way to spend this day. Instead I pulled on my heavy winter jacket and headed outside. That immediate blast of cold air took my breath away bringing the cold instantly to my uncovered hands and face as I looked up at the sky to see bright shining stars looking back at me. Unlocking the car I quickly got in the drivers seat and hoped for life to return to my vehicle. Turning the key was met with some resistance, almost as if the car was trying to tell me we were going nowhere on this clear, cold morning. Then the engine fired bringing life back into the quiet parking lot. Loading any gear we could possibly think of needing, we were off to endure this cold challenge nature was presenting. A little over an hour later we arrived at one of my favorite state parks – Tettegouche.

During this time in the car it had only barely begun to warm to a comfortable level making it a difficult choice yet again to crack open a door to venture into the frigid conditions waiting for us. The sunrise was supposed to have occurred several minutes before we arrived but there was so much sea smoke rising from the completely unfrozen waters of Lake Superior creating a cloud filled sky that there was no sign of a warming sun piercing the horizon. How could the lake be completely open in such freezing conditions? Deciding it was time to begin our adventure our doors opened to the cold air blasting from a wind blowing so hard from the north it was tough to even close a car door against its power. This icy wind made it feel like it was more than 30 degrees below zero! There could be no exposed skin if we were to stay outdoors for more than a few minutes. Thankfully there is a Visitor Center and rest area that remains open 24 hours a day allowing us to grab the winter gear and head inside to change in a more comfortable environment.

Now, with everything covered as well as we could, we headed to the beach to discover whatever beautiful sights Lake Superior had for us. Within a minute my glasses became covered in frost from the moisture in my breath quickly freezing to each lens making them useless in this environment. Hands and feet became a little cold to start but warmed up as the heat packs began to work their luxurious, hot magic making this outside ice world hospitable for a little while. Exploring along the shoreline, as we traversed icy and snow covered stairs making it treacherous requiring each step to be carefully placed, the beautiful winter landscape enveloped us helping to forget the extreme winter conditions surrounding us. Even though the water was without ice covering it, the entire shoreline showed January’s wrath as anything touched by a drop of water was now covered in layers of thick ice from the shore to cliffs 30 – 40 feet above the now calm waters. A warning of Lake Superiors potential power.

After climbing over ice covered boulders and walking along a beach or two, we decided it was time to head inland for more explorations and be witness to the waterfalls now frozen in place under a thick blanket of snow. Before venturing off to the waterfalls and river that make them, a short stop inside the visitor center was needed to bring feeling back into our faces. A few minutes next to the roaring fireplace and comfortable chairs made it near impossible to leave. Finally prying ourselves from these warm chairs we were back outside hiking along the Baptism River in search of a winter wonderland and any potential wildlife daring to venture out of their dens. There was about two feet of snow covering every portion of the ground slowing down travel over summer hiking trails. Fortunately others had forged a path making it passable without the aid of snowshoes. Trudging along the frozen rivers edge, the bright sun made its forecasted appearance highlighting each turn of this beautiful winter landscape. With the river running well below the surrounding hills we were given a much appreciated reprieve from the strong north winds making the outdoor environment much more tolerable. We could even remove some of the heavy pieces of cloth protecting our skin from freezing. Eventually the waterfalls appeared covered in several inches of ice and snow. In some areas running water could be seen through the ice along with a few spots of actual open water captivating us in this beautiful winter scene.

After tiring from the deep snow it was time to return to the now cold vehicle and find a warm place to sit and eat as we have felt the pangs of hunger for awhile. Recovering it was decided to continue on to some of the other treasures of the North Shore. Our next highlight was the popular Split Rock Lighthouse which was bathed in a warm afternoon sun now shining over the vast lake providing for some nice photo opportunities. Others were stopped at the same overlooked we decided to view this iconic lighthouse from hoping to catch the full moon rising over the ledge this building sits next to. Unfortunately the moon was coming up in the wrong place to be able to create this desired photo but it was still a beautiful scene.

Our final destination was Gooseberry Falls but daylight was becoming less and less so we needed to continue on from the lighthouse down the shoreline. We arrived with enough daylight to walk over the now heavily frozen river to view these popular waterfalls which were now covered with layers of ice which were covered by the beautiful glistening snow hiding almost any sign of water flowing over these solid cliffs. Laying on the snow the soothing sound of moving water could be heard almost lulling us to sleep on top of the soft, white powder we were laying on. I could have stayed there listening for a long time if it weren’t for the call of another scene needing to be photographed. I wanted to stay until well after sunset to capture the bright moonlight shining bright on all of the snow and ice so after the sun went down we spent a few minutes recuperating in the heated visitors center before grabbing camera gear and finding our way through the dark onto the solid river for some nighttime photos. Finally the stars began to shine and the moon rose high enough to shine on this sleeping landscape bringing a different view of Gooseberry Falls than I had looked at before. With numerous shots now recorded in the camera it was time to end our day and search out a warm place to eat once again.

Photos, Troy's Blog

A Knarly Sunset

January 19, 2019 Troy

Early during the winter I made a trip to photograph a beautiful sunset against some amazing natural artwork created by trees which have been blown over exposing their root system which has since been aged by the elements creating some really cool artwork. Earlier in the fall I was fortunate to have a friend and fellow photographer show me this area. Originally we were looking for wildlife to photograph but as a bonus feature of the area we took a few minutes to study these knarly roots and attempt to figure out an interesting way to photograph them. Unable to find an angle at the time we moved on in our quest to take pictures of wildlife (Sandhill Cranes which were posted about here…). During the next couple of weeks I continued to ponder ways of capturing these unique root structures just begging to be photographed. My first thought was to capture them against a star filled sky but this particular area closes at dark making that unable to happen.

After volleying ideas back and forth with my friend we came up with an idea to capture these wooden structures against the setting sun. Now we just had to find a good day to do that where the sun and sky would cooperate. Also I wanted a way to get out to these root structures which are usually surrounded by water so waiting until enough ice formed was another requirement. Fortunately cold weather arrived earlier than usual freezing this water deep enough for us to walk around on it so now all we needed was a sunny afternoon with a few clouds to create a beautiful sunset. One such day finally appeared in the forecast after constant cloudy weather which also lined up on a Friday so no work the next day giving us the opportunity to be a little relaxed on time without needing to be home in time to get ready for an early day. Perfect!

It was a great scene with a beautiful sky as the sun neared the horizon, an ice covered shallow lake with little snow allowing for the sunlight to reflect nicely, and interesting weathered trees now accessible on foot. There’s not much time to figure out the best composition as the sun races to the ground so we kept looking at different angles to try and snapping away. I don’t think there’s one fantastic photograph here but a few nice ones. I’m treating this outing as more of a scouting trip giving me ideas for another opportunity. It was still a fun evening with a beautiful sunset which always makes for a worthwhile expedition. Hopefully there’ll be some great pictures from this location in the future.

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