it feels weird to sit down and start writing about a trip i was on without acknowledging the past year. 2020 was brutal. that’s not what this post is about though. i did manage to make some music and take some photos so i will make a proper “2020 in review” post soon.
back in february of 2020, my friends jack and tim invited me to spend a weekend at a cabin. we had a great time and spent an entire day hiking around minnewaska state park. none of us had any idea it would be the last time we’d see each other for the rest of the year. below are some of the photos from that trip that i took with my film camera.
jack reached out a few weeks ago and asked if i wanted to join him on another weekend getaway. this time the destination was ithaca and our friend jake was joining the crew. i wrestled with my reclusive attitude that i had settled into over the year but knew i’d be missing out on a much needed escape.
it was strange to be around people i hadn’t seen since the pandemic had started. the version of me they knew was someone who has felt far away for quite some time. it didn’t take long to find an old rhythm. i caught myself feeling loose and began to shed the weight that had been building over the past year.
our drive to the cabin was filled with lots of laughs and an MF DOOM tribute. i appreciate how they entertained my business pitch. i tried to sell my idea about having a butter inhaler to use while eating popcorn so you don’t get your hands messy. they didn’t seem into it. as the pitch spiraled out of control the title of the product emerged. “big daddy petes butter blast”. (later in the weekend i drunkenly purchased www.bigdaddypetes.com so hit me up if you want an @bigdaddypetes.com email address). i can really see the product having a big 2021!
our home for the weekend.
once unpacked we decided to spend the second half of the day at buttermilk falls. i had camped there back in 2012 during the summer. the winter completely changed the landscape. it felt brand new and refreshing. sadly we were met with trail closures. it was a little disappointing knowing we were going to be cheated out of some incredible views. after some walking we found the rim trail and began our hike. that’s when something magical happened.
we turned a corner and noticed a small path that led down to the gorge trail. it was technically closed but we wanted to check out the old wooden bridge. it began snowing as we headed towards the gorge.
i found myself lost in the stillness. i’ve always loved how sound waves travel slower in cold weather. it’s why it feels like you’re in a vacuum when it snows. we all scattered out to take photos and explore. being able to take a deep breath of fresh air and not worry about covid for a moment felt energizing. only in its absence did i see how much mental energy it had been taking. it reminded me how easy stress and anxiety can turn into the background hum of your life.
jack and jake on the bridge.
the snow formed tiny balls that made it look fake.
a view from the bridge.
we decided it was best to not take the gorge trail since it was covered with a sheet of ice. the rim trail eventually led us downhill towards the bottom of buttermilk falls. in the summertime this area is open for swimming. the gorge trail is on the right and you can see how steep it is at the start.
tim and buttermilk falls.
we all underestimated how hard the hike back up the rim trail would be. it was a good wake up call to start getting back in shape. we made it to the car just before sunset. jack suggested we try to make a fire back at the cabin. it felt a little crazy and normally i don’t find myself willing to stand outside in 15 degree weather, but there we all were. it reminded me of rafting down the middle of a river, a perspective you normally don’t get to see.
jack and tim nursed the fire to an acceptable level of warmth while jake took on barbecue duty. it felt surreal doing things normally reserved for the summer. at some point jake ran into a problem and tim swooped in to help cook the rest of our food in the kitchen. jack and i stood around the fire watching tim through the cabin window. it looked like her was performing surgery. we decided to call him “dr beef”.
after a delicious dinner we decided that we would spend our full day of the trip at robert treman state park. it wasn’t far from buttermilk falls and i remembered it being a breathtaking hike during the summer. we woke up to some pretty intense snow conditions. jack wanted to try and get a photo of me on a long hill by our cabin. this is how it came out
that’s me in the center. photo credit to jack kearney.
jack after taking the photo.
it’s crazy what a ten minute drive can do. when we got to robert treman state park the snow had stopped and the sky had cleared up. we ran into the same issue as the day before. the gorge trail was closed. this one hurt because i knew how special that hike had been. we decided to take the rim trail and see where it took us. it eventually led to the base of lucifer falls, the feature of the hike.
jack and i spent some time at the base. i enjoy watching him take photos. we have very different styles. i take reactionary photos. i don’t like spending a lot of time trying to set them up. jack has so much patience and it shows in his photography. it had been a long time since i had been able to watch him shoot. we were lost in a conversation when my phone rang. it was tim and he told us he had gone past the closed sign to the gorge trail and that we needed to join him. jack and i didn’t want to risk it so we declined. a minute later tim was video calling. it took one glimpse at where he was for jack and i to change our minds.
jack and tim taking a breather. lots of ups and downs on the trail.
setting up a shot of lucifer falls.
the base of lucifer falls. the real magic is around the rocks to the right.
we shimmied around the closed gate and started our hike up the side of the waterfall. there are steps carved into the side which give stunning views as you are walking. i was running low on film so i took a few phone shots as well.
the stairway leading deeper into the gorge.
profile of lucifer falls.
deeper into the gorge.
i love the way the rock broke away and almost forms a doorway into the mountain.
we reached the end of the gorge trail and decided to turn back. there was a weathered stone bridge that we crossed and jack asked me to stand on it. i really love the way the photo came out. photo credit to jack kearney.
it’s a little hard to see but i’m holding my field recorder in the photo. i brought it with me so i could capture the sounds of the trip. i’m still learning my way around but i did manage to capture some sounds i’d like to do something with.
this windscreen is an absolute a must have. it’s also quite entertaining.
what i learned about field recording was that the gain knob should be used a bit more gently. a lot of the waterfalls ended up sounding like static. every once in a while i’d catch a more peaceful part of the gorge. i’d point my recorder close to the cold flowing water and listen. i’m happy i was able to get a few decent recordings from the trip. i’m excited about recording more adventures this way!
ithaca was a great alternative to the catskills in new york. it’s definitely worth visiting any time of the year, with each season offering a different palette of color. as someone who enjoys space, i loved visiting in the winter because the location can get a bit crowded when the weather is warm. just remember to wear layers and stay hydrated!
i struggled with breaking out of my routine that i’ve developed to cope with getting through last year. i’ve been guilty in the past of getting comfortable in the fire. i’m so glad i was able to push through that built up resistance and be reminded of what’s important. i’m grateful for the friends in my life.
if you’ve made it this far down i hope you have enjoyed the trip! i’ve always wanted to write about my experiences and take people along with me. i finally feel motivated to give it a shot. i hope to do more of these. i’ll leave you with a video i cut together. i wasn’t planning on doing anything with them but i felt inspired. i also sat down and recorded the music. the sound on the actual videos wasn’t good so i used my field recordings from the trip throughout. i’d describe the finished product as a “poor mans joe pera”.
below is the audio.
i’m all finished rambling. i just wanted to share the roots from this tree. i love how it’s stretching out.