Eshqua Bog

pwt54 · Post: # 8331Post **pwt54** Sun Jun 14, 2009 7:46 pm

I went down to the Eshqua Bog in Hartland, VT to check out the rumor that there were Showy Lady Slippers there. Wow are they ever! They are in just one small area, but there are a lot of them. There were still quite a few that hadn't bloomed yet so there should be plenty to see next weekend and maybe the weekend ater then. The trail to the Bog starts on the Garvin Hill Road. There are 2 major ways to there. Driving route US 4 west from Quechee to Woodstock, turn left onto the Happy Valley Road that is next to the Taftsville Country Store and drive that to the end at the Harland Hill Road and turn right. Drive until you see the Garvin Hill Road on the left side and turn left onto the Garvin Hill Road. Drive past the Dunham Hill Road and look for a small parking area on the right. The trail is 50 feet past that parking area. There are signs. If you are driving route US 4 east through Woodstock Village, at the east of the village route US 4 takes a hard left turn. The Hartland Hill Road is at the top of that hard left turn, so basicly just go straight onto the Hartland Hill Road and drive that until you see the Garvin Hill Road on the right side and drive that to the parking area. When hiking the trail look for a bench and then look to the left for another trail going over a boardwalk. That is where the Lady Slippers are. When I finished doing the Bog, I finished the Garvin Hill Road to the Weed Road and turned left. I drove the Weed road to the Town Farm Hill Road and turned left. I drove that road to the Harland Hill Road and turned left to get back to Woodstock. These roads show a lot of promise for fall foliage photos. They are all tree lined with a lot of old maples and some nice short and medium distance views.

ctyanky · Post: # 8335Post **ctyanky** Sun Jun 14, 2009 7:59 pm

Phil: are you going to post some photos??? Looking forward to it!

pwt54 · Post: # 8336Post **pwt54** Sun Jun 14, 2009 8:05 pm

I'm going to try to get them on tomorrow. I may combine them with the Heifer photos.

Andy · Post: # 8340Post **Andy** Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:52 am

Thanks for the info, Phil. I have lots of pink and yellow LS photos, but not "showy" yet. Looks like I need a Spring Trip to Vermont!

pwt54 · Post: # 8345Post **pwt54** Mon Jun 15, 2009 3:14 pm

The Showy Lady Slippers have the pink and yellow Lady Slippers beat by a mile. I didn't know what the trail was like so I brought my lighter canon sx10 instead of the big rebel. The trail was easy so next time I'll bring the rebel. The sx 10 did take some damn nice photos but I felt paranoid around the other photographer with his $3,000 Nikkon with the $2,000 lense on it. I would have felt only inferior if I had my rebel with it's $75 used quantary lense.

Andy · Post: # 8349Post **Andy** Tue Jun 16, 2009 12:22 pm

The funny thing is, Phil, as often as not, the folks with the $5000 equipment are out there taking "snapshots" and quite often the folks with the "lesser" equipment are making quality photos. I am a self-avowed equipment "geek," but you make the shot with what you have.

I would like to see the result, however, when you lug the big rebel (I am laughing at that, too, thinking about the gear Ansel Adams lugged back into the National Parks back in the day -- what he wouldn' t have given for a Rebel!) in, how those shots set up with a tripod, and if you have it yet, a macro lens. What really starts to get exciting is when you can start working with varying depth of field. That will require a tripod (and in my view, a cable release) in most cases, however. It may also require a still day.

pwt54 · Post: # 8352Post **pwt54** Wed Jun 17, 2009 8:50 am

This guy had it all. He had a Sunpack Carbon Fiber tripod. He was changing his nikkor 70-300mm lense for a 105mm macro. He then picked up a stick to push the poison ivy aside so he could close to the flower. I took 10 photos by the time he shot his first close up. But we both had a great time, so who cares?

Andy · Post: # 8358Post **Andy** Wed Jun 17, 2009 11:30 am

So true, Phil. Unless we are putting food on the table or paying the utilities with our gear, it truly is about the enjoyment we get from it!

I am afraid I am more like the guy "who had it all"

I have the special macro lens and the Nikon Body and just a few days ago, purchased my first carbon fiber legs (found a "used" Manfrotto set that I just couldn't pass up). But you are right. Who cares? The real question is what do we get out of it personally and perhaps that we can share visually with others.