I love staying at the Rondout Valley Campground in the heart of the beautiful Catskills. When most people think of New York, their minds go straight to the hustle and bustle of NYC, but the truth is, most of the state is filled with rolling hills, rivers, and quiet towns that are perfect for outdoor exploration. Fun fact: Upstate New York is technically everything north of the city, which means it covers most of the state!
OM-1 Mark 2 | ISO 10000 | 400mm | f6.1 | 1/2500 sec.
Photo of the Week - "I've Got My Eye On You"
One of our new camper friends suggested a motorcycle ride that would take us past five reservoirs with the chance to see eagles. He had me at "eagles" and mentally packed my camera gear for the day! This is one of a pair of eagles and he/she was keeping a close eye on me!
A Day in the Catskills
Our first stop took us to one of the five reservoirs and I made my way down to the shore line to capture these fellows enjoying a nice quiet morning of fishing.
The next stop brought us to an overlook proudly marked "Eagle Viewing Area," and while I usually take signs like that with a grain of salt, this time it delivered! A lone eagle perched high in a tree gave me the perfect excuse to break out my 150-600mm lens and snap a few distant shots.
The real thrill came later on the ride when I spotted a pair of eagles perched in a tree along the roadside. We made a quick U-turn, and to my delight, they stayed put long enough for me to capture my best eagle portraits yet. What a gift to see these magnificent birds so close and so calm!
We stopped for lunch in the tiny town of Margaretville, where a photo on the wall sparked Jody to ask our server about the waterfall it featured. She told us it was "just down the road behind the golf course" and while that sounded simple enough, it took some backtracking and a little guesswork to find the one I thought she meant. It turned out not to be the same waterfall, but the adventure of the hunt made it worthwhile.
The falls tumbled along a narrow, winding road with only a small pull-off to view them. At first, I thought my only option was a quick shot with my iPhone from the road above, but I wasn't satisfied with that. After some exploring, I found a path that gave me more of the eye-level view I was hoping for. #winner!
After riding through the beautiful Catskills State Park, we headed back to the campground, but not before one last stop. I mean, who can resist a giant gnome standing proudly by the roadside?
Kelder's Farm in Kerhonkson, NY is home to the world's larges garden gnome. Once the largest gnome overall, he was bumped to third place so they cleverly added "garden" to the title and he reclaimed the top spot! Either way, he is impossible not to smile at!
From chasing eagles and waterfalls to stumbling on a giant gnome, the Catskills delivered a little bit of everything. That's what I love most about traveling, you never know if the day will bring awe-inspiring wildlife, a hidden scenic gem, or just a quirky roadside laugh.
Looking back, I'd say the Catskills gave us the best of all three. And if you ever find yourself in upstate New York, keep your eyes open...you never know when an eagle (or a gnome) might be waiting for you!