Hmmm... Smallest group of PDML members in a decade. "Best, smoothest running GFM ever." naaah, must be a coincidence. Cory sad to have missed it again.
On 6/5/2011 7:28 PM, Mark Roberts wrote:
OK, another year and another GFM Nature Photography Weekend has passed into the history books. Words cannot describe how exhausted I am now. I'm now at my friends' place in nearby Ashe county having a beer after a sound afternoon nap. I think this was the best, smoothest running GFM ever. It certainly bodes well for the future as founder Don Nelson reduces his involvement with the event and Doug Brewer and I take over more of the management role. (We're already scheming about 2012.) The 10th anniversary of the original PDML meet-up at Grandfather Mountain had a smaller PDML turnout than usual, but fully 50% of the original 6 from ten years ago were present: Myself, Doug Brewer and Bill Owens. I really must apologize to John Sessoms and Ted Beilby for not being able to spend more time with them during the weekend. I always want to take advantage of the rare opportunities to meet with PDML members in person when the opportunity arises but this event is a major time sink. On Saturday I did my annual photography hike, again on the Profile Trail, but this year had only Pentax shooter and occasional PDML lurker John Weber for company. None the less, our trek yielded some good photos for me and a *prize-winner* for John. Not bad, all things considered. John and I also hatched a scheme to take advantage of the unusually clear weather to try to get sunrise photos from the Cragway Trail on Sunday morning. This trail has stunning views but is usually socked-in with fog in the morning (Doug and I tried a pre-dawn photo expedition there a couple of years ago and enjoyed 50-yard visibility during sunrise). We planned a 4:30 AM departure, which seemed reasonable at the time. We soon found an extra 4 people added to the expedition. We were up at 4:15 an on the trail only slightly later than planned (due to the extra difficulty of coordinating the larger group) but made our way to the spot called Top Crag View by 5:50 after an aggressively-paced hike up the trail. Hiking difficult trails by the light of headlamps in pitch darkness is an acquired taste. Despite the unusual lack of fog, sunrise was obscured by a bank of clouds on the eastern horizon, but there were some fairly good photographs to be had and everyone enjoyed the hike. Still, the early start made for a long day... Photo contest judging and awards preparation were completed ahead of schedule(!) and the contest entries were some of the best ever. I think the "Doug and Mark Show" was one of the best ever, too. It really helps when you're prepared and relaxed. Amazing, huh? But the 4:15 AM start made for a long day and even with an afternoon nap I'm fading now. I've backed up all my SD and CF cards onto the laptop and I'm going to quit "work" for the day and relax. I still have two presentations to prepare for later in the week but for now I'm just going to chill a bit. I'll have photos and more videos on line soon. Good night all.
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