Tag: scenery

Canada Trip, 2016: The Cabot Trail

Michael RappaLeave a comment

This is a collection of photos taken over three days during my drive along the majestic Cabot Trail in Cape Breton—considered one of the most scenic drives in the world—and for good reason. The northern portion in particular reminded me of the Scottish Highlands, which makes sense given that geological evidence suggests at least part of the island was joined with Scotland millions of years ago. This is one road trip you definitely want to add to your bucket list.

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Upstate New York Trip, 2015: Around Letchworth

Michael Rappa

Here are some miscellaneous photos from my hikes around Letchworth State Park in Upstate New York, including high-vantage-point views of the gorge and the Middle/Upper Falls area, as well as shots from the Great Bend Overlook area.

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The Great Bend Overlook area.
The Great Bend Overlook area.
The Great Bend Overlook area.
Middle Falls
Middle Falls

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American Southwest Trip, 2018: Bryce Canyon Floor

Michael Rappa

After spending a couple of days in Angel Canyon at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, the next leg of my southern Utah tour sent me north to stunning Bryce Canyon National Park. These are the photos I shot upon reaching the floor of Bryce Canyon after descending the Wall Street arm of the Navajo Loop and before ascending back up to the rim via the Queen’s Garden trail. The entire loop is nearly three miles, with the floor portion of the trail taking you through a pine forest. It rained a bit when I reached the bottom with some thunder in the distance, but most of the hike was pleasantly sunny and took about three hours, counting photo/lunch stops.

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Canyon floor along the Navajo/Queen’s Garden loop.
Canyon floor along the Navajo/Queen’s Garden loop.
Canyon floor along the Navajo/Queen’s Garden loop.
Canyon floor along the Navajo/Queen’s Garden loop.
Canyon floor along the Navajo/Queen’s Garden loop.
Canyon floor along the Navajo/Queen’s Garden loop.
Canyon floor along the Navajo/Queen’s Garden loop.
Canyon floor along the Navajo/Queen’s Garden loop.
Canyon floor along the Navajo/Queen’s Garden loop.
Canyon floor along the Navajo/Queen’s Garden loop.
Canyon floor along the Navajo/Queen’s Garden loop.
Canyon floor along the Navajo/Queen’s Garden loop.
Faces in the rocks.

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American Northwest Trip, 2017: Around Yellowstone

Michael Rappa

This is a collection of miscellaneous photos from my visit to Yellowstone that didn’t fit into the themes of any of my previous posts, including various wildlife encounters, landmarks, scenic pullouts, and some buildings. The shots featured here run the gamut from the Montana to the Wyoming ends of the park.

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The famous Roosevelt Arch at the North Entrance.
Roadside bison encounter.
Roadside bison encounter.
Roadside bison encounter.
Just outside Lamar Valley.
Cars look like ants next to this rock.
Tatonka.
Squirrel!
Large bird in tree near Norris Geyser Basin.
Lake Yellowstone Hotel
My home for the final three nights in Yellowstone.
One photo to commemorate the half-dozen times I crossed the Continental Divide at various locations on this trip.
Old Faithful Inn
Old Faithful Inn
Kepler Cascades
This beautiful specimen was standing right in front of the lobby door of my hotel and then dashed off as soon as I opened the door. I should have taken a picture of him through the door when he was still just a couple of feet from me.
One good thing about it raining upon my arrival: I was able to get iconic shots at the entrance without other people around. One bad thing about the rain: I was only able to take one quick shot of the entrance sign that didn’t come out very sharp.

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Upstate New York Trip, 2015: Letchworth Middle/Upper Falls Hike

Michael Rappa

These photos are from my hike along the Middle and Upper Falls of Letchworth State Park in Upstate New York. As I’ve mentioned before, Letchworth is one of my favorite parks, rivaling some of the national parks in splendor.

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American Southwest Trip, 2018: Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

Michael Rappa

These photos are from my downtime at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah, where I volunteered in Dogtown (you can also volunteer with cats, horses, pigs, bunnies, etc.). It was a rewarding experience; I would love to return one day.

When I wasn’t volunteering, I explored the Angel Canyon area, where Best Friends is located. Unfortunately it was a mostly rainy couple of days and I wasn’t able to explore the majority of the canyon as the roads were closed for flooding, but I still managed to get a few decent shots.

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The Best Friends welcome center (right).

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Virginia Trip, 2018: The Farmhouse

Michael Rappa

This past October we took a road trip down to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to try and catch the fall foliage. Unfortunately, extended warm weather and a very heavy season of rain meant that everything was still green when we got down there (not that there’s anything wrong with green, just not what we were hoping for). Despite that, it was still a nice getaway.

These photos are from the charming farmhouse we rented in the town of Luray in the Shenandoah Valley. The grounds and interior were beautiful; I could totally get used to living like that, though the location was a little too remote for my wife’s taste. I, on the other hand, loved the privacy, and we both dug the feeling of staying in a historic place while still enjoying modern amenities. I would definitely recommend the farmhouse if you’re planning a trip to the area. Just do a google search for “luray modern farmhouse.”

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Our Farmhouse Rental
Our Farmhouse Rental
Our Farmhouse Rental
Our Farmhouse Rental
The cows in the farm next door to our farmhouse rental.
The cows in the farm next door to our farmhouse rental.
Our Farmhouse Rental: Ollie surfs the web with his mommy.
Our Farmhouse Rental
Our Farmhouse Rental
Our Farmhouse Rental
Our Farmhouse Rental
Babbling brook on the grounds of our farmhouse rental.

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Upstate New York Trip, 2015: Letchworth Lower Falls and Bridge

Michael Rappa

These photos are from my September 2015 visit to Letchworth State Park in Upstate New York, covering my hikes of the trails leading to the stone footbridge across the Genesee River, the Lower Falls, and down to the floor of the gorge at the site of a lost town called St. Helena. Despite not being a national park, Letchworth is among the more beautiful American parks you’re likely to visit.

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Photo of the Day: Yosemite Reflection

Michael Rappa2 Comments

I recently came across this photo from my 2014 hike through Yosemite Valley and thought it was worth sharing.

Date: 10/18/2014
Camera: Nikon D5100
Click for larger view

You can view more featured photos at my Photo of the Day Collection.

Photo of the Day: The Thames at Night

Michael Rappa2 Comments

It’s been a long time since I posted something, a combination of a trip to England, a lengthy illness, and being super busy, but it’s time to get back in the saddle. Here’s a photo from my recent trip to England, taken during an evening stroll along the Thames.

Date: 2/12/2016
Camera: Nikon D5100
Click for larger view

You can view more featured photos at my Photo of the Day Collection.