There is a special place that exists in Madison New Hampshire, just across the lake from Purity Springs Resort. If you know the locals (aka Steve Harding thank you STEVO!) and your lucky, you'll get a private snow shoe guide to a place beyond the pines. Once there, kill your lights, take a deep breath and let your eyes adjust. From this spot you can see over Purity Lake and admire the Stars as they clash with King Pine Ski Resorts own Lights.
*Tip of the week - Long exposure Night Photography. By firing a shoe mount flash ( like Canons 600 Ex-rt , Used here) at the end of a long exposure (rear curtain sync setting), you can capture a lot of movement in the photograph.
* Tip two - bring more BEER than you think you need, just because it's cold doesn't mean you wont be thirsty on the walk back. I got thirsty.
It was one of those special nights you won't forget, in a beautiful place with people you love.
We did miss one very special friend that night, an incredible backcountry hiker, father, business tycoon, and friend to many, Jay Andretta.
I never got the chance to hike with Jay, but I know for a fact he would have stayed out there with me for the rest of the night, and at 54yrs would have run circles around me in his snow shoes. He loved the wilderness. He loved life.
I realized that night walking back through the woods alone thinking about the new year and Jay, what my New Years Resolution would be.
It is pretty simply really. Be more like Jay.
I plan on waking up a little earlier, pushing my bike a little further, fighting off the cold a bit longer, warming others lives more often, and taking those extra strides to live a bit bigger, and a bit fuller than I had in 2014.
To live like Jay!
A special thanks to Lauri, Cathi and Vicki, for a great weekend! And of coarse King Pine Ski Resort