Escape the City: Photographing the Hudson Valley in NY

I inhaled the special silence found only in nature. It swept around and through me like a friendly wind, breaking the world’s iron shackles. It brushed out the week’s grime and filled me with new energy to pursue the path before me.

I spent a semester in England in 2007. While there, I visited Scotland, Italy and France. Years later, I’d look back and those photos, dreaming of the day I could capture scenes like this again.

Then, I discovered the Hudson Valley in NY.

I don’t remember what led me to take the Metro-North to Poughkeepsie that first time. I do remember how irritated I was halfway through the trip when I realized I sat on the wrong side of the train. Metro-North’s Hudson line, as the name suggests, travels alongside the Hudson River. And, if you’re sitting on the right side of the train, you get some beautiful views.

Trips on the Metro-North usually last between 1-2 hours but it never feels like because I’d be staring out the window the entire time.

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(This post has me looking over my old photos. Some are seriously over-edited.)

Fortunately, I can fix them in Lightroom.

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Sometimes, I’ll hike a trail or visit some Hudson highlight. A few times, I’ll just find a place to write…

…and take some nice sunset shots.

I visited the West Point Foundry Prevere in Cold Spring over the weekend. Scattered across the trails are pieces of an abandoned ironworks.

Good inspiration for a horror story.

Hold on…

That’s better.

It’s also a relaxing place to walk. Some people can live in NY all their lives and thoroughly enjoy all the people and the noise. I’ve been here 10 years and I’m running to nature at every turn. Of course, I bring a journal with me to do some writing and world-building.

Maybe it’s the introvert in me. We get our energy from being on our own. Socializing drains us. Thank God for the Metro-North. Don’t want to think about how I’d be without regular trips to the Hudson Valley.