Tag Archives: Panasonic LX5

Clouds over Thamserku

Near the end of a month long trek in Nepal from Jiri to Kala Patthar and Everest Base Camp by way of two high passes, Renjo La and Cho La, and Gokyo, we set off one morning for a walk to Namche, “the Sherpa capital”, before carrying on to Monjo. Before even leaving “our” Danfe Lodge in Khumjung, we noticed some interesting and beautiful clouds forming in the distance to the south. But our trail took us downhill and for about an hour our view to the south was blocked.

When Thamserku (21,729 ft) finally came into view we were amazed that the clouds were not only still there, but they were more dramatic. They seemed to change shape every time we looked up. The show lasted for over an hour, but once we reached Namche our view was again largely blocked.

My 18-200 mm lens had basically died a week or so earlier, so I was left with a 50 mm lens on a Nikon D300s plus a Panasonic LX5, a great little camera. The images in the slide show that follows were taken with both, and many of the images are “panoramas” with between 2 and 17 individual photos stitched together to provide a single image.

The slide show that follows shows some of the formations we witnessed. Following the slide show is an image you can zoom into and pan around and explore.

01  NPL-58815-Clouds-along-Thamserku-Ridge--Pan-(3).jpg02  NPL-58832--Clound-and-Thamserku--Pan-(2).jpg03  NPL-58834.jpg04  NPL-58840.jpg05  NPL-58845.jpg06  NPL-58850-Big-Cloud-over-Thamserku--Pan-(6).jpg07  NPL-58849-Clouds-and-Color-over-Thamserku--Pan-(10)-.jpg08  NPL-58895-Kusum-Kanguru-behind-Thamserku-with-Clouds--Pan-(14).jpg09  NPL-58873-View-to-Thamserku--Pan-(6).jpg10  NPL-58878-Trail-to-Namche-with-Clouds--Pan-(4).jpg11  NPL-58864-Sun-and-Clouds-over-Thamserku--Pan-(4).jpg12  NPL-58897-Sun-and-Dramatic-Clouds-above-Thamserku--Pan-(4).jpg13  NPL-58890-Thamserku,--Kusum-Khanguru,-and-Clouds.jpg14  NPL-58894-Dramatic-Clouds-above-Thamserku--Pan-(4 ).jpg15  NPL-58898-Thamserku,-Kusum-Kanguru,-sun,-and-clouds--Pan-(3).jpg16  NPL-58872--Light-Show-over-Thamserku--Pan-(2).jpg

You may explore the panoramic image below in detail. It is composed of 17 individual photos. You can double click to zoom way in then pan around. Please wait for the resolution to download. You can also use the + and – keys to zoom and the arrow keys to scroll. Or use the left mouse clicker to drag. Thamserku is to the left and the snow-covered range to the right is Kusum Kanguru (20,889 ft).

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Training for the Claassen Northeast Kingdom Lakes Century Tour

The 14th Annual Terry & Ben Claassen Memorial Northeast Kingdom Lakes Century Tour will take place tomorrow, September 17. It will be my third century ride of 2011 after The Prouty and a training ride for The Prouty. Like I did for the 13th Claassen, I plan to leave Crystal Lake State Park in Barton, VT as early as they will let me (presumably 7 am), ride at my own pace (slower than most) and take some photos with my LX5 that will be around my neck for most of the ride. If I would have realized last year how hilly this ride is (6600 feet of climbing) I might not have entered. But I will be back tomorrow for another punishing 100 mile ride. Weather promises to be sunny and cool with thankfully less wind than last year.

After The Prouty I explored Andover, NH and other NH spots with my mountain bike. Then on the last day of August I climbed on my road bike for the first time since the July 9th Prouty and started training for the Claassen. I rode mostly in the Sunapee, New London, Wilmot, Sutton, Bradford, Warner, Henniker areas, with some rides farther afield. The rides varied in length between 27 and 80 miles. Most were fairly hilly. Here are some of the photos I took during these rides.

I often started very early in the morning from Burkehaven Harbor in Sunapee. After pumping my tires I looked up and saw the sky. Grabbing my LX5 I made several three shot panoramic images at waters edge. Here is one. 

As I rode along Lake Avenue the sun was just beginning to emerge across the lake lighting the side of Mount Kearsarge—or was that light just flare in the photo I took? There are many homes along this road so view spots are few, but I found one for this photo.

Typically I climb to Springfield or New London before speeding downhill to Wilmot or Sutton. This photo makes it look like I ride on grass. I don’t; the wheel was stationary on grass when I took this photo moving the camera in an arc during the exposure.

Sometimes I stop at the Waterloo Covered Bridge in Warner after riding the beautiful Roby Road. Here are a few photos I took one visit.

Farther along I saw what looked like a yard sale covered for the night.I would often stop for a bagle at the St. George Cafe in Henniker.Passing through Newbury and Sunapee often revealed colorful motifs.

Water is a prominent feature in many of my scenic photos—especially if the water is moving or reflecting fall foliage. And around water the foliage is often quite colorful by mid-September. Here is a slide show of photos I took of some of the water bodies along my routes.

Returning to Lake Sunapee after one ride revealed a beautiful sky—a nice end to a long ride.

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Exploring Andover on Mountain Bike

I’ve used my mountain bike to explore Andover, NH a number of times in the last month. I was largely unfamiliar with Andover so much of what I saw was new to me. I  discovered that this town is filled with variety and beauty. I carried a Panasonic LX5 camera, and almost all the photos here were taken with it.

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The 30th Prouty, July 9, 2011

I was one of 5,000 participants riding, walking, or rowing to raise money for research at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Norris Cotton Cancer Center in the Thirtieth Annual Prouty. I rode 100 miles with a small Panasonic LX5 camera around my neck. Shooting from a moving bike and while refreshing myself with food and water at the many SAGs along the route, I captured what I hope is the sense of the ride from a riders point of view.

Rather than relegate this important event to a Blog entry, I have created a page that relates my experience and shares the images.

Please click the image at the right  to go to The Prouty 2011 page as seen through my eyes.

 

Other Century Rides I have done are described in the Blog Posts below. You can click on any of these to get to them.

Century Ride — This time for Real

Second Century

Northeast Kingdom Lakes

Training for the Prouty

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