Bookends

Time it was
And what a time it was
It was
A time of innocence
A time of confidences
Long ago it must be
I have a photograph
Preserve your memories
They're all that's left you
                   Paul Simon

Toward the end of our 11-day trek Jerry said he'd like to return to some of the places we passed through for a few days. He felt that it took some time to get the feel of the character of a place. I agree, but when one undertakes to hike the length of something like the Northville to Lake Placid trail - logistical considerations and the limits of ones physical abilities start to dictate pace and itinerary. The process becomes the focus, certain events along the trail remain clear in memory but places fade quickly. It has only been two days since we completed the hike, my pack has been emptied and sits where I left it to dry in the garage, tents are dried and stored away, evidence of black fly bites are rapidly disappearing and as I look at the 146 photographs I just picked up I find that for some the memory of their taking is vivid while others only come back when viewed in the sequence of their taking - reinforcing the sense of process - and a few are baffling even to the photographer. I remember taking photographs at shutter speeds that demanded the use of a tripod, which had been left behind to save weight, not taking photographs of things and places that were just too dark, not getting a chance to photograph events that happened too fast to extract the camera from its case on my chest. The challenges dictated compromises in taking photographs. The compromises clearly have limited the quality of the images.

I carried a small notebook. It was all but inaccessible during the walking hours of each day and I made notes from memory sometimes in the morning sometimes at the end of the day. I filled 22 pages 6 and a half inches by 3 and a half inches each. I tried to note the sights and events of each day, I'm sure I missed much. There are no notes of the people we came across. In keeping with the process nature starting and ending times for each day are duly noted. Names of places we stayed and distances traveled are sketchy. I need to consult the map, the guidebook, and my memory to fill this information in before it fades completely.

July 2001, Cohoes New York