# The Things We Do to Get The Shot



## Bobw235 (Jul 7, 2016)

This is a shot I took on film many years ago.  It's a shot of the town of Elmore, VT, taken from the summit of Mt. Elmore.  This small mountain, just 2,608 feet in elevation was described as relatively easy, so on a hot day in May I talked my wife into going to the top so I could take some pictures.  What we didn't know was just how steep this was....and just how out of shape we were for such a climb.  I was much heavier then and we were climbing without water.  My wife quit about half way up while I was determined to get to the top.  Vermont woods at that time of year are filled with bugs and the flies definitely identified me as someone laboring to get up the trail.  Still, I soldiered on.  I passed two women coming down and they assured me that I was not too far from the top.  I kept going, one foot at a time, panting and sweating like crazy.  In the mean time, the two hikers came upon my wife sitting by the side of the trail.  Naturally she asked if they had seen me, and they assured her that they had and that I appeared to be in a bit of distress.....possibly on the verge of collapse.  

Finally I got to the top of the mountain, got out my camera and started taking pictures.  Unbeknownst to me, my dear wife, certain that I was probably in need of medical attention had somehow summoned the strength to climb the remainder of the trail to find me.  She was in worse shape than me, so we sat for a few moments so she could catch her breath.  A minute or so later we saw small flecks of blood on our legs.  Black flies, the dreaded scourge of the Northeast, parts of Canada and elsewhere had found us and deemed us worthy of biting.....incessantly.  In no time we'd each been bitten several times around the ankles and elsewhere.  Now, if you've never been bitten by a black fly, consider yourself lucky.  While it may not hurt at the time you're bitten, these suckers itch like crazy within a few hours.  And if you scratch the bites, they swell and itch even more.  Well, it was bad and right at the start of a few days in VT.  Went through a lot of Benadryl and over the following days.

But....I got the picture!!! Today Mt. Elmore is a distant memory, but every time we go to Stowe I ask my wife if she wants to try the climb again.  We've not be back since.


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## SeaBreeze (Jul 7, 2016)

Nice shot Bob!  Your wife if very loyal following you up there, I would've done the same for my husband.  Surprised you guys didn't have some water though, being as outdoorsy as you are.  I've been bitten by black flies and big green flies, they are drawn to me whether I'm sweating or not, especially mosquitoes.


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## Bobw235 (Jul 7, 2016)

SeaBreeze said:


> Nice shot Bob!  Your wife if very loyal following you up there, I would've done the same for my husband.  Surprised you guys didn't have some water though, being as outdoorsy as you are.  I've been bitten by black flies and big green flies, they are drawn to me whether I'm sweating or not, especially mosquitoes.



We learned a good lesson that day.  The hike was spur of the moment, thus our being unprepared.  We had no idea what we were in for.


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## SeaBreeze (Jul 7, 2016)

Isn't it wonderful in our senior years to have such great fun memories?


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## Ruthanne (Jul 7, 2016)

Wow!!  What a great photo!!


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## Ameriscot (Jul 8, 2016)

Great shot, Bob!  I've crawled on the ground in the mud to get shots of small flowers.


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## Bobw235 (Jul 8, 2016)

Ameriscot said:


> Great shot, Bob!  I've crawled on the ground in the mud to get shots of small flowers.



Thanks Annie.  I can relate.  I've gotten into some awkward spots to take a picture.  When I was in Stowe a few months ago, I wanted to get better shots of the waterfall we visited, but it was too dangerous to get close to the edge of the trail.  If I'd been wearing the right shoes, I would have trekked down to the river for a better shot.  Next time!


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## Ameriscot (Jul 8, 2016)

Bobw235 said:


> Thanks Annie.  I can relate.  I've gotten into some awkward spots to take a picture.  When I was in Stowe a few months ago, I wanted to get better shots of the waterfall we visited, but it was too dangerous to get close to the edge of the trail.  If I'd been wearing the right shoes, I would have trekked down to the river for a better shot.  Next time!



I would do the same.  I've gotten too close to cape buffalo on a game walk, and the ranger had to get me to move back.


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## Bobw235 (Jul 8, 2016)

Ameriscot said:


> I would do the same.  I've gotten too close to cape buffalo on a game walk, and the ranger had to get me to move back.



I'm not good with heights, so I never get too close to the side of a cliff (like when I was out at the Grand Canyon years ago), but have been known to hop on rocks to get out into a river or stream to get a better angle.


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## Ameriscot (Jul 8, 2016)

Bob, I'm not fond of cliffs either!  :eek-new:


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