Daily Photo Phix: Irene

iPhone 4, f/2.8, Camera+ app

As I write this, it has been three days since Hurricane Irene tore up the Atlantic coast and through New England, leaving devastation and heartbreak for many, in it’s wake.

We were travelling across the Kancamagus Highway in central New Hampshire last Saturday, the day before Irene struck.  The “Kanc”, as it’s commonly referred to, is a scenic roadway traveling 35 miles through New Hampshire’s White Mountains, and is a pleasurable and memorable ride during all four of our distinct seasons.  On that day, we enjoyed a few periods of sun but clouds became heavier and more prevalent the further we went.

We stopped at one of the highway’s many vistas and I shot this as much for the way the light seemed to be bursting through the clouds, as for the green of the mountains and forests.  We had spent a few days in New Hampshire and were aware of the approaching hurricane, but as frequently happens, coverage of these things tend to be over-reported and overblown, so we weren’t too concerned.  At the time, the drama of this scene simply made for an interesting snapshot.

Fast forward a few days, and Irene is long gone from the storm tracking charts, but it is still a fresh and painful memory for those who lost their homes, or worse, loved ones, those who are still experiencing power failures, and in Vermont, where emergency supplies are still being airlifted to areas that are cut off due to flooding or destroyed roads.  Estimates are still being tallied, but Irene will cost billions.

It’s an important reminder of the power of nature, and how quickly things we take for granted, can change.  And the Kancamagus Highway is still closed.

Posted by Ed