Tag: River Road

Kingston Branch Loop Trail of D& R Canal State Park

After my haircut this morning, despite my severe allergies, I drove just over the Princeton Township border to a spot along the Delaware and Raritan Canal. I had never been here before, but I drive past it often, whether on my way to work or out to Route 1. Sometimes I see cars parked here, and sometimes people carrying canoes.

I grabbed my Nikon, tripod and Hoya ND400 neutral density filter and followed the beaten path to the water. It was peaceful. The air was clean and crisp. I enjoyed the silence while it lasted. Through the trees, I could hear the chatter of people talking while walking or bicycling along the other side of the canal.

I could see a path carved along the canal by other humans exploring like I was. I walked a few hundred yards, set up my tripod at the very edge of the water and took a few images.

I tried using the TriggerTrap software with the Hoya ND400 to do some long-exposure HDR photography, but I could not get the software to work correctly. The TriggerTrap capture all the images at the same shutter speed. I used the auto-bracketing mode on my camera instead.

I walked a few more yards and watched the turtles basking on logs in the early morning sun.

Hurricane Irene

The remnants of Hurricane Irene's rage are seen at Washington Street in Rocky Hill and along River Road between Montgomery and Princeton Township, New Jersey. An old tree, which once stood as a stately presence in front of a traditional white house, is now toppled across the lush lawn. Its broken trunk and scattered branches evidence the storm's force. On display are the jagged splinters of the fallen giant, a raw break from the main trunk, symbolising the sudden violence of nature.

On the now-flooded River Road, the water rises high enough to submerge the base of the sign welcoming travellers to Princeton Township. The flood waters reflect the trees and utility poles on its still surface. It's a surreal landscape where the road should be; now, a makeshift river mirrors the sky and foliage.

Washington Street, Rocky Hill · 28 August 2011 · Nikon D40 · AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G
River Road, Montgomery Township and Princeton Township · 29 August 2011 · Nikon D40 · AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G

A lone cyclist, pausing at the water's edge, contemplates and photographs the submerged path ahead. A tree in the background lies across power lines, a stark reminder of the disruption to human lives and the power of natural forces. These images capture the unexpected transformation of the everyday landscapes, the silence after the storm, and the resilience of communities facing the aftermath of nature's fury.

River Road, Montgomery Township and Princeton Township · 29 August 2011 · Nikon D40 · AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8G

Broken homes and flooded roads

Torrential rains, gusty winds and melting snow conspired to turn Somerset County and the surrounding counties in New Jersey into a disaster zone on Saturday.

We lost electrical power on Saturday afternoon and spent the night listening to howling winds and horizontal rain tear apart trees. We awoke Sunday morning to find a fallen tree barely missing the neighbour's home.

Bored, my son and I drove around looking for a way out of town. None were to be found. Large, old trees had fallen all over the area overnight. Some had been ripped from the earth, but the wind broke most.

Fallen trees or flooded roads blocked all roadways out of town.

The Millstone River and the Delaware and Raritan Canal merged, spilling over into the surrounding city and roads.

Quite frankly, I felt a little stranded.

River Road, Montgomery Township
River Road, Montgomery Township · 30 October 2012 · Nikon D40 · 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6
Hoover Avenue · 30 October 2012 · Nikon D40 · 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6

Earlier this year, in the Spring, we walked by the homes on Princeton Avene and enjoyed the beautiful blossoms on the trees.

There was no way into Rocky Hill from Skillman (Montgomery Township). A fallen tree ( or branches from a tree) blocked access from Washington Street, and Princeton Avenue was also blocked. I drove down Montgomery Road but stopped when I came across a fallen tree on the power lines in one road lane. Rocky Hill had become an island.

58 Princeton Avenue, Rocky Hill

No more. This home on Princeton Avenue and Crescent has lost all its trees. It looks so bare, so naked.

A row of trees provided privacy for the residents of Princeton Village (Blue Spring Road and Princeton Avenue). Not anymore.

Princeton Village, Blue Spring Road · 30 October 2012 · Nikon D40 · 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6

Rocky Hill Fire Dept was cutting trees and removing debris from Crescent Avenue. We've walked by the homes on Princeton Avenue and enjoyed the beautiful blossoms on the trees. The house behind the branches has lost all its trees. It looks so bare, so naked.

Crescent Avenue, Rocky Hill · 30 October 2012 · Nikon D40 · 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6
Crescent Avenue, Rocky Hill · 30 October 2012 · Apple iPhone 5 ·
Crescent Avenue, Rocky Hill · 30 October 2012 · Apple iPhone 5 ·