Buffalo Farm - Gilford, New Hampshire

as a kid, my parents would drive a few miles out of the way so we could pass this one gorgeous pasture filled with buffalo in the town we lived in. fast forward to teenage years, your mind is consumed with your high school sweetheart, finding sweet skate spots or dance dance revolution. you forget about those exciting car rides and the beautiful lands your home offers.

oddly enough, the owners of this farm are now family through marriage; i suppose it may not be that strange when you grow up in a small town like laconia, new hampshire.

bolduc farm was built in 1776 and is the oldest continuously running sap house in the united states, first tapping the maple trees the year they built the farm. they also raise the aforementioned buffalo because (in the words of ernie bolduc, the owner) “There is nothing more American than the buffalo!” 

 

Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge

with my better half up north visiting family in the snow globe that is new hampshire, i decided to venture out on my own. my last trip out of state was to louisiana back in september so i've been itching to see something new. looking at some maps of surrounding states i noticed a spot of green designating a park right over the border in oklahoma, wichita mountains national wildlife refuge. 

leaving at midnight i drove north through the dark and lonely highways for six hours, just me, my dogs and the full moon above. arriving at the refuge before sunrise i took in the bright comanche moon reflecting off an ice covered lake slowly setting behind a set of mountains while the sun began to rise over my shoulder. 

i drove the sun drenched roads of the park taking in the sights, pulling over and doing short hikes whenever i saw a trail marker. without a real plan i just meandered up and down the rolling hills passing grasslands, massive granite peaks and numerous man made lakes built by the civilian conservation corps between nineteen thirty-three and nineteen forty-one.

i was also on a mission to find and photograph some of the bison herd that call the refuge home. i am not usually one for wildlife photography, but the bison has an allure that i cannot escape. thunderous and steadfast these massive beasts exude the feeling and freedom of the west.

the park was empty for much of the morning, allowing me and the pups to roam free without having to worry about running into anybody while we explored. after six short hours in the wichita mountains we were headed back to texas and the rv's and minivans had just started to make their slow procession into the refuge. 

Caprock Canyons State Park

hey y'all, taylor here. last week marked my 24th year. i feel very strongly that my age reflects nothing about me, even so, I feel the obligation and desire to celebrate. lucky for us, my idea of a birthday hoopla is doing what we normally do any ther weekend; camp. 

we left austin at 2 am in shorts and t shirts, drove 7 hours north to quitaque, tx and while stopping for coffee at a gas station, we got out of the car and realized..it's damn cold outside! we arrived at caprock canyons sp, greeted by a few dozen bison with the red rock structures off in a distance creating the most beautiful backdrop. 

we drove a few miles down into the canyon and set up camp right on the edge of a red, sandy plateau overlooking a near dry stream filled with the footprints of the locals. 

hiking out of the riverbed we were greeted with miles upon miles of buttes and canyons. 

 

when the sun went down, we sat close to the fire to stay warm as the temperatures dropped to a brisk 38 degrees. 

we woke up early the next morning to several howling coyotes and to see that some critters had visited hour camp in the night. caprock canyons was a perfect place to celebrate the next year i have to forward to... i know it will be an exciting one with many adventures!

click here to view the rest of the set.