Dgrin Mini-Challenge #260 - Paths, Trails, and Roads Less Traveled

sapphire73

Let's see some trails, pathways, lanes and roads! Entries may also include people and animals using, crossing, or even blocking the way. Paved roads - and sidewalks - are fine but would prefer not to have busy thoroughfares.

Looking forward to seeing your entries!

This challenge will end on Thursday, February 1st, at 6 pm Eastern Standard time.

OUR UN-OFFICIAL GENERAL RULES
1. Have fun sharing and seeing what others share!
2. The host supplies a topic and you post 1-3 images. The host judges the winners (1st, 2nd and 3rd) and is not eligible to enter.
The 1st place winner then chooses the next topic, judges the winner and then passes on the baton to the new champion.
3. Any photo you’ve taken is eligible, regardless of when taken or camera used.
4. Any amount of post-processing is allowed. However, it is helpful if you list your camera and lens along with your photo.
You may comment on other contestant's images. If you want someone to leave you some critique or criticism, just ask within your post.
5. The winner has up to three days (72 hours) to begin a new mini-challenge, or the honor goes to the #2 finisher and so forth.

Guidelines:
1. Enter 1-3 photos and put them in a single post.
2. Either embed your image in the thread or, if you must, supply a link to it. Keep in mind, however, most people don't want to click to open photos hosted elsewhere (i.e. on your website).
3. Also try and resize your photos prior to posting so they're sized appropriately for viewing without having to scroll (~800 pixels on the longest side works best.)
4. Give each image you enter a title.
5. Enjoy discussion with members about their images, don't let this just be an entry thread!
6. When quoting a post change the IMG urls to a 200x200 size picture so it is clear your post is feedback and not another entry. (see here for help)
7. Don't be hesitant, share'em and enter!

Mini-Challenge pointers:
1. Upon winning a mini-challenge round your first step is coming up with a new theme, and start a new thread using the same format as others have used.
2. Make sure to notify the admin of this thread to update the main thread links with your entry thread.
3. Feel free to watch the thread as it grows or wait to the end time and look at all the entries all at once.
4. After the time/date has passed, then officially close the thread with a single post notifying everyone of the fact.
5. After you're finished judging start a new thread (again use the prior formats) and post your Winner and runners-up, it is important to have runners up incase the winner does not show within the 72hr window.
6. PM the winner with this info above and let them know they have 72hrs.
7. After the 72hrs and the winner does not show up, notify the next runner-up and post a message on the Winner thread of the fact.
8. Remember, if you're the Winner, you run the show.

Here are a few examples. I will try to add more later:

JAG

Here's my 3:
1 Fork in road

2 Garden Path to Fountain. St. Petersburg Russia

3 Top of Rainforest mountain road in Madeira.

grandmaR

Here are a couple

1) Path to the Sea (California 1965)

2) Willemstad - Dutch village (inside of a Star Fort)

3) Doves on a Cemetery Road

sarasphotos

This is a tough one for me. Since most of our recreation involves riding a bike on a path or road of some sort or wandering on a path or trail, I have hundreds of choices which bring back many fond memories. Here are three of my personal favorites:

1) The "Waalwege" in Schenna, Italy (South Tirol) are a network of paths bordered by century old canals used to irrigate the many hillside vineyards and orchards.

2) Last summer's cycling vacation took us to Burgundy. This was taken jjust outside the village of Pommard - those vineyards are growing very expensive grapes!

3) This one I took a few years ago riding through a nearby forest. I came upon the scene and slammed on my brakes and whipped the camera out of my handlebar bag. Fortunately the long zoom was already mounted and I was able to capture this sweet father/daughter scene from a distance..

Just for fun:
In the forest not far from my house. This was taken on the way home from work one afternoon last summer.

sapphire73

Great to see so many great entries here already! Thank you, @JAG, @grandmaR and @sarasphotos!

slpollett

1. Friends
   

2. This is at Muleshoe Bend State Park between Austin and Marble Falls, TX. a couple of years ago. In all my years of living in Texas, I have never seen the bluebonnets so widespread and so thick as they were at this park. We were there on a chilly, foggy, overcast day and it was still beautiful. None of my pictures do any justice at all to the scene. It was several miles of blue as far as the eye could see.
   

3.

A few more from Muleshoe Bend, not for judging. This area so flush with bluebonnets that year is normally under the lake, but due to the drought (at the time) the wildflowers were just so phenomenal. Last spring, we had so much rain that lake levels are back to normal and sadly this area is now under water again. But, wow, was it drop-dead gorgeous a couple of years ago!

Anyone interested can see the full gallery here: https://psphotos.smugmug.com/Nature/Muleshoe-Bend-Recreation-Area/

Sherry P.

sapphire73

Thank you for entries, @slpollett. I love seeing these fields of bluebonnets! We were in Austin, Texas a few years ago and saw a few but nothing like this display.

CHANDLERJA

1.

2.

3.

sarasphotos

@CHANDLERJA Jeromy, I love the the red truck rushing by in your 2nd shot!

kurzvorzwoelf

@sarasphotos Wow, Sara. Your entry number three is out of this world. It has everything a good photo needs - a superb composition, great light and a very emotional subject. Well done!

sarasphotos

Oh, thanks @kurzvorzwoelf , I've always been fonds of that photo.

pegelli

Waiting for the fog to lift, otherwise it's not safe to continue

Less travelled path, probably better with these shady characters around

A man and his dogs, a nice walk through the crisp morning cold

lkbart

Great theme & some awesome entries! Love all the bluebells & the forest walks, lovely shots!

1. Hairpin
   

2. Glad somebody had a chainsaw (also glad I wasn't driving!)
   

3. Evening walk
   

sapphire73

Fun to come back (from a chilly weekend in Phoenix) and see entries from @CHANDLERJA, @pegelli, and @lkbart! Thank you!

gazoo

sapphire73

@gazoo thank you for your entry!

I am enjoying the variety of entries. There is still time for folks to enter this mini. It will end on Thursday at 6pm EST.

StueveShots

This is a fun topic--and there have been so many great entries! I end up with lots of photos of paths and walks and (often) the backs of loved ones, because I am always playing catch up to the three men in my family with their long, long legs. I'll share a few:

1. Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, California, United States
   

2. Hadrian's Wall, Northumberland National Park, England
   

3. St. Fagens National Museum of History, Cardiff, Wales
   

Cavalier

1) A fern trail

2) Into the storm

3) Buggy ride

DavidRGillespie

Just back from a trip to Cuba, so I am sliding in under the wire yet again. I have three from my archives, and threw in one from Cuba as a bonus (just to share). I am loving the inspiration in the great images

1. Baker Range from Mount Cheam
   

Mount Baker in September

A long way from anywhere, British Columbia

Street and houses, Sancti Spiritus, Cuba

sapphire73

@DavidRGillespie - thank you for your great entries. Could you let me know which 3 of the 4 you would like to be your “official” entries! Thanks.

Flying home from a conference today and will close the mini around 6pm tonight. Then comes the hard part! But great to have so many fine images shared here.

DavidRGillespie

Thanks Gretchen. The first three are the "official" entries.

sapphire73

This mini is now closed. I just returned from a conference, but will try to post results this weekend. Thank you all for participating!

(And David, thank you for the clarification!)

BMW Kurt

Oops! I did not notice the challenge was closed. Sorry!

1. Tunnel on Blue Ridge Parkway

2. Blue Ridge Parkway

3. Top of the World Highway