The day before my wife, dog, and I made our overnight trip to Crystal Bridges Museum, I had ordered a new camera backpack, the Shimoda Explore 30 V2, to replace my small Tenba Shootout backpack I’d been using for years. We arrived at Crystal Bridges mid-afternoon on Wednesday and got back home by midday on Thursday. On Friday, my new backpack arrived. I realized that I couldn’t just let it sit at home doing nothing for a week or two; I needed to give it a test drive.
I decided I would get up the next morning, Saturday, and make the two hour drive to the Tyler Bend Campground in the middle district of the Buffalo National River. Patchy autumn colors were starting to appear, so what better way was there to test out my new gear.
My first stop was the Collier Homestead where I discovered an old twisty tree against a background of Autumn leaves . While the overcast sky eliminated any concerns about harsh lighting, the wind certainly provided a challenge, but nothing that a faster shutter speed couldn’t handle.
After Collier Homestead, I made my way down to the river and walked along the riverbank where I spotted another Autumn scene. This one seemed a little more subdued or, perhaps, shy.
As to my new Shimoda backpack, I must say I am very pleased with it so far. I love that the back panel doesn’t go from lying on the ground to lying against my shirt, especially when it’s wet or sandy. And, being able to securely strap my tripod to the pack and not have to carry a 4-plus pound piece of equipment in my hand just makes for a much more enjoyable experience. I can’t wait to get back out with it very, very soon.