The weird turned pro
"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." Thus wrote "gonzo journalist" Hunter S. Thompson, whose life and work have long served as inspiration to my equally gonzo friend Rick McKinney. I've long since accepted (and look forward to) the fact that the going will get weird anytime I hang out with Rick.
Last weekend in Maine was no exception. Before we even left New York, Rick informed me that we would be spending part of our time filming a wacky, Monty Python-esque video. Sure enough, in between zooming around Moose Pond and relaxing with a batch of Painkillers, Rick and his cousin Justin planned scenes and created new characters (with occasional brainstorming from me).
Before the weekend was over, Justin's camera had shot footage of Rick as a little girl in a dress, me as an apocalyptic preacher, Justin as an expert on bathroom literature, and much more weirdness. I'm simultaneously excited and worried about the video ("Bloganetics") eventually finding its way to YouTube.
Cassie was quite the good sport to put up with this surfeit of strangeness, especially considering the zeal with which I embraced it (though Rick had to play the role of the woman rummaging through the ferns for mud, originally written for Cassie). I'm sure the gorgeous scenery and aquatic playground at our disposal helped keep her in good spirits.
Though the camera captured silliness here and there, we did spend most of our time enjoying that scenic beauty. Moose Pond lies close to the New Hampshire border, near the White Mountains and Kancamagus Highway. Shawnee Peak rises above the lake, providing a beautiful backdrop (and a bounty of blueberry bushes to those willing to hike to its crown). And while we weren't the only ones on the water, the somewhat remote location kept the lake from being overrun with weekenders.
Last weekend in Maine was no exception. Before we even left New York, Rick informed me that we would be spending part of our time filming a wacky, Monty Python-esque video. Sure enough, in between zooming around Moose Pond and relaxing with a batch of Painkillers, Rick and his cousin Justin planned scenes and created new characters (with occasional brainstorming from me).
Before the weekend was over, Justin's camera had shot footage of Rick as a little girl in a dress, me as an apocalyptic preacher, Justin as an expert on bathroom literature, and much more weirdness. I'm simultaneously excited and worried about the video ("Bloganetics") eventually finding its way to YouTube.
Cassie was quite the good sport to put up with this surfeit of strangeness, especially considering the zeal with which I embraced it (though Rick had to play the role of the woman rummaging through the ferns for mud, originally written for Cassie). I'm sure the gorgeous scenery and aquatic playground at our disposal helped keep her in good spirits.
Though the camera captured silliness here and there, we did spend most of our time enjoying that scenic beauty. Moose Pond lies close to the New Hampshire border, near the White Mountains and Kancamagus Highway. Shawnee Peak rises above the lake, providing a beautiful backdrop (and a bounty of blueberry bushes to those willing to hike to its crown). And while we weren't the only ones on the water, the somewhat remote location kept the lake from being overrun with weekenders.
| The weekend ended all too soon, and we had to face the seven-hour drive back to New York City—and the work week ahead of us. But the waters of Moose Pond and the professional weirdness of Rick McKinney recharged our batteries and left us with some fun memories (some of which you can see by clicking through the photo album to the left). |
Labels: my travels, photography, weird
posted by Michael Strickland | permalink
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