The cloud cover didn’t break the entire time we were in Concord, Mass.

It was the type of weather that would have been much more suitable for Sleepy Hollow – gloomy and grim – not an inspirational little place like Concord. (Though, for Emily, there’s nothing more beloved than overcast, misty weather. She’s weird that way.)

To put all my Concord photos in one post – our favorite destination out of all the places we hit during our road trip – would result in a blog post more befitting a short novel. So instead, I give you Walden Pond. Just one bit of the whole.

You’ve already seen some of these sites in the first road trip video, so my apologies for any redundancy. I’m still working out the logistics of shooting stills and video footage of one location at the same time.

And yes, some of you may note that this progression of road trip recap is out of order. We went from Sleepy Hollow to New York City to Concord. However, while in New York City, I took more video footage than stills, so decided to skip ahead.

The “pond” was really more of a lake. Ask any Coloradan and they will tell you that a pond is something that you should be able to see from end to end. A lake is a better description for a body of water this size.

Henry David Thoreau, the man who lived in a tiny cabin, with next to nothing residing with him on the shore of Walden Pond from 1845-1847, was a man of many thoughts, wonderful writing, and minimal means. The land he built his very tiny cabin on was owned by Ralph Waldo Emerson, another famous thinker and writer who also lived in Concord.

Prior to actually visiting Walden Pond, I always imagined it to be an extremely remote location, far off from other civilization where Mr. Thoreau could live in complete detachment from the established world.

In actuality, Walden Pond is little more than a mile and a half from the main drag of Concord, and could easily be reached by walking.

Still, Mr. Thoreau received precisely what he wanted in seeking out residence in the wilderness of Massachusetts: a chance to “live deliberately” in solitude, seeking knowledge from the natural world. Lucky for the rest of us he kept an account of his experiences for future generations.

Just a stone’s throw away (come on now, a pun like that had to be used!) from the site of Thoreau’s cabin is a large pile of rocks, placed there by admirers of his work.

It serves as something of a tribute to this great mind.

Some rocks carry quotes and inscriptions inspired by his writing. Others hold folded up notes, held securely beneath the stone.

Just like this.

Here is a statue of Mr. Thoreau at an exhibit near the entrance to Walden Pond. A replica of his tiny cabin can be seen behind the statue. (Full disclosure: this one I shot on my fancy phone.)

And so there you have it.

I’ll leave you with some thoughts in Mr. Thoreau’s own words:

“Be not simply good – be good for something.

“Be true to your work, your word, and your friend.”