1/40 sec, f/5.0, ISO 1600, 24mm, Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II

We got into Boston's Logan Airport without incident yesterday and immediately rented a car and headed out of town for western Massachusetts via Salem to the north. The Old Burying Ground in Salem was suitably atmospheric and spooky with the slate Puritan tombstones sticking out of the ground like grey crooked teeth. After a quick seafood lunch and local craft beer we headed for Vermont where we found the first covered bridge of our trip pictured above.

Initially, I photographed it from the outer side like so many postcard photos, but then standing at the entrance I was struck by the criss-cross rafters and parallel surface boards and made the shot above. I think it's a lot more interesting than the typical covered bridge photos you see from New England (the sort of which I fully intend to make and inflict upon you in coming days).

As we drove away, Rina asked me why they made covered bridges to begin with. When I couldn't come up with the answer she resorted to Google by which we were informed it was to preserve the bridge itself. Uncovered bridges tended to last about 15 years, while covered bridges can last more than 70.

Tomorrow we're heading north through Vermont and the heart of the area that was affected so badly by hurricane Irene recently. If any readers have any suggestions for "don't miss" locations in Vermont, New Hampshire or Maine, please post them in the comments below for me.

Finally, if you haven't checked out http://500px.com/ yet, you really should. There's many really great photographers there and if you're into looking at photos like I am, you'll be drawn in and lost there. My page on the site is at http://mattwelsh.500px.com/ if you want to check it out.