Small Talk for Big Silences – Dorian Roark

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Chronicles of Wasted Time
Moments In Focus
Tangents

Chronicles of Wasted Time
Moments In Focus
Tangents

The Amazing Unbrella-Master

The Amazing Umbrella Man!

What’s the most seemingly useless superpower you can think of, and how might one use it to take over a small town?

All work © 2024 Paul Hobson

thedorianroark

Instagram post 18153456994516632

Instagram post 18153456994516632

The odds of being stalked by a goat are low, but n

The odds of being stalked by a goat are low, but never zero.

@cmcs94 #goat

Thinking about dog stuff.

Thinking about dog stuff.

Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.

Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.

Standing on a hill overlooking Watkins Glen, the l

Standing on a hill overlooking Watkins Glen, the large crucifix at St. Mary’s Cemetery was erected by Rev. Thomas H. Barrett, a local Catholic priest who passed away in 1930. The prominent monument serves as a traditional Calvary scene and a focal point for the sacred grounds, offering a space for prayer and quiet reflection that was characteristic of Catholic cemeteries during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Visitors and hikers exploring the area frequently leave small stones and stacked rock cairns on the steps and tiers of the monument’s base. This practice serves as a traditional sign of respect, remembrance, and visitation, much like leaving pebbles or tokens at a gravesite.

#watkinsglenn #cemetery #statue #monument

It’s one of the classic trade-offs of summer water

It’s one of the classic trade-offs of summer waterfall hunting —warm weather makes exploring easy, but a dry stretch can quickly reduce even prominent falls to a trickle.

Even with the heat wave cutting down the flow, Hector Falls delivered. Tumbling 165 feet over stepped rock shelves just off Route 414, its tiered shale face made delicate work of the remaining water. It might not have been at maximum throttle, but it was an effortless roadside stop and a great waterfall to finally check off the collection.

#hectorfalls #Waterfalls #watkinsglenn

Instagram post 17897764482661956

Instagram post 17897764482661956

Deep in the Glen Creek the skeletal timber of The

Deep in the Glen Creek the skeletal timber of The Ghost Trestle of Glen Creek still spans the empty air.

Towering roughly 150 feet above the carved shale cliffs and cascading waterfalls of Watkins Glen State Park, the massive railroad trestle spanning Glen Creek is one of the most striking industrial landmarks in New York’s Finger Lakes region.

The high span was originally constructed in the late 1870s for the Syracuse, Geneva and Corning Railway (later part of General George Magee’s Fall Brook Railway, and subsequently absorbed into the New York Central Railroad system). Engineered to haul semi-bituminous coal from Pennsylvania north toward Geneva and the Erie Canal, the line required an audacious crossing high over the gorge. At the time of its construction, it ranked among the highest railroad spans in the state.

As rail travel flourished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the route transformed into a vital artery not just for freight, but for scenic tourism. Excursion trains brought thousands of visitors from across the Northeast directly to the rim of Watkins Glen, allowing passengers to gaze straight down into the shadowy chasm below.

The trestle survived major regional disasters, including the catastrophic flood of July 1935, which unleashed devastating torrents through Glen Creek and destroyed most of the glen’s early footbridges, wooden stairs, and riverside infrastructure.

As regional rail traffic shifted and lines consolidated through Penn Central and Conrail in the latter half of the 20th century, regular passenger service faded into history.

For hikers following the Gorge Trail or South Rim Trail today, looking up from the misty canyon floor reveals a stark contrast: the geometric lines of late-19th-century steel suspended above years of post-glacial water and stone.

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Instagram post 18212993635347392

Sometimes the clouds just do that. #sunshine #cl

Sometimes the clouds just do that.

#sunshine #clouds #sunrays

It's great fun.

It's great fun.

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Instagram post 17975485629064221

Sailing on Lake Seneca I've never sailed before,

Sailing on Lake Seneca

I've never sailed before, but this guy near Watkins Glenn Beach makes me think it's worth it.

#sailing #watkinsglenn #senecalake

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Instagram post 18149380981522442

Instagram post 18083299151252190

Instagram post 18083299151252190

The Lonely Knight

The Lonely Knight

@thejimmackenzie at the @indianladderfarms Renaiss

@thejimmackenzie at the @indianladderfarms Renaissance Festival.

Quick-witted, totally quirky, and thoroughly entertaining. He has jokes for absolutely everyone... just not all at the same time.

#renaissance #comedy #indianladderfarms

Instagram post 18112020851058043

Instagram post 18112020851058043

When the dogs are happy.

When the dogs are happy.

Just a couple snaps from Schenectady's Art Night i

Just a couple snaps from Schenectady's Art Night in the Garden.

#artnight #rosegarden #centralpark #schenectady

Dorian Roark Photography Copyright 2026 Paul Hobson

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