Abandoned Mine, circa 1978

This old photo of an old mine was taken at the same time as the one of the earlier posted backpacking photos.  In the picture of me and Mike, we're standing with this old place on our right...  The original is a slide, I converted the scan to B&W, did a little tweaking.

I said Wednesday that this was on the Buckeye Trail, but I think it is more pecifically in and around Salt Fork State Park.  I recall us being just northeast of the I-70 / I-77 interchange.  But it was in and around a mining area, parts of it active and parts of it being reclaimed.  But it was 30+ years ago, so I'm not positive.

What Song Is It You Wanna Hear?

So, last Sunday, at my son’s Little League game, one of his (10 yr old) teammates announced that he had seen Lynyrd Skynyrd in concert the night before. I’ve seen them too! But it was 35 years ago. Yep, 3 ½ decades …. That’s depressing.

I actually saw Skynyrd twice in 1976: once in the spring and once in the fall, bookending the recording and release of their iconic live album. Of course, there’s little resemblance between what is now touring as Lynyrd Skynyrd, and the band I saw back then…. Gary Rossington (guitar) is the only surviving member, and he’s pushing 60. And those are “rock n Roll” years, kinda like “dog years”….

Now, I actually have most of the albums put out by the post-crash Skynyrd (along with everything pre-crash). And some of the new stuff is pretty decent. But they quit “being” Lynyrd Skynyrd back in October 1977, and with each departure has less and less validity to using the name. I actually saw the survivors touring as The Rossington Collins Band back in 1980 or so. But I imagine it’s a lot easier to make a living using the famous name. That’s show-biz, after all.

The Summer 1976 lineup: Ronnie Van Zant (vocals - d. 1977), Steve Gaines (guitar - d.1977), Allen Collins (guitar – d.1989), Gary Rossington (guitar – still kicking), Leon Wilkeson (bass – d,2001), Billy Powell (piano – d.2009), Artimus Pyle (drums – alive, but out of the spotlight).

On the Buckeye Trail

More scans from old slides...  This is from a backpacking trip to the Buckeye Trail, in Eastern ohio.  This would be Senior Year of high school, pretty sure it was spring (which would mean 1978).  I was 17, just a child....

That's me on the left, w/ Mike Wiley.  John Hill over Mike's shoulder, Phil Werner in the back between us...

Just chillin' on the trail.  Man did I think I was cool!!

New Template VOTE----->

Figured it was time to update the blog.  I don't remember the last time I changed the look.  I'm sure this is just the tonic to get back my hordes of followers!!  We're comiong up on 6 years posting this blog, pretty impressive, huh?  Except for the 3 months of no posts at the start of 2010.

So, what'd'y'all think?  Presuming (of course) that anyone is still out there.

Guess I should add a counter again.

Ripplin' Waters

Another oldie. I recently got a buch of old slides scanned, this one is from fall 1977, a backpacking trip in central Pennsylvania. We set up our tent next to this stram, where a fallen log had made a nice little waterfall.

I did a little digital tweaking, mainly the conversion to largely monochrome.

Criss Cross

I was struck by the patterns of water acrioss the sones... At Trillium Trail, in the Pittsburgh suburbs.

Draped

A little something artsy, from last week's visit to Pittsburgh. Or should that be something a little artsy? Whatever. If you're a facebook friend, you can see more there...

Goslings

Goslings, as in baby geese. Not to be confused with fine Bermuda rum! We have had lots of these poop machines around our office, and now we have more! This photo was actually taken several weeks ago, by one of the other guys in our office. But he borrowed my camera, so I feel like I can post the image...... as long as I don't try and steal the credit.

Kinda cool picture, with the mating pair book-ending the brood.....

Gated Diamond

Taken last week during lunch break from work. Just a view of a baseball field, locked and secure... Once again, I dunno, I thought it was interesting. This is a "pro" sized fied, 320' down the lines, 400' to center, and very well kept. Not the kind of field my son's little league team plays on!

Cash Loans!

Another slice-of-life, from yesterday's commute. Or would it qualify as Readymade photography?? It seems I frequently end up at the stoplight on this corner, left to gaze at the Patday Loan store for 20-30 seconds.....

Whatever, huh?

Passing Side / Suicide?

Just a little slice of life: saw this on the back of a semi, out on the interstate this morning.... I dunno, I thought it was mildly amusing. I imagine it's a real drag to try and pilot these trucks through car traffic.

This is why I took up photography....

Yep, to ensure that I stayed BEHIND the camera, not in front. Consequently, there aren't really a lot of photos of me. But one of our friends took this of me playing in the Praise Band during a recent Church service. I figured I ought to own up to myself, and post it...

Me and my '66 Hagstrom HIIB, our for a "Sunday Drive".... Afraid I don't remember what song we were playing, this was Confirmation Sunday, proabaly a month ago.

Trees #273

Just a little something I took at lunch recently. With some digital playing. At one of the parks near where I work.

Not Fade Away...

This once was a small grocery/convenience store, along Rt 157 in Hollywood Heights, IL. Of course, there's a shiny new gas-station / convenience store across the street. This pla ce has been closed for a rather long time, but still sits abandoned.

Locked Wagons

I went to the Indy 500 Sunday, lots of fun. Just me and a couple hundred thousand race fans.

Lots of them hauled coolers to the race. While many had rolly-coolers, quite a few used little red wagons. Which they couldn't take into the track. So they would lock them to the fence.

I dunno, just thought it was interesting...

Meanwhile, Of course, it was the hottest Indy 500 on record, but it was still a cool thing. We had general admission seats, spent the race wandering around the infoeld, absorbing the atmosphere.

I was in Indy with 19 men from my Church, as part of No Greater Love ministries outreach. We had about 110 men from 54 different Churches in 14 different states. A new (and rewarding) experience for me. If you are a Facebook friend, check out more photos there...