Ohio, People you used to like but don't need to see that often anymore. CW
----- Original Message ----- From: "ann sanfedele" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Pentax-Discuss Mail List" <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, June 07, 2007 1:30 PM Subject: Re: GFM - Report and pics > Much enjoyed your report - pics and text - so I've left it all in this > reply as I never delete send messages > and I'll be able to read it again later :) bookmarked the pics. > > It was great to see ya and meet your old school chum.... I wonder what > there is about Ohio - > two of my high school buds (one of whom I acted with back in the 50's, > too) are both in Cleveland. > Go figure. > > ann > > > Cotty wrote: > >>After reading the excellent reports published already, there's not much >>to add really. So here's a few random thoughts, in chronological order... >> >>I really don't like bad turbulence - on a flight. I think I'd rather >>have bad turbulence of the 'I've eaten too much' kind any day. >>Fortunately everything went to plan and my trip was otherwise good. Nice >>to be back in the USA where nobody gives a shit ;-) >> >>I learned to drive when I was 15 in California at High School, so I'm >>not shy of left-hookers. However, piloting a 25 foot camper in the >>evening rush hour on the Beltway between the 66 and the 270 near DC was >>akin to having bamboo inserted up the fingernails. Luckily I got that >>hang of it and was soon cutting up all the mo-fos that had cut me up. >>The maxim 'give way to larger vehicle' does actually work. >> >>I drove to Germantown and met up with Christian. Great to see you again >>mate. We popped out for dinner to the Dogfish Brewery where loud waiters >>proclaimed their undying love for our occupancy of their table, >>repeatedly offered deals and sweeteners, swung by constantly in case >>there was anything we needed. "Hi. I'm Carl and I'll be guiding you on >>your journey..." I'm British. I'm used to being ignored in restaurants. >> >>We had beer. Well, it was between 9 and 18 percent and was served in >>brandy glasses, but they said it was beer. I found a 3.5% called >>Lawnmower Light and struggled not to ask what was in it. At least I >>could chug it down to combat temps in the 80s F and high humidity. >>Cesar, Stehen Moore, and long-time ex-lister Tom Van Veen (tv) joined us >>and so we sat and laughed at Christian's haircut all evening. I had a >>good time, thanks guys. >> >>Christian and his wife Kerry were perfect hosts for my pre-GFM sojourn, >>and despite my protests gave up their bed for me. This was above and >>beyond the call, but I relented and slept like a baby: I kept waking up >>and was sick everywhere. >> >>Christian was amused when I poured sugar on my Weetabix the next >>morning. Dude - California in the 70s, I keep telling ya! Cesar joined >>us for coffee and we sat on Christian's back porch where birds of every >>kind flew in for a nibble, Christian's Darkside 500/4 at the ready. That >>guy has a good eye for the birds. >> >>Cesar thoughtfully brought some ballast for the RV: 12 bags of gear. Why >>strain with indecision when there's all that room, right mate? After >>saying ta ta to Christian, we hit the morning rush hour traffic on the >>Beltway again. I don't think my driving had that bad an effect on Cesar. >>He was very quiet for the first few minutes, until I realised I was >>supposed to keep *between* the dashed white lines. >> >>9 hours and several stops later we reached GFM about 6.30pm and met up >>with the occupants of PDML West (Cory's camper). Thanks for all the help >>setting up things like shore-lines etc (these campers are so big they >>have to be moored). Non-lister Bruce Metcalf waltzed over from his RV >>and insisted I borrow some levelling chocks for the rental RV. This >>theme of helping out set the tone for the whole weekend and people would >>simply come up to you and give you things. Being a Brit, I would just go >>up to people and apologise. >> >>This was Thusday, and so folk were slowly making their way up to the >>mountain. Great to see old friends once again (Cory, Annsan, Nico, >>Graywolf, Tom Reese, Doug, Mark, Bob, Don, Scott, Charles, Bill and >>Phyllis - the list is endless), and some new ones (Scott, Dave Brooks, >>Dave Savage, Mat, Mark Cassino, Ken Waller, and more - the names swarm >>in my mind). Please forgive me if I have left you out, it must have been >>the Lawnmower Light. >> >>Weather was cool and rainy, with dry spots in between. (Perhaps I should >>go on 'Mastermind' - specialised subject: Stating the Bleeding Obvious). >>The scenery is simply breath-taking and nobody who goes there can fail >>to be overwhelmed by the beauty of the place. Think then of my >>anticipation as I awaited the arrival of a very dear friend who I knew >>at school back in CA in the 1970s. Brian Kavanagh lives near Cincinnati >>and upon hearing of my trip, had decided to drive down to meet me. He >>duly turned up in his bright blue VW bug (too long a trip really for his >>Triumph 900 monster although it would have only been 6 hours instead of >>8...) and we hadn't met in 28 years. It was quite a moment, and we soon >>discovered that we basically were carrying on where we had left off all >>those years ago. To be doing this at GFM was simply the icing on the >>cake. Great to see you guy, and now we'll keep the interim down to >>years, not decades! >> >>Saturday saw us hiking up GFM, huffing and puffing in Mark's dust as he >>rocketed up the mountain with a respectable crowd in tow. Kudos to Cory >>for keeping up with the Mountain Goat On Crack. Cory later kissed the >>car park tarmac on his return. You laugh, but he likes a Frenchy I >>gather. Rick and Mat made MacRae before Brian, Scotty and me, and that >>was far enough. It's quite a climb, and the sight of Scotty taking a >>break between sweaty inclines with a cigarette in his gob was too much! >>It was a great way of getting to know people. We helped each other out - >>especially Brian's vertigo which gave me some great shots. Thanks guy ;-) >> >>Alas, there actually was a photo competition on, and I figured I might >>squeeze in the winner after the mountain hike. I went into the >>undergrowth later with my 5:1 macro lens and ringlight. The bloody thing >>acts like an air pump (variable extension tube type) and sadly I must >>have pulled in a ton of shit when I was trying to get a flower bud in >>the frame - up on the Mac, all I could see was dust! I had little time >>left, and it would have taken hours to sort it out so I bailed. In fact >>I just spent several hours spotting pics in PS for the gallery, so it's >>okay now, but there ya go. The hike was the highlight for me. >> >>Others have reported on the auditorium presentations, and just like to >>echo those that hailed Mark Cassino's show. Great pics, and very >>informative. Mark, you inspired Brian - he's going to seek out a decent >>camera/lens to do some close-up work on the wildflowers in his pasture >>at home. That's a nice touch. >> >>Brian and I cut a few of the talks, late Saturday night and Sunday >>morning, in favour of more civilised activities like wine and cheese in >>the RV, and bacon and eggs with coffee, respectively. The evening wasn't >>too late, as Don had made it plain that apparently some people strangely >>like to sleep. I kinda missed Mark yodelling. >> >>Brian had a long trip back, so left about 11am while everyone was >>picking up travelling tips from a guest speaker. He told me to say ta ta >>to all those present and convey what a great time he had. I think he was >>pleasantly surprised what a good bunch you guys were. Yeah, well you >>*can* be ;-) >> >>Sunday's presentations were great fun - you read about the 'Doug and >>Mark' show and it's justified. Those guys put in a lot of work, and it >>shows. What a hoot - thanks Mark and Doug. I said my good-byes and at >>the last, I was chatting to Helen Hopper for a while. She is the GFM >>official photographer, and boy was I hooked. She's lovely. >> >>Which about wraps it up - except to say a special thanks to Don Nelson >>for making me feel so welcome. I am astonished that he has strength to >>drive there, do all that, after a year of Hell on chemo. I have to take >>my hat off to the guy. Don, thank you from the heart of my bottom. >> >>And finally to Cesar. My travelling companion for this trip, I think I >>would have gone nuts without someone to talk to, well - let me re-phrase >>that: someone to listen to ;-) Cesar can talk for the USA. What a star - >>thanks mate. You made a good trip great. I owe you big time. Come over >>again and see us when you can. >> >>And so it's back to work and thinking maybe popping back again in a few >>years. GFM kinda does that to you. My son wants to come along, and that >>would be fine, as he's 13, and so am I :-) >> >>Sorry! Pictures! >> >><http://homepage.mac.com/cottycam/PhotoAlbum6.html> >> >> >> > > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.472 / Virus Database: 269.8.11/837 - Release Date: 6/6/2007 > 2:03 PM > > -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
