I suggested he get one of these next time: http://www.blue-bird.com/products/coach/450lxi.php
-- graywolf http://www.graywolfphoto.com http://webpages.charter.net/graywolf "Idiot Proof" <==> "Expert Proof" ----------------------------------- Rick Womer wrote: > Cotty, > > Nice report and great pix! It was really good to see > you and meet Brian, who seemed to fit right into > things. > > Maybe next time we should rent a camper with a little > more space, though--I'm =sure= you'd enjoy driving it: > > http://www.motorhomesusa.com/home.htm > > Rick > > --- Cotty <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 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 >> > === message truncated === > > > http://www.photo.net/photos/RickW > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ > Don't get soaked. Take a quick peak at the forecast > with the Yahoo! Search weather shortcut. > http://tools.search.yahoo.com/shortcuts/#loc_weather > -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
