New York June NYC Meet-Up

"Maggie" is in Saint Louis. She reported the city is crazed due to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Bruins won the game over the weekend.

So don't tell Maggie that I did a dumb thing and rode my Ti IBIS single speed up to within half a mile of Rockland Lake. Took me about three hours to get there and I was not that far from Bear Mountain State Park (within striking distance) when I took notice that my legs were kinda shot.

I wondered if I might have to call an UBER to get home because any serious hill pretty much killed me. Joe was correct: In Rockland County once you leave New Jersey and re-enter New York the hills get serious. Pretty much long climbs and descents where you can do 35-40 MPH. The ride home would be painful. Ouch.

On the way I explored Nyack and dead ended into Nyack Beach State Park. The dirt road was perhaps 10 feet above sea level right along the Hudson River. I had been to Nyack before (home of Edward Hooper the painter) for craft festivals while spending time with family. Didn't realize that it was such a historic town full of old Victorian houses.

I stopped at the Nyack Bakery to get a muffin and large coffee. I also refilled my water bottle, but the first serious climb south of Nyack was trouble for me; I could feel my legs seizing up; but I walked up the rest of that hill to avoid seizures.

Then it was divine intervention when I noticed a dirt trail. Parked cars denoted a trail head, and I inquired of where this trail headed. A cyclist told me it connected to Piedmont the next town and basically it pretty much was downhill. In fact it ended in town at an old unused train station that ran up the Hudson before the Tapanzee Bridge was built.

So I found a smooth descent that basically was an old railroad, so smooth and no rollers that saved me. At the train station I was able to get back on 9W. Had to walk a few hills to save my legs, but the trip home only took 2 1/2 hours, even though I had to walk because it pretty much was down hill.

So 5 1/2 hours in the saddle. It was dumb, but also cool. From racing one learns how far one can push themselves through pain and discomfort. I definitely flushed out my veins and my resting pulse was in the high 40's.

Developed a 2 liter tank of film. The HP5 looked great shot at 320 ISO in DDX 9 minutes with only 3 inversions per minute. When compared to Tri-X shot at 400 ISO in the same tank and from earlier developments, I say the Tri-X has a better midrange, but the HP5 has mucho highlight detail that is wonderful.

It will be interesting the Delta 400 shot at 320 ISO. I think my earlier shooting at 400 ISO and developing in DDX indicated that the DDX likes Delta 400 better than HP5.

These 135 experiments are really for 120 evaluation. For 35 mm I'm going Kodak 5222, although I still have mucho FP4 in 135 and 120.

On Saturday I went to Lawn-Guy-Land to visit Cris and Dave. My freind Bobby winds pickups and he gifted me a Tele neck pickup that has an open cover.

I installed this pickup in one of my Tele's and pretty much gets me into that "woofy" Strat sound of Hendrix "Wind Cries Mary" and the sound of Stevie Ray Vahn. Somehow it pairs well with this overwound bridge pickup from another maker. I'm in tone heaven.

So after three days off, "I come to work to rest."

Cal
 
Range-rover said:
So with all this adventure did you take any pictures?
Click to expand...

Bob,

I used a GoPro Hero 7 that was mounted to my bike to capture video. The mike is pretty good and in the audio you can hear my Ti stem creak from the carbon fiber handlebars.

I have three clips: one is crossing back over the George Washington Bridge; another riding on a dirt road about ten feet above sea level skirting the Hudson; and on the old rail road descending to Piermont.

The George Washington Bridge crossing is interesting because of the boxy tight turns that are by the casions.

Nyack is a pretty town, especially if you like old Victorian houses. Not too far from NYC, but on the west side of the Hudson.

Cal
 
Had my apartment set up like a guitar shop last night and made some noise. I did some further fine tuning of the pickups on my four Tele's.

Two are crazy good: one is a great Jazz guitar with mucho warmth clean sound that catches a lot of air (Semi hollow carved top); and the other enjoys higher output with a "woofy" sounding strat sound in the neck and a thick throaty sounding Tele bridge pickup for blues (no effects or distortion needed).

A vintage style Tele has a great sounding neck pickup that I have very close to the strings. Because it is a 50's style vintage pickup the output is low, but close to the strings it articulates well, and has that veiled warmth due to the chrome cover. The bridge pickup though is thin sounding and has too much bite. The treble gets piercing in a bad way.

I will order a new bridge pickup that is higher output for a thicker sound, likely another Fralin Blues Special that I have in the bridge of the carved top mentioned above. The current pickup is a Callaham custom pickup that is no longer available that pretty much is a slightly tweaked 50's vintage pickup made by Lindy Fralin. Pretty much the new higher output pickup will allow me to play Jazz using the bridge pickup because of thickness and warmth. The pickup height will be somewhat low so it will not get too crunchy.

One Tele is an Esquire, meaning a single pickup in the bridge. This guitar too has a low output vintage pickup that is shrill. I'll need to boost the output and get a more overwound pickup with a thicker sound.

"Maggie" returns tonight.

Cal
 
Range-rover said:
Bad thing about Fender they have that brightness and you have to work at
smoothing it out.
Click to expand...

Bob,

Tele's are the worst, but I love that single coil sound, the articulation, and the touch sensitivity.

"Maggie" is back, and now I have the opportunity to visit three Indian Reservations later this summer and in the fall in Oklahoma, Minnesota and North Dakota.

I have an unusual tooth where two teeth are fused together as one giant tooth root and crown. This genetic abnormality is very-very rare: only one in a million, but only found among Asians, Asian Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans. Pretty much a rare genetic defect that shows and indicates a common lineage.

So I am living genetic proof that Columbus did not discover America. James Mitchner writes in his book "Centenial" of how northern Asians migrated across a "land bridge" to establish themselves in new continents.

So I'm Cantonese and from south eastern China. I wonder about my ancestry. Is it possible that I have some norther blood in me? Also is it possible that somewhere in pre-history that Cantonese actually discovered America by boat?

Some things are innate. I wonder about my sense of exploration and my wandering. It is so Cantonese...

Cal
 
I've read and seen PBS stories about the land bridge and how the first humans
did go across into the America's, and about Columbus nope it was the Viking's.
 
Range-rover said:
I've read and seen PBS stories about the land bridge and how the first humans
did go across into the America's, and about Columbus nope it was the Viking's.
Click to expand...

Bob,

In my explorations many times I have been in sich-E-A-tions where I have felt like E.T. (like I came from another plant) in some parts of America.

Interesting in New Mexico how things were segregated. There were the Native Americans, the Latinos, and the "Anglos" (there term for white people). This segregation was kinda self imposed and not forced. Groups kinda interacted a bit, but in a ways remained ghettoed. Perhaps more like being tribal along racial and ethnic lines, each with their own separate culture and history.

So in New Mexico it is like me and this other guy who worked at Los Alamos were the only Asians in New Mexico, or so it seemed. Interesting to note all groups extended a brotherly love and called me "Bro."

When I was 16 I went to Maine to a friends lake house. Belgrade Lakes was a single store that also was a Post Office and a gas station. Some little kid about 3-4 years old yelled out all excited, "Mommy-mommy look at that man."

The mother was embarassed and tried to contain and hush her child, meanwhile my friend Richie was laughing.

When I got stuck in West Salem Ohio, it pretty much was a community of Amish, motorcycle bikers, and truck drivers. A family from Oklahoma kinda took me in for a week when I was stuck there when I broke the rear axel in my Jeep.

Pretty much most of my life I have wandered into places where I don't really belong.

Cal
 
Cal,
These formulas will work well with ADOX Lomida contact print paper.

I took an inventory this weekend, and I have PLENTY of everything on hand to make my two favorite fibre paper developers.

Ansco 130

Water 125F 750cc
Metol (Elon) 2.2 gm
Sodium Sulphite 50 gm
Hydroquinone 11 gm
Sodium Carbonate 78 gm
Potassium Bromide 5.5 gm
Glycin 11 gm
Water to make 1 liter
Add pinch SS to water, then rest in order


Ansco 113

Amidol 6.6 gm
Sodium Sulphite 44 gm
Potassium Bromide 55 gm
Water to make 1 liter
Add SS and PB, then Amidol

I have some old Fortezo 8x10 #2 Matte, some old Agfa Brovira, and fifty sheets of 8x10 Ektalure, also 11x14 and 16x20 Ektalure.

Ordered from Photographers Formulary, fresh PMK and TF4, Dr Beers variable contrast paper developer, and their version of Selectol Soft. Also I have some old Ektonol that might still be good.
 
Nokton48 said:
Cal,
These formulas will work well with ADOX Lomida contact print paper.

I took an inventory this weekend, and I have PLENTY of everything on hand to make my two favorite fibre paper developers.

Ansco 130

Water 125F 750cc
Metol (Elon) 2.2 gm
Sodium Sulphite 50 gm
Hydroquinone 11 gm
Sodium Carbonate 78 gm
Potassium Bromide 5.5 gm
Glycin 11 gm
Water to make 1 liter
Add pinch SS to water, then rest in order


Ansco 113

Amidol 6.6 gm
Sodium Sulphite 44 gm
Potassium Bromide 55 gm
Water to make 1 liter
Add SS and PB, then Amidol

I have some old Fortezo 8x10 #2 Matte, some old Agfa Brovira, and fifty sheets of 8x10 Ektalure, also 11x14 and 16x20 Ektalure.

Ordered from Photographers Formulary, fresh PMK and TF4, Dr Beers variable contrast paper developer, and their version of Selectol Soft. Also I have some old Ektonol that might still be good.
Click to expand...

Dan,

Many thanks.

"Maggie" is retired from academia, but still has a full time job as a "digital creative."

Still cramed into a 650 square foot apartment, but recent talks have included a big two bedroom two bath where I could have a darkroom.

Other discussions include moving to Beacon and having a loft. One listing was 1750 square feet with one bedroom. Beacon is lower Hudson Valley and an hour 15 minute train ride to Madhattan. Metro North is train service so pretty much a long commute.

A place we want to visit is Hudson New York which has a lot of historic architecture in its homes is another artist community but is further north. Hudson gets compared to Brooklyn, except it is upstate. The train is Amtrack and not really a commutable distance, but not so remote from NYC.

For me "space" is the final frontier. LOL.

Cal
 
Nokton48 said:
Good luck with the search.

About 3-4 darkroom sessions a week is very relaxing and fun for me
Click to expand...

Dan,

I took the Q train to downtown Brooklyn (express) to walk around Boreum Hill, Clinton Hill and Fort Green. Did a bit of window shopping while shooting with "Maggie."

I was using my SL with a 28 Cron as a street rig which I like beter than say a M10.

On Atlantic Avenue I found a shop that supported an artist by displaying some of his framed prints that use the wet plate collodion process.

Basically this artist has a pop-up Tintype studio to do large format NYC street photography.

http://borucki.com/

Cal
 
Nokton48 said:
Good luck with the search.

About 3-4 darkroom sessions a week is very relaxing and fun for me
Click to expand...

Dan,

You are enjoying "Vampire Mode" and become a creature of the dark.

Back in college I remember long dark room sessions how coming out was like being Paul Newman in "Cool Hand Luke" being released from that hot box.

Cal
 
jwlee said:
Cal,
If you’re still interested in being an expatriate, here’s an interesting website.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/20-places-where-retire-200-132424445.html
-John
Click to expand...

John,

Of all those countries I'm most familiar with Costa Rica because I once was married to a Costa Rican. At one time I was near fluent in Spanish and my reading skills was about a 5th grade level.

I do well in tropical climates because I have the right body type, but Maggie is basically a northern (European Dutch, English and Irish) and pretty much can't handle heat and humidity.

It kinda kills me that if you really want to travel that you really need to go live in a place for a year or more and go full emersion, otherwise you are just a tourist checking off a line on a bucket list of sorts.

It also kinda kills me the lower cost of living in other places. While the cited rents are low the costs of renting say a more luxurious two bedroom in Malta is about $1.5K to $1.8K.

The problem for me is that Maggie is more of a jet-setter and lacks the sense of adventurer that I have. Also know that she is somewhat stuck in the "New York grove." It seems that unless it is a large and expensive city a place like Malta is uninteresting to her.

I selected Malta because of how English is the second language there.

Also know that the ex-patriot communities where Americans live are somewhat gated communities like in say Costa Rica. The "Casa Americanos" of course are not so inexpensive and moving to another country requires a very serious downsizing to control costs.

Know that I lived in the Santa Fe National Forest 47 miles from civilization. No TV reception, no shopping, no gas station... one sheriff for the whole county... If I needed food, gas or to do my laundry I had to drive 47 miles.

I was perfectly happy pretty much on my own and all alone without any distractions.

The real costs of living/retiring is more than being advertised I'm afraid, but my choice would be Spain, but then Maggie would want to live in Barcelona which really is no discount.

"Woman Factor..."

Also I would want to live modestly and well below my means. This does not mean doing without, but it does mean perhaps not an expensive luxury lifestyle. The money does have to come from somewhere and I would like to keep the nest egg as a buffer to remain sustainable.

I believe I could easily live past 100, but then again I know why men have shorter lifespans than women: "Woman Factor." LOL.

Cal
 
I have a friend who retired in Portugal. He bought a three bedroom condo about 40 minutes outside of Lisbon.

Andrez tells me he made two mistakes; one was that he should of downsized and gotten rid of so much stuff that would of been easier to sell in New York; secondly is that he bought too large a condo and it is more than he needs for him and his wife.

Andrez, who is Polish and is a PhD chemist who went to the MIT of Poland, migrated to Russia, Germany, and eventually NYC where we worked together. This is a man who really lived.

His current complaint: they feel isolated.

Moral of the story is always rent for a year before going all the way. How to do that with a Fashion Blogger? Pretty much I would want to live out of a few suitcases for a year renting a furnished apartment that was centrally located.

All my treasures would have to be placed in storage for safe keeping untill things get settled with clarity. Mistakes have huge costs and no recovery.

For me traveling is very different than Maggie's thinking. I think moving to another country with a few suitcases is real living/traveling. Maggie's idea of traveling is more or less a "vacation." To me vacations are not worth the expense or bother. Kinda costly and too short to really matter.

Cal
 
Looks like Maggie and I will be checking out Cold Spring this weekend. Cold Spring is a very small village that is a 1 hour ten minutes Metro North train ride, and the size of the town is very limited due to mountains and cliff.

A rather large park separates Cold Spring from Beacon, and West Point is on the western side of the Hudson River. Historical homes and mansions.

The area is known as the Hudson Highlands. The deepest part of the Hudson is where West Point and Cold Spring are. Formally Cold Spring had extensive iron works that built canons, rifles and iron ships for the Civil War era.

Photography related as a street photographer and documentary ethnographer I always dig into the history/smut. This always adds to the content.

Cal
 
June is being a hectic month and flies by, so not checking in so often. Good life style discussions earlier.


Scandinavian summers are very nice, long warm days and no night (twilight from 22 to 03). Though light during noon is hard and there's the occasional rainy day.


There's an amusement park here that offers concerts with a $35 season pass. Basically been to as many concerts as possible and it's a great location to do varied shooting, as well as practice telephoto with the stage.


Only squeezed a couple days of darkroom printing. It's a bit of an antithesis to the ethos of the season (seek outdoors as much as possible!) but that's when no qualms to get into the darkroom during rainy/boring days.
Quite enjoyable and I'm starting to get good in printing. Got surprised with a straight print from HP5 without even using a test strip.





As of what you say with Maggie, Malta really surprised me during a short visit. English was great, and didn't feel lost like in italy (despite me speaking spanish and a relative cross-compatibility).


Your observations of different character are interesting. I have a friend who is just about the greatest person I met recently, and his sister is a jetsetter. If I only could marry the sister, if she had his character!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom