Small Town Shots
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Another splendid ramble through the Doone valley, this walk takes you for quite few miles along a beautiful shallow river, perfect for dogs.
Leaves are falling all around
It's time I was on my way
Thanks to you I'm much obliged
For such a pleasant stay
[Led Zeppelin - Page-Plant]
Ramble
"I'm Gonna Be" - The Proclaimers
But I would walk 500 miles
And I would walk 500 more
Just to be the man who walks a thousand miles
To fall down at your door
One of the most beautiful animals I have ever seen. Safari in a private part of the Kruger National Park, South Africa.
(Led Zeppelin - 1969) I guess I'm showing my age but, like this Green Heron, it's time to ramble on!
A small tarn sits in a depression between the surrounding rocks above Lake Lillian. Hiking into the Rampart Lakes area from Lake Lillian shortcut is a difficult way to go, but is a much shorter route. I have spent many nights camped in the area (last century :-) and it is still a favorite, especially when the fall colors are in their glory.
Reflection of Mount Rundle in Two Jack Lake, Alberta. The mountain (2949m) was named after Reverend Robert Rundle who came from England to Canada in 1840 to work with First Nations people. The Cree name for Mt Rundle is Waskahigan Watchi.
Sedge warbler at Strumpshaw this morning allowing me to get close several times ;-) Think a noisy nearby Whitethroat was winding him up :-)
Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern excursion train JTOS heads south through Haucks, PA. Leading is T-1 2102, originally a 2-8-0 built by Baldwin for the Reading Company before being rebuilt into a 4-8-4 at the company shop in Reading, PA in 1945. The engine would eventually come under the ownership of Andy Muller’s then Blue Mountain & Reading railroad in the 1980s’ & occasionally run until 1991. In 2015, it was announced that the engine would be restored to operation, with the restoration officially completed in early 2022. To celebrate the occasion, Reading & Northern decided to run a few “Iron Horse Ramble” excursions, a nod to the originally namesake excursions the Reading ran in the late 50s & early 60s utilizing their 4 remaining T-1 engines, including the 2102. I picked August 13th thinking it would be the least crowded outing, only to see the announcement a month prior to the trip that, now knowing that it was also Andy’s 75th birthday, that they were going to add their other steam locomotive, the 425, to the consist. This would mark the first time since June 26th, 1988 that the company has ran a doubleheader steam excursion. Yes, the now-increased crowds made it annoying at times (still doesn’t come close to a Big Boy chase, though), but the wonderful weather & friends made the experience much nicer. Oh, and I must say, the engines didn’t put on a half bad show, either. 8-13-22
I was thumbing through the William Price "Western Maryland Steam Album" book with the intent of gaining some day dreaming time, instead I found myself pondering what it would be like to stand on Helmstetters curve when a big 4-8-4 Potomac class came up the grade. Most of my journey through railroad history (and my photo descriptions as a result) tend to lean into a yearn to see railroads in their glory years. This photo then popped into my mind. After being in service for 2 years, I just started shooting the 2102 at Reading and Northern that summer and fall. I did 3 outings to see the thing and enjoyed all of them. The 2102 is big enough to produce power, but not powerful enough to have a seamless run with whatever train you throw at it. The T-1s were built in house by the Reading company using some select parts recycled from other engines. Some call them "rebuilds" because of this. The T-1s were some of the biggest and baddest engines on the Reading minus the light mallets the road rostered. At the end of steam, 5 survived into Reading Rambles excursion service (with one being scrapped for parts during this time period before 1964). Since then they lived on in various states at various places. 2102 runs up the former Reading trackage into the anthracite region and over the former CNJ branch from Haucks to Jim Thorpe in the present day. The run has various grades, bridges, tunnels, and obstacles. North of Tamaqua the trackage starts a hefty climb up to Hometown where it crests downhill to Jim Thorpe. At mile marker 99, at the searchlights installed within the past 10 years, the train's dig into the grade has already begun. You can hear the beating on the rails from lightyears away, it becomes oh so closely sounding but continues to trick the mind. The bellless crossing next to the signals activates. Lights stream around the corner. Then the sounds, A long, a long, "OSJT, Clear signal, 99", a short, a long. The engine, shooting smoke at high velocity out the stack, thunders at the trees and removes their leaves. The approach lit SB signal lights up, rails squeel, the bridge takes on the weight of the engine... you can no longer hear anything... A static takes hold as the exhaust has produced enough sound to pierce your ears. Its loud but silent, the camera clicks away without a detectable sound. Decibels rise, you cannot hear yourself think. You take the camera down and get the friendly wave, they have ear plugs! The shrill passes and then slowly fades. The rail squeals as the clickety clacks fade back in like a studio mix on a 60s hippy song. Marker lights on the rear observation car conclude the show. The crossing lights conclude their flashing, the railfans scurry back to their cars and leave in a hurry, the signal goes back to darkness. Peace has returned to the Schuylkill Valley.
A Reading & Northern steam crew member readies T-1 #2102 for the second ramble to be run from North Reading to Jim Thorpe and return. Nothing beats the magic of steam early in the morning.
Frexy 289
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Credits:
- eXxEsS Hair
- Maitreya Body
- Pink Fuel Skin
- Logo Head
Title by Led Zeppelin - 1969
View from inside a tuk-tuk for a change.
As the title and song suggest, it's time for me to 'ramble on'. Family coming in for a two week stay, then a short time of preparation and Lord willing we will be heading home to America for a two month stay.
I have a few dozen photo's that I want to post before I leave to fill out another photo stream page. Feel free to leave a comment, but I will not have the time to reply so I'm thanking you very much in advance. I plan to do some birding with my youngest son at home so maybe I'll pick it back up there. If not I will be returning with the wonderful birdlife and wildlife of Thailand.
God Bless! All the best to you my friends and 'happy shooting'!
More “Bowie colour vibes” this morning during my stoat in the dark(ish). Getting ever lighter in the mornings, I’m not sure how many more days I have of pre-breakfast rambles in the dark - unless I start getting up at stupid o’clock of course!
Another contemplative ramble through the city cemetary.
Judging by the state of the war in Ukraine, the UK economy, the cossie liv (cost of living as said by Gen Z), that atrocious Sam Smith video , then I guess we’re ready for Gabriel to start his final trumpet blast in preparation for judgment day.
Anyways… Olympus EM1 mk3 and Zuiko 25mm f1.2 … it’s been a while since I shot with the 25mm Zuiko, I’d almost forgotten what a ‘normal’ perspective lens photo looked like
Ramble or Rest
Outwoods, Leicestershire
Flickr: www.flickriver.com/photos/iainmerchant/
Art & Photography: www.theartoflife.gallery
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"We that have done and thought,
That have thought and done,
Must ramble, and thin out
Like milk spilt on a stone."
William Butler Yeats
The first time in days, that I have found time to post a new picture... I miss flickr and I miss all of you, so much catching up to do... work is frentic and I feel like my life has moved on without me.
A great weekend to all of you!!
Back at my neighborhood park, at the overlook, which is the way to get to the trails. The most popular trail is paved, which is why the stroller can go there.
After the paved loop, there are gravel roads you can go along to see the rest of the park. I haven't walked out on those roads for several years, but I am hoping to build back my stamina this fall and winter and go see what's been happening out there in my favorite place.
I grew up here, and long before this was a park, it was my favorite place to ramble. I knew every square inch of the place, and used to take photos with my little Instamatic my father gave to me.