Northern Ohio Gathering, Fall of 2008, Cuyahoga Valley National Park

[Lee L]

Latest ODNR colors report

John et al,

Looks like this weekend is good timing. The new ODNR report is here: Dead Link Removed

Looks like I might be able to do Sat and Sun. Probably will sleep at home overnight, but with the earlier sunsets, could certainly do dinner with the group.

I may or may not have a cell phone, but wouldn't mind meeting up with folks for shooting before we converge in the evenings if that can be worked out.

Lee

(John, on your local ramblings this week, where are the most interesting grays? )

 

[jp80874]

Jeff and Eva just asked about the cheap motel about a mile away. I think it was $40 a night, but ask the motel. It could be a little chilly and damp in a tent this weekend, to say nothing of a shower and bathroom. I know you guys are all macho and tough. My father traveled all his career and was a room service kinda guy. I was 26 and a combat engineer in the Army before I went camping. Want a bathroom? Flip a coin, C-4 explosive or D-9 bulldozer.

Ohio Motel
2250 Cleveland-Massillion Rd.
Bath, OH 44210
tel: 330-659-9999

In case you didn't see it when you were here, they are roughly half a mile south of Everett Rd. (our road) on the north south road that changes names from Brecksville Rd. to Cleveland Massillon Rd.. They are on the west side of that road.

I don't want no stinking, leaky, crabby people yelling at me when I pour coffee for the 9 AM gathering.

John

 

[Lee L]

I don't want no stinking, leaky, crabby people yelling at me when I pour coffee for the 9 AM gathering.

John

Can we sit upwind on a tarp and be quietly sullen?

Lee

 

[jp80874]

(John, on your local ramblings this week, where are the most interesting grays? )

Fields of Gray. I was south of Barberton, OH at one of the five PPG Lime Lakes on the Ohio & Erie Canal. As I understand it PPG made soda ash for thirty + years. A ton of product yielded 1.5 tons of lime slurry waste. In pre EPA days they would let the water evaporate in these settling lakes. One completely filled over the canal for miles. Now with a little encouragement from the government, they are mixing lime with purchased waste water sludge to make lovely fields of green trees and grass.

Today it is a gray white moonscape with huge dump trucks they call Floaters. A Floater has six, ten foot high by four foot wide tires and all wheel drive. The truck's huge dump bed is filled with three scoops from a modern version of a steam shovel and it all gets mixed, I think with graders, though I didn’t see that part. The 7x17 negatives, over exposed and underdeveloped to get detail of three trucks and a shovel, contrasted with the moonscape, are simply amazing.

Dolly says the maple leaves look good also.

John

 

[jp80874]

Can we sit upwind on a tarp and be quietly sullen?

Lee

I want to see either of us be quietly anything.

 

[jp80874]

There is a current thread on the LF Forum about your experience with the worst camera ever. If it rains we might go to the grocery store and make up a batch of these. I scared the dogs I laughed so hard.

“A pinhole camera I made from a frozen turkey--baaaad idea!”
John Kasaian

 

[Lee L]

I want to see either of us be quietly anything.

Which reminds me... should we start discussing what to do about Saturday evening dinner now?

Anyone up for a meatloaf pinhole camera?

Lee

 

[Jeff Bannow]

Which reminds me... should we start discussing what to do about Saturday evening dinner now?

Anyone up for a meatloaf pinhole camera?

Lee

My vote is for Country Maid - one of the cones should make a nice pinhole after I empty it out.

 

[jp80874]

None of the restaurants we went to last time have specifically called and said, “do not under any circumstance bring that horde of roughians back here again”. But then, I only made reservations using my last name and without a phone number. This may not be conclusive, but those options seem to exist.

Once we finally made up our minds, two hours, I did enjoy having you all here at the table with pizza to talk. It was a little close, but not as many are coming this time. The conversation was great and could be heard by all, unlike some of the restaurants. I would only suggest we add a salad to the pizzas or at least a veggie pizza. What say ye?

John

 

[Jeff Bannow]

None of the restaurants we went to last time have specifically called and said, “do not under any circumstance bring that horde of roughians back here again”. But then, I only made reservations using my last name and without a phone number. This may not be conclusive, but those options seem to exist.

Once we finally made up our minds, two hours, I did enjoy having you all here at the table with pizza to talk. It was a little close, but not as many are coming this time. The conversation was great and could be heard by all, unlike some of the restaurants. I would only suggest we add a salad to the pizzas or at least a veggie pizza. What say ye?

John

Well, pizza is no ice cream, but I suppose this would do.

But what is this veggie thing you are talking about?

 

[ic-racer]

I had been admiring Ray Mortenson's book "Meadowlands" and thought that Cleveland had a little wasteland just like New Jersey. Today I made a trek north up the canal to the steelyard. Looks like there have been a lot of changes in the last year or so. Not only have the steelyards been somewhat domesticated by the presence of a shopping mall (aptly called "Steeyard") there also is comfortable parking and a paved general purpose path between the shopping center and the real steelyard. There were signs posted indicating they were working on running the Cuyahoga Valley train to a stop at the steelyard shopping center. It will probably take me a lifetime to fully explore that area.

 

[Lee L]

Well, pizza is no ice cream, but I suppose this would do.

But what is this veggie thing you are talking about?

We'll call Country Maid and have them make up a special broccoli and cauliflower ice cream pizza to go with the Hawaiian.

Vegetables are often used to grow meat.

Lee

 

[jp80874]

Well, pizza is no ice cream, but I suppose this would do.

But what is this veggie thing you are talking about?

It is insidious. First we start with a carrot, a cucumber, maybe even a tomato. Then we start walking, maybe a quarter mile at first. Then you get Labradors, maybe Greyhounds. The girls and I do 10-12 miles a week. Pretty soon you can have ice cream without it killing you.

 

[jp80874]

I had been admiring Ray Mortenson's book "Meadowlands" and thought that Cleveland had a little wasteland just like New Jersey. Today I made a trek north up the canal to the steelyard. Looks like there have been a lot of changes in the last year or so. Not only have the steelyards been somewhat domesticated by the presence of a shopping mall (aptly called "Steeyard") there also is comfortable parking and a paved general purpose path between the shopping center and the real steelyard. There were signs posted indicating they were working on running the Cuyahoga Valley train to a stop at the steelyard shopping center. It will probably take me a lifetime to fully explore that area.

Is this connected to the Canal Towpath? That runs up to Harvard Denison now and will be going north from there soon. I have been shooting there in Cuyahoga Heights for the show. If this is not what your talking about, let me know. I volunteer to join you. In that area it feels really good to have another set of eyes, to take turns under the dark cloth, watch each other’s back.

John

 

[Jeff Bannow]

Vegetables are often used to grow meat.

Lee

Ahhh .... now I understand ...

 

[Lee L]

Jeff,

If we finish off all the ice cream at Country Maid, I'll try to work up a demo on how to track, kill, and field dress a mousse. The chocolate ones are my favorite.

Lee

 

[jp80874]

Looking about this Friday morning I would say this weekend is going to be it. The leaves are starting to drop from the big maple west of the house. In the body of the tree they are still abundantly there, but at the top it is rather sparse. I am familiar with that concept.

Dorothy and Bethe, I do not know if you are planning to come. Both have expressed doubt for different reasons. Let me know if I should be here to expect you at any particular time.

Do I understand that all others are coming Saturday rather than today Friday? I just don’t want you to show up wondering where I am.

John

 

[jp80874]

Since we have some arriving early Saturday and others arriving late, let me suggest that we have a 9 AM meeting of those here to plan our adventure. Lee suggested we meet again at Fishers restaurant in Peninsula at 1 PM. Those that want to arrive early can have lunch together. My guess is the restaurant will be packed with leaf lookers, so be early for lunch.

In the afternoon if you want I can lead you around the Peninsula area mentioned earlier (swamp, river, gorge, locks, etc.). Later maybe 4-5 PM, I would like to take you to Sylvan pond, the reflective, usually windless pond, surrounded with leafy trees. It was spectacular a week ago. It has to be better Saturday. It is a half mile walk in though for those who find that a problem.

That will mean we will be late for the 5 PM gathering at our house. If we are all together we can pick up pizza and salad on the way home. I don’t believe that you can get to Country Maid from there. The road is under destruction.

 

[winger]

As much as I want to be there, I'm not going to make it. We're leaving early Sunday for Costa Rica. I guess this fall is mostly a bust for me since I seem to be leaving during peak for most places. Oh well. I hope you guys have blast and get some great shots! I still have to get back over there sometime - does Country Maid stay open in the winter?

 

[Jeff Bannow]

I don’t believe that you can get to Country Maid from there. The road is under destruction.

I don't mind walking if necessary - one has to make sacrifices.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

We're leaving early Sunday for Costa Rica.

I think that may prove more photographically interesting than Ohio ...

 

[jp80874]

As much as I want to be there, I'm not going to make it. We're leaving early Sunday for Costa Rica. I guess this fall is mostly a bust for me since I seem to be leaving during peak for most places. Oh well. I hope you guys have blast and get some great shots! I still have to get back over there sometime - does Country Maid stay open in the winter?

Have a wonderful time. We will miss you. The welcome mat is always out here, but I can't say the same for Country Maid. They close up when business tapers off. They may have a sign in the window saying they are open to some hour, but the door is locked and Jeff's tongue is hanging out.

John

 

[jp80874]

The girls and I hiked to Sylvan pond and much further this AM. Even to my eyes the trees were amazing, reds, yellows, greens and bare. Even on a gray day the pond reflections were full of color and I only see 15% of it. Savannah, the eleven year old, disapperaed on the trail, which is unusual. While I was looking around where she had dropped her log, a hiker came along, asked if I was missing another one like Cindy? Savannah knew exactly where we were in the woods and had gone on to the pond. She was swimming and having a ball while I was looking for her body slumped over a bush in the woods a quarter mile a way. when I got there she was doing the back stroke, legs in the air, stick in the mouth. Who needs John to throw a stick? That's my girls.

 

[winger]

Throw a few extra sticks for the girls for me! Savannah is soo funny and smart. I'll think of you while I'm sipping something with a little umbrella in it.

 

[Shawn Dougherty]

Doesn't look like I'm going to make it.... Dad is doing fine and there are no health issues in the way, BUT, he said he would like to go for a drive to look at the fall leaves in the northern part of PA where he used to stomp around. He's 86 and very hard to say no too! Sorry to miss you all.

John Powers and Jeff Bannow,
Jeff and I are exchanging prints. Is it ok if Jeff leaves his print with you? I'll be over that way for sure in the next month so I could pick it up and save Jeff the shipping... Let us know if you're ok with that, John? I work at a place that ships various prints 6 days a week so it's not problem for me to get you mine, Jeff.

Again, sorry to miss everyone. Have fun. All the best. Shawn