Tacoma
Et incurventur ante non
- Location
- far enough away
So it's like a collector's edition! Print it NOW.
Ok, so I left some time ago. Got stuck ahead of or behind a huge front, that brought tornado action to NE, and wicked huge wind to IA. That sucked. Got to the Corporate Farm, picked up my stuff. Played guitar on a high hill and watched boats sail in Seneca Lake. It was cold as hell here, and it is still cold. I am unhappy about this! It's freakin' May.
I got stuck in my hometown waiting on my tax refund, so I did some drawings under an umbrella of a burnt-up casket factory. I used to live across the street, the very first house I lived in. I was sitting there thinking to myself "DAMNIT! I knew I should have packed my paintbox!!!" Usually I bring it and have zero time to actually use it. And painting is about one million times faster than pen and ink. Argh. Anyway some old, old neighbors of mine came to see who I was and what I was doing and ended up filling me in on some people I knew when I was a kid. That was nice. And no cops came, either, which is really strange. Maybe the equipment in the truck made them think someone was working there.
This building was a huge, red presence in my early life, the main building was 5 stories tall and nestled right up to the edge of the sidewalk. Surrounded by a tall fence, I always wondered what kind of work went on inside.
It was built a long time ago, maybe 1850 or 1860, and was a casket factory until the 20's or so, as far as I can tell. After that it became a paper box factory, which it was until it was closed in the mid-90's, and remained in the Stanton Paper Box Company's possession until maybe 2002. After that it went up for sale. At one point I was curious, so I asked. The selling price for this enormous complex of buildings, some warehouses, and the 3 acres was $280k, not a lot of money for what you'd get. Anyway, some guy bought it after a few years, and in September his grandson was paid, by him, to burn it down. Luckily, the fire doors (amusingly, built by "The Door Company" in Syracuse NY) did their job, and only the main tower burned. The annexes and warehouses are mostly intact.
That bummed me right out, but at least something was left for me to take pictures of. Hopefully they'll leave the annexes up and reuse them.
After spending too much time at home and watching a lot of TV I went back to Corporate HQ for some money and dinner. I chased a large buck on the ATV, during which time I nearly killed myself by running into a ditch hidden in the tall grass and milkweed. Luckily, I did NOT kill myself, instead, I had just enough time to lean back and goose the gas. Still pounded the front end into the other side and rode a bit of a nose wheelie.
Last night I was in Olean and Jamestown NY, two super-sh*tty towns I don't want anything to do with. But they do have 24hr McDonalds, which is like heaven when you're dying of hunger. And Olean was the last place I traveled to as a destination before I left NY for UT, for the 1996 Racoon Rally in Alleghany State Park. I raced the men's downhill, long cross country (32mi), and the slalom. I nearly hit a deer in that race, as mountain bikes are quiet if you're a deer crashing down a hill across the trail and the biker is off the brakes and cruising full blast..... but I digress. I will say that 6" at 40mph is close. Anyway.
Tonight I am in Erie PA, which might be a swell town. I've never bothered to explore it. I intend to on my way home, IF I go this way. Presque Isle is here, and that's supposed to be kind of nice.
Tomorrow I will end up in Pittsburgh if all goes well. It may not! It's a long way off and this 454 is tired. But so far, no valve purchases. I have a healthy chunk of oak next to me to knock on.
Until then, I am off to buy some sushi at the best supermarket in the northeast, the fine Wegman's. Bob Wegman, the titular founder of said supersmarket, passed away recently, and all his stores have a nice portrait of him hanging in their nice entryways.
I bid you all a farewell!
Ok, so I left some time ago. Got stuck ahead of or behind a huge front, that brought tornado action to NE, and wicked huge wind to IA. That sucked. Got to the Corporate Farm, picked up my stuff. Played guitar on a high hill and watched boats sail in Seneca Lake. It was cold as hell here, and it is still cold. I am unhappy about this! It's freakin' May.
I got stuck in my hometown waiting on my tax refund, so I did some drawings under an umbrella of a burnt-up casket factory. I used to live across the street, the very first house I lived in. I was sitting there thinking to myself "DAMNIT! I knew I should have packed my paintbox!!!" Usually I bring it and have zero time to actually use it. And painting is about one million times faster than pen and ink. Argh. Anyway some old, old neighbors of mine came to see who I was and what I was doing and ended up filling me in on some people I knew when I was a kid. That was nice. And no cops came, either, which is really strange. Maybe the equipment in the truck made them think someone was working there.
This building was a huge, red presence in my early life, the main building was 5 stories tall and nestled right up to the edge of the sidewalk. Surrounded by a tall fence, I always wondered what kind of work went on inside.
It was built a long time ago, maybe 1850 or 1860, and was a casket factory until the 20's or so, as far as I can tell. After that it became a paper box factory, which it was until it was closed in the mid-90's, and remained in the Stanton Paper Box Company's possession until maybe 2002. After that it went up for sale. At one point I was curious, so I asked. The selling price for this enormous complex of buildings, some warehouses, and the 3 acres was $280k, not a lot of money for what you'd get. Anyway, some guy bought it after a few years, and in September his grandson was paid, by him, to burn it down. Luckily, the fire doors (amusingly, built by "The Door Company" in Syracuse NY) did their job, and only the main tower burned. The annexes and warehouses are mostly intact.
That bummed me right out, but at least something was left for me to take pictures of. Hopefully they'll leave the annexes up and reuse them.
After spending too much time at home and watching a lot of TV I went back to Corporate HQ for some money and dinner. I chased a large buck on the ATV, during which time I nearly killed myself by running into a ditch hidden in the tall grass and milkweed. Luckily, I did NOT kill myself, instead, I had just enough time to lean back and goose the gas. Still pounded the front end into the other side and rode a bit of a nose wheelie.
Last night I was in Olean and Jamestown NY, two super-sh*tty towns I don't want anything to do with. But they do have 24hr McDonalds, which is like heaven when you're dying of hunger. And Olean was the last place I traveled to as a destination before I left NY for UT, for the 1996 Racoon Rally in Alleghany State Park. I raced the men's downhill, long cross country (32mi), and the slalom. I nearly hit a deer in that race, as mountain bikes are quiet if you're a deer crashing down a hill across the trail and the biker is off the brakes and cruising full blast..... but I digress. I will say that 6" at 40mph is close. Anyway.
Tonight I am in Erie PA, which might be a swell town. I've never bothered to explore it. I intend to on my way home, IF I go this way. Presque Isle is here, and that's supposed to be kind of nice.
Tomorrow I will end up in Pittsburgh if all goes well. It may not! It's a long way off and this 454 is tired. But so far, no valve purchases. I have a healthy chunk of oak next to me to knock on.
Until then, I am off to buy some sushi at the best supermarket in the northeast, the fine Wegman's. Bob Wegman, the titular founder of said supersmarket, passed away recently, and all his stores have a nice portrait of him hanging in their nice entryways.
I bid you all a farewell!
