All posts by Tom Dills

Things We See

January 5, 2022 Tom Dills 10 Comments

Gridwork on the canopy of the Solarium area of Harmony of the Seas

When we travel I seldom go anywhere without my camera. Even in our hotel at breakfast I sometimes manage to find some interesting things to aim my camera at. One morning on our recent cruise I walked around the ship, looking for interesting little scenes. The car I posted at Christmas was an obvious subject, but sometimes it is the not-so-obvious things that make the most interesting photographs. I’m often aware of people looking at me and wondering what I am taking a picture of. Sometimes they ask.

The Daytona, Autograph Collection hotel in The Shops at One Daytona, Daytona Beach, Florida

Zoltar. Boardwalk on Harmony of the Seas

Random Thoughts

A Very Good Year, All In All

December 31, 2021 Tom Dills 4 Comments

Welcome to Texas (Kathy’s Photo – I was driving!)

I know not everyone is able to share this sentiment, but from my perspective, 2021 was actually quite a fantastic year. I admit that we were quite fortunate to have not faced a lot of the trials that impacted others. Luck, circumstance, perspective and attitude make a huge difference, of course, as do flexibility and acceptance. Kathy & I are happy, positive people with a good outlook on life, a sense of adventure, and it doesn’t take a lot to make us happy.

Evening light at Sandy Bay in Rockport, Massachusetts

What matters to us most are three things: (1) are we healthy?, (2) are our family and friends healthy and safe? and (3) can we pay the bills? The first two have gotten a little complicated lately, but we deal. The “New Normal?” Nah, that’s just Life. And in the words of (Dean Kay and Kelly Gordon made famous by) Mr. Sinatra, “as funny as it may seem, some people get their kicks stompin’ on a dream. But I don’t let it, let it get me down ’cause this fine old world, it keeps spinnin’ around.”

The town of Oatman, Arizona is famous for its wild burros (and tourists) roaming the streets. A Route 66 attraction.

This is not intended to be a political or philosophical post, but I think what gets a lot of people down is that they pay too much attention to shit that doesn’t affect them. Kathy & I remain peripherally aware of current events, just enough to know what big things are happening in the world. We spend very little time on (anti)social media, stay mindfully aware of and avoid the hysteria boobytraps that lurk there. Yes, we’re aware of all the boogeymen (and boogeywomen?) out there, but for the most part the idiot politicians, celebrities and bazillionaires (real and imagined) have very little direct impact on our life or our happiness. And hand wringing about things that are out of our control is pretty much pointless. Play on!

The Motel Safari on Historic Route 66 in Tucumcari, New Mexico

We’ve traveled, mindfully and – where necessary – carefully. We drove over 22,000 miles, visited 12 new states, met some new friends and caught up with some long-time friends. We even took our first cruise in nearly 2 years. And I took over 16,000 photos – not quite as much as 2000 but almost! Some of the precautions and protocols inspire a forehead slap or an eye roll. But if it needs to be done to do what we want to do? Roll with it and move on. Complaining about it just makes you look like another idiot – not the image we want to present to the world.

The Blue Swallow Motel on Historic Route 66 in Tucumcari, New Mexico

So anyway, I took some photos. I don’t generally feel the need for a “My Year In Review” retrospective, but it is sometimes interesting to go back and look at what I saw and aimed my camera at. I don’t try to a “Best Of” or even a “Favorites” post, because as we discussed on Joe’s Blog a few weeks ago, the selections tend to change every time we look. I’ve long contended that for most people the quality of the memory is more important than the technical quality of the photograph. Which is why you see so many cell-phone-out-of-car-window photos, selfie sticks and other various head scratchers.

The “Cadillac Ranch” near Amarillo, Texas on Historic Route 66

I chose a group of photos that show my year. I didn’t even limit them to 21 (as in the year 2021). Some of them are pretty good technically, some of them might even be OK artistically. But mostly they say, I was here and this is what I did/saw/felt/experienced. And ultimately it doesn’t get a lot better than that.

Kathy & I send our sincerest wishes to everyone for a healthy, happy, amazing and fulfilling 2022!

Night time in Rockport Harbor in Rockport, Massachusetts. Pardon the noise – ISO 12,800!

Our first view of the rocky Maine coast on Dyer Point near Cape Elizabeth, Maine

The Maine coast off Ocean Point near East Boothbay, Maine

Pemaquid Point Lighthouse near Bristol, Maine.

Waiting for sunrise atop Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park, Maine

Fall foliage along SR 112 near North Woodstock, New Hampshire. In White Mountains National Forest

Freezing conditions at the top of Mount Washington, New Hampshire

“Welcome to Roswell” art installation. Roswell, New Mexico

Prada Marfa is a permanent sculptural art installation by artists Elmgreen and Dragset, located 1.4 miles northwest of Valentine, Texas, just off U.S. Highway 90, and about 26 miles northwest of the city of Marfa. The installation, in the form of a freestanding building—specifically a Prada storefront—was inaugurated on October 1, 2005. The artists described the work as a “pop architectural land art project.”

Quoddy Head Lighthouse in Maine, at the Easternmost Point in the continental US

The Very Large Array at the
National Radio Astronomy Observatory near Socorro, New Mexico

Titan Missle Museum near Tucson, Arizona

Mirror Lake Inn in Lake Placid, New York

The George Eastman Museum in Rochester, New York, on the estate of George Eastman

Saguaro National Park near Tucson, Arizona

Casa Grande Ruins National Monument near Coolidge, Arizona

Hoover Dam from the
Mike O’Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge
over the Colorado River in Nevada

Nassau Harbour Lighthouse at the entrance to the harbor in Nassau, Bahamas

Hackberry General Store along Historic Route 66 in Hackberry, Arizona

Burma Shave sign along Historic Route 66 approaching Seligman, Arizona

My very first view of the Grand Canyon. From Grand Canyon Village near the El Tovar Hotel, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

Desert View Watchtower area of Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

The Lawrence Lowell Telescope, which was used to discover the planet Pluto at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument in Arizona

Wukoki Pueblo at Wupatki National Monument in Arizona

Twin Arrows, an abandoned roadside trading post located along I-40 in Arizona between Flagstaff and Winslow

Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona

Riding the Sandia Peak Tramway to an elevation of 10,378 feet.

Christ of the Ozarks statue in Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Sunrise on the beach on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

The Narragansett Towers along Ocean Street in Narragansett, Rhode Island

Morning along the river in Mystic, Connecticut

Historic submarine “USS Nautilus” at the Submarine Force Library and Museum in Groton, Connecticut

Map of US-60 through the Salt River Canyon between Show Low and Globe, Arizona

Postcards

Merry Christmas!

December 25, 2021 Tom Dills 4 Comments

Christmas tree lights aboard Harmony of the Seas

Kathy & I hope everyone has a joyful holiday. Best wishes to all!

Travel

Cars On Cruise Ships

December 23, 2021 Tom Dills 6 Comments

Jaguar XK120 in the Royal Promenade of Harmony of the Seas

Many of the larger Royal Caribbean ships have an inside area known as the ‘Royal Promenade.’ It’s actually an indoor space lined with shops, restaurants and bars. Often there is a British pub, and to go with that theme there is usually a sports car parked somewhere along the way. Such was the case on Harmony of the Seas.

If my research is correct, this is either a 1954-ish Jaguar XK-120 or a really nice replica. In the “correct” color, too! 🙂 It seemed to be missing some key components, such as door handles and a license plate holder, and I couldn’t tell if there was a motor in it or not. And of course the cockpit was filled with Christmas presents so I couldn’t check out the interior! It may be a replica but was still a pretty sweet car. You could keep all those boxes and give me the car, and that would make for a pretty nice Christmas gift! 🙂

Travel

Out Of This World: Kennedy Space Center

December 22, 2021 Tom Dills

United States Astronaut Hall of Fame and Heroes and Legends Exhibit Hall at Kennedy Space Center on Cape Canaveral, Florida

It had probably been 30 or so years since we last visited Kennedy Space Center, and wow have things changed there. Whenever it was, the shuttles were still flying and the visitor center consisted of just a few buildings with basic exhibits and some people in space suits walking around.

Since then, the facilities have been expanded greatly. KSC has gotten their own space shuttle – Atlantis – housed in an amazing building complete with a shuttle launch simulator, replica of the Hubble telescope and play area for kids. It’s a real multimedia attraction and very popular. After watching an introductory video on a nearly 360 degree screen, the screen opens to “reveal” Atlantis in her in-orbit configuration, complete with open cargo bay doors and robotic arm extended.

Space Shuttle Atlantis Exhibit at Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida

Hubble Space Telescope replica at the Atlantis Exhibit at Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida

For me the highlight, other than Atlantis, was the Apollo/Saturn V Center, dedicated to the race to the moon in the 70s. The Apollo era was the height of my space geekness, having been a little young for the Mercury era, interested and impressed by the Gemini period then fully engrossed during the Apollo era. For some reason I don’t remember much about Apollo 13 but do remember the Christmas greetings from Apollo 8 and staying up all night to watch Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon. And the Apollo/Saturn V Center captures that history in all its glory.

Saturn V Rocket at the Apollo/Saturn V Center at Kennedy Space Center on Cape Canaveral, Florida

Apollo 8 Firing Room at the Apollo/Saturn V Center at Kennedy Space Center on Cape Canaveral, Florida

Apollo 14 capsule on display at the Apollo/Saturn V Center at Kennedy Space Center on Cape Canaveral, Florida

Getting to the Apollo/Saturn V Center requires a bus ride with reservations required but not available to make until you are on site. We arrived early enough to get an early time, spent several hours there including lunch, then returned to the main part of the center to visit Atlantis and the Heroes and Legends exhibit which includes the Astronaut Hall of Fame. The bus ride goes past the humongus Vehicle Assembly Building, where the Saturn V rockets and the space shuttles were assembled and which is still used today.

Friendship 7 (John Glenn) control room at Heroes and Legends Exhibit Hall at Kennedy Space Center on Cape Canaveral, Florida

We spent the better part of the day at the space center and barely had time to see everything. In fact, we didn’t get to the IMAX movie or several of the smaller exhibits. They recommend two days for a visit, which may be a bit much for most, but I could see it. It is definitely worth the time for anyone passing through the area.

After the space center it was on to Port Canaveral for a night before our cruise!

I’ve added a gallery of more photos from Kennedy Space Center on my Adobe Portfolio website.

Travel

Back At Sea!

December 20, 2021 Tom Dills

Sky Princess departing Cozumel, Mexico at sunset

Kathy & I spent last week on our first cruise in nearly 2 years, aboard Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas out of Port Canaveral. It felt good to get back on the water and we had a great time.

There has been a lot of sensationalistic reporting in the media about cruising, with much hype around the occasional rare but real report of some kind of outbreak. Covid is only the latest hand-wringer. I’ve said for years that cruise ships have been among the cleanest places we’ve visited. They have always been very vigilant about cleaning in an effort to reduce the spread of all kinds of passenger-borne bugs. A report of an outbreak of any kind is fresh meat for a media looking for anything to wring their hands over. Yes, it happens. But relax. It was fun. Yes, we had to take a Covid test before we left home. Yes, we had to wear a mask on occasion. But we have to do that at home anyway, and it was a lot warmer in Cozumel than it is back here in NC! 😉

We paid a visit to Kennedy Space Center before the cruise. I took a few photos and will have more to share over the next few days.

Photo Project: 50 States

A Treasure Trove Of Memories

December 8, 2021 Tom Dills 8 Comments

The Vermont Toy Museum, located in Quechee Village, Vermont

As promised in a previous post, here is a selection of my photos from the Vermont Toy Museum in Quechee Gorge Village near Hartford, Vermont. The museum’s website is down, possibly due to the recent AWS issues, but I got the following from Atlas Obscura:

Nestled above a charming general store near the Quechee Gorge, the Vermont Toy Museum’s vast collection of dolls, action figures, lunchboxes, yo-yos, and matchbox cars is a hidden treasure right off the White River Junction. Around 100,000 toys are housed inside the museum.

The museum’s items largely came from members of the local community. They were collected and compiled decade-by-decade, which displays the evolution of toys and games from the 1950s to the present day. Though it’s unknown who operates and maintains the museum, it’s closely watched by the employees at the downstairs Cabot Cheese Store and the antique mall next door.

The museum also houses an intricate model train exhibit that takes visitors through the four seasons of the Green Mountain state for only a quarter. This museum’s tireless attention to detail, nostalgia, and cozy atmosphere make it a must-see for travelers on Route 4.

It was a fun visit. A place we might have spent a lot more time, but just like the camera museum in Staunton, Virginia, there is only so much time…. 😉 As it was, we spent a lot of time saying things like, “I had that!” or “I remember those” or “the kids had these.” Fun stuff!

Almost forgot! I have completed processing my photos from our New England trip and have posted them on my Adobe Portfolio site.

Photo Project: 50 States

State Number 49: New York

December 7, 2021 Tom Dills 2 Comments

Growing up in western Pennsylvania, I had actually visited New York many times prior to this most recent trip. I went to Peek’n Peek to ski, visited Buffalo, Corning, Watkins Glen, Troy and even Lake Placid. But those visits were all before I started getting serious about photography, and many of them, including Lake Placid, were Before Kathy, and I wanted to take her there. While I had some photos that would have worked – they’re our rules, after all! – we decided that another swing through the state would be the right way to do it. Plus we wanted to visit the Finger Lakes.

Departing Burlington, we swung around the south shore of Lake Champlain, crossing into New York near the town of Moriah. Moriah’s claim to fame is as the home of Johnny Podres, 1955 World Series MVP for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Your trivia for the day. 😉 The rain and fog were still with us, but as we drove north and west the skies finally began to clear.

Lake Placid Olympic Ski Jumping Complex in Lake Placid, New York

Our first destination was Lake Placid, and we arrived there in time for a late breakfast and a few photos of the fall color on the lake. We didn’t stay long, since we had a long day ahead and didn’t want to linger at the beginning. Also, the town was in the process of some major road work in town. Main Street was torn up and loaded with piles of dirt, rocks and road equipment, rendering the normally picturesque town pretty rough looking. Another technicality is that the lake in town is actually Mirror Lake, and that Lake Placid is out of town to the north. We did stop to see the Olympic ski jumping site on our way into town, but didn’t try to take a tour.

Reflection of fall color on the Raquette River on SR 3 near Piercefield, New York

Leaving Lake Placid and heading west through Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake, we crossed a bridge over the Raquette River near Piercefield and were greeted with a lovely park overlooking the river, complete with still water reflecting the fall color of the trees along the riverbank. The skies were clearing but still mostly cloudy, providing us with ideal conditions for photos. It made for one of those unplanned stops we were glad to have taken the time for.

Morning on Seneca Lake at Plum Point Lodge near Himrod, New York

The Glenn H Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport, New York

Our ultimate destination was a lodge on the west shore of Seneca Lake, one of the Finger Lakes and central to the Finger Lakes wine region. I had a chance to do a little early photography before heading out to explore the area attractions. We visited three wineries, bought souvenirs at two of them, visited a distillery and the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum in Hammondsport. We took a boat cruise on Saranac Lake out of Watkins Glen. That was the seventh boat cruise of our trip – do you get the feeling we like boat cruises? 🙂

One of our days there was dedicated to a drive to Rochester, where we visited the George Eastman Museum and, most importantly, met up with two of our long-time photo buddies Paul Maxim and Ken Bello. We had lunch with them and Ken’s wife before driving along the shore of Lake Ontario through Webster (Where Life Is Worth Living) and ultimately returning to our lodge.

Sodus Bay Lighthouse on the shore of Lake Ontario at Sodus Point, New York

New York made for our 49th state visited. Number 50 is Hawaii, and we have plans to visit there in February. After that? We’ll have to see, but there is a lot more of this country we want to see, we have friends to visit all over, and we might want to see a little bit more of the world. 🙂

Heron Hill Winery near Hammondsport, New York

Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery near Hammondsport, New York

Atwater Winery near Watkins Glen, New York

Finger Lakes Distilling Tasting Room near Watkins Glen, New York

Hector Falls along SR 414 near Watkins Glen, New York

Village Marina on the south short of Seneca Lake in Watkins Glen, New York

The Schooner “True Love” sailing on Seneca Lake, New York

The US Salt plant on Seneca Lake, New York from aboard Seneca Spirit with Captain Bill’s Cruises

Photo Project: 50 States

No, We Didn’t See Bernie – But We Saw Vermont

December 5, 2021 Tom Dills 2 Comments

There’s no question we didn’t spend enough time in Vermont. Even if it hadn’t rained most of the time we were there, it would not have been enough. But what a beautiful state!

The King Arthur Baking Company store in Norwich, Vermont

Our first stop after crossing the VT-NH state line was the King Arthur Baking Company in Norwich. We’re not bakers but know the name, and since it was on the way we thought we’d check it out. I guess if you are into making breads and cakes from scratch, this would be your Mecca. From what I could tell they have a little bit of everything in the store, including seemingly dozens of types of flour, pans, mixers, storage containers, you name it. Like a camera store for bakers! There is a cafe on site where they serve products that are made in-house, and there is a cooking school where you can learn to make lots of yummy things – after buying all of the proper equipment and ingredients, of course!

Vermont Spirits Distillery at Quechee Gorge Village in Hartford, Vermont

Quechee Covered Bridge in Hartford, Vermont

Next we stopped at a place called Quechee Village, and visited the Vermont Toy Museum (what a place – I’ll do a separate post) and Vermont Spirits Distilling Company. Of course we brought home souvenirs. Then it was on to Sugarbush Farm, a working maple syrup and cheese making farm near Woodstock, where we sampled and purchased some of their products. After that we visited The New England Maple Museum in Pittsford.

Sugarbush Farm, a maple syrup and Vermont cheese producer in Woodstock, Vermont

We spent most of our time in Burlington, which was essentially only one day since we got there late and were only staying two nights. But we crammed as much as possible into one day, visiting Ben & Jerry’s, taking a boat cruise on Lake Champlain, and exploring the town. After a nice dinner at an Irish pub, we headed back to our motel to prepare for the drive to New York.

The New England Maple Museum in Pittsford, Vermont

Cruise on Lake Champlain on the Spirit of Ethan Allen III out of Burlington, Vermont

One of two lighthouses on the breakwater at the entrance to the harbor in Burlington, Vermont

Burlington, Vermont from aboard the Spirit of Ethan Allen III

Photography

Passing Through New Hampshire

December 4, 2021 Tom Dills 4 Comments

We were somewhat disappointed with our time in both New Hampshire and Vermont, but it wasn’t the states’ fault. A low pressure system decided to visit about the same time we did, and other than a little sun at the beginning, it was mostly rain, fog and general cuck the entire time we were there.

The Airfield Cafe Restaurant in North Hampton, New Hampshire

Our first visit to New Hampshire actually occurred when we passed through the twenty-ish mile strip of the state that sits along the coast between Massachusetts and Maine. We stopped for breakfast at The Airport Cafe in North Hampton, which as you would guess, is a cafe at a small airport. One of the highlights there is a track attached to the ceiling that carries a parade of model aircraft around the restaurant, much like you would see a train running in some place. It was very clever, and from what little I know about conveyor systems, appeared to be very well designed. If you ever go there, I recommend the Cinnamon Streusel French Toast. Sugar coma on a plate! 🙂

Whittier Covered Bridge in Ossipee, New Hampshire

Swift River Covered Bridge in Conway, New Hampshire

Saco River Covered Bridge in Conway, New Hampshire

After all of the lighthouses on the coast, it was nice to see something different: COVERED BRIDGES! We had identified a number of them along our drive from Asticou to North Conway, where we had arranged to spend a couple of nights. We visited bridges in or near the towns of Ossipee and Conway (Conway has at least three!).

Boarding area for the Mount Washington Cog Railway in New Hampshire

Trains awaiting departure from the base station of the Mount Washington Cog Railway

The highlight of our New Hampshire visit was a ride on the Mount Washington Cog Railway, to the top of Mount Washington. When we woke up that morning, it was about 40 degrees and starting to rain. When we got to the parking area for the railway base station, it was 35 degrees and raining harder. We brought everything we could bring to try and keep warm, and it was just barely doing the job.

As we approached the top of the mountain, the rain was turning to snow and sleet, and at the top it was about 31 degrees in fog and a wintry mix with a 40-50 mph wind. Everything was covered in ice, including the ground, railings and walkways. Yikes!

We first went into the visitor center to get our bearings, then decided to try and find the actual summit. We went out on to an “observation deck” where the only thing you could observe were the ice-covered viewing machines! Finallly, through the fog we could see people climbing up some rocks about 20 yards from us and realized that must be the summit. So carefully made our way up, slipping and sliding as we went. The cool part was that everyone was helping each other, lending a hand or a boost when necessary. A couple in front of us was taking turns taking each others’ photo with their phone, and when I offered to take a photo of the two of them, they readily accepted. I then handed my camera to them and they shot a few of us. I was a little nervous handing my camera over in those slippery conditions, but it turned out fine. Other than getting a little wet from the snow and feeling like we were getting blown off the mountain, it was truly a memorable experience!

Trains awaiting departure from the top station of the Mount Washington Cog Railway

At the summit of Mount Washington, New Hampshire – 6,288 feet. 30 degrees, 40 mph wind and blowing freezing rain!

After returning to our car, we then explored the area, looking for photographs in the fog and rain. We then drove a portion the fabled Kancamagus Highway, but of course couldn’t see the views that make it so famous! That night, tired and chilled after an eventful day, we opted to have dinner in our motel room, stopping at a grocery store for meat, cheese, olives and wine. 🙂