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Aug. 8th, 2010 07:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stormdogIt feels so good to be coming up on Sunday evening and knowing that my span away from work is just beginning.
Moira and I had a marvelous time at the Wisconsin state fair. We looked at the jewelery she entered (no comments as to how that went for her as that's her story to tell) and the photography winners. There were some really nice photo entries, and the first place winners were definitely better than my stuff. But I think that, were I to put in some entries, I might have a chance at winning some lesser prizes. I'm going to get organized and enter next year.
After that, we wandered around the grounds 'till damn near midnight. We explored the midway, looking at rides and games and snake-bodied women. We bought awesome food and I had beignets for the first time. I'd been curious about them for years and years, ever since watching my mom play Gabriel Knight on the computer. I had no idea what they were, but I saw the sign and was ready to sign up. We bought each other other nummies, and I got her to try the super potato sack slide and we drank, between us, five glasses of twenty-five cent milk and just had a great, simple, silly time together. Thanks so much Moira for inviting me along. I'm still smiling as I think about it.
I stayed with her in Racine and left around eight in the morning for Manitowoc. I got there about eleven I think, and took a few photos of the town, which seems to be in a state of decline. Much was abandoned and in decay. A movie theatre I was photographing looked abandoned until I pressed my lens against the glass and saw someone behind the concession counter looking at me. I shot some neat old buildings, including one that clearly predated World War II as it has swastikas as design elements in the facade. That was pretty neat.
I lined up my car with all the others down at the ferry dock and photographed the SS Badger as she made her way to shore. The smoke whirling out of her stack was fantastic; I was looking at a real coal-burning machine! She blew her tremendous horn as she slid into the harbor and everyone looked up at her as she got bigger and bigger. Finally, she was in the harbor, dropping her anchor as crew tied off mooring lines and locked her aft end to the dock. Finally, crew began driving car after car off the boat and onto shore. At least a hundred vehicles rolled off, including a full size semi-truck and trailer. At one point, two larger hopper trucks backed on with loads of coal for her boilers. I called Grandpa just to tell him that everything smelled of coal and it reminded me of him.
Once she was empty, the crew loaded her up again, driving cars, trucks, and campers into her hold. (Interestingly, motorcylists, and no one else, were allowed to drive their own wheels on board.) As that was happening, all the passengers walked on and up the stairs to the main deck. I immediately walked a circuit of the entire ship, leaning way out over the wall at the bow, looking up from under the lifeboats, putting my ear against screen doors with the sound of machinery behind them, and finally settling at the aft end mid-level to watch our departure.
After an hour or loading, the engines started up in reverse to hold us against the dock as lines were released and the dock was pulled back. Then the engines reversed again and we were on our way. I stood and watched the Wisconsin shore line recede for fifteen or twenty minutes as seagulls chased us out into deep waters. Then I dashed up to the bow to watch waves break against the prow at eighteen knots, throwing foam side-long behind it. I stalked the decks like a tiger, looking for the best vantage point for the smokestack and the black clouds of soot issuing forth from it. I wandered through the onboard museum and gift shop. I squished pennies for my dad. I bought a fresh chocolate-chip cookie at the snack bar.
I learned so much about what it's like to sail on a big ship. And the Badger is a big one; four hundred and ten feet. I know what it feels like to have a deck swaying underfoot. To look in all directions and see nothing but water, dull and gray away from the sun and shining and shimmering under it. The ship cut through the wind at 18 knots; standing near the prow the air was fairly calm, but putting a face or a hand over the four foot wall that leaned out over the nose let me feel the amazing volume of air that rushed swiftly up, around, and over that bubble of relative stillness. Standing on the exterior deck amidships subjected me to pretty amazing winds too. That calm space at the fore where the prow deflected the air only extended back to the bridge tower. There was more than enough wind to keep me extremely conscious of exactly where my camera was and how I was holding it. The strap would blow up and off my neck as my shirt rode halfway up my stomach.
I spent nearly the entire four hour voyage either looking for things to photograph or photographing them. I went a little picture-happy perhaps, but I don't regret it at all. Nor do I regret the money spent on the trip. It was a phenomenal experience and absolutely worth the cost.
We docked at Ludington about four hours later, though we lost an hour crossing to eastern time. The Badger's sister ship, the Spartan, was there next to her, now tied forever in place as a parts vessel. I watched the ferry unload her cargo, took a few more shots until they got to Percy, and then found an out of the way place to park while I checked out the next leg of the trip. I gave Jim and Lara a call, determined it was about three and a half hours to Lansing, and set off toward Grand Rapids.
And I'll write about that part of the trip next time, 'cause the sun is setting here in Lansing and I want to go get some pictures of this neat fountain and park I wandered through earlier. Until then, here's a picture from the elevator of the apartment building that my generous hosts (who have given me free pizza and cheesecake!) live in. I'm holding off on posting any more serious pictures until I have a decent monitor and Photoshop.
Lansing Self-portriat
© Stormdog 2010
Moira and I had a marvelous time at the Wisconsin state fair. We looked at the jewelery she entered (no comments as to how that went for her as that's her story to tell) and the photography winners. There were some really nice photo entries, and the first place winners were definitely better than my stuff. But I think that, were I to put in some entries, I might have a chance at winning some lesser prizes. I'm going to get organized and enter next year.
After that, we wandered around the grounds 'till damn near midnight. We explored the midway, looking at rides and games and snake-bodied women. We bought awesome food and I had beignets for the first time. I'd been curious about them for years and years, ever since watching my mom play Gabriel Knight on the computer. I had no idea what they were, but I saw the sign and was ready to sign up. We bought each other other nummies, and I got her to try the super potato sack slide and we drank, between us, five glasses of twenty-five cent milk and just had a great, simple, silly time together. Thanks so much Moira for inviting me along. I'm still smiling as I think about it.
I stayed with her in Racine and left around eight in the morning for Manitowoc. I got there about eleven I think, and took a few photos of the town, which seems to be in a state of decline. Much was abandoned and in decay. A movie theatre I was photographing looked abandoned until I pressed my lens against the glass and saw someone behind the concession counter looking at me. I shot some neat old buildings, including one that clearly predated World War II as it has swastikas as design elements in the facade. That was pretty neat.
I lined up my car with all the others down at the ferry dock and photographed the SS Badger as she made her way to shore. The smoke whirling out of her stack was fantastic; I was looking at a real coal-burning machine! She blew her tremendous horn as she slid into the harbor and everyone looked up at her as she got bigger and bigger. Finally, she was in the harbor, dropping her anchor as crew tied off mooring lines and locked her aft end to the dock. Finally, crew began driving car after car off the boat and onto shore. At least a hundred vehicles rolled off, including a full size semi-truck and trailer. At one point, two larger hopper trucks backed on with loads of coal for her boilers. I called Grandpa just to tell him that everything smelled of coal and it reminded me of him.
Once she was empty, the crew loaded her up again, driving cars, trucks, and campers into her hold. (Interestingly, motorcylists, and no one else, were allowed to drive their own wheels on board.) As that was happening, all the passengers walked on and up the stairs to the main deck. I immediately walked a circuit of the entire ship, leaning way out over the wall at the bow, looking up from under the lifeboats, putting my ear against screen doors with the sound of machinery behind them, and finally settling at the aft end mid-level to watch our departure.
After an hour or loading, the engines started up in reverse to hold us against the dock as lines were released and the dock was pulled back. Then the engines reversed again and we were on our way. I stood and watched the Wisconsin shore line recede for fifteen or twenty minutes as seagulls chased us out into deep waters. Then I dashed up to the bow to watch waves break against the prow at eighteen knots, throwing foam side-long behind it. I stalked the decks like a tiger, looking for the best vantage point for the smokestack and the black clouds of soot issuing forth from it. I wandered through the onboard museum and gift shop. I squished pennies for my dad. I bought a fresh chocolate-chip cookie at the snack bar.
I learned so much about what it's like to sail on a big ship. And the Badger is a big one; four hundred and ten feet. I know what it feels like to have a deck swaying underfoot. To look in all directions and see nothing but water, dull and gray away from the sun and shining and shimmering under it. The ship cut through the wind at 18 knots; standing near the prow the air was fairly calm, but putting a face or a hand over the four foot wall that leaned out over the nose let me feel the amazing volume of air that rushed swiftly up, around, and over that bubble of relative stillness. Standing on the exterior deck amidships subjected me to pretty amazing winds too. That calm space at the fore where the prow deflected the air only extended back to the bridge tower. There was more than enough wind to keep me extremely conscious of exactly where my camera was and how I was holding it. The strap would blow up and off my neck as my shirt rode halfway up my stomach.
I spent nearly the entire four hour voyage either looking for things to photograph or photographing them. I went a little picture-happy perhaps, but I don't regret it at all. Nor do I regret the money spent on the trip. It was a phenomenal experience and absolutely worth the cost.
We docked at Ludington about four hours later, though we lost an hour crossing to eastern time. The Badger's sister ship, the Spartan, was there next to her, now tied forever in place as a parts vessel. I watched the ferry unload her cargo, took a few more shots until they got to Percy, and then found an out of the way place to park while I checked out the next leg of the trip. I gave Jim and Lara a call, determined it was about three and a half hours to Lansing, and set off toward Grand Rapids.
And I'll write about that part of the trip next time, 'cause the sun is setting here in Lansing and I want to go get some pictures of this neat fountain and park I wandered through earlier. Until then, here's a picture from the elevator of the apartment building that my generous hosts (who have given me free pizza and cheesecake!) live in. I'm holding off on posting any more serious pictures until I have a decent monitor and Photoshop.
Lansing Self-portriat
© Stormdog 2010
