Standard greeting that we first heard probably forty+ years ago when we bumped into a fella' in the local hardware store. He apparently recognized us right off the bat. Waved and made his way right over to say hello. Bit of a smaller guy. Impish looking. Friendly as heck. Problem was, we had no recollection of the man. In between casual bantering centered upon the lower Yough river and the current weather and river conditions, we're rackin' our brain trying to place 'em. He was such an amiable fellow and came across as an old friend that we hesitated to ask his name. This scenario played out multiple times throughout the years to follow, either in the hardware or local grocery store. We talked the river a lot with 'em but never once asked his name. He always wore a ball cap embroidered with the logo of a local Ohiopyle rafting outfitter. Once he sported a cap emblazoned with the Mountain River Boat Works logo, at the time a small paddling shop we'd visited out of Scenery Hill, PA (as we recall). Another clue but still no recollect.
A few years back we came across an on-line obituary and memorial concerning the passing of the inventor of the now legendary Shredderinflatable river boats; 100% manufactured right here in the USA in SWPA along the Yough river in Ohiopyle. We take a look at the photo accompanying the article of the late inventor himself, Tom Love.
Damned if it ain't our baffling buddy...
(Internet Image/Airtight Inflatables)
Wayback image of Love river testing an early Shredder
We never got around to it, and know several paddlers who own 'em, but unfortunately have never paddled a Shredder. It grieves us to say being settled right here locally.
Coincidentally we'd spoken to him once over the phone years back when trying to track down a few replacement inflatable thwart tubes for an old Campways/Riken river raft. We'd been given his number by Campways out in Los Angeles, CA. Shortly thereafter we blew out a seamed three foot section of the hull of the boat, so wound up not needing the tubes.Still had not (knowingly) ever met him in person.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of Love's brilliant river boat.
A big step since the days of negative cutting 16mm film...
A few weeks back we received a limited offer to try out for free an AI video generator, VideoAI. Text to video. Sounded simple enough. (On-line) ya' type in a basic but graphic description of the shot or short scene ya' want to produce (a "prompt" in the vernacular), hit the "generate" button, wait a few minutes, then voilà, you're presented with an AI generated rendering of your concept - character, set/location, audio effects - the works. Ok. In our trial run we kept it simple enough - "twilight, a flying saucer landing in a rural cow pasture, the flying saucer emitting a high pitched humming sound, the sound of a cow bellowing" - pretty much our prompt word-for-word. Was mighty impressed with the result.
For the past year we'd been working on and off (when inspired) on a new stop motion short. Part experimental, part venture, always fun. We'd adapted a brief script from an old comic book anthology. We'd had most of the props constructed. We'd photographed a few test shots. Out of curiosity we did a second VideoAI trial using a shot description, pretty much word-for-word, from a scene within our script. Again, was more than impressed with the results.
From script, prompt for initial VideoAI test of creature
We'll leave reveal of the AI generated creature for the video viewing below
So impressed that we decided to abandon the stop motion premise and (further attempt to) complete the short utilizing VideoAI. Not without a few anticipated hitches, however. The main hitch being that each generation (shot) would be stand alone. Meaning that there is no continuity between generations. Matching shots, and primarily the creature shot-to-shot, could be a major problem. Second (but not really) was that generations maxed at a total length of eight seconds. We hint at not really, as we very seldom extend a shot beyond an average of six seconds. We could (typically) extend any longer shots with a transition insert. In turn, that sounded like fun, harkening back to the old analog film days of maybe 17 seconds of footage on a spring-wind camera. Would take a bit more planning with concern to maximum shooting ratio (under 1.25:1) and budget, as each generation costs $5. Peanuts for a short, under ten minute film. But a bucks a buck. And PBR's are currently up to $25/case.
The completed video:
Nano X (2026)
(Running Time: 5:36)
Comments:
AI Generator: Google Veo 3
A final shooting ratio of around 1.2:1
Not too bad. We figured out a few tricks to (somewhat) maintain continuity. Re-generating a shot for new and re-editing the prompt while maintaining the creature description, or cutting/pasting a prompt to a new generation then re-editing seemed to work well for keeping the creature consistent. Any resulting glitches were minor. There were some noticeable differences with the coverage of the creatures fur here and there. One close shot included black pupils in specified solid yellow irises. We re-edited subsequent prompts to specify pupil-less. One generation added two large saber-tooth fangs to the creature, without prompting that addition. Was pretty cool looking but up to that point it was too late to change its appearance. We worked around it by clipping the shot. And we're not crazy about the un-prompted huffs of AI added dust-like breath. And a few times the generator added a music cue which was a somewhat minor annoyance in post-editing as the cue and sound effects are single track.
Figuring that (at least Google) AI is this unified consciousness, another trick was to compose a prompt then paste it into the Google search bar, asking Google AI to describe the described. We would then re-edit our prompt if and/or where we felt it necessary to satisfy AI's interpretation.
Prompting shots as wide angle gave us the added option of scaling and cropping the shots in post-edit for re-use as alternate perspective close to medium shots or transitions, tripling the use of a generation or two.
Other than the end shot AI generated "microbe", the entire final "lab" sequence was all physical props and computer-keyed background plates. The "Test Results Interpretation" are six Mac/Pages software generated screenshots scaled and cropped in post-edit. The microscope lighting we illuminated in Photoshop.
Music and sound FX obtained from Pond 5.
All told the current AI generated text-to-video technology is pretty cool. Although we don't follow the trend, it's a bet that we probably experienced the absolute basics of what has been so far developed. If not already existent, we're sure that rapid improvements, from generation to generation continuity, to being able to interact with the AI generator just as a director interacts with a production crew (minus the crew and expense) are forthcoming. Actors will exist in computer files. We can see why Hollywood would be a bit nervous. Envision an industry of only screenwriters and digital filmmakers and designers and IT engineers and technicians.
One thing pretty cool will be the ability to seamlessly bring back actors of old. A few films we'd like to see:
How about John Wayne battling Predator in the late 1800's American southwest. Someone mentioned to us that they read about that a while back. Sounds as stupid and ridiculous as it does fun.
Arnold Schwarzenegger in the Twelve Labors Of Hercules, as dictated by Apollodorus. We can envision Arnie on a mountaintop high over Lake Stymphalia chucking arrows at swooping flocks of metallic feathered, man eating Stymphalian birds.Gotta' be Arnold, though, or we ain't watchin'.
A Sean Connery Bond remake of Dr. No and Moonraker. Both as literal novel adaptations. Would look forward to the ventilation system obstacle course (with spiders) as well as the giant squid encounter of Dr. No. And, Honey Rider sans bikini.
Disclaimer to the above: Informative content for on-line/private viewing only. No monetary compensation is involved.
Weapons specialist Rico Fardan (Lee Marvin) and horse wrangler Hans Eherengard (Robert Ryan), together with explosives expert Bill Dolworth (Burt Lancaster) and Apache scout Jake Sharp (Woody Strode), a mercenary team of four hired to rescue a kidnapped wife (Claudia Cardinale) from Mexican revolutionary leader turned bandit Jesus Raza (Jack Palance), after several days of tracking Raza across the brutal Mexican desert:
Eherengard: "Broiling all day. Freezing at night. Alkali dust choking your body.
Who lives here long enough to get used to it?"
Fardan: "Men, tempered like steel, a tough breed. Men who've learned how
to endure."
Eherengard: "Like you and Dolworth?"
Fardan: "Oh no - men like Raza."
- The Professionals (film), 1966
Brilliant dialog from writer/director Richard Brooks.
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We've run into some hard men over the years on various heavy construction projects, and always an ironworker. We'll second Fardan's comment regarding men "who've learned how to endure" with a definite "Oh no, not like us"... a two page excerpt from an old July, 1952 issue of National Geographic that we swiped from the high school library back in the day, specifically for the article The Mohawks Scrape the Sky (Robert Conly):
(Internet Images)
"I got to Brooklyn about 1923 or '24; I can't remember which it was. But I'll always
remember my first job here, because it was almost my last... it was a big apartment building
uptown in Manhattan, on Fifth Avenue. I was working on a corner 200, maybe 300, feet up.
My foot slipped, and all of a sudden there was nothing under me but the ground so far away
I could hardly see it... when I felt myself falling, I stuck out my arm, and it caught a beam.
I just hung there, swinging in the wind. When the other men saw me, they began to shout: 'Tom,
what are you going to do?'... there was only one thing that I could do. I got my other hand up on
that beam, and then I chinned myself and got a leg over it and climbed up. I sat there for a
while, to get my breath, and then I went back to work."
- Tom Jacobs, Mohawk Ironworker (from article)
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"Think that you can walk this wall the entire perimeter of the roof of the building?"
We take a look over the four-foot high parapet wall and sheer free fall to the bone shattering concrete sidewalk 220+ feet below.
"Nope!!"
We're poised upon the roof-level of a near completed 22-story high-rise office building overlooking the Northern Virginia/Washington DC skyline. Along with his expertise with high-rise concrete construction, Jeff's a veteran when it comes to structural steel erection and inspection. We've been tasked on and off to assist Jeff on this project and in return receive some greenhorn training. Couldn't have been partnered to a better man for the job. Jeff had officially completed his rookie training years earlier when he was one of the signatories of the final "topping out" beam of the 110-story, 1,451ft Sears Tower (now Willis Tower) located in Chicago, Illinois. At the time of completion officially designated the world's tallest building. You could stack six of our current structure within its height.
Jeff proceeds to step up onto the eighteen-inch width top-of-wall concrete coping and casually "goes for a walk".
"Ok Jeff... OK... we get the idea."
Jeff steps back down onto the roof enjoying his laugh for the day.
(Internet Image)
Lookin' up the sheer 1,451ft Sears (Willis) Tower
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"... then ya' just slowly slide the indicator probe across the surface. When you're aligned with a bar the needle will sweep to the approximate bar size and depth as indicated on the meter scale."
So we've received a quick five-minute instruction as to the function of the Pachometer (aka, R-Meter), an electro-magnetic device specifically made for detecting concrete embedded reinforcing steel, and are sent on our way. The task is to investigate the presence of reinforcing steel placement in a recently constructed concrete balcony of a refurbished downtown Washington DC high-rise hotel. The architect and engineer have a bit of concern over the integrity of one particular balcony as there are no generated inspection reports regarding construction. It's also holding up occupancy permit.
We're led up to a twelfth-floor suite by the builders construction manager. The suite interior is ultra elegant - definitely not gonna' be a cheap nights stay. He slides open a large French-style glass panel balcony door...
"Well, there's the balcony. We haven't installed the railings yet. I didn't want to send anybody out there until you guys confirmed the rebar."
The balcony was at the time an unfinished concrete deck, maybe 4-inch thickness - an airy cantilever high above the city street. The view is spectacular. Not a panoramic city skyline. On the contrary, a narrow but towering canyon of brick, granite and glass curtainwall facade. The view extends either direction to near convergence and blue sky multiple city block beyond. At this late morning hour, the downtown boulevard and sidewalks below are a busy congestion of traffic and pedestrians. The opposite street multi-story glass curtainwall adds a reflective, bit dizzying illusion bordering infinity. We're thinkin' that we could definitely set here and have a few beers one evening.
From the doorway sill, we're lookin' at the maybe six foot distant far edge of the unsupported cantilever deck and unprotected 100+ foot free-fall beyond.
"So you guys don't want to send a worker or crew out there but want me to step out?!"
"Uhh... I don't know... That guy I spoke to at your office said that you guys could do it."
"Yea... I know who the f*k ya' spoke to... that's why I'm here."
We took a look at the construction drawings but intuitively knew that all was fine. Inspections occasionally don't get scheduled and reports get misplaced. And a builder that slack is a definite improbability.
Oh well... the worst would be death on impact... the best would be that we land in the padded passenger seat of some hot dolls Porche convertible and are wisked back to her place for "urgent care treatment".
Geronimo...
We crawled over that deck lighter than a cat. All was fine an expected, but leaning out over the edge of that balcony and air below was dicey at best. We finished up just as the construction manager was returning to see how we were making out.
"Just finished... all is fine... you're good to go."
"Great, thank's for commin' out at such short notice... boy are you sweatin."
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The men born and bred in the desert were of indescribable toughness, inheritors of a tradition that included not only the blood of Spaniard, Frenchman, and original Indian, but infusions from the Lipans and Comanches who rode down the war trail in the September moon. They were men of the hot wire and the cold steel who flourished where common mortals dropped. They were ignorant, superstitious, stubborn, half pagan and half religious, suspicious of all change and all life beyond their horizons, uneducated in the sense of absolutely no formal learning but endowed with a magnificent natural intelligence of their own world. There was an old proverb that a man who stayed in the place of his birth often turned sour and did not amount to as much as he might have if he went away. That did not apply to these men. They rarely went away because the desert was all they knew, and it was so harsh and demanding that only the best stayed alive. Staying alive was a personal triumph that far exceeded going away and growing rich.
- From A Mule For The Marquesa (novel), 1964 (Frank O'Rourke)
(aka, The Professionals, after the film adaptation)
A logical explanation: A bygone tether for a horse or a mule. Or for that matter anything that needed tethering back in the day (mining remnant). But why such a large and heavy-duty anchor which appears to be purposed more for hoisting the slab as opposed to a hitch. And if so why is it not installed more toward the center of gravity of the slab to better balance the lift? Seems like it is only to be lifted as if hinged opposite end, like a trap door. And why lift the slab, anyway?
A fun explanation: The heavy slab is placed to conceal something beneath. A secret passage into the realm of the underworld? Could be. The slab is located directly within the elevation of the crop line of Loyalhanna Limestone, a soluble karst limestone deposit characterized by several local complex caverns. And if placed to conceal, could it also be placed to retain something from getting out? The heavy iron ring could also be a reinforcing protective barrier against malevolent, "otherworldly" forces otherwise contained, repelled or controlled by "cold iron".
We're stickin' with the latter.
Further corroboration:
"Zoogs are a race of sentient forest-dwelling creatures... they are mortal
enemies of cats, as they prey upon kittens and are preyed upon in return
by adult cats... The Zoogs fear and shun a stone slab set with a huge iron
ring... this slab if opened reveals a path that leads down to the realm
of the underworld."
- Lovecraftian Lore
(Internet Image)
A Zoog as visualized by animator Richard ('Lone Animator') Svensson
How 'bout these two old xxx's?* Just under three hours of mid-day trail building to complete a brilliant by-pass. Say 850ft maximum distance taking into account a bit of meandering nuance. Say 240ft relief. Not a bad job considering at least 140+ years between the two of 'em...
(*Add your preferred superlative or expletive)
Built out of necessity. The final several hundred feet of this long traveled six mile route had steadily lapsed into a beyond technical rocky, washed gully. Recently, a few large cross trail windfall trees sealed the final demise. The only solution was a detour. Only one viable route via a ninety degree down ridge diverge to the west.
Woefully, the trail is additionally flanked both sides by a forest of heavy greenbriar thicket. Short of a brush hog, not a particularly appealing project considering all hand clearing...
leave it up to always thinking "our boy Howie" - he picked up a rotary brush-cutter blade attachment for his gas weed wacker... we'd never seen one before...
speaking from the perspective of having cleared and maintained ample trail over the years, all by hand, a most impressive tool... it made short work of the heavy briars...
A rough profile scaled from USGS topo...
Typical routine end result, indistinguishable from a deer trail...
a bit steep and technical... kept it a bit narrow thru the saplings ta' boot, just clearing the bar ends...
ditto a sloping log hop for some final fun and frolic...
We particularly liked his souped-up ORV Dodge RamCharger
Great film!
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Mid '70's thru mid '80's was the classic period (our opinion) for beater trucks... Ford F-series, Chevy K-series, Dodge Power Wagon... Jeep CJ... early SUV-type Chevy Blazer, Ford Bronco...
(Internet Image)
... and the best ORV 4WD vehicle ever built (our opinion), International Scout, literally a piece of farm equipment built by International Harvester
We may be a bit prejudiced, though...
A '67(? - as we recall - maybe '66) Ford bronco pickup we owned - photo pulled from the archives
(Internet Images)
We had an identical '77 Dodge Power Wagon. Not our images. Although we did post an original image herein a while back. Didn't feel like searching for it. Think that we may have called it a '76 as well. Around $5,700 new purchase cost right off the show room floor. Remember everyone would exclaim "We can't believe that you paid all that money for a new truck!". Could have bought five of 'em nowadays. Dodge marketed that paint, graphics and off-road extras as their "Macho Package" of which we always took a ribbing. Automatic transmission. "Full time" 4WD hubs - solid flange non-locking (aka, non-manual) hubs with (chain-drive as we recall) manual transfer case. Carbureted 360 magnum engine (as we recall). Not a bad truck but had a few issues from the factory. Remember that we twice had to replace a sheared front drive shaft yoke (not that we were driving it rough). Ran great in the mud and snow with the short wheel base.
Cramden: "Walther PPK with silencer. High velocity, extreme penetrating power."
Flint: "Yes, it's a very fine weapon."
Cramden: [displaying a fighting knife] "Tempered steel. Very effective at close range."
Flint: "But I have no need for these. They're crude."
Cramden: "Dammit, these are the most..."
Flint: [showing off his gadget disguised as a cigarette lighter] "This has eighty-two
different functions - eighty-three, if you wish to light a cigar."
- Our Man Flint (film), 1966
A fun '60's spy film score:
(YouTube Video)
(YouTube Video)
(YouTube Video)
Film clip with music cue insert. While working with the colorist at Colorlab film laboratorylocated in Rockville, Md years back on a project of ours (no digital options back then, color timing was all performed working alongside a studio colorist) we got to be acquainted with a filmmaker who worked as a Hollywood stuntman in the 50's - 60's. Said that he had been an assistant and (unutilized) backup to perform those two high-fall stunts in this clip. Ya' usually met some pretty interesting individuals hangin' about the film labs. Everyone was always interested in what the other fellow was up to as well as their capabilities and experience. High regards for the (then) folks at Colorlab as well as the old WRS Film Laboratories that was located near Pittsburgh.
(YouTube Video)
We always thought that this track would be a good double-duty fit for a surf film:
(YouTube Video)
Good work by composer Jerry Goldsmith and actor James Coburn in this one. Flint's a badass.
Our local gauge for the season. Seven AM this morning. Smoothed out and filled in a bit. Remainder of the wall no improvement. We did see a set of boot prints in the snow leading up to the base of the route. We'll bet that we know who that was. Good work if anything was accomplished. High forties to low sixties temperatures forecast for all next week. Move on to spring...
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Was never much of an internet "surfer". Have never owned a smartphone. Have probably never ever have sent more than a total twenty-five words of text over our old flip-phone. In turn don't text message us. Won't even look at it. Naaa, we always answer and always return text messages by voice phone. Anyway, we're sure that the day is fast approaching when we will be forced into a smartphone.
Regardless, was bored and was browsing about on-line the other day and came across a few images of some western and central New York ice flows...
(Internet Image)
Don't have the photographer's name for credit. Thank's regardless. Recognize this route from way back in the late 80's. Lived and worked in Buffalo, NY for a few years and occasionally climbed with a local guy who worked at Eastern Mountain Sports in Buffalo. He knew all the spots. Got drug around to places such as Zoar Valley, Eighteen Mile Creek and Letchworth State Park as a few for instances. Places that we wouldn't even remember how to get to today. Northern PA as well. Remember one route along Eighteen Mile Creek that you could see from the I-90 overpass if heading west. Anyway, thought about this route a lot over the years. What a great climb. Always thought that it was located in Letchworth SP. Didn't have a name back then either, that we knew of. Is called Angel Falls. Actually located at south end of Canandaigua Lake, per the information that we found. We rapped in from the rim. All those WNY climbs are located off along some incised creek somewhere requiring rope access from the top. Is maybe 150ft length. This photo perspective makes it appear a bit more serious than actual. Is maybe low angled Grade II at the bottom half with the upper half, as it steepens in angle, Grade III to III+ when "in". Great fun none-the-less. Didn't know it at the time but a route of that length and of moderate difficulty is a bit of a rarity in this "neck-of-the-woods". There was another big and steep vertical climb not far away of Grade IV+,* featuring some large overhanging icicles, that started pretty much right in the creek. Although, may be wrong in our recollection of that.
*Back in the day, unless having an established grade that we were aware of, anything judged to be above our level of capability we just added a "+" to. Rock was 5.10+ for a long while as the old Seneca Rocks guide back then only went up to 5.11. Following that way of thinking amongst the majority it's no wonder that modern folks think that the harder of many old routes are sandbagged. Usually wasn't intentional.
(Internet Image)
We recognize this icefall as well. Don't recollect the location. Letchworth SP?
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Had to pick up a newer vehicle the other day. Toyota Tacoma. A bit more unnecessary electronics (our opinion) to eventually fail. But a great truck none-the-less.
We still miss a beater (or near beater):
'06 Jeep Liberty KJ. Replaced the doors and rocker panels about two years back. Still runs great. We see one or more of those on the road everyday still out and about. Old Jeeps are great vehicles
Rob Goodman's old ('90's?) Toyota 4-Runner
Goodman's old (87?) Toyota pickup (video still)
'96 Jeep Cherokee XJ Sport. 4.0L inline six - best engine ever made (our opinion). We were thinking of selling it at the time so shined it up and tossed a boat on the roof to catch the eye for this image.
Every time we sell something we always wind up wishing that we didn't
'Wild Bill' and his (late 80's?) Ford F-350. Crew cab. A snow storm this day. Shortly after this photo was taken he spun a complete 360º descending a steep backwoods mountain hill. Didn't put a scratch on the truck. He installed one of the first electrical power inverters in that thing for inflating rubber river boats back in the day.
Inflating an eight-man river raft. Bill and JJ. We bet he's still using the same inverter that he had previously installed in the F-350. Now in his still mobile beater RAM 1500
Three MTB's neatly arranged in back the XJ
Picked up a surplus Ford F-350 from work for heavy hauling. Eventually got fed up having to constantly ride the clutch climbing and traversing the steep and rocky backroads hereabouts, so sold it. That truck was frequently towing 4,000lb (actual) trailer loads while in service at work. We beefed up the suspension by adding extra leaf springs. Without a tow trailer, the truck, with factory bed, became a bit dangerous to drive. The rear suspension was stiff beyond belief. Was crossing a set of railroad tracks one day at maybe 40mph. Upon hitting the tracks, instead of flexing, the rear bounced and began skipping laterally. Like a basketball. Just missed hopping off the shoulder of the road and down an embankment. Probably rolling over in the process. We replaced the factory bed with the custom in-house-shop built solid steel bed as pictured. One-half inch steel plate. Had it weighed before-after at a nearby scrap yard truck scale. Total bed weight over 800lbs. When measured, it dropped those springs less than 1/4 inch. Rode perfect after that, though.
We lifted this unibody ('10?) Suzuki SX4 for something different. We became uncomfortable with the stresses we suspected being applied to the strut bolts imposed by the strut spacers combined with the stiff unibody frame. We decided to sell it so, as with the earlier XJ image, we shined it up then strapped an SUP to the roof to catch the eye. We eventually wound up trading it. Someone told us that whoever eventually purchased it wound up destroying it off roading. We felt bad about that. Was a nice car. Sure wasn't built for that abuse. Looks only. We wished that we would have taken it out to Vegas and sold it as we had thought about. Would have made a sharp lookin' buggy for hauling surfboards over the sandy beaches of Southern California
Tim Anderson's Subaru Baja
A typical winter weekend gathering of off roaders up on the ridge
Add maybe three 'ta four inches to the current (say ten inch) snow pack then settle in to an extended day thaw/night freeze pattern for the week and beyond... don't know about the predicted rain Wednesday, 02/11, though... may be able to salvage a few days next weekend and beyond...
