We're checkin' in through the main gate at the Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), the US Army's long established test facility for ordnance, weapons and equipment, located just a few miles northeast of Baltimore near the town of Aberdeen, Maryland. We're a two man crew tasked this day with conducting field testing for evaluating the condition of heavily reinforced concrete walls and welded connections. The welds are integral to an overhead gantry crane. Both the walls and crane are component to a heavy munitions test fire bunker. The base is immediately concerned about cracks that have developed in the crane welds subsequent to heavy percussion from cannon test firing from within the newly constructed bunker. Considering that the bunker is new construction, they want to spot check the integrity of the concrete walls as well - a bit of confirmation of the engineers design/specifications and contractors overall work.
Driving in along the entrance roadway were treated to a spectacle. The base (at that time) was additionally a military weaponry museum. The drive is lined with vintage hardware, much from WWI/WW2 era. Heavy munitions - tanks, cannons, big guns - American, German, British, Japanese and so forth. We had to stop and check some of this stuff out. Got quite a bit of photography. Unfortunately, we currently can't locate any of it. Pretty sure we left it all, photos/negatives, on file at the old job of the time. Subsequently, we've swiped a few images from on-line (all internet images):
155mm M1918 Gun
16" MKIII Gun
280mm M65 Atomic Cannon
German Krupp K5 "Leopold" Railway Gun
Our favorite - had a Lionel train set as a kid with one of these guns. Also had an image standing alongside this thing in that missing batch of photos
Panzer III or Panzer IV according to the author (3Pos)
"Little David" 914 mm Mortar
Cool vintage footage we found on YouTube positioning and firing the "Little David"
After spending a (substantial) amount of time marveling at the relic artillery (could have spent a few days), we're led along to the bunker site, following along behind our uniformed base engineering contact/escort who eventually tracked us down.
The bunker is one of several positioned in-line and right-angle to an infinitely long and open firing range. It's all laid out similar to a golfball driving range, except this is a driving range for the gods. We spot some incremental distance markers, the nearest of which we estimated a par 6. The bunker is what you'd expect - a slightly rectangular structure formed by three, two to three foot thick concrete walls, maybe twenty feet in height, a fourth open wall facing down range. Roofed. The floor is heavy concrete tracked up by tank treads. The bunker is empty except for a heavy steel plate, maybe 4ft x 6ft dimension, supported upright long dimension by angled steel supports. It's free standing and can be re-positioned as necessary. The plate is at least one inch thick. It's obviously a protective rampart for individuals operating or observing the weaponry. Our assumption was acknowledged as correct by our base rep. Interesting enough, the plate had some serious dents and bends. Looked like a Hephaestus work-in-progress. There was also a large diameter "bullet hole". Reading our minds, our contact commented "We have some occasional misfires and backfires. We had one once that went thru thru a bunker rear wall (2-3ft reinforced concrete), flew across the street and blew up a PX" (his exact words). We just looked at each other, both thinking "F*k that!"
We were supposed to have a base-supplied JLG Lift, a local rental which had yet to show and now a few hours late. Our rep took off for the time being to check on the status of the delivery ("You guys stick around the bunker and don't go wandering off"). In the interim, we had nothing to do except ready out test equipment (some ultra-sonic inspection test gadgets). Spent some time checking transducer calibrations along the lower wall. After that, just hung out, listening to the sounds of near songbirds and distant automatic gun and cannon fire. An occasional GI would pass by ("I need a job like you guys").
It's now around noon and here comes a heavy battle tank and crew. They pull up and back into our bunker. Never said a word to us nor acknowledged our presence. These guys were all business and ready for combat. No idea of their "mission". They're just settin' next to us. Diesel idling. Locked and loaded. All we're thinkin' about are misfires bending inch-thick steel plate like spaghetti and blowing holes thru two-foot thick concrete walls. At minimum risk, welded steel-cracking percussion - that gotta' be hard on the eardrums (the tank crew are each wearing some heavy-duty ear protection). Where's our rep?
Here he comes - "The rental company screwed up the delivery order - I had to reschedule - we're gonna' have to postpone you guys until tomorrow - we scheduled this tank crew currently for the bunker - I can't clear 'em until you guys are gone - see ya' tomorrow morning (beat it!)"
We're packin' the vehicle preparing to head out. A pickup truck pulls up. Six fit looking young guys leap out of the back and begin gearing up - orange shin guards, forearm guards, helmets with face shields - this gotta' be some elite special forces unit. Wonder what they're up to? We're takin' our time in anticipation of catching some action from these guys. Suited up, they go over and open the rear doors of a second trailing box truck and step inside. Moments later they emerge wielding weed wackers, chainsaws, pruners and such and begin assaulting the overgrown underbrush.
We spent the rest of the afternoon checkin' out the museum hardware.
Eight years old and spooked-out as our favorite horror monster Creature From The Black Lagoon. Lookin' our Ben Cooper best, too - cheap store-boxed Gill-man costume with vacuum-formed PVC plastic half face mask and silk screened smock that tied in the back hospital gown style. One size fit one, so for most the eye holes didn't align and you were constantly adjusting the thing for viewing one eye or the other. Best practice was to just wear the thing catcher-mask style when not behind home plate - until the elastic head band would eventually break. The smock hung like a potato sack and was constructed from a paper-thin synthetic fabric that whiffed off some space-age plastic polymer chemistry. If you're a shorter kid it's a bit clumsy and hazardous, too. While walkin' you'd occasionally plant a step on the longer draped smock and go stumbling face down. The box graphics, indicating in large type the costume to be "flame retarded", always caught our attention. We took it to understand that the legal department recognized that the suit could ignite and go up in flames and are covering their asses in event of mishap due to Halloween shenanigans. We always imagined a scene akin to the old (urban) legend ya' used to hear of the new bride, brewin' some morning after coffee, who got too close to the stovetop burner while wearin' her thin slinky honeymoon negligee and went up like a struck match (everyone was a product tester back in those days - now'days they're not allowed to sell half the stuff).
(Internet Image)
We're costumed and headin' out to march in our first, and subsequently last, city Halloween parade. The parade began around 7pm, well past 'fall-back' standard time 5pm darkness. Mom drops me and the buddies off at the staging area and books to find a spectator stance en route. The 'trick-or-treaters' are assembled en masse and are to bring up the rear of the parade. A contingent comprising the typical city officials, parade queen, decorated floats, emergency, fire and military squads and vehicles, high school marching bands and boys and girls scout troops lead the way.
The spectacle organized and began on the west side of town. The route followed the main avenue east, over the river bridge, thru downtown, then swung south, ending in the south side at the old armory building. Maybe a mile total distance. There's no marching order or formation to the trick-or-treaters, you're basically just walking along with your costumed buddies and the rest of the group. Ya' occasionally wave to familiar faces in the crowd ("Hi Mom!"). Along with the visuals, the curb-lined spectators additionally delight in watching the marchers jostle about retrieving their frequently tossed handfuls of candy and other treats. It would at times get a bit rough with the bigger guys. To the crowds delight, there was occasionally a bit of roughhouse pushing and shoving
About three quarters along the route sets the town library. The library building sets high above and a few hundred feet back off the roadway, fronted by a long down-sloping lawn and stepped concrete entrance walkway. A low stone retaining wall and wide concrete staircase separates the library grounds and street-level public sidewalk. Parade viewing from atop the wall or a higher lawn position is like viewing from the grandstands. There's no outdoor lighting to the lawn nor entrance walk. A bit of indirect lighting filters thru from adjacent street lighting, but that's it. It's pretty dark after nightfall. The entire property is contained in its own small city block. A bit trapezoid in plan layout, at best half a football field distance fronts the main avenue and parade route.
Up to that point everyone's had a good time and most have picked up a bit of a haul from the crowd. Hitting that short dark stretch passing the library was a different tale. The sidewalk spectators are tossin' treats as usual. From the darkness of the lawn we're suddenly gettin' pummeled with an aerial barrage of hard candy - gumballs, tootsie rolls, jelly beans, hard caramels, root beer barrels, lemon drops, Bazooka bubble gum - all coming in at high velocity. Worse were frequent jawbreakers - those things were the size of 12 gauge shotgun "punkin' ball" rounds and darn near as deadly. Saw one ricochet with a loud 'THUNK' upside the head of Casper the Ghost walkin' a few steps ahead, who immediately burst out bawlin'. Small arms fire, too - lots of shelled corn raining down. A salvo of mostly spoiled red apples cannonball in - a vampire Dracula takes a head shot and is immediately covered in rotted applesauce hair slick. Some individuals are purposely targeted - a wolf man is systematically tracked and hit with a few raw eggs and a tomato. A few small pumpkins shatter on the pavement. It got to the point that most of the costumed revelers passed on retrieving the pavement scattered treats. Witches, ghosts, goblins, Popeye the Sailor, Bugs Bunny, Woody Woodpecker - they're all bee lining the short distance to the end of the block and clear of line of fire. Some in their haste are trippin' over their smocks and face plantin' - now sitting ducks. The assault eventually ceased and most returned to retrieve the abandoned loot. The assailants, now short of ammunition and having sparked the ire of marchers and spectators alike, fled.
We found out a few months later, while playin' summer basketball, that the assault was triggered by a few older guys from our end of town. Gotta' admit that the tale from their perspective was pretty funny.
The following Halloween mom inquires as to our plans for the parade -
"You guys marching in the parade again this year?"
"Naa - we're gonna' just watch from the library lawn".
Made the annual pilgrimage to the 'Keystone Nostalgia Nationals' last month -
Strolling thru the Pits...
... life in the lineup...
... a few crowd-pleasing smokin' burnouts...
... and wheelies...
... some track action...
Didn't take a whole lot of images as usual. We got there early and had to pack out around 2pm to finish paintin' the back porch before the predicted following day rain. Toted along an old Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT we have - wanted to check it out prior to passing it along. Works great - like new.
Always a great time - place was packed when we left...
... gotta' love the good ol' USA.
(Note: We never crop out the American Flag from edits if ya' happen to notice)
Muscle Girl Sarah checkin' in with us end of last week...
(Sarah Zagorce Image)
...just off a nine day Colorado River trip thru the Grand Canyon... we're full of envy
That's ok. Spent two fun days this past weekend drift casting streamers on the Yough. September is the official start of fishing season in our mind (usually September thru December). We hadn't touched a "standard" fly rod in a couple of years, preferring instead small creek fishing Tenkara style. Was a bit curious to see if we had lost any of our "big river technique" considering the long layoff. Not a concern. Fished both days pretty much early to mid-afternoon, probably 11am to 2pm. Deep Holes. Open water in a bright sun.
Pretty sluggish current this spot. Great spot, though, for (real) casting dry flys when things are hatchin'
Saturday hooked four average size browns drifting a #12 Wooley Bugger. Landed four on Sunday as well - three average size browns and one average size smallmouth, all drifting a #12 Muddler Minnow (the only streamer we generally ever use). Was so much fun we're now debatin' how we want to proceed once the temperatures start droppin' (and the copperheads and rattlesnakes have packed out). Alternative bit rough two to three mile hikes along forested tight creeks; trippin' fallen logs, limbs, greenbrier's and such. By and by wading sometimes rugged, lush stream channels with always the frequent line twists and snags. Or leisurely short rivers edge hikes or bit longer MTB rides with a brief jaunt over the river bank to wide open shoreline casting.
Lets think about this... some tunes for thought...
... three total badass pioneers of rock - Bruce/Baker/Clapton:
Encore (for the times):
We're givin' the film crew sound engineer and co. some credit as well - sounds better than if mixed in the studio - wow
Thus...
... think we'll stick with the creeks - still like that bit of misery factor. We'll still drop in a day of river casting here and there (if pressed, we can also be on the river within probably 1/2 hour from out the front door)
Annual attempt for a repeat of the short crack/seam on Whale Rock...
hard to pass up on a hot day and a good river level - think around 1.8ft OPG this day. Always good for a few not-so-serious efforts...
approach from up river - Whale Rock and the Three Sisters rock formations...
(Lower image from Internet - NOAA Fisheries)
guess that it does resemble an Orca whale in profile at this angle...
the Yough has to be one of the cleanest rivers anywhere when running clear - you can always infinitely see river bottom from this POV atop the Three Sisters when these conditions.
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Posting a third in a series of old film shorts:
Bouldering (1999)
Run Time 24min. (Approx.)
A bit of mundane minutiae: Filmed entirely on 16mm film - Eastman Kodak Color Negative 7245 EXR 50D (as we recall - there's a file folder in the archive cabinet with all the technical and processing details, but we ain't goin' back ta' look). Processed, color corrected/timed and scanned to Beta video tape for studio DNLE editing at WRS Film Labs located in Crafton, PA. They've since closed their doors a few years back*. Don't know how many (dubbing) generations this video print represents - we just grabbed an old off-the-shelf DVD for the MP4 transfer. Definitely a few considering the three-color bleeding. We discovered, too, that DVD discs apparently degrade over time - a few wouldn't function (20+ years age). Originally copied to VHS video tape with later transfer to DVD-disc when that format became available and we had acquired the resources. Filmed entirely MOS. Later studio dubbed the voice over and a few sound effects. It used to be fun goin' out and recording sounds (e.g., throwin' large boulders in the pond) - weren't any on line effects libraries at the time. Music pilfered (for the most part) from Gary Hoey's brilliant soundtrack to Bruce Brown's equally brilliant Endless Summer II theatrical film. YouTube apparently screens uploaded videos concerning copyright issues. They gave us the green light so I guess we're good. Posted for viewing herein only - no malicious intent intended. If it should disappear that's the reason. We sure as heck ain't goin' back and re-editing (although, we'd like to change some of the corny dialog). Either way thanks Mr. Hoey (and Co.)
Old school through and through. No pads back then ('99 and earlier) - carpet squares, old floor mats, an attentive spotter. Pads did arrive on the scene at around this time, though. We probably visited 20+ local SWPA boulder field and one-off sites throughout '97 to early '99 acquiring footage. Strongmen Rob and Matt with muscle girl Sarah as backup attended to the climbing chores. Your loyal scribe stepped in when necessary.
We had to keep the boulder problems to pretty much stuff we had wired (maybe V4 difficulty at the stiffest now'days) not wanting to "blow the budget" on wasted footage of repeated falls. Think that a 50ft film roll gave ya' about 3 minutes of footage. The spring-drive Bolex, Cine-Kodak and a Russian-made K-3 cameras we employed each gave ya' about an average 17 seconds shooting per (spring wind) drive cycle. We had video resources available (gave some consideration to Hi-8 photography), but wanted to stick with film for various reasons.
Strongman Matt was definitely primed at the time - a pretty good climber considering a 6'-3" frame at a body weight of probably around 215lb. He'd put up a few pretty hard un-repeated problems that he wanted to include but we told 'em no for the aforesaid reasons**. Also with consideration, knowing him, that it would be a big fight with 'em to back off if he failed on the first attempt or two and he would insist that we keep "rolling" (he wasn't payin' for film and processing). We eventually returned to three of those problems and he nailed two first try and the third on the third try. Boy was he pissed! He was pretty tall with a long reach, good vertical leap and pretty good at long dynos to small edges (see around 19:25 of the video as example). Toward the end he had wanted an MP4 copy to extract a few clips for Instagram posting, unfortunately time ran out.
Muscle Girl Sarah in current times on two old "Matt Dyno" routes
Consider this post dedicated to 'em
Final note: There's a fun end sequence of some "river bouldering". We were always out on the water so naturally would have some fun on the boulders and stone piers dotting the Yough gorge. There's a few good one-offs hidden back in the brush and upper slopes flanking the Lower Yough***. We caught a bit of flak for wanting to include that clip as it wasn't considered "real climbing". Those routes were usually climbed barefoot, so we stuck some climbing shoes on 'em to be legit - made sure to get at least one shot of the boots. Now'days "Deep Water Soloing" is just another recent sub-category to the fun of rock climbing - gotta' love progress.
*FYI for a guy or two who had questions regarding Super 8 film processing and video conversion - we came across these guys here, MovieStuff, LLC, who manufacture what appear to be pretty nice and affordable film scanners in every format.
**Also, nine times out of ten ya' can't tell the difficulty of a climbing move on motion pictures, anyway. We mainly just wanted to showcase the great bouldering around these parts. We're really just landscape photographers, adding people for scale.
***And we'll never tell, now, considering all the recent access issues around here.
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