A Week of Rain

Due to inclement weather, I mostly stayed at home this week. I haven't done monsoons since I was forced to in 1968. However I did get the floors done (vacuumed and scrubbed), did untold loads of laundry and cooked several hot meals for me and the little lady.

Built in 1859, St. Boniface Church, St Boniface, PA, is being prepared for only it's third paint job in 147 years.

Old paint is scraped off the original asbestos shingles.

Schwizer 269C-1. This three seater was built in 1995 and is powered by a Lycoming HO360 engine. This particular helicopter, or rotor craft as it's called, is one of the first ten built and it has a serial number of 0007.

Last to be plowed in the winter, last to be taken care of during the summer. A PennDOT crew finally shows up on our road to lay new macadam along the road's crumbling edge. If we are lucky we might get a new road surface in another year or two.

After the macadam was laid down, a heavy roller comes along to smooth out the roadway.

The PennDOT crew regroups at the corner up from our house, just in time for lunch. If the road looks narrow, it is. It is 18 feet from side to side.


A radiator recycler in Northern Cambria.

Dinosaur by my friend, Roland.

These two pictures once again show the boney pile in the Bakerton area of Northern Cambria county. In about another year this site will disappear, hopefully. The second picture of the boney pile is of the low area to the far right of this photograph.

Perspective changes everything. This picture was shot about 150 feet to the right of the previous picture. I hope you can see the beauty in the picture, in spite of what it is.

A Boomers' Week

This week's issue of the blog is like a visit to the past for this baby boomer. We start out with football, throw in some drag racing, airplanes, a bit of rock and roll, a cabin in the woods and flowers. Each one of these things reminds me of my youth and the good times I've had growing old.

Forest Hills High School returning varsity lettermen for 2006-07.

Homer's Army, a local band, entertains the crowd at the St. Bernard's Church Picnic in Hastings, PA.

Denny, aka Lawnmower Man

What we have here is a 1946 (a great year!) Ercoupe. This two seater with a serial number of 344 has a 85 horse power engine and can cruise between 90 and 95 miles per hour.

This is the instrument panel for the Ercoupe and comes complete with the take off and landing instructions shown here on the right hand side.

A FlightStar ultralight. It has been sitting here for so long that several of the wheels are flat. What a waste of 15 large!
On the line, a Honda CB1100F takes on a Suzuki R/GSX.

Chevy vs. Pontiac. I'm not sure about the year of the Pontiac, but it looks just like a '64 Grand Prix that I owned when I lived in South Philadelphia in '72.

Let the good times roll! This yellow beast is a 1954 MG and is powered by a 1966 Ford 289 mill.

Brains over braun.

In the driver's seat, waiting his turn.

Just a few of the several hundred cars that showed up on Sunday afternoon for the Flashlight Drags at the Greater Ebensburg International Airport and Truck Stop. This race was the first of it's kind in Cambria County.

Rockets!

This abandoned cabin sits along Route 586 heading from Blandsburg to Bellwood Antis. It is one of only three hunting cabins that still exist in this area.

Bumblebee on Marigolds.

Busy, Busy, Busy

As always, we try to publish the pictures in the sequence in which they were shot. However, from time to time we do change the format and we did it again today. The last pictures in this week's issue were shot in St. Michael, PA, head water of the great Johnstown Flood of 1889.

Got a picture of this turkey buzzard sitting on a road killed rabbit. I shot it through the windshield of my van driving about 10 miles per hour with my Konica-Minolta, point and shoot.

Carney workers, Carrolltown, PA.


Senatorial candidate Bob Casey, alights from his bus, for a campaign visit at Haida Manor, in Hastings, PA.


The newly formed Cambria Heights Middle and High School Dance Team. The dance team was originated at the demise of cheerleaders.

Forest Hills Senior Marching Band, starts practice just before the start of the school year.


After twenty years, this home built, experimental aircraft, built inside a two car garage, may finally receive it's flight certification. This two seater, powered by a Volkswagon engine, is capable of 140 miles per hour.


Senior Varsity Lettermen, Blacklick Valley High School, Nanty Glo, 2006.


Looking for water in Susquehanna Township. Check out the height of the front of the truck, just to make it level.


After 60 years, this 84 year old farmer, continues to care for the farm that he's owned since he was twenty-four.


Looking for water, Blondie Davis, of Garman, searches for a water source after a well dug in a previous picture came up with very little water. According to Blondie, water should be found at this spot between 60 and 80 feet. Mr. Davis has been divining for ten years. He learned the art from an old guy who he worked with at the local feed mill. When his mentor could no longer handle it, Mr. Davis took his place and continues the tradition of water divining.

The following pictures were shot in St. Michael, PA. This is the area that the first great Johnstown Flood originated from. The buildings shown here were owned by very rich members of the South Fork Hunting and Fishing Club. They were the owners of the dam that collapsed, thus causing the great Johnstown Flood of 1889. Although they are on the National Registry of Historic places, only one of these buildings is identified as to use or ownership. The building below is the 1889 Club House for the South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club. It is maintained by the local historical preservation society.

It takes a 26 wheeled vehicle to move these giant blades of a wind generator.

Mountain Days Returns

After many years (18) the Mountain Days celebration weekend has returned to the Prince Gallitzin State Park area, for better for worse. All but the first of this week's photographs was taken from Friday evening until late Sunday afternoon. The first shot was an exclusive to the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat, the last picture, although really part of the weekend, was shot on Monday afternoon. Irregardless of some shortcomings it is needless to say I had a good time driving around to all the venues to snap my snaps, especially the aerials.

After an investigation by state and local police, Leslie Tiedt, of Altoona, was taken before the District Justice, with a host of charges, stemming from last week's fatal wreck in Patton that took the life of a 9 year old girl.

A band made up from a church in the Coalport area, entertains a small but enthusiastic crowd Friday evening.

Making the best of a dry course, this ATV rider, from Hastings, was able to make a full pull. The track was finally watered down by the local volunteer fire department, which helped hold down the dust. Duh!

Phil, of Uncle Phil's General Store, finally finds 5 minutes to sit down and get his caricature drawn by Chip Mock.

This young lady gets a little tattoo of a pony painted on her arm.

Smokey T. Bear, talks to a new fan during Mountain Days.

Although 27 folks signed- up and paid $20 to take a chance on winning a new bass boat and trailer, only 24 showed up to face the challenge. Participants were required to lay both hands flat on the boat and stay that way for as long as possible. The contestants got a 15 minute break every three hours. If they even lifted one finger from the boat, they were disqualified. The eventual winner is shown in the last picture of this week's issue.

One of the crafter tents at the Beaver Valley venue. Due to poor planning or lack of craftsmen this area was underutilized.

Clowning around on the calliope the Jaffa clown entertained kids Saturday afternoon at Uncle Phil's.

No matter where I am at, it seems Felix and the Hurricanes are turning the crowd on with the winds of rock and roll.

The Glendale Volunteer Fire Company puts on a demonstration of the Jaws of Life in the parking lot of the Double K Restaurant.

Mountain Man and Squaw, aka Paul and Lisa, spent the weekend in full regalia touring the different Mountain Days venues.

Tim Klock, master chain saw wood carver, puts on a demonstration on Sunday afternoon.

This duo happened to pass through the Van Omer area during Mountain Days. Less than 50 miles from home, completing a 2000 mile trip on a bicycle built for two, they take time for a dip at Glendale Lake at Muskrat Beach.

Although I didn't know it at the time, taking this picture and being able to fly in this helicopter, was the highlight of my weekend. In the July 27th issue of this blog, there is a picture of a Cessna 337 that was identified as one of my three favorite aircraft from my tour in Vietnam. What you see here, is the second of my three favorite aircraft. Shown in it's civilian colors, as a Hughes 500, this helicopter actually saw service in Vietnam as a H369A forward air control helicopter. Now I'm trying to track down an OV-10 Bronco. This may require a road trip to Texas. http://www.lancasterhelicopters.com/

After taking off from the parking lot at the Muskrat Beach area of Prince Gallitzin State Park, we headed out to get pictures of some of the various venues and local businesses that sponsored Mountain Days. This shot shows Uncle Phil's General Store on Route 53 at Van Omer. I was one of the vendors at Uncle Phil's and you can see my display tent next to the little round roof on the gazebo.

Noel's Drive In. Best known for it's ice cream, it also has a full menu of fast foods.

Glendale Lake Marina at Prince Gallitzin State Park.


Custom car show held at 7-H Skeet Range.

A boy and his toy. Shown here is a 1925 Ford, Model T Roadster. It features a super charged Hemi engine, independent front suspension and a damn cool paint job.

After 57 hours, Altoona resident Ryan Rupert, outlasted 24 other contestants to take home the grand prize boat and trailer.