It's hard to believe it's been well over a year since I posted a Myspace blog! I guess you can deduce that in my world of writing, Myspace isn't on the top of my priority list.
But occasionally, I find the oddball topic that doesn't really fit into the other forums I write for; that isn't music related, radio related or anything else related. So those topics wind up here on Myspace.
For those who have not yet heard (and there are still a few of you out there), I was let go from my radio job at Q94 in Altoona last month after over 14 years on air. Station ownership cited budgetary reasons for cutting me loose. Fortunately, once word hit the streets that I was a free agent, I was picked up by Rocky 104.9 in Altoona, and am now working there part-time, on air Sunday nights from 6 to midnight, and doing my local music program "The Homegrown Rocker" from 9 to 11 PM. Big thanks to Tommy Edwards and Rocky for presenting the opportunity to not just stay on the airwaves, but continue to support local music on the airwaves as well!
Since I have a lot more free time on my hands these days (at least until I procure some full-time work hours), I've been taking it easy and logging some time doing some things I hadn't had the time to do much of in recent months, fishing and railfanning. This week, those two pastimes led to some interesting and surprising experiences.
With the autumn leaves in their full color in these parts, I did an afternoon of fishing at Prince Gallitzin State Park. The fishing itself was on the slow side; on my first cast, something big took my hook, but got loose before I could reel it all the way in (I suspect it was a largemouth bass). I didn't get even a nibble for the next three hours!
Perhaps the slowness of the fishing set the stage for the near coronary experience I had late that afternoon. I was fishing in the Wyerough area, a small, secluded cove where a tributary stream empties into the main lake. I had seen a large blue heron fly in towards the rear of the cove, and with fishing rod in hand, I slowly walked towards the rear of the cove to catch a closer look at the heron, as well as cast and see what fish might be lurking further back. I couldn't see the heron, but did finally hook another fish, a small yellow perch. I started to return to my tackle box for my fishing pliers to unhook the perch and return it to the water, when suddenly I heard this huge roar resound through the cove - a rapidly approaching jet roar, and it sounded close! Within two seconds, a Phantom fighter jet roared directly overhead, perhaps 200 yards above me! It was loud and it was fast, roaring past me before banking off to the left and shooting out over the lake and off into the horizon. WOW, what a rush! Startled, I started to again proceed towards my tackle box, when I suddenly heard a second roar, and within seconds, a second Phantom jet doing the same maneuver, overhead and then banking to the left over the main lake - this time, I could see the white exhaust plumes as it completed its turn! Again, my nerves were on edge after these two close encounters with passing fighter jets. I made it back to the tackle box, and after I released the fish, I grabbed my Pentax camera (a camera that actually uses film, which I rarely use in this age of digital photography), and put it around my neck, in case any more jets were in the vicinity. Within another minute or two, I learned that there were, as I again heard the roar of two more approaching jets. However, these jets were coming over the lake on the other side of the road from where I was, and my view of them was blocked. I couldn't see them, but heard them as they did the same banking maneuvers and followed the earlier jets off into the horizon.
These jet encounters had me on edge for a few minutes, anticipating if any more were coming - every time I heard a car approaching in the distance, I was waiting for a fast-growing jet roar! I soon started to settle down, and looking back into the cove, I saw the aforementioned blue heron, calmly walking along the weedbeds bordering the stream and cove, stalking for small fish, frogs and salamanders. The heron never got close enough for me to get a good photograph, but I watched it in the distance as it went about its business...apparently unfazed by the loud jets. Soon evening began to arrive, and I noted the contrast of the quiet sunset, with gentle lake waves brushing the shore, the sound of a few crickets and cicadas, and a few wood ducks playing in the water out near the entrance to the cove; compared to the loud roar of the jets earlier. This afternoon presented a rollercoaster of nerves and excitement!
Then the following afternoon, with temperatures still warm and the sun and leaves bright, I indulged my railfanning jones by doing a short journey to famous Altoona railroad landmark The Horseshoe Curve. Every October, I like to do an afternoon of train and leaf-watching at the top of the Curve when the leaves are at their colorful peak. This journey, too, had its surprises, although none as nerve-jarring as the previous afternoon.
I took my digital camera and my notes and notepad along, and climbed the long staircase to the top of the Curve. (I sometimes wish I lived closer to the Curve, so I could do this upstairs hike each day for my workout!) I procured a picnic table, and alternated between writing paragraphs for my upcoming Pennsylvania Musician magazine article (with my deadline a week away) and photographing the train traffic against the colorful autumn leaves.
There were other visitors and tourists checking out the Curve and autumn leaves, including a couple from upper Michigan and some folks from Ontario. Soon I saw a guy walking up the Kittanning path to the curve, with a tiny brown chihuahua on a leash. Since my picnic table was near the terminus of this path at the Curve, the new visitor paused at the table, and broke out a water cup to give his little dog a drink. He began chatting with me. His name was Dave, and he was a railfan from Philadelphia who has made frequent visits to the Horseshoe Curve and Altoona area. He was familiar enough with the area to know about Al's Tavern and Tom & Joe's Restaurant, and we were discussing the cuisine at both places. Dave told me he was working on a model railroad, but a totally different kind of model railroad for the current digital age. He was photographing the area, and designing his own virtual model railroad based on the Pennsylvania Railroad, as well as the Wopsy Railroad and some of the old mining and lumbering railroads around the region. He was noting the types of trees along the rail routes, as well as weathered buildings and other topography, in his pursuit of crafting the most realistic virtual train journey he could. I had never thought about this as a new possibility in the world of model railroading; what a fascinating new twist to this hobby! Dave also introduced me to the dog, whose name was Marley. Marley was funny, one of those dogs whose ear movements were an extension of its personality. I laughed watching Marley's ears twitch as trains would round the curve and wheels would squeal. The dog was also photogenic, posing for a few pictures I took.
As Dave and I continued to chat, we heard several folks arrive behind us, back near the steps and funicular tram car area. They sounded like they were getting into position for something, so we both paused our conversation to turn around and take a look. We saw two middle-aged folks, a man and a woman, dressed up in formal wear, along with a woman in a black cape, apparently a minister. We were about to witness an impromptu wedding of railfans on the Horseshoe Curve! The minister led the couple in their vows, and the two kissed, with the rest of us (Dave, myself and a few other visitors) applauding the proceedings at the end. The groom had brought an acoustic guitar, and at the close of the ceremony, played the "Wedding March" on his guitar! The newlyweds then posed for various photos against the backdrop of the Horseshoe Curve and fall colors, and left soon afterward. Dave and I both wondered aloud how often weddings have ever happened at this landmark!
It had been clouding up during the afternoon, and feeling a few light drops of rain on my arm in late afternoon, I packed up my notebook and camera and descended the Horseshoe Curve. Again, a very interesting afternoon!
I often wonder if I have a sixth sense about these things. Often when I have to decide between two options of what to do or where to go on a given day, I always seem to pick out the option that leads to something interesting occurring. The previous day, I had to decide between Prince Gallitzin State Park or the Juniata River, and I chose Prince Gallitzin and experienced the jet episode and the blue heron. This day, I decided between fishing or railfanning, and chose the latter, and became the witness to a wedding!
Interesting times, indeed!