ActionshotsNH

Nevada / Arizona Trip 2026

2026-09-28T21:08:04.208-04:00

On this trip we planned to go to the Barrett Jackson auto auction, do some sightseeing, and visit family and friends.

We flew from Boston to Las Vegas. Our flight was delayed 4 hours as they said metal was found in the oil of one of the plane engines. We had to wait for another plane to come up from Florida and take us to Phoenix. Can’t airplanes fly with one engine!! Hehe …

Our rental car ended up being a Toyota 4 Runner. With 4-wheel drive I thought we might have some fun. It was fun to drive but no cruise control was a negative with all the driving we had planned. We used our hotel as a base camp for day trips which worked out well.

Our hotel was 1/1/2 miles from the Convention Center/ Barret Jackson. We took the hotel shuttle which was very convenient. They had some beautiful cars and trucks there. From the truck side I really liked this international Scout. We were there on Friday and it was being auctioned on Saturday. My wife said we could get a bidders pass for Saturday so I could bid on it. I thought it would be expensive. It went for $90,200 so not something I would have walked away with.

Hoover Dam was just under an hour away. On our way we stopped in Boulder City and went to the Hoover Dam museum. We also stopped at Hemenway Park and saw several bighorn sheep.

We had tickets for a Hoover Dam tour so continued on. Before the tour we walked out on the bridge which overlooks the Dam. The water level in Lake Mead was very low due to several years of below average snowfall in the Rockies and the rivers that feed into the Colorado River. You can see the white “bathtub ring” showing how high the water once was.

Later that afternoon the hotel shuttle dropped up off on the Las Vegas strip near the Trump Tower.

We did a lot of walking down the strip and into many of the hotels. With all the hotels I noticed interesting architecture and some reflections so took a couple of pictures.

The Venetian Resort indoor and outdoor canals with gondoliers going by which was fun. The skies and the painted shops inside made you feel like you were outside in Venice, Italy.

We drove to Red Rock Canyon. They have a 13-mile scenic loop with stops along the way. There were quite a few hiking trails around which would have been fun but for one phobia fear in the group … SNAKES … Driving the loop was very nice though.

We went back to the Las Vegas strip that afternoon and parked at Treasure Island (Free Parking). We did a lot more walking, had dinner, and the lights came out. Pam doesn’t like Intentional Camera Movement (ICM) pictures, but I had fun playing with the lights.

As we departed Las Vegas, we stayed on the North side of the Grand Canyon. Our plan was to stop at the “Valley of Fire” as it would be on our way to Page, AZ. From the highway exit we drove 12 miles and as we came up over one of the hills the road was blocked off and closed. A park ranger showed up and said they were doing construction. NUTS. The ranger said we could go in through another entrance but that was the wrong direction of travel and would have taken a lot more time, so we decided to skip it and drive to Page.

It turned out to be a beautiful drive. Big mountains with painted desert like colors, winding highway through the mountains, saw some wild horses, etc. That was great.

We arrived in Page, AZ and drove over the Glenn Canyon Dam. Our hotel was on Scenic View Rd so we could see the Dam from our hotel. Glen Canyon Dam Overlook was right across the street. Sunrise reflection on the clouds by the hotel.

That afternoon we went to Horseshoe Bend. It cost $10 to park. When we got to the booth, I asked the lady if they take the National Park pass. She said no. I said it was late in the day, and I would be coming back in the morning to take sunrise pictures. Would this $10 be good for that time also? She said it is only good for one time and the finger she showed me for indicating number one wasn’t her index finger!! Whoop … Oh Boy … We laughed, I paid, and I parked.

It was probably a half mile walk from the parking lot to the overlook. That time of day the sun was not in an ideal location for great pictures, but it was nice. There were hundreds of people there which was ok.

We went to the Lake Powell overlook several times. It had a great view being so high up. We could see the thunderstorms moving across the landscape, sunsets, etc.

We visited Glen Canyon Dam, did a tour and walked around. You can see the water level was very low also. The Colorado feeds Lake Powell. There are multiple dams up and down the Colorado River. Water flowing from the Glen Canyon Dam flows to Lake Powell and the Hoover Dam. We could see Lake Powell was very low also.

I booked a “Secret Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend Tour”. We rode in the back of an open-air truck for 30 minutes or so to get to the canyon. A bit on the road, then through a gate and following the powerlines on dirt and sand road, then headed inland to Antelope Canyon driving in sand, dirt, river bottoms, over rocks, etc. I liked that! Since I like 4-wheeling I wondered if he would let me drive if I gave him $100. I would have loved taking my Jeep in there.

Once we finished with Antelope Canyon, we crossed Rt89 and entered a private area where we had a private view of Horseshoe Bend. There were only 14 of us so was nice and quiet. We walked around and took pictures. Knowing what I know about this part of our tour we would have skipped the previous Horseshoe Bend walk with all the people.

That afternoon we took Rt 98 to White Mesa. A pretty drive. There were hiking trails around but not much else. We did see some wild horses along the way.

The next morning, we went to Toadstool Hoodoos. We hiked in a mile or so. There were hoodoos around (hence the name) and a cave a mile or so in from the parking lot. Some good pictures and it was a nice hike.

I booked a Navajo Canyon Boat Tour on Lake Powell that afternoon. Once aboard, they went to the dam then we headed up Navajo Canyon. You can see from the Calcium Carbonate water marks the water is way down from where it had been in years past. The boat ramps are now 100’s of feet away from the current water level and were told only one boat ramp is currently in use.

The concern for both dams is the continued water level drop. At some point they would have to shut down the generators due to lack of water. The generators in both dams’ supply electricity to millions of people in multiple states. Saw our first Road Runner.

We headed South on Rt 89 to Phoenix. This was a pretty drive with big valleys and mountains off in the distance and steep descending inclines.

We decided to backtrack to Marble Canyon and check that out. Again, beautiful colors and scenery. This is a picture from the Marble Canyon bridge over the Colorado river.

After Marble Canyon we continued to Flagstaff then on to Phoenix.

We rented a nice Airbnb in Paradise Valley. We were busy visiting family and some friends. Spent a little time in Old Scottsdale, went to a Titanic Exhibit, and had Mexican food for dinner in Cave Creek.

One afternoon we decided to head to Prescott. I hadn’t been there since 2015 and then it was just a drive through. We went to Watson Lake Park and saw another Road Runner. We also found out there was an Indian Powwow going on that weekend. We enjoyed watching the ceremonial dancing.

We ended up on Whiskey Row walking around and going through the shops. We had dinner berfore we headed back to Phoenix. Next time we go to Phoenix we are going to spend more time in Prescott.

We dropped the 4 Runner with an additional 1400 miles and flew from Phoenix back to Boston arriving safely. We had a fun, relaxing, adventurous, and productive trip exploring and seeing family and friends.

Red, White, and Barns of New England

2026-09-27T09:00:00.000-04:00

I enjoy taking pictures and am always on the lookout for a nice barn when we drive or hike. As a child, my family would visit my Grandparents farm in Iowa.

I have such fond memories of my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, extended family, neighbors, etc. on the farm. They include driving tractors, bailing hay, feeding the cows, delivering a calf, driving pickup trucks, turning on the windmill, sleeping in the barn, fishing in the creek, and lots of critters. I think barn pictures may bring back those childhood memories.

I enjoy photos of old and new barns. Not that red is the preferred color of a barn but “Isn't red the preferred color of a barn”? There are many other barn colors including white, yellow, and non-painted barns.

What about photographing other farm buildings that aren't barns? Would they count if they were red? I took a picture of a restored ice house next to a pond (a barn wanna be). It was a pretty shot and I couldn't resist.

I guess I'll be open to all barns or interesting farm buildings. I should really plan a road trip through New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine to revisit some of the barns I remember seeing but didn't take a picture of. Sunrise, sunset, morning fog, rain. I take them as they are.

Kevin thinks I should add farm equipment (only old and/or red equipment). What about farm animals? There could be 2 more blog posts there.

Except for the 3 Iowa farm pictures, I have taken all of these barn pictures.

Click on the photo to enlarge. This is always a work in progress for me ...

Below are a couple barn pictures I took outside of New England.

I recently visited friends in PA and took some barn pictures. Below is a link to my blog post "Barn Hunting in York County, PA.

https://actionshotsnh.blogspot.com/2018/11/barn-hunting-in-york-county-pa.html

Experimenting with Intentional Camera Movement - ICM

2026-09-13T18:35:00.000-04:00

I was online admiring a photo someone had taken. Another person asked how it was done and the response was "intentional camera movement". Hmm.

Wikipedia says "In intentional camera movement (ICM), a camera is moved during the exposure for a creative or artistic effect. This causes the image points to move across the recording medium, producing an apparent streaking in the resulting image ... The effect depends significantly on the direction that the camera is moved in relation to the subject as well as the speed of the movement."

Ironically, I have taken ICM pictures over the years not knowing it had a name.

Doing a bit of research has inspired me to experiment. ICM does create interesting pictures. I have a few ideas so I will see what turns up.

Ocean Waves

Lights from Disneyland Hotel

7th Street, Phoenix

Loudon Races

You can see with a couple photos below that distant objects do not show as much movement as the subjects that are closer.

Trees on a hillside

Night Lights

Row, Row, Row your boat ...

2026-09-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

There are many types of boat moorings including quays, wharves, jetties, piers, anchor buoys, and mooring buoys. Fishermen often secure their fishing boats to a mooring away from a dock or the shore. Small boats are used to go back and forth from the dock to the fishing boat off-shore.

I call them "Rowboats" but some have motors attached so I guess that may not be the right name. Oh well …

You see all kinds of rowboats. New, old, painted, beat up, full of water, named, nameless, repurposed, etc. All must do their job or they wouldn't be there.

On occasion, I will take pictures of the buoys and the boats. Enjoy.

Beaver Brook Association - Hollis, NH

2026-08-31T17:53:00.000-04:00

When walking in Beaver Brook I take my camera just in case I see something interesting. I found a couple nice areas where the deer consistently move from the swamp up the ridge and down the other side. I jumped a couple deer but didn’t get good pictures of them.

When I hike I want to be prepared so I carry my smallest pack with first aid, water, hand warmers, flashlight, headlamp, knife, multi tool, matches, rope, space blanket, tree saw, extra socks, gloves, granola bars, etc. I tell Pam where I am going but I still want to be prepared in case something happens to me or I walk up on someone hurt. If I am on a 3 or 4 mile hike and something happens I could be miles from my vehicle and could be on my own for a night.

As the ice on the ponds started to melt I was on a trail and spotted a Hooded Merganser. When I tried to get close it flew away up the pond. I followed in the woods, tried to get close again and the same thing happened. I decided to go further in the woods and loop around from the other side. It worked !! As I approached I spotted 3 males and one female. I got close enough to take a couple pictures. The female was a good decoy as the males lost interest in my movement.

Ice gone … bugs out … leaves coming out to block the views … critters warming up. Forgot to pack the Deet … Pam hiked with me around one of the new ponds I found. She is afraid of snakes so isn’t real interested in going with me once the weather warms up. We had a great time exploring some new trails.

I spotted this 3 foot Northern Water Snake cruising close to shore looking for fish, frogs, or anything else edible. Pam would never go back to this part of Beaver Brook if I told her where I was. Shhh … I tell her I only take her to “Posted” areas where "Snakes are Prohibited”. I have a picture in one of my previous posts from Beaver Brook of a water snake in the process of swallowing a fish. It spotted me and tried to spit the fish out and run but the fish was too far in. The snake ended up swimming off with half the fish in and half out.

Megan and Kevin hiked in a new section with me. She spotted this male tree swallow off the trail. We continued to some large rock formations with open cracks. I saw porcupine scat below one of the openings. As we were contemplating looking inside Megan spotted what she thought was a big earthworm. It was 4 ½ inches long. As I went to pick it up it rolled and I saw lots-o-legs (4 legs per segment) … BOO … It was a Millipede. I grabbed a stick and lifted it off the leaves. Megan held the stick while I took a picture. Most comments from the picture are along the lines of gross, ewe, sick … what’s with that?

I researched and this is an eastern millipede (Narceus Americanus) and is common in the woods of New England. It cannot bite and defends itself by rolling up in a tight spiral and/or uses its orange/brown chemical defenses that must make it taste bad and maybe smell bad. We didn't stress out this millipede so no spiral or chemical defense. I set it back down and watched it disappear in the leaves.

On one of my hikes I walked the Porcupine trail. I often asked myself "What's with the name?" That is until I spotted this little fella off that trail. Go figure!!

Always a work in progress …

Stupidity Abounds!! Don't Be Confrontational in the Woods.

2026-08-31T10:30:00.000-04:00

I have been doing a fair amount of hiking this summer. I go out several times a week and walk in the woods between 4 and 6 miles. I enjoy the woods so much more than doing the neighborhood walk. Currently my GPS reads 148.64 miles. I did a reset twice before but thought I would stop doing that.

My hiking clothes are green so I blend in with the foliage so not as easy to be spotted by the critters. I do wear either a red or an orange camouflage baseball hat to make myself more visible to people in the woods. I often times take a camera but with dense foliage it can be hard to see critters in the summer.

This summer I have seen deer, fox, coyote, Baard owls, blue herin, several types of snakes, and lots of other birds. That is what I enjoy about the woods.

One fox I spotted was either rabid or had mange so not healthy. Several weeks later I came across the skull of a fox along with lots of hair. Could be the coyotes took care of that one.

I have passed many people on the trails with no issues. Several were lost and I was able to get them back to where they started.

However, in one instance I went for my hike and parked in the main parking lot. As I was walking up the hill to one of the trail heads, two ladies were walking down the hill toward me.

One said hello to me and I said hello to them. Then one of the two stopped and said “Someday I’m gonna take that hat from you!” (I was wearing my orange and black camouflage baseball hat). I replied " Oh, is that right. Do you like it?" and took my hat off. Then the other lady says "Yeah, I’m gonna shoot YOU!" I replied “Oh! Well then.” and I kept walking. Hmm ... Was that a threat?

I guess when they saw me wearing my camo hat, they thought I must be a hunter so it was their duty to be confrontational.

Stupidity abounds!! My advise when hiking would be to refrain from threatening, or being confrontational to anyone you meet since you don't know anything about that person and how they may react or respond. There is a time and a place for everything and that was not it.

At my club, 95% of the members follow the rules and get along. Then there are the 5% that don't feel the rules apply to them and think their opinions supersede everyone else's.

I assessed these two were part of that 5% and would be a waste of my time to have a debate with two unhinged "In Your Face" ladies.

I often carry various forms of protection when I hike in the woods. Is this another reason to do so?

Reflections

2026-08-02T15:37:00.000-04:00

I’ve been thinking about doing a blog post on reflections. But then I found myself wondering: should I show the subject that creates the reflection, or let the reflection stand entirely on its own?

Some photographs seem stronger when the original subject is included, giving the viewer a sense of place and context. Others become more intriguing when the subject disappears, leaving only the reflected image and inviting the viewer to pause and wonder.

And so, I find myself caught in my own little photographic debate. Until I make up my mind, I suppose I’ll have to include both—the subject and its reflection, and the reflection standing alone.

Kennebunkport Maine vacation - 2026

2026-07-28T22:48:36.851-04:00

We were off to Kennebunkport for our vacation. We rented the same 2 houses again from prior years.

I had the same photo plan as in years past. I am an early person. When I wake up, the amount of time I have before sunrise will determine where I drive to take early morning pictures. Cape Porpoise is the fall back as it is only a few minutes away.

I went to Cape Porpoise several times, Wells Harbor, and Perkins Cove in Ogunquit.

I have been hiking in the woods quite a bit this year. From Perkins Cove, I walked the Marginal Way 4 times throughout the week. In the early morning there aren’t many people walking so it was nice. I took 2 pics of a lifeguard chair and couldn't decide which one I liked more.

I walked at the Laudholm Reserve one morning. I had to cut things short when I got a call saying they were locked out of the house and I had the key.

Smoke from Canadian wildfires were turning the sky yellow and in some cases orange. It made for some interesting pictures throughout the week.

One of my early mornings I went to York to the Nubble. As I drove it looked like it would be a flop with no color. As I continued driving, I started seeing pink and orange. I set up my camera and took a few pictures. As it progressed, I switched and took some drone pictures. I took side roads back to Perkins Cove then home. Stopping at Dunkins for coffee of course.

Since I have a barn blog, I am always keeping an eye out for something interesting. I saw this barn and stopped to get a picture.

We took the kids and grandkids to mini golf. We had a great time. We spent 2 full days at Goose Rocks beach playing on the sand and in the tide pools. We also went to Mothers beach as the grandkids like the play area.

The week included breakfast at the Maine Diner, takeout for dinner from Allison’s like last year, dinner at Cape Pier Chowder House, and the traditional Friday night pizza on Gooch’s beach.

I must admit I went a bit crazy on the row boats.

I did try to catch an occasional sunrise or sunset also.

We had so much fun with the kids and grandkids all week. We were tired when our vacation ended so we need to plan something else a little more relaxing real soon …

Lighthouses from a Different Perspective … BE DIFFERENT …

2026-07-21T09:14:00.000-04:00

There are many lighthouses up and down the coast. A couple summers ago I was on the destination photo kick so I started hunting for lighthouses in the area. Sunrise, mid-day, sunset, all times of the day. Cold, snow, high winds, fog, haze, bad light, etc. Since I don’t live close to any lighthouses, I make the best of it by taking the “it is what it is” approach. It would be fun to revisit many of them.

When I take pictures, I like to try to BE DIFFERENT. Digital cameras make it possible for most people with little or no photography knowledge to take pretty good pictures. Some lighthouses are very popular tourist destinations. I can assume almost everyone that has ever seen these popular ones have taken a picture of it so I want to BE DIFFERENT. Some are not so popular and not easily seen or accessible from the shore, rocks, dock, etc. A good telephoto lens might do the trick but again, if I stand right next to you and take a picture the subject will look like your picture. An airplane, boat, drone, good photography skills, etc. or any combination of those can make things more interesting so BE DIFFERENT.

From my picture perspective, these lighthouses need to be something I want to take a picture of. Several I tracked down were not up to my standards. I passed on a lighthouse now surrounded by a parking lot, one surrounded by a chain-link fence and barbed wire, several no taller than 10 feet, etc. You get the idea. I’m sure I will see more of them.

I do like to research so made a list of the lighthouse types by how they are built or by their shape. They can be called a Bug, Caisson, Crib, Non-Screwpile (Straightpile), Screw-pile, Sparkplug, Texas Tower, or Wave-Washed. As I find more types I will add them.

Annisquam Harbor Light was first established in 1801 and is one of the oldest lighthouses in MA. I was up at 4:00AM and driving for an early morning sunrise. The brick tower was replaced around 1897. I liked the pink sky.

Eastern Point Light was built in 1832. I was up early for the sunrise. There was a hurricane off the coast that missed us earlier in the week so the waves were huge.

The big waves were a nice surprise and breached the 2,250-foot long "Dog Bar Breakwater" that marks the Dog Bar Reef. The Dog Bar Breakwater Light marks its end. It was built-in 1905. Yes ... it is a lighthouse too.

Ten Pound Island Light was originally built from stone in 1821 to help mariners avoid a dangerous ledge. It was replaced by this 30-foot cast-iron structure in 1881 and was restored in 1989.

Goat Island Light Was built in 1833. The walkway that connects the house to the tower was washed out to sea in the Blizzard of 1978. The enclosed walkway from the house to the tower was rebuilt in 2011. Before being enclosed it must have been a cold and windy walk in the winter.

Nubble Light was completed in 1879. It is a very popular tourist destination. I went there 2 mornings in a row. I arrived at 5:05AM the first morning and the lighthouse was lit up with Christmas lights. When I asked a local told me they were celebrating Christmas in July to show the summer tourists what it looks like in December. The fog rolled in and out several times. The second morning, again Fog … not what I wanted a second time but you must make the best of things. Interesting how the fog was rolling over the water. It looked more like the top of a mountain.

Straitsmouth Island Light was built in 1835 to mark the entrance to the harbor. It used to have a 315-foot walkway to the oil house and quarters. My guess is it either fell apart or was washed out to sea from a storm.

Thacher Island Twin Lights are the only currently operating twin lighthouses in America and the lights are 166 feet above sea level. The island is named after Anthony Thacher. He and his wife were the only 2 survivors out of 23 passengers and crew from a shipwreck caused by a great storm in 1635. The twin lights were the eleventh and last lighthouses built under British rule and built on the island in 1771. The waves crashing from a big storm would look spectacular.

Marblehead Light was originally built in 1835 as a wood and brick structure. It was replaced in 1895 by this 105-foot skeletal structure. It is the only tower of its type in New England.

Portsmouth Harbor Light is the only lighthouse on the mainland of New Hampshire, Portsmouth Harbor Light (also known as Fort Point Light, New Castle Light, and Fort Constitution Light) was constructed in 1878 (48-foot tower) on the grounds of Fort Constitution, a Revolutionary War fortification. You can see the openings in the walls for the cannons that protected the harbor.

Whaleback Light is a historic lighthouse marking the mouth of the Pisqataqua River in Kittery, Maine. It is located on a rocky outcrop offshore southwest of Fort Foster and south of Wood Island in Kittery. The present 50-foot tower was built in 1872.

Wood Island Station (Yes, I know this isn’t a lighthouse. But it was right there!) is at the mouth of the Piscataqua River in Kittery Point, Maine has stood watch for 111 years. It housed men, brave “surfmen”, that were part of the US Life Saving Service (a forerunner of the US Coast Guard) who would wait with small rowing boats to go out to help mariners in distress in terrible conditions year-round. Restoration started in 2011.

Wood Island Light was established in 1808. It is Maine’s second oldest lighthouse and the nation’s eleventh oldest. There were no windows in the house as it is being rebuilt. This is one of several lighthouses I have seen using (or in this case will be using) solar panels.

Cape Elizabeth Light (also known as Two Lights) was first built in 1828 with towers 300 yards apart. Rebuilt in 1874 with cast iron towers each 67 feet high and a focal height of 129 feet above sea level. The western tower was deactivated in 1924.

Oak Island Light was built in 1958 with a height of 153 feet. The first 40' feet of the tower is comprised of natural gray cement, while the next 50' feet is made up of white Portland cement and white quartz aggregate, and the final top portion is composed of cement and black paint.

Morris Island Light opened in 1876 with a height of 161 feet. It used to have buildings attached to it. In 1989, Hurricane Hugo struck Charleston, destroying the remaining buildings around the lighthouse, only leaving the actual tower standing.

Bakers Island Light was built on 10 island acres on the north side of Bakers Island approaching Salem harbor. It went into service in 1798 with the current tower built-in 1821. It was automated in 1972 and converted to solar power in 2000. The tower height is 59 feet with a focal height of 111 feet.

Spring Point Ledge Light went into service in 1897. The tower height is 54 feet.

Portland Head Light was originally built in 1791. It is an 80-foot tower with a 101-foot focal plane. It is the most popular lighthouse in Maine.

Portland Breakwater Light (Bug Light) was originally built in 1837. The current cast-iron tower was built in 1875.

Ram Island Ledge Light was completed and lit in 1905. The focal height is 77 feet.

Whitehead Island Light was established in 1804 and went into service in 1807. The current 41-foot tower was built in 1852. It is the third-oldest active light station in Maine.

Bass Harbor Head Light was built in 1858. It is 33 feet in height on the edge of a cliff with a focal height of 56 feet.

Curtis Island Light was established in 1835, and the present structure was built in 1896. It has a 25-foot tower with a Focal height of 52 feet. The island shelters Camden Harbor for ocean storms.

Indian Island Light was established in 1850. The island was sold to the U.S. government for a light station by Silas Piper for $25 in 1849. The present structure was built in 1875. It is a 31-foot tower on the eastern side of the entrance to Rockport Harbor. It’s a private residence now.

Marshall Point Light was established in 1832 with the present lighthouse built in 1857. It has a 21-foot tower marking the entrance to Port Clyde harbor. This is the lighthouse you see in the movie “Forest Gump”.

Owls Head Light was established in 1825 with the present lighthouse built in 1852. Up high on a cliff, the tower is 30 feet with a focal height of 100 feet.

Pemaquid Point Light was established in 1827. The current 38-foot tower is on a cliff with a focal height of 79 feet.

Rockland Breakwater Light has a 7/8-mile-long breakwater was built between 1881 and 1899 using around 700,000 tons of granite to protect the harbor. The lighthouse was established in 1902. Its tower height is 25 feet with a focal height of 39 feet.

Boon Island Light was established as a full light station and granite tower in 1811. The current tower was constructed in 1855. I haven’t had my buddy take me out to Boon Island Light in his boat so no pictures up close. On a warm but clear vacation day, I spotted Boon Island from Kennebunkport 15.2 miles away, as it’s the tallest lighthouse in both Maine and New England at 133 feet with a focal plane at 137 feet above mean high water. I hope to get closer someday.

Derby Wharf Light was built in 1871. Its height is 13 feet with a Focal height of 25 feet.

Harbour Town Light was privately built in 1969 and is 93 feet tall with a focal height of 92 feet.

Tybee Island Light was originally built in 1736. Pictured is the 4th tower that was built. The previous towers had a rough go of being damaged or succumbing to storms, shoreline erosion, a Civil War burning, hurricanes, or an earthquake. The present tower has a height of 144 feet. It was fun taking the 178 stairs to the top.

Cockspur Island Light is a 46-foot-tall brick tower built in 1839 to guide ships into the South Channel of the Savannah River. It was replaced in 1855 and has survived hurricanes and the Civil War Battle for Fort Pulaski.

Hunting Island Light tower construction was started in 1859 but was destroyed in the Civil War. Construction started again in 1873 and finished in 1875. It stands 136 feet tall with a focal height of 130 feet. Because of concerns for island erosion, it was designed and engineered to be moveable. It was in fact, disassembled and moved to its current location in 1889 for that very reason.

Morgan Point Light was built in 1868 with a height of 52 feet and a focal height of 61 feet. It is at the mouth of the Mystic River. Impressive place, privately owned now, and not active. I loved the granite and the slate shingles.

Latimer Reef Light built in 1804 and first lit in 1884 with a height of 49 feet and a focal height of 55 feet. It rests on concrete or metal caisson so called a caisson lighthouse. Sometimes referred to as sparkplug lighthouses, or bug lights and coffee pots. In this case the foundation is cast iron/concrete caisson.

New London Ledge Light was built in 1909 with a focal height of 58 feet. On the Thames River, it guides vessels around the shoals and ledges at the entrance of the harbor.

Stonington Harbor Light was built in 1840 with a height of 36 feet and a focal height of 62 feet. It became a museum in 1925.

Saybrook Breakwater Light sometimes called Outer Light, was built in 1886 with a height of 48 feet and a focal height of 58 feet. You can see Lynde Point Light in the background. Both mark the harbor channel at the mouth of the Connecticut River and are about 3000 feet apart.

Mystic Seaport Light was built in 1966 with a height of 25 feet and a focal height of 26 feet. It is a replica of the 1901 Brant Point Light on Nantucket Island.

Beavertail Light was originally built out of wood in 1749 then destroyed by the British in the American Revolutionary War. It was rebuilt in 1856 with the current tower that is 10 ft square and 64 feet from ground to beacon.

Sakonnet Light, was built in 1884. It is a sparkplug lighthouse with an overall height of 66 feet and focal height of 58 feet. I could not get very close and high winds prevented me from using my drone.

Castle Hill Light was built in 1890. Height is 33 feet with a focal height of 39 feet.

Newport Harbor Light (Goat Island Light) was built in 1823 using granite blocks. It has a focal height of 33 feet.

Rose Island Light was built in 1870. The focal height is 48 feet. For a fee, visitors can spend a night as a guest or a week as the "lighthouse keeper," doing the chores required to keep the lighthouse in good condition. This is only accessible by boat, ferry, etc.

Dutch Island Light was built in 1826 out of brick with a focal height of 56 feet.

Lighthouses have an interesting history. Check some of them out yourself. Also, if you click on the pictures they enlarge to view better.

I will add more as I explore ...

SUSPENDED OVERHEAD

2026-07-19T21:32:00.000-04:00

When I started taking drone pictures it gave me the ability to climb a 400-foot ladder so to speak creating different angles for a picture.

I have taken some interesting pictures directly over a subject. I came up with several names and through polling selected the name above. Hanging Around, A Bird's-eye View, and From the Top Down were also in the running.

In any case here are some pictures in no particular order.

Time-Lapse Photography - Experimenting

2026-06-29T19:16:00.000-04:00

In the past, I have experimented a bit with time-lapse photography and enjoy it very much. I had a Nikon FE2 film camera for these older photos. It was different experimenting with film as you didn't quite know what you would get until the film was developed. You had to be a bit more deliberate when experimenting.

I set my tripod up and took pictures of the television. That was when picture tubes weren't the greatest. I liked watching sports. How many remember Howard ...

I carefully set up this candle and left the shutter open on my camera for 24 hours. As you can see the candle opened up on one side and the hot wax dripped over the side. It made an interesting picture. Make sure to take precautions in case the candle falls over or wax drips. When I took this other candle picture I opened the shutter then came around and positioned myself behind the candle. When the light reflects you appear like a ghost if you don't stay long enough. The tough part is to remain still so you aren't a blur.

When I went to Disneyland in California I took my camera on several rides to take time-lapse pictures of movement. The Monorail is used to take people around the park. It also makes a stop at the Disneyland Hotel. I was lucky enough to sit in a seat so I could point the camera forward for my experiment. I held my camera very still and took a time-lapse photo as we passed the hotel. The movement of the lights was caused by the motion of the Monorail. You can read the "Disneyland Hotel" sign lit up in red.

I experimented taking moon pictures. Here is a 23-minute picture of the moon rising. I kept the shutter open on this other one and moved the camera to create a pattern. It is interesting how the moon creates tubes not just lines.

I also took a couple pictures over the tunnel on the parkway in CT. Not sure you could still do that today without getting arrested. These are old and were scanned. The lines will have to do unless I can find the negatives. Either way, you get the idea of the photos.

Here are two I took in Phoenix looking at 7th Street. More experimenting. I had the camera on the tripod and with a second or so remaining I pointed the camera down making the tails. The other I moved the camera up and down with the shutter open.

While staying at a Boston hotel recently there were small orange-colored ornamental lights hanging down from the high ceiling projecting light down toward the escalators. I took time lapse pictures going up and down the escalators using the handrail to try to hold my camera pointing straight up at the lights.

If I have time I will add some others ...

103rd Annual Loudon Classic - Bike Week 2026

2026-06-19T17:40:00.000-04:00

I haven't been to the races for a few years so I headed to Loudon to watch some racing during bike week. I bought a pass on Friday and walked around the the infield to see some bikes getting ready.

I spent most of my time taking pictures along the front of the stands starting at the far corner before the straight. I worked my way back to where I entered then headed for the sharp turn after the hill.

I took a picture of #351 at the corner. He missed the turn coming off the main straightaway and hit the barriers on that next lap. I didn't see the accident but saw the bike up against the wall. Hopefully the rider was ok.

It was fun watching the races. I saw many braking so hard before a corner their rear wheel was off the ground. I think I'm a bit to old for that kind of riding. hehe

Gloucester Harbor boats

2026-05-23T07:46:00.000-04:00

Over the years I have driven through Gloucester many times on my way to the Good Harbor beach, Rockport, etc. I have seen boats in the harbor but have not spent much time there. There are many fishing boats that call Gloucester their home. A movie,"The Perfect Storm", is based on one of those Gloucester fishing boats.

There is plenty of history here also. Here are some of my Gloucester boat pictures.

Arizona Visit - 2026

2026-04-25T18:29:00.000-04:00

We have visited Arizona two times now to take care of some family business. We rented an AirB&B in Scottsdale near Old Town Scottsdale. It was so much fun seeing family and friends. Great food and conversation.

Since we were staying near Old Town Scottsdale, we ended up eating in that area multiple times at various restaurants. We also enjoyed walking along the Scottsdale waterfront. It is a scenic, walkable district along the Arizona canal near shops, restaurants, etc. After walking the waterfront, we would sit and people watch.

When growing up in Phoenix, and on past trips we spent more time going north to Sedona, Jerome, Flagstaff, Grand Canyon, etc. With a couple days of free time, we decided to head south to Tucson.

We went to the Sabino Canyon recreation area in Tucson and did some walking. I saw this deer meandering through the brush.

There were lots of Saguaro cactus around. Because they don't have annual rings like a tree, age is generally estimated by height and arm development. While many live 150-200 years, they can survive much longer under ideal conditions. This was an interesting one we saw on the trail in the recreation area.

We decided to take the Canyan Crawler (Shuttle) which was fun. Going up the canyon the crawler made several stops, so I was able to take pictures. Several people got out to walk back or hike and could be picked up by later shuttles. We enjoyed this.

It was interesting to see the dry creek beds coming down the mountains. I imagine it is very dangerous when flash floods occur. It was a bit early so the cactus were not in bloom.

We also drove to the top of Mount Lemmon (9,157' elevation). THe road was 28 miles to the top with great vistas, interesting rock formations, cool mountain forests and deep canyons. Once at the top there wasn't much there. It was a fun drive up but a bit disappointing at the top.

Another day we headed west of Phoenix. Our plan was to drive the Apache Trail so up and out early. Our first stop on the trail was the Goldfield Ghost Town. It was truely a ghost town as we were so early no one was there!

We continued driving with lots of winding roads passing Canyon Lake to Tortilla Flat.

There was a restaurant, general store, bar, etc. From there we wanted to continue our drive and head to Roosevelt Lake.

We had second thoughts when we got to the dirt road part of the Apache trail. The sign said 22 miles of dirt road with certain sections very narrow and steep. The car I rented didn't seem to like that. We did continue several miles on the dirt road but ended up turning around when we saw the sign saying last turn around. We got out and walked a bit at the turn around. Some nice views but still to early for most of the flowers.

The dirt road would have been a blast in my Jeep. Our rental. car ... not so much ...

We headed back to Tortilla Flat and decided to take the Dolly Steamboat tour on Canyon Lake. We didn't have reservations so we waited to see if they had enough room for us to board. We lucked out!

The canyon walls were pretty. The boat captain gave us the history of the lake and the area. We spotted several desert bighorn sheep in the rocks. I would recommend doing the tour. It was lots of fun.

On the way back we stopped at Goldfield Ghost Town. It was open this time. It is the site of an old small town and the old Mammoth Gold Mine. It was a fun place to explore.

We did take my cousins to Carefree and Cave Creek as they had never been. The cactus flowers were just starting to bloom there too.

We had a great time. Next visit will be connecting with more family, friends, and more exploring.

Kennebunkport Maine vacation - 2023, 2024, 2025

2026-04-12T14:14:00.000-04:00

I haven't done a blog post for our Kennebunkport vacations for several years. Computer issues, time, etc. were all contributing factors. Here are some of my pictures from these years.

Springfield 87M rifle

2026-03-21T19:45:00.000-04:00

My dad was born in 1929 and grew up in Michigan. As a teen in early the 1940’s, he bought a Springfield 87M .22 rifle from his youth pastor. When I was a young boy in the late 60’s I remember seeing the rifle in our attic. When I was a bit older I took it shooting at the range. My dad ended up giving me the rifle when I was a teen. After moving to CT, I joined my High School rifle team and practiced with it. (That’s right ... my CT High School had a rifle team). It’s in its original condition and has been in the family for over 70 years.

I recently started shooting the rifle at my club and several people asked me about it. It inspired me to do some research to see what 87M information I could uncover.

What I found seems pretty reliable but I’m not really sure how to verify it. I have the Springfield 87M with a Garand stock and a low-mount Weaver scope. Below is what I found.

J. Stevens Arms Company was founded in 1864 at Chicopee Falls, MA as J. Stevens & Co. In 1886 the company name was changed to J. Stevens Arms and Tool Co. It operated under this name until 1920 (1926?) when it was acquired by the Savage Arms Co., who manufactured firearms marked "J. Stevens Arms Co.". Savage dropped the "J. Stevens Arms Co." designation in the late 1940s, and used only the name "Stevens" up to 1990. In 1990, Savage discontinued the manufacture of all firearms bearing the Stevens trademark.

The Springfield 87M was produced by J. Stevens Arms Co as a variation of the Stevens 87a action which was very common. The Springfield associated with Military use was Springfield Armory, a US Government owned arms manufacturer and has nothing to do with Savage-Springfield. The company used the Springfield name to cash in on the popularity of the Springfield Armory military 1903/ 1903A bolt action rifle as well as the newly adopted M1 Garand rifle.

Rumor had it that the rifle was produced as a possible military Garand-like training rifle however the rifle was never accepted by the Government.

Research said approximately 300 87M rifles were produced around 1940 and ended up being sold to commercial accounts. ( I don't believe 300 is accurate and more were produced). The rifle was very expensive back then and did not sell well. The Springfield name was discontinued around 1946-48.

None of the rifles had serial numbers however a number can be found on the underside of the military metal butt plate on the end of the stock. My rifle has the number 77 stamped on the underside of the metal butt plate and on the end of the stock.

The hand guard resembled the Garand's wood; tubular magazine feed from the front; its utility was questionable and its production run was short. Three versions of the 87M were produced. One has open sights. It said the other two features a Weaver 330 scope similar to the one produced for the military. The scopes are on two distinct mounts- one sits high and the rifle had the front sight intact. The other is on a low mount and the front sight is removed. All three rifles feature a military leather sling. My gun has a low mount Weaver 29s scope and no sling.

Research said the 87M is seldom encountered today in its original configuration and is appreciating rapidly and examples in good condition are very hard to find. The 87M has taken on the mystique of the "rifle that should have been a Garand trainer or were the 300 prototypes that the gov’t decided not to buy".

Some have also called the 87M a " T1" trainer, however, the T1 was a Pederson prototype 7mm rifle that was in competition with the Garand " T3" prototype as a replacement for the military 1903/1903A Springfield Armory bolt action rifle. General McArthur demanded that the caliber be changed to 30-06 and the Garand was the winner of the competition/ placed into mass production in 1940.

The action of the 87M is nicknamed "Gill Gun" due to the vents on the left side of the receiver. The 87M action is also called "Clickity Clack" referring to the sound of the semi-auto action when fired.

Research said no production records exist as a factory fire destroyed all records. Internet websites list perhaps two dozen or fewer rifles based on the production number on the underside of the stock butt plate.

Members on one blog said they have never seen a number higher than 265 on the butt plate with claims there were no duplicates implying no production runs. Later on that blog it was determined that 3 people had duplicate numbered butt plates. Hmm. My thought is if these were true prototype guns with no serial numbers I wouldn’t think they would care much if they had a duplicate number on more than one butt plate.

The scope on my gun is a W. R. Weaver Model 29S made in El Paso, TEX USA. I contacted Weaver. They said the 29S was manufactured by the original W.R Weaver Company of El Paso, TX. They said it’s a 3x power scope produced from 1937 to 1947 when it was replaced by the K4 model. In 1937 it sold for $11.70 including the T-side mount. (The scope side mount on my gun says T 1). It's .75 inches in diameter and 10.5 inches long. My gun has always had this low-mount scope with no front or rear sights.

My son said he wanted to replace the scope with something modern saying it would be more fun to shoot with something like a 3x9 scope but the old scope stays put.

After sighting it in I am able to shoot dime-size patterns on quarter-size targets at 25 yards. I haven’t brought it to the 50-yard range yet. Not to throw down the “I’M OLD” card but how well could I see quarter-size targets at 50 yards with that scope??? At some point, I will find out. It is accurate and a fun gun to shoot. The tube magazine holds 15 .22LR rounds. You can push in the button on the bolt to shoot single shots and manually feed the next round or you can shoot in semi-automatic mode if using .22LR rounds.

On the barrel, my gun says SPRINGFIELD J. Stevens Arms Company Chicopee Falls, MA USA 87M

On the underside of my metal butt plate and on the butt of the stock is the number 77.

The forward part of my Garand stock has the number 123 stamped. The stock cover over the top of the barrel also has the number 123 stamped.

There is a shield stamp on the underside of my trigger guard that looks like it says AMP CO.

There are 2 Patent numbers on the barrel of my 87M. 2094577 and 2223093.

The links below are these patents dated 1937 and 1940. If the links don't work you can cut and paste.

2094577 ... Patented October 5, 1937

https://patents.google.com/patent/US2094577A/en

(Scroll down in this first link to read. The PDF link is below)

https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/4f/e8/0d/54916ab60efb66/US2094577.pdf

2223093 ... Patented November 26, 1940

https://patents.google.com/patent/US2223093A/en

(Scroll down in this first link to read. The PDF link is below)

https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/a4/2f/71/3bb768ad8fd6f6/US2223093.pdf

In semi-automatic mode you squeeze the trigger, a round fires, the bolt opens and ejects that round, but the bolt stays open until you release the trigger. As you release the trigger the bolt moves forward and another round is fed into the chamber. In other words, the bolt opens and closes as fast or slow as you squeeze and release the trigger. This action causes the "Clickity Clack" sound referenced above. With the bolt open you can push the button on the bolt to lock it in the open position.

In reading its description, this patent 2223093 found on my 87M relates to “… a mechanism for automatically holding the action open until the shooter’s finger is released from the trigger and also pertains to the trigger or release mechanism broadly considered of a firearm of a semiautomatic or self-loading type. One purpose for this invention is to provide a new and better release or trigger mechanism for semiautomatic or self-loading firearms."

It further states this design counters the potential issues with the rapid return of the breach bolt. …“Such rapid return does have some disadvantages such as in some cases not allowing sufficient time for the proper operation of the cartridge feed mechanism causing a mistimed engagement between the breech bolt and the cartridge, resulting in either deformation of the cartridge case or of the bullet carried thereby, producing bad jams and in some cases interfering with the ejection of the cartridge case from the gun.” “To provide a mechanism that will overcome or avoid the objections just named is the main purpose of this invention.”

I did reach out to Savage Arms to find more answers. They put me in touch with the Savage Arms Historian.

I sent him a letter requesting information on my Springfield 87M. He does research on Savage, Stevens, and A.H Fox firearms.

On April 20, 2015, I received a response on Savage Arms Corporation letterhead with a Savage Arms raised Notary Seal in the lower left so is official. I have scanned and attached the document with blotted names and addresses. I have copied word for word what the historian said in case you can't read the jpg.

Dear Mr.

Thank you for writing and your interest concerning your older Stevens rifle.

Your Stevens/Springfield Model 87-M was built with a distinctly military look. According to notes from Roe Clark, former historian, it was built especially for the Sears Roebuck Co. after World War II. It’s appearance closely resembles an M-1 Garand rifle and Sears Roebuck no doubt wanted to capitalize on the 87-M’s look, the Springfield name, and the fine reputation the Garand earned in that conflict. Some apparently were purchased by the military but no records show that it was directly from the company.

To accommodate Sears Roebuck, the Steven’s Co. adapted their reliable Model 87 semi-automatic rifle by building and fitting a full-length military-style stock complete with a handguard over the barrel. Appropriate military-looking sights and barrel bands were also furnished.

Other characteristics were a 24” round tapered barrel, and tubular magazine, with a capacity for 15, .22 LR, 17 long, and 21 short cartridges. The semi-automatic action had an independent safety and was constructed with Chrome Molybdenum steel used in the high shock parts. In addition to functioning as a semi-automatic, the cross-bolt could be pressed to the left to lock the action for use as a manual repeater or single shot. The action on this rifle can be easily disassembled for cleaning without the use of tools.

The model 87 action itself was dependable and reliable with over 1.8 million made in several variations from it’s introduction in 1939 until discontinued in the early 1980’s. The 87-M in particular has become a quiet collector favorite.

I trust that this information will help you.

Sincerely,

Updated on 5/7/2015.

I was doing more research and came across an excellent website called Cornell Publications LLC, which said they are the “World's Largest Old Gun Catalog & Manual Reprinter”.

I noticed a “Contents – Index” for each catalog. I started looking at the different catalogs to try to figure out when the Springfield 87 appeared for sale. That would help determine when the 87 was put into production. Figuring you can’t sell something that doesn’t exist the appearance would determine or help validate when the 87 was first manufactured. Below is what I found.

"Stevens 1938 Springfield and Crescent/Davis Distributors Catalog" listed the Springfield Model 87.
“Stevens 1938-Springfield and Crescent/Davis Catalog” listed the Springfield 87 Bolt Action.
“Springfield 1939 and Crescent-Davis Distributors Price Catalog” listed Springfield No. 87.
“JL Galef 1939 World's Fair Issue Gun, Fishing & Sports Catalog (NY)” listed the Springfield Model 87.
“Stevens 1940 Export Catalog” listed the Springfield 87.
“Stevens 1940 Rifle & Shotgun Gun Catalog” listed the Springfield 87 as a Springfield Automatic Rifle No. 87.
“Stevens c1940 Rifle Shotgun Pistol Component Part Catalog” listed the Stevens Model 87A.
“Stevens 1942 Component Parts Catalog” listed Parts Model 87A.
“Stoeger 1944 - The Shooter's Bible #35 Gun Catalog”. In the table of contents, it listed Springfield 87.
“Stevens 1946 Component Parts Catalog” listed the Stevens Model 87A.
“Stevens 1946 Rifle & Shotgun Gun #43 Catalog” listed the Springfield 87.
“Stevens 1947-49 Component Parts Catalog” listed the Stevens 87A.
“Savage 1947, Stevens, Fox Catalog of Firearms” under Springfield Rifles listed the 87.
“Philip Jay Medicus 1949-50 Catalog” listed the Stevens Model 87.
“Stevens 1950 Component Parts Price List Catalog” under New Style listed the 87A.
“Savage 1951-2 Stevens Fox Component Parts” lists the Stevens or Springfield Models 87s.
“Savage 1952 - Stevens - Fox Shotguns and Rifles” listed the Stevens Automatic Repeating Rifles, Model 87.
“Savage 1955 Stevens Fox Component Parts Catalog” under “Auto Repeating Action Models” listed the 87A, 87AB, 87AT, B, C, Stevens or Springfield.
“Savage c1980 Component Parts Catalog” listed the following under “Automatic Tubular Feed”: 87A, 87AB, 87AT, 87B, 87C, 87D, 87K, 87E, 87KE, 87H, 87KH, 87J, 87M, 87N.

I looked at how my patent research above lined up with the catalogs above.

The first patient number on my 87M is 2094577 and was patented on October 5, 1937. Many of the components shown are the same on my 87M but it is showing a bolt action. The “Stevens 1938-Springfield and Crescent/Davis Catalog” listed the 87 as a Springfield 87 bolt action. This would indicate the bolt action version of the 87 went into production sometime after October 5, 1937, to 1938 as it is listed in a 1938 catalog.

The second patient number on my 87M is 2223093 and was patented on November 6, 1940. This patent includes semi-automatic action. In the “Stevens 1940 Rifle & Shotgun Gun Catalog,” the 87 is listed as a “Springfield Automatic Rifle No. 87”. That would indicate the first production runs of the 87 with the semi-automatic action came out in late 1940 as it is listed in a 1940 catalog.

Some good information on the Stevens/Springfield/Savage Model 87. I only found one reference to the 87M in the “Savage c1980 Component Parts Catalog”.

From several sources, the 87M (M stands for Musket) or the 87 Musket was also produced by Stevens for Sears and was the Model 101.22. Savage produced Model 101.16 for Sears.

From my research, it seems that the 87 actions (bolt or automatic) are the same in all 87 models.

This leads me to 2 questions: Was the 87M sold with anything other than the Garand stock? Were there other 87's or 101's sold with a Garand stock? I think the answer to both questions is "No".

Since the full-length, two-piece, Garand stock is very rare, I wonder if the numbers on the forward stock and cover would indicate the number of Garand stocks manufactured? My stock and cover are stamped 123.

On a side note, someone asked about 87 gun parts. One place I would suggest is Numrich Gun Parts. https://www.gunpartscorp.com/

I enjoy shooting my 87M at the range. I don't normally push products but did buy a Spee-D-15 tube loader that works really well. I bought mine online. It saves time loading at the range ... on the other hand, I noticed I'm shooting more ammo now. Oh for another brick of .22's ...

Updated on 4/22/2022.

Ron G posted a response to my blog post with a different twist. I thought I would take up the challenge and see if I could check out some advertising.

I found several advertisements for the 87 Automatic as early as 1940.

I found several advertisements for my Weaver 29-S scope in that same time period.

Here is the prize. I was able to find two Sears advertisements showing the Garand stock.

The first is a 1941 ad introducing the Ranger Minute Man. Sears named many versions of their guns "Ranger". This ad calls the Garand a Ranger Minute Man. The ad says "From its steel butt plate to its sturdy, front sight guard, this exclusive Sears-designed RANGER is built to take the same kind of killing punishment that military rifles endure. It has fine-gun accuracy and lightning-fast, semi-automatic firing! The full-length, two-piece, genuine walnut stock was designed especially for Sears by E. C. Bishop, famous custom stock maker."

The ad says the Garand stock, steel butt plate, sling, Leafstyle rear peep sight, and front sight guard were made specifically for the Sears Ranger "Minute Man". My research does say there were 3 87M versions. One with iron sights, the other two with a high or low mound scope. Scopes may have been add-ons based on the Weaver scope ad above.

The "Minute Man" could say 87M, Model 101.22 (both made by Stevens), or Model 101.16 (made by Savage) on the barrel? My gun barrel says 87M.

I enlarged the section so you can read it easier.

The second ad is from 1942. Not as much detail as in the introduction of the Minute Man.

I have only been able to find ads in 1941 and 1942 featuring the Garand stock. This could be due to limited production runs of the stock, WWII diverting E.C. Bishop stock production, higher manufacturing costs for this model, or its overall higher price causing a lack of sales? Who knows ...

I also found Sears rifle number information.

I will keep looking for other Garand advertisements. I like to research so thanks for the challenge Ron ...

I am interested in what numbers others have on their Garand stock and cover. My stock and cover are stamped #123. Check that on your stock.

Updated on 04/27/23

A codes and markings link.

https://proofhouse.com/cm/codes_markings.htm

Stevens, J. Arms & Tool Company Established in 1864 in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts. Absorbed Page-Lewis Arms Company, DavisWarner Arms Company, and Crescent Fire Arms Company in 1926, and was in turn absorbed by Savage Arms Corporation in 1936.

101 Code following the model name on arms made for Sears, Roebuck & Company by Savage.

102 Code following the model name on arms made for Sears, Roebuck & Company by Savage.

Updated on 09/03/26

The E.C. Bishop & Son 87M military-style stock and what to look for:

E.C. Bishop & Son was a legendary American gunstock manufacturer based in Warsaw, Missouri - widely remembered alongside its rival, Reinhart Fajen, for defining the custom and semi-finished wooden gunstock market during the mid-to-late 20th century.

If you are looking at an E.C. Bishop & Son stock customized for an 87M (a rare, military-style variant of the classic Savage/Stevens/Springfield Model 87 semi-automatic .22 rifle), or a specific vintage stock profile named the "Minute Man", here is a breakdown of what to expect based on the historical consensus and performance of Bishop stocks:

The Materials and Build Quality

High-Grade Walnut: Bishop was famous for using superior-grade American Walnut. They graded their wood meticulously (ranging from utility "Leader" grades to highly figured exhibition presentation grades).

Excellent Action Inletting: For a vintage semi-finished stock, Bishop's machine-inletting was renowned for being highly precise for its era. If you have an original Savage/Stevens 87M action, it will generally drop into a Bishop stock with very little minimal hand-scraping or fitting required compared to cheaper generic alternatives.

Density and Rigidity: Unlike modern synthetic or cheap hardwood stocks, an authentic Bishop walnut stock provides excellent rigidity. This aids in consistent action bedding, which can actually tighten up the group sizes on older .22 rimfire rifles.

Ergonomics & The "Minute Man" Profile

Traditional Aesthetics: Bishop stocks focused heavily on traditional, clean American lines. The stock features a comfortable comb line and a robust wrist area that improves the handling and pointability of the firearm compared to factory original stocks.

Added Weight: Walnut is heavier than factory hardwood alternatives. While this adds an authentic, premium feel and helps stabilize the rifle for steady off-hand target shooting, it does make the rifle slightly heavier to carry through the woods all day.

What to Look Out For (Buying/Inspecting a Vintage Stock)

Because E.C. Bishop & Son stopped manufacturing decades ago (the company faded out through the 1980s), any stock you encounter today will be vintage:

The "Finished" Factor: Bishop sold stocks in various stages - from roughly shaped blanks to 90% inletted, to fully finished. If it was completed by a previous owner or amateur gunsmith, the final quality of sanding, oil finish, and buttplate fitment will depend entirely on their skill level.

Potential Cracks: Inspect the wood thoroughly around the tang and behind the receiver block. Older semi-automatic actions can place stress on the wrist of the wood over thousands of rounds if the bedding loosens up.

The Verdict

An original E.C. Bishop & Son stock is highly collectible and sought after by vintage firearm restorers. If you are looking to upgrade an old Savage 87 series rifle or preserve a piece of Missouri gunmaking history, a Bishop stock provides a massive upgrade in beauty, value, and structural integrity over a factory stock.

Loudon Classic - Motorcycle Weekend - 1985

2026-01-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

In 1985 my roommate and I liked riding motorcycles so we decided to head north to watch the races in Loudon, NH.

Race weekend had a bad reputation. The campground was a scary place. No police, ambulance, or fire would go in. Anything happened in the campground and you would need to be carried to the ambulance waiting at the front entrance.

Up on Animal Hill we saw cars on fire, motorcycles on fire, lots of drinking, and guys jumping Harley's over burning bikes. One guy went up a makeshift ramp, over a burning motorcycle lying on the ground, landed in the gravel and cracked up. His arm, shoulder, and chest was all torn up. (no shirt or helmet) They slowly took him to the ambulance. It wasn't the safest place to venture.

I wanted to take pictures of the racing and get close to the track so we headed in. I took pictures at turn 4. We were close had a great viewing point as the bikes came off the turn. I am still scavenging to find more pictures. No digital cameras back then.

Several years later they cleaned it all up. NASCAR was talking about racing in NH. It would mean tearing everything down and rebuilding the track, stands, etc. If the track events and the track reputation didn't get more family friendly NASCAR would go elsewhere.

The track was rebuilt, new stands, etc. and the events were cleaned up. NASCAR now races here twice a year. The motorcycle races are the last weekend of NH Motorcycle Week and much more family friendly now.

I wish I could find the rest of my pics ...

Go to: "Search This Blog" at the top of my page and type in Loudon Classic to see other Loudon Classic posts.

"Nurse Megan" helps save a life at Kohl's

2026-01-04T06:52:00.000-05:00

Years ago my daughter Megan was on summer break from college (a senior in the nursing program) and was working at Kohl's in town. She worked 2 shifts that day … 8AM to 2:30PM … then another from 5:30PM to 9:30PM.

She pulled into the driveway that night at 9:30PM which was early. I was in the family room when she walked in. I turned and asked “Did you get out of work early Meggy?” She looked at me and started to cry … Not what any dad or parent likes to see … FATHER RADAR ENGAGED ...

She said “I have to tell you something bad that happened”. I can tell you those are words a parent doesn’t want to hear. Deep breath … deep breath …

She calmed down a bit and sobbing … told me what happened.

Kohl's has many sections; clothing, shoes, jewelry, and it includes a kitchen section. While on her evening shift a young woman came through her line and purchased a large kitchen knife. Megan asked the usual, do you have a Kohl's Card, Kohl's Coupons, etc. She said the customer was friendly, and they chatted … next customer.

Megan went on break. Soon after there was a “Call 911” over the employee headset. Megan came out of the break room and saw people crowding around the bathroom so she went in. The last stall in the bathroom had blood all over the floor. A woman had tried to commit suicide … several wounds … one very deep forearm wound … blood was everywhere … It was the same young woman who had purchased the kitchen knife from Megan a few minutes before.

Megan put on gloves from the store first aid kit … she took the knife away which was still in this woman's hand … she applied pressure to the wounds and started talking to the woman. Meggy told me she thought the woman was going to bleed out …

She started asking the woman questions to engage and told her … don’t fall asleep … keep your eyes open … look at me … What is your name? Answered. How old are you? 23 years old. What’s your favorite movie? Answered. Where is your purse/wallet? Answered. Meggy told her that she would be her friend and help would be there soon. The woman said she didn’t want to be alive and wanted to stop talking.

A couple minutes passed. Megan said the woman started to slump over but was still semi-conscious. At that point, the police and emergency personnel arrived and they took over.

Megan was upset saying she was the last person the woman spoke to when she purchased the knife. I said … no … no … As you were helping this woman, you were the last person she spoke to before the EMTs and police arrived.

Megan got a call from her boss late that night saying the woman was taken to a hospital and was alive … They had stopped the bleeding. Her boss said "Megan, you helped save the woman’s life".

We told Megan God put her on a second shift that day for a reason.

Civil War - 4th Michigan Volunteer Infantry - James E. Avery - Riverside Cemetery

2025-12-31T16:07:00.000-05:00

A few years ago my father gave me a wood tool chest that my Grandfather, George E., had in his possession. My father said Geo was a Blacksmith by trade and did some work for someone who could not pay him so he was given the tool chest for his work. It has nice inlay on the top and on the drawers inside. The engraving on the top says J.E.A. Inside it also has a metal tag that says J.E. Avery.

I did a grave search at the cemetery sites in that area. The Riverside Cemetery in Saugatuck, MI came up with a James E Avery.

In reading the obituary there was something interesting. It says that James E Avery came to Saugatuck in March of 1891 and engaged in the wagon making business with S.C. Reed until the spring of 1897. It then says he left Saugatuck for Ohio and returned to Saugatuck in 1907. It says he was in the hospital from April to December of 1911 when he passed away.

My grandfather is buried in the same cemetery (Riverside Cemetery) and I read his obituary. It said Geo apprenticed himself (circa 1910) to a blacksmith (Samuel C. Reed) who operated blacksmith shops in Saugatuck and Douglas.

I thought my grandfather may have known James Avery as both lived in Saugatuck. Both worked for Samuel C Reed so there could be a connection. There was approximately 2 years of overlap from when my grandfather started working as a blacksmith at SC Reed and J.E Avery’s death. James may have done woodworking from his time making wagons. James could have paid with the chest as payment for services rendered.

I looked at the metal tag again. It says J.E. Avery, Toledo O. James Avery’s obituary said he was in Ohio from 1897 to 1906.

The tag has a bird on it. To me the wings look like an eagle but it looks like the bird has something below its mouth. I was not sure what that was.

I kept going with my research and came across a website called 4th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment, 1861-1864, "Grand Army of the Potomac". http://www.4thmichigan.com/ Below is the Bio on J. E. Avery.

Avery, James E., Lenawee County. Entered service in Company B, Fourth Infantry, at organization, as Second Lieutenant, June 20, 1861, at Adrian, for 3 years, age 28. Height 5’10½”. Complexion light. Eyes blue. Hair brown. Carriage maker by trade. Commissioned to date May 16, 1861. Mustered June 20, 1861. Commissioned First Lieutenant January 12, 1862. Admitted to Hospital in April 1862 at Yorktown, Virginia, while washing his face in swamp water, a violent inflammation of the right eye occurred rendering him wholly unfit for duty. Totally blind in right eye and almost blind in the left. Sent to Fortress Monroe, surgeon stated it was an ulceration of the cornea, never improved until he died. Resigned and honorably discharged December 4, 1862 by G. O. No. 20 Surgeon Certificate. Died December 23,1911, Old Soldiers Home, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Buried Riverside Cemetery, Saugatuck, Michigan. Born on October 19, 1832 in Mannsville, Jefferson County, New York.

From the web site I emailed George who does research for the 4th and asked him about the chest and tag from J.E. Avery. George replied and we talked by phone.

It turns out George is in charge of seeking out information and grave plots for about 2000 men that served in the 4th Michigan. One of them is James E. Avery. He had medical records and discharge papers with more details on James’ medical condition, etc. He had accurate records on where James lived after the war. I emailed him a photo of the tag and one of the tool box and asked for his opinion.

He started with the tag and felt it was not civil war but after the civil war. It lacked Regiment information, etc. used for identification that actual Civil war tags would have. His records indicated James lived in Toledo from 1867 – 1877 and that would fall in line with the Toledo, OH reference.

George said the tag was well worn indicating lots of use. He thought it was most likely a pocket watch fob. He said it could have been something stamped out at a 4th reunion, gathering, etc. He said it could have come from a flag or cloth and attached through the hole in the tag but that would not explain the wear of the tag so he was more comfortable with it being a watch fob.

I sent him a picture of the unopened chest. George called it a box and said he had seen them before. He described the inside of the box to me without having seen the pictures I took. Military records indicate James was a Carriage Maker by trade before he entered the military in 1861. George said in those days a Master Woodworkers first project was to make there own tool box. They used them to display their handiwork and carry tools. Based on military medical records and discharge papers James Avery became completely blind in his right eye and could not distinguish people more than 10 feet away with his left eye. George felt James would not be able to do the detail inlay on the box so he thought it was made before he was commissioned (pre 1861). George said this would have been a very important and personal piece to a Master Woodworker.

I sent him pictures of the inside that confirmed this. He especially liked the inlay of the shields on the inside treys. I told him my grandfather was a blacksmith and put the iron frame on the lid to help protect the box as he used it. He felt that the metal on the corners was something from my grandfather also as a woodworker would pride himself on strong corner joints and would not use metal reinforcements. I asked if we should repaint or strip the paint. He said the paint could be original or put on by my grandfather so he suggested leaving it or at least have someone look at it to verify the originality of the paint.

George said James was discharged on December 4, 1862. A week after his discharge the 4th Michigan fought in Fredericksburg, VA, Chancellorsville, VA, and then Gettysburg, PA. There were many casualties, especially at Gettysburg.

Note about the chest … my father said my grandfather forged and added the metal strips around the top for strength and protection as he used the chest. He also added casters so the chest could be moved easily as it is very heavy. There are 8 treys inside. The center has a lid that slides open to reveal a lower compartment. Each trey can slide to the center exposing the trey below. When all treys on one side are moved to the middle there is a compartment below for storing larger items. The top treys have locking mechanisms but we have no key.

I still have some tools from my grandfather inside the chest. A couple levels (they say Stanley Rule & Level Co., New Britain, Conn.), wood chisels, and a measuring tool my father said they used to measure how many board feet a logged tree would produce. I remember being told when Chicago had the bad fires lots of timber used to rebuild came from or through the Saugatuck/Douglas, MI area.

UPDATE: In my continued search for information on James E. Avery, I found a website titled “Descendants of Stukely Westcott”.
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/l/a/p/James-R-Laplante/GENE4-0001.html
James E. Avery is a descendant of Stukely Westcott. It appears Stukely was one of the original settlers coming to America in 1635.

Rhoda Westcott is listed as person number 127. She is in the “Generation No. 7” list. She Married Daniel Brown Avery of New York State. They had 5 children. Number 3 is listed as JAMES E. AVERY, b. Oct 19, 1832. This matches the Obituary for James E Avery in Saugatuck. I guess that would make him 8th Generation.

127.RHODA⁷ WESTCOTT (PRESERVED⁶, GEORGE WASHINGTON⁵, GEORGE WASHINGTON⁴, JEREMIAH³, JEREMIAH², STUKELY¹) was born Feb 21, 1803 in Middletown, Windsor Co, Vermont, and died 1873.She married DANIEL BROWN AVERY⁸¹ May 22, 1825 in Pitcairn, St. Lawrence Co, New York ⁸², son of ? AVERY and SALLY RUDDOX.
Notes for DANIEL BROWN AVERY:
Brother of Betsey Avery, wife of David Westcott of Ephraim Westcott. (Book of Appendices, Stukely Westcott, Vol. 2, Pg. 172, 1939)
Children of RHODA WESTCOTT and DANIEL AVERY are:

	i.		SARAH A.⁸ AVERY, b. Sep 19, 1826; m. S.N. PHELPS.
	ii.		WILLIAM CORNELIUS AVERY, b. Dec 16, 1829; m. REBECCA JANE BRONSON, Apr 18, 1866⁸².
	iii.		JAMES E. AVERY, b. Oct 19, 1832.
	iv.		FANNIE M. AVERY, b. Jul 23, 1837; m. GEORGE H. FIE.
	v.		RHODA AVERY⁸², b. 1840.

James E Avery Obituary: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=avery&GScid=1959645&GRid=22634175&

Sarah Avery Phelps (Sister) lived in Saugatuck at one point and is buried in Riverside Cemetery also.

Stukely Westcott had some interesting friends including Roger Williams (Roger Williams University). Stukely and Roger were two of the original members who helped organize the first Baptist Church in America, the old First Baptist Church of Providence, that was founded March, 1639.

Stukely’s daughter Damaris Westcott Arnold (married Benedict Arnold) became the "First Lady of the Colony" when her husband succeeded Roger Williams in 1644 as President of the Colony and again in 1663, when he was named Governor under the Charter granted by King Charles II.

They also reference a Lewis Jr. (relative) who was knighted by James I in 1603, and in 1617, was appointed guardian of Thomas Rolf, infant son of John Rolf and his wife, the American Indian Princess, Pocahontas.

James E. Avery had some interesting American heritage from his mother’s side.

Doing more searching I found the following for James E Avery’s fathers' side. His father was Daniel Brown Avery 1804-1883, who’s father was Jabez Avery 1763-1849, who’s father was Sgt Amos Avery 1763-1823, who’s father was John Avery III 1706-1759, who’s father was John Avery Jr 1683-1762, who’s father was John Avery Sr 1654-1724, who’s father was Capt James Avery 1621-1700, who’s father was Christopher Avery 1590-1679, who’s father was Christopher Avery of Torbryan (UK) 1564-1613.

Daniel Brown Avery (1804 - 1883) - Genealogy

Short trip to Savannah, GA

2025-12-12T12:04:00.004-05:00

Pam and I went on a quick getaway to Savannah, GA.

We used our hotel on Hilton Head Island as a base camp. We traveled around Hilton Head our first day. We had dinner at “Hudson's Seafood” and had soft shell crab. Oh my, it was delicious.

We stopped at Harbour Town Light. It was privately built in 1969 and is 93 feet tall with a focal height of 92 feet. We walked around the shops and the rocks by the ocean.

From there we took a nice walk on the beach. There were quite a few jellyfish on the sand.

The next morning, we were off to Tybee Island. We stopped at Tybee Island Light, originally built in 1736. Pictured is the 4th tower that was built. The previous towers had a rough go of being damaged or succumbing to storms, shoreline erosion, a Civil War burning, hurricanes, or an earthquake. The present tower has a height of 144 feet. It was fun taking the 178 stairs to the top. It was a great view from above.

We had lunch at “Fannie’s On the Beach”. As we walked through the shops I spotted these bar chairs and had to have my picture taken. I would like blue please … hehe …

We saw this Hurricane pole and thought a first floor condo wasn't the way to go.

From there we were off to Ft. Pulaski. They have guided tours which were very interesting. We went outside the walls and could still see cannonball damage from the Civil war.

We walked the hiking trails to Cockspur Island Light. It is a 46-foot-tall brick tower built in 1839 to guide ships into the South Channel of the Savannah River. It was replaced in 1855 and has survived hurricanes and the Civil War Battle for Fort Pulaski.

We headed back to Hilton Head and ate dinner at “One Hot Mamas”. The BBQ was excellent. For dessert I had Chocolate Pecan Pie. Oh my. Pecan pie is my thing. This ranked in “My Top 3” all time for pecan pie.

The next day we headed for Savannah. What a nice town. We parked along the street, Mossy Oaks everywhere. A fun place to visit. We took a Trolley tour that showed us all around and gave quite a bit of history.

As we walked, we stopped in one of the hotels and told one of the workers we were looking for authentic southern cooking and asked for a recommendation. 2 blocks go left, 6 blocks go right, etc brought us to “Mrs Wilkes Dining Room”. http://mrswilkes.com

As we arrived there were 25 or so people waiting in line to get in. Marcia Thompson was talking outside giving us her family history, the history of the dining room, and the area history as we waited for a table to become available. Our table seated 10 people, so we were eating with strangers. It was quite fun. As we entered the food was already on the table. Had to have been 10 different southern dishes on the table. It is all you can eat. When something ran out on the table they brought more. Such a fun time. We would highly recommend Mrs. Wilkes as something you need to do in Savannah.

After a day in Savannah, we headed back to Hilton Head and walked on the beach …

The next morning we were off to Beaufort, SC. We took a horse drawn carriage ride with interesting town history. We ate at Plums Restaurant then off to another lighthouse.

Hunting Island Light’s tower construction was started in 1859 but was destroyed in the Civil War. Construction started again in 1873 and finished in 1875. It stands 136 feet tall with a focal height of 130 feet. Because of concerns for island erosion, it was designed and engineered to be moveable. It was in fact disassembled and moved to its current location in 1889 for that very reason.

We walked along the beach past the lighthouse, and I spotted an osprey nest. That was fun to see.

I did keep an eye out for critters on Hunting Island ...

We headed back to Hilton Head for dinner at the “Top Dawg Tavern” along the water. It was our last night before we flew out so went back to “One Hot Mamas” for … you guessed it … PECAN PIE …

Up the following morning and headed to the airport. After putting 1100 miles on our rental car, we headed for home.

Savannah and that whole area was so much fun. We would do it again.

"Fog is My Friend" - Fog Pictures

2025-12-09T23:00:00.002-05:00

When vacationing in years past, we had a couple days where the fog rolled in off the ocean. Many people may get bummed out when the fog rolls in because it messes up their plans.

I took a different approach from a photography perspective and started using the phrase “Fog is my Friend”. I wouldn’t let the fog stop me and tried to use it to my advantage.

Fog gives you a different kind of depth of field making things disappear by distance or height. Fog can also make the colors pop.

I decided to make a “Fog is My Friend” theme post with some of the fog pictures I have taken.

This will be a work in progress.

Click on a photo to enlarge ...

I won't comment on all of these but this first one was interesting. I saw the fog roll in over the ocean water. The water looked like clouds and half the houses disappeared. Looks like the guy fishing is in the clouds. I like the horizontal layers.

We were on the beach and in a matter of minutes the fog rolled in. I'm glad I wasn't on a boat!!

Red Hill in NH - A Hunt or a Hike?

2025-12-07T19:29:00.000-05:00

I decided to take a day off and hunt on Friday. I was up at 4:10 AM and on my way to Red Hill. The prior week I saw a sign for Teedie Trail and though I would take that up the hill to hunt. I parked near the trail head (elevation 565 ft) and waited until it was light enough to see the trail (6:45AM). I would hunt but also check out the trail for a potential hike with Kevin.

The trail basically went straight up the side of the hill. It leveled off (elevation 1350ft) and I came to a sign saying Eagle Cliff .4 mile to the left or the Red Hill Fire Tower to the right. I continued to Eagle Cliff (elevation 1410ft) and spent 30 minutes there.

The view from Eagle Cliff was wonderful. It was a clear day with some wind so I bet I could see 100 miles. Squam Lake looked spectacular with the leaves off the trees. I went back down the trail to the sign. I wanted to go to the Red Hill Fire Tower and I thought old sign said 1.6 miles to the fire tower. Turns out it was 2.6 miles. The trail was well marked with yellow markers. It went from 1350ft down a bit, then to 1800ft, then down a bit, then to 2040ft. I hurt my right foot when going up a steep section of the trail on the climb up. The ball of my foot felt swollen and my toes kept cramping up.

When I arrived at the Fire Tower I was pretty tired. (elevation 2040ft) I relaxed for 30 minutes or so and decided climb up the Fire Tower. I could feel the tower wiggle in the wind so only made it to the second platform. I was able to get one picture on the fire tower when the batteries in the camera died. EEK … It was a bit much for me so I wasn’t about to change batteries and go back up the tower. Before heading down the hill I took off my boot which felt wonderful. It could be that my thick hunting socks made my boots too tight for this hike. My foot would make my descent more difficult.

From the fire tower I was around 3 miles southeast of my truck and 1500 feet higher. The main trail coming up on the fire tower side was descending the wrong direction. I was told there was a second trail ¼ mile down the hill with white markers which would take me closer to where I needed to go. My other option was to go back the way I came. Even with a hurt foot I remembered I was hunting and thought my chances of seeing a deer was better lower down as all I had seen on top was an older scrape. I took the White trail and saw some beautiful cuts with a view of Squam Lake on the way down the hill (you will have to take my word for it.) I also saw bear scat and one set of tracks.

I made 3 BIG MISTAKES.
1) With my hunting gear on I wasn’t dressed properly for a long steep hike on what turned out to be a 50 degree day. I should have thought more about the terrain and planned accordingly.
2) I ran out of water. (one bicycle water bottle is all I brought) I could have finished my water when I reached Eagle Cliff a mile or so into the trek. I was unprepared for the elevation and distance. Instead of heading back down the hill I stayed on top and continued to go farther away from my truck. I could have really been in trouble. I have no water purification backup and may buy a SteriPEN for the future. I could have used the SteriPEN on stream water.
3) I ran out of batteries. I always carry extra AA batteries as most everything I have uses them. I also make it a point to carry out what I bring in to the woods. I had 6 extra batteries I brought in a baggie. The WRONG baggie as they were the expired batteries from previous hunting.

I did a quick inventory and had 2 headlamps ready to go (they use different batteries) so I could descend in the dark. I had one small flashlight with 2 marginal AA batteries not strong enough to power my camera. In essence, I was down to the 2 batteries in my GPS. If the GPS went down I could use my ball compass so I was ok there.

On my descent down the white trail I intersected several other trails that weren't marked on my GPS. Looking at the topo made decisions easier to get me down the hill while continuing toward my truck. 2 miles later I ended up in an area where I hunted the previous weekend. By 3:45PM I was 1/3 mile from my truck in the woods. I was so tired and thirsty I headed for the road. Hobbling, I reached my truck at 4:10PM.

LEARN from my mistakes: Wear the right clothing for what you have planned. WATER, WATER, WATER, WATER, WATER !! (I now have a water bladder for my pack.) Know what you have in your pack and make sure you have a back-up plan.

I ended up hiking 6.25 miles with a total ascent of 2545 feet. Beautiful scenery but not so fun when dehydrated. My day of hunting turned into a long hike holding a rifle.

House Burn - Firefighter Training in Hollis

2025-12-06T20:15:00.000-05:00

I had the opportunity to take pictures of a house burn in Hollis, NH in 2012. Because it was snowing I sent a text asking if they were still going to do the house burn. There is no such thing as a “Fair Weather Firefighter” … what was I thinking …

The fire department spent the morning using the house for drills and exercises. I saw a whiteboard filled with names, teams, assignments, etc. Practicing with fire in a house is the equivalent of using live ammunition in the military. There is always danger.

I arrived early afternoon just as they started the final burn. The roof was on fire and the smoke was rolling out of the soffits. The pump trucks were ready just in case.

The temperature was in the low 20’s with snow. I thought it would be cold standing around so I wore some of my wool hunting clothes. As the fire spread I didn’t realize how much heat can be generated by a house fire. I’m sure it would be worse if it had furnishings, etc. inside.

At one point I was 35 feet from the fire on a hill and couldn’t go any closer because of the intense heat. I always thought firefighter gear was for going inside the house. I realize now you can’t even get close to a burning structure because of the heat unless you are wearing the right equipment.

I took a picture of a “Fire Whirl” (also called a fire devil or fire tornado). Anthony said you don’t see fire whirls very often.

Once the roof rafters collapsed it was flat across the top. I walked around the side of the house where I could see into the basement. You could see the smoke and fire rolling across the ceiling.

The house had stairs on the far side of the basement to going to the main floor. Stair wells act like a chimney so the fire was roaring up the stairs. I took these pictures of the stairs zooming through a blown out window and across the basement.

It looked like the outer walls of the house burned up leaving the studs and the sheetrock. Ultimately the walls fell in which is what they are supposed to do.

I enjoyed taking pictures but wish I arrived earlier to watch the drills. Watching this house burn made me realize how dangerous firefighting can be. We should all appreciate the service of past and present firefighters and all they do.

Do you have smoke detectors in your home? Are they working?

Guard Dog Training

2025-11-29T15:32:00.000-05:00

My sister worked at a Guard Dog Training facility in Arizona before she moved to Connecticut. I went to see her at work when I was visiting.

There was a big outer fence with barbed wire surrounding the facility, an inner fence, rows of kennel cages, and a house in the middle of it all. I saw Dobermans, German Shepherds, Rottweiler’s, and a couple Great Danes. As I walked around the kennel some dogs seemed to dislike my presence. One was biting the chain linked fence and was yelled at. I would think there have been broken teeth because of that.

Upon entering the house there were dogs in every room. Even the bathroom! Several of the dogs were free to roam about the house. I was new to them so they came to greet me. What do you do when you are told “Don’t be afraid, they can sense fear!”??

· Do you put your hand out, or not?

· Do you make eye contact, or look away?

· Do you stay standing, or sit down?

· Do you grab a towel to wipe the sweat from your brow, or just remain still?

In any case, they didn’t harm me.

I was told they raise and train guard dogs for individuals, businesses, etc. They sell their own dogs and current owners will bring their dog in to have trained. The presence of a dog can stop bad people from doing bad things.

Guard dogs are a great deterrent used in the military, law enforcement, home protection, etc. Not all the dogs being worked with would become guard dogs. Will the dog retreat at a raised hand? Are they aggressive or passive? Are they obedient? And so on. This Rottweiler was one of the top dogs and was going to the military.

I observed the trainers “agitate” the dogs. The trainer will give a command and the dog will become aggressive toward the intruder. The dogs were wagging their tails.

When agitating these 2 German Shepards you can see one became aggressive and the other didn't engage. The one that didn't engage did not end up becoming a guard dog.

There were dogs that were not people friendly. My sister said this dog did not like men but was fine around women. She said it was a great dog but overall not a people dog so would become a “junk yard” dog that would roam free behind a fenced in area to protect whatever was behind the fence.

My favorite dog was this one named Cowboy. He was big and very friendly. I watched him as they agitated him. I learned that he would not be as expensive as many of the other dogs because of his smile …

Once given a command the demeanor of these trained guard dogs change. The first thing I noticed was their smile. It is intimidating when a dog becomes aggressive and smiles at you with all their pearly white teeth showing. That smile may be all it takes to stop a bad guy so big dog smiles command more money. I was still sold on Cowboy …

Observation: As these guard dogs were working and doing their job, they were smiling, wagging their tails, and seemed to enjoy their work.

Dogs are used to help protect the lives of our hero’s serving every day. Meet this Military Working Dog (MWD) K-9 Belgian Mal Marine dog named Kevin. He has served in Afghanistan sniffing out explosives and IED’s. On his last tour of duty, Kevin saved the lives of his handler and others in his Marine unit. The handler now has a tattoo with Kevin’s number and will hopefully be able to adopt Kevin when he is to be retired.

7/23/2016 ... MWD Kevin (L374) passed away yesterday at Camp Lejeune from complications from cancer. What makes this really sad is that he was about to be retired to his handler. Rest easy, Marine. Semper Fi.

Below is K-9 police dog Boris (German Shepard) and K-9 police dog Charlie (Belgian Malinois). Both are excellent bite dogs, trackers, and drug dogs doing a demonstration.

Rawlings Roberto Clemente Brooks Robinson World Series Special

2025-11-17T16:52:00.000-05:00

On our latest summer vacation, we took the usual assorted play toys: Bocci ball, ladder toss, baseball and gloves, football, Frisbee, RC Rock Crawler, bicycles, etc. The kayaks were already there.

I decided to join in and throw the baseball around so I went to get my glove only to discover my old glove had been packed. Ok … it still works. It's broken in and warn but still a good functioning glove.

It was pretty old so I told my nephew how I acquired the glove.

In 1972 on a family summer vacation, we were visiting relatives in Arthur, Iowa. The church softball team had a game coming up. I asked if I could play. They said I may be too young but said they would make an exception for an inning.

I didn’t have a glove and I was a lefty … Reese J. played shortstop and had a nice Red, White, and Blue Rawlings glove. After seeing it I just had to have that same glove. I remember my parents driving quite a distance to a particular store after persistent begging on my part to buy it for me.

I played an inning at first base. No errors on my part, can’t remember if we won the game … Fast forward … I used this glove playing in several softball leagues through high school, and in college, and sporadically years after.

Looking at this old glove I noticed a couple things on it that got me thinking so I decided to find out what I could about it. Below is what I found.

My glove is a Rawlings Roberto Clemente Brooks Robinson World Series Special. It’s a Rawlings Fastback baseball glove and was sold in stores shortly after the 1971 World Series which featured the Gold Glove winner Roberto Clemente, with the Pittsburgh Pirates playing against fellow Gold Glove winner Brooks Robinson, with the Baltimore Orioles. The Pirates won four games to three. Unfortunately, the celebration in Pittsburgh would soon turn to mourning as fourteen months later Roberto Clemente was killed in a plane crash.

The WSS Rawlings Fastback Glove was issued in 1971 and came in two models (The World Series Special and the Gold Glove Award). My red, white, and blue glove reads World Series Special on the pinky finger.

Since I used my glove for so many years in all types of weather I have restrung it a couple times. I mainly played 1^st base as I was pretty good a catching almost everything thrown at me. In one of the leagues I was called in by the umpire and told I couldn’t use this glove because the outside webbing was white. The same color as the ball. If I turned the glove it was hard for the umpire to distinguish between a white ball caught or the white webbing.

I wasn’t about to buy a new glove. To keep tradition with the Red, White, and Blue I took a Red marker and colored in the white webbing to solve the problem.

Years ago things were different. This must have been a prized possession of mine. Why, you ask? Because there are 2 distinct things I noticed on my glove. My dad took one of those branding-type pencils and we branded my name on the glove. I can still read it. OH … We also branded my SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER on the glove and yes, I can read it also. I have no idea why we did that!!!

This got me thinking ... Has the world changed? Are things different now? Should it be that we all emboss, brand, write, or chisel our social security number on things of importance?