A Prison and Tuberculosis Hospital

July 28, 2022

I was able to explore an interesting location recently…the abandoned SCI Cresson Prison near Altoona, Pennsylvania. The State closed down the Correctional Institution in 2013 and as of 2022, Big House Produce operates an indoor hydroponic farm in some of the old buildings.

Originally, a Tuberculosis Hospital operated here from 1913 - 1956. The hospital was then used as a Mental Institution until 1982. It’s a huge, sprawling property with dormitories, cell blocks, medical, school, auto tech, and a chapel. There are even tunnels snaking through the property connecting the buildings. Many of the original buildings are elaborate and built in a Tudor style. The prison was run here from 1987 - 2013.

My New York City Marathon

November 19, 2021

It finally happened...I finally ran the New York City Marathon on November 7, 2021. Of course, because of COVID, this was a longer journey than expected. I registered with my charity in February 2020 to run the 50th NYC Marathon. I ran my first marathon in Akron in 2019 and that was an amazingly special accomplishment for a variety of reasons...but to run NYC, on its 50th anniversary, after a year postponement, was an incredible privilege!

I decided to run this race in honor and memory of friends and family affected by Cancer. I found a worthy charity partner in the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation to support. The SWCRF is focused on getting to the bottom of why normal cells in our body go bad and become cancerous so they can develop treatments that stop cancer cells from growing and spreading.

Shelly and I also did the Abbott Dash to the Finish 5k on Saturday morning, which I used as a shake-out run before the marathon and Shelly got to be a part of the race weekend. The run went through midtown Manhattan and finished in Central Park. It was a beautiful morning and a great way to start the weekend!

We managed to meet up with a Facebook Group called “Runar’s Runners” in Central Park and then down to the Javits Center for bib pickup and the expo. Saturday evening we had dinner on the Upper East Side with Sue and Helen from Samuel Waxman and the other member of the Team Waxam runners, Waldemar Sirko. The bowls of pasta were overflowing and I got plenty of carbohydrates stored up for the race.

I woke up at 4:45 on race morning without much sleep, but it didn’t matter, this was the day I have been training and anticipating for so long and I was ready! It didn’t take me long to get dressed, and I was out the door and on the subway heading to the Staten Island Ferry in short time. The ride was quiet and full of runners...probably in disbelief that it was actually happening...at least, that’s what I was thinking. We quickly made it onto the 6:15 ferry, where NYRR volunteers greeted us with enthusiasm. The morning air was clear and crisp, so I stood outside most of the ride, taking it all in and watching lower Manhattan sparkle in the twilight and the Statue of Liberty come into view as we crossed the bay to Staten Island. Busses took us over to Fort Wadsworth where I tried to stay warm as I absorbed the excitement of the moment and cheered on the pros and the first and second waves of runners. Time went quickly and before I knew it, it was time for my wave to enter the corral.

The cannon sounded, Frank Sinatra was singing, and the race had begun! Two miles across the quiet Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and then came roaring Brooklyn. The crowd support was even more than I could’ve imagined and the running was fast and easy. Here I was, a guy from Ohio and it seemed like all of Brooklyn was shouting ROBBIE! It pays to put your name on your shirt! It felt so good to see friends at mile 6 and then Shelly at mile 9. Before I knew it, I was in Queens and then the dreaded Queensboro Bridge. People warn you about the bridge because it has a tough incline (at least for mile 15) and there are no spectators. This bridge did get to me. I got my first leg cramp running up it and what was probably a small hill seemed to last forever. Runners actually cheered when we finally started our way back down!

On the other side came 1st Ave and I got another shot of energy. This section felt like a party with thousands of spectators and music for a mile. I also saw the Samuel Waxman folks and Shelly and her crew again. Pretty soon I was headed over the Willis Ave Bridge and on into the Bronx. Things were rough in the Bronx with my legs. It felt like every single muscle in both legs had tightened up and it was difficult to walk, much less run. I had to stop and stretch a few times and eventually willed myself back over the famous “Last Damn Bridge” and back into Manhattan.

With 5k left to go, I was back into a rhythm...slow, as it was. I had finally reached Central Park and the crowds were closing tightly in on the course. They were loud and supportive...exactly what I needed to get to the finish. I made the turn at Columbus Circle and saw the signs...800m, 400m, 200m...FINISH! For the first time ever in a race, I didn’t have it in me to sprint to the end, but that’s okay because today, I completed the New York City Marathon!

2021 TCS New York City Marathon
November 7, 2021
Robert Vaughn
04:44:52

Let's Camp in a Ghost Town

February 2, 2021

Spend the Night in a Ghost Town? Sure, why not!

At the end of 2020 I was really feeling the need for some adventure and also a chance to cut away from the political news that I was starting to obsess over in November and December. I thought a solo backpacking trip would do the trick, but I was also looking for a new experience and an escape from the Northeast Ohio winter. I began to consider heading to the desert, maybe Arizona or New Mexico? I know there are probably hundreds of Ghost Towns in the southwest and maybe I could find one or two and work in some exploration and photography?

I started researching and scouring Google Earth and one place that caught my attention was Ruby, Arizona. Somewhere I had read that Ruby had recently started to allow camping on the property. Perfect! I found an email address for the owner and inquired about camping and we set it up. This is no tourist attraction like some of the other Ghost Towns I’ve been to (Bodie, CA)...after a small payment and a waiver was signed, the owner gave me the combination to the gate and instructed me to find the caretaker who lives on the property and let them know I was there when I arrive.

If Ruby was my only destination on this trip, I would’ve flown to Tucson, but since I also had plans to camp at Lost Dutchman State Park, I flew to Phoenix. Ruby was about a 3.5 hour drive from Phoenix with a few roadside stops along the way. One of those stops was the ruins of this old adobe-style house in Arivaca.

It’s about an hour drive to Ruby from Arivaca, mostly on unpaved roads that increasingly get worse! My rental car was not exactly off-road equipped, but the road was dry and I was able to maneuver around some bad spots, but I did get some looks from the Jeeps and 4x4’s I passed on the way;-)

I finally reached the gate and was very relieved when the combination lock worked and the gate swung open! Within a couple of minutes I passed a rusty Ford truck, an old school house and found the caretaker. She was quite friendly (and so was her dog), and told me that I was the only person there that day and I could camp wherever I wanted. I couldn’t believe it! Twelve hours ago I was in snowy Ohio and now I’m in an abandoned Ghost Town 4 miles from Mexico and I have it all to myself! I only had about 1.5 hours of daylight left and wanted to get camp setup first so i would still have some light to explore. I found an exceptional spot a little ways from town over by the mine tailings and setup quickly. I decided I would save the main town exploration for the next day and instead set out to the surrounding mountains to photograph views at dusk.

I was tired from the long day of travel, but couldn't resist walking over to town and exploring a couple of the buildings in the dark. I have never encountered anything supernatural and going to places that are claimed to be haunted doesn’t bother me, but even I got some uneasy vibes from wandering around this location in the middle of the desert where at least four murders took place 100 years ago.

Mercantile stores were frequently robbed in the old west because of all the money and goods they had from doing so much business. The Ruby mercantile had two double murders, in February, 1920 and August, 1921. John and Alex Fraser were robbed and murdered by Mexican Banditos less than a month after buying the mercantile and just 7 months later, the new store owner, Frank Pearson and his wife were also killed!

I also had a really interesting experience were several great horned owls were flying and calling around me near the old schoolhouse. Even though it was dark, I could still make one out at the top of the old flag pole and in the trees. After checking out a couple houses, I made it back to my tent for some backpackers chicken gumbo and a good night's sleep!

Woke up early, filled my thermos with hot coffee and set off to catch sunrise from the top of one of the surrounding mountains. It was a beautiful and cool morning and a great way to start the day.

I eventually made it back into town and finally got a chance to really explore this old mining town. At Ruby, you can pretty much go wherever you want except for a couple of buildings that are locked that seem to be used for storage and building materials. It’s really incredible to have a place like this without all the usual barricades and modern features meant to keep tourists safe and inline.

I found the caretaker, L.T. trimming back a trail at one point and she pointed me to the bat cave that can have up to 200,000 Mexican bats living in it in the spring. I’ll have to come back and witness what has to be an amazing sight as these bats fly out to eat insects at dusk! L.T.’s hound dog, Hatchy continued to accompany me around as I finished up my wanderings around town. I wish I could've stayed longer, but I had a few more stops on my way to Lost Dutchman and had to get moving.

Ruby has a rich history and I’ve only given you a photographic tour here. Please head over to Ruby’s website for the history and visiting information.
http://rubyaz.com

The Forgotten John Brown Memorial

November 24, 2020

Tucked away on top of an overgrown wooded hill in Akron, OH is the forgotten memorial for John Brown. This memorial is more than 100 years old and is a surprise to most people when they learn of its existence. The memorial is on what is now, Akron Zoo property and close to where Brown once lived when in worked for Simon Perkins. John Brown was an abolitionist who with his followers, raided an arsenal at Harpers Ferry on Oct. 16, 1859. He had hopes of leading slaves to a rebellion. There were several fatalities and Brown was executed two months later on charges of Treason, murder, and inciting slave insurrection. This incident probably helped spark the Civil War.

John Brown has many ties to the Akron area and had lived in Hudson, Kent, and Akron. “The John Brown House” where he lived from 1844 - 1854, is now owned by the Summit County Historical Society.

Forgotten Cuyahoga Valley in Photographs

April 10, 2020

The Cuyahoga Valley between Cleveland and Akron has changed a lot in 200 years. From it’s Connecticut Western Reserve days, to industrial use along the historic Cuyahoga Valley Railroad, to a recreational destination for North East Ohio…a lot has changed, a lot has been left behind, and a lot has been forgotten. With this post, I will share some of the photographs of the places and artifacts left behind during the Valley’s changing identity.

Over the last 20 years, I have trekked hundreds of miles through wooded areas that were once cultivated fields and have found turn-of-the-century farming equipment left to be swallowed up by the land and vegetation. I have found clues and traces of mills and industry, and many old roads that were once dotted with homes that are now barely paths through the dense hills and ravines that are the Cuyahoga Valley.

I won’t be able to give exact addresses and names for some of these locations because, unfortunately, some people have no respect for the history of this place and will vandalize.

Let’s start with some of the homes in the Valley. I’ve found houses, cabins, and foundation ruins from the mid-1800’s to the turn-of-the-century

Near many of the home locations, there are trash dumps just down the hill. I always find these personal artifacts that have survived interesting!

Construction of the Jaite Paper Mill began in 1905. At Jaite, they made flour and cement bags early on and later, fertilizer and bread sacks. The Jaite Mill was very successful at first and found easy access to transportation as it was built next to the Ohio & Erie Canal and the railroad. The mill was sold in 1951 and changed hands many times after that until the National Park Service bought the factory in 1985 after it finally closed. Much of the historic factory was destroyed in a 1992 arson fire and the park service started demolition in 2006. I took these photos in 2000 and 2004.

And, here is a photo from the demolition in March 2006.

Since the Cuyahoga Valley was designated a National Recreation Area in 1974, many sections of road have been closed. Some are integrated into the trails now, and some are lost to the wilderness.

With so many people once living, working, and farming in the Valley, there have been a lot of cars and trucks moving through here. Some of those vehicles found their final resting place within these hills and ravines. I have found many modes of transportation returning to the earth on my wanderings.

There are lot’s of barns and outbuildings that still remain in the Cuyahoga Valley. Several have been preserved and are still used today. These are some pictures of the ones that have not seen the same amount of attention.

We also have tractors, balers, and other farm implements left behind on these old farmlands.

There are still some remnants of the old sawmill/gristmill at Brandywine Falls and of the Deep Lock Quarry in Peninsula. The quarry produced millstones for Quaker Oats in Akron. It’s easy to imagine the men who worked the quarry as you explore the ruins and find the historic graffiti on the stones.

George Wallace built the mill at Brandywine in 1814. Wallace also added a distillery. The whiskey produced at the still was used for barter, and the whiskey became known as “Brandywine Currency.”

So get off the beaten path and keep an eye out! There’s a lot of history out there waiting to be discovered!

Abandoned Shenango China and Pottery Company

March 23, 2020

I recently had a very interesting time exploring the old abandoned Shenango China factory in New Castle, PA. This factory has a long (and well documented) history and finally shut its doors in 1991. You can read about it here at the Lawrence County Historical Society. I just want to share some photos taken in March 2020 of this sprawling, multi-building location. I am just amazed at how much was left behind!

Please check out my photo gallery of these historic ruins!

Finally back to Yellowstone!

July 1, 2019

My wife, Shelly and I went to Yellowstone back in 2005 and I couldn’t wait to get back and thought it would be a regular thing. Well...two kids were born, life got busy and we never made it back again until 14 years later! I love observing and photographing wildlife and I don’t think there is a better place than the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem...especially for a guy from Ohio.

This trip wouldn’t be an all out photography and exploration trip, but a family vacation. I was excited to share this experience with my age 10 and 11 year old girls, but I would need to make considerations for my usual way of doing things where photography is my main goal. One of those considerations was what gear to bring. My current wildlife setup is a Sony A73 paired with a Sigma 150-600. Of course, I would also need a wide angle lens or two for landscape if I were to bring the big tele. This setup seamed to cumbersome for a family vacation where I would surely be lugging around a backpack full of family necessities already, so I researched other options. I quickly discounted ideas like getting a Canon or Nikon with one of those superzooms like an 18-300mm because I didn’t want to invest in another system. I also looked into the Nikon P1000. 3000mm seems ridiculous, but a lot of Yellowstone wildlife viewing can be a half mile away from the valley road. But this camera is huge and I think I would be disappointed in the image quality since the camera has a small sensor and most of my pictures will be within a more reasonable distance anyway. After giving the Sony RX10iv a test drive, which has an equivalent 24-600mm lens and a 1 inch sensor, I bought a used copy and made this the camera for the trip. I couldn't be happier with the way the RX10iv handled almost all situations. The AF was plenty quick enough for anything I pointed the lens at. I shot up to ISO 6400 at dusk and the pictures are still quite acceptable and I really like the 24mm wide angle. I did also take my A7iii with 16-35 for when I wanted to be more creative with the wide angle, but it stayed in the car most of the time and I honestly could've done without it this trip.

We had 2 days in Grand Teton and 5 days in Yellowstone. This was a perfect amount of time to comfortably explore all the big areas of the parks and not feel rushed. When traveling with kids, it’s hard to get everybody up and moving in the morning, and this worked out to my advantage. I would get up around sunrise and look for good light, landscapes, and wildlife. I would be back to the cabin just around the time everybody wakes up. Shelly was a bit jealous, but she also didn’t want to get up at 5:30am, and we did all get up as a family at least one morning to go to Lamar Valley.

Wildlife was abundant! I kind of lost count of the exact numbers, but I think we saw around 16-18 bears, 10-12 moose, 5-6 wolves, a bunch of eagles and osprey, and all the bison, elk, and goats you could want! One morning, I saw 5 wolves trying to get at a dead bison calf and the mother fighting them off. I felt bad the girls didn’t see the wolves, but when we went back to that spot in the evening, the mother was gone and one wolf was trotting off with a hind leg. Sad, but what an amazing wild scene to witness.

YNP and GTNP had plenty of amazing scenery and thermal features to see as well. The girls saw their first mountains in the Tetons, and of course, Old Faithful, along with the abundant hot springs, geysers, and mud pots were thrilling to experience. I think the kids were a perfect age for the Yellowstone experience and will never forget the close encounters we had with these wild creatures and the unique thermal features this land has to offer!

I’m happy with the photography that came out of this trip and would recommend the RX10iv as a do everything travel camera to anyone that expects quality, but wants to go light.

Yellow Dog Village

November 7, 2018

Yellow Dog Village, also know as Shadyside Village, is an abandoned limestone mining “company town” in western Pennsylvania. Built between 1915 - 1925, the village is now just a few streets with vacant and decaying homes, an old chapel, and a playground that appears to be the home to several horses.

Joseph Meyer has been the owner of this old town since late 2014 when he bought it for $220,000 and has big plans. I spoke with Joe when I came out to document this piece of history and he didn’t sound as positive about the future as what I had read prior to the visit. Joe said he wants to build a historical community, where visitors can stay overnight in the houses and experience early 20th century living. Mr. Meyer says he can’t get financing from the bank because they don’t see his vision of how this endeavor can make money. At this point, not even one house is in a livable condition and many of them have crumbling foundations and are completely uninhabitable.

Joe allows photographers and other curious visitors to explore the village for a price and a waver signature. But at $20 here and there, I don’t see Joe’s vision of a “Living History Museum” coming to fruition anytime soon. Joe and his daughter have a stable of horses that now have their run of the streets, yards, and playground.

Here is a bit of the Village history pulled from a 2015 TribLive article:
”According to Armstrong County historical records, Yellow Dog was built in the early 20th Century by the Pittsburgh Limestone Mining Co., which owned and operated the mine along Buffalo Creek. A nearby railroad transported the crushed stone and lime to feed the steel and construction industries.

The company built the village for its workers under a condition: Workers had to promise never to unionize. That agreement is what lies behind the village name.

After the company went bankrupt during the Great Depression, the village was bought and sold many times and underwent name changes. In recent years it was renamed Shady Side Village and later, MAK Square, before coming full circle back to the name it never really lost: Yellow Dog.”
https://triblive.com/news/armstrong/9150478-74/meyer-village-dog

Disappearing history on the Old National Pike

October 30, 2018

This amazing house is known as the Knight-Wheeler Mansion and sits a few miles outside of Brownsville, PA on the Old National Pike (Route 40). It was actually two houses in one. The original stone section in the back that is now crumbled, was built back in the late 1700's by Charles Wheeler for Jonathan Knight. According to a 1955 article in the Washington Reporter, Knight was a “civil engineer who built the National Pike throughout most of Washington County and the first chief engineer of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.” The Second Empire style front section was added by Oliver K. Taylor around 1880.

Most people would never see this house as you pass by on the highway. It is hidden from view in dense vegetation. From what I can tell, the house was last occupied up until the early 80's and it's been decaying ever since.

Yosemite | High Sierra

October 23, 2018

This summer I finally set out to California to do some backpacking in Yosemite National Park. This trip has been a long time coming and was delayed for a year due to unforeseen calamity. But, in July 2018, we finally made it happen. Me and my good friend Christopher made plans to spend 3 days hiking the Glen Aulin Trail in Yosemite’s high country. The Glen Aulin is part of the Pacific Crest Trail that runs all the way from Mexico to Canada. We would only hike about 10 miles of the trail, but it was a good 10 miles:-)

I guess it was a bit of luck that we chose a trail in the high country instead of something more popular, like Half Dome in the valley, because the Ferguson Forest Fire started the day before we arrived and had already made the valley too smoky for hiking. We did deal with some smoky views and the scent of “campfire” on our hike, but it was nothing like the valley, where you couldn’t even see El Capitan a couple hundred feet in front of you!

We flew into Reno and took advantage of being within just a few miles of fascinating Mono Lake with it’s tufas, and stopped for some exploring. Soon after leaving Mono Lake, we were already at the East entrance of Yosemite where the ranger warned us of the fast expanding forest fire. We pickup up our back-country permit and checked into the Tuolumne Campground (backpackers camp). I was surprised at how many folks were in the backpackers camp considering the fire, but I guess they were just like us and after much planning and excitement, didn’t want to give up on hiking this incredible country! We headed off to the Tuolumne Lodge, or I guess I should call it a tent, and had an amazing dinner with some other hikers. We swapped stories and had an awesome meal! After dinner we stopped off at Tuolumne Meadows to take in the amazing sunset! We were now well prepared for our hike to start the next morning:)

The morning was cool and mostly clear, still smelled like campfire, and we hit the trail. Early on we came to Soda Springs. We didn’t spend much time, but it was an interesting and worth while side trip. From there, the next 5 miles or so was very diverse and never boring! Forest, water falls, baron rock face…

When we finally arrived at the Glen Aulin High Sierra Camp, I was surprised at how, I don’t know, I guess I would say “developed” it was. There were some tents setup for the high sierra campers, a pit toilet, and most surprising, a small make-shift store that sold some necessities, ramen noodles, and even candy bars. I couldn’t resist and had to pick up a snickers. We were looking for something a little more rustic and of course, hadn’t paid the big $$ to stay at the camp, so we setup camp in a tree covered spot on the other side of the creek for our first night. As evening light started to get interesting, I walked around and found some of the local wildlife to photograph. For sunset, we had the best seat in the house on the high cliff a short walk from camp. This is exactly why you haul yourself across the country, load up 40 lbs of gear and hike your way to the middle of nowhere!

I woke up the next morning before the sun came up to hike up the mountain for some more amazing photo ops. The cold, early morning hike was invigorating and the views made it all worth it! By the time I had gotten back to camp, Christopher had woken up and was getting ready for the day. The plan was to leave our gear and have a lighter day-hike down the trail and find some of the amazing water falls in this fast moving river. We moved our camp just about a 1/2 mile down trail to a secluded spot along the creek and then started our day trip.

With a lighter load, we both took our considerable camera gear and took our time on the trail to capture the scenery. There was plenty to keep our photographic attention!

After we returned to camp, it was time for a quick dip in the Tuolumne River and a hearty bag of dehydrated food. Eventually, I felt refreshed and energized enough to climb the mountain that overlooks the “Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne” and take in another incredible sunset. Moments like this, alone in nature, are what give me the peace and calm I need to reflect and feel in tune with my creator. This is what what rejuvenates my soul!

It was time for us to head out of the back-country the next day and the plan was to hit the Valley. Once we got back to civilization, it was apparent that the Ferguson Fire had continued to spread and was having a real effect on air quality in the park. We considered our options and still decided we were going to take our chances and at least visit the valley. On our way down, we stopped at the Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias. Smoke was faintly filling the forest and made for an eerie atmosphere. It’s was truly incredible to be among the giants!

The smoke got so thick as we entered the valley that you couldn’t see any of the iconic views. No Half Dome, no El Capitan, couldn’t even see Yosemite Falls until you were right on top of it. I felt especially bad for Christopher, who is experiencing the Great Yosemite Valley for the first time. There was still something very special about walking around the valley, especially with nobody around in the middle of summer. We had reservations for two nights at the Half Dome Village, but would cut it short and leave in the morning.

Yes, there was some disappointment, considering how much I looked forward to this trip and the vision I had in my mind of this pristine natural setting. But, I think we made the best of our situation and accept Yosemite for what it was in July of 2018. When I look back now, I realize that we experienced this incredible park in a unique and wholly natural way, and I have no regrets!

The Snowys Are Back

January 4, 2018

I used my last Holiday break day off to go Snowy Owl hunting (with a camera of course). A few years ago I captured my best Snowy pictures at Presque Isle State Park in Pennsylvania, so I decided to try my luck out there again. It’s kind of a big commitment and gamble to head out to this area. It’s at least a two hour drive to get there, with a minimum 4 mile hike. On top of that, Erie has been hammered with snow with about 1-2 feet, and no guarantee that I will even be able to drive out to the peninsula.

As I got closer to Erie, the roads were getting dicey and the effects of the big Christmas snowstorm were still very evident. Luckily, the roads were plowed and I was able to drive all the way down the peninsula. So far, so good:) Last time I came looking for owls, in 2014, I stopped at many of the beaches scanning for owls before I finally gave up on the easy access stuff and found success at Gull Point. This time, I went straight to my best chances and decided to skip the pull off areas and just do the hike to Gull Point. The parking lot for the trail was not cleared so I had to park a bit further out on the road. After driving in the warm car for just over two hours, the bitter cold and wind really hits you in the face! That’s fine, I was dressed for it and determined to find some arctic visitors.

Even though it’s cold and conditions are tough for hiking and photography, I expected to see at least a few cars of other birders and photographers out for the day. Instead, I saw nobody else, but did follow in the fresh footprints that mysteriously just ended about half way back?? The hike back seemed longer then I remember, but then finally...I broke through the trees to the wind sweeped landscape that is Gull Point. I almost immediately spotted a snowy and knew the whole trip would be worth it! He (I think it was he) was hunkered down behind some grass. I kept my distance while taking several photos as I moved past him further down the beach. The raptor was obviously aware of me, but didn’t seem bothered. I think it helps to not stop in one place for too long. After just a few minutes I saw two more white owls in the sky. It was amazing seeing these two soaring together. I fired off a few shots, but had no idea if anything would be in focus. The wind was really whipping up at this point and it had to be somewhere around -15 with the windchill. I didn’t have much more in me before I need to start heading back and find the shelter of the woods. The two flying birds soon landed on the beach not far from me and I was able to take cover behind some old tree roots and get some fairly close photos of the owls. After just a few minutes it was time to get out of here and on the way back I grabbed, probably my favorite photo of the day of the original snowy owl who had moved a little closer to the trail by this time.

Got a few landscapes on the hike back and had an easy drive home. Seven hours from door to door and it was all worth it. These majestic visitors from the far north are something special to see in person and I’ll make that trip every year that I can.

Three Churches

November 7, 2017

This Sunday I went to Church, actually, three churches. It was cathartic, inspiring, and exciting. This has been a long, hard year for my family and an opportunity to get out with some good friends and do what we love to do was just what I needed (who says asbestos, rusty nails, and unidentifiable toxins aren't good for you😲). Researching, exploring, and photographing places where people worked, lived, and worshiped is of particular interest to me. Growing up in Pittsburgh and Cleveland areas has given me access to our country's industrial past. A past that is disappearing quickly and I think puts more importance on documenting before it’s gone.

Cleveland, and more specifically, the east side has many abandoned churches. Some locations have been vacant for years and have long been scrapped and vandalized. I don’t have a problem revealing well known spots like this, but I will not specifically give locations of more recently abandoned churches and factories that haven’t been wrecked by vandals yet.

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a Slovakian Catholic Church is southeast from downtown. Built in 1926, this was the second church in this location that also includes a school. The church closed it’s doors in 1992. I believe the church was used by other religious communities for several years after the closing of the parish.

Another church explored was in East Cleveland. This church looked to be abandoned for quite a while with most of the stained glass broken and lots of water damage making for some cautious stepping so as not to fall through the floor! My favorite “feature” of this church was the “vine window” most of the glass was gone, but the vines had taken over and streached in toward the sanctuary.

UX-CLE-Rehoboth Church_11.5.17-33_pp.jpg

The last church we found was much more recently vacated. The stained glass was still intact and several pianos and organs were still undamaged. The gothic architecture of the church building intrigued me the most. I wasn’t able to dig up much history on this location, but it appears that it’s been home to at least a couple different churches over the years.

Thanks for stopping by, and please take care if you do some exploring.

Lake Tahoe

July 19, 2017

Lake Tahoe is a place that my wife and I have wanted to visit for a long time. We had a small window of opportunity recently due to life circumstances and some very kind people who let us use their house to finally make the trip. We only had a couple full days and the purpose of this trip was not photography, but I did manage to make it to a few locations that made for some nice photos.

Almost all of these were taken with a Fujifilm XT-2 and 10-24mm lens. I will try to point out where other gear was used.

On our first night, we were treated to a spectacular sunset while on a dinner cruise. Tahoe doesn't get clouds like this very often, so, it really was a special moment.

We did some kayaking at Emerald Bay and explored the only island in the Lake, Fannette Island. The island contains the ruins of the old "Tea House" that was constructed by Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight in 1928 to go with her vacation home, Vikingsholm.

On our last night, we found Secret Cove. Secret Cove does not have a parking lot and isn't easy to find. It's at the bottom of a steep decline that's at least a mile and not well marked. I had heard that the cove was a "clothing optional" area, but hoped that by this time in the evening, it might be clear or at least the people would be covered. We were wrong, and immediately upon finding Secret Cove, were greeted with all the glory and "bits and pieces" of its inhabitants. The light was nice, And I would've liked to have photographed the cove at this time, but didn't think it would be appropriate to walk around shooting while people were hanging around in their natural state.

We hiked up the rocky shore a ways, until we were alone and still found a nice location for sunset. I used a circular polarizing filter for these to try and bring out the rocks under the water's surface.

After the sun, set, we hiked back over to Secret Cove where there was only one man left. He was clothed and on his way out. We spoke for a few minutes about the amazing sunset the night before with the rare cloud covered sky and about all of the wildlife he has seen in the cove over the 40 years he has been going there, including the bears!

It's hard to tell from some of these pictures, but the sun was down and it was dark. I used a tripod for the first time this trip to get the exposure I wanted.

Lake Tahoe is a special place that can be as relaxing or as adventurous as you want. The lake provides the space and serenity for a person to contemplate, consider, and refresh themselves, which is what we did. It feels like we're closer to God in places like this.

Edwin Shaw

March 18, 2017

Back in the fall of 2016 I was headed to a wedding reception in Lakemore, OH when I happened to pass by an amazing looking vacant hospital on the appropriately named, Sanitarium Rd. A little research and a few weeks later I was parked in front of the abandoned Edwin Shaw Hospital ready to explore.

The hospital originally opened in 1915 as the Springfield Lake Sanitarium for tuberculosis patients. The sprawling grounds consists of several buildings, including the Sunshine Cottage where sick children lived and were cared for, and a cemetery.

The last used section of the hospital was abandoned in 2016 and as I write this in early 2017, the county plans on demolishing the property.

Cleveland and the RNC

July 29, 2016

The Republican National Convention was held in Cleveland this year and I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get downtown and photograph the experience. It started for me the Sunday night before the big event was do to start. I knew Cleveland would be all lit up and this would be a fantastic chance to capture some night images of the city looking her best.

My plan was to set off from my kayak from Wendy Park and head over to the North Coast Harbor and capture all the views in between. This should give me a unique perspective that I haven't seen before. I was thrown a curve ball from the start...it was very difficult getting into the city due to all the road closures, which I expected, but I did not anticipate highway 2 also being closed. I eventually made it to Whisky Island via Tremont and Ohio City just after sunset. I was hoping to be on the water before dark to get some dusk shots, but oh well, my primary purpose is the after dark stuff. Things went pretty good at first, the water was calm and the paddling was easy. I was able to capture a few pictures, but realized quickly that I had mistakenly packed the wrong lens! I had meant to bring the Olympus 12-40 f2.8 and Panasonic 25 f1.7, well, I had the 12-40, but accidentally threw the slow Pany 12-60, so getting a sharp photo at night, while floating in a kayak was going to be very difficult!

I did manage to get a couple photos, but over all, things didn’t work out well. I also had a run-in with the coast guard as they were not comfortable with how close I was to the restricted water zone. I didn’t argue with them and decided it was a good time to head to shore anyway. On the way out of town, I stopped by one of the new Cleveland script signs in Tremont and took some pictures, probably the best of the night.

The next morning I headed back to the city for a full day. To make travel easy, I parked down in the Flats East Bank and used my bike to get around. I immediately found a rally of bikers and other Trump supporters at Settlers Park. These folks spoke a lot about guns, religion and their disdain for Clinton and for some reason, John McCain. There were plenty of colorful characters and a picturesque backdrop of the Cuyahoga to photograph at this location.

From here I headed up the hill to Public Square and the Mall were Anti-Trump protesters were preparing to march. I will let the pictures speak for themselves.

The next day I went straight to Public Square where it was almost festival like with food trucks, dancers in the lawn, and kids playing in the fountain.

There were certainly protesters, but I didn’t witness any altercations and for the most part a very peaceful vibe.

Next, I headed over to 4th street where it was packed with media, delegates, and vendors.

This is the area right outside the gate were many of the delegates come in and out of and it’s also an area saturated with law enforcement. I saw state troopers from at least 6 or 7 different states, Cleveland and Akron Bike Patrol, mounted police, and Secret Service. There presence was all over, but never forceful, unless there was a reason, and very friendly in my interactions. At one point, I found myself surrounded by Cleveland Bike Patrol as they were posing for some post card worthy photos, themselves.

I am very proud of Cleveland for showing the world how a large political event can be held with no major situations. The people who gathered and law enforcement were exceptional. People’s voices were heard and nobody got hurt.

Nice job CLE!

Here are a few more photos from the week.

The Edmund Fitzgerald | 40 Years Ago

November 10, 2015

In memory of The SS Edmund Fitzgerald and her crew who sank 40 years ago today in Lake Superior “when the gales of November came early”. All 29 crew members died and it’s still unknown exactly why the “Fitz” went down.

This is a photo of a similar vessel, the SS Wilfred Sykes that I took entering the Grand River in Michigan in 2014. The Sykes loaded opposite the Fitz on November 9th, 1975 and left 2 hours later. Captain Dudley J. Paquette anticipated the storm's path and avoided the worst of it. The Edmund Fitzgerald wasn't so fortunate.

It’s great to still see these huge Lakers continuing to work out on the Great Lakes!

Variety Theatre

October 30, 2015

I had the opportunity recently to roam the historic Variety Theatre on Cleveland's west side. The theatre opened in 1927 and has played host to everything from vaudeville, film, The Replacements, and R.E.M.. The Variety is a huge complex that takes up a whole city block and also includes storefronts and apartments.

Our host, Patrick Colvin, was very passionate about the theatre as he told stories of it's movie house days, rock n' roll, and even hauntings. Colvin and his group, the Friends of the Historic Variety Theatre are currently restoring this incredible venue.

The Variety Theatre is located at Lorain Ave and W. 118th St.

The Snowy Owl

January 5, 2015

I’ve been chasing snowy owls for years, trying to get “The Shot.” I’ve made dozens of trips, driving hundreds of miles the last 15 years, scoping out, the cold and windy Lake Erie coast. I’ve gotten a few blurry pics of white dots that you’ll just have to trust me are Snowy Owls from the great North Country. It should’ve happened last year. The 2013-14 winter saw a huge Snowy Owl irruption, the biggest in half a century. I did manage to get a passable photo of a flying Snowy off the Cleveland coast, but nothing I was really proud of. Then finally this December, after hearing that some Snowy’s were seen back at Presque Isle State Park in PA, I made the short 2 hour drive.

Success! After a two hour drive and 1.5 mile hike, I was ecstatic to find two owls in close proximity posing for me and about a dozen other photographers and birders! I packed my Nikon D750 and Tamron 150-600mm, and am glad I did. Even with the birds being relatively close, I still wanted to keep as much distance as possible, and 600mm was necessary. I set my camera to manual and kept my aperture at f/8, and adjusted my shutter from about 1/2000 - 1/640 depending on activity. I wish I had taken a monopod so that I could've dropped the ISO for some of the grounded photos and also shoot some video. I don’t like to use a tripod for wildlife, because I feel a bit too restricted with movements.

This doesn’t seem to be another large irruption year, like ‘13-14, but still a better than typical opportunity to see these amazing owls. Keep your eye on the North coast, brake walls, and large fields for these mysterious northern visitors!

Down By The River

May 14, 2014

Last summer in my hometown of Cuyahoga Falls, the city removed two 100 year old dams from the the Cuyahoga River in the name of a healthier, cleaner river and recreation. When the dams were removed the water level dropped by several feet and interestingly to me, revealed evidence of the city's industrial past. Among heaps of garbage, soot and muck, were tons of discarded pieces of rubber, remnants of a pre-1913 dam, old carts and lots and lots of old bottles.

It has been fun poking around the river bank documenting the changes with my camera and collecting some of the bottles and rusty cans I have come across. It has been particularly fascinating to find old milk bottles from several local milk plants and creameries, and old pop bottles of beverages I've never heard of. Many of these bottles have held up well considering being submerged and tumbled in the river for decades!

Almost a year since the dam removal started, the river has a swift current and does appear to be much improved. There is still a lot of cleanup being done to remove debris that continues to reveal itself and can make the river unsafe for kayakers and other recreation. I think it's great that the city has taken this step to take the river back to it's natural state and reveal once again the falls and rapids that Cuyahoga Falls is named after. Now... there's been talk, and hopefully soon, we can get rid of the old Ohio Edison Dam in the Gorge and really open up the river!

Here is a gallery of many of the bottles I found.

Found Bottles

Bottles and cans I have found mostly at the Cuyahoga River since the removal of the dams.

The Last Silk Mill

April 15, 2014

The old Lonaconing Silk Mill, also know as the Klotz Throwing Co. of Lonaconing, Maryland is the last intact silk mill in the United States. Built in 1905 and closed in 1957, the mill has been left virtually untouched since its closing. According to the Mill's owner, Herb Crawford, management closed the doors when the employees went on strike in 1957. The mill had seen a increasing production decline since it's opening in 1907 and was down to under 100 workers in the 1950's from a high of 359 in it's early days.

Herb Crawford is single-handedly trying to save this historic mill from decay and deterioration. Mr. Crawford has discovered that photographers will pay for the privilege to photograph this incredible time-capsule of a factory and he uses the proceeds to repair the leaky roof and install security measures to keep out vandals.

Everything has been left as it was in that last day in 1957 and there is plenty of photographic opportunity! Many personal belongings and antique artifacts are still where the workers left them. If you have a photography group that can get to Northern Maryland, then I encourage you to give Herb a call and schedule a visit. I guarantee you will not regret it!

Contact Herb Crawford at 301-268-116.