The ungrades to IH-635 is well underway. First came the High 5 at the center of the work. Next, came the western run from IH-35E to the High 5 and finally, now, the eastern upgrades are digging and plowing and a whole lots more from the end of the High 5 eastward to IH-20 . Needless-to-say, if you drive Dallas, this section has been a nightmare of delays and accidents and frustration for years. Since I don't drive anymore, I watch from the buses and trains and the pedestrian bridge that crosses at the Blue Line Station at Skillman and LBJ. As the kinks of Skillman are finally undone and a new bridge will lay straight across IH-635, I remember years ago driving that section and getting lost and wondering how I ended up where I did on unfamiliar territory. Of course, now, I kind of hate to see that rope knot laid out straight. Change happens!
Saturday, March 11, 2023
Monday, March 6, 2023
25077 Steps in Thee Days
The little app that I have on my phone is far more accurate than I thought that it would be. However, there is no question that with that amount of walking and watching what I eat has dropped the pounds on a steady basis. The most surprising thing about that little app is that I am not tired afterwards and I sleep like a baby.
Saturday was a day of 9,940 steps.Sunday was the peak at 10,168 steps (that is the recommended number of steps per day) and today was a late start; an accident with my camera that is going to require a visit to the camera shop, although, I did switch to a lesser focal length (which I needed to do anyway with spring popping out all over). Those three days of walking covered 10.67 miles with a month-to-date calorie burn of 1,145.8 calories gone bye-bye.
Those three days of shooting on foot generated 147 images on Saturday; 163 images on Sunday and 21 images today.
A couple of years back, I had ask myself the question: "What area of the wagon wheel does the majority of my image sales come from?" The answer was surprising. Within 5-miles of home. Of course, the key word here is majority. That does not say that no sales have come from the full scope of the area covered in the whole of the wagon wheel target area. Never-the-less, it has given me even a better health condition overall,both as a photographer and as images are concerned.
That does not say that the past three days are all finished work. I still have 331 images to edit and the clock is ticking to get some of them to market. Others, will fall into the cogwheel as it goes around its circle.The last of the sunshine will be short tomorrow as a series of fronts ride the Southern Jet Stream from California to the Northeastern part of the US. So, the timing to edit will fall just at the right time when the workflow will mostly get done.
Here are a few shots. I just went outside to shoot a full moon rising in a haze in the Eastern night sky. Then, Murphy's Law struck. Battery Empty flashes on the screen. It is now on the charge waiting to give the "blue light" that I have a full battery pack again. I should have put it on charge last night but I didn't. Before I went out today, I checked it and I had about a quarter of a battery left.
Daffies in bloom
Trees leafing out
A buddy in the basket gets a ride from it's care giver on the Cottonwood Trail near the new bridge where it will see a bifurcation and connects to the North Haven Trail head.
Wednesday, March 1, 2023
Amtrack Running Late yesterday. Very Very Late
Weather, Track Repairs, Storm Reroutes and One young man visiting his sister here was just trying to get back to school. It seems even the trains are not reliable anymore. I stopped flying 35 years ago and have not looked back. I like the trains very much, especially Amtraks Zephyer from Chicago West. My brother and his wife were inbound having been in Palm Springs all last week. I was down at Union Station yesterday to see them return. Due in at 3:10 in the afternoon. Then, 4PM or later. I left the station and headed home on track 1 at 4:30PM. Had a text from my brother at 7:11. They were idle on a track half way between Ft. Worth and Dallas' Union Station. This morning, I had an update text that they got off at Irving and were finally home shortly after 10PM. Long day to end a fun week out West.
However, I did get some shots of the busy 7-tracks at Union Station with Reunion Tower on the far side of the track roads. Two Union Pacific manifest freights running dual side by side on 6 and 7. Containers, and Car Racks with some covered gondolas, tanks, a few hoppers and a lot of Intermodal frames from empty container flat beds. The graffiti on the cars is most interesting. You see lots of interesting stuff from people who really are rather talented with paint.
I had an interesting and brief conversation with a young man returning to college after visiting his sister here in
Dallas. he had a couple of canvas images that he was taking with him. Never got a chance to see the image but he obviously loved art. Nice man. Hope he got those canvas' home with out any travel damage.
Saturday, February 25, 2023
Clean Green Commuting Machine--DART'S words--not mine.
Since I have been riding the busses, light rails and commuter rails for the past two years, and shooting the construction of the New Silver Line from North Garland to Terminal B at DFW, where it will join the already running TEXrail from Ft. Worth and Dart's light rail in Terminal A, as the first train to provide service direct to DFW. It was time to point out the fact that I have not looked back since riding public transportation. In fact, it has been a delight to sit back and watch the world pass by on the way around the Metroplex.
Several days ago, I was able to ride the new electric bus. What a bus! Everything you have heard good about no engine noise, fast, peppy takeoffs, no smells of gas fumes either from gasoline or propane-type fuels is true. I'd like for DART to get busy with charging stations so they can add more of these to their fleet. WOW! that would be so nice.
And speaking of trains---I surprised my brother and sister-in-law at Union Station to see them off on the Texas Star from Chicago to LA from Dallas. They were on their way to Palm Springs, there second trip to California area this year. Several years ago I rode (then) the San Francisco Zephry. Now, it's just the California Zephyr # 5 outbound and # 6 inbound. It was everything that I had heard it would be and even better. The Roomette was comfortable. The dinning car was excellent and then some. So, I know my brother and his wife, having been through the desert prior, will love it again this time. Actually, I just might give it a try again. The destination is not that important since I have traveled a great deal of the US, especially the midwest and eastern seaboard. I just love the Atlantic more than the Pacific. Sorry Pacifico. No hard feelings.
Union Station Dallas, Amtrak Texas Star to California (LA)
From Unioin Station, a closeup view of Reunion Tower 570 feet observation. Wolfgand Puck operated a restaurant prior to Covid there.
Wednesday, February 22, 2023
Looking For Textures today. Found a Texture Mine
Spring is busting out all over in the Metroplex.
One just never knows what you will find these days. Everyone has an opinion on why things have gotten so crazy. That is exactly why I don't shoot people in poses and do weddings etc.,etc. There is a bus stop that I pass through almost every time I go out. A couple of weeks ago there was this weird accident at a high traffic intersection. Today, there was another on the opposite corner involving three vehicles instead of just two. A popular Asian Shopping Center because a cut-through for a bus that had to pass up two of its stops because of the fire trucks and police. I try not to let things like that bother me when I'm walking and using public transportation. But, I guess it is because I've seen so much over the years that having a normal day does not really occur that much anymore. In fact, I pretty much expect to see bags full of things during the day.
It's ten degrees cooler than yesterday and it still hit 81°F. At least just normal jeans and shirt made the backpack and camera case easier to carry with the folding canvas stool instead of dealing with a heavy winter coat. It rained from a fast moving system from California that cleared out of here by mid morning. Then, gusty winds dried up the moisture but left pooling ponds to dodge on sidewalks and curbs.
I've been passing a rather unusual themed restaurant that was developed along a stretch that I cover in the old neighborhood area, Not far from where my mom lived, then I lived, after my younger brother had lived in the neighborhood as well while he was single. My, how time flies. But, when the train stopped at the station across the street, I got off and started walking another block of the blocks. I found some red bud threes that were busting out the blooms already. Spring is gonna pop here real soon. Usually by the first of March in years past. I had even forgot that Fat Tuesday was yesterday and people were beginning the first day of Lent in the Christian Religion with burned palm ashes placed on their forehead. When reality struck, I walked over to the restaurant and went in side.
I had a great lunch outside on their covered patio eating to the sounds of the street and the trains. When I finished, I ask the host if I could take a couple of shots of the most unusual architecture element that I had seen. It was simple and yet, it just stood out. "Sure, have at it, he said." That changed the attitude of the day. It was 4 o'clock when I walked into the house with some keepers and some that were ifs and maybes because of the wind and me not changing my settings like I could have. Yet, the keepers will go to one or two of my agents that knows how to choose things from the same view point that I saw when I choose to shoot them originally. Everyone thinks that fads last. They don't.
Plastic Cars or not, this was a hard hit.
Another discard of the same breed as I found yesterday. The difference here is a single glove and a woman's. The ones yesterday were a pair of men's. What's the odds of finding the same discard 10 miles removed from the first find?
Tuesday, February 21, 2023
90°today. Not even a record, but the AC was working on the buses and trains. Lunch on a bench in Lakewood.
Discovery Missions are always fun. The fun is in the discovery. Even if it is small. The discovery was a new small number route; small sign topper; small architectural element that is over 2000 years old in design. The design comes from Morocco in North Africa's Marrakech to Casablanca train route. But sold for centuries in the Market's of Marrakech.
As far as the small number route. Well, it is a bit over an hour from start to finish and in some places it's know as a true crosstown. It's about 20-minutes to get where I started but enroute found another way to pick it up midstream for it is the far western end of the route that I really would like to explore more. Another time, maybe when I can start out earlier than I did today. And this being Texas, before it gets to hot.
Morocco TreasureHistoric Junius District Some things people discard along their way
Sunday, February 19, 2023
Knoll Trail Mystery Solved
Everyone knows where Knoll Trail is but no one can find it, or so they say. In fact, I know where it is but only if I travel from the opposing direction. The one Silverline Station under construction that I have not photographed in that amazing state of creation, is the Knoll Trail. The reason is that the developer of the now leveled Valley View Mall has included a people mover from the Valley View location and the nearby Galleria to the new Knoll Trail Station.
Well, today, I solved my mystery. Knoll Trail is a continuation of Momtfort at the Walmart on the corner of Momtfort and Arapaho. In the Issue No. 1 Silverline Dallas Rapid Transit stated that the station was a "Kiss and Ride" station with no parking. From what I saw today, there is parking. Plainly marked. To be fair to DART, they call it an urban oasis. Actually, that definition comes very close to what this station will be. The people mover thing came from the developer at the old Valley View project. I have not seen much action from that site but dirt being moved from pile one to pile two. Come on late 2024!
It All Started in the wee hours of May 28th when 80 MPH winds was tossing everything against the side of my house.
Those winds were substained for well over 40 minutes. The results were trees everywhere down or large branches broken off. One of my bus ro...
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Well, I remember being awakened by the roar of wind and things crashing all around and went back to sleep. Later I found out that the wind...
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Support a good cause. Support the rehab centers that take care of these magnificent creatures or even adopt one from one of the centers.