A Day Trip to the Gunks and New Paltz

It felt on top of the world

The Mohonk gatehouse.

On the top of the Awosting Falls. Usually there's lots more water.

Tree roots from a local artist's collection.

The explanation of the origins and early use of tree roots (click on pix for larger size)

Unauthorized swimming in Lake Minnewaska

The Four Knots Fest 2012: An Underwhelming Experience that Shouldn't Even Be Associated with the Siren Music Fests

I've attended the Siren music fests since 2008 in Coney Island. Great experience they were all. Then the Village Voice that put them together moved the fest to South Street seaport last year and renamed it Four Knots. Many of us were disappointed by this decision and I didn't go as many of my friends didn't either. They took a successful event from CI and moved it to one of the worst locations in NYC.

If you could go into a zen mode shutting out the distractions, the music was good and the scenery (sans the tourist crowds) was nice. But, still this ain't no Siren music fest.

This past Saturday we decided to check it out against our initial resistance. We were right. This is a horrible location, not conducive to an alternative rock scene. It definitely does not feel right in any way shape or form. The crowds were mostly rushed tourists and shoppers, and people who usually go to the seaport to experience an overpriced outing of banality in NYC. So, yeah, if most people present at an event are not there specifically for it, while the area is specifically designed to grab tourist dollars, then there's a problem.

The VIP crowd on the Peking

Don't get me wrong, the bands were just as good as the ones I've seen before in CI, but they just didn't sound the same amid the noise of the FDR Drive and the cacophony of the tourist throngs. The second state seemed like an afterthought, crammed on the side between a restaurant and the Peking ship, right smack in the pathway of the crowds waiting to board the sightseeing boats. Tsk.

To top it off this disaster, Pier 17 had a fire [link to video] and the pier was closed though the fest went on after a long delay. 

That went on for 4 hours, closing most of the pier for the day.

The vendors were fewer and generally not interesting. I got a couple t-shirts though.

The Four Knots fest was named for the speed of the water current in the area. I don't know how fast the currents moved that day but the long lines of touring groups following their leader's flag had about that speed. Unless these hordes clashed with the crowds from the water taxis, and the sightseeing ships getting on-off the boats.... Never mind that we were there to experience a music fest not be knocked around like flotsam in the New York harbor.

4th of July 2012 Fireworks from the Skyway & Mid-Hudson Bridge

Through local activism and good leadership an old rail bridge was restored into walkaway that connects the towns of Poughkeepsie and Highland in Dutchess county, NY.  [NYS Parks link]


You can click on the images below to make them bigger...(at least it works in my IE & Firefox browsers).

The Mid-Hudson bridge around 9pm, looking south.

Standing on the walkaway (an old refurbished rail bridge which is higher than the pictured Mid-Hudson bridge) watching the fireworks on July 4th, 2012. There was a question whether people would be allowed on this because of the moving lightning storm in the area.

Lots of fireworks, on the Hudson river and on the banks near Poughkeepsie, NY.

There was a big lightning storm to the south that was going on throughout the late evening.

This is a great experience for those who want to walk at 212 feet (70 meters) high over the Hudson river. It's about 1.6 miles long but you don't have to do the whole thing. I've done it a few times and it's great. I found the best is to leave the car on the Highland side and walk towards Poughkeepsie, and then back.

At dusk in June near Highland, NY

Depending on the time of day and season, the views are different and of course fantastic.

Mermaids of Coney Island 2012

On a very beautiful but hot day in June, Coney Island held its annual Mermaid Parade and this one didn't disappoint. Even if you've seen this parade before, every year has something different. Plus, if you stand on Surf Avenue, as I was this year, you can see floats, and all sorts of vehicles. If you stand on the boardwalk, then the parade is a lot closer and personal.

Peanut butter and jelly(fish)! She's been doing this for at least 5 years and every year she has something new and creative.

This guy shows up in every parade in NYC, dressed in drag, along with his dog and the parrot on his head (it's a real parrot!)

 

Yeah, I know....

Colorful for all ages

It is a family affair attended by many thousands of people. I can see though why such a parade wouldn't be allowed in ..Kansas.

Bubbly time

Small mermaids and the obscured Mets mascot

Miss America  circa 1951. She still looks gorgeous!

Zombie mermaid. Sure, why not?

Hanging out at the boardwalk

 

 

Mean mermaids?

 She looked revealing from the front.  Where do I have that picture?....

Look at the camera this old-timer has!

 I learned to take pictures on a totally manual camera where I had to calculate (or guess) all the settings and hope for the best. It was trial and error, lots of errors. Slow learning too because film & development was expensive so I rarely shot a complete roll of 24 or 35 exposures. Sounds crazy in this digital age where capacity of exposures runs in the hundreds. But back then when I finished the film I didn't know what I had done until I got the prints back. Oh, and if someone wanted copies, oh boy... 

The good thing was that I got an understanding of how picture-taking works, the fundamentals, but I do appreciate having an advanced digital camera. I shot these pictures with a Nikon D5100 and two lenses, 18-55 and 55-200. 

One man band. Lots of entertainment on the boardwalk after the parade

This a great "gypsy" band.  I only recognized its leader whom I'd seen a couple times before. His name is Salvatore Geloso and the band is Up Up We Go. He travels all over the US, but I know you can catch him in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. If you can spare $10 buy their cd. The guy below is playing a handsaw like a violin!

 

Here's a song on YouTube

One more song, on YouTube, "Colin's Song", in NYC