CALI dudes, where are you???

[Asylum Steve]

Well, Asylum Steve has made the decision to REALLY try to bring his Amazing Cosmic Technicolor Traveling Dreamshow and Bag of Carpets out to the left coast sometime this fall, perhaps in late September or early October.

BTW, Asylum Steve really likes it when he refers to himself in the third person...

Obviously, this is all very sketchy at the moment, but I don't think it's too early to start planning things. My cuz lives near San Diego, so that will likely be my "insertion" point. If I do decide to roam, I think it will most likely be up to the Bay area. But, who knows? I may not have time or money to travel much...

So, I guess my question is: where exactly are you guys?

I know PJ is near San Hosehead, er, I mean Jose, and Loren and Trevor are in the whine, uh wine region. Gene and Penny are LA Confidential and Peli lives in a tent with his boys in the desert (at least it seems that way, doesn't it? ).

If anyone else wants to place themselves on the map, it would go a long way towards helping me figure out how to budget my time and if I may want to do some driving.

Now, given my experience with these member "get-togethers", I am NOT going to attach the dreaded "G" word to this trip. I have no plans for any group activities or shoots, but rather would simply enjoy meeting and raising a glass with anyone willing to cross paths should I actually make it over there.

Let's have a show of hands!

[adina]

covered in dirt, I was pulling weeds. You'll have to use your imagination, don't want to get mud in my camera

adina

[mtbbrian]

I was wondering if Asylum Steve will be coming through Utah at all on his trip?
If so, mtbbrian, would love to meet up with him..
Mtbbrian loves to meet fellow PR.com people..
;)

[Asylum Steve]

...the flight will pass over you. Now I just need to find a parachute...

Seriously, Brian, I thought of you being "kinda" nearby. Unfortunately, it's unlikely I'll go far from the coast.

I know! You've got three months. That should be plenty of time to save up for and plan a "road trip" over to CA...

[Asylum Steve]

If what you say is true, then you didn't mind getting mud in your keyboard.

BTW, I spend half my garden time either pulling weeds or picking up twigs. If I only had a nickel...

covered in dirt, I was pulling weeds. You'll have to use your imagination, don't want to get mud in my camera

adina

[Liz]

Liz wishes she lived closer.....hmmmmmmm

Liz

[kafin8ed]

Steve, It'd be cool to meet you if you're gonna be in the LA area. I live in the same city as Gene and Penny so if you are passing through be sure to let me know.

-Alan

[mtbbrian]

LOL Steve!
Actually, I will be in John's area for two weeks in August, for work..
I am looking to get in a ride or something then.
Brian

[Photo-John]

Alan-
You could come on up for some more redwood riding.

See you next week, Alan!

Steve-
Loren lives right by me, not in the whine country.

[Asylum Steve]

Liz, I actually would like to head up to NY maybe this fall, too. But those plans are even more shaky than my west coast ones...

If I do, you can be sure I'll let you and the rest of the gang up there know so we can plan something...

-Steve

Liz wishes she lived closer.....hmmmmmmm

Liz

[Asylum Steve]

Sorry, Alan, I forgot where you were...

See, now I'm glad I started this thread, because this already has me thinking. Yeah, it'd be great to get together, and with both you and the Bowhays near LA, I may just have to pop in (if indeed, one CAN just pop in and out of LA).

In fact, if it turns out no one is really close to SD, it may not even be worth it for me to fly there, then spend time driving or whatever up the coast and back. If I had a week or more, maybe, but I don't think there's any way it will be that long...

[Asylum Steve]

Loren lives right by me, not in the whine country.

...you guys are south of SF, right?

Well, I was close. See, to a NY'er living in FLA, anything in the Bay area is near the wine country.

Besides, if I know Loren, ANYWHERE he is is wine country!

[racingpinarello]

I'm willing to put you up for a couple of days, and I live close to Senior John's work.

To be exact, I live and work in Menlo Park so I'm central to where you would want to visit. I'm also not to far away from the SFO airport if you need a life. Also, I have a spare car if you want to tour the area.

Loren

http://home.pacbell.net/avergara/LCPhoto3/index2.html

[Asylum Steve]

Fantastic, Loren. I really appreciate it. I'll try very hard not to hold you to ALL of those offers, but we both know any money I save along the way can be used for "social" purposes... ;)

I was already starting to lean towards flying into SF, so I think you may have cemented the idea. We'll see...

BTW, I got your email about your trip this fall. I'm very excited for you (any Florida stopovers?). I was taking into account your return dates when I started to think about when I want to take my trip.

BTW2, LOLOL the typo about me needing a "life". Uh, it WAS a typo, right???

I'm also not to far away from the SFO airport if you need a life.

[Outdoorsman]

Well, Asylum Steve has made the decision to REALLY try to bring his Amazing Cosmic Technicolor Traveling Dreamshow and Bag of Carpets out to the left coast sometime this fall, perhaps in late September or early October.

BTW, Asylum Steve really likes it when he refers to himself in the third person...

Obviously, this is all very sketchy at the moment, but I don't think it's too early to start planning things. My cuz lives near San Diego, so that will likely be my "insertion" point. If I do decide to roam, I think it will most likely be up to the Bay area. But, who knows? I may not have time or money to travel much...

So, I guess my question is: where exactly are you guys?

I know PJ is near San Hosehead, er, I mean Jose, and Loren and Trevor are in the whine, uh wine region. Gene and Penny are LA Confidential and Peli lives in a tent with his boys in the desert (at least it seems that way, doesn't it? ).

If anyone else wants to place themselves on the map, it would go a long way towards helping me figure out how to budget my time and if I may want to do some driving.

Now, given my experience with these member "get-togethers", I am NOT going to attach the dreaded "G" word to this trip. I have no plans for any group activities or shoots, but rather would simply enjoy meeting and raising a glass with anyone willing to cross paths should I actually make it over there.

Let's have a show of hands!

If I had a shot of my hand, I would post it! I'm located way too far north I think. You would have to drive a good six or even eight hours from SF to get to where I live. I would like to cite the very town, but it doesn't really matter. I live in the seat of Del Norte county, which is in the farthest NW corner of the state. You take HWY 101 north from SF. This route will take you through all the breathtaking redwood forests that the North Coast is so famous for. I highly reccomend heading up this way, since it's very pretty this time of year and everything's happening. Come winter, the area shuts down and we hole up and ride out the 6-8 months of winter. It rains constantly in the winter, and the storms are very exciting for photogs. Everyone else says we're crazy for going out in 60 MPH winds with heavy rain and 40-foot seas smashing onto the rocks and weather service alerts. But right now it's pretty mellow. The weather will be ideal the time of year you show up.
The photographic opportunies on the coast are overwhelming, so you might want to pick out a few specific places to visit, otherwise you'll run out of memory/film before you even get to Fort Bragg. If you make it to Eureka, then you might as well go all the way to Del Norte- you'll pass through primeval redwood forests and huge elk herds and hundreds of RVs.
Hope this helps!

[mjm]

I can see Downtown San Diego and Tijuana Mexico from my living room

[Asylum Steve]

I can see Downtown San Diego and Tijuana Mexico from my living room

Hmmm, I forget that SD is right near the border. Hey, I have visions of Michael Douglas in "The Game".

Promise me if you guys drug me and leave me buried in a Mexican cemetery crypt, you'll at least leave me with my camera. Should be some good photo opps...

[Asylum Steve]

Wow, actually sounds like my kind of weather. I've always loved real blustery, rainy days, especially with a pounding ocean. Nature flexing her muscles is the best...

Of course, what you describe is that TIMES TEN. I don't know about photographing it, but I'm pretty sure I would really enjoy experiencing it...

[Outdoorsman]

Wow, actually sounds like my kind of weather. I've always loved real blustery, rainy days, especially with a pounding ocean. Nature flexing her muscles is the best...

Of course, what you describe is that TIMES TEN. I don't know about photographing it, but I'm pretty sure I would really enjoy experiencing it...

These two shots are just a couple of examples of what I'm talking about. The one in color is from last winter, on a 35-40-foot swell day. There was a break in the rain and clouds just long enough to burn a roll at this huge rock at Pebble Beach (not the famous golf course!). This rock, by estimates of the locals and myself, is about 80-90 feet tall. So you can imagine how incredible it was to watch the sets explode against it. I was zoomed to about 180mm; I was close enough to have to constantly clean the lens from the sea spray-close enough for me!
The b&w shot is at Point St. George, which is named for the St. George Reef that sits just offshore. The ship Brother Jonothan sank on the reef in the 1800s, and resulted in the construction of the St. George Reef Lighthouse that hangs on the horizon, a little tower in the distance that one time used to guide ships around the reef. You can still take helicopter rides to tour the old structure, which is in varying stages of restoration and decommissioning.
Anyway, the shot was taken a couple years ago, on a smaller swell day, I think it was about 20 or so feet. It came out very contrasty and very grainy, but I really like it.
This area is my playground- a year-round photographer's paradise!

[adina]

If what you say is true, then you didn't mind getting mud in your keyboard.

BTW, I spend half my garden time either pulling weeds or picking up twigs. If I only had a nickel...

I was getting ready to shut down so I could vaccum the desk.

I spend most of my time in the garden weeding, although I don't mind the weeds, as long as I can find what I actually did plant. Otherwise I am erecting fences to keep the bunnies out. Then they chew thru it and I have to put up a new one. Now I have a metal net kind of fence, like chicken wire, but not quite. Which I was trying to stay away from because it scratches very easily. But then we discovered it was either be extra careful around the fence, or feed the bunnies all summer. We went with a little extra caution.

adina

[Kokopeli]

From where my boys and I pup our tent. ;)

We live in Laguna Niguel which is about an hour north of San Diego and I'd be more than happy to drive down there to meet the infamous Asylum Steve!

Keep me (us) posted and we'll see what ends up coming together.
~Brian

PS. The boys will be happy to hear we've upgraded to a tent. Normally we just sleep under the stars.
~B

[Asylum Steve]

Ok, now I'm getting a pretty good picture. Everyone's freakin' spread out, which is what I should have expected...

I have some time to think about this, and as much as I'd hate to miss meeting anyone I've made friends with over there, I think it would be tough (if not impossible) to do a SD - LA -SF trip over the course of a long weekend.

Hey Brian, if you and your boys start walking now, do you think you can make it up to the Bay area by the end of September??? ;)

[Asylum Steve]

Thanks Penny. I'd be more than happy to give you guys a reason to get out of town. Guess I'll start planning this thing in earnest...

BTW, "adventures in Orlando" is an oxymoron...

[racingpinarello]

Fantastic, Loren. I really appreciate it. I'll try very hard not to hold you to ALL of those offers, but we both know any money I save along the way can be used for "social" purposes... ;)

I was already starting to lean towards flying into SF, so I think you may have cemented the idea. We'll see...

BTW, I got your email about your trip this fall. I'm very excited for you (any Florida stopovers?). I was taking into account your return dates when I started to think about when I want to take my trip.

BTW2, LOLOL the typo about me needing a "life". Uh, it WAS a typo, right???

I had to laugh at the typo. I cannot believe it!!. Anyhow...you are welcome to stay at my place. Hotels/Motels are quite pricy in these neck of the woods, and it would be better spent over pitchers of beer, than to sir Marriott.

Looking forward to when your plans are locked in.

Loren

[racingpinarello]

-- for our part, we'd love to drive up to Menlo Park or that area and have dinner with you, Loren, PJ, Trevor, Alan, and whoever else can make it.
Best to You,
Penny

Menlo Park is a great place to have dinner or we can meet in near by Palo Alto. If you make the drive up, you should stop by Keeble and Shuchat (the local pro camera shop).

Looking forward to having this pan out.

Loren