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where the sun shines

1963 cadillac

we did leave chino just as it started to sprinkle. weather app said whittier rain wasn't expected for another couple of hours, so we decided we'd circle back over to legg lake, and see if anything showed up for that rain or shine picnic.

los boulevardos cruises usually bring in a lot of cars we love to shoot. after paying the six dollar entry fee, we hoped to find a few cars before the rain came back. our lenses aren't waterproof, and more than a light sprinkle ends our fun. 

drove in the opposite entrance from the one we usually take, and could not see the parking lot that the cars usually park at from there. driving around the curve, my better half spied at least a few, so yay.

only a couple of short rows of cars, but enough to make the stop worth it.

almost as soon as we got out of the car, and started pulling gear from the bags, it started to sprinkle. everything back in the bags. we were standing under a tree, so we decided to wait a few minutes to see if would stop or get worse.

car owners went to the tents or to their cars for umbrellas. none drove away, for just this light rain. used my phone to shoot a couple of cars that drove in while we waited.

fortunately, it stopped, so we got moving again. sky was still pretty gray, so while my better half started at the closest cars, i headed to the other end, to work my way back. figured i could dash into the bathroom facilities to pack it up, if the rain started again.

i got a few shots i really like before it really did start raining harder. i got most of the cars i wanted to shoot, except for one black truck, that a group of guys just wouldn't move their butts from in front of the better side to shoot it from. so, skipped it. just a shiny truck anyway. just liked the reflections in the paint.

this is one of the cars we watched driving in from under the tree. managed to take it with the big camera before the rain made us leave. i liked the pinstriping on the trunk.

the bright, yet dull yellow lit up the overcast day, with just enough pop to stand out.

big one

1954 cadillac

been away from my blog for a while. just needed a break, recharge from my daily grind. should probably think about scheduling a vacation, and do it, instead of just saying i need to schedule a vacation.

i've mostly just been happy enough to see old cars drive by here and there, sometimes through the window, or while i'm walking uptown; other times, driving down the freeway. mini car shows. just for me.

the week has already started stupid, so i expect it will continue through friday. and so it goes...

saw this cadillac at pomona last month. haven't decided yet if i'll go in march. i know my better half wants to go. just been difficult to wake up early sometimes; i haven't been sleeping well lately. working so hard, can't slow my mind down at the end of the day. and don't recommend something to mellow me out...i don't smoke. there are other ways.

fellas

been a busy weekend and have't had much time to even turn my ipad on. solo road trip up the coast and back with my son's wedding in the middle.

i have a beautiful new daughter-in-law, and a wonderful family--her parents, sisters and brother--can't get better than that. to make it perfect, my daughter and her boyfriend were able to be there...a rare treat to have both of my kids in the same place.

also lucked out and had perfect weather, between storms.

also, a long story short, i did not take any of my own pics of the wedding. last minute rushing around plus teetering on high high heels after marching to hell and back the day before, made me a bit wobbly, and i decided to be safe and leave the gear in the room. there was a photographer and videographer there anyway.

and when i tried to take a shot with my phone, it seized up and died on me. i guess i was meant to just enjoy the day.

san luis obispo for a night, then a few in san fran. currently in monterey, then on the road again tomorrow. i'll be home wednesday, i think. missing my better half. at least work is keeping him busy with a crap ton of overtime.

saw these guys' cars before out in riverside, and here, again, at huffarama. actually spoke with one of the guys from fellas car club...can't remember just now if he owned that purple truck, or another that i've shot from a previous show.

he was quite nice, and i think, really, the only person that did say anything to me at that show. i was probably wearing a scary face as usual. sorry...

a negative times a negative is a positive

so i didn't get back to my post yesterday...got busy...(mind in the gutter)...working on a few more pictures before bed.

negative: neither of us slept well the night before huffarama, so when the alarm went off at four a.m., my better half decided he was too tired to go. also, he had started taking his camera equipment apart late in the evening, so he could experiment with his setup; it got too late, and just left everything spread out all over his desk.

since he wasn't going, i was going to sleep in, and go later. of course, i couldn't get back to sleep, so around five, i was up, and by five-thirty, on the road. ontario is out in east jesus nowhere, right next door to fontucky. just kidding. i like roadtrips, especially when there's no traffic.

we had originally planned to stay out in a hotel near the mall, and make a weekend of it. better half's sister didn't come down for the holiday weekend, so we didn't want to leave his mom alone for a couple of days either.

negative: was shooting away at the show, zipping from car to car, was just about done, focusing on a mercury, when the camera made a weird noise and gave the dreaded "camera error." fuck. did a few things to it, off, on. off. on. fiddle with settings. switch out the lens. nope, it was giving me the finger, wouldn't focus, and just saying, in other words, "bite me."

had to find a curb to do a bit of camera surgery, to change it out with the spare. the spare has a big vertcal grip attachment, that is too heavy and unnecessay for the tripod. to remove it also required detaching the camera strap, which is a bitch, as it's meant to stay on there.

would have just used the newer, smaller, better camera, but i couldn't find the cable release in my bag, and it was probably sitting at home in a drawer.

not too surprised, as it has been acting up the last few times out. better half says i've probably maxed out shutter activations. all i know, is that when i got home, several hours later, the body of the camera was hot to the touch, in spite of being in the trunk, in a camera bag, then sitting in the house for a bit.

nuff blather...

positive:

-- i got there early, in spite of leaving later than originally planned.

-- the guys let me in the gate, so i was able to get a lot of shots while the sun was still rising and there weren't too many people in the way.

-- i had expected more hot rods and mercs to go with the rockabilly theme, but was pleasantly surprised with the variety of cars and clubs, that showed up to show their support

-- took a quick tour of the vendors, and food booths, but didn't see anything i just had to have, but stuff was there, especially if anyone was looking for xmas gifts

overall, it was a good show. the music was good. i left by eleven, but i assume the live band was good too. i'd go again.

i grabbed lunch, before heading home. i was toast by the time i got there, and was finally able to catch up on the sleep that eluded me the night before.

the end.

upside down

saw this cadillac out at the moon eyes open house. seems to be a work in progress, and i'm not quite sure where its going. bits and pieces sliced and spliced, and chopped.

someone said that back bumper is just a cadillac bumper flipped upside down and stuck on there. it is quite different, but can only hope they have some good air bags to keep them from dragging the ground going up a driveway.

i don't like coffee

can't stand the smell of it, so can only imagine the sludgy flavor of it as it burns down to one's gullet. but i think i can relate to the caffiene addiction, only i like mine with ice with that classic logo on the can or bottle. 

so if it were me, i'd kick that cup of joe to the curb, but i figured someone might still be interested in, so i left it where it sat. awesome.

got an email from the owner, who was jealous of his buddy getting his cadillac posted, i guess. just kidding. he wanted to see if i got a decent picture of his car.

early in the morning, so it's kinda dark, but i really liked the back end here.

baby blue

got an owner interested in seeing a picture of his car. i only shot a couple pictures of it. people got in the way here, in the staging area. 

later in the day, i passed it a couple of times, but the trunk always seemed to be up, and people were around it, so i didn't shoot it again. maybe some other time, some other place. 

it's not a bad shot, but i think it could have been better.

check another promised car off the list...

baggage

i've been busy all day. walked uptown for an hour or so at lunch...shopping for a graduation gift. really difficult when you don't know what someone likes or needs, or what is appropriate for the occasion. me, i like toys—monsters, aliens, weird stuff. don't think that would work for this girl.

still need to pack my bag for the trip. haven't decided when to leave. so i've been sitting here playing with my pictures. was trying to find a specific car, a black bel air. looked through the last few years of pictures. i think i have it, but no doubt i've labeled it wrong. probably on a hard drive i don't have here, a backup drive at a different location. oh well. this merc will have to do.

chopped and differently stylized flames than i usually see on cars. it was sitting at the edge of the park, stopping traffic. even got a crazy guy from a passing bus to get out before his real stop, to come over and make loud exclamations. i think the general thinking was that he might have been on something, but maybe he's just overly enthusiastic.

kudos to the pinstriper/airbrusher. somebody named vandemon, at least that's how they signed the back end.

and check out al the louvres. that looks difficult to do, without effing it up. also had hubcaps with cadillac emblems on it, and a desoto grille. guy sitting next to it, who seemed to know the owner, said just because they were cool.

classy

went over to central park yesterday. founder's day celebration in whittier—history, local kid dance classes doing their thing, booths featuring local clubs and museums. and a half street of old cars, mainly the model t club, and a few odds and ends.

most the same cars every year. but it was overcast, and as always, i shoot the same cars again; different spot, different light, different picture. never know when you'll get it right. and then think next time, will "the one."

even ran into one of my flickr followers. always nice when that happens. i suppose it's the tripod that gives me away. i'm waiting to see his pictures.

he was letting his son shoot with his camera a bit...that's why i passed by and asked him if he was getting any good shots. then to hear him quietly say, "kathy?" after i had walked past. then introduced himself. so hi there.

i took a break early to go get some breakfast, but saw this cadillac drive by as i was packed up and walking away. came back around afterwards, just to get a shot of it. by this time, a lot of the people had already checked out the cars, and were more toward the booths and watching the performers. yay, not so many people to get in the shot.

i liked this one, with an old house behind it, that somehow looks good with this car.

i think i might be catching a cold. you know when you don't quite feel right? scratchy throat, overheating? but i did get some pictures selected and entered for the oc fair. now it's just wait and see time.

©2024 kathy gonzalez