The Johnstown Concert Ballet Gallery
The Johnstown Concert Ballet
Artworks Johnstown
The Cambria City Ethnic Festival

Put on you dancin’ shoes and unpack your tu-tus. It was pure pleasure, and a nice change of pace, to watch the Johnstown Concert Ballet perform at Johnstown Artworks during a weekend of otherwise rocking out at the 2011 Cambria City Ethnic Festival. Grace and elegance marked the performance of Tchaikovsky’s Serenade, choreographed by Ballet Artistic Director Carla Prucnal. It’s been a long time sicne I was priveleged to photograph a dance company, and I can only hope the photos do justice to this classic performance.

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The Bandshell Bark Gallery
The Roxbury Bandshell
On a beautiful September morning a few weeks back, I packed up the gear as cool canines and their well-behaved pets from around the area descended on Johnstown’s Roxbury Park for the 6th annual Bandshell Bark in support of the Roxbury Bandshell Preservation Alliance. Organizer Eileen Graham knows how to throw a party. Wonderful people and four-legged handlers converged for a day of howls and barks and all-around fun. Many thanks to Eileen and Alliance president Mary Borkow for inviting me to particpate in the good time.

The Oakhurst 2008 Gallery

Got a note from Michael K. recently asking about photos of Oakhurst I had previously posted. There were problems a while back with a gallery plugin resulting in the loss of a number of galleries. I haven’t been able to rebuild them yet, but since Michael took the initiative to ask, here are the Oakhurst photos.

I’m not sure what possessed me at the time (I think I was looking for a route down to the Mainline tracks to get some Amtrak shots), but I ended up wandering Johnstown’s Oakhurst neighborhood on a snowy February day in 2008. Some of the results are here. Love the Johnstown winters.

TITV Peoples Gallery
The Official Thunder in the Valley Web Page

A final wrap-up from Johnstown’s Thunder in the Valley 2011. A few people pics to close things out till next year. There are still a half-dozen band galleries to post on the laurelight.com Facebook page, but they’ll show up as time permits. Meanwhile, this is a wrap, so on to the rest of Summer. There’s a lot of catching up to do.

or: Why it Took Thirteen Hours Over Three Weeks to Hike the First Seven Miles of the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail

Trail Gallery
Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail Official Page

Okay, a couple of fine points first:

• I’m not a backpacker. I bought a truck so I’d have room to carry all my stuff on a 3 day/2 night camping trip. I’m not about to carry my life on my back for weeks at a time. In the words of Brett Weston: “If it’s more than 20 yards from the car, it’s not a photograph.” So, when I plan to hike a long trail, it’s got to have accessable trailheads not too many miles apart. Whatever distance I hike in, I’ll have to hike out. The 70 mile Laurel Highlands Trail will eventually take me 140 miles to finish.
• The kids stopped hiking with me years ago, as I cannot resist the urge, at any given moment, to strike out directly across country. “What’s this? Looks like a shortcut…” Turn left at the rock that looks like a bear. Turn right at the bear that looks like a rock, and, three weeks later…
• I’m an old, fat, lazy smoker, and it takes me a long time to get up one of these hills.

So, back in 2008, I figure it’s time to tackle the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail. A nice thing about wandering around Johnstown and PA’s Southern Alleghenies is that, no matter how alone you think you are, no matter how far out in the wilds you may be; if you travel in a straight line, you’re never more than a thirty to sixty minute walk from a paved road. The plan is to hike the first 5 miles of trail, straight up the ridge, to the Decker Avenue fire tower. Next leg, I can drive up to the tower and continue south to PA Rt. 271. 10-12 miles today and maybe 16 or so miles next time.

Well, I get half-way up the ridge, huffing and puffing all the way, and I see this guy standing by a pile of boulders. “What’s up?” “Oh, the kids are down checking out the old iron furnace.” “Iron furnace?” I’d had no idea there were ruins on the steep slope. So, I left the trail and headed downhill (not thinking I’d have to go back up again) and checked out the old iron furnace too. By the time I was satisfied, it was close to Steeler game time, so, puffing and huffing, head for home and save the rest of the climb for another day.

Second Attempt- One week later and my kind of weather, seriously: bitter cold, high winds and snow squalls. I finally reach the top of the ridge, overlooking Morrellville and the Conemaugh Valley, biting wind huffing and puffing nearly as hard as I am, exhausted, iced to the bone, numb, like Lawrence’s frozen bird; and never having felt more alive in my life. Life is good. First leg is over and I’m well on my way to Ohiopyle. I’m looking forward to the next trip, which should get me half-way from the tower array to the Ligonier Pike.

Thanksgiving Sunday: snow on the ground, but clear skies and bright sun. I drive to the fire tower, spend a few minutes looking for the trail, and, finding it, head south. I get about three miles in, discovering and exploring the shelter area on the way. The time at the shelters cut into my hiking time and it’s warming up quite a bit. Reaching a power line leading from New Florence generating station, I see, down slope about a hundred yards, a quad track. “Oh. Looks like a shortcut…” Two hours later, before I realize what I’ve done, I’m back down at Big Spring Reservoir, the Peach Orchard, the Northern Terminus, the bottom of the Laurel Ridge, and I have to hike up that stinking mountain ONE MORE TIME to get back to my truck! And, huffing and puffing, I loved every minute of it.

Enjoy the pics while I research my next trip.

Gallery of Thunder Sights
The Official Thunder in the Valley Web Page

My favorite Thunder activity? Simply looking. No matter where you turn, there’s always something else worth seeing; and something new to see every minute of the day; and the sights are always entertaining. Sometimes I just can’t put the camera down, and sometimes I probably should. Not withstanding, here’s a collection of grab shots from Johnstown PA’s Thunder in the Valley 2011 Motorcycle Rally.

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The laurelight TITV Kids’ Corner Gallery
The VOMA Johnstown Facebook Page
The Official Thunder in the Valley Web Page

Emphasizing the family-friendly nature of Johnstown’s Thunder in the Valley motorcycle rally, organizers presented the Kids’ Corner. Hosted by the Venue of Merging Arts (V.O.M.A.), Kids’ Corner offered face painting, airbrushed tattoos, braiding, those cool inflatable jumping thingees, a big ol’ hi-slide, and all other sorts of fun and games for kids and their families. A good time was had by all, children and parents. Of course, the biggest kid there was probably the guy behind the camera. A great job by all involved, staff and volunteers alike, keeping the crowds engaged and entertained. Check out these photos while I get to work on the next post: Thunder Sights – bikes and bikers and all the whatnot.

Laurelight’s TITV People Gallery I
Official Thunder in the Valley Web Page

Initially planned to shoot mostly bands @ this year’s Thunder in the Valley, but then I met a nice lady @ the VOMA Kids’ Corner who asked where she could see my finished products. So, I gave her my card and expanded the scope to include faces, places, bikes (motorcycles) and bikers, and other Thunder sights. Band pics will be coming soon to the laurelight Facebook page, so be sure to click the FB icon on top of the column to your right and ‘like’ us on Facebook.

And now, (almost) live from Downtown Johnstown PA, the first of 4 galleries covering the faces and folk, bikes and likes, and places and spaces of Thunder in the Valley. I love people photography.

“The enjoyment of scenery employs the mind without fatigue and yet exercises it; tranquilizes it and yet enlivens it; and thus, through the influence of the mind over the body gives the effect of refreshing rest and reinvigoration to the whole system.” -Frederick Law Olmstead

Roxbury Bandshell and Park Gallery

The last time I posted a photo of the Roxbury Bandshell, it was, literally, moments away from destruction. But then, something wonderful happened. A group of local citizens was organized, and, for the first time in decades of landmark demolition and parking lot construction, declared, “Enough!” The Roxbury Bandshell Alliance, shovelling against a rising tide, and against all odds, managed to scratch up the necessary resources, and, with demolition equipment lurking in the parking lot, saved this historic structure from the wrecking ball.

The group continues working tirelessly to this day to preserve this bit of Johnstown, PA’s heritage, but, in this observer’s mind, they did more than secure this piece of local history. From the day the Bandsehll was saved, a recreational domino effect has rippled along the Stonycreek and Conemaugh Valleys and up over the surrounding Laurel and Allegheny ridges. Since this watershed moment, the region has seen:

• development of a whitewater mecca along the Stonycreek River
• a growing trail system, locally reaching from Riverside to Johnstown’s Sandyvale Cemetery, that will eventually stretch through Mineral Point and South Fork to Cresson, and downstream through the Conemaugh Gap, someday to join with the developing Pennsylvania Greenway;
• progress on river access and a recreation area along Johnstown’s Somerset Street
• development of a cultural and historic district in Cambria City

…and many more initiatives that, when all added together, mean a much improved quality of life for local residents.

Now, certainly, we’re finally seeing fruition of labors that were already in progress before the formation of the Bandshell Alliance, but, it seems that, since that remarkable day in the city’s life, the region has finally seen more things being built than are being torn down.

And so, I have added the following heroes to my personal pantheon. It’s also worth noting that many volunteers involving themselves in community efforts have no idea of the actual work and commitment that will eventually be required. In spite of that common under-estimation, the people below, and many others, have worked tirelessly to preserve and maintain the Roxbury Bandshell, and to provide the community with a continuing slate of first class family entertainment.

I am, and the community should be, humbled by, and proud of, this group’s achievements: Chris Verbano, Mary Borkow, Joe Balon, Joseph Guydo, Lester McDaniel, Luke Speicher, Helen Speicher, Debbie McDaniel, Matt Danchanko, Ron Heinlein and Tim Burns.

A couple of other names worth mentioning: I don’t shoot much at the Park. Bill Rogers (ishootmuscians.com) and Brian Krise (johnstowncafe.com) do outstanding jobs with event coverage. If you haven’t seen their work, check it out now.

Well, it turns out the family’s lived in Moxham for nigh on a hundred years now, and in this particular house for almost 80, so that should qualify the garden for a Johnstown story.

Grandma’s Rose: This is probaly older than I am. I’ve got a picture around here somwhere of Grandpa and me standing next to the bush close to 60 years back. And it’s still going strong.

Grandma’s Peonies: Mom tells me that Aunt Lucy brought these over the mountain when she and Uncle John and the kids were living in Blairsville. That would also date them to around 60 years or so.

Mom’s Staten Island Rose: If I heard Mom right, Aunt Kaddy brought this plant with her when she moved back from NYC in the 80′s, but I’ll have to confirm. She may have gifted the plant earlier than that.

The rose bush next to the garage, also as old as me, just started budding this week. Photos to come. We’ve still got a couple of Grandma’s daffodils sprouting each year. Those probably date all the way back to when she went to school with Ben Franklin. The lupins, also from over the mountain with Aunt Lucy, took a hit this year. They may yet bloom, but we’re confident they’ll make a full comeback next year. Grandma’s iris under the living room window looked beautiful this year, and there may be some daylillies to come in that bed. Mom cut back Grandma’s forsythia last fall, so we didn’t get blooms this year, but next year should be real good. You can’t hurt those things. Almost forgot, Grandma’s lilac tree up by the alley is still going strong.

Yes, sir, it’s been a banner year for Grandma’s garden.