P52 Week 40: Doing Guy Stuff

I was all by my lonesome last week. Sue went to Michigan to visit her sister Terry ( my #1 fan?), and had the courage to leave me up to my own mischief.  And while I did miss her badly, it gave me the opportunity to do things that a guy wouldn’t normally do with his wife around… J No, I’m not talking about the cleaning and vacuuming and ironing…(I did do that, but it’s not what I’m getting at)…And no, I’m not talking about sitting, drinking beer and watching TV.. (I didn’t do that….I can do that during the week if I need to)…I’m talking about sitting outside for hours, exploring, getting dirty, and waiting for the perfect light…Yup, taking pictures. While Sue is a good sport and accompanies me to a lot of my photo shooting events where we can see new things together, or patiently waits while I hop out of a car to get a picture of a broken down barn, there are just some things that I wouldn't subject her too.  I mean, if she begged me, I’d take her along to sit in the middle of some ruins in the woods, but sometimes, I guy just needs to experience the fun all to himself.

Case in point…Last Friday, it was a perfect night. And I was up on a parking garage roof in uptown Charlotte, waiting for the sun to go down…Just walking back and forth, looking for something interesting and taking shots. Fearful that I’d be mistakenly identified as a rooftop sniper. OK,  I must admit, that was kind of boring, but there were other idiots like myself up there doing their own thing, so I had others to talk to and compare notes with. And with patience, I was able to get what I was after:

Uptown Charlotte

Saturday was a fun-filled adventure…I took part in the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photowalk.  Our group walked in Uptown Charlotte, and according to Map My walk, it was about 4 miles of back and forth and up and down the streets. That was a great time and I met some neat people. I hadn't really walked around the city yet, so it was a good opportunity to do some reconnaissance and scope out some new Houses of Beer…It was kind of difficult to come up with a great picture while you are walking around, and while the sun is at full bore, but I was able to stop long enough to get this:

Beer is my Friend

Whoops, wrong picture…that was taken this weekend after going back and trying out aforementioned House of Beer…

This is the one I took, and submitted to the Photowalk contest. Not great, but what the heck…

Uptown Charlotte, from the Bottom-Up
Corner of E Trade and S. Tryon St

A couple of others:

210 N. Church St.

Corner of Tryon and Trade

Settlers Place

After the photowalk, I drove an hour and ½ away to a place that I discovered online by accident… No, not a tattoo parlor or strip club, but an old mill in ruins… That was a cream of the crop for my weekend. I discovered this place in Rockingham, NC. It was an old dilapidated, brick Mill building that burned down many years ago, and just sits un-bothered at the side of the road. Old Brick? Ruins? Dilapidated  Where do I sign up??? I was excited when I got to the place, but it wasn't as overgrown as I’d seen it online, so I was a teensy bit disappointed, but was still happy just the same. I was like a kid in a playground climbing over and under and through things to get the shots I wanted. Sitting in the brush and dirt, and getting stung by bees,  just waiting for the light to be right…Utopia!

Rockingham, Mill

Some things, you just need to experience by yourself.

Mill Windows

While exploring, I heard a rush of water through the woods and made my way thru dense vegetation and thorns …I was scratched and bleeding, but smiling from ear to ear, when I saw this waterfall flowing out of an old mill building.

Hidden Gem

I sat there awhile just watching and listening to the roar of the water. Very mesmerizing.  After awhile, I moved to get a different angle. I walked along the rocks, and out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of the mill through the trees, stopped abruptly, and took a shot:

Mill in the Woods

Then I turned to continue on my way. As I was about to step down, I saw a huge snake. He saw me, uncoiled, and darted into the water before I stepped on him. I now realize, that when confronted by fear, I do not scream like a little girl as people have heard I do when a tub of mice falls on me (A story that I think I've mentioned in an old blog post)…Instead I issue a very manly statement: “AHHHHH SHI*! Whoa that was close!” This thing was monstrous! Well, about 3 feet long. I've previously reported that I thought it was a Copperhead, but after looking at snakes online, I think it was a RedBelly water snake which is not poisonous… Whatever it was, it should not be stepped on. Anyway, this is also something that should be experienced alone…Not with your wife. I know she appreciates my thoughtfulness.

After that episode, I went back to the mill. And while I did sit back down on the ground, I was somewhat paranoid about what was slithering under things…

View from the Ground

It was a great weekend, but I am glad my better half is home…Missed you, honey!

Need a Medic

And now that I've found a group on Facebook that likes the same sort of things that I do (Abandoned, Old, and Interesting Places-North Carolina)…I've got a whole lotta old places to get to…Buckle up honey, we’re going for a ride…. J

Mill Tunnel