In an effort to get fit, I've started to take morning bike
rides leaving from my back door. I make my way up to
Roosevelt Blvd. (US Rt. 1) where it crosses Tacony Creek
(where Indians once camped -- see
www.quondam.com/03/0280.htm ) and then head east towards the
site of the world's largest building implosion (excepting
the WTC), quondam site of Sears and Roebuck Northeast
Distribution Center (where the parents of Ron Evitts first
met) and now home to HOME DEPOT, WAL-MART, STAPLES, PEP
BOYS, MATTRESS GIANT, OLD NAVY, etc., etc. I circle this
complex once completely, and then head north a bit to circle
the NAVAL INVENTORY CONTROL POINT (a big .US place). On
Robbins Avenue, on the lawn in front of the naval depot's
main office building, are three vintage fighter planes. I
had forgotten these planes were there, but now I recall
being always excited to see them as a young child. As I pass
the main entrance gate to the depot, I think to stop and ask
one of the guards if one is allowed to take pictures of the
planes from outside the fence. The guard (in a very friendly
manner) answered, "No, you're not allowed. If you are seen
doing so by one of the security patrols your film will be
confiscated." I then asked if this policy was put in place
after 9-11, to which the guard replied, "No. I know the
Russians have 1000s of pictures of them, but you're still
not allowed to take pictures. It has always been a security
breech." I then told him "I'm glad I asked" and rode off. I
now head south towards the Roosevelt Blvd. again, just a
block east of the implosion site. I again circle the
shopping center and then head home.
[elapsed time: 45 minutes]
Much of this loop comprises long straight stretches, and the
terrain is consistently very close to flat. Today, I was
mostly thinking about Baroness Franziska von Ow. Earlier
this year, my mother told me that, although the Baroness had
her own car and, before the war, her own chauffeur, in 1943
the Baroness's car was in the garage, albeit without
tires--the Baron's car was confiscated outright so he took
the trolley to work as Dean of the agricultural machinery
department of Munich's technical university. On most days,
the Baroness left the villa on her bike and apparently rode
into town, or, as my mother says, "Who knows where she
went."
--
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rides leaving from my back door. I make my way up to
Roosevelt Blvd. (US Rt. 1) where it crosses Tacony Creek
(where Indians once camped -- see
www.quondam.com/03/0280.htm ) and then head east towards the
site of the world's largest building implosion (excepting
the WTC), quondam site of Sears and Roebuck Northeast
Distribution Center (where the parents of Ron Evitts first
met) and now home to HOME DEPOT, WAL-MART, STAPLES, PEP
BOYS, MATTRESS GIANT, OLD NAVY, etc., etc. I circle this
complex once completely, and then head north a bit to circle
the NAVAL INVENTORY CONTROL POINT (a big .US place). On
Robbins Avenue, on the lawn in front of the naval depot's
main office building, are three vintage fighter planes. I
had forgotten these planes were there, but now I recall
being always excited to see them as a young child. As I pass
the main entrance gate to the depot, I think to stop and ask
one of the guards if one is allowed to take pictures of the
planes from outside the fence. The guard (in a very friendly
manner) answered, "No, you're not allowed. If you are seen
doing so by one of the security patrols your film will be
confiscated." I then asked if this policy was put in place
after 9-11, to which the guard replied, "No. I know the
Russians have 1000s of pictures of them, but you're still
not allowed to take pictures. It has always been a security
breech." I then told him "I'm glad I asked" and rode off. I
now head south towards the Roosevelt Blvd. again, just a
block east of the implosion site. I again circle the
shopping center and then head home.
[elapsed time: 45 minutes]
Much of this loop comprises long straight stretches, and the
terrain is consistently very close to flat. Today, I was
mostly thinking about Baroness Franziska von Ow. Earlier
this year, my mother told me that, although the Baroness had
her own car and, before the war, her own chauffeur, in 1943
the Baroness's car was in the garage, albeit without
tires--the Baron's car was confiscated outright so he took
the trolley to work as Dean of the agricultural machinery
department of Munich's technical university. On most days,
the Baroness left the villa on her bike and apparently rode
into town, or, as my mother says, "Who knows where she
went."
--
The Design-L list for art and architecture, since 1992...
To subscribe, send mailto:design-l-subscribe-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.
To signoff, send mailto:design-l-unsubscribe-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.
Visit archives: http://lists.psu.edu/archives/design-l.html