Photos

Kennedy Space Center

  • Saturn 5 Rocket Base

    The business end of a decomissioned Saturn 5. Walking the length of this rocket takes minutes! 20 tons of fuel per minute would flow through here.

  • Birds!

    That's the last of the space pictures, I took a few quick shots of birds outside my hotel a few days later on the same trip.

  • Seaside Bunker

    Looking out into the Atlantic, one of the main launch platforms would have been behind me. According to our guide this little bunker was used to house sensitive equipment for detecting electricity in the air, as lightning is a grave threat to launches.

  • Apollo Guidelines

    A list of mission status and abort codes from the Apollo era. View full size to read it.

  • Facility Panorama (Click the full-size image for a better view)

    A panorma with a view of several facilities. The location this was shot from was formerly a public viewing area for space launches, but has been deemed too dangerous since then.

Last November, I had the opportunity to visit the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, while visiting relatives living in the area.

Oktoberfest 2013

  • Traditional Accordion Player

    I really wish this photo came out better. Oh well!

  • Lake Placid

    Facing west, the view of Lake Placid from the mountain.

  • Olympic Bobsled Runs

    Another long distance shot at about 8 miles, the Olympic Bobsled run at Mt. Van Hoevenberg.

  • Alphorns

    The business end of some of these horns. Looking east.

  • Almost to the top!

    Nearly there! And an amazing view of the surrounding mountains.

Every October, the ski resort at Whiteface Mountain has a small Oktoberfest. Traditional German music, food, beer, and demonstrations are featured, and many local vendors come to show off their homemade crafts.

This is the first time I've gone in many years, and the first time I went being older than 21! It's a ton of fun and is definitely worth checking out if you're in the area during the skiing offseason.

Exploring Benson Mines

  • Outside

    The office/bathroom is inside this building, and the first building in the album is visible through the trees in the background.

  • No Entrance

    Back door to the machine shop.

  • Another office.

    Some sort of office area, completely rotted out.

  • Garage Door

    Outside view of another building showing the decay of the area.

  • Abandoned Excavator

    ...With no bucket. Likely a Massey Ferguson 450.

Benson Mines is a long-abandoned iron mine near Watertown, NY. The mine was shut down in 1978 and the buildings and have been completely abandoned ever since. Abandoned man-made structures are my favorite to take pictures of, so I couldn't resist exploring!