I had a doctor’s appointment in Upton. It’s about 6 miles away and normally takes me 20 minutes to get there. I usually leave half an hour because it’s all local roads and it’s road repair season in New England.
But today, traffic was stopped. Like everyone’s tires had been super-glued to the road from Uxbridge all the way through Milford.
It turned out … they were having a car and motorcycle show in Mendon.
We are not renowned for entertainment in the Valley. Carnivals don’t come here any more, though they used to. Maybe the carnivals are gone and that’s why they don’t come. Or may it’s because the town sold the fair grounds to a private developer. That could be the answer. Thus a big car show — this was a large one by any standards — draws a huge crowd. And everyone has to get there via Route 16.
Which doesn’t mean that other people, like us, didn’t also need to use the road. Hah. Fat chance.
Route 16, which is the main route from one part of Blackstone Valley to anywhere else is two lanes. One in each direction. When it bogs down, it backs up for miles in both directions, which is exactly what it did. You can’t go around because we don’t have many roads. With so few roads, it’s hard to get lost in the Valley even if you have no sense of direction. The paucity of roads makes it hard to get lost, but close to impossible to find alternate routes from town to town. Essentially, there are none. You can make huge loops that take you miles out of your way, but it’s not really an alternate route … just a long circuitous detour.
So, while we were sitting in traffic, occasionally moving forward a few feet, I opened the window, stuck my head outside and took some pictures as we crawled past. All of these pictures were shot from a slowly moving car through the open window.
These are the ultimately serendipitous photographs. I was using a long telephoto lens, which accounts for the odd perspective. But interesting. Almost abstract.
I couldn’t get shots of most of the cars … too much stuff in the way, but I got some of the motorcycles and other attractions. It’s what to do when you’re stuck in traffic … and why I always carry a camera.
- Police to ensure safety at Mendon car show (milforddailynews.com)
- Serendipitous random post finder now available! (teepee12.com)
- Thousands motor to Mendon car show (milforddailynews.com)
- Collectors Gear Up for Car Show (wsaw.com)
- Thousands motor to Mendon car show (metrowestdailynews.com)
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Categories: Cars and Trucks, Entertainment, Events, Media, Personal, photo, Photography, Sports, Summer, Transportation
Great photos Marilyn, very crisp. I’ve like bikes, those look good and had my own for a few years.
The Concours d’Elegance is in town this week. I don’t have the vocabulary to explain how breathtaking these cars are. The cars that are driven into town not the show cars have me stopping and staring. Plus the cars are everywhere, everywhere. I can’t drive a mile and not see a $100,000 car. I do love most things with motors so maybe that explains my awe.
My dream would to be able to drive one of those fast cars for a day on a freeway with no speed limit with a great sound system. Awe …
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I love bikes. I can’t ride one anymore … back way too fragile. But I still love them. Maybe I’ll get a senior scooter and pretend.
On Sat, Aug 17, 2013 at 11:27 PM, SERENDIPITY
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Great shots especially considering your awkward angle. I should’ve enjoyed this event. But I was fuming from the traffic jam, the inaction of our men in blue and the lack of prior notice.
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Apparently it was in the Telegram Gazette. Which we don’t read.
On Sat, Aug 17, 2013 at 11:24 AM, SERENDIPITY
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awesome pictures:)
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Thanks. I was surprised they came out… considering I took them hanging out of a car window with traffic whizzing around me and all. Not everything came out but a lot more than I expected 🙂 Good way to spend a traffic jam !
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Nice crisp photos Marilyn. I did a fair amount of reading today and am well into your book. I will reserve full comment until I am finished but I am enjoying it quite a bit.
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Try not to be too disappointed. It’s not bad, but it needed … still needs … a proper editing, not just a proofing (but it needs that too). Life got in the way of further rewrites. I’m actually surprised at how well the photos came out. I’m beginning to really like that little Panasonic superzoom I got about a month ago. Even fully (or nearly fully) extended … well, I didn’t expect the results to be that sharp or the camera to be so fast. It’s much faster than the Canon Powershot cameras I’ve had before.
Thanks for reading the book. I’d give it a C+ or a B- … if I’d worked it over one more time, it would have gotten better.
On Sat, Aug 17, 2013 at 12:39 AM, SERENDIPITY
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There is nothing wrong with the writing, which is honest and compelling. Yes, it could have used one more edit, but I see that as a minor thing. I especially like how you weave together past and present in a seamless fashion.
Marilyn, I live in the same universe you do and had my own career come crashing down when I was 58. Just know that I have nothing but regard for you. As a teenager living in Valley Stream I used to travel into Manhattan and that involved a train, bus (to Jamaica, where you ignored me), and a subway the rest of the way. When I was 14 I went with Jackie Drucker and we saw ‘the stripper’, starring George C. Scott, who thank god was not the stripper. Jackie was memorable for reasons I will not tell you here. Anyhow, thanks for the chance to read something very real.
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And I love the concept of serendipity.
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