Today I drove over to Keuka Lake, another of the Finger Lakes. On the way I also met with Michael Johnson, the writer and publisher of a leading photography blog, The Online Photographer.
I spent a couple of hours with Mike and his dogs. We talked about a whole range of subjects, including photography, politics, blogging, house prices, F1 and Indy-car racing, and a whole load of other things. I gave Mike a copy of a photo book I’d bought – “On Home Ground”, the collection of Denis Thorpe’s pictures published some years ago the Lowry Gallery. (They still have some copies, btw, and at a reduced price.) Mike said that he had in fact heard of Denis Thorpe but then remembered that it was mainly thanks to British readers of TOP. I very much enjoyed meeting him and I hope he enjoys the book. He certainly lives in a stunning place – at least in summer. He did say that it was very lonely in winter.
Then I drove on to Hammondsport, at the foot of Keuka Lake. This was a very pretty little place. I stopped there for a while for some lunch and to take some pictures.
After that it was back into the car for the drive to my next hotel, and it was at the moment that I realised I’d forgotten where I was supposed to be staying! Nor did I have any documentation – thanks to a mixup in bookings I had to make this as an emergency booking while I was on the trip, but the only record I had was a confirmation number. So I started driving hoping that some place name would jog my memory. I had a feeling it was near Scranton PA but I hadn’t got as far as there when a place I zoomed past started to make me wonder if I was wrong. Of course, I was out in the country with limited cell phone reception and no way of getting the iPad up and running. In the end there was nothing for it but to ring Val – at 10:30pm, UK time – and ask her to contact Holiday Inn and find out which hotel that confirmation number was for! All of which she did, and I eventually arrived safely. Lessons: a) write things down! (which means simple things like ‘take a pen’); and b) have a support team. (Thank you, dear.)
Thanks Tom. It was nice meeting you too. I was impressed by how informed you are about so many things! You know far more about American politics than most Americans do. Glad to hear your support team landed you in the right place–New York is rather too large a place to be driving around aimlessly hoping you’ll stumble across your destination. 🙂
Perhaps one day I can return the visit, if I every make it to the UK again. All best, Mike