Friday, June 29, 2007

Ugly, But Functional

A nice day in June. I remained somewhat knackered and since my biking goal for the month has been attained (no bad falls), I took a rest day to water the crunchy lawn, wash my dirty laundry, and indulge in some photo scanning. I made a trip to the Friday Farmer's Market at St. Luke's and bought locally grown, aggresively priced veggies - tomatoes, cukes, and broccoli from farmers of a variety of ethnicities. There will be tennis tomorrow in the morning with the gang of geezers.

This is another ugly building that I'm entering in my own contest. It's ugly but functional. It's the route from Pierce Butler Road over the railroad tracks to St. Paul's Energy Park. One can ride across the bridge and take the back and forth switch-back to get down to ground level and continue on to Como Park. It fits the stereotype for structures near the railroad - rundown and rusty. I've used this route many times in the last few years. One's speed on the structure is severely limited by the sudden and extreme turns, but it keeps one off Lexington Parkway.


I scanned this old photo from 1961, partly as a gift to MM who commented on the Tousan's blog (and who is in the photo), and partly to try to figure out who was in it and where it was taken. I think I know almost everyone, and I'm pretty sure where it was shot. Suggestions of identities and location -> comment box.


Wimby update. Milagros Sequers is eliminated by Queen Serena 6-1, 6-0. Serena has too much power for the youngster from Venezuela. Matina Hingis also was eliminated today. Roger Federer took down Marat Safin in three sets. See ESPN for scores.

KG is still a T'Wolf.

5 comments:

Santini said...

Well, I'm wearing a green plaid skirt, for what it is worth. You and Gino look hunky, and Kenny is surprisingly short. I think the boy sitting in front of Bill gives away the location. Is that Judy? And who is the baby? I can guess, but am not sure.

Nice photo -- I have found no photos from that period of our lives in my stack of old stuff. I think I only have one or maybe two pictures of Mark and Andy as kids. Odd how this stuff got distributed. I'll snatch this one off your blog and save it. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

I took a 16.7 mile ride to the Mississippi River in 80ish degree temperatures one muggy Tuesday morning on the Bianchi Eros and went through that structure. It is functional, if not attractive. (Good memory? Or bike log?) SS

Anonymous said...

Sorry to be a pest, but I'd like to enter my power plant photo from earlier this week in the 'ugly but functional' category of your contest. SS

Anonymous said...

Who is the boy sitting in front of Bill? I think SS is right about Judy, although it hadn't crossed my mind. Maybe Tommy can tell us. The baby is probably Diann. Who took this photo?

Is it taken at the McCune place in Grantsburg?

All photos of ugly structures are welcome in my unofficial and open ended contest. There are lots of ugly puglies out there. TT

Anonymous said...

The boy in front of Bill is the McCune's foster child. I do not remember his name. I don't remember seeing him anywhere other than at the McCunes, so that's my guess for location. Who took it? Aunt Dorothy, I'd guess. SS