[Leica] CCLUGPD

[Jim Brick <jimbrick@photoaccess.com>]

I would like to thank all of the attendees of the first California Coast
LUG Photo Day (CCLUGPD for short), for participating and making it a great
day. The weather cooperated only 50% but the comradery made up for the
other 50%. Attendees were:

Jim Brick and wife
Jillian Brick and friend
Tom Brichta of Leica
Jeff Halford of KSP
Bob Adler
Doug Herr and family
Godfrey DiGiorgi with M and m
Bill Caldwell (from Falls Church VA just for this event)
George Hartzell
Ken Iisaka and family
Ken Gerlach and wife
Steve Caspersen
Tom Schofield

Tom Brichta brought a ton of Leica equipment for folks to borrow and use.
Nearly everything got used. Doug Herr and an R8... WOW! We spent the day at
Point Lobos, mostly on Weston Beach. Weston Beach is a very special place.
Not exactly a beach per-say. It has very unique rock formations and surf
patterns that are very photogenic. Edward Weston spent a great deal of time
here. Interestingly, it is just two miles from Ansel Adams house and
darkroom. John Sexton lives and works only a few miles away as well.

The weather was very nice for the first half of the day, but then turned
dreary so at 4PM we packed up and went to the Pebble Beach Lodge. We sat in
front of a large fireplace getting warm, sipping whatever, talking, and the
PB Lodge head chef (Todd Fisher) brought out several platters of goodies to
munch on while waiting for dinner. The tables were ready at 6PM. We sat,
talked, ordered, talked, drank, talked, ate, talked, ate desert, talked,
and talked, and, talked.

What a great time we had. The overall comradery, sincerity, give and take,
was marvelous. This is the true spirit of Leica Users.

A few of us were staying overnight and got together for breakfast in Carmel
on Sunday morning. We then wandered around Carmel, looking in the
photographic galleries, photographing stuff, and talking and talking and
talking. Ken, Katy, Ansel,  and George... many thanks.

It was really a great weekend. I hope everybody had as much fun as I did.

And special thanks to Bill Caldwell for traveling 3000 miles just to "break
bread" with us west coast Leica nuts. Bill, you made the day.

Next year we will do something similar, but perhaps north of San Francisco
at Point Reyes National Seashore, Bodega Bay, Mendecino... ???

We now have to plan an evening get together so that we can see slides and
prints from the weekend. I'm open to suggestions as to when. We can gather
where I work, which is in Mt. View, right on hiway 101. Very easy access.
It is actually pretty central to everyone. Let me know what you want to do...

Jim