Re: [Leica] Vancouver LUG meeting

[Ted Grant <tedgrant@islandnet.com>]

Vancouver LUG/Leica meet! :):):)

Gotta tell you guys and gals these are becoming habit forming, one I can
handle nicely. So as they say, "COM'ON OVER, REST YER LEICA AND VISIT!"

We have good food and single malt! Wine women/men and song, yer on yer own!
:):)

Always nice to meet another LUG in real life instead of just a name on the
screen, puts a whole new meaning to communication. They really are nice
folks behind that screen when your one on one and a glass of the finest in
hand chatting things Leica & photography.

I was very honoured by Noel who searched and successfully found a used copy
of my cowboy book,"Men of the Saddle" bringing it to be signed. Indeed a
double  honour, as they are no longer in print and hard to find.

The book was a true work of the heart, city born guy playing
cowboy-photgrapher real time on cattle round-ups, bunk houses and
incredible food. Great fun and wild horse riding. It wasn't as easy as John
Wayne made it look in the movies.:):):) And the Leicas kept flying all over
the place, but I did learn how to ride one handed and hold the cameras to
my body to keep them from flinging all over. Now if the damn horse would
have stopped when I said "whoa!":)

Tom Abrahamsson and his very charming wife Tuulikki hosted the meet and
greet once again, as it makes it a piece of cake after a SAKI and sushi
dinner to struggle up the stairs to their home and rest abit.

Always an adventure and good fun to put a face to a name on the screen and
each time to find the name to be just as one imagines from their postings.
..... fine folks you're glad to have finally shaken their hand.

So come on over the mountains, up the coast or across the seas, we're here
and love to see you. Please be prepared to donate one small Leica item to
the donation box at the door. ;) Preferred items? ...any old aspherical
lens you might have! kidding guys, kidding! :):)  however......:)

And Noel spilling the "purple underwear cleaning cloth"?  Sorry it can only
be told at a meet and greet.;)

ted


>Thursday night I finally had an opportunity to meet Tom Abrahamsson, and
>his lovely wife Tuulikki face to face. Ted Grant travelled over from
>Victoria to be there as well. Another non Lug Leica fan, Gary
>Blakeley, joined in on the festivities.
>Conversations centered around Leicas and the LUG. of course. An excellent
>start to the meet was Ted's Lagulivin single malt, just enough to loosen
>the tongues :) Tom has a sushi restaurant in his building, where an
>excellent meal and more tales were shared.
>I had a copy of a book Ted did back in 1971, "Men of the Saddle" a study
>of working cowboys, mostly shot very close to where I live. Ted shared
>many tales about the photographs and his experiences while shooting them,
>that make the book priceless to me now.
>One tale that I will leave Ted to expound upon, is whether his choice of
>lens cleaning material began before or after his underwear was died purple
>:)
>It was such a pleasure to look over some of Tom's Rapidwinders, and see
>them used by someone that knows how to use them. Tom also had the range of
>Voigtlander/Cosina thread mount lenses to check out. Very well made, they
>reminded me of the Pentax Takumar screw mount lenses construction, but
>somewhat lighter. I suspect there will be a good market of these in a few
>years when the electronics of the Voigtlander cameras give up the ghost,
>and then we will see even more of a resurgence of LTM body prices.
>
>It was great to finally meet face to face, and talk to people you already
>know so much about from the LUG.
>
>Should any of you plan to travel to British Columbia, I recommend you try
>get together. Any one going through Calgary to visit Banff and Lake
>Louise, please contact me, as I would love to meet you, and do a bit of
>guiding, if my schedule permits. If I can't take you there, I have a bit
>of a guide package I can give you, so you can find the photographic
>opportunities you are looking for.
>
>Regards
>Noel Charchuk
>Calgary
>
>http://telusplanet.net/public/nhcharch


Ted Grant
This is Our Work. The Legacy of Sir William Osler.
http://www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant