[Leica] San Pedro Meet with LALUG

[Ron & Bee Lian Miller <rkmiller001@earthlink.net>]

Hi folks,

!!!Fellow LALUGs: if i'm missing something out of this day trip , please
feel free to jump in and fill in the details.!!!

I'm pleased to report that our second LALUG meet in San Pedro,
California this past Saturday was a success in terms of that we got off
our butts and worked our assortments of R & M's (LTMs, M3 screwmount,
classic/TTL Ms, R4) along with various lenses plus quite a few non-Leica
equipment and a Holga. Meeting at 7am by the Sacred Grounds Coffee
House, there were four LALUG attendees, and three other participants who
were friends eager to join in the fun. As it was a first time meet for
some of us, the early arrivals sported fashionable photo vests,
including a rock-bottom China-made deal.  We were in that order,
Slobodan Dimitrov (our host), Doug Landrum, Stasys Petravicius (the
organizer for this meet), Bee Lian Tan, Alex Hapke, Linda Shamest and
Delre Todd. Gloom June seemed to be early but it was still a nice
morning, with a few deckswabbers.  Not much dock activity as all the
fishing action happens late at night when the boats return.  But that
meant we made up for it in conversation and by finishing up with a
whopping fantastic breakfast/lunch by the Harbor -  I forget the
spelling on this...Utrusco's?.

We did the usual snapping shots of each other (including a dead seagull,
the brooding harbour waters, a huge freighter with its companion
tugboat, and a few oddities or reminders of times gone by), learned
about each others interest and origins, exchanged pearls of wisdom on
film type, paper and developer usage ...you know the usual LUG topics
and OTs like diesel fueled Mercedes, social trends and city council's
local efforts,
AND of course,
fondled each other's the equipment. Undoubtedly kindled the fires for
acquiring more Leica equipment among the non-LUGgers present.

During the breakfast Slobodan was brave enough to show us one of his
"worker" prints...brave enough to risk the slings of hash browns or hot
cocoa.  The mastery of such printmaking incited a round of questions and
inspired the rest of us.  Highlight of the day was when we descended
upon a feisty trio of bench-warmers, who were claiming to be
Harbormasters that day. Good sports they were as we whipped out all the
photographic gear we could muster for this photo shoot of environmental
portraits.... In their prime of being 60+ years, they were thrilled to
share the salty air with a bunch of hooligans like us.

The next meet should be in a month...so if you are interested, please
contact me or anyone else on LALUG with your suggestions.

cheers,
bee lian