Ben's Photo Gallery

Jenny and I were going to head down to South Florida to attend my family's Passover dinner and we decided to combine that with a camping trip. Being spring break, most of the popular state parks were jammed, but we found a nice spot in a sparsely populated campground in the isolated Everglades National Park at the southern tip of the Florida peninsula. We also made a brief stop en route from the Everglades to Ft. Lauderdale at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park on Key Largo, which turned out to be a zoo, as expected.

60 files, last one added on Apr 11, 2009
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It was my bright idea to hike in both Wekiwa Springs State Park and Rock Springs Run State Reserve. Only thing is, they're separated by a river. Nevertheless, troupers that they are, Jenny, RD, and Cosmo agreed to my plan. On the coldest day of the year, we did an approximately 8.5 mile hike, including fording the intervening stream.

27 files, last one added on Jan 22, 2009
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Our hiking group did not have enough of Longleaf, so we went back. This time, we did the 11-mile linear trail from the east trailhead to the west. Of course, those who did not read my preview were not aware that there would be a half-mile of slogging through standing water. Nevertheless, everybody made it.

43 files, last one added on Jan 15, 2009
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It was a glorious day for a hike -- spring weather in Central Florida. Jenny, RD, and I did a nice six mile hike in one of Volusia County's newest public areas.

23 files, last one added on Jan 09, 2009
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"This is not mid-December weather!" Well, it was 80 degrees and the sun was shining. One couldn't have asked for a better day for a short hike around Hontoon Island, visiting the shell mound and just generally having a nice stroll in the park. Hontoon Island has no fees, and there is free shuttle service across the St. Johns River.

31 files, last one added on Dec 18, 2008
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Because my hiking buddies all had something better to do, I took a solo hike through Seminole State Forest on this mild, sunny fall day, combining Geocache maintenance with a nature walk. I did about 10 miles through lots of different types of ecosystems.

22 files, last one added on Nov 01, 2008
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Summer is heat stroke time in Central Florida. Thus, Jenny and I decided to escape the heat for a few days in the mountains of North Carolina, hiking and enjoying the scenery in the Linville Gorge and the Black Mountains.

70 files, last one added on Jul 25, 2008
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I took a two-week vacation in June, traveling to the old homeland of Pennsylvania, where I had grown up. Thanks to the generous offer of his sister's camp by RD, I stayed in northwestern PA for several days in the heart of the Allegheny National Forest, then traveled east to the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, and finally, mooched a week's lodging off old friends Joe and Judy in the Pottsville area in northeastern PA. I did a lot of hiking, seeing a lot of waterfalls and mountain laurel. Here are the pictures!

75 files, last one added on Jun 30, 2008
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So listen up. Jenny and I had a camping weekend planned in the Everglades, but that blew up in our faces because of some ranger machinations, so we chose the DuPuis Wildlife Management Area near Lake Okeechobee, where we frolicked instead.

43 files, last one added on Mar 13, 2008
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Jenny and I were going to camp at Torreya State Park for a few nights, but bitter cold, windy weather moved in just as we were arriving there in the Florida Panhandle, west of Tallahassee. So, we lodged in comfort and did our hiking in the daytime, for the most part. (Updated with Jenny's pictures on January 13, 2008.)

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While the original plan was to spend all our time at Torreya, we decided to split our time between Torreya and St. George Island State Park. It was too damn cold for primitive camping at Torreya, but by the time we got to St. George, the weather was terrific. Thus, we spent two nights doing primitive camping there, at St. George Island, a barrier island in Apalachicola Bay, the Gulf of Mexico. It was a nice change of scenery and circumstances. (Updated with Jenny's photos on January 13, 2008.)

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On a cool morning in December, the group went forth to Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge to see the birds. Only thing was that the group consisted of Jenny and me because everybody else bailed out! This is the last hike before Christmas, so Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

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Jenny borrowed a camera to provide her unique, photojournalistic perspective of our hike at Lake Woodruff NWR. These are her pictures and comments.

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Choose 'em, comment on 'em, and let me know when done!

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After all these hurricanes and stuff, I was happy to get an invitation from friends David and Catherine to come up to the D.C. area to visit with them and catch the Steelers-Ravens game. Although the game was a semi-disaster for my beloved Steelers--for which I took my share of crap from Ravens fans--it was nevertheless a fun visit. I got to meet little Isaac for the first time. At the risk of making this gallery look like the David and Catherine's web site, which has 12,375.7356 pictures of Isaac, I took a bunch of pictures of him when he wasn't screaming his head off. Oh, and there are Hooters pictures here, too.

12 files, last one added on Sep 20, 2004
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Still hurricane weary, I needed another quick getaway. I called my cousin in New York, who agreed to put up with me for a weekend. In this album, we have New York flora, fauna, sights, and, of course, waitress and bartender pictures. (Sorry, no Hooters pictures--I didn't make it to the Hooters on 57th Street.)

47 files, last one added on Oct 19, 2004
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I headed north for a week or so to take the edge off the Florida summer heat, renting a cabin at Prince Gallitzin State Park in Central Pennsylvania. I enjoyed my week there and spent some time in Altoona (city of my birth), State College (where I attended Penn State University), and Pittsburgh (where I lived until age 14), as well.

59 files, last one added on Aug 27, 2006
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As an annual tradition, my football pilgrimmage to the Washington, DC area has several important features: 1) I get to see friends David and Catherine and Baby Isaac, 2) I get to see the Steelers lose in Baltimore every damn time I've seen them play there, and 3) I get to make the all-important post-game beer stop at Hooters at Baltimore's Inner Harbor. (Yes, Hooters photo fans, this time I've photographed Miss Ami.) All in all it makes for a nice one-day getaway and I can breathe a little cooler air for a change (except in Hooters). These are pictures from this year's edition--also featuring the Baltimore Ravens cheerleaders.

50 files, last one added on Nov 22, 2005
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Ahhh, the annual trip to Baltimore to watch the Steelers lose. You heard that correctly, folks. Every time I go to this game in Baltimore, the Ravens soundly defeat the Steelers. Even two years ago, when the Steelers went 15-1, this was the one game they lost. I was there. Last year, they went to the Super Bowl. They lost this game. I was there. This year, they have been off to a rotten start but thing had been looking up with two straight wins. They lost this game 27-0. I was there. Perhaps the Steelers will pay me to stay home next year!

70 files, last one added on Nov 27, 2006
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The sport of geocaching involves using a handheld GPS device to locate hidden caches at locations determined by reading information at the Geocaching web site. Friend R.D. and I like to combine the task of finding caches with getting some fresh air and putting some mileage on our hiking boots. Frequently, supergeodog Cosmo comes along to harass whatever domestic and wild animals we meet along the way. So far, he hasn't been eaten by an alligator.

20 files, last one added on Aug 07, 2004
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On May 7, 2004, Mike Geldner, Finley "Dick" Taylor, and I hiked from the south end of the Seminole State Forest to the north end, using the Florida National Scenic Trail. These are the pictures.

18 files, last one added on Aug 06, 2004
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About four miles from my house is a wonderful Florida state park called Wekiwa Springs. It has something for everyone: a constant temperature spring for swimming, 13 miles of hiking trails, an eight mile equestrian trail, and some of the prettiest canoeing in Florida on Rock Springs Run and the Wekiva River. Join me for a look at the park and its denizens.

79 files, last one added on Jul 29, 2004
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On New Year's Eve 2003, the skies opened up around Orlando. Four inches of rain were recorded in the drier spots. It followed, then, that the hiking trails would be a bit wet two days later, but we didn't anticipate the true extent of the wetness until we got there. The water was waist deep in a lot of places and over our heads in others. These are photos from what has been the Famous Water Hike, among others.

16 files, last one added on Aug 02, 2004
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In the 1830s it was a thriving sugar plantation. However, it was sacked by the Seminoles in the Second Seminole War. The ruins of the sugar mill, which was built of sturdy coquina stone, are all that remain today. The main plantation house was wooden, and it did not survive the fire. In the woods surrounding the plantation site, the Florida Trail Association has created a scenic trail through hardwood hammocks and pine woods. Please take a look at my photos of the ruins and of the trail.

32 files, last one added on Jul 13, 2004
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I'm doing a lot of walking in the woods these days. Not far from my house is the Little/Big Econ State Forest. From the trail head near Barr Street off State Road 426 in Oviedo, Florida, you can pick up a segment of the Florida National Scenic Trail. The Econolockhatchee River, its tannin stained shores, and its undeveloped environment are the attractions here. Who needs theme parks? Take a look at this nice stretch of wilderness.

37 files, last one added on Jul 13, 2004
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The sun was shining, the morning was cool and bug-free, and the geocacher named moochie (Deb) set out with me to find a bunch of caches that were on her list. I was appointed as overrover's surrogate for the day. We wound up spending the day hiking to one cache on a day that would include the Splendor in the Grass Bushwhack and The Great Canaveral Cattle Stampede. This area is so remote that not long after we did our hike, another hiker had to be rescued via helicopter. (Actually, it is not that remote, but getting a helicopter in there is a helluva lot easier than hacking through all that tall grass.)

19 files, last one added on Jun 12, 2005
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I grabbed my camera and took a hike in the Disney Wilderness Preserve. Owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy, the Disney Wilderness Preserve is a 12,000-acre area managed to allow natural processes to occur at their own pace--a "hands-off" approach. Take a look at some of the "stuff" I found there.

14 files, last one added on Jul 13, 2004
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Pressed into service as an emergency surrogate for the legendary hiddenrock (for geocaching only), I joined the equally legendary overrover for a hike on the Ocala National Forest in the interest of a little Saturday afternoon geocaching diversion. A bit of research showed that there was a cache up in the Juniper Springs Recreation Area that had been sitting there unfound for a couple of weeks. Our mission was to bag First to Find honors for that cache. An eight mile hike with some dead ends and detours yielded paydirt. We got there first and had a fun afternoon in the forest, besides.

19 files, last one added on Feb 06, 2005
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Everyone who visits the San Francisco Bay Area should take a peaceful walk in this wonderful redwood forest. You might even encounter the famous Dick Tree. Back, by popular demand! See A Walk in Muir Woods!

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Friend RD, his dog, Cosmo, and I wanted to do some primitive camping, doing the whole backpacking number, etc. With Wekiwa Springs Park being close by, it was a natural. Only thing was, a couple of monkey wrenches got thrown into the works. First, the primitive campsite wasn't available when we wanted it; then, they told us that dogs weren't allowed in primitive camps in Florida state parks. They offered us a family campsite instead. Dogs are allowed there. Not exactly a primitive experience, but at least it afforded us the opportunity to get out on the hiking trails early in the morning.

30 files, last one added on Dec 02, 2004
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It was a beautiful winter Sunday in January 2005 as the geocachers known as moochie, bob, zbeard, and me, CondoMax, along with Cosmo the GeoMutt, set out for a geocaching hike in the Little Big Econ State Forest, which is one of my favorite Central Florida scenic areas. On weekdays, the forest is relatively quiet, but on weekends, the gators and wild hogs run for cover as great hordes of hikers, bikers, and equestrians come out to play.

24 files, last one added on Feb 01, 2005
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The 2006 Thanksgiving feast was hosted by Marc & Jen, their first foray into the family Thanksgiving hosting morass. Aside from the Great Chopped Liver Fiasco of 2006, which was beyond their control, they fared very well. These are pictures of the participants, ranging in age from 2 to 86.

51 files, last one added on Nov 27, 2006
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BMW North America provides a new car delivery option that is a refreshing change from dealer delivery. Customers who choose Performance Center Delivery are given driving instruction on the test track at the Greer, SC (Greenville-Spartanburg area) facility followed by a tour of the assembly plant where X5s and Z4s are built. During the course of the day, the customer's car is delivered. These photos depict my experience with BMW Performance Center Delivery on July 29, 2005, when I got my new M3.

25 files, last one added on Aug 06, 2005
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Bird pictures taken at the Tosohatchee State Reserve, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, and Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge (Sanibel Island).

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Another collection of bird photos taken in Central and South Florida.

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Yes, the 2004 edition of Birds of Florida is here for your viewing pleasure. Not only do we have birds, but also we have crabs, people, and crabby people. Oh, and there a partially submerged alligator in there, too. Take a look at photos of the fauna of Florida taken on a hot, lazy August afternoon.

30 files, last one added on Aug 29, 2004
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Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge is about a 45 minute drive from my house. It is a great place to observe wildlife, particularly birds. Although this particular late November day was windy with fewer birds presenting themselves than the norm, I came back with a few good pictures. Included is the feeding dance of the reddish egret, which I find entertaining.

21 files, last one added on Nov 27, 2004
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I was torn between watching the fourth and deciding game of the World Series and watching the lunar eclipse. It turned out that I could do both at the same time. The next lunar eclipse will be in 2007, so I thought I better capture this one. All photos were shot with a Nikon D100 with 300mm f/4 AF-Nikkor.

6 files, last one added on Oct 28, 2004
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After a long, hot summer, which had negatively impacted my time in the woods, I waited for the first sign of fall to take a long walk in the Wekiwa Springs State Park, which is about four miles from my house. I knew that the fall wildflowers would be in bloom.

15 files, last one added on Oct 16, 2005
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I was advised by bromeliad people in the know that I am very lucky to have an Alcantarea Imperialis (formerly known as Vriesea Imperialis) that was blooming. This plant requires 15-20 years to mature to the blooming stage. When it blooms, it is spectacular! The inflorescence is now over seven feet high. This might be a common site in Brazilian rain forests, but not in my entry courtyard! Before it bloomed, I coursed the Web for good photos of Alcantarea Imperialis in bloom and found the pickings to be very slim. Thus, I'm happy to share my photos with all of you. (I've gratuitously included pictures of some of my other plants at the end, just because.)

25 files, last one added on Jun 07, 2005
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These 40 year-old Penn State pictures are probably of interest only to those pictured. That year, we all lived in East Hall E, third floor, which was known as Crawford House. (Floors in the dorms were named after Pennsylvania's counties.) Having languished in a shoe box for all those years, I was quite surprised to find that the 35mm transparencies were in great shape. Well, as great as they could possibly be, in view of the recollection that the photographer was frequently inebriated while pursuing his photographic subjects.

35 files, last one added on Apr 15, 2004
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Just in case anybody really thinks it is cute to see baby pictures of an old fart like me, here they are! I dug up some old pictures of me from the period 1946 to 1954. Who wants to see them? If you think the 1964 picture of me in my "who am I" page is old, wait until you see these! (And for those of you who come here and bitch to my guest book about all the pictures of me, caught ya looking!)

23 files, last one added on Feb 11, 2007
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Some of these actually date back to my UCF days. I left there in May 1996, and pictures of my going away party are included here. Having recently found these old pictures, which were buried under layers of dust, I thought it was time to reprise them. I would say that the period involved was 1983 - 1997. Enjoy!

15 files, last one added on Sep 08, 2004
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The seminal work: my first photo album, the one that started it all! It consisted of a few pieces of paper torn out of a spiral bound notebook with pictures pasted to them and bound together with string. I was about eight years old at that point--I remember getting my first camera for my eighth birthday. (I've sure as hell taken a lot of pictures in the 50 years since then.) All photos in this album were taken with my $20 Ansco camera.

7 files, last one added on Sep 08, 2004
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From November 1972 to April 1976, I worked for Loew's Hotels first as Assistant Controller, then as Controller of Loew's Paradise Island Hotel & Villas. Here are some pictures of me and my friends and associates in Nassau during that period.

29 files, last one added on Feb 11, 2007
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In response to a request from a possible relative (we're not sure), I'm posting some pictures of my grandfather, Harry L. Cohn of Altoona, Pennsylvania, who is not the Harry Cohn of movie mogul fame. Harry was the second son of Benjamin Cohn, a descendent of the Kavarsky lineage in Russia. Benjamin Cohn founded Independent Oil Company in Pennsylvania, which was eventually sold to what is now Exxon-Mobil. Harry Cohn, born October 19, 1892 married Emma Lydia Marx of Braddock, Pennsylvania in 1918 or 1919. Harry died on December 7, 1961 at the age of 69.

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Some of the people I met during my consulting project for Fluor Corporation in Aliso Viejo, California, in 1998-1999.

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Pictures taken during construction and equipment installations at the Fluor Corporation headquarters in Aliso Viejo, California, in 1998-99.

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Take a virtual tour through my house. These are obsolete. Look at the updated ones instead!

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Finally! The living room and dining room are substantially complete, so I have updated their pictures. I have also updated the master bedroom and bar pictures. Take a virtual tour through my house.

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