Don’t let our Wild Political Turkeys get you down. Enjoy the good things about our Schenectady Downtown and Season of Good Will.
Posted by: David Giacalone | December 8, 2019
some Downtown holiday hues
Posted in Downtown Schenectady, Uncategorized | Tags: Schenectady Holidays
Posted by: David Giacalone | November 22, 2019
2020 Calendars celebrating the Stockade
As we’ve done the past few years, “Suns Along the Mohawk” has again created printable, one-page calendars to celebrate the Stockade neighborhood, thank our visitors, and wish you all a festive Holiday Season and Historic New Year. [For prior versions, see our Calendar Category.] All photographs were taken in the Stockade during 2019.
- Each calendar is formatted for printing at 8″ by 10″. Click on the calendar image to go to a full jpg. file that you may download (at no charge, of course) for personal or noncommercial use. If you use one at a website, please attribute it to “Suns along the Mohawk.”
- Share this post with this short URL: https://tinyurl.com/StockadeCalendars
- Update: Also see “Celebrate Downtown Schenectady with a 2020 Calendar” (Dec. 14, 2019)
STOCKADE-ATHON CALENDARS
Below is our 2020 Calendar celebrating the Stockade-athon, in a variety of color themes.
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. . OUTDOOR ART SHOW CALENDARS
ALONG the MOHAWK NEAR FLOOD STAGE
. . WISHING a JOYOUS and BLISSFUL HOLIDAY SEASON, and HISTORIC NEW YEAR, to ALL OUR STOCKADE and WEBSITE NEIGHBORS and VISITORS. .
- Many thanks to www.Printable2020Calendars.com, at http://www.FreePrintable.net, for providing an array of free, printable calendar templates.
Posted in Printable Calendars, Stockade Views
Posted by: David Giacalone | November 10, 2019
a Stockade view of Stockade-athon 2019
. . Above: the leading men approaching Front Street: BIB 4 is Daniel Lennon, who finished 3rd. BIB 9 is Sean O’Connor, who came in 1st. BIB 5 is Jacob Andrews, who placed 4th. BIB 1401 is Ryan Udvadia, who placed 5th.
. . Below: the leading women on Washington Avenue approaching Front Street:
. . above: Karen Hughes (BIB 3), finished 3rd; Daniele Winslow (BIB 2, finished 5th; 2nd last year); Christine Myers (BIB 6, finished 2nd); Cara Sherman (in blue, Bib 1272) finished first. . . below: leading women seen in sketch mode.
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This post has about 150 photos from the Stockade leg of the 2019 Stockade-athon, shot in the ten minutes it took for the entire roster of 1400+ runners to race past me and my camera. For more on the Race and its Stockade segment, see our Stockade-athon preview, with links to prior coverage of this venerable road race here at suns along the Mohawk. And, see Mike MacAdams pre-race report at the Sunday Gazette.
- Post-Race Press. Read Mike McAdams’ take on the race with quotes from the winners at the Gazette; and Kassie Parisi’s “Stockade-athon draws quite a crowd” (Nov. 11, 2019). And, Sean Martin’s Times Union article, “Sherman runs in family tradition” (Nov. 11), 2019), also here. Plus, a Times Union Seen Photo Gallery.
. . share this post with this short URL: https://tinyurl.com/Stockade-athon2019
RESULTS: From HMRRC and Are Event Productions
. NOTE: The Results are searchable by name and BIB number, and more.
MEN’s DIVISION
Sean O’Connor [BIB 9, age 22] 1st place (46:01)
John Busque [BIB 7, age 27] 2nd place (46:11)
Daniel Lennon [BIB 4, age 25] 3rd place (46:39]
4th place Jacob Andrews BIB 5
5th place, Ryan Udvadia BIB 1401
WOMEN’s DIVISION
Cara Sherman [BIB 1272, age 22] 1st place (54:24)
Christine Myers [BIB 6, age 21] 2nd place (55:50)
Karen Hughes [BIB 3, age 35] 3rd place ( 56:01)
4th place Dana Bush BIB 1547, age 41
5th place Danielle Winslow BIB 2
10:30 AM teaser: I will be adding many more photographs, along with identifications, when feasible. SLIDESHOW 1: This first Slideshow depicts the Road Race as it begins the Stockade portion of the course. It shows the lead runners in both the Male and Female categories passing the County Historical Society and Campbell Row, then approaching and entering Front Street from Washington Avenue.
- For a larger version of a Slideshow image, pause on the image, Right-Click and choose Open Image In New Tab. Or, scroll to the bottom of this posting to find a Thumbnail Grid with each picture.
- See the Stockade-athon Facebook Page
- As usual, co-sponsor Hudson-Mohawk Road Runners Club has plenty of information about the Stockade-athon. And, go here after the race for “Streaming Results”.
- USE of PHOTOS: Runners and sponsors may use any photo from our Stockade-athon postings for any purpose without further permission. Others may use the photos for any non-commercial purpose, with attribution to David Giacalone at “suns along the Mohawk.”
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. . . . Sorry for the delay, but the Photographer has to meet a Runner (and old college friend) for lunch. There will be many more photos by the end of the evening.
SQUARE TILE MOSAIC – 4 PM offering — click on any of the 27 square tiles for a full version.
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SLIDESHOW TWO – 7 PM upload
This Slideshow has about 80 photos from the “middle” of the racing cohort, racing for the run not the glory, and savoring the accomplishment and camaraderie.
- For a larger version of a Slideshow image, pause on the image, Right-Click and choose Open Image In New Tab. OR, scroll to the bottom of this posting to find a Thumbnail Grid with each picture.
==
8 PM – Finale: Last But Not Least
At the corner of Governor’s Lane and Front Street, I had the pleasure of meeting Little Liv and watching the venerable Anny Stockman [BIB 1341] run past. Anny came in 1st in her Division, Female 80-99.
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And, SLIDESHOW THREE
This Slideshow celebrates the perseverance and pluck of the last runners passing by me on Front Street in the Stockade, heading for Lawrence Circle, and eventually the triumphant of will and stamina to finish the Road Race.
- As said above, for a larger version of a Slideshow image, pause on the image, Right-Click and choose Open Image In New Tab. Or, scroll to the bottom of this posting to find a Thumbnail Grid with each picture.
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. . 6:30 AM, sunrise over the Stockade . .
- Need More Stockade Stockade-athon? Find a decade of links by checking out our Stockade-athon Category.
finally, a shy smile from Liv
Below are Thumbnail Image grids with photos from all three of the Slideshows.
Posted in Stockade Views, Stockade-athon | Tags: Stockade-athon
Posted by: David Giacalone | November 9, 2019
2019 Stockade-athon Stockade preview
. . don’t miss our Race Coverage: “A Stockade View of Stockade-athon 2019“, with 150 photos
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Just past 8:30 A.M. today, twenty-four hours before the 2019 Stockade-athon will rush through the Stockade District, I took my camera out to see the conditions along the route (sun, cold, tripping problems in the roadway, etc.). My fingers definitely needed thin gloves to operate the camera. The lead escort car should turn onto Washington Avenue from State Street at about 8:32 AM, heading north on Washington Avenue and, after two blocks, turning right onto Front Street, with runners heading east past Lawrence Circle and continuing all the way to the rotary at Erie Boulevard and up Nott Street. (Scroll down for a map of the Stockade leg of the Race)
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. . above & below: Washington Ave. segment of the race. .
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.. below: Front Street segment . .
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. . asterisk in the photo immediately above marks a hazard at the turn onto Front street . . shown in the photo to the right, 2 holes stretching 18 inches. The red-circled hole just below is in front of 28 Front Street, just a couple doors before crossing Lawrence Circle:
With the race cohort bunched up early in the Race, and unable to see the pavement at their feet, I wish temporary patches were used on the hazards. But, if cones are placed to mark them, the cone could be tipped over to cause and even bigger hazard.
Road work in the Stockade has been going on for a long time, and is not quite completed on Front Street, which needs another layer of asphalt. Runners need to be vigilant for raised manhole covers and grates, as well as the holes shown above. [Click on a square tile below for a full image.]
raised manhole, mid-street just before the Circle
raised manhole cover near entry to Front St.
trestle at start of “east” Front St. neighborhood
near 33 Front St.
. . Front St. at N. Church Street. .
. . east of N. Church St. . 
. . above: looking west from Lawrence Circle
. .
. . above: east of Lawrence on Front Street . .
. .Stockade portion of Stockade-athon
The MVP Health Care 2919 Stockade-athon 15k road race takes place, tomorrow, Sunday November 10. For a decade, this website, “suns along the Mohawk”, has presented scores of photos of the race taken along the streets of the Stockade neighborhood. [to see prior coverage, click for the 2018 Stockade-athon posting, and for links in our Stockade-athon Category]
- See the Stockade-athon Facebook Page
- As usual, co-sponsor Hudson-Mohawk Road Runners Club has plenty of information about the Stockade-athon. And, go here after the reace for “Streaming Results”
- share this preview with the short URL: https://tinyurl.com/StockadeLeg
Is Mark Mindel Running? Unfortunately, it looks like an impressive record will be ending with this year’s Race. [image on left from HMRRC] As Mike MacAdam wrote Friday night at the Gazette, “Lennon looking for a fast time at Stockade-athon” (Nov. 8, 2019):
Mark Mindel, the only person who has run in every Stockade-athon since the first one in 1976, said in an email that he might not be able to run on Sunday because of plantar fasciitis.
A 2009 Gazette article by MacAdams told of Mark running his 34th consecutive Stockade-athon that year, and being joined by his son Scott Mindel, a former Shenendahowa star. As Gazette reporter MacAdam wrote in 2009:
Mark Mindel is a three-time Stockade-athon champion, tying with Scott Ferguson in the inaugural year, 1976, tying Jay Smith in 1977 and winning outright in 1979 with a time of 47:29, which will take Scott some doing to equal someday.
Scott Mindel [in Bib 5] placed 4th in 2017 and fifth last year. If Mark does run, I will let you know. Follow-up (Nov. 11, 2019): “The streak is over: Mindel bikes Stockade-athon instead of running” (Mike MacAdams, Daily Gazette.)
How Daniel Lennon do after telling Mike MacAdams he hoped to break the 46-minute mark? He came in with a very respectable 3rd place finish, with a 46:39 time. You can read his commentary on the race here in the Gazette. For instance Lennon told MacAdams, “Around 4 to 6, I was thinking, ‘OK, now I’m starting to realize how not fit I am.'”
Tomorrow, I will be posting this year’s crop of Stockade-athon pictures in the Stockade again, here at suns along the Mohawk. Go here.
- Runners and sponsors may use any photo from our Stockade-athon postings for any purpose without further permission. Others may use the photos for any non-commercial purpose, with attribution to David Giacalone at “suns along the Mohawk.”
Here are a few teasers from the 2018 Stockade-athon:
. .
Posted in Stockade Views, Stockade-athon
Posted by: David Giacalone | November 4, 2019
late but lovely autumn foliage
We didn’t get the robust array of autumn foliage colors here at Cucumber Alley and Washington Avenue that we’ve enjoyed in past years. But, subtle colors and thinning leaves nonetheless offered lovely scenes, as you can see below. (Click on a tile in the mosaic for a larger version.) The pictures were taken on October 30, 2019.
rear of 1 Cucumber Alley
view south on Washington Ave.
view north on Wash. Ave. from the Alley
Western Gateway Bridge
view toward Scotia from 16 Washington Ave.
Isle of the Cayugas seen from 16 Wash. Ave.
zooming in on Scotia riverbank
ditto
. . the view south from Cucumber Alley has lost some of its glory due the removal of several trees that glowed in autumn just a few years ago:
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A few days later, we had some minor flooding at the end of Cucumber Alley. The Mohawk River rose very quickly on November 1, with water filling the rear yards at the end of the Alley and reaching the top of its bank along Riverside Park. On November 2nd, the lower yards of both 1 Cucumber Alley and 4 Cucumber Alley were still under water, as you can see in this collage.
Posted in flooding/ice floes-jams, river seasons, Riverside Park, Stockade Views | Tags: all in Schenectady, autumn foliage, Cucumber Alley
Posted by: David Giacalone | October 14, 2019
digging North Ferry Street
If, like myself, you’ve been wondering what the Big Dig/Disruption looks like at the river-end of North Ferry Street, this posting is for you. On October 10 and 11, I got some shots while construction workers were on site and sidewalks closed on North Ferry Street; and on Saturday, October 12, I came back when sidewalk access had been restored. As usual, a sunny day and big yellow machines made the trip worthwhile photographically.
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Click on a tile below to see a full, larger version of the image.
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As always, and especially with no youngsters around to explain the equipment for me, you will have to look elsewhere for explanations or details about the individual machines, the nature of the excavations, or the construction-disruption schedule. Thanks for your understanding.
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Posted in Riverside Park, Stockade Views | Tags: North Ferry Street, Old Pump House, Stockade forcemain project
Posted by: David Giacalone | October 12, 2019
an Upper Union celebration of autumn
above: display by Sophia Sabella Photography
. . colorful autumn photo-ops, with unscary scarecrows. .
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. . above: Scarecrows by [L to R] Dunkin’ Donuts. DiCocco Accountants and Union St. Vet. Hospital . .
. . tasty food opportunities, too, including [L to R below]: Alaturco Mediterranean Kitchen, Tesoros Cafe, and Needi Snacks:
A bank of gray clouds failed to dim the colors, muffle diverse and enjoyable music, or totally banish the blue skies and puffy white clouds at the Upper Union Street 2019 Harvest Fest. I enjoyed by photo-stroll and chatting with friendly strangers.
This slideshow has a couple dozen photos. For a larger version of an image, pause on it, Right Click, and choose Show Image in New Tab. I hope you’ll enjoy the event as much as I did.
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. . share this post with this short URL: https://tinyurl.com/UpperFest . .
p.s. A Sour Note: It was disheartening to see that, ten weeks after Northeastern Fine Jewelry was informed by the Schenectady Planning Department that the program on its large, bright, close-to-the-street digital screen was not in compliance with the City Code and its special use permit, the sign is still not in compliance. It is still changing more often than allowed by the Zoning Code and its Permit [no more than every 8 seconds], and using movement and gimmicks that make the sign even more distracting along your busy, mixed-use streetscape. Click here for a 44-second video clip that contains at least 10 changes. For more on this story, see the posting “Is anyone enforcing our digital sign rules?“. [The image above shows the former, tasteful and effective sign and the current digital sign.]
Posted in visits elsewhere | Tags: Autumn Festivals, Schenectady Neighborhoods, Upper Union Street
Posted by: David Giacalone | September 22, 2019
don’t miss the 2019 Stockade Walkabout
The 57th Stockade Walkabout is coming soon: Saturday, September 28th. It is a chance to see inside a wide variety of Stockade homes, institutions and other properties. Read about it and see photos of properties that will be open here.
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- Click here for Ticket Information for this Stockade Association fundraiser.
This tiled mosaic has photos from our prior coverage of the Stockade Walkabout (e.g., 2015 Walkabout, and 2014 Walkabout). Click on an image for a larger version.
volunteer check-in
Schenectady County Historical Society
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Posted in Downtown Schenectady, Stockade Views | Tags: Stockade Walkabout, Walkabout
Categories
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