I left Vermont knowing that it was a place that spoke to my heart and that I would return soon and in the more distant future. I have no connection to the sea as others do but the mountains and the forests draw me to them and nourish my spirit. I had planned a bike ride but I'm glad I skipped it as the rain started to lightly fall soon after I started driving and was the kind of rain that is fine if you are in a car but just annoying on a bike. I took the back roads which are mostly gravel in Vermont. Along the way I came across this bridge that had been damaged b flood waters. I could have crossed it but the road beyond appeared to be washed out as well and for all that the Prius is, a 4x4 it is not.
I kept my eye out for bear and moose but they remain elusive.
I arrived in Albany and had to take a few shots of this sweet Ford truck.
On Monday and Tuesday I stayed with my friend Gerhard. He owns Case Window and Door in Green Island. Case makes the best windows and doors that I have ever seen. These are furniture for the openings in your home. I have used them on several projects and am continually impressed by their knowledge, craft and integrity. When the project is delivered, Gerhard flies down to work with the installers. I always have him stay with me, so we have gotten to know each other well over the last 15 years. Seeing his factory just added to the high regard in which I hold him and his partner Russ.
They have built their plant at the confluence of the Hudson river and the Erie canal. The history in this area is rich. This area was the ground zero of the industrial revolution. Fords early plants were around this area and goods and materials floated right past this spot on their way to factories and markets.
The shop floor is kept immaculate and everywhere I saw efficiency at it's finest. I'll only post a few of the pictures here as I suspect I may be more interested in the details of this than most normal people. I will post a few of these for Bill Johnson though. Dream big Bill.
This is a CNC machine with 5 axis heads, 3 axis heads and boring and milling capabilities that are amazing. There are two milling areas so that one can be loaded while another is being cut to enable continuous operation. Full dust collection of all the work zones keeps the environment safe and clean and the dust is used to make fuel pellets that are later sold.
I wasn't aware of how much of the business had shifted to steel windows, nor am I surprised that when Case got into steel they did it right from the start. Gerhard is highly educated, intelligent and passionate about his craft and it shows in his window design. full and effective thermal breaks give his windows thermal performance that approaches that of wood windows. I can't just keep on about them but suffice to say that I am not easily impressed by building products and I was floored once again by what Gerhard and his company have accomplished.
Gerhard took me to lunch in Troy and gave me a quick tour of the area which is rich in history of the dawn of the industrial revolution. Many of the big names started in this area and most are gone now, leaving a wake of wealth and poverty.
I stayed with Gerhard for a few days and the racing Porsche in his garage is quite the change from my last stay where there was no hot water and where the weasel came in to eat every night. I love an adventure.
Amazing! What an adventure ;)
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