The Laughing Dog

This is where I post my photography. For the last several years that has revolved around hiking the Appalachian Trail, and documenting the hiker culture. I intend to find a book in here somewhere... My Dad put a camera in my hands when I was a child. Had access to darkrooms in high school. Studied photography in a fine-arts curriculum in the 70s. Was a Navy combat photographer for many years, and am slowly dragging my knuckles into the digital age. Unless patently obvious, all photos I post were taken by me, and I retain all rights to them. I don't mind if you reblog them, just attribute them to me, and don't use them for any other purpose without asking first. Thanks. Ask me anything ...

[billyfatjohn]

Firesign Theater Martian Space Party

A key political convention in support of George Papoon's campaign to take the presidential seat. Some of the most crucial work of Firesign Theater

In this time of political uncertainty, is it time to embrace the National Surrealists Party, and their nominee George Pappoon?  He’s Not Insane!

[billyfatjohn]

The Great Allegheny Passage (Pt II) This last June, Rafe and I took off from Pittsburgh to ride the GAP. Torrential rains in the weeks leading up to our ride had taken out several bridges along the C&O Canal. It continued to rain as we rode east, and we got word that the campsites along the C&O were closed. So we decided to ride up to the Eastern Continental Divide and back to Pittsburgh.

[billyfatjohn]

The Great Allegheny Passage (Pt II) It rained every day but one during our trip, and we had to trudge thru two major mudslides on our return trip. 246 miles over six days. One 60 miler, and one just under 50. Camped 4 nights. Forged a freindship.

[billyfatjohn]

My new 2018 Salsa Vaya Apex. The one bike to rule them all ...

[billyfatjohn]

Images of my Childhood

I’m seeing stuff from some younger folk asking "Since when has Russia been our enemy?"  That came as shocking to someone who grew up during the “Cold War.” When America and Russia first developed nuclear weapons - and pointed them at each other.

These are the images of my childhood - Along with those of hunting salamanders in the Glen with my friends, were those of the devastation we wreaked on the people of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. And those on the nightly news of huge mushroom clouds rising above some distant atoll in the Pacific.

Images on TV of President Regan calling the Soviet Union "The Evil Empire. Of neighbors digging bomb shelters, and of Khrushchev telling us "We will bury you!"  

And those of monthly "Duck and Cover drills in school when we’d duck under our desks and cover our ears - We knew it was pointless. With Russian missiles pointing at our military bases and cities, we just knew we’d be vaporized in one horrific instant.

We watched as we played a nihilistic game of leapfrog with the Russians.  Spending our national treasures on building bigger, and ever more destructive stockpiles of nuclear weapons.  Submarines loaded with missiles assured a “second strike,” and brought a nervous peace - maintained thru “Mutual Assured Destruction.” My images of Russian missiles pointed at my home defined my childhood, and informed my adulthood. So please forgive me if I look incredulous when you wonder when the Russians became our enemies ...

[billyfatjohn]

“Wherefore is this creep different from all other creeps?”

[billyfatjohn]

Multi AT thru-hiker “Blue Jay” picked me up off the trail, and took me to the Blue Benn Diner in Bennington, VT

[billyfatjohn]

GI Joe, a Vermont Long Trail end-to-ender, playing her ukulele at Story Spring Shelter in Vermont.

[billyfatjohn]

Dinner time at Story Spring Shelter for a mix of northbound AT thru hikers, Long Trail end-to-enders, and a long-ass section-hiker or two ...

[billyfatjohn]

A stream on the trail to Stratton Mountain is swollen from rainstorms over the last few days.

[billyfatjohn]

Morning at Stratton Pond Shelter. One of the nicest shelters on the Appalachian, and Vermont Long Trails, with accommodations for 16 hikers.

[billyfatjohn]

Blue Toes, an Appalachian Trail north-bounder, crossing the road to Prospect Rock in Vermont

[billyfatjohn]

Crossed over into Massachusetts heading south.

[billyfatjohn]

For some of us it's the summer solstice, or father's day. For others it's nude hiking day!

[billyfatjohn]

Stratton Pond at the base of the mountain of the same name.

[billyfatjohn]

Summited Stratton Mountain on a rainy day. Here the Appalachian Trail was conceived.

[billyfatjohn]

Heading out on my southbound section hike on the AT from Manchester, VT.