Old Friends

One of the best parts of our road trip is the gathering of old friends. While in Rochester, we were able to renew old friendships with Steve, Dean, Russ, Ted and others. While Rochester has changed quite a bit in the last 20 years, it did not take long for old memories to come back. The sight of Ridge Lumber and their old trademark of “Lanky Planky” brought forth a rush of old memories of the years I spent in this town. Steve, Dean and Ted are old coworkers from my years at WROC-TV. Russ was introduced by an old friend: Eric from Toronto. Sadly, our friend Eric has passed on – an early victim of AIDS. As it turns out, Russ has long been involved with the Rochester Theatre Organ Society – a group that I had a great interest in from my days as a student at RIT, and from my first experience at the RKO Palace Theatre. I was stunned to find (at the start of my Sophomore year) that the Palace was to be torn down, but the Theatre Pipe Organ was to be saved and moved to the Autorium Theatre on Main Street. I went to the last concert at the Palace, and also the first concert at the new location. Strange, I don’t remember every bumping into Russ in those years, but I must have. Several years later, we were formally introduced in Detroit. Russ has been the source of many wonderful recordings of the RTOS organ, as well as others.

The Carousal located at Rochester’s Ontario Beach Park was installed in 1907, and is all-original although it went through an extensive restoration in the late 1980s. The Hope Jones Unit Orchestra that provides the music has been fully updated, and adds a touch that many Carousals no longer realize. I have included some pictures from these experiences with old friends – enjoy.