Sunday, January 15, 2012

Camera straps and car washes

This is my old camera, with its standard-issue Nikon strap. I've always hated it (the strap, not the camera). It was bulky around my neck, the leftover segments after I adjusted it to my torso were always getting in the way, and Nikon never paid me for all the advertising I gave them. But did I ever replace it? No. Because every time I shopped for a new strap, I was paralyzed by indecision.

When the new camera arrived...with its standard issue Nikon strap...I was determined not to use it (the strap, not the camera). And when I shopped around this time, I found exactly what I was looking for – an understated, comfortable, affordable, durable leather strap.

It is elegantly thin and strong, and the neck pad is infinitely more comfortable than Old Ugly's up there. 


Having worn my old camera for 4+ years without ever adjusting the length of the strap, 
I knew exactly how long the new strap needed to be and ordered one to my specifications. 
I also ordered "strap bumpers" to prevent the connector rings from scratching the camera.


The strap came from gordyscamerastraps.com and cost $48 with shipping. 
I give it two very enthusiastic thumbs up for quality, appearance and value (and Gordy is not paying me to say that). 


Meanwhile, back at the dining room table, am I the only one who thinks this knot in the wood looks like a head-on view of a horse?


Anyway, what do camera straps have to do with car washes?
I realized Friday night that if I was going to show you my new camera strap, I would have to take a picture of it
with my old camera, which would be going to the repair shop on Saturday because the road had finally dried up.

Saturday morning, I headed to town to catch up on a month's worth of errands which had been postponed because I couldn't get there and back "on the freeze." At last, I could shop like a normal person, instead of at 5 in the morning with all the abnormal people. And believe me when I say there are plenty of them at Walmart before the sun comes up. Anyway, there were 10 stops on my list, and the one I was most looking forward to (besides the grand opening of the first Tractor Supply store in central New Mexico) was the car wash.


I'm at the age where I'm beyond caring about what people think 
and had no qualms at all about taking pictures of my truck going through the car wash.



Mr. Car Wash Supervisor: This thing is still filthy. Better take it on through again.

I don't know about carwashes in your town, but the Octopus Carwashes in Albuquerque 
will run your vehicle through the wash as many times as it takes to get it clean, at no extra charge!
I love it when that happens.



Smooch was barking her head off when I drove up to the gate at the end of the day. 
The truck was so clean she didn't recognize it.


22 comments:

  1. The camera strap looks totally awesome, as does your truck after having that complete bath. LOVE
    Tractor Supply! I'd rather go there then to the mall!

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  2. A nice day in town. You finally made it off the farm. Glad to hear the weather is better in your neck of the woods. I don't remember when you have been locked in this long.
    Love the new camera strap and you are never at a loss for pictures, the newly washed truck looks fab and hats off to Mr. Carwash for doing his job.
    Best always, Sandra

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  3. I'm pretty sure I see side angle unicorn.

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  4. Lol. Great post. I do the same thing with dishes in the dishwasher. At the third ride thru the machine, we give up and hand scrub.

    Glad your camera strap didn't get caught in something at the car wash, it is beautiful. I may order one for my Dad.

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  5. Great post! Great strap, and for a minute I thought this was a Chevy truck commercial too! LOL Love it!

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  6. That's a lot of red mud!
    I thought you had a 7MSN sign on your gate?

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  7. ahhh, the sight of a nice clean auto......

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  8. Nice looking strap and dad gum nice looking camera!! Have fun using both :-}}

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  9. I'm off to TSC this morning -- been waiting while it was constructed as I drove by it twice a day on the way to and from the office. Yippee! I am glad you could get off the ranch (finally). The mud has been miserable. My neighbor who has a little tractor spent three days grading our private dirt road so we could get out without falling into the ruts and being lost forever.

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  10. Yup... we used to have to go at least two trips through the car wash when we were living on a dirt road. Now, our dirt is a little more 'normal'!
    I think the camera strap is really nice and streamlined. I bet, like all leather things, it will look even better with the patina of age!

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  11. I see a side angle unicorn too, at least at first, but I will look some more.

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  12. Maybe when you go to the Tractor Supply Store, you should leave your wallet in the truck. Just saying.

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  13. I was going to say "I see a unicorn" but, I see that Mo said it first ! I agree Mo !! Patience

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  14. Your car and camera strap look great. May have to order from Gordy's..since I need a camera strap and the auxilliary dog is named Gordy.

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  15. Yep - it's a horse! And a beautifully clean truck, too. As for the strap - I've always thought you were amazingly clever with the things you find and do. Good job!

    Nancy in Iowa

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  17. 1,000,000 - holy cow! I know you are proud.... we love ya!

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  18. Yup, I was looking at the horse head before you mentioned it.
    Nice camera AND camera strap (the new one!)

    I drove past Octopus Car Wash this morning and thought about it- $7.99 is a great deal. Now I know that they'll run it through more than once- it's a really super deal! Truck looks pretty!

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  19. I see the horse, and saw the horn only after someone else had mentioned it, lol.

    That is a dirty truck! I used to live on a dirt road, and loved the comments I would get from people about how dirty my car is in the winter. Like if your car has mud on it, you must be a slob or something.

    City folk. Sheesh. :)

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  20. Loving your camera strap. I don't ever like my camera straps...
    Is is great when we get our truck washed. I love how clean and fresh the inside is. Then we drive in the gates to farm and it is no longer clean!

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  21. The strap is a beauty and goes with your other more natural/rustic stuff. I did see the horse. The dark wood looked like a horse with the head turned to the side. And between the dark "legs" looked like the head of another horse. Is this a NM Rorschach test?!

    I just love the pictures on your head esp Mr. P. And Alan of the amazingly flared nostrils always cracks me up.

    It's always fun to see the doin's at the 7MSN.

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  22. Have you ever visited Bosque Del Apache Wildife Refuge? I just got back from spending two days there and it is a wildlife/nature photography wonderland! I did a quick search of your blog and nothing came up. You really should go try out that new camera there. Especially late evening and early morning when the birds fly in and out. Although they were very active all day today.

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