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Hello, I'm Gene Bowker and this is my blog, RustedRail's Ramblings!

I currently live in Greer, South Carolina in the Upstate, but am originally from Poway, California. I've lived in the Southeastern US since my college days at Arkansas State. 

I enjoy traveling the backroads of America with my wife Patrice (also a great photographer), photography (my favorites), railroads, and learning about technology and how it will change our lives in every way. 

I've had the chance to work for a variety of companies in many industries over the years and had the chance to live all over the South while working in Manufacturing Management.

You can learn more "About Gene" where I discuss some of my influences.

Feel free to reach out to me at [email protected]

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Gene Bowker's RustedRail's Ramblings!

Who knows what we'll find along the backroads of life.

 

 

FlexQube Open House

June 14, 2025  •  Leave a Comment

This week the Duncan NA Operations for FlexQube hosted our first Open House for customers in several years.  This gave me a good chance to have a chance to take my camera to work and get some photos of the team in action.  I've never been much of a people photographer as my usual photographs on here will attest.

While I was walking around the plant, I got the chance to capture our team at work and it reminded me of how many people it takes to make our product and also I hope captured a little bit about a day in the life at FlexQube.

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Mabry Mill - Blue Ridge Parkway

June 07, 2025  •  Leave a Comment

ChatGPT Image Jun 7, 2025, 11_19_47 AMChatGPT Image Jun 7, 2025, 11_19_47 AM

 

This morning I was playing around with ChatGPT and asked it to turn one of my favorite photos of Mabry Mill into a retro style poster.  With a little tweaking it came up with what is a good result to me including the pond reflection that I loved so much in the original.

Mabry Mill along the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia is one of the most popular places to photograph for visitors.  Right now, it's getting the shingle roof replaced and is covered in scaffolding, but I look forward to visiting again.

If you haven't already, you can see more of my favorite shots from there in the gallery.

Do you have a place that you've visited over the years that draws you back time after time?  If so, let me know in the comments below.


Springtime in Greenville

April 26, 2025  •  Leave a Comment

Greenville (1 of 1)Greenville (1 of 1)

 

The Reedy River cuts through Greenville, South Carolina and originally provided power to the mills which once lined the banks.  The railroad has been replaced now with a popular trail and has become a great place to enjoy a Spring Day along it's shores.  Several hotels are along the banks and it is an Oasis below the hustle and bustle of the downtown above.

 


Time to recharge

April 21, 2025  •  Leave a Comment

BRP TunnelsBRP TunnelsThe North Carolina section of the Blue Ridge Parkway features a number of tunnels.

At sunrise, the light is just starting to illuminate the darkness as I stop long enough to grab a quick snapshot out the windshield of the scene

Since taking over as Site Manager last June at FlexQube in Duncan, one thing I've been missing has been the chance to take time off.  Even over the holidays, most days required a trip into the office. 

This long Easter weekend has been a nice chance to recharge my internal batteries.  We decided to give our team an extra day on Easter Monday, which meant for me a Monday without an alarm at 4:30am.

Sleeping in to me usually means 6:30am or 7:00am, which might not seem late, but to me is bliss.  I've spent the weekend relaxing with lots of reading, enjoying time with my family and just doing as little as possible.

FlexQube is a Swedish based company.  I've learned in Sweden they have the principle of Lagom, which means basically "just enough".  Today I'm reading a new book by Kortney Yasenka about the idea. I got it on Kindle for .99 on Amazon.  Part of the Swedish culture is the idea of work-life balance, which here in America can seem like something that is said more than experienced.   I'm looking forward to learning more about the concept and then how to apply it to my life.  I'll write a review of the book when I finish it.

I'm looking forward in May to a week off for vacation around my birthday.  Then at the end of the month we have the long Memorial Day weekend.  That recharging will get me more mentally ready for the push to the end of the 2nd Quarter in June at work.

This weekend has really been that light at the end of the tunnel and I am feeling recharged after a weekend for once.

 


Hidden off of the main streets

March 16, 2025  •  Leave a Comment

small town alley (1 of 1)small town alley (1 of 1)

Even in a small town like Greer there are some alleys to explore downtown.

Loved the constrast of the old bricks with all the "modern" utilities which were obviously crammed in later.

I'm sure the old building could tell a lot of stories from over the years.