Zebulon Vitruvius Pike

@vitruviuspike

Gentleman adventurer, mercenary explorer, dime novel hero, and itinerant warrior in Meiji-era America. #steampunk #19thC #victorian #airships #shootingsports #firearms #cowboyaction #spaghettiwestern #cosplay #noai

523 Siguiendo343 Seguidores1031 Publicaciones

Bluesky

cosplay

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Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· 5d

I have been away from Kerbal Space Program for a while but have returned. This time, with more airships. Follow my blog at the-sky-calls.dreamwidth.org #airship #steampunk #ksp #kerbalspaceprogram

The image is of a rigid airship, much like the historical Graf Zeppelin, built in the game Kerbal Space Program.

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· 6d

The image is of a Twitter(?) post with the poster paraphrasing John Adams, "I must study war so my sons can study business so their sons can study art so their sons can write gay vampire fiction."

Below this quote is another post with an image of Ulysses Grant Dietz, great grandson of Civil War general and president Ulysses S. Grant. Yes, Dietz is an author of gay vampire fiction.

https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2012/10/a-u-s-presidents-great-great-grandsons-big-gay-vampire-novel/

#steampunk #19thc #acw #lgbtq

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· 11d

There is an ongoing kerfuffle between @thelifeofsharks.com and @bruceshark.bsky.social over sharing of art. I said nothing. Posted nothing. Clicked no likes. Haven't shared content from either of them. Merely follow them both. I think Life of Sharks just blocked everyone who followed Bruce.

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· 12d

Big River Steampunk, a con in Hannibal, Missouri, has thrown their artists and attendees under the AI bus. . . for "efficiency." #noai #steampunk #convention

The image is a screencapture of a Facebook post from Big River Steampunk Festival

"Did we us AI to generate some of our posts? Yes, we did.
Why would a community of artistic people use AI? Because we wanted to generate informational content efficiently.
We are not trying to hide the fact that it is indeed AI.
None of the images of the entertainers have been stolen, they are all images sent to us for use in advertising.
At the festival, the acts will be 100% very talented humans providing the entertainment.
If you choose to miss the festival because of your feelings related to AI, you will be missing some of the best entertainers in the area! "

AI is fed with theft and has the devaluation of humans as its business model. I won't go into a point by point analysis of all their fallacies and equivocations but the takeaway is that they don't really care about their artists and, because of that, I will definitely not be going to their convention.

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· 14d

Zorro would like a word.

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· 15d

If you see this, quote skeet a pic of yourself in sunglasses.

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· 24d

Gun show coming up next month here in W PA. The shirt I am wearing. . .

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· 29d

"If only we had spent less money on wagons." --- George Donner, probably #wildwest #19thcentury #steampunk

A wagon company advertisement from the early 19th Century.
"Nissen Wagon Manufacturing Co., Wagons, Carts, Wheelbarrows, &c. Post Office, Salem, N.C. Works at Waughtowm, Established by P. Nissen, 1834."

And then, the tag line: "The best is always the cheapest in the end."

#wildwest #19thcentury #steampunk

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· 29d

I just turned 60 and don't have that many wrinkles and creases.

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· Jul 12

When I first heard the news, I was sure a conspiracy theory was already working.

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· Jul 11

The Union Pacific No.4014 "Big Boy" steam engine rolling through Homestead, Pennsylvania.

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· Jul 9

I thought I had a lengthy and substantive conversation that covered a variety of topics, including national security, with Mitch McConnell this morning but it turns out I was actually talking to Teddy Roosevelt.

The image is of Donald Trump having what he seemed to think was a substantive conversation with a cardboard cutout of Teddy Roosevelt at the opening of the Roosevelt Presidential Library.

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· Jul 6

Fear is supposed to be your sub-conscious mind warning you of something your waking mind doesn't yet recognize. This is not really the case and I have history: dime-novel-hero.dreamwidth.org/2026/07/06/ #gettysburg #acw #civilwar #americancivilwar #19thc #19thcentury #steampunk

The image is of Longstreet Tower, a 75 foot tall steel structure at the Gettysburg National Battlefield.

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· Jul 5

While shopping in Gettysburg, I came across a pair of period infantry tactics manuals by different authors. When I asked the guy behind the counter what the difference might be, I got something of a lost causer answer. I have opinions: dime-novel-hero.dreamwidth.org/2026/07/05/

A page from Brigadier General Silas Casey's "Infantry Tactics" (1862) featuring a diagram of an infantry regiment in line.

#gettysburg #acw #civilwar #americancivilwar #19thc #19thcentury #steampunk

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· Jul 4

My vacation at Gettysburg National Battlefield included a most excellent and highly recommended horse tour from horsetoursofgettysburg.com Read my blog about it here: dime-novel-hero.dreamwidth.org/2026/07/04/ #acw #civilwar #americancivilwar #19thc #19thcentury #gettysburg #steampunk

The author, wearing a blue waistcoat and cavalry hat riding on Adler, a dark brown draft horse with a blonde stripe in his mane.

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· Jul 3

What would it have been like to die on that hill by Lee's orders? On the anniversary of Pickett's charge, I have some maths at my blog: dime-novel-hero.dreamwidth.org/2026/07/03/ #gettysburg #acw #civilwar #19thc #19thcentury #otd #steampunk

The author, wearing a vest and cavalry hat, stands at a low stone wall next to a tree looking out across about of mile of open field at a treeline on a low ridge. This is The Angle on Cemetery Ridge where on July 3 1863, Confederate forces attacked Federal lines. This was the so-called High Water Mark of the Confederacy as, after marching some 14,000 soldiers across that open field, suffering withering artillery fire, a few hundred were able to cross that wall, only to be killed or captured. The assault failed and Lee's Army of Northern Virginia was never able to regain any initiative though the war went on for almost another 2 years.

#otd #acw #civilwar #americancivilwar #gettysburg #19thc #19thcentury #steampunk

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· Jul 2

The 19th Century interpretation of "realization" is slightly different from today's. My recent vacation to Gettysburg "makes real" the importance of historic places and national parks. Blog here: dime-novel-hero.dreamwidth.org/2026/07/02/ #19thC #19thCentury #acw #civilwar #nps #steampunk

Looking up Little Round Top from the area known as the Valley of Death at Gettysburg National Battlefield. On this day, 2 July 1863, Confederate forces assaulted Federal lines on this small, rocky hill and along Cemetery Ridge and though the defense of the heights by the 20th Maine gets all the attention, in no small part from the writings of Joshua Chamberlain and the 1993 movie "Gettysburg", the fighting here was also quite fierce, thus the appellation.

#otd #gettysburg #nps $19thC #19thcentury #acw #civilwar #americancivilwar #steampunk

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· Jul 1

Thinking of using Action Tour Guide's self-guided driving tour of Gettysburg National Battlefield? Don't. I have opinions at dime-novel-hero.dreamwidth.org/2026/07/01/ #acw #civilwar #americancivilwar #19thc #19thcentury #steampunk @fakehistoryhunter.net

A screen capture of Action Tour Guide's website (ActionTourGuide.com) offering the Gettysburg National Battlefield self-guided audio tour app for your phone for $14.99.

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· Jun 30

My family has Gettysburg battle oral history so, when I went on vacation, I visited the home grounds. Read about it at my blog dime-novel-hero.dreamwidth.org/2026/06/30/ #acw $19thc #americancivilwar #gettysburg #steampunk #victorian #19thcentury

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· Jun 29

It has been decades since I had the chance to visit Gettysburg National Battlefield and finally had the chance again this year. Herein, my blog of those events. dime-novel-hero.dreamwidth.org/2026/06/29/ #19thc #19thcentury #victorian #acw #americancivilwar #steampunk #gettysburg #nps

Monument to Brig. Gen. Gouverneur K. Warren, Meade’s chief engineer.

https://gettysburg.stonesentinels.com/monuments-to-individuals/gouverneur-warren/

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· Jun 23

I'm surprised it wasn't Crime Scene tape.

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· Jun 23

Throwback 𝖳̶𝗁̶𝗎̶𝗋̶𝗌̶𝖽̶𝖺̶𝗒̶ Tuesday. Thirteen years back at Old Bedford Village's Wild West Weekend. It was hot and I was just dead. #steampunk #wildwest #19thc #19thcentury #cosplay

The image is of the author wearing a red waistcoat and dark pants, lain inside a wooden coffin against a brick wall. A large sign on the building identifies this at the village undertaker.

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· Jun 19

The 19th Century had electromagnets and so railguns could definitely be thing. There were also centrifugal guns, though they were generally underpowered. Marketed for crowd control.

Charles S. Dickinson’s centrifuge weapon was also referred to as The Baltimore Gun. This illustration originally appeared in Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper during the 1860s.

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· Jun 18

The tank wants to be a tank.

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· Jun 18

If only I could get paid for THIS job. #19thc #19thcentury #victorian #beardism #steampunk

A clipping from a newspaper, 1892. "MADE MONEY BY BEARDS AND MOUSTACHES. Some time ago a man hit upon a strange method of making money in connection with the beard and moustache. Well knowing what importance young fellows attach to their hirsute adornment being of the most fitting cut, &c., he advertised, stating that on receipt of photograph and one shilling in stamps he would forward directions and drawing of the most suitable description of beard and moustache the inquirer could wear, or whether, indeed, he should wear either. Large numbers of young fellows consulted him on this important matter, and he realised a considerable sum by his scheme."

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· Jun 15

And, because I am not immune to propaganda, I made my own defensive tie.

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· Jun 6

"A Sea Serpent Frightens bathers. The marine monster seen off Pablo Beach, Florida, by half a dozen truthful citizens." - The National Police Gazette, Saturday June 6, 1891. #19thc #OTD #victorian #steampunk

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· Jun 2

I went on a week long bike ride and was badly sunburned that color on my arms. I was dumb.

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· May 31

BREAKING NEWS: The Yips have pulled out of Freedom 250.

Zebulon Vitruvius Pike@vitruviuspike· May 27

I will be visiting Gettysburg National Battlefield in a week of so and, in prepping for that trip, have rewatched Ron Maxwell's 1993 movie. The scene where Tom Chamberlain asks some Confederates why they fight has me thinking. . . dime-novel-hero.dreamwidth.org/2026/05/26/