Stunt Drivin'

Shadow Shot Sunday
July 3, 2011

Shadow Shot Sunday is a fabulous weekly project showcasing the rough images cast by objects blocking rays of illumination, shadows, and eminates from Tracy’s Hey Harriet Blog. Have a look at some great photographs and find out to participate.

This past week, I took my newly purchased Triumph motorcycle on sort of a shakedown cruise. I did over 700 miles, (about 1150 Kilometers), in two days of riding and crossed the border into Canada for some business I had to attend to. I had many hours of daylight to accomplish this as we’re at the height of the Summer sun. That meant I took a lot of breaks and wandered off the beaten path to discover some new roads along the way.

Besides stopping to smell the proverbial roses, I also stopped and took some photos. These will be showcased in a post that will be available for viewing on Monday as part of my Monday Mystery Tour series. 

One photo I did not stop for was this Shadow Shot. While scooting along at highway speed, I reached into my tank bag and pulled out my camera, which I had set for such a shot, before I left the last stop.

Yours truly on the highway

I snapped a couple of photos, using instinct as to where the camera was aimed, so as not to take my eyes off the road for more than a split second. This is a safety concern, I know. But I am an experienced driver and although retired from wage earning employment, I did actually work as a stunt driver in motion picture production in Minneapolis and Hollywood at one point in my life.

So, the usual warning will be posted:

Professional Driver, do not try this at home.

If you enlarge the photo by clicking on it,  you can see the asphalt highway surface to be blurred. The camera focused on the shadowy image and the background suffered clarity from the speedy motion carrying me towards home. I was cruising along at about 60 miles per hour, (97 KPH, or for the nautical minded, around 53 Knots)

Please feel free to come back Monday and check out what I was up to in Canada, including the intrigue of crossing the border. In the meantime, be nice to your neighbors.

Peace

Motorcycle Journal

Haiku My Heart

July 1, 2011

Friday means it’s time for Haiku My Heart, the weekly meme started by my friend Rebecca. Wonderful folks from all over the world participate. To find out how you can too, and to see more Haiku My Heart entries, visit her blog, recuerda mi corazon.

This bike needs a name. Any ideas?
Parked for a short break deep in the Northern Minnesota lake country.

True love at first sight

Throbbing beast between my legs

My motorcycle

This Haiku may not seem like romantic heartfelt sentiment, but make no mistake, it is for me. To be able to get out and enjoy this pastime in this lifetime is an achievement on so many levels. My appreciation, or love affair if you think I should call it that, with getting out on the road with nothing but myself and a motorcycle is the ultimate idea of solitude and rejuvenation. It is my Yoga, my Tai Chi, my Meditation, my Salvation.

In the photo above, I was traveling along this gravel road deep in the backwoods of Northern Minnesota. I hadn’t been up this way in a long time and I was loving the forest, the lakes and rivers. I stopped and took a couple of photos to enter into a motorcycle forum I belong to called Adventure Rider.

I just returned yesterday evening. I was out on a quick two day jaunt on my newest motorcycle. I love it! Rides and runs great, has ample room for packing a trip of short duration like the two-day I was just on, and it is thrifty at the gas pump. I averaged over 52 miles per gallon!

Some of the fantastic scenery Up North.

It has blocky tires on it and is set up to be nimble on asphalt or loose surface roads, like the gravel road in the photo. It can be used for what is called Dual Sport riding or adventure riding. Riding on the hard top road to get there, then taking the bike off-road, on gravel and dirt trails, for fun and just to do it. The back roads get you to places like the waterfalls pictured above.

I traveled North to International Falls, Minnesota and crossed the border into Fort Frances, Ontario. I’ll write about the trip itself, its purpose and show some photos from the road on the Monday Mystery Tour. I’ll have a Shadow Shot on Sunday in between today’s Haiku My Heart and Monday’s tour. 

In the meantime, have a great day, and if you celebrate during this long July 4th weekend, keep it safe.

Peace

On The Road To The Border

It's early in the morning here at Spadoville. The sun is popping up and there is not a cloud to be seen. A beautiful day for traveling. I've been up and getting some things packed. I'm heading out on my newest toy, the Triumph Scrambler. I sold my Triumph Tiger. It has given me great service, a lot of fun and more memories than I can ever remember in a lifetime. Every mile an adventure. Every wheelie, every twisted curve, every mile, every trip.

This Scrambler is a smaller, lighter bike with off-road capabilities, at least off-road enough for some gravel forest service roads and some dirt along with the asphalt. So today, I'm going to give it a little long range test run. I'm heading up to Ontario Canada.

2008 Triumph Scrambler 900

I'll cross the border at Fort Frances, across the Rainy River from International Falls, Minnesota. I'll get up to Falls by tonight and cross in the morning. In fact, I have an appointment with the border people at 9:00 AM. I'm thinking breakfast in Canada tomorrow, then a ride across on Canada Hwy 11, through Atikoken, to Thunder Bay, which is located along the North shore of the Great Lake Superior. Just North of Atikoken is one of the places where in used to guide canoe and fishing trips back when I did that sort of thing.

I'll come South in Minnesota along the big lake and stop off to savor the beautiful scenery that abounds up that way. So, it's just a three day ride. A good shake-down for the bike and me to bond a little. I have only ridden a few short local jaunts since I went to New York to pick it up after I bought it on Ebay.

The plan is to get off the hardtop and onto some gravel in the National Forest on the US side and the Provincial Parks in Canada. I'll also see if my passport works as it's been a while since I've crossed the border.

Reports and photos when I return. I'll try to stop riding and take some pictures, although that has been a tall order in the past. Seems that what my mind sees and records in the camera in my head usually suffices for my own memories. To share any of that, I have to use the camera. I just hate to stop riding, park the bike, take off the gloves, unzip the riding gear, take off the helmet and goggles, dig out the camera, focus and set up the shot, snap the picture, then, do it all in reverse, get back on the road and see another great photo op within the nextmile or two and do it again. It will be a chore, but I will try to be patient and stop along the way so I can share the memories.

In the meantime, I was playin' around with my iTunes and found a few of what I call classic gems from the old Dump and Shortcake Band days. Click on the title of this post and you'll hear a studio version of Lowell George's "Willin'". Originally done by Little Feat in 1971. The recording we did had to be in the 1970's sometime. My good friend and wonderful guitar player, Dave Coffey, is with me as I solo on this one.

Take care and be well. I'll be back soon to get ready for another trip to Elkader, Iowa and the surrounding area early in July.

Peace

Mourning Dove

Shadow Shot Sunday

June 26, 2011

This is the weekend, time for Shadow Shot Sunday. A great meme of photographic and other expressions from around the world. If you’d like to see more Shadow Shots and find out how to participate, please go to Tracy’s Hey Harriet Blog.

The sun is rising early this time of year. Here in the Northland we have full sunshine by 5:30 AM and it doesn’t set in the Western sky until after 9:00 PM. The heavens stay lit until ten PM or later. 

It was one of these early mornings, when the sun was casting long shadows, that I saw this image on the throw rugs that were hanging on the deck. From my easy chair, while sipping some fresh brewed coffee, I had not a clue as to what was creating this particular shadow.

I wasn’t so curious about the “blob” seen on the rugs as I was about the long “stick”. I couldn’t figure out what was creating this amazing shadow. A power line? The dog run? What?

 I grabed my camera, always at the ready, and snapped a few photos when I realized that it was the mourning dove, one of two that come to the trough feeder every morning here at Spadoville. 

The bird was standing on the yard arm, (yes, all Pirates have a yard arm in their yards and I was definitely a Pirate in a former life), in that early morning sunrise.

Glad I captured this one. I found it to be unique, basically becasue I didn’t know what it was and what was making it a shadow in the first place.

Peace to All

Grandchild

Haiku My Heart

June 24, 2011

Be sure to stop in and experience more Haiku from the heart, as well as find out how to participate yourself, at Rebecca’s recuerda mi corazon blog, where every Friday folks from all over the world partake in the fun. And this week is the One Year Anniversary of this weekly meme. I have enjoyed thoroughly being a part of this project since the beginning and thank Rebecca for the inspiration, kindness and respect she shows to all.

Shiny silky hair

Children grin for Grandparents

Peaceful heartfelt love

Taken a few years ago, this photo is digital, but enhanced in Black and White. Although not as warm and toasty in my opinion, as B&W film, it still has nice warm overtones. I love the way her eyes shine as well as her hair. Anna will be thirteen soon, within two weeks. She is my first Grandchild.

Last night, at the dinner table, I told Anna that I had found this photo and how I was going to use it on my blog this morning for Haiku My Heart. She has seen it and remembers the small stuffed lion. She related to me that. "The head fell off all the time." We have yet to establish how old she was in this picture, but here at Spadoville we are all guessing it was taken in 2003.

The haiku speaks on so many levels to the love, joy and peace that the children bring into our lives. Sometimes, we get caught up in our own struggles and the children suffer. All it takes is one moment to remember how innocent and forgiving they are and that we should be like that ourselves.

I keep a record of all I post in an external hard drive. I keep the logo for Haiku My Heart there and pull it out every weekwhen I post my haiku. I came across my first notes from the first time I ever tried haiku. It was for the Haiku My Heart Friday on June 25, 2010. Here is what I wrote:

First Post June 25, 2010

Crispy Leaves in Fall

Souls Close to My Heart of Hearts

Sitting On a Log

Haiku My Heart Fridays Info

http://corazon.typepad.com/recuerda_mi_corazon/2010/06/haiku-.html

To go with this haiku, I used a photograph of my three daughters, sitting on a log in front of our 1980's home on the Snake River near Pine City, MN. Here's the photo:

Thank you Rebecca for the inspiration

Peace

Photos From the Road

Just thought I'd post some photos from the past year or two taken on various trips across the country. I'll start with the Atlantic Ocean and end with the Pacific. I'll sandwich Lake Superior in between. Most of the pictures of state line signs are out West. I'll need to stop on my Eastern trips and take some photos.

Atlantic Ocean, Rhode Island coast

Just last week I went through Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. And on my trip South this Spring I managed Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Arkansas and Missouri. I don't know why I didn't stop and take sign photos.

Anyway, Busy times here at Spadoville. VA appointments, motorcycle buying, selling and refurbiushing and home renovation projects along with having family fun and reunion trips. Sorry I haven't had much time to get out and see your Blog creations. I apologize, but will tell you I think of my fellow Bloggers often and appreciate greatly your visits here to mine.

Lake Superior, from The Cabinette

I'll leave you with another Dump and Shortcake Band tidbit. Click on the title of this post and you'll hear another song I wrote in the 1970's. It's called "B Model Blues" and the recording is from a live performance at the Duxbury Store in very rural East Central Minnesota. Here's more about the B Model Mack truck.

Pacific Ocean with a very small Grandchild

Peace to all

Long Distance Driver

Haiku My Heart

June 17, 2011

Haiku My Heart was started by my friend Rebecca. See more fabulous Haiku from all over the world at her blog, recuerda mi corazon.

Making a living

Attacked by white line fever

Long distance driver

International Harvester CO 4070A I drove this in the early 1970's for Labeled Metal Products

Some time ago, I posted a list of all the places I have worked since I got out of high school. You can reference that post HERE. I was going to go back and edit the list by putting an asterisk by each of the jobs that involved long distance truck driving, or, as it is commonly called, Over-the-Road Trucking. I did take a look and I saw that least 14 of my jobs were in this category.

If you use Einstein’s theory of relativity, that is, when you are moving, time is relative to the speed when compared to the speed of light. I'm actually a little bit younger than most folks my age.

The Grandchildren, on Albert Einstein's lap, Washington DC, 2008

Without trying to do a scientific explanation, the theory pretty much says that if you travel at the speed of light, you age more slowly. So, I take that to mean that traveling a portion of your life, although it is not the speed of light, it is a portion of that speed, and therefore, since I have logged over 2 million miles on the road traveling at 60-75 miles per hour, I’m younger than my 62 years, and younger than most people born on May 10th 1949 at 10:30 AM CDST.

Anyway, I’ve been on the road a lot in my life. Some of it for work and a paycheck and some for pleasure. I can say there is another category as well. The trip I did a week or so ago to go pick up a motorcycle I bought on Ebay was work, but not employment.

By the way, I never minded work. It was always employment that I couldn’t stand.

So, based on Einstein’s theory, I am a bit younger than many of you more sedentary people who need an act of congress to get in the car and head off somewhere farther than the grocery store. By the way, the speed of light is 299,792.458 Kilometers per hour or 670,616.629 Miles per hour. Even though, I still must pass the time I’m sitting there driving. After all, driving isn’t such a strenuous and focused activity if you’re on a freeway.

Driving a dump truck, 2001

I entertain myself in many ways. I listen to books or music. I listen to radio programs. I look at scenery. I think about a wide variety of stuff and I write in my head. At one point, I did have a mini tape recorder and produced many recordings of my thoughts or of stories that came to mind while spending time driving. Sometimes, I write music and musical lyrics.

I shared a song I wrote while on the road going to upstate New York in a recent post. Well, I wrote and edited a few on that trip. There must not have been too much happening on the radio and the CD player is cantankerous in the van and sometimes just doesn’t work.

I’d like to share another song I wrote. I wrote this many years ago, in the mid 1970’s. I was an Over-the-Road truck driver back then, for a job with pay. I wrote about it in this song. I polished the lyrics on this last trip and brought it out again. I used parts of the song in the Haiku for Haiku My Heart today. The rest is just poetry of some kind, I think.

Long Distance Driver

Pulled out for Atlanta

In an eighteen wheel rig

Atlanta to Ohio

Oh my load wasn’t very big

Never had a flat, no

Never touched a jack

Workin’ hard just ain’t my gig

I’m a long distance driver

Long distance driver

Really rollin’ up the miles

When you see me with a lady

All she ever does is smile

Never lift a finger, no

Never like to linger

I like to do it all in style

I’m a long distance driver

Arizona to Virginia

Truckin’ it a long long way

I keep my motor runnin’

Even when I’m out to play

DC to Minnesota

Back to Arizona

Never gonna go to LA

I’m a long distance driver

Got attacked by the white line fever

It grabs a hold of you for life

I wanted glamour and a reputation

All I ever got was strife

She married for the money

Now she calls me honey

That’s my wife

I’m a long distance driver

The Dump and Shortcake Band, Bruce on left, I'm on the right, Halloween in St. Paul, 1979

Dave on guitar, same Halloween party

If you click on the title of this post, you can listen to the original recording of Long Distance Driver. ( I hope this works, let me know, okay?)

That was recorded sometime in the late 1970’s by the Dump and Shortcake Band, which was/is Bruce A., drums and vocals, Dave C., guitar and Yours Truly, bass.

Peace