Sunday, May 31, 2009

No plan of battle survives …

Our first riding day started with a detour. Intending to ride along the western shoulder of Mt. Rainier and the eastern shoulder of Mt. St. Helens we found an avalanche of snow over the roadway on FS 25 (Woods Creek Road). So instead, we headed down I-5 where the straight conformation of the road was crushingly boring, the speed exhilarating.

Our boredom was interrupted by a truck-afire south of Olympia. We ran up fast on a semi that appeared to be on fire … like the trailer had cargo burning furiously … but as we passed, the acrid smoke was coming from its stacks. It was a minor diversion … but only briefly entertaining.

Our goal for the day was the “Bridge of the Gods,” at Cascade Locks, Oregon.

It turned out to be a dynamite ride as you’ll see if you ...

Click here for the rest of the story ...

Posted by Digital Quixote in • Motorcycles
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Saturday, May 30, 2009

Friends who do not ride motorcycles are bemused by the notion of a road trip. They ask, “Why would anyone climb aboard a near-death-experience for 24 hours and ride it in a loop around Washington State?” The reasons are complex, and I am searching for answers as much as the next person, I guess.

None of this introspection changes the joy of the ride my daughter, son-in-law and I just completed on these magnificent machines.

Don’t you dare blow past this without clicking on the photos to expand them ...

Our original notion was to circumnavigate Washington State on secondary roads, forest service roads … two lanes rather than four … twisted highways rather than interstate … in short on “roads less traveled.” Our plan was to eat diner food, stay in budget accommodations, and touch Americana. Here’s our planned route.

Of course, no plan of battle survives the first encounter with the enemy ... and our plan was immediately blown by mother nature.

For the next 5 posts, experience at least vicariously our story; our adventure; my introspection.

Posted by Digital Quixote in • Motorcycles
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Saturday, May 23, 2009

Click to expand any photo ...

I am unabashedly in love with Seattle ... as a photographer. Besides all the great stuff to shoot here, there is great, dramatic, weather to shoot it in. Here are a few pictures I shot over the last few days.

Posted by Digital Quixote in • Out and About
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Sunday, May 17, 2009

Make sure you click to enlarge ...

Nancy and I are building a new house and are looking for ideas to incorporate. So we visited an AIA award winning house this afternoon which was open to the public and (uncharacteristically) photography, according to the signs, was welcomed.

In the house, there was a coffee table with a glass top. It had a drawer just beneath it that you could load with whatever you wanted to show through the top. It looked pretty neat so to snapped a quick picture with my iPhone … the only camera I thought to bring.

It took a little Photoshop work (nothing exotic) to bring out the details and colors here. I got to thinking about the drawer in the table and … free associating got to “junk drawer.” Who’s junk drawer? The stuff looked like what might be left over after creating the universe … so God’s Junk Drawer and a title was born.

I like the photo and I hope you do too. Not my “usual style” but hey, anybody can learn new tricks. Not my usual camera, but hey, anybody can improvise, right?

Posted by Digital Quixote in • Out and About
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