A tale of two weathers

This morning, 8.00 a.m. Street lights still on, rain lashing down, and a gale blowing. The orange leaves of the beech hedge are blurry with movement. With my wee camera the murkiness of the day doesn't come across, but it was dreary.
Same day, early afternoon. The gale is still blowing, but the clouds have lifted to reveal blue skies. Down in Princes Street gardens the ice rink is being test-skated by a skating club. They're executing pirouttes and dance moves which are definitely beyond the reach of the office parties and once-a-year skaters who will follow.

Swanson - River City Shoot-out

Today was a great day for a bike race! Awesome weather.
This was the first race of the season (Race #1 of the series was postponed into June.) Some 155 riders took to the trail at Swanson Park. There was some confusion with the new categories but the organizers and USA Cycling officials worked everything out.
Special Thanks to Edge Physical Therapy for supplying the grub. It seemed that the hungry racers appreciated the food. I know that this photographer did!
I ended up shooting over 450 photos at the race. You can see my photos at http://win-photo.photoreflect.com. There are 4 groups of photos. The first group is general shots. Group 2 of 4 is the start of the Marathon, Category 3, and Juniors. Group 3 of 4 is the always popular Kid's Race. Group 4 of 4 is the Category 1, Category 2, and rest of the Marathon.

Fog City?

San Francisco and the Bay Bridge on a particularly sunny January day.

Madeleine L'Engle

I just finished reading The Summer of the Great-Grandmother by Madeleine L-Engle. It is a poignant true story of the last summer spent with her mother before her death.
She looks back on her childhood and growing up years as an only child of parents who were very cosmopolitan and well-travelled. She laments the fact that she can no longer communicate with her mother as she once did while having morning-long talks over coffee at the kitchen table.
She has to come to terms with the fact that after her mother's death, she's now the 'matriarch' of the family clan; a role she doesn't want but has to accept.
Here's a quote from the book about one thing that formed who she became as an adult. "School was mostly something to be endured; I don't think I learned nearly as much from my formal education as from the books I read instead of doing homework, the daydreams which took me on exciting adventures in which I was intrepid and fearless and graceful, the stories Mother told me, and the stories I wrote. It was in my solitudes that I had a hand in the making of the present Madeleine."
I agree with her, because that is also my experience. I've learned so much more out of school than in. Only in solitude can I work out solutions to problems, think in peace, and be creative.
If you've never read any of her books, I highly recommend them. She's probably best known for A Wrinkle in Time. I prefer her non-fiction. She was also a writer of spiritual books. In the above mentioned book, she was struggling with who God is and traditional religion, but later on she became much stronger in her faith.
*The lady in the photo isn't Madeleine L'Engle, she's an ancestor of mine, Lydia Walker.

North Side Tour

Have been a little back in my blogging. Maybe I can catch up this morning.
After the frustrations dealing with the dealership last Thursday morning, I needed a bike ride. In the afternoon, I parked downtown CB and stopped at the bike shop. Had a particular reason to stop at the bike shop - drop off some calendars.
Decided to check out the trails on the North side of town. Rode city streets up to the Sheriff's Dept. The road to Big Lake is still barricaded (as of Thursday - see photo). Water is basically under the railroad and I could see lots of clean-up activity in the park. I would not be surprised to see that Big Lake Park open now or very soon.
As I rode Iowa Riverfront Trail, I realized that some of the pumps have been shut down. The river level is continuing to drop. Standing water along the golf course is receding (tells me that they are slowly getting the ground water level under control).
Survey stake all along the level. Some makings on the pavement - looks like sections that will be replaced. Some sections have been almost destroyed by trucks and equipment driving on the levee during the flood.

Shot the lower photo here overlooking the lower level of Harrah's parking garage. From what I could see it looks like the water is nearly gone in the lower level. They have lots of cleaning up to do, clearing all the water silt, but perhaps they may soon open the section of the bicycle trail there.
On the way back, I looked at the area South the the Bob Bridge where the CB was building the new park/green space between the levee and the river. The area looks like coastal tidal flats.
Lots of devastation along the river. Much of the island between the river and chute is gone (maybe more will be visible after the river level gets down to normal). Many trees have died and are dying from toppling in the storms and high water.

Cat puzzle

A purrfect fit? (Sorry, can't seem to stop myself when it comes to bad puns.) In a change from the normal procedure, George has crawled on top of Ginger in this picture.

Council Bluffs Riverfront

This week work started on the Council Bluffs Riverfront - Phase 1. This section is just South of the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge. Click HERE to see the plan.
Trees being cleared between the Iowa Riverfront Trail and river. for the new green space. On the other side of the trail construction is continuing.
My ride started from the Western Historic Trails Center. Rode to the pedestrian and over to the middle of the bridge. Took a few photos there. Then road on up to N. 25th St.
Stopped at the construction area again to take more photos. While just about ready to head back to the trail center, was hailed by Mike - a guy met on the trail Sunday. He was on his bike (thinking its his first bike ride of the year). Nice chat there.
On the way back home stopped again at Xtreme Wheels. Became a busy day at the shop. Almost like "old home day". Randy (and tribe) and Andrew were there. Few others I don't know remember (I hate it when that happens).

Lessons For A Good Life

1.  Do not complain about your life.2.  Do not blame others for things that you have brought upon yourself.3.  Be content with who you are and where you are.4.  Do whatever you can to bring to others such contentment, joy, and understanding that you have managed to find yourself.

Golf course wildlife

Fast - and I don't blame it, given the notices posted on fence posts round about.

And slow. The revenge of the mole.
This is the 9 hole golf course at Rothes. Lovingly tended, once a field. And uphill, like many of the courses on Speyside.

Vallecito, CO Tour of Carvings

We had been to Durango back in 2003 and not much had changed so we decided to drive out to Lake Vallecito to check out the Tour of Carvings. The Mission Ridge Fire from June 9 to July 28, 2002 burned over 70,000 acres. 4,000 firefighters and support staff helped extinguish the fire. One life was lost when an experienced tree cutter was cutting down one tree when another one close by fell on him. As a tribute to the firefighters and to help restore tourism to Vallecito, a local woodcarver was hired to carve images from actual photos.
We tried to see all 14, but a few were in closed areas and others listed on the map by a business name we could not find as the business had probably changed it's name.
This is #1 - Fireman with Shovel
Carving #2 - Black Bear and Cubs.

Carving #4 - Sheriff with Radio
Carving #5 - Alan Wyatt Memorial. In Memory of Alan Wyatt who died fighting the fire. This carving was done on a Tree trunk rooted in the ground. It was snapped off by a thermal vortex.
Carving #6 - EMT and Eagle.
Carving 7A - Rebirth of Vallecito. It was the last one carved and represents the sun instead of flames and animals returning to the forest.
Carving #8 - Oregon Firefighter with Chainsaw.
Carving #11 - Doe and Fawn. A 6 week old Fawn was found under a log and taken to safety.
Carving #12 - Lynx and Eagle. Vallecito Lake is home to over 25 Bald Eagles at certain times of the year.
Carving #13 - Fireman with Hose
Carving #14 - Colorado Mounted Ranger. They helped rescue People and Animals and delivered supplies.
It was located about 22 miles northeast of Durango and was a beautiful drive. Note the deer on the porch of this house next to the Bear carving.
When we got back we found it hard to find a place for the night. The 2 places in town were $40/night and the US Forest Service campground was $24 and 2 miles down a washboard dirt road. We tried another Forest Service campground 23 miles west of town but it was not open yet. We finally ended up at a Passport America park - Echo Basin Resort for $20 for a full hook up site.
Next we tackle the Million Dollar Highway up to Ouray!
Till Later!
Meanwhile, we keep on Trek'n
Melissa, Gary & Tucson


Visiting Amish Country

My new header photo was taken in Lancaster, PA when we were there two weeks ago visiting our youngest son and his wife. He's in seminary at Westminster Theological Seminary. We visited between semesters so were able to spend a good deal of time with him. Sweet DIL was able to take off some time from her job as a nanny. We took our youngest daughter and our oldest grandchild. They're only four years difference in age. Weren't we smart to plan things that way? Yeah, right!
I've always wanted to see Amish country and finally got the chance. I know they don't like to have their pictures taken, so I was very sneaky. 99 percent of the photos I took were from a moving vehicle. It's a wonder any of them turned out, but amazingly they did.
I love the incongruity of the man dressed in colonial clothes talking on a cell phone!
Here are a few of my favorites.

Epic Ride Day

After 2 days out of the saddle, I needed a ride. The place to ride (on pavement) is the River Trail. Anyway, I had to see and ride over the "Big Dam Bridge". Climbing the approach got my heart rate going.
After that, it was a relaxing ride on the N. Little Rock trails.

Stopped at some bike shops - finally found on that could tell me about mountain bike rides. Luckily, there was a C.A.R.P. ride on the Camp Robinson trails. The ride was lightly attended (It was a funeral to one of their riders). The trails area not well marked, and I was left to ride by myself. Otherwise, I had a good ride. The trails are rocky - I was able to adapt and build some rock riding ability and lots of climbing. Think I rode very well under the circumstances. After I get home there will be some helmet cam clips on my web site.
Today gonna scope out some other riding places.