Wednesday, 10/03, GSX ODO 4355
To work and back.
Notable: Nice weather, and a quiet ride in.... Crap rush-hour traffic on the ride home: 1st gear most of the way (loud) to make sure idiot drivers didn’t swerve into my line in a desperate attempt to get home 30 seconds sooner. (Lots of swerving action 50 to 100 yards ahead of me, across two and three lanes, but nothing near me.) ...until I was finally clear of the worst of the traffic... then, a Honda Repsol replica racer pulled past me in the right lane, waved, crossed a little tight into my lane, and then pulled into a left turn lane as we passed. He cut off a turning car, and had to skid just past the bumper of the second car in line at the light. Oops… What is this!? Bad karma week for everyone around me!? I rode by like nothing happened, and didn’t hear the sound of the car he cut off running him over… but geez. Bet his adrenaline kicked up a bit. ...sigh....
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Monday, October 01, 2007
Motorcycle Diaries 2007.10.01
Monday, 10/01, GSX ODO 4339
To work and back.
Notable: Holy shit! (Kindof an oxymoron, isn't that??)
...so, I'm just a minute from the office, and turning into the right-turn lane onto Broderick, and this woman in an Infinity G35 has just pulled into the turn lane ahead of me. She takes off like a bat-out-of-hell. As she rounds the corner, I realize that she must have spotted me in her rear-view mirror and has decided to show me a thing or two.... uh hunh.
I enter the corner following her, and notice that I really had to break -- she really was flying through the turn! I'm thinking, "Good for you -- I'm gonna take this corner a little slow today if that's alright with you." No sooner do I finish entry to the turn and begin pulling through the apex, then I'm able to watch as all four of her tires snap loose... so much for dynamic traction control!
From there, I'm watching in slow motion as I complete the turn, slow a bit more, and from a safe distance watch as she completes a 180 spin across three lanes (one of ours, and two of the oncoming). Thank God the lanes are all clear.
I continue to watch the slow motion slide play out, recalling my 180 degree spin across two lanes in my BMW M3 back in 2001. Somehow it feels like we are karmically linked.... through both my M3 spin, and my January crash on the gixer... on Broderick.
She completes the slide, nearly coming to a stop before slamming into the curb. Nearly. She slams into the curb with both front and rear right wheels. Wham!! (Ouch!!) I ride by, staring in shock in amazement, noticing her just-above-shoulder-length light brown hair.
After checking in at my office around the corner, I headed back to the scene to make sure she was OK. Apparently she was able to drive away... all that remained were four skid marks and the marks from her wheels' impact with the curb.
Sigh... another lesson learned the hard way!
Good luck to the girl in G35. I hope she knows a good Chiropractor and has great car insurance.
Otherwise, it was a beautiful day, and a great ride to/from work.
Ride safe! Stay up! ...and, drive safe!
To work and back.
Notable: Holy shit! (Kindof an oxymoron, isn't that??)
...so, I'm just a minute from the office, and turning into the right-turn lane onto Broderick, and this woman in an Infinity G35 has just pulled into the turn lane ahead of me. She takes off like a bat-out-of-hell. As she rounds the corner, I realize that she must have spotted me in her rear-view mirror and has decided to show me a thing or two.... uh hunh.
I enter the corner following her, and notice that I really had to break -- she really was flying through the turn! I'm thinking, "Good for you -- I'm gonna take this corner a little slow today if that's alright with you." No sooner do I finish entry to the turn and begin pulling through the apex, then I'm able to watch as all four of her tires snap loose... so much for dynamic traction control!
From there, I'm watching in slow motion as I complete the turn, slow a bit more, and from a safe distance watch as she completes a 180 spin across three lanes (one of ours, and two of the oncoming). Thank God the lanes are all clear.
I continue to watch the slow motion slide play out, recalling my 180 degree spin across two lanes in my BMW M3 back in 2001. Somehow it feels like we are karmically linked.... through both my M3 spin, and my January crash on the gixer... on Broderick.
She completes the slide, nearly coming to a stop before slamming into the curb. Nearly. She slams into the curb with both front and rear right wheels. Wham!! (Ouch!!) I ride by, staring in shock in amazement, noticing her just-above-shoulder-length light brown hair.
After checking in at my office around the corner, I headed back to the scene to make sure she was OK. Apparently she was able to drive away... all that remained were four skid marks and the marks from her wheels' impact with the curb.
Sigh... another lesson learned the hard way!
Good luck to the girl in G35. I hope she knows a good Chiropractor and has great car insurance.
Otherwise, it was a beautiful day, and a great ride to/from work.
Ride safe! Stay up! ...and, drive safe!
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Motorcycle Diaries 2007.09.29
Saturday, 9/29, GSX ODO 4323
To gym, Best Buy, work, and home.
Notable: 70 degrees and sunny, and light traffic. Why can't it be like this all year round!?
To gym, Best Buy, work, and home.
Notable: 70 degrees and sunny, and light traffic. Why can't it be like this all year round!?
Blog Abuse
I actually have been updating my blog regularly, but you wouldn't know it, because... well, I've been abusing my blog. I haven't seen a "rules of blogging" (probably only because I haven't looked for one), but I'm sure that one of the rules is:
* When you make posts, don't return to make changes unless those changes are corrections or substantial updates to the status of the original post. When making these changes, they should be clearly highlighted as such at the top of the page.
I, on the other hand, have been using a few pages as my diaries, e.g., http://zogscorner.blogspot.com/2006/10/motorcycle-diaries-pt-3.html. So, the updates are there, but generally aren't shown as "updates" by the RSS feed, and the like. If there is a "proper etiquette" in blogging, I'm sure this is a violation of the most heinous sort.
I could put each motorcycle entry as it's own blog entry... but... I don't know. Call me "old school"...
Does anyone care except me?
* When you make posts, don't return to make changes unless those changes are corrections or substantial updates to the status of the original post. When making these changes, they should be clearly highlighted as such at the top of the page.
I, on the other hand, have been using a few pages as my diaries, e.g., http://zogscorner.blogspot.com/2006/10/motorcycle-diaries-pt-3.html. So, the updates are there, but generally aren't shown as "updates" by the RSS feed, and the like. If there is a "proper etiquette" in blogging, I'm sure this is a violation of the most heinous sort.
I could put each motorcycle entry as it's own blog entry... but... I don't know. Call me "old school"...
Does anyone care except me?
Friday, September 14, 2007
Europe - Day 1 - Arrival in Italy
Disney Theme for the Day: Benvenuto!
Having suffered the horror of watching the taxi meter tick past double the local cash I was carrying during my first trip to London years before, I was determined to have plenty of Euros this time! In spite of knowing that the arrivals area of the airport was probably the worst place to make this transaction, I paid the 11% "service" fee in exchange for the peace of mind that I wouldn't be cash-poor again! Of course, traveling with Disney, my concerns about money were groundless this time.
We were met by our first Disney escort as we waited for our luggage (waiting what seemed like hours for our bags).
Once the last piece of luggage arrived, we were on our way. Almost. Another wait (~10 minutes) was in store as we arrived at the curb. I think our driver had already left without us due to our luggage delay and was returning from dropping off the first gaggle of guests as we finally made our way outside the airport. However, we were reassured by our trusty Disney guide, Davide (dav-i-day), that our transport was on the way. So, we waited patiently. Our Mercedes van arrived at last. They loaded our many bags. And, we were on our way!
Travel through Rome is an adventure all by itself! Scooters and motorcycles lane-split (or filter, as they say in the UK). Speed limits and lanes are only a suggestion. And the traffic is dense. But, we made it into the city center without incident. The Arch of Constantine greeted our arrival, and we circumnavigated a good 120 degrees of the Coliseum in awe: a glimpse nearly 2,000 years back into history! A few more turns and a narrow street or two brought us into the vast plaza, and to the front of our hotel, the Exedra. Beautiful! Five stars, and then some!
We left our luggage behind with no thought of tipping or payment for the trip (all covered as part of the Disney tour) as James (our other Disney guide) greeted us, introduced us to a couple of our fellow adventurers, handed us a room key, and directed us to the elevator while explaining the European custom of numbering the first floor as zero ("0"). We were all amused to see that there was not only a "0" but also a floor "-1". ...must be the influence of all the great Italian mathematicians of bygone centuries. ;-)
Arrival in our Exedra hotel room left everyone in awe: Two floors with hardwood stairs, electronic lighting and drapery controls, a two-story view onto the plaza fountain, and a bathroom to make even the best U.S. hotels proud: vast space, marble tile all around, separate toilet / bidet area, dual vanity, walk-in shower and a large tub. Wow! This is not your typical European hotel! Although it was a local time around noon, we had eaten enough on the plane that the first order of business was to shower and sleep. Just a siesta, as we would join our group of 29 for dinner at 5:30PM.
Waking at 4PM, the few hours had helped us all a bit -- a welcome relief for tired eyes and bodies, after being awake since 7AM the day before..... 23 hours prior to our arrival at the hotel. The bed and pillows, again, set the benchmark for the best of the best. We were all lavishly accommodated in beds we would all have been happy to have at home. Soft but full pillows, and warm duvets covering a soft, firm mattress... like sleeping in a cloud.
We arrived at the VIP lounge dressed for dinner, collar shirt, slacks and dress shoes for me, dresses for the ladies. We were, perhaps, a trifle overdressed, but our introduction to our fellow Disney adventurers and guides was an up-scale affair with red and white wines (both quiet good), fancy and tasty aperitifs, and a range of snacks and drinks for the kids, including bottled water, both sparking and "still."
James led introductions, discussing the outline for our next nine days, and highlighting some of the key events/places we could look forward to. Davide talked about Rome, and led us through the "meet & greet." We began with introductions of each family, provided -- in most cases -- by very precocious children (including our own). But, to further break the ice, James and Davide handed out treasure-hunt-like forms with questions that would soon be answered by our fellow adventurers. I found that I was better at being interviewed than at interviewing, but met a few new people and some of the kids (Junior Adventurers). I was just a bit disappointed that after the effort to gather all that information, that we didn't each share a bit of what we learned about each other with the group... but, dinner called!
With assigned seating and the restaurant to ourselves, the Disney-experience continued. Dinner and drinks were tasty and served in an "home-style" fashion that reminded me of movies of royal dinners. The girls had earlier remarked, as chocolate strawberries were delivered to our room, that they felt like princesses. A very pleasant experience for all!
After dinner, we explored the ruins visible through the glass floors on floor "-1," then strolled around the plaza, marveling at the hotel from a distance. After sitting by the fountain for a bit, we returned to our room, anticipating sinking back into our plush beds for a much-needed night's sleep.
Having suffered the horror of watching the taxi meter tick past double the local cash I was carrying during my first trip to London years before, I was determined to have plenty of Euros this time! In spite of knowing that the arrivals area of the airport was probably the worst place to make this transaction, I paid the 11% "service" fee in exchange for the peace of mind that I wouldn't be cash-poor again! Of course, traveling with Disney, my concerns about money were groundless this time.
We were met by our first Disney escort as we waited for our luggage (waiting what seemed like hours for our bags).
Once the last piece of luggage arrived, we were on our way. Almost. Another wait (~10 minutes) was in store as we arrived at the curb. I think our driver had already left without us due to our luggage delay and was returning from dropping off the first gaggle of guests as we finally made our way outside the airport. However, we were reassured by our trusty Disney guide, Davide (dav-i-day), that our transport was on the way. So, we waited patiently. Our Mercedes van arrived at last. They loaded our many bags. And, we were on our way!
Travel through Rome is an adventure all by itself! Scooters and motorcycles lane-split (or filter, as they say in the UK). Speed limits and lanes are only a suggestion. And the traffic is dense. But, we made it into the city center without incident. The Arch of Constantine greeted our arrival, and we circumnavigated a good 120 degrees of the Coliseum in awe: a glimpse nearly 2,000 years back into history! A few more turns and a narrow street or two brought us into the vast plaza, and to the front of our hotel, the Exedra. Beautiful! Five stars, and then some!
We left our luggage behind with no thought of tipping or payment for the trip (all covered as part of the Disney tour) as James (our other Disney guide) greeted us, introduced us to a couple of our fellow adventurers, handed us a room key, and directed us to the elevator while explaining the European custom of numbering the first floor as zero ("0"). We were all amused to see that there was not only a "0" but also a floor "-1". ...must be the influence of all the great Italian mathematicians of bygone centuries. ;-)
Arrival in our Exedra hotel room left everyone in awe: Two floors with hardwood stairs, electronic lighting and drapery controls, a two-story view onto the plaza fountain, and a bathroom to make even the best U.S. hotels proud: vast space, marble tile all around, separate toilet / bidet area, dual vanity, walk-in shower and a large tub. Wow! This is not your typical European hotel! Although it was a local time around noon, we had eaten enough on the plane that the first order of business was to shower and sleep. Just a siesta, as we would join our group of 29 for dinner at 5:30PM.
Waking at 4PM, the few hours had helped us all a bit -- a welcome relief for tired eyes and bodies, after being awake since 7AM the day before..... 23 hours prior to our arrival at the hotel. The bed and pillows, again, set the benchmark for the best of the best. We were all lavishly accommodated in beds we would all have been happy to have at home. Soft but full pillows, and warm duvets covering a soft, firm mattress... like sleeping in a cloud.
We arrived at the VIP lounge dressed for dinner, collar shirt, slacks and dress shoes for me, dresses for the ladies. We were, perhaps, a trifle overdressed, but our introduction to our fellow Disney adventurers and guides was an up-scale affair with red and white wines (both quiet good), fancy and tasty aperitifs, and a range of snacks and drinks for the kids, including bottled water, both sparking and "still."
James led introductions, discussing the outline for our next nine days, and highlighting some of the key events/places we could look forward to. Davide talked about Rome, and led us through the "meet & greet." We began with introductions of each family, provided -- in most cases -- by very precocious children (including our own). But, to further break the ice, James and Davide handed out treasure-hunt-like forms with questions that would soon be answered by our fellow adventurers. I found that I was better at being interviewed than at interviewing, but met a few new people and some of the kids (Junior Adventurers). I was just a bit disappointed that after the effort to gather all that information, that we didn't each share a bit of what we learned about each other with the group... but, dinner called!
With assigned seating and the restaurant to ourselves, the Disney-experience continued. Dinner and drinks were tasty and served in an "home-style" fashion that reminded me of movies of royal dinners. The girls had earlier remarked, as chocolate strawberries were delivered to our room, that they felt like princesses. A very pleasant experience for all!
After dinner, we explored the ruins visible through the glass floors on floor "-1," then strolled around the plaza, marveling at the hotel from a distance. After sitting by the fountain for a bit, we returned to our room, anticipating sinking back into our plush beds for a much-needed night's sleep.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Europe - Day 0 - Departure for Italy
My first travel to Europe several years ago was a five-cities-in-twelve-days adventure that involved planes, trains and automobiles, four languages, and six currencies. This time, we arrived at the airport anticipating an adventure of a different sort.
Traveling with Adventures by Disney, the itinerary for this trip called for us to stay in three cities over nine days, with stops in two more cities along the way. [In fact, we would see a total of six cities and two countries before finishing our tour.]
Having packed only the day before, I had spent nearly zero-time on preparation for the trip. This was somewhat of a leap of faith, except that past experiences with Disney left little doubt that our Italian adventure would be meticulously choreographed and flawlessly produced. ...we would not be disappointed. [I wrote this while recovering from jet lag at 2:30AM, the night after our arrival. By the conclusion of the trip, we would find that "meticulously choreographed and flawlessly produced" were the perfect words... the trip couldn't have been better.]
We departed IAD in the afternoon, anticipating an arrival in Rome the next morning. For someone who has sworn "never again" about red-eyes, this was just crazy.
Our last-minute decision to upgrade to United "Economy Plus" was worth its weight in gold -- not only did we secure the extra legroom (which at 6'3", I really need) but we also were lucky to gain the entire center row on our 777 (5 seats) for the two of us.
I didn't bother trying to sleep. So, the evening/night/morning was a blur of movies on small screens, with brief intermissions to eat and read Fast Bikes. The food was passable, most notable because this was one of the rare non-business/first-class flights where we didn't have to pay for our choice of meals. After Perfect Stranger, The Waitress, Blades of Glory (the end only, thank god), Fracture (beginning and end) we made our descent into Rome with the Tyrrhenian Sea on our right.
Traveling with Adventures by Disney, the itinerary for this trip called for us to stay in three cities over nine days, with stops in two more cities along the way. [In fact, we would see a total of six cities and two countries before finishing our tour.]
Having packed only the day before, I had spent nearly zero-time on preparation for the trip. This was somewhat of a leap of faith, except that past experiences with Disney left little doubt that our Italian adventure would be meticulously choreographed and flawlessly produced. ...we would not be disappointed. [I wrote this while recovering from jet lag at 2:30AM, the night after our arrival. By the conclusion of the trip, we would find that "meticulously choreographed and flawlessly produced" were the perfect words... the trip couldn't have been better.]
We departed IAD in the afternoon, anticipating an arrival in Rome the next morning. For someone who has sworn "never again" about red-eyes, this was just crazy.
Our last-minute decision to upgrade to United "Economy Plus" was worth its weight in gold -- not only did we secure the extra legroom (which at 6'3", I really need) but we also were lucky to gain the entire center row on our 777 (5 seats) for the two of us.
I didn't bother trying to sleep. So, the evening/night/morning was a blur of movies on small screens, with brief intermissions to eat and read Fast Bikes. The food was passable, most notable because this was one of the rare non-business/first-class flights where we didn't have to pay for our choice of meals. After Perfect Stranger, The Waitress, Blades of Glory (the end only, thank god), Fracture (beginning and end) we made our descent into Rome with the Tyrrhenian Sea on our right.
Monday, September 10, 2007
European Adventure 2007
Back from a two week trip to Italy, Germany, and Austria with over 1,800 pictures, and experiences in 12 different cities in as many days.
We traveled with Adventures by Disney for the first leg of the trip. The weather in Italy was nearly flawless for the whole adventure, and the overall experience was just about as good as it gets. We spent time in Rome, Orvieto, Tuscany, Florence, Vatican City, and Venice.
The weather in Germany and Austria was marginal, but the purpose of our trip made up for the less-than-perfect weather. Fortunately, the clouds parted long enough during each day to support exploration of Rothenburg, Salzburg, Vienna, Berchtesgaden, and Königsee.
I'll follow-up shortly with a blow-by-blow daily diary of the grand adventure, including selected pictures.
Vacation Diaries:
Day 0 - Departure for Italy
Day 1 - Arrival in Italy
Day 2 - Rome: Arrival and Acclimation
Day 3 - Rome: Vatican City
Day 4 - The Journey to Tuscany via Orvieto, and a Tuscan welcome!
Day 5 - Tuscany: Pasta Making, the Pool and Italian Dodge Ball
Day 6 - Tuscany: Shopping in Florence
Day 7 - The Journey to Venice, the Grand Tour, and Dinner
Day 8 - Venice: Mask Making, and the Tearful Farewell
Day 9 - The Journey to Munich and Frankfurt
Day 10 - Recovery in Munich, and the Journey to Berchtesgaden via Salzburg
Day 11 - Berchtesgaden: Day Trip to Vienna
Day 12 - Berchtesgaden: a Day in Salzburg
Day 13 - The Return to Munich, and Home!
We traveled with Adventures by Disney for the first leg of the trip. The weather in Italy was nearly flawless for the whole adventure, and the overall experience was just about as good as it gets. We spent time in Rome, Orvieto, Tuscany, Florence, Vatican City, and Venice.
The weather in Germany and Austria was marginal, but the purpose of our trip made up for the less-than-perfect weather. Fortunately, the clouds parted long enough during each day to support exploration of Rothenburg, Salzburg, Vienna, Berchtesgaden, and Königsee.
I'll follow-up shortly with a blow-by-blow daily diary of the grand adventure, including selected pictures.
Vacation Diaries:
Day 0 - Departure for Italy
Day 1 - Arrival in Italy
Day 2 - Rome: Arrival and Acclimation
Day 3 - Rome: Vatican City
Day 4 - The Journey to Tuscany via Orvieto, and a Tuscan welcome!
Day 5 - Tuscany: Pasta Making, the Pool and Italian Dodge Ball
Day 6 - Tuscany: Shopping in Florence
Day 7 - The Journey to Venice, the Grand Tour, and Dinner
Day 8 - Venice: Mask Making, and the Tearful Farewell
Day 9 - The Journey to Munich and Frankfurt
Day 10 - Recovery in Munich, and the Journey to Berchtesgaden via Salzburg
Day 11 - Berchtesgaden: Day Trip to Vienna
Day 12 - Berchtesgaden: a Day in Salzburg
Day 13 - The Return to Munich, and Home!
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Most Played 2007
About a year ago I blogged about my iPod Top 25 Most Played list. No surprises this time, but a few on the rise, a few falling, and a couple new tracks. Overall, a great collection (I think):
Catch the Sun - Doves - Lost Souls
Par Avion - Mike + The Mechanics - Mike + The Mechanics
Erase-Rewind - The Cardigans - Gran Turismo
Muzik - Knoc-Turn'al - The Transporter Soundtrack
More Than This - The Cure - The X-Files: The Album
You Look So Fine - Garbage - Version 2.0
Claire De Lune - The Philadelphia Orchestra - Ocean's 11 Soundtrack
Atomic - Blondie - Best Of Blondie
When You Kiss Me - Shania Twain - Up! (Red Disc)
You And Your Friend - Snake River Conspiracy - Sonic Jihad
How Soon Is Now? - t.A.T.u. - 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane
The Trick Is To Keep Breathing - Garbage - Version 2.0
How Soon Is Now? - Snake River Conspiracy - Sonic Jihad
Burnin' For You - Blue Öyster Cult - Don't Fear The Reaper: The Best Of Blue Oyster Cult
All We Need Is A Dream - Cheap Trick - Lap Of Luxury
Hysteria - Def Leppard - Hysteria
Casualty - Snake River Conspiracy - Sonic Jihad
More Than Love - Snake River Conspiracy - Sonic Jihad
True Companion - Donald Fagen - Heavy Metal
It Really Doesn't Matter - Electric Light Orchestra - Zoom
A Day Without Rain - Enya - A Day Without Rain
Milk - Garbage - Garbage
My Elastic Eye - The Chemical Brothers - Come With Us
Let Me Be The One - Def Leppard - X
Hella Good - No Doubt - Rock Steady
What's your Top 25??
Catch the Sun - Doves - Lost Souls
Par Avion - Mike + The Mechanics - Mike + The Mechanics
Erase-Rewind - The Cardigans - Gran Turismo
Muzik - Knoc-Turn'al - The Transporter Soundtrack
More Than This - The Cure - The X-Files: The Album
You Look So Fine - Garbage - Version 2.0
Claire De Lune - The Philadelphia Orchestra - Ocean's 11 Soundtrack
Atomic - Blondie - Best Of Blondie
When You Kiss Me - Shania Twain - Up! (Red Disc)
You And Your Friend - Snake River Conspiracy - Sonic Jihad
How Soon Is Now? - t.A.T.u. - 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane
The Trick Is To Keep Breathing - Garbage - Version 2.0
How Soon Is Now? - Snake River Conspiracy - Sonic Jihad
Burnin' For You - Blue Öyster Cult - Don't Fear The Reaper: The Best Of Blue Oyster Cult
All We Need Is A Dream - Cheap Trick - Lap Of Luxury
Hysteria - Def Leppard - Hysteria
Casualty - Snake River Conspiracy - Sonic Jihad
More Than Love - Snake River Conspiracy - Sonic Jihad
True Companion - Donald Fagen - Heavy Metal
It Really Doesn't Matter - Electric Light Orchestra - Zoom
A Day Without Rain - Enya - A Day Without Rain
Milk - Garbage - Garbage
My Elastic Eye - The Chemical Brothers - Come With Us
Let Me Be The One - Def Leppard - X
Hella Good - No Doubt - Rock Steady
What's your Top 25??
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Blood Diamond
I'd been avoiding this movie for weeks, knowing that the subject matter would be tough to watch -- but having seen it now, I have to rate it five stars and was inspired to write my first review on NetFlix:
"Blood Diamond is a disturbing portrayal of man's inhumanity to man, balanced by the story of a father's (Djimon Hounsou) love for his family, and the redemption of a gun smuggler (Leonardo DiCaprio) who finds his true calling. Both stories are intertwined in the chaos of 1999 Sierra Leon in a way that is both terrifying and beautiful."
"Blood Diamond is a disturbing portrayal of man's inhumanity to man, balanced by the story of a father's (Djimon Hounsou) love for his family, and the redemption of a gun smuggler (Leonardo DiCaprio) who finds his true calling. Both stories are intertwined in the chaos of 1999 Sierra Leon in a way that is both terrifying and beautiful."
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Blogging Again
My faithful readership has been clamouring for an update... all two, err, one of them. I've either been busy, or lazy, or both. Lots to keep up with lately:
In May, I was in Banff, Canada for the WWW2007 conference; I still owe one of my co-workers a writeup on the semantic web sessions I attended. The Fairmont hotel was spectacular: a medieval castle, with a 21st century suite for the weary traveler. I hiked four to eight miles each night, rode horseback and visited Lake Louise on Saturday for lunch at the hotel and another four mile hike. After falling twice on the ice into deep puddles in the middle of the trail, I was a bit soggy for the drive back to my hotel.
A couple weekends later, I headed to the Andrews Air Force Base Air Show. The F-18 demo was spectacular, but the F-22 demo was unbelievable -- literally, more like a dream than watching a real plane. I rode there and back; doing 80 mph I was passed by SUVs and other bikers... 495/95 is crazy!
In June, I headed to New York City for a one day conference, and then stayed through the weekend. It was great to catch up with the guys at IndustryNext on Wednesday night. Then, I was incredibly fortunate to meet some terrific people at the conference, and had a great evening out on Thursday night. Friday, my wife drove into town, arriving just before midnight. We spent the next two days touring the area, and eating way too much (Pigilla, Cafe St. Barts, Rain and more...) During my five days in town, I walked 24.7 miles! Also visited a couple art galleries, made a quick run through the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Saturday night, and then caught the American Museum of Natural History presentation of Cosmic Collisions before heading out on Sunday... truly breathtaking.
In July, we headed to Dayton, Ohio. I rode my bike for the 1,000 mile round-trip, with speeds ranging from 80 to 95 mph through the mountain highways just to keep up with the pickups and SUVs. My mantra: "ride safe - stay up!" Fortunately, nothing particularly eventful happened on the trip out. Not much on the trip back except for a stinger in my left shoulder and one sweeping left turn at 75 mph where the bike didn't want to turn in... a bad time to panic! Fortunately, my reading (and practice) paid off: passive steering (pushing into the turn) and active steering (pulling on the opposite side) brought the bike into the turn... not a good time to rely on intuition about how to turn a bike (your intuition would be wrong, and you'd run off the road at high speed). At the end, it was good to be home!
In May, I was in Banff, Canada for the WWW2007 conference; I still owe one of my co-workers a writeup on the semantic web sessions I attended. The Fairmont hotel was spectacular: a medieval castle, with a 21st century suite for the weary traveler. I hiked four to eight miles each night, rode horseback and visited Lake Louise on Saturday for lunch at the hotel and another four mile hike. After falling twice on the ice into deep puddles in the middle of the trail, I was a bit soggy for the drive back to my hotel.
A couple weekends later, I headed to the Andrews Air Force Base Air Show. The F-18 demo was spectacular, but the F-22 demo was unbelievable -- literally, more like a dream than watching a real plane. I rode there and back; doing 80 mph I was passed by SUVs and other bikers... 495/95 is crazy!
In June, I headed to New York City for a one day conference, and then stayed through the weekend. It was great to catch up with the guys at IndustryNext on Wednesday night. Then, I was incredibly fortunate to meet some terrific people at the conference, and had a great evening out on Thursday night. Friday, my wife drove into town, arriving just before midnight. We spent the next two days touring the area, and eating way too much (Pigilla, Cafe St. Barts, Rain and more...) During my five days in town, I walked 24.7 miles! Also visited a couple art galleries, made a quick run through the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Saturday night, and then caught the American Museum of Natural History presentation of Cosmic Collisions before heading out on Sunday... truly breathtaking.
In July, we headed to Dayton, Ohio. I rode my bike for the 1,000 mile round-trip, with speeds ranging from 80 to 95 mph through the mountain highways just to keep up with the pickups and SUVs. My mantra: "ride safe - stay up!" Fortunately, nothing particularly eventful happened on the trip out. Not much on the trip back except for a stinger in my left shoulder and one sweeping left turn at 75 mph where the bike didn't want to turn in... a bad time to panic! Fortunately, my reading (and practice) paid off: passive steering (pushing into the turn) and active steering (pulling on the opposite side) brought the bike into the turn... not a good time to rely on intuition about how to turn a bike (your intuition would be wrong, and you'd run off the road at high speed). At the end, it was good to be home!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)