Nature Hike Gone Bad

The family and I went on a Nature Hike up to Opal Creek. I read up on the history of the area and we became especially fascinated with the once 'prosperous gold mining camp'. The clan and I embarked on a 9 mile round trip to view all the sights. We saw birds, flowers, squirrels, fish, waterfalls, and old logging equipment. After hours of hiking, we finally found what we thought we were looking for, an abandoned gold mining tunnel, but to our HORROR it was a MIME SHAFT " as you can see from the photo provided". We will NEVER...NEVER get over that sight!

Biker Buddies and Motorcycle Zen

Not long ago, Dan (biker buddy) introduced me to a little hole-in-the-wall diner named Shirley Mae's (I hope I have that spelling right). Stunningly good food, exceedingly generous helpings (Ms. Skald and I share a plate), and just the right ambience for a couple of bikers. It seems Dan's got a nose for eats, but more, he's got a poet's soul and he liked this blog's notion of Motorcycle Zen – so he couldn't help but send out a bit of a prose poem – here it is for your pleasure and edification:

About 2 years ago, I purchased a Royal Enfield Bullet 500 ES Classic - pure 1950's technology, built in India on 1950's machinery and tooling from Redditch, England. Of course this means that I need to spend time about every 100 miles checking all the bolts, wires, carb settings, etc. But I learned a lot about motorcycling with the wee bike. The only thing that did not thrill me was the max top speed of 67+-. Trucks kept making me nervous.

Then, a year ago I bought a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. A 2004 Fatboy: a Twin Cam 88B, fuel injected, internally balanced (less vibration), 88 cubic inch engine. Lava Red and only 8000 miles on her! Oh, the power when I got her out on the highway and opened up the throttle. She became my main commuter, carrying me the 34 miles one way to work, relegating the faithful little 4 cycle one-lunger to the occasional short ride around town.

But today, I got home and parked the Harley-Davidson and looked over at the Royal Enfield. That black paint and gold pinstripe called to me. I walked over, put the key in, turned on the fuel and kicked him over (yes, it's a him). Brruumm, poppapoppapoppapoppa. I got on and went for a spin. What a difference between the two. One, a big, heavy, fuel injected modern beast versus the other, a light, carbureted, single cylinder running on 1950's technology. No computer to deal with, no idiot lights if things go wrong. Just a 500 cc (32 cubic inch) thumper moving me down the road on a saddle between two tyres (they are Avons, so that is the correct spelling). Simplicity on a sunny, first-of-summer afternoon. Sorry Mr. Harley and you Davidson brothers, but Redditch tech wins today. I will be taking off for work about 30 minutes earlier tomorrow – the back roads are safer for the Enfield than trusting to rushing commuters on I-5.

Flatheads, knuckleheads, panheads and more – oldies worth riding… like Dan said, it's summer, and it's time to pick the June bugs, Mayflies, and love bugs out of our teeth and hair. Well friends, I'll meet you at the pub after the ride.

Stay free, ride hard.

A Tree Falls in the Woods…

There is an old saw in philosophy that cuts this way, "If a tree falls in the woods, and there is no one there to perceive it, then does it make a sound?" Philosophical skeptics such as David Hume and Bishop Berkeley are largely responsible for the notion. They were so consumed with the mechanics of human perception they doubted the existence of a world that existed outside the human mind.

Gravebinder and I were knocking around an idea for a story and this notion of perception came up in regards to freedom. If there is a secret cabal (you know, like the vast neocon conspiracy to wrest control of our government) influencing/manipulating society without their knowledge, is that society free? Is their freedom contingent on their own perception? Is ignorance really bliss?

Seriously, in terms of perception, if a deal is made between two parties, and both parties are satisfied by the deal, haven't they both come out ahead because of their perceived value of the exchange in question? I pay a buck fifty for the Sunday paper because I believe the value of the contents are worth more than my buck fifty, and the newspaper company is convinced the buck fifty is worth more than the paper (the paper is at least suitable to wrap fish). Too capitalist a perspective? Or is freedom not a commodity that can be valued/traded in a market?

For Gravebinder and me, the notion was relative to the observer. If I am unaware of the manipulation moving me in a specific direction, then I would consider myself free to act. If and when I become aware of the manipulation, then I also become aware of the constraints on my freedom. The question becomes whether or not there is a locus of perception greater than myself that defines an objective reality that everyone shares.

Is there an objective reality? Does it make sense for us to hash things out for the best course of action? For Bishop Berkley it makes sense, and Ronald Knox wrote a limerick that comments on why:

There was a young man who said "God
Must think it exceedingly odd
If he finds that this tree
Continues to be
When there's no one about in the Quad."

"Dear Sir, your astonishment's odd;
I am always about in the Quad
And that's why this tree
Will continue to be
Since observed by Yours faithfully, God."

I like these limericks, Gravebinder likes these limericks, and I figured you might like them. A last question to everyone then: Does the tree continue to be?

Cheers all.

Friday the Thirteenth Calf Blogging

Ok, ok – I'll be getting off my duff here shortly, but before the research starts in earnest, I've an obligation to share this baby cow thing I found. Why? Well, first there's the Friday Calf Blogging that Coffee neglected *most evil grin*. Second, I was looking around for something that might be suitable for today's calf blogging and came across a sleeping baby cow… my daughters saw the darn thing – it seems I'm buying three: one each for daughters number three and four, and one for their friend's wedding. I guess she's a cow person. Curses! J

Was it the participation? Friday the thirteenth? That I'm enjoying myself now that I've graduated again? *^%$&@# Click the picture and -- Go buy a cow…

The Vacation’s Over

Hello blogosphere! I'm back from vacation, and as vacations go, parts of it were wonderful! The medical crap, not so fun, but gaming with Gravebinder, and hitting the coast for the Fourth of July were both great fun. We had some crabs, chips, and pickles on the beach with my father and his wife, and all the girls did the beachcomber thing while the two old men sat on their duffs. Now we're planning a campout with my brother up in the Jefferson wilderness somewhere… probably out by Three Fingered Jack – looking forward to fun!

My apologies for not mentioning the week of vacation, but I'll soon be back to more regular entries. I am looking forward to a few new projects – for the blog, for a few friends, and most important, for my family.

Cheers all!