'Tis the Season

April 27, 2014

Following a couple of days of reasonably consistent rain, I judged the asphalt to be sufficiently cleansed of salt residue. I pulled the ST out of hibernation and had a my first highway run of the 2014 season on Saturday afternoon. It was only a short sprint, a little over 100kms, as I had to get back into town to pick up my youngest at the airport. Still, it was great to get out on the road. The first run of the season is always particularly enjoyable as it reawakens that sensation of freedom that nothing else like a motorcycle ride gives me. I drove out the TCH as far as Roaches Line, a smidge over 50kms outside of St. John's, in case anyone not familiar with our geograpghy stumbles upon these musings. I tend to drive at an pretty good clip and I was fortunate to encounter several like-minded car drivers behind whom I tucked in, so as to avoid the prying eyes of the RCMP radar. I've been dinged pretty heavily these past few years and I need to avoid another hefty ticket, and worse-- the loss of points. It's tough because I find riding at the speed limit boring and both my bikes are 4 cylinders and were made for quick acceleration & high speeds on the highway.

Anyways, I had hoped to get in another ride today, but the drizzle and fog never did let go. I went out to my brother's place and picked up my cruiser, a 2000 Honda Magna V4 750. By the time I covered the 15 or so kms from his place to mine my fingers were numb. I did manage to get out earlier in the day and wash the ST. It had a fair bit of grime from the one winter run I made in January when we were in the middle of a thaw. Both bikes are now tucked side by side in the shed, awaiting the arrival any opportunity mother nature provides to shake of the dust off from everyday living. Its a bit tight in there right now as I only just got the snow blower put into summer storage and have yet to organise the Christmas decoration and other items I have been tossing into the shed over the winter.  The brown box you see in the right corner of pic one is the new patio set. The new 4000 watt generator is behind that (said generator made necessary by the dubious management of those in charge of our electricity generation grid her in NL). I've gotten pretty good at manoeuvring both bikes in and out and so the shed, which is 10x14, is quite workable. It has to be--that 20 x 16 garage isn't likely to be in the budget anytime soon.

Well, that's about the extent of my musings for now. It's late as I write this and 6:30 AM will come soon enough. My restful Easter break is over, so it's back to school for the homestretch. Hopefully next time I post we will have had some warmer and sunnier weather and I will have had the opportunity to have had a few extended rides... maybe even have some pics to show for it.

See you out there...Ride On!!!

The Music of this Place

TUESDAY, April 21, 2014

I had a great musical experience today. There is a small coffee shop downtown on water St. called The Rocket. It serves great coffee and homemade food. Every Tuesday a small collection of local amateur musicians gather in the corner of the dining area and have a jam. Today it was three violins, a guitar, two accordions and a flute. They played traditional Newfoundland jigs & reels to the delight of everyone gathered, especially the come-from-aways ( the NL term for tourists). Newfoundlanders love there music. It is, I guess, one of the enduring traits that is typically associated with us. I know I relate to this as being part of what it is to be a Newfoundlander. Here is a You Tube clip I found of one of their performances. The video I took today wouldn't cooperate https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-GpSgWoIkw

It's not even so much the type of music. To be honest I was raised as much on Charlie Pride, Jim Reeves and Elvis as I was on the Newfoundland folk songs and the tunes that we typically associate with our Irish heritage. I was at a concert last Friday called the Last Waltz Revisited. Local musicians of a different genre got together to reenact the Band's infamous last concert. It was an amazing night of high quality entertainment. At it core, though, is the love of the music.

I guess like everyone, there is a certain identity that goes with being where you are from. I think I hold on to the music and it's continued influence on our culture more so because so many things about what it meant to be a Newfoundlander seem to be different now than when I was younger. It started with confederation with Canada when the then nation of Newfoundland lost its independence. However, the destruction of the cod fishery that was the corner stone of the economy and the life blood of the hundreds of small out ports that dotted our coast, brought irreversible cultural change. I grew up in a different Newfoundland than the one my children do, so experiences like today's musical lunch remind me there are still pieces left of who we were.

It's not only the music. No, the arts in general remain vibrant in our province and are still an important feature of our identity. Indeed, last week I took in our school's performance at the provincial drama festival, which showcases acting chops  amongst our provinces students. The next generation of talent waiting in the wings was impressive to witness.

I am currently on Easter break. Schools closed on Holy Thursday and will reopen on April 28. It has been quite restful and I needed that. The year is winding down and I am tired. I have filled my days with reading & walking; great practise for retirement. The spring temps have been tolerable, indeed today we got up to 11 degrees. The snow is pretty much gone except for a few clumps and clusters where it drifted or where the plow had piled it high. We still haven't had that two or three days of heavy rain to wash the asphalt and the white salt residue is clearly visible when I am walking. The bike stays stored until that is gone. Our evenings are occupied with a newly discovered series on Netflix called Dowton Abby. Sherry & I began watching on Sunday and have nearly finished the the second season (eight hour long episodes per season).

I have continued my window shopping for our future gypsy caravan but I have moved from internet surfing to visiting the local RV dealers. So far I have only looked at travel trailers but today I plan to tour a couple of Class A's. I'm still a couple of years from a purchase but this research is  just something else to keep me occupied and it will be time well spent when I do need to make a decision on a purchase.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

I held off posting Tuesday's blog because I had taken a video of the performance and wanted to include it. However, It was on my daughter's phone and we couldn't figure out a way to download it, so  ultimately I had to go with a You Tube video I found.  It turns out to be a fortuitous delay as I it gives me the opportunity to give you a sample of another musical experience I had last night. It was a triple header of concerts in our small city last night with Bryan Adams, Gordon Lightfoot, and Willie Nile. Willie is certainly the road less travelled, but it is the show I chose. He never found huge commercial success compared to some of his New York City compatriots like Bruce Springsteen. But even at 65 he rocks the house. The whole room was actually dancing. Here is a You Tube sample of some older and more recent tunes. The first one is from a 1981 album.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPbQAn8Lh0g . This second one is the title track from a recent album. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hT3MFnOxNZo

Music for me is really uplifting and when I put in my headphones, turn up the mp3 player and hit the road on my bike the troubles of the everyday just fade away. It has rained here the past two days, and that should be enough to wash the salt residue from the asphalt, so, despite it only being five degrees, I shall likely have my first ride of the season today.

See U out there... Ride On!

Spring pics up Speed.

So, a while back I wrote a blog about spring nudging along. And, indeed, that is what it will continue to do for several more weeks. However, developments in the past 10 days are very promising. Spring has picked up speed in its advance and has clearly taken hold as the pics below will attest.

This first one was taken on April 1st, when Sheila and her damn brush dropped nearly 50 cms over 48 hours. The deck was piled high up to the rails and the BBQ was buried.



Well, as you can see from the pic taken earlier today, the snow is receding, albeit reluctantly.

Thank God. it was a hell of a long winter, one that came early with heavy snow in December and lasted basically for four months. Now there will be lots of rain for the next couple of months but warmer temps are already here ( a balmy plus 7 today). If  it continues and we get enough rain to cleanse the asphalt of salt residue, we may get the riding season started in earnest here by late April or early May.

I haven't had much to blog about since last time I shared my musings. I am chugging along through the first of Peter Guralnick's two bio's on Elvis. It is an interesting and intricate study of the first four to five years of his career. It has caused me to go back and pull out the 50's Elvis cds that I haven't listed to in some time. I'm listening now with greater insight into how revolutionary and primitive these early recordings were, all at once.

On the movie front I recently watched American Hustle..."OK", and Dallas Buyers Club, "very good". Other than that the only out of the routine news is my recent surgery for cataracts. I have to wear these god awful goggles for a week, but I have a strange urge to play da blues...

Well, that's all for now and probably for a while. I have one more week to endure and then it's Easter break here for 10 days. We'll return in time to welcome in May and the school year is in it's home stretch. I'll get lots of rest over the break, especially since the Leafs pulled another collapse and meekly bowed out of the playoffs. In our time zone playoff hockey would mean 11:30 to 12:00 AM nights; later if overtime was necessary.... No worries 'bout that now.

Safe travels to all u Canadians heading North from your winter hideout in the sunny South.Thanks for sharing and getting this snowbound motorcycle rider through a tough stretch

See Ya out There...Ride On!

Cold Day In Hell

So, we have all heard those threats, promises, predictions...whatever word one wants to use, stating "it'll be a cold day in hell when..." OK folks, I expect to see a lot of these things coming true 'cause this winter has been hell and it sure is cold, so... Crap, Now I have to worry about my mother-in-law moving in because I did say it'll be a cold day in hell before I let that happen.

This morning's screen on the Environment Canada website has a big yellow bar with "Winter Storm Watch" emblazoned on it. Frankly, I am tired of watching this winter so I would like to decline the offer. Geez, even my vicariously lived life was thrown a curve yesterday when reading my friend Sass's blog where she posted pics of that white misery as it collected on the windscreen of her RV. You're comin' North too early my friend.http://sassysondaroad.blogspot.ca/

A recent commenter on my blog (apparently people do stop by occasionally) queried about my writing about snow. Well, you know what they always tell writers "write what you know" and man do we know snow up here. Also, this blogging about my misery has been therapeutic, like sharing the burden  until I can get back on the bike again, whenever riding season does come around.

Enough about snow. Hopefully the lion will roar, March will go out with said roar and April will bring those showers I have heard about..then I can write about the rain.Yippee!!!!

I have been getting lots of practise in  readiness for my planned retirement in a couple of years. I just finished reading my second book by John Elder Robison called Raising Cubby. Robison was raised in the 60's & 70's and "suffered" with Aspbergers before anyone really knew what that disorder was. His first book about his struggle is called Look Me In The Eye. I recommend it, if you are into reading bios. He has a third book called Be Different, that I plan to get as well. I am a big autobiography/biography fan. I was working my way through an Elvis book, Last Train to Memphis, when I got sidetracked with Robison's book. I will pick up Last Train...again now. By the way, Robison's brother wrote a very well know book, one that was made into a movie, called Running With Scissors.

I do look forward to the days when this reading will be my primary task for the day, that and riding my motorcycle where ever the road and wind lead me. My current status as a junior high school counsellor requires  in depth thinking,  for which I find I no longer have the enthusiasm  that that I once did. I still enjoy working with the kids. It's the adults that leave me shaking my head. I know I am getting close to being paroled though. On Friday a social worker from Child Services called with an enquiry. Here in Newfoundland we  have that small world mentality where we try to make connections to a place or person. So, when the young woman said her name, I recognised it as being common to the Southern Shore. With just a couple of questions it turns out I knew her mom, and, get this, I was the social worker's elementary school guidance counsellor. Now this might make one feel old, and for a moment I did. But, one must get to this point so that one can see the light of retirement at the end of the tunnel. I see that light (Please God, do not let it be a train).

So burying my mind in a good book or in the tales of bloggers out there still sitting in 30+ degree heat in Arizona in March is getting me through. That and window shopping for my future home on wheels, a pic of which I posted in an earlier post. So again I say thanks to those who meander by to take in my musings. Leave a comment as it is always nice to hear from fellow bloggers, plus I am always interested in the ramblings on new blogs I find out about. Stories of road trips down desert back roads or open highways under clear blue sky, or tales of finding an interesting market place and other various sights, sure beats the reality of March in Newfoundland.

See Ya Out There. Ride On...

It Never Rains but it Pours...part duex

...just thought I'd update my sad tale of woe from earlier today, if only because the day turned out more positively then it started. Turns out my $300.00 water boiler is almost free (except form Kent's processing fee) because the old one was under warranty. Yahoo!!! As well, the plumber only charged me $80.00 and he was here for over three hours...not a bad deal. It was a blue sky sunshine, spring like day, despite the snow, and that always lifts my mood. As well, I took my son to lunch. We don't do much of that anymore as he has gotten older and it was a great meal and a great chat...a real good chance to connect.

So, not a thrill ride to be sure, but an OK day, none the less. I look forward to reading tales of sunny skies form RV snowbirds and dreaming of the day....

Ride On! See ya out There...

It never rains but it pours...

That old cliche sure suits me today...actually a more apt phrasing would be it never snows but it floods. Either way, its been a challenging 24 hours. Monday saw the return of winter with avegence. That's the snow part. The flood part was when I woke up this morning to find that the hot water boiler had sprung a leak and the downstairs bathroom/laundry room is now quite wet. Ces't la vie! I did get a day off work yesterday. I wish the tank had crapped out yesterday because I had too take another day off work today to fix it.

So, anyways, new hotwater boiler, just a littel over $300.00 Cost of plumber...remains to be seen. With another wollop from 'ol mother nature tomorrow evening, this week just keeps gettin' better. Like many snow bound Canadians, I am wondering will this winter ever end? It will of course. However, in the mean time I will keep following the adventures of you bloggers out there who are livin' the RV dream in the sunny south.

To end on a positive note; it is a brilliant, sunny day. While it may feel more like January than the end of March, there is power in that sun.

Ride On...See ya Out There

Still Dreaming

Well, it's a bleak, late winter, alleged spring day here on the rock. I know I am not doing my home province's attempts to attract tourists any favour with my dreary talk of extended winter. However, this is NL in March. Actually, it seems like most of Eastern Canada is having trouble shaking off the winter blahs. We  have a pending storm advisory for later this week :(  When summer does arrive, it will be much nicer. I typically put over 10,000 kms on the bike each summer, so there is actual riding weather here...come then if you are so inclined. :)

On a more positive note. I watched a beautiful movie last night; a recent release called "About Time". It was really uplifting. I am working my way through a new book, another biography. This one is about the early part of Elvis' career and is called "Last Train to Memphis". This is what one does to get through this season...and, of course, it is great practise for the planned gypsy traveller lifestyle my wife & I have planned upon retirement. Speaking of retirement, part of my coping strategy for this long 'ol winter has been to dream about what my rolling home will be like. I have traded e-mails back and forth with my friend Denise (Sass), who is currently livin' the dream, and with her help I have constructed a growing must have list of features of what the rollin' Chez Ryan will require. Well, as of right now, here is the leading candidate

I initially found this one in the US. http://www.rvtrader.com/listing/2007-Winnebago-Adventurer-38J-112026003
Just outta curiosity decided to do some comparison shopping in Canada (where of course I would not have to factor in the exchange rate) and voila!
 http://www.rvt.com/2007-Winnebago-Adventurer%2038J-Summerland-British%20Columbia-for-sale-ID5205956.htm?keyword=_cat:rvt.com&gclid=CP2dv7LtqL0CFWxp7Aod_0oAHg.  Oh, I know I am a few years away from making the big purchase, but it is nice to dream.

Anyways, the wife is calling me to Sunday brunch. I shall leave my dreaming for a while and turn to a wonderful culinary reality that she creates for me...also I will turn to doing the laundry,a different kind of reality :p

All the best to those who may drop by to mull over my musings.

Ride On! see ya out There...