Harley Heritage
We just got back from our annual motorcycle vacation in which we rode to Durango, Colorado with 3 other couples. Most of us were on touring bikes--three Electraglides and one Heritage Softail. As far as I am concerned, it's not what you ride, but rather that you ride.
I recently saw a t-shirt that says "Bikers know why dogs hang their heads out car windows". That pretty much sums it up for me. Riding on a bike and seeing beautiful countryside is so different than traveling in a car. You get to experience the ride with each of your senses. The smell of the mountain laurel was sweet. The wind in your face was refreshing. The sound of the pipes was deafening at times. The ever-changing landscape was breathtaking. the taste of the bugs...uh, I guess that could be described as breathtaking as well.
We rode over 2700 miles in 8 days and rode in temperatures ranging from 32° to 100°. We rode over mountains reaching elevations nearing 12,000 ft. and crossed the continental divide several times. We saw the beginning of the Rio Grande River. As we explored the back roads of Colorado, we saw wildlife such as marmots, elk and a close encounter with a deer who choose an inopportune time to cross a mountain highway. That can get your heart pounding.
Our last night was spent on Historic Route 66 in the Blue Swallow Motel, built in 1939. That was a cool experience I won't forget.
Seeing a part of America on the back of a motorcycle is a thrill we share with our friends. It's hard to beat good rides, good food and good friends.
©2009 Laura Smetak All rights reserved.
All photos and stories on this blog are copyrighted and use without the artists express permission is prohibited.
It's My Culture and Heritage
AN OMINOUS LOOK
Summer Storm: McKinney Performing Arts Center - McKinney, Texas (iPhone 3G)
Another iPhone photo, I took this today when a Summer storm came through McKinney. Right after I got back to my office, the bottom fell out of those clouds and dumped a bunch of rain on downtown. It is kind of a spooky photo of the Historic Collin County Courthouse, which comes complete with its own ghostly entitites.
©2009 Laura Smetak All rights reserved.
All photos and stories on this blog are copyrighted and use without the artists express permission is prohibited.
Apple Rocks
These photos were all taken and edited on the Apple iPhone on the back of the Harley. At 70 mph, I managed to snap the photo, edit it with web apps and upload them. This was my little experiment while traveling through Colorado during my 9 day vacation. I didn't start out to use the phone so much, but after playing with a few photos I liked the looks and thought it made and interesting collection.
Exiting the Storm - Clarendon, Texas (iPhone 3G)
Tee Pee Curios, Route 66 - Tucumcari, NM (iPhone 3G)
Somewhere in Colorado (iPhone 3G)
Aspens in Spring - Pagosa Springs, Colorado (iPhone 3G)
Courthouse - Telluride, Colorado (iPhone 3G)
Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad - Silverton, Colorado (iPhone 3G)
On the Road to Mesa Verde - Mancos, Colorado (iPhone 3G)
Roadside Tepees - Mancos, Colorado (iPhone 3G)
Chimney Rock Colorado (iPhone 3G)
LET SLEEPING DOGS LIE
Camping Scooter
I guess I go a little crazy over our dogs. Scooter is probably the most photographed of all the beagles we have had. I just can't resist using her as a test subject. I was just playing with the natural light coming through the camper window and testing out the settings on my camera, of which there are tons.
She just slept through the whole thing, so peaceful. Scooter has a few alter egos. At Home Scooter, as we call her, gets into mischief a lot. Boredom I guess. But come time to go camping, she turns into Camping Scooter, one of the most perfect dog you'd ever meet. It is funny to see how she transforms herself into such a well behaved pup.
So I know it is in her. It just goes to prove she is just ignoring my so called authority at home. I guess we know who really is in control.
©2009 Laura Smetak All rights reserved.
All photos and stories on this blog are copyrighted and use without the artists express permission is prohibited.
