"Kitchen" the cat

Yes, a cat named "Kitchen" resides with me.  She's quite photogenic but she likes things done her way.  Respect that and all is alright, if you disrespect her she'll treat you appropriately.  Photo # 102:

The motorcycle... the medium...

Not directly related to my photos BUT is very important to me for obtaining many of my photos is my motorcycle.  So... these two links to websites that inspire and sometimes make me drool over the products they sell:

http://bmwmoarally.com/motorcycle-adventure-blog-contest and to www.RevZilla.com


Given that so much traffic is coming to this page, it was odd I didn't have any pictures.  Here are some pics of my motorcycle and some two-wheeled vehicles around town. (photos 127, 128 and 129)

This is Zoe my BMW R1150R, her name was inspired by a Cylon from the show Caprica.  (unfortunately the show wasn't as good as Battlestar Galactica).  This is one great bike.  Anyone considering getting one, get it!  Just make sure the fuel line quick disconnects are replaced (if they haven't been replaced or there is no record of them being replaced - replace them.  They WILL fail.) and the zipties beneath the handlebars are cut (they are installed too tight at the factory).  It is a great street bike AND it is a great touring bike.  I've done over 15000 miles on her in a bit over two years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This baby graced the top of the old Big Peoples scooter store in Georgetown.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

aaaand  finally, here's a vid of my ride on Route 1 from Legget... it was a nice ride. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Around the apartment...

I've actually been off traveling to many places, Trinity, CA., New York City both great places to take photographs but I think I needed a break from taking pictures and wanted simply to enjoy the moment.  I did however take a moment for pictures around the apartment.  Here are photos # 99, 100 (yay!), and 101.

Yes, I already took one similar to this but the quality of light is just so amazing!

 

Blockhouse on Coupeville and Ebey's Landing, Whidbey Island

Late July I rode out again to Whidbey Island specifically to study the block houses there.  I have posted a bit previously, here more...  Although many had existed on Whidbey Island around the 1850's there are only a few that can be visited.  I visited one at Coupeville and another at a cemetary near Ebey's landing.  They are unique in that they are homesteads but have a second flooe which sticks out on all sides by 18 to 24 inches.  The second floor was for protection against Indian attacks.  There were no known attacks on these houses.  There were arrowslits in the walls for guns or bow and arrows.  Interestingly all homesteads aare about the same size - about 14 feet wide and 20 feet long.  The photo below is part of Jacob Ebey's Blockhouse.  Photo # 98:

Red Barn in Carnation

I took the Vespa out for a ride in the countryside and came across this red barn.  Yes, I like red barns.  They fit the image of what I was always told a barn should look like.  Photos# 94, 95, 96 and 97.

Sedro-Wooley Loop

The Sedro-Wooley loop is what I call a motorcycle ride that does a loop about 111 miles.  The towns it goes through are Sedro-Wooley, Concrete, Rockport, Darrington, Arlington and some others.  It runs along the Sauk River and offers majestic views of the Mt. Baker National Forest.  The picture with the roses is a detail of a small cedar house that's about 14 feet by 20 feet, very similar in size to the Blockhouses at Ebey's landing.  Limited to the means they had (manpower) it makes sense that they wouldn't be any larger being that everything was hand made.  They also probably didn't need any more space than that.  The roses were from a plant that the original inhabitants of the house brought from Eastern Canada in 1881.  Pretty kool that the rose bush and the house has lasted this long.  Photo's # 90, 91, 92 and 93:

Vancouver B.C.

A day trip to Vancouver B.C. got us to Gastown and the Classical Chinese Garden nearby.  Gastown was a nice area retaining what the older Vancouver was like, with older buildings and eating establishments.  The Chinese Garden was a small oasis right at the edge of Chinatown.  The garden feels much bigger than it is composed of the classical elements of a garden: buildings, rocks, plants and water. Photos #84 to 89: