THINGS--SPRING EQUINOX--BIG BAD WINTER SOLSTICE OF 2012

COLD JANUARY MOON

BACK ON JANUARY 4^TH OR 5^TH OUR GOOD EARTH GOT AS CLOSE TO THE SUN AS IT’S GOING TO GET FOR THE COMING YEAR..WE ARE ABOUT THREE MILLION MILES CLOSER TO THE SUN IN THE WINTER THAN WE ARE IN THE SUMMER AND AT THIS POINT THE EARTH IS ZOOMING ALONG IN IT’S ORBIT (AROUND 19 MILES A SECOND OR 67,OOO MPH) TOWARDS THE GOOD OLD SPRING EQUINOX..AT THE SAME TIME WE ROTATE FROM DAY TO NIGHT AT A SPEED OF JUST OVER 1000 MPH (AT THE EQUATOR)..KIND OF A SMALL WONDER THAT WE AREN’T ALL DIZZY AND FALLING ALL OVER THE PLACE..MOVING AT THIS SPEED WE SHOULD REACH THE SPRING EQUINOX ON MARCH 20^TH AT 1:14 A.M. E.D.T…JUST 55 MORE DAYS FROM TODAY-WHICH FOR ME WOULD BE THURSDAY, JANUARY 25^TH   …

ACCORDING TO A LOT OF FOLKS, THIS WILL BE THE LAST SPRING EQUINOX WE ENJOY..LOT OF TALK ABOUT THIS YEAR’S WINTER SOLSTICE (DEC 21^ST) BEING THE END OF THE WORLD..A FEW DIFFERENT SCENARIOS HAVE PRESENTED THEMSELVES..I’VE HEARD THAT A COLLISION WITH A BROWN DWARF STAR OR A ROGUE PLANET (‘PLANET X’ AKA ‘NIBIRU’) IS FORTHCOMING.. OLD ‘NIBIRU’ WAS SUPPOSED TO WASTE US BACK IN 2003-NEVER EVEN CAME CLOSE..IF A PLANET WAS GOING TO BE THIS DEEP IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM BY DECEMBER WE COULD PROBABLY SEE IT WITH THE NAKED EYE BY NOW..YOU AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS KNOW THE MANY REASONS WHY WE WON'T EVEN CONSIDER THE NONSENSE ABOUT A BROWN DWARF STAR..

THEN YOU HAVE TALK ABOUT ‘GALACTIC ALIGNMENT’ CAUSING ALL SORTS OF CATASTROPHES..HOT FLASH–HAPPENS EVERY YEAR--RIGHT ON THE WINTER SOLSTICE..AND THE GOOD OLD EARTH KEEPS SPINNING ROUND..NOPE, NO NEED TO FEAR THIS YEARS “GALACTIC ALIGNMENT.” GONNA BE THE SAME AS THE REST OF THE ALIGNMENTS THAT MOTHER EARTH HAS GONE THROUGH SINCE THE MOMENT SHE WAS BORN INTO OUR BEAUTIFUL GALAXY (APPROXIMATELY 4.3 BILLION YEARS AGO)..JABBERING ABOUT POLE SHIFTS, MASSIVE EARTHQUAKES AND SOLAR STORMS—MAN!! CUT THROUGH THE CRAP AND CHECK OUT THE SCIENCE.. SOME KIND OF SOCIAL ENTITY OR GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY MUST JUST COME UP WITH THINGS AND IDEAS TO GIVE PEOPLE JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE TO WORRY ABOUT..



SOME PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT JUST THRIVE ON B.S. AND NONSENSE..HOLLYWOOD JUST FEEDS OFF THE CRAP AND WORKS MAGIC THAT TURNS PEOPLES UNCERTAINTIES AND FEARS INTO DOLLARS..THE MAYAN CALENDAR DOESN’T JUST END AND IT ALSO DOESN’T PREDICT WHEN THE WORLD WILL END..THERE ARE PLENTY OF GOOD SITES TO LEARN MORE ABOUT 2012 ‘END OF DAYS’ NONSENSE.. CHECK OUT ‘ALIGNMENT 2012’ A GOOD SITE WITH A BUNCH OF OTHER GOOD LINKS..



ONE OF MY FAVORITE FISHING SPOTS DURING THOSE BEAUTIFUL SUMMER EVENINGS



SURE THERE WILL BE BAD THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN 2012, UNFORTUNATELY BAD THINGS HAPPEN ALL THE TIME--ALL OVER THE WORLD—AND THEY WILL HAPPEN AGAIN IN 2013-14-15 ETC..ETC.. 

A FRIEND TOOK ME BY SURPRISE WHEN HE VOICED CONCERNS ABOUT THE 2012 WINTER SOLSTICE..I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT HE WAS ACTUALLY SERIOUS..TO FURTHER ASTONISH ME, I LEARNED HE WASN'T ALONE IN HIS CONCERNS..WHEN I PRESSED FOR SPECIFICS REGARDING HIS VIEWS AND WHAT HE BELIEVED MIGHT HAPPEN, HE STARTED LISTING PAST TRAGEDIES TO VALIDATE HIS FEARS..I TRIED TO PUT HIS MIND AT EASE, BUT WITH A SINCERE EXPRESSION OF WORRY ON HIS FACE HE SAID, "I HOPE YOUR RIGHT, BUT I DON'T KNOW."
MAN, GOTTA BE KIDDING ME !!?? 
     



WELL ONE GOOD THING CAN COME OUT OF ALL THIS.. IF YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE WHO ACTUALLY BELIEVE THE WORLD WILL END THIS DECEMBER DON'T PUT OFF BUYING A MOTORCYCLE ANY LONGER..PICK ONE UP--FIRE IT UP--GIVE ME A CALL..NO BODY LIVES FOREVER--IT'S BEEN REALLY NICE SOMETIMES IT'S BEEN DOWN RIGHT SWEET--ANYWAY, YOU DIDN'T REALLY THINK YOU'D LIVE FOREVER DID YOU?? ENJOY TILL THEN---- LET'S RIDE!!

**********************************TILL NEXT WEEK********************************

                                     DON'T SWEAT IT ANY MORE THAN YOU ALREADY HAVE TO..

                                              

                                                                                JIM

P.S.--IF YOU'VE GOT A FEW MINUTES TO KILL CHECK OUT THIS LINK TO ONE OF THE MOST INSANE MOTORCYCLE RACES YOU'LL EVER SEE..IT'S HELD ON THE 'ISLE OF MAN' AND IS THE OLDEST MOTORCYLE RACING CIRCUIT STILL IN USE..OVER 230 DEATHS HAVE OCCURED SINCE THE RACES BEGAN..TURN UP YOUR SPEAKERS AND CHECK IT OUT.......AWESOME!!

http://www.angelfire.com/ak2/intelligencerreport/insane_race.html

THINGS--AWESOME SUNSETS--AWESOME NEW MOTORCYCLE

TEMPERATURES WERE GOOD ENOUGH TO HOP ON THE SCOOTER SATURDAY BUT A PRETTY BUSY SCHEDULE PREVENTED ME FROM GETTING ON THE ROAD..A COUPLE OF ERRANDS AND AN EARLY EVENING ENGAGEMENT TOOK PRECEDENCE (HAS TO HAPPEN ONCE IN A WHILE)..ANYWAY—AS FAR AS ANY RIDING GOES, THIS LAST WEEKEND WAS A COMPLETE WASHOUT FOR ME—BUT NOT FOR ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS WHO LIVES FIVE OR SIX HOUSES UP THE STREET..

 

AS I WAS WALKING OUT TO CHECK THE MAIL-BOX I HEARD THE BEAUTIFUL RUMBLE OF A BIG V-TWIN HARLEY-DAVIDSON COMING DOWN THE STREET..AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE ONE OF MY RIDING PARTNERS (PLENTY AROUND HERE), THEN I SAW A FAMILIAR SMILING FACE—“HEY!!” I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, “HE GOT HIMSELF A BIKE!! A ROAD KING!! IN BLUE!!” (FOR ME THERE ARE ONLY TWO COLORS THAT BELONG ON A BIKE—BLACK OR BLUE)..A NEW BIKE—NO SNOW ON THE ROAD—GONNA TAKE MORE THAN A LITTLE BIT OF COLD TO KEEP A MAN OFF HIS NEW MACHINE, ESPECIALLY A BEAUTIFUL MONSTER LIKE THIS ONE..  

MEET STEVE LEVESQUE—STEVE’S BEEN ON MOTORCYCLES BEFORE BUT LEFT THEM BEHIND FOR A WHILE..BUT NOW HE'S COME BACK WITH HIS FIRST HARLEY DAVIDSON..WELCOME BACK INTO THE MOTORCYCLE FRATERNITY STEVE..YOU CAME BACK IN SOME REAL NICE STYLE..DOUBTLESS WE WILL DO SOME RIDING TOGETHER..(CHECK OUT 'PERFECT STRANGERS' IN THE JULY ARCHIVES-KIND OF EXPLAINS THE 'I WANT ANOTHER BIKE 'SYNDRONE)..

 

LIKE I SAID IN MY OPENING, DIDN’T GET A CHANCE TO GET OUT AND GET ANY INTERESTING STUFF TO WRITE ABOUT AND THE ONLY PHOTO OPPORTUNITY WAS OF STEVE AND HIS NEW BIKE..SEEMS LIKE EVERY TIME I SEE A FEW DEER OR A MAJESTIC FLOCK OF GEESE CUTTING ACROSS THE SKY IN THEIR ‘V’ FORMATION, MY CAMERA IS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND..HOWEVER, MY FRIEND, GAIL PARADIS, FROM RIGHT HERE IN BRISTOL, HAS BEEN GOOD ENOUGH TO SHARE SOME PHOTOS OF A FEW AWESOME SUNSETS THAT SHE HAS HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE TO CAPTURE WITH HER CAMERA..

 

BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLES OF MOTHER NATURE’S ARTISTIC ABILITIES—NO TWO SUNSETS OR SUNRISES EVER EXACTLY THE SAME..THESE LAST TWO PHOTOS TAKEN ONLY A FEW MINUTES APART  

AGAIN, THANKS GAIL FOR YOUR PHOTOS--STEVE, CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW BIKE, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY FOR YOU..WE'LL DEFINITELY DO SOME WIND TIME TOGETHER..

******************************TILL NEXT WEEK************************************

*****************************STAY  WELL  STAY SAFE******************************

**************************************JIM*****************************************
                                            

THINGS-MY FAVORITE-JUST CRUISEN--AGAIN

   *************************OPEN***ROAD***LOVE***IT***************************** 

LIKE I’VE MENTIONED IN EARLIER POSTS I RIDE PRETTY MUCH YEAR ROUND..USUALLY IT REQUIRES A DEGREE OF PREPARATION..THIN SOCKS THEN A PAIR OF THICK WOOLEN SOCKS WITH A SMALL HEATING PACK BETWEEN THE TWO..THEN A PAIR OF THOSE LONG UNDERWEAR WHICH I COVER WITH A FLEECE LINED PAIR OF JEANS..NEXT COMES A SLEEVELESS T-SHIRT FOLLOWED BY A THERMAL T-SHIRT, A BIGGER HEAT PAD AGAINST MY BELLY (SOMETIMES ANOTHER ONE AGAINST MY BACK) THEN A HOODED SWEATSHIRT..A WIND-BREAKER VEST, THEN MY LEATHER RIDING JACKET (WITH LINER)..I HAVE A SPECIAL PAIR OF BOOTS THAT I WEAR DURING WINTER WHICH ARE A SIZE OR TWO BIGGER TO ACCOMMODATE THE EXTRA SOCKS..AFTER PUTTING ON A LEATHER BANDANA I’LL CLIMB INTO MY CHAPS (HATE THOSE THINGS)..BY THE TIME I’VE DONE ALL THIS I BEGIN TO SWEAT (NOT GOOD)..SO I MOVE OUT INTO THE GARAGE TO COOL OFF AND SAFETY CHECK THE BIKE..WHEN ALL IS READY I PUT ON MY HEAD AND NECK SOCK, PUT ON MY FULL FACE HELMET (HATE THAT TOO) AND WRAP A SCARF AROUND MY NECK, PUT ON MY SUPER INSULATED GLOVES (WITH SMALL HEATING PACKS) AND FINALLY I’M READY TO ROLL!!

I WAS BUNDLED UP LIKE THIS DURING A LONG WINTER RIDE YEARS BACK..WENT INTO A CURVE THAT HAD A BUNCH OF SAND ON IT AND DOWN I WENT..CAME OUT OF IT WITH A SORE SHOULDER AND A SCRATCHED UP HELMET, A BUNCH OF SHREDDED CLOTHES AND A CLOUD OF FEATHERS FLOATING AROUND FROM MY DOWN VEST (LOOKED LIKE A SCARECROW WEARING A HELMET) BUT NO ROAD RASH.. THE BIKE SUFFERED THE USUAL - BROKEN CLUTCH LEVER-MIRROR-SIGNAL LIGHT-SCRATCHED UP PAINT..BY THE TIME I GOT IT ALL BACK TOGETHER IT WAS SPRING AND EVERYTHING WAS GOOD ONCE AGAIN..  

 



"THE LANDING ZONE" A FAVORITE BIKER STOP



USUALLY I HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS DRESS-UP RITUAL A FEW TIMES BY THE FIRST WEEKEND IN JANUARY BUT SO FAR IT HASN’T BEEN NECESSARY..TODAY (SATURDAY JANUARY 7) I WAS CRUISING LIKE IT WAS AN EARLY SPRING DAY..GLOVES, RIDING JACKET, WINDSHIELD AND SOME ROAD TIME—VERY SWEET!!



"PHOTO IS O K --BUT NO NAMES"



OF COURSE THERE WERE MOTORCYCLES EVERYWHERE..THESE GUYS AND GIRLS ARE THE ONES WHO REALLY LOVE TWO WHEELS AND ARE IN NO HURRY TO PUT THE SCOOTER UP FOR THE WINTER-IF AT ALL..A LOT OF THESE BIKERS COVER MORE GROUND IN THE WINTER THAN OTHERS DO THE WHOLE SUMMER..AT EVERY STOP I MADE THERE WERE SMILING FACES AND FRIENDLY CONVERSATION..WE WERE ALL ENJOYING THAT NATURAL HIGH THAT ONE FEELS ON TWO WHEELS AND THAT IS ENHANCED ONE-HUNDRED PERCENT WHEN MOTHER NATURE SENDS US A COUPLE OF DAYS THAT WE CAN RIDE WITHOUT SPENDING A HALF HOUR PREPARING..



ANOTHER BIKER ADDED AS A FRIEND--MEET ERIC CHAPMAN --ERIC HAS BEEN ON TWO WHEELS SINCE 1994
SHOWING SPIRIT AND CLASS ON HIS 2004 ELECTRA GLIDE--GOOD MEETING YOU ERIC



 SUN STARTED TO GO DOWN AND COOL OFF A BIT.. I WASN'T READY FOR ANY KIND OF REAL COLD RIDING SO I HEADED HOME..STOPPED TO TAKE THIS PHOTO OF ANOTHER OF MY FAVORITE VISIONS..VIEWS LIKE THIS MAKE MY EYES FEEL GOOD--AND HELPS GET MY MIND RIGHT..

                                UNTIL NEXT WEEK-STAY SAFE-STAY WELL-STAY SANE
                                                                                  JIM

THINGS--SERIOUS CASE OF WINTER FUNK



JUST A BLEAK SKY AND BLEAK TREES--YEA, I KNOW, JUST KINDA MATCHES MY WINTER MOOD SO FAR



DON’T REALLY KNOW WHAT HAS GOTTEN INTO ME THESE LAST FEW WEEKS..DON’T FEEL LIKE DOING MUCH OF ANYTHING.. KINDA GOING INTO A MENTAL HIBERNATION OR SOMETHING.. SHUT-DOWN FOR THE LAST WEEK OF DECEMBER AT THE SHOP SO I MADE THE BEST OF IT.. GOT OUT ON THE BIKE A COUPLE OF TIMES, DIDN’T REALLY FEEL LIKE TAKING THE CAMERA ALONG-JUST FELT LIKE RIDING..THAT VACATION THING IS AN EASY HABIT TO GET INTO, STAY UP LATE, SLEEP AS LONG AS YOU WANT, ENJOY A LATE BREAKFAST, A NICE LONG LUNCH, THAT’S A NICE WAY TO LIVE.. KIND OF ADDICTING-I MUST HAVE SPENT ABOUT THREE OR FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS BUYING POWER-BALL AND LOTTO TICKETS IN HOPES THAT I JUST MIGHT GET LUCKY AND NOT  HAVE TO GO BACK TO WORK, BUT I’M BACK..KEEP HEARING THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE JOBS NOW-A-DAYS ARE THE LUCKY ONES..AND I GUESS THAT’S TRUE..

 

ANYWAY- MY FISHING PARTNER JAMES (JAY) MORIN AND I MADE A TRIP TO SOME OF OUR FAVORITE FISHING SPOTS ON THE RIVER DURING THE WEEKEND, WHICH JUST ADDED TO MY MENTAL FUNK..WATER WAS HIGH, EVERYTHING ALL FROZEN AND BARREN AND SPRING STILL SOOOO FAR AWAY..



ME ALMOST 40 YEARS AGO



I DON’T USUALLY MIND THE CHANGE OF SEASONS, BUT THIS YEAR, FOR SOME REASON IT HAS CERTAINLY KICKED MY NARROW BUTT IN A BIG WAY..



ME NOW-FOUR ACCIDENTS LATER-AND MANY MANY MILES ON TWO WHEELS
SHOULD KNOW BETTER BY NOW- BUT OH WELL



FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO FEEL INCLINED TO DO SO, FEEL FREE TO E-MAIL PICTURES AND SHORT STORIES ABOUT SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE PLACES AND MOTORCYCLE RIDES..THIS TIME OF YEAR IT WOULD BE ESPECIALLY SWEET TO HEAR FROM SOME OF YOU BIKERS THAT ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO LIVE IN MORE TEMPERATE CLIMATES THAN US POOR FOLKS IN THE NORTHEAST..I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO TURN THIS BLOG INTO A MORE INTERACTIVE TYPE OF SITE..I WOULD PUT DOWN MONEY THAT MOST OF YOU HAVE A PHOTO OR TWO OF YOUR BIKE OR SOME SCENERY THAT THE READERS OF THIS BLOG WOULD LOVE TO SEE..SO SEND THEM IN WITH SOME INFO AND I’LL POST THEM FOR US ALL TO SHARE..IT WOULD BE ESPECIALLY INTERESTING TO HEAR FROM YOU FOREIGN READERS ALSO. CLICK ON MY PROFILE TO E-MAIL ME WITH THE INFO- IT’S EASY!! AND BESIDES, THIS TIME OF YEAR IT’S KIND OF HARD TO GET OUT AND GRAB DECENT PHOTOS..I GO TO WORK IN THE DARK AND COME HOME IN THE DARK..

HOPE YOU ALL HAD A GREAT CHRISTMAS AND I WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY AND SAFE NEW YEAR—ESPECIALLY ALL THE MILITARY PERSONNEL WHO ARE STILL IN HARMS WAY-THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE..



                         *********************TILL NEXT WEEK---MAYBE *****************

                                                                                   JIM

FINAL POSITION OF OUR FINAL GAME OF THE YEAR (FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED)
DALE BEAT ME CONVINCINGLY-SCORE FOR THE YEAR--DALE 9    ME 18