THINGS--NEGATIVE WAVE RUNNING ON ME

      



THOUGHT I'D PHOTO THIS BEAUTIFUL SUNRISE

THIS WEEK I HAD PLANNED TO DO A LITTLE STORY ABOUT AN ATTRACTION WE HAVE HERE IN BRISTOL..THE PLACE IS CLOSED FOR THE SEASON, BUT YOU CAN MAKE APPOINTMENTS FOR A TOUR NONE THE LESS (GOOD DEAL)..DID SOME BACKGROUND RESEARCH, DID A LITTLE WRITING AND WAITED FOR MY APPOINTMENT TO ROLL AROUND SO I COULD GET SOME PHOTOS OF REAL CLASSIC AND UNUSUAL PIECES OF EXTRAORDINARY  WORKMANSHIP FROM A BY-GONE ERA..

A MINUTE OR TWO LATER--AND IT GOT EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL



THE APPOINTED DAY CAME. I DID A QUICK AFTER WORK WASH-UP AND CHANGE, THEN RUSHED OVER TO MEET THE CURATOR FOR MY TOUR..I EXPLAINED ABOUT THE BLOG ETC. ETC. AND WAS IMMEDIATELY TOLD THAT THE ENTIRE DISPLAY WAS A PRIVATE COLLECTION AND NO PHOTOS WERE ALLOWED..

“YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!”

“NO SIR, I AM NOT..NO PHOTOS ALLOWED OTHER THAN WHAT WE HAVE POSTED ON OUR WEB-SITE.”

‘GOTTA KNOW WHEN TO HOLD THEM—GOTTA KNOW WHEN TO FOLD THEM’..AWAY I WENT EMPTY HANDED..



JUST THOUGHT IT WAS A PRETTY COOL REFLECTION



NO REALLY BIG DEAL, A READER SENT ME A BUNCH OF JUST BEAUTIFUL PICTURES LAST WEEK (POSTED TWO IN LAST WEEKS BLOG)..COME TO FIND OUT THEY WERE ALL COPYRIGHTED PICTURES..A BIG “NO NO”.. CAN'T USE A SINGLE ONE.

AGAIN—“YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!”

WELL, ALL IS STILL NOT LOST..BEEN WANTING TO DO THIS STORY ABOUT AN ANGEL OF A WOMAN WHO IS 91 YEARS OLD..SHE’S VERY MUCH A ONE OF A KIND, AND YOU VETERANS OUT THERE ARE GOING TO LOVE HEARING ABOUT HER..AS A MATTER OF FACT, MANY OF YOU WOUNDED VETS OUT THERE ALREADY OWE A DEGREE OF THANKS TO HER..WANTED TO GET A PICTURE OF HER WITH THE MILITARY MEN SHE DEALS WITH FROM TIME TO TIME..WELL THE PHONE CALL CAME FROM MY MOM—“THEY ARE HERE TO SEE HER.”

GREAT!  I’M AT WORK AND THEY’LL BE GONE IN FIVE MINUTES..NEXT OPPORTUNITY—APRIL..

 AGAIN--“GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!!!   MAN!!! 



ONE DAY I WANT TO DRIFT A DRY-FLY DOWN THIS LITTLE STREAM AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS
MAYBE THIS SUMMER I'LL BE DOWN BY THAT BEND TO THE RIGHT



I’LL BE ONE-HUNDRED PERCENT HONEST, SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE I’M STRUGGLING AGAINST SOME UNKNOWN FORCE, A NEGATIVE WAVE OF SOME SORT..FEEL LIKE JUST DROPPING EVERYTHING AND GOING FOR A RIDE ON THE BIKE……SOOOOOO----THAT’S WHAT I DID..



SOMETHING ABOUT AN OPEN STRETCH OF COUNTRY ROAD THAT I JUST LOVE!!

AGAIN THE WEATHER WAS PRETTY NICE..ALTHOUGH MY HELMET WOULD HAVE PROVIDED AN ADDED DEGREE OF COMFORT, I ELECTED TO LEAVE IT BEHIND..INSTEAD I PULLED MY HOODIE UP TIGHT AND MADE DUE..HAD WANTED TO MAKE IT UP TO BARKHAMSTED WAY BUT A CLOUDY SKY MADE ME DECIDE NOT TO CHANCE IT..GETTING CAUGHT IN THE RAIN IS ONE THING, BUT GETTING CAUGHT IN THE SNOW IS A REAL UNPLEASANT ADVENTURE.. IT’S HAPPENED TOO OFTEN TO ME AND IT’S NOT SOMETHING THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO.. I DON’T LIKE SEEING SNOW MELTING ON MY BIKE WHEN I’M 50 OR 60 MILES FROM HOME..CONSEQUENTLY I REMAINED WITHIN A 15 MILE RADIUS OF MY HOME –JUST IN CASE..

 

GOT A COUPLE OF PHOTOS OF SOME OF THE SIGHTS AND ALTHOUGH I SAW PLENTY OF OTHER BIKERS, THERE WERE NO OPPORTUNITIES TO MEET,, EVERYONE WAS ON THE GO AND ALL THE USUAL STOPS WERE EMPTY..

 

I’VE GOT A STORY IN MIND FOR NEXT WEEK BUT I’M ALMOST AFRAID TO THINK ABOUT IT TOO MUCH-MIGHT PUT A JINX ON THE WHOLE SCENARIO..JUST GONNA HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE..

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                                                       -------TILL NEXT WEEK------
                                                                        JIM
P.S.-----GROUNDHOG SAW HIS SHADOW--SIX MORE WEEKS TO GO--HASN'T BEEN TOO BAD AROUND HERE--HOPE THE SAME HOLDS TRUE FOR THE REST OF YOU...