Aurora Avenue

Last night before going to bed, I looked at the spaceweather.com website just in case there were any reports of aurora activity. As luck would have it, an interplanetary shockwave had just arrived and was sparking aurora activity. The source of the shockwave was unknown, but researchers say it could have originated in a transition zone between high and low speed solar wind streams. The shockwave ended up generating nearly 15 hours of geomagnetic storming. I took this photo directly in front of our house at 11:30 PM. Just minutes after making this photo the clouds moved in and almost completely obscured the view of the lights. I spent the next 4 hours searching for openings in the clouds and ended up finding a few here and there.

Boston :: No Go

Well, this will come as no surprise to some of you and I'm sure that my Joslin cousins will be somewhat disappointed, but I didn't make it to Boston.

Time was running out when I left Maine to go visit my Aunt in Maryland. In Coastal Maine :: Part One I alluded to the fact that I might return to Massachusetts. However, when I left my Aunt's place in Silver Spring, Maryland on Thursday morning (October 15th) it was raining, not a heavy rain, but raining nevertheless. The 35 miles that took me 2 1/2 hours to navigate the previous Friday only took about 45 minutes this time! It didn't take long to get around Baltimore either and soon I was on US 40 heading towards Havre de Grace.

In 1969 I went to Boot Camp at Bainbridge Naval Station, just a few miles away and was also stationed there in 1971-1972. As I drove around the area, nothing looked familiar. Except the road that leads to the entrance to the base. The hills and curves of the road were the same. And the spot where I totaled my car when someone came up over a hill on my side of the road. It's funny the things you remember.

The gate leading into the base was open but “No Trespassing” signs were posted all over. And it was raining. And it looked so very desolate. I drove a short distance down the road but chickened out and turned around. It was just too creepy for me, being alone there.

The entrance road to Bainbridge Naval Station.

No Trespassing! Especially on Sunday...

It was early afternoon and I figured I'd better get going so I headed north. In the rain. The weather forecast wasn't promising. They were calling for rain for the next few days and snow in the higher elevations in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. My Aunt had suggested that I stay at her place for another day or so, but I was ready to hit the road. I was thinking perhaps I should have taken her up on her offer!

As I drove further North, the rain was taking it's toll on my nerves. Intermittently pouring, then drizzling. And the mist thrown up by the other vehicles, especially the semi-trucks, made it difficult to see clearly. I wondered if all those drivers passing me could somehow see any better than I. It was getting dark as I stopped for the night.

The weather, along with the fact that I still wasn't really prepared for research in Boston and still wasn't in the “research frame of mind” and the thought of driving all the way there (and then having to return) and just dealing with the heavy traffic in general and driving in Boston in particular - were all factors which lead to my decision to not go any further North.

Checking the weather forecast I saw that the rain was supposed to let up some by the end of the weekend, so I slowly headed south towards Maryland's Eastern Shore.

To my Joslin cousins, I apologize for not following through on the research as promised. But just think, we'll be able to find that proof together – when we go on our Joslin Heritage Tour!

Wordless Wednesday :: Schooldaze ~ Twelfth Grade

Flooding of Peace River

So much for landing in the Sunshine State! When we landed in Peace River, we were surprised to see how hard it was raining. It is rare for it to rain all day long here. After being here for a few days, it was still raining.



Normally, rain is desperately needed in Florida. I guess as all things though, too much of a good thing can be a very bad thing. That seems to be the case here because all the rain caused the Peace River to flood.



Here you can see that the river is over the banks, and is covering the mini-golf area.



This is sad enough, but the real trouble is in the areas where the RV sites are at. Some of the sites are covered in water.



Some of the sites are completely covered with water, including the electrical boxes.



It was pretty disturbing to see all the water here.



If it were not causing some issues for the park, it would be really enjoyable to look at because the water is rather pretty.



We hope this does not cause major long term problems for the park here.

The Allure of the Handlebar Bag

[from the May 1973 issue of National Geographic; image via gustav531]

Maybe it was seeing too many images like this one.



[image via Harriet Fell]

Or maybe it was reading (and re-reading) Harriet Fell's account of "Paris-Brest-Paris 1975", in which she described packing her handlebar bag with over a dozen items, ending the list with "anda chicken, whole and roasted".



[image via thelewis]

Whatever the cause, the classic Randonneuring handlebar bag ignites my imagination as few other bicycle accessories do.





[image via MAP Cycles]

Just look at its boxy shape! And at the way it fits perfectly into the space between the handlebars - perched ever so appealingly on that miniature front rack above the front fender.



[image via Archival Clothing]

And who can resist the multitude of little pockets and closures? It is as if the bag invites you to trust it with your most cherished personal belongings: "Don't worry about anything when you are with me, Friend. I will keep these safe on the road."



[image via Rick Smith]

I suppose at the root of what attracts me to the handlebar bag, is the visual suggestion - reinforced by anecdotal accounts that have reached legendary proportions - that it turns the bicycle into a mobile home. You could go anywhere, and still have anything you could ever need, neatly organised and right at your fingertips... Including a whole, roasted chicken, if so desired.

Tranquil Pool

Tranquil Pool, originally uploaded by ParsecTraveller.

While hiking along a stream in Las Trampas Regional Wilderness, I came upon this little cascade and pool. The creeks in Las Trampas are something else, descending from rugged canyons into the flat valleys below.

Anyone else have some waterfalls nearby?

Jemez Creek Picnic

We stopped at the gas station across the road from where we normally buy Indian fry bread since there was no one selling it, and bought bean burritos and peanut butter cookies to have a quick picnic by Jemez Creek. There was some water in the creek but not as much as is normal during April. One photo is from inside a covered picnic area looking out toward the trees and road. Another is of a tree that has grown up through the roads, a real bonsai tree.