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Pictures help bring memories into the present - both the pictures on the landscape of the mind and the pictures of the two-dimensional world via technology.
Memories leave imprints in the heart, currents that flow through all the senses. Sight. Smell. Touch. Hearing. Taste. Emotion. Energy. Ancestry. Progeny. That is part of the power of memory. One can take one's self back anytime and feel the presence of that moment past while navigating the current of the moment present which flows into the moment future. And the cycled repeats.
Some say that once something is posted on the internet, it is there forever. But what about in the archives of our cells and our souls? What if there is a time in the future when all will be revealed?
I'm thankful I can remember. Two-dimensional snapshots viewed on a screen or developed onto special paper help prod the memories stored in the mind-and-soul memory banks.
In September 2019, I started journaling all my cycle-rides in a handwrit journal. My digital records, on my blog and on Twitter, slowly faded.
I haven't yet put developed photos into my handwritten journal, but my plan is to do so beginning this month or in March. One of my Christmas gifts was a Canon mini-printer. The device prints 2"x3" photos directly from my smart phone. Each photo has a peel-and-stick backing. I've not yet learned how to use the mini-printer; that is on my to-do list for February. Once I learn how, I can add pictures to my handwritten journal entries.
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Below are some digital pictures, with notes, from five of my September 2019 rides. I compiled the following in October, but I never got around to posting it thinking I'd come back and add more pictures with notes. September was an eventful cycling month. I got my first flat tire in September. It happened while cycling The New River Trail.
I had two more flats in October. Same tire. Fortunately the two flats in October happened while I was not riding. The bike shop fixed all three flats for free. On the last fix, they added a "diaper" around the tube, meaning they wrapped a deflated tube around the inflated tube. It's now February, 2020, and so far, no more flats. Tap on wood.
September 2019
Su, 9/01/19. 24.6 mi. Solo W/Bleu. FF->Allisonia->FF. Final leg, 9th section thru-bike. NoBo-SoBo. Yay! Working thru my anger toward B. Feels like a custody battle. The trees...they soothed my soul. Not to mention the river, the rocks, butterflies & deer. Four deer. One was a 4ish point buck. Almost hit a daredevil squirrel.
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| New River Trail SP. 19, 9-01. Bleu leans. MP 14. |
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F, 9/06/19. 20.5 mi. Solo w/Bleu. Mt. Airy greenway. Awesome ride. Met Peanut the llama & his human Greg. First time seeing a llama on the greenway! I got a llama education. So glad I was running late today! Peanut is in training to drive a cart. Peanut rides in the hatchback of a Nissan Rogue. Friendly & happy! One deer spooked me beside the greenway. Three deer grazing in the groundhog field. One heron in Lovills Creek. One white crane flying. Saw jimson weed and golden flowers in the golden days of summer.
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| Greg & Peanut |
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| Peanut in the Nissan Rogue |
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| Golden days of summer |
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Tu, 9/10/19. 18.1 mi. Solo w/Bleu. Muddy Creek GW. Another late start. So fatigued & hard to get started. Would have ridden 20 mi, but met John at 6:55 to eat. Met Bob & gave him an air canister for a flat. Three deer.
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M, 9/16/19. 21 mi. Solo w/Bleu. Railroad Grade Rd. Met Census lady from WS. She flagged me down to see if I knew some addresses. In our chat she talked about how she likes visiting the ocean more than the mountains. She said, "Nothing changes up here...like at the ocean; it's always moving." Ironically I had just been thinking how I love watching the flowers change through the seasons. Met David & Shirley at Todd Mercantile. Shirley & I talked for at least an hour. Could have talked for five! They celebrated their 35th anniversary yesterday! At 2PM! Just like John and I. Serendipity. David is amateur photographer, but he's really good. So he took my pic while I was riding. He rides century rides and organizes all sorts of rides in the mountains and around Greenville, SC. Saw six turkeys while I ate supper at Frieda's parking plot.
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| RR Grade Rd. Bumble bee on pink. |
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| Polk berries |
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| Daisies in the wind |
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| Friendly pig at River Girl |
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| David & Shirley |
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| Yours truly riding into Todd |
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W, 9/18/19. 22.2 mi. Solo w/Bleu. Mt. Airy Greenway. One deer. Three groundhogs, one was young. One heron. Shortness of breath better for riding. 70ish degrees. Wore pants. Met Alyson & Michele. Alyson strummed while Michele painted. Michele first painted on the flower pot to get a feel for painting on the sewer top. From sewer springs art. A girl & her dog...& three little birds. Three little donkeys observed the artist at work.
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| Michele & Alyson |
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| Michele paints |
2 comments:
Beautiful pictures! One of the women who helped take care of me as I was healing from my broken left leg last year LOVED llamas. She would be so excited to know she could see one so close by in North Carolina. I am very thankful you can get out and ride and feel the freedom it brings on days you are well. I remember how being old enough in my mom's eyes (13 or 14) to ride my bike uptown and around the neighborhood. It gave me a real sense of freedom and independence....and really nice, well-developed calf muscles. :-)
SP
Just remembered that you had commented here.
I'm very thankful too. Biking brings me so much freedom and confidence and relief and happiness and gratitude and on and on. ;)
Haha about the calf muscles. :D
In case your friend doesn't know already, there are two lama farms around here.
1) Peanut's human is Greg. Greg owns Llamas in Mayberry which is located in Dobson. (https://www.facebook.com/llamas.inmayberry) But Greg usually doesn't do farm tours. I have never been to the farm, but have now visited with Peanut at least four times on the Mt. Airy Greenway. Greg also helped produce a documentary..."Llama Nation." The (very fun) trailer is on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBcjHSF99dM. Greg's daughter is one of the featured competitors.
2) The other llama farm is in East Bend and is a winery and vineyard, Divine Llama. I have never been there nor met their llamas. I saw a clip about them on PBS last year or so. Here is the link to their site. https://www.divinellamavineyards.com/our-llamas
You'll probably have to copy and paste the links above.
As always, thanks SP. :)
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