It’s been too many weekends with out bicycling. The truth is I’ve been preparing for my 2 week trip through China . I decided to replace bicycling weekends with running weekends, targeting my training to the specific activity for the next 2 weeks, not that I’d be running, but rather walking more often. What irony, walking in China, a country of more that a billion bicycles. But as in all cases when you travel the choice is always between getting close to the country or see more of the country. I chose to see more of the country. In doing so I shot over 2,000 photographs. The challenge to see and capture 5,000 years of history in 2 weeks was over whelming.
What a weekend of bicycling. Denis Mechov won The Giro d’Italia by a close margin. Lance Armstrong finished despite a broken collar bone. My fans waited to cheer me on my Tour of Jamesport despite my flating at the beach.
August 2001, I jumped at the opportunity to work in Singapore. I was motivated more by the opportunity to bicycle on weekends there, than furthering my career. I have my prioroities. This weekend we boarded a Bumboat to Palau Ubin. We rode the Island’s dirt road through dense forests which seperated the villages. Singaporeans’ food obsessed reputation is true. Every village we passed had a square with a food court. Each village had their own local speciality, all were exceptionally well prepared. You might say we bicycled food court to food court. If only Club Centuries had food like this at their rest stops.
Back to the East End of Long Island this weekend, back to beaches,farms, vineyards and flat roads. The sun is setting earlier as winter is slowly but surly coming. Retuning later than expected from my ride I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to capture the changing colors of the setting sun reflecting off the Peconic Bay. I paid the penality for stopping. My legs stiffened and my fingers numbed from the cold as I struggled to maintain a pace during the last few miles toward home. It’s not too soon to plan for an alternative to my bicycling weekends.
It’s mid Fall, as I bicycle pass the farms they are full of families with children picking pumpkins and losing each other in the tall corn stalk mazes. Most pumpkins are made into jack-o-lanterns and with stacks of hay and corn stalks used as decorations for halloween and the fall season.
On a recnt bicycle ride I decided to stop at The Shinn Estate Vineyards it is one of the smaller of over 25 Vineyards in Long Island’s North Fork. The tranquil and peaceful setting reminds me of a Zen Garden. I bought a bottle of their Chardonny on my ride back.
Singapore is a “fine” place to live. There are fines for everything even gum chewing in public. If you could to buy any, the fine is 25.00SD. Silly as it may appear it is probably is a good law. If you ever stepped on a wad on a hot summer day you would agree. This shot is from their City Hall Park just across the river. The picture is ten years old. The park is probably completely filled in with buildings now. Earlier in the afternoon some High School boys were playing baseball there.
This is the largest seated Buddha in Asia. The Tian Tan Buddha was built in 1993 completely of bronze on Lantau Island, Hong Kong. I shot this from the seat of the Buddha.
Mural on the East End Arts Council in Riverhead barn. An idealized view of life in the East End. It is quickly becoming another suburb of New York crowded with malls and big box shops.
