2013: The First Full Day Of Spring …

Really?  

Is this what spring is going to look like in 2013?

It was the first, official,  full day of spring … the ice has broken on Lake Ontario, the ducks are back … but it looked so much more like a day in November.

Spring Is Here … 

Although it doesn't look like it today, spring is here. I’m home now and walking in my own neighborhood. Here there are no Asian vendors hawking their mountains of vegetables, dried shrimp and roasting nuts. There are no carts filled with bok choy and no tall buildings. There are no honking horns, rumbling subway trains and no wailing sirens; the air is not filled with the pungent smells of the fish market. The screaming sounds of the city are far away today as I walk on my peaceful country road and it’s snowing on and off but I know spring is here … I can hear it! 
Here I can hear the red winged blackbird’s familiar "Cronk-a-reeeee" from the marshy edge of the still frozen lake; I can hear the crows cawing about the weather. Even the winter birds are trilling out a different song today, and today, I saw my second Robin singing "Cheerily, cheer up, cheer up, cheerily, cheer up!" He's telling me, "the snow will go … spring is here."

Happy Ides of March! The count down begins.

New York City – Day 4  (Today…)

 

Today it rained … and rained … and rained.

Today it was an hour on the subway from China Town to the Bronx.

Today it was breathtaking beauty of orchids and other flora at the New York Botanical Gardens in the Bronx ... More flowers!

Of course there was the usual walking and eating and eating and walking with a Broadway show and an after show bite at Guy Fieri’s “Guy’s New York." The reviews were right on, “Ho, hum!”

And today ... I decided, I really don’t like being wet.

 

 

New York City – Day 3

 

Still walking, still eating … still drinking in the sights and sounds and smells of New York City.

The Court House

 That's amore

(Lovers secure a lock to the Brooklyn Bridge as a symbol of their amore then throw the key into the water below ...)

  Empire State from under the Brooklyn Bridge - Brooklyn side

A Brooklyn Coffee Break

 Back to Gremaldi's for Pizza

 

Manhattan (and the Brooklyn Bridge) from the Manhattan Bridge 

More of Manhattan from the Manhattan Bridge

 So ... I bought new shoes!

 

Two bridges, twenty more kilometers (on foot) and another pair of socks bites the dust. Just another day in the life of a New York Tourist.

New York City – Day 2

 

  

More walking, more looking … more eating.

 Grace Church on Broadway.

 Flowers outside a shop in Greenwich Village.

 Inside Mario Batali's Eatily (where I didn't eat!).

 Chicken tikki from Biryani Food Truck (which I did eat!)

 Art, atop the  Highline Walkway...

 more art and

artists.
Just under 20 kilometers of exploring the sights.

March Diversion - New York City 2013

 

 Day 1: When in China Town …

Eat!

So many places to choose from ... tonight it was 456 Restaurant. Spring roll to start then crispy duck and vegetables with black mushrooms.

 

FRANCE IN AMERICA

It may take a village to publish a book but it takes one man’s dream to begin the journey. Gary France’s book, France In America; A 21,000 Mile USA Discovery On My Harley-Davidson was launched today. The 400 page book records his epic motorcycle journey and fulfillment of a lifelong dream for adventure. I am proud to say that through Gary’s generosity this stunning description of travelling across America on a Harley-Davidson is now being enjoyed by over 400 students in the elementary school where I work. Gary, we are grateful that you, “seized the moment” and that you recorded what you saw, heard, did and felt along the way for all of us to enjoy. You have inspired us, THANK YOU!

"Tour de Garages" -  Post 12: The Triumph Trident

Coop - You got it! It is a 1971 Triumph Trident and I have to say I liked this bike best. It wasn’t hot, it wasn’t sexy, I liked it simply because Ken’s 10 year old “To-Do” list was still stuck to the gas tank, and it gave me a chuckle. Ken has (almost) completely rebuilt this motorcycle since he bought it: a project that started out as simply wanting to “tidy up” a small oil leak. We’ve all been there … and one thing just leads to another. Doesn’t matter what the project is, before you know it the entire thing has been torn to shreds.

Ken finished the rebuild (almost) in 2003.  When he gets those last little jobs on the “to do list” finished he may even start it up.

The Trident was ready for production in 1964 but Triumph didn’t actually start production until 1968. Unfortunately for Triumph, Honda unveiled their “ground breaking” 750, 4 cylinder model the same year and the Trident just couldn’t compete. Still, according to Ken, the Trident was the British superbike of the late 60s and 70s and “its sister bike, the BSA Rocket 3 was good enough to win the Daytona 200 in 1971.”  (Honda won the 200 with the 750 in 1970 and Ken was in Daytona to witness both races, so many years ago.)

And we haven't run out of bikes yet ... this is a?