Bike picture in unusual place (not a tag game)

[Redman52]

pic 1

Grand River channell, Lake Michigan, Grand Haven

pic 2

Is backing in. Could see (but not in photo) the bow thrusters pushing water to the side, I think the bow of the ship was going sideways faster the the entire ship was progressing through the channell.

pic 3


pic 4


And if the pictures are not boring enough....

I can tell a story that goes along with this.
I stopped there because I saw the ship at end of pier. Only parking space was the handycap space which is almost two places with one having the blue stripes. So I parked just barley on the blue stripes allmost as far away from the the parkling space as possible, but yet I am parked for posing for a picture of the ship. And I stood there. Took a few minutes to determine if the ship was inbound or outbound, that is how slow it is moving. I did determine it was inbound. But then I was thinking that I didnt want to wait there for the 20 minutes or however long it was going to take for it to reach there, just so I could take a picture (I have seen plenty of frieghters in the channell, this particular ship most often actaully). But something was telling me that I could, would be good to have a casual time standing around in the sun on a cool calm day. So I stood there. A few cars came through the parking area there, would stop in driveway and watch for a minute and then leave. I am thinking that this is a good place for picture when ship gets there, can get good scene of bike and ship, without cars. So would be a somewhat interesting picture of bike in an unusall spot.

Then along comes this big huge car, and stops in drive way for a long time. I can see is an elderly person (like might have handycap plates). I am confident that I am not at all in the way of the parking spot. But the car is still stopped there and after a bit is blocking other cars comming along behind. So I gester like "you can go in there, go ahead". The car moves up but starts to turn way too soon and not turning enough and then stopps, and the driver looks puzzled. I still dont think I am in the way. But, I move the bike even further out of the way, and the car pulls in way out of line, half in the parking space and half in the blue stripes. Sheesch, it is obvious that the problem isnt that I was in the way, but the problem is that the driver eitther cant see well enough, or cant turn the wheel enough, or just doesnt have the mental capacity to function well enought to turn into an angled parking space - scheesch.

And the door opens slowley and this elderly guy takes a lot of effort to get out, takes about 5 or 6 manouvers to get both legs out, then 2 or 3 manovers to get cain out and stand up.
I am thinking what sort of conversation we are going to have. I am expecting that he is going to complain about me parking in hadycap space and not moving.
He gets out and comes directly toward me. Oh, here we go.
He says
"What a bueatifull day to be out."
and
"Isnt this great!"
and
"I used to pilot ships like this."
and
"I went in the service at age 17 in 1943 ..... ......
- and he went on to tell me about being in the pilot house while ships next to his were torpedoed, blew up and sank.
- and he told me about seeing terrible things happen that people do to each other.
- and he told me about being on ocean frighters for years, in storms where chains holding down bulldozers to the deck broke and him being injured.

When the ship got there by us, and I went to take the picture, he shuffled aside. Good, I thought, now I dont have to figure out how to manouver to avoid having him in the picture. Am already annoyed that cars will now be in the picture.

- and he told me personal stuff about being bitter about his war expereince.
- and he told me about years of having a drinking problem.
- and he told me about lots of other stuff (that would be difficult to discuss here on a public motorcycle forum - controversal).
- and he told me about having to learn to assume the best about everyone.

We talked for 25-30 minutes, well, mostly I listened.
Was such a pleasant fellow. Maybe he went into more detail than I cared to hear about, about his carreer, his kids, his wife how they met, where they lived, where his kids live now, when his wife died.
But overall, I was impressed at how positive and cheerfull he was. I know alot of older folks that seem to get grumpy as they get older, and sometimes I think I am also. I think he said he was 87.

I did mention that if I thought I was at all blocking the parking spot that I would not have stopped there. And I said that if I thought I was blocking him from getting into the spot I would have moved sooner. He just looked around, and looked puzzled.

So talking to him was the highlight of the morning, and seeing the ship and taking picture was minor.
Now, I would have rather wanted him to be in the picture.


.

[ashadowrider]

Originally Posted by Redman52

But overall, I was impressed at how positive and cheerfull he was. I know alot of older folks that seem to get grumpy as they get older, and sometimes I think I am also. I think he said he was 87.

I did mention that if I thought I was at all blocking the parking spot that I would not have stopped there. And I said that if I thought I was blocking him from getting into the spot I would have moved sooner. He just looked around, and looked puzzled.

So talking to him was the highlight of the morning, and seeing the ship and taking picture was minor.
Now, I would have rather wanted him to be in the picture.

The pictures are great and the story even better. I too wished you had captured a photo of the old gent. But more glad you were patient enough to listen to him and take the time to reward us with his story.
Whenever I have a chance meeting with anyone while I am on a ride, I try my best to pay attention to every word they say.
Yesterday coming back from my ride I stopped at a yardsale in Hang Town, and was approched by an old guy (bout my age) whom immediately began talking about a friend of his who dumped his HD but only received minor road rash. And as a joke made a plaque that read, "This side up", and placed it on the handle bars of his repaired bike.
His story too, went on and on, but I reckon this is not the place for it.

[bubbanezz]

Originally Posted by Redman52

And the door opens slowley and this elderly guy takes a lot of effort to get out, takes about 5 or 6 manouvers to get both legs out, then 2 or 3 manovers to get cain out and stand up.
I am thinking what sort of conversation we are going to have. I am expecting that he is going to complain about me parking in hadycap space and not moving.
He gets out and comes directly toward me. Oh, here we go.
He says
"What a bueatifull day to be out."
and
"Isnt this great!"
and
"I used to pilot ships like this."
and
"I went in the service at age 17 in 1943 ..... ......
- and he went on to tell me about being in the pilot house while ships next to his were torpedoed, blew up and sank.
- and he told me about seeing terrible things happen that people do to each other.
- and he told me about being on ocean frighters for years, in storms where chains holding down bulldozers to the deck broke and him being injured.

When the ship got there by us, and I went to take the picture, he shuffled aside. Good, I thought, now I dont have to figure out how to manouver to avoid having him in the picture. Am already annoyed that cars will now be in the picture.

- and he told me personal stuff about being bitter about his war expereince.
- and he told me about years of having a drinking problem.
- and he told me about lots of other stuff (that would be difficult to discuss here on a public motorcycle forum - controversal).
- and he told me about having to learn to assume the best about everyone.

We talked for 25-30 minutes, well, mostly I listened.
Was such a pleasant fellow. Maybe he went into more detail than I cared to hear about, about his carreer, his kids, his wife how they met, where they lived, where his kids live now, when his wife died.
But overall, I was impressed at how positive and cheerfull he was. I know alot of older folks that seem to get grumpy as they get older, and sometimes I think I am also. I think he said he was 87.

So talking to him was the highlight of the morning, and seeing the ship and taking picture was minor.
Now, I would have rather wanted him to be in the picture.


.

What an awesome story. I work with the elderly in a long term care home. They've all got interesting stories to tell. Not too many people take the time to listen. I'll bet it was the highlight of his day as well.

[Redman52]

Some other photos of bike in unusall places


Pulled up into one dock.
Walked over to other dock. Put camera on post on that other dock, and ran back to bike.




High water at boat ramp, so could park on concrete but be in water.
And no big long story.
Although I could describe how to get bike off sidestand without putting foot down on other side.

.

[Danfriday]

Near a windmill:


Near a roller coaster:

[ShadowBmtTx]

Top of the bridge over intracoastal waterway near Port Arthur, Tx

[Redman52]

Not much of a sunset, cloud cover to heavy. Sun barley shone thru a little bit.

May look like I am right on the beach.
But that would no be possible, would loose control in sand (not at all like Daytona).

Here is pic so you get better idea of where the bike was.

[Redman52]

Went by this RailRoad Swing Bridge today (for a Tag Game on another forumn).


Then thought that have been seeing this view for years and have never seen it from the other side. And didnt really know where the tracks went on other side. SO I went over to the other side of river. Found an open gate into the dock area and service road along the tracks. . Was quite a way on that heavy ballast stone and went out TO AND ONTO the bridge approach.



Walked out onto the bridge approach.
Now you mioght say to qualify for "bike in unusall place" would reguire that I ride out on the tracks.... and I thought of it. But I was half expecting to meet some LEO or dock worker as it was.
(THis is all in plan sight from US 31 highway bridge.)

Then I did the most stupid thing I have done in years.
I backed bike up a bit and tried to turn around.
Got bike stuck in loose stones.
Then found myself a little furter down the slope.
And at one point was up against a railroadtie wall and stuck on a downward slope. I managed to get out of that, but was still a ways down the slope.
Another time I though I might drop it over the side.
At one point I was having to jerk slide it sideways about 2 inches at a time.
I thought I was either going to have a heart attack from the exertion, or maybe loose it in the river, or have to go for help, or get arrested for tresspassing.
Stupidist thing I have done in years.

Google view of swing bridge.

Okay, had I lost bike over edge, probably not in river.
.

[gat803]

Originally Posted by Redman52

Stupidist thing I have done in years.

H3ll, I try to do stuff dumber than that on a weekly basis. If you're not doing stupid sh!t, you're not living....

Good pics

[Redman52]

Originally Posted by gat803

H3ll, I try to do stuff dumber than that on a weekly basis. If you're not doing stupid sh!t, you're not living....

Good pics

Okay, yah, so this afternoon I was living more than usual.

You got any pics of bike while you are doing dumb stuff?

Now that I think of it, Your sig line picture doesnt look like any regular parking lot.
.