I saw an owl fly overhead the other night on my way home. I caught a glimpse of something moving above me, and when I looked up I saw the dark shape of a large owl fly silently over me and into the trees. I hadn't seen an owl in years, and never one that large. It made me think about one of the things I love most about cycling - the connection to the world around you that is markedly absent when driving a car.
On a bike, you're exposed. You feel the air in your face, you notice the temperature as a feeling, a sensation, not just as a number on your car's thermostat. You hear the sounds of the world around you and see things you'd miss speeding by in a car. It makes me feel alive.
Lately, I've been trying to capture some of the scenes that I've had the privilege to witness on my commute, and I wanted to share them here. Pardon the quality on some of the night shots - the iPhone's camera doesn't have the largest sensor. ;)
A Foggy Morning:
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| The cars seemed to appear out of nowhere, and everything was silent. |
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| Even the mundane was exciting and new in the fog. |
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| "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -Mark Twain |
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| A crane in the fog. |
Sunset:
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| I wonder if they notice the beauty right beside them? I hope so. |
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| Sunset and reeds. |
Fog in the evening:
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| "There was no moon, and everything beneath lay in misty darkness: not a light gleamed from any house, far or near all had been extinguished long ago: and those at Wuthering Heights were never visible — still she asserted she caught their shining." - Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights |
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| "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic future that year by
year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no
matter--tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther....
And one fine morning-- So we beat on, boats against the current, borne
back ceaselessly into the past." - F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby |
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| The machine sleeps. |
*And yes, the title of this post is from the most wonderful comic of all time:
http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/1995/12/31.
All photos are my own. Do not use without letting me know and giving proper credit.
These are beautiful, Keegan! I love 'Sunset & reeds'! I wonder what kind of owl flew over your head? This is a great reminder to appreciate where you are, and not just focus on where you are going.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I don't know the type - it was too dark to see any details other than the characteristic flat face of an owl. It was quite large, though. :)
DeleteI was missing your posts, my friend :D. Don´t stop writting! It is nice reading you! :D I also know how the world seems at 7.30am or during the sunset coming back home after the work journey :D ...and it´s a magical world!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear you're enjoying them! Between Thanksgiving and work, I know I missed a couple weeks, but I'm glad to be back writing. I think it makes biking even more fun, because I get to share it. I'm happy to hear you share the joy of bike commuting - it makes going to and from work an adventure, not a chore. :)
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