Back to Life, Back to Reality

Well I sure am glad I went on vacation!. When I got back to work I wound up being the only guy in the section, out of three. Someone promised to come back and help if it got too nuts and had her new bosses permission. Well that never happened. Luckily the overtime Gods came unexpectedly to my rescue. I got 2 hours extra a night to get things done.....and I'll have extra dollars too!

Last week I wound up going to Pysanka Days on Saturday night, after doing nothing on Friday night. I only went for one beer at the beer gardens......8 beers later. I got to hang out with some old friends which was great. 

Nigel with two beer, always

Just a shirt

I wound up walking home, great thing about small towns! I did the walk of shame to get the car the next morning. 

After work I was pretty tired each and everyday. I wound up having a nap every night. Friday Night Brian called, he wanted to go to the Fair in Lloydminster - Colonial Days. Lloyd is about an hour and half East and straddles the Alberta/Saskatchewan border. The Fair was on the Saskatchewan portion. Brian, who likes gadgets but hates cell phones did not have a clue where the Fair was. Google maps on my phone showed us. Ironically it was the events page for the Town - Glass Tiger was going to be playing. 

We arrived around 6 and toured around. I think we came in a remote entrance as all we saw for awhile were the Clydesdales setting up. I got some good pictures. 

So we asked a tough looking lady where the rest of the fair was, she gave me the 'Are you a fucking idiot stare'. I said we came in the entrance behind her, and pointed and this is all we have seen of a fair. Another lady bailed up out, she said head through the bard and out the other side and warned us to watch out for horses. 

We got out the other side and found the midway. Brian found his favourite game 'Bulldozer'. This is where you position loonies ($1 coins) or toonies ($2 coins) and cause other coins to go over the edge as the bulldozer pushes. Sometimes there are bills. Brian spent about $40 to win $16 - it took him 1/2 hour, but he had fun. Then we ate.

We walked down the midway and toured the various t-shirt places, with their Sons of Anarchy knockoffs. 

Got down to the Adult Rides and took some pictures. I had a camera bag and all kinds of lens, I was not going to screw around with gravity. But I got some good pictures. 

We then wanted a beer and asked where the beer tent was, we knew we were close when we found a lot of smokers outside a building. While in there we were joking with some people out age about Glass Tiger The only song we could remember was 'Don't Forget Me When I'm Gone'.

We had one beer and then went for a walk, and wound up at the stage area where guess who was playing. 

Here are some pictures, I was using the telephone mainly. 

They closed off with a song they promised they would't play 'Don't forget me when I'm gone.....'

We wound up staying a lot longer than I thought I would. We went for a tour of the midway again, it was dark now and all the rides were lit up. I was practicing taking pictures. The automatic modes were screwed as the coloured lights came out as white. So I started to play with the other modes. Here are some pictures. One was really terrible, but it took a cool picture.

Automatic....see how boring

This was Automatic and it actually worked

I forget what mode this was, but it is a ride - I think it looks kind of cool. But this is not the result I was looking for. 

Finally i found the right alternate mode, P. I turned to it not knowing what it did. But I had a 16GB card.

All the lights are the colours they are supposed to be. I looked up the mode at home, it is kind of automatic, but not as automatic as Auto. It is fast though, and that is the key to taking these pictures. 

Well I was hoping last night that my fire cheque would be deposited as the bike is in the shop. It has beed there since before Toronto. So I was hoping to go to Edmonton and ride all weekend. It is not going to happen. 

I am past being mad about this. The month of June was a right off for riding, it rained just about everyday. The one day I rode it, it broke. It turns out the lack of activity and a short ride to work killed the battery. The shop took 2 hours to find the battery was screwed, so it cost $300 before I said replace the back tire, now it is $600. 

I am starting to think that the camera is a better hobby than biking. The bike costs more for insurance, maintenance and just about everything else than the car. There is the thrill of just about getting killed every time I ride it. But I am not finding the camaraderie that I thought I would. Just like in the gay community, I am into guys, thats about all I have in common with the community. 

The camera club is good though, these guys get out and do something and talk to each other. Then we rate each others pictures. It is fun, but cameras are like bike, expensive. 

I think it is time to make a choice on the bike. I like to travel, but the car is more practical than the bike. Hell you can bring a tent and sleeping bag. I don't have to worry about safely packing the camera in the car either. 

I think I am going to complete the riding season and seriously evaluate the bike. Brian is suggesting a Jasper, Icefields parkway trip in September. I am looking forward to it. 

If I sell the bike it will be over the Winter, people are willing to pay more for a bike at the start of a season than at the end. My Reality is changing, as it does.