Whenever I’m on my bike, I always peruse the landscape for interesting things to video. Much of my shots are all about nothing really. It’s just 2-4 second snippets that I keep in a folder for those times I need a short transition video, or a jpg shot.
Yesterday, I ended up at the local, (New Bedford, MA), zoo which has won a few awards for it’s humane care taking of the animals. All of which have been abandoned by individuals or have been shipped here out of necessity. None are purchased from poachers or trappers.
Some of the larger animals are quite old. Ruth and Emily, the two elephants especially so. Years ago, the trainers would walk Ruth and Emily a couple of blocks to the local Dunkin Donuts take out window between 11 PM and Midnight. There the staff would greet them with a couple of donuts that had been on the shelf too long and some hot chocolate. It was always a sight to see. When they are gone the zoo will transform the elephant exhibit to rhinoceros.
Zombies have breached the perimeter of the “Safe Zone”, wreaking undead havoc on the Intergalactic Posifunkitude! Welcome to New Deadford, the city that lights the future. It’s up to The New Bedford Starchasers to jump dimensions to a post-apocalyptic Earth and save humanity from the hoards of the living dead in “Operation Hallowheels: Ring the Bells – a New Deadford Story!”Hallowheels is our annual Halloween costume party on wheels!
Join us for an evening of games, music, and spooky hijinks! Then, stay for snacks and a not-so-scary movie (presented by the Midnite Romero Society) on the roof deck at Play Arcade!This is an 8-light year mission, flying at the speed of funk, is free, open to the public, and cosmically inclusive. Costumes and masks are required. All human-powered and assistive vehicles are welcome! See Less
As always. Click any photo for big. Click again for bigger.
I continue to do my faux commutes daily. Ten miles in the morning and again in the evening. When evening turns to nighttime I’m happiest. You see, most of the group rides that I participate are at night. The full moon rides, the Starchasers and Providence Bike Jam (soon to be started again), are my regulars. Riding around town at night is very relaxing, and some nights all I hear is the sounds of nature. It’s amazing how many critters, large and small are active in the suburbs.
Because of the scarcity of bike events, much of my photography and videos lately are generic B-Roll shots. I had intended to do classic techniques such as, reveals, pans, wide to closeup and static shots, but alas, mother nature is offering up some much needed heavy rains over the next couple of days. After typing this, I just got some ideas of B-roll rain shots. It pays to think out loud.
Also, I filled out my ballot and tomorrow I will deposit it in the town drop box. I understand that all the absentee ballots and mail in ballots will have been counted by the time the polls close in Massachusetts. With all the chicanery going on, don’t we all wish every state did that?
Not much bike stuff to write about. I am trying to mimic my work bike commute days by riding ten miles in the AM and again in the PM. I’m sticking around town and not doing much video or still photography.
It was a crazy sports weekend for sure. Liverpool losing 7-2 just a taste of things to come. The Spurs beating ManU was no big surprise, but the 6-1 dismantling was. Marino’s smirk was priceless when his team scored the sixth goal against the organization that fired him.
Leeds had a golden opportunity to grab three points from City, but it wasn’t in the cards. I have been a Leeds fan for many years and the end of the sixteen years away from the premiership was a joy. They should have move up last year. The end of the season collapse was heartbreaking.
Major League Soccer
I have been a player, coach, teacher and anything else you can think of in the beautiful game. I consider myself knowledgeable about the MLS teams.
After my interview on Fox Soccer at the National Soccer Coaches Convention in Kansas City
All that goes out the window when I participate in the predict six contest sponsored by the league. And man, do I suck at that.
My team, New England Revolution is so sporadic, predicting the outcome is impossible. They seem to play to their opponent. They try to out perform the good teams and try to under perform the lousy teams. Go figure.
Tonight, Wednesday, New England plays a very strong Toronto FC. Toronto is a much better team, so in keeping with the above paragraph, I expect a Revs win. The league doesn’t do the predict thing on Wednesday games but I’m going to give it a go on my own. I’ll post my results here tomorrow.
The idea was a casual ride to three or four pubs. Massachusetts is in phase two of reopening. Bars are not open, but places that serve food and have a liquor license can allow customers inside. We had a group of 20 riders and at the first stop, ten or twelve decided to have a sit down experience. I went into the restaurant to take photos and videos but quickly exited. The place was full and social distancing was not being observed. That some of our riders may get sick seems like a good bet.
The group was inside for about an hour which put a major crimp on the original route. Our ride leader decided to ride, in a round about way to gain some mileage, to the final location, an 80’s themed game room with an outside upper deck. We had the upper deck, with a bartender, dedicated to our group, and did we ever take advantage. Needless to say it was a wobbly five mile ride home. All on bike path fortunately. Well, mostly on bike path.
Darkness set in early which made it impossible to get quality footage during the ride. I did get some, not much, ergo the short video.
Meet: 6:00pm / Launch: 6:30pm Launchpad: Buttonwood Park Community Center Distance: 10-light years Theme: 1980s Video Games
Dress in your favorite 80s costume or gaming outfit and get on your bike, skateboard, wheelchair, roller skates, kick scooter, or any other wheels that get you into the groove. We’re doing the time warp again on a bicycle pub crawl through the New Bedford Starsystem! 2020 is running low on pixels and it’s up to the Starchasers to travel back to the 1980’s for some video game-themed antics!
Beginning with a sling-shot maneuver around the Buttonwood Park Constellation, we will begin our descent into the time vortex. Our flight plan includes stops at 4 local space cantinas, including an extended shore leave at lunar base PLAY Arcade at the edge of the dNB Quadrant. This will be an approximately 8-light year mission, flying at the speed of funk.
This 21+ event is free, open to the public, and cosmically inclusive. All human-powered and assistive wheels are welcome.
Masks and physical distancing strongly encouraged.
A Midnight Rider 