But over 3 years?, yep. In that time Dale the subject of the previous post passed from the leukemia that afflicted him. This year I lost my wife to Pneumonia as a result of a stroke she suffered last September. They say you must go on and that things get better, I'm sure they are right, but it's easier said then done. Grief is the dog that yaps at your heals and bites when you expect and when you least expect, but always seems to be there.
My resolve has been tested as I near yet another year out on the Salt Flats. It was just days after I returned last year that the stroke hit and changed my life forever. It made me ponder the way we hold on fast to life, its normal, it's expected generally......and yet. As I reflect on what has passed recently in the way of motorcycle events it occurs that there are those that lay our lives on the line in the pursuit of speed, the be the best, whatever the consequence.
Cliff Gullett succumbed to his injuries in 2008, when he lost control of his streamliner as his passed the timing lights on the Salt Flats, the course was closed for the rest of the day. Next morning a few tears were shed at the morning meeting with some kind words, then racing commenced. Perhaps a few glasses were raised in his name...... This year during my first trip to the Isle of Man, Japanese rider Yoshinari Matsushita died during qualifying on the day I arrived, again the race goes on as do we all. This is no ordinary undertaking that these modern day warriors embark upon, as "safe" as MotoGP is with its inflatable barriers and precautions, Marco Simoncelli is longer with us. Showa Tomizawa, Peter Lenz, Lee Vernon, Mark Buckly, Victor Gilmore, Lee Richardson, Sandor Pohl, Andrea Antonelli, Luis Carrieria and most recently Italian rider Andrea Antolelli in a supersport crash in Moscow, once again a moment of silence at Laguna Seca this year and then start your motors. I am sure there are more that I have not mentioned and those that as I write this are still rehabbing from injuries on the track.
We do go on, and we do honor those that have fallen, and we do respect the skill, the nerve and the resolve of these men and women that undertake this sport at all costs to go fast and in some cases faster then anyone has gone before, to set new records, to make history. As Dennis Manning said in an interview several years ago about Bonneville, "We are not racing here, we are making history".
Moment of silence is over, start your motors.........
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If there is anyone following this blog, i expect i lost them or "you" along time ago, so I'll assume I'm talking to myself again. But I'm motivated at the moment to update it. I never finished the Marty Dickerson Story out at the flats this last year, I've got some terrific video from my point and shoot i wanted to incorporate into a slide show, so at some point I'll get working on that.
The most recent Photo Shoot happened this last weekend. A good friend of mine, Mike Guthrie was over for dinner some weeks back and was talking about his close friend and neighbor Dale. Dale has served his country in Viet Nam (all of the details I'm not aware of), he's a father and a good friend that never is short of time to help others. A couple years back I was working on my son's car in Mikes Driveway in Rohnert Park, we needed something critical at the time, what it was escapes me, but Dale jumped into his car and drove to Petaluma to get it for me. Was never able to repay him for that. Mike indicated that he would like to have some pictures of Dale on motorcycle.......well hell that's just round the bend and down my alley.
The end of this last year found Dale in the hospital battling Leukemia, i lost a very dear friend to the disease back in 06, so now Dale is involved in a different kind of battle. I hope these pictures do justice to the man.
I shot some pictures on the back deck late in the evening using duel radio controlled remote SB-26 flashes set up in front and to the left side. The left flash was shooting into a David Honl 8" silver/gold speed snoot and 1/2 power and the one in front was defused at 1/4 power.
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The Bonneville Salt Flats Gives and it takes away.
This is true in all things really, but here it takes on a different connotation, men are drawn to the legend that is "the salt", this is the place where he comes from all over the world to see just how fast his machine can go, to test its limits and his nerve to pilot it to it's fullest potential, it is a mixture of design, mechanical innovation, skill and guts to go as fast as one can, in some cases faster then any other, to make and break records and have ones name written next to a long list of the great, the men that for over a hundred years have made the pilgrimage and vetted their souls on the salt and satisfy their need for speed.
As easily as the salt gives these records it will take them away, if you are lucky you come back and try to rest it back in your name, for some the supreme quest for speed ends as quickly as it began with the salt extracting the ultimate pay, the salt absorbs life. A mistake here at speed is not often rewarded with a mere education, it comes with a price, one that each and every participant is aware of in the back of his head. Those thoughts are pushed to the nether regions of your mind as you sit on a raw spitting machine, eyes forward awaiting the red flag to signal it is "your time". The distance moves in the heat, the whiteness of the salt, stark and barren save for an orange cone or a gently waving flag, positioned at irregular intervals to remind you that some salt is better then other. Somewhere in between lies the goal, it's not marked but you know you must find it, it's out there waiting for you.
****
Monday the 1st of September was the beginning of the event, I got up early thinking I might catch a sunrise on the salt worth shooting, what I found was it was more cold and damp as i rode the 10 odd miles to the beginning of the Salt. When I got to the end of the road about 6:30 I found that the rain from overnight had created a small lake that sat on top of the salt in places creating a soupy salty mixture that we were warned to stay clear off. I was the only one of the 4-5 vehicles there that had two wheels. The rest were folks that had driven in with trailers and pickups carry the methods to the madness. As I stood there with the wind howling, and the rain still making an appearance or two I was asked by more then one or two of the guys to come and warm up in the truck out of the rain. This was as I found out later to be the beginning of what was truly a spectacular example of the camaraderie that prevailed at the event, those guys that I met on the first day, called my by name and asked how I was doing every time we crossed paths.
After a truly non spectacular sun rise, I rode back to the hotel, warmed up and
grabbed some coffee. About 9:30 or so I met up Cyril, Bill, Dick and Lee, my Brit friends who showed me a tee shirt they had made to commemorate their trip. The front of the shirt showed 5 bikes side by side with the faces of these guys strategically placed on the riders, the title of the shirt was the "Mild Hogs", I told lee if I had the opportunity to shot that pose I'd love to do......well needless to say the opportunity came up shortly there after.
grabbed some coffee. About 9:30 or so I met up Cyril, Bill, Dick and Lee, my Brit friends who showed me a tee shirt they had made to commemorate their trip. The front of the shirt showed 5 bikes side by side with the faces of these guys strategically placed on the riders, the title of the shirt was the "Mild Hogs", I told lee if I had the opportunity to shot that pose I'd love to do......well needless to say the opportunity came up shortly there after.
From left to right: Cyril, Lee, Bill and Dick
continued haphazardly as I find the time.....
The Road to Bonneville
This trip to the Salt Flats was not one that was planned months in advance, it WAS visualized, it wasn't charted, detailed or mapped out, it was a pilgrimage of sorts, not just for the motorcyclist in me but sustenance for the soul as well. It was something that had to be done. In 1958 Triumph launched the Bonneville Motorcycle at the Earls Court motorcycle show, this would be the 50th anniversary of the Bonneville at Bonneville, so named after Johnny Allens records on a Triumph in 1950.
The Bub Speed Trials took place at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, this year between Monday Sept. 1st and Saturday the 6th.
The trip for me began on the Saturday prior, I gave myself a leisurely 2 days to make the 655 mile trip, leaving the San Francisco north bay area towards Sth. Lake Tahoe on highway 50. Hi way 50 is like any other till you exit the back side of Carson City, Nevada and start to traverse the historic route of the pony express and you enter into what is known as the loneliest road in America. It's called this for good reason, the road strikes out into the vast wasteland that is central Nevada with authority and an introspective that waits for you, as it has for many that have passed before, on four wheels, two wheels or a sweating panting horse galloping across the plain with a riders hat tipped back in the wind as his heels coax his mount on. It seems that upon leaving Carson City and entering into this previously unknown world my heels coaxed my steed into a conversation with the local Nevada Hi way Patrol, I tried to explain that I h
ad seen the movie "The World's Fastest Indian" and according to it there was no speed limit in Nevada, officer Crisp was polite but obviously not humored, not to mention that conversation took place under this road sign, the first I had seen until I dropped the kickstand beneath it. Could Hollywood have really gotten it wrong, if old Burt could get his Indian Scout into the mid triple digits why was my quest being interrupted by this well meaning public servant.
The Bub Speed Trials took place at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, this year between Monday Sept. 1st and Saturday the 6th.
The trip for me began on the Saturday prior, I gave myself a leisurely 2 days to make the 655 mile trip, leaving the San Francisco north bay area towards Sth. Lake Tahoe on highway 50. Hi way 50 is like any other till you exit the back side of Carson City, Nevada and start to traverse the historic route of the pony express and you enter into what is known as the loneliest road in America. It's called this for good reason, the road strikes out into the vast wasteland that is central Nevada with authority and an introspective that waits for you, as it has for many that have passed before, on four wheels, two wheels or a sweating panting horse galloping across the plain with a riders hat tipped back in the wind as his heels coax his mount on. It seems that upon leaving Carson City and entering into this previously unknown world my heels coaxed my steed into a conversation with the local Nevada Hi way Patrol, I tried to explain that I h
ad seen the movie "The World's Fastest Indian" and according to it there was no speed limit in Nevada, officer Crisp was polite but obviously not humored, not to mention that conversation took place under this road sign, the first I had seen until I dropped the kickstand beneath it. Could Hollywood have really gotten it wrong, if old Burt could get his Indian Scout into the mid triple digits why was my quest being interrupted by this well meaning public servant.
The solitude of the road makes itself evident in no uncertain terms, there is little traffic to take your attention from endless miles of straight blacktop that seems to unfold in 10 mile lengths, only to end in a quiet little dogleg right or left and then continue on into another mind wandering span
of road disappearing off in the distance to the edge of the horizon. The speed of my bike seemed to edge up again till it was resting peacefully in the 90-100 range, the lack of any buildings or passing traffic belay the quickness at which you are actually eating up the miles, only the glance down at the odometer gives any idea how far you have travelled and to remind you that your attention can not wander less you find yourself being launched into the brush that seems to relish this part of the world.
of road disappearing off in the distance to the edge of the horizon. The speed of my bike seemed to edge up again till it was resting peacefully in the 90-100 range, the lack of any buildings or passing traffic belay the quickness at which you are actually eating up the miles, only the glance down at the odometer gives any idea how far you have travelled and to remind you that your attention can not wander less you find yourself being launched into the brush that seems to relish this part of the world.
There is not much in the way of visual entertainment, anticipation of the next fuel stop and a cool drink to quench your thirst is what the immediate quest is about. The town of Austin lies approximately mid state, 172 miles east of Carson City, about that time it was getting to be late afternoon and I was looking for a soft spot to lay my head, after chowing down on a tasty burger and a MGD ( imported beer in that part of the country) at the Toiyable Cafe I proceeded through town and 5 files or so I pitched my tent in a small state park (the name escapes me), found my stash of tequila and basked in the dwindling light of the sunset as the agave worked it's magic and the day dissipated behind the shadows of the hillsides.
Daylight or my prostate woke me about 6:00 or so and after admiring the front half of the sun, I packed up and anxiously headed off to Eureka, about 90 miles east, for a cup of coffee or three and some breakfast. Eureka is best known as a mining town that peaked in about 1878, I'm sure I'm wrong but it seemed like from one end of town to the other there were about 25 buildings in all, never the less I found the Owl Club Casino and breakfast joint, coffee, eggs over
easy, hash browns and homemade sausage started off that yet was to be another memorable day. With a much satisfied stomach, I put my jacket on and swung my helmet over the back of my head, out of the corner of my eye I caught a small group walking down the boardwalk and before I could button her up heard "Now, that's a proper British Bike", not exactly the first time I've heard that, but this was different, and as I pulled the helmet back off and turned I found four Brits hanging over the railing like a bunch extras from an Italian Western. Turns out the lads have flown into the San Jose, rented a small flock of Harley's and were on their way to the Bonneville Salt Flats. We spend about 5-10 mins.
discussing the merits of Milwaukee Motorcycles and a couple of different routes before i pulled out of town on my way to my next destination, Ely. Ely will be the final stop before Wendover.
easy, hash browns and homemade sausage started off that yet was to be another memorable day. With a much satisfied stomach, I put my jacket on and swung my helmet over the back of my head, out of the corner of my eye I caught a small group walking down the boardwalk and before I could button her up heard "Now, that's a proper British Bike", not exactly the first time I've heard that, but this was different, and as I pulled the helmet back off and turned I found four Brits hanging over the railing like a bunch extras from an Italian Western. Turns out the lads have flown into the San Jose, rented a small flock of Harley's and were on their way to the Bonneville Salt Flats. We spend about 5-10 mins.
discussing the merits of Milwaukee Motorcycles and a couple of different routes before i pulled out of town on my way to my next destination, Ely. Ely will be the final stop before Wendover.
The anticipation out of Ely builds and again the speed just seems to role on faster and faster as the bike is starting to act like a magnet is drawing it home with a greater urgency as each mile rolls under the Pirelli's.
No change in the road, long empty and desolate, however there is a change in the air, it's cooling some and getting ever thicker, the light is fading and the ominous dark clouds start to move across the sky before the first crack of thunder flashes from the heavens to the deck of the desert. This is followed in short order by a strong wind coming out of the north and a moderate rain. So after all this with just 25 miles to go, nature is throwing a bit of nasty at me, so much so that I'm holding onto the handlebars for dear life, I can't see my knuckles, but under my gloves I'm certain they are a lily white.
The thing about a strong crosswind, especially on a wet road is the indecision that comes with it, do I slow down to 40mph and prolong the beating or speed up to 80 and make it go away as fast as possible, then the right side of the brain kicks in and says "when you launch yourself off the road do you want to be going 40 or 80", the sensible part of me decided a compromise of 60 was best suited for the situation and I rolled into Wendover wet but unscathed and just a little worse for wear.
I didn't anticipate the search for a room would be very fruitful based on conversations with friends that had attended previously and so i was quite happy to see the Motel 6 had vacancies and for only $29.95. A warm shower was more then welcome. After a quick "kip" I was up and out to see what Wendover had in store, based on the run through town it looked like it was mostly all about Casino's, being as the stateline of Utah and Nevada intersected the town about midships, this was the playground for the gamblers in Utah. Well low and behold in passing the office I didn't notice four Harley's parked outside, yep my four Refugee friends from old blighty were checking in and eventually ended up just a couple rooms away.
Before dinner I had to go to the place that had brought on this trip, I needed to see the "Flats", there was still enough daylight and the rain and slowed considerably. I headed out of town and followed the signs to the Bonneville Salt Flats Speedway, I was here many years ago as a lad travelling from Canada to California, but now I was mounted on my 2002 Triumph Bonneville heading towards my bikes namesake on the 50th anniversary of it's introduction.
The exit off of hiway 80, swoops around and crosses over the freeway, and about a m
ile on turns nrth east about 3 miles where it ends at the salt. there is a small sign that announces your arrival and discusses in brief the history of the salt flats, the fact that the Donner party got hung up here and well the rest is history. On this evening it's cold, the clouds hang ominously over the great white expanse of grayish salt and a small lake that has formed at the bottom of what is to be known as the boat ramp in the coming day.
Feeling good despite the cold and wet, I head back to town where Cyril, Bill, Dick and Lee, the refugees from the UK ask me to join them for Dinner. Walking down the sidewalk towards the casino's I notice that Cyril, Dick and Bill are a few years my senior and Lee a few my junior, somehow out of the conversation Cyril mentions he has Leukemia . Not sure quite what to say I could only ask him how he felt, "I feel like shit"....... but having said that he goes on to say had it not been for a new drug he was on, he have been dead several years back. All I could think of was "Bucket List", I had just seen the film recently and now somehow I was in a sequel. Waiting in line at the restaurant, I made some small talk about motorcycles, Cyril had on his Vincent Jacket and the conversation naturally tilted in that direction. Egli Vincents come up in conversation and Cyril declares that he is one of 3 or so people in the world that make the frames for them! Ok.........somewhere through dinner Cyril also professes that he made formula one frames for Emerson Fittipaldi and the Coopersucar Team in the 70's.......quite a gent it turns out. Subsequently I find out that there is a lot more to Cyril then this and during the next 3-4 days he introduces me to all of the Vincent "heavy hitters" present at the Flats. Quite the end to a terrific day.
to be continued.......
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The Genesis of "i shoot from the hip"
This blog is really just a way for me to organize my photographs and describe some of the events that led to there "capture".
Seems like I have had a camera around my neck or in my hand for most of my adult life, mostly in my hand, being slung about with abandon. I started out with a Cannon Ae-1, A-1 then gravitated to a fully Manual F-1. My business, the 9-5 one dictates that I document with my camera, as time wears on the eyes tend to get a little worse for wear and the manual focus cameras were replaced with auto focus. At the time Nikon was making the fast
est auto focus and so I begrudgingly switched brands choosing a 6006 and then an 8008 body and numerous attaching lens's. I was blowing through $700-$800 worth of film and processing when the "digital" age began to make inroads in the photography business. The list of cameras that I blew through are many, but the first was a Kodak DC40, very prehistoric by today's standards and never really very "usable" but still quite a breakthrough.
Seems like I have had a camera around my neck or in my hand for most of my adult life, mostly in my hand, being slung about with abandon. I started out with a Cannon Ae-1, A-1 then gravitated to a fully Manual F-1. My business, the 9-5 one dictates that I document with my camera, as time wears on the eyes tend to get a little worse for wear and the manual focus cameras were replaced with auto focus. At the time Nikon was making the fast
est auto focus and so I begrudgingly switched brands choosing a 6006 and then an 8008 body and numerous attaching lens's. I was blowing through $700-$800 worth of film and processing when the "digital" age began to make inroads in the photography business. The list of cameras that I blew through are many, but the first was a Kodak DC40, very prehistoric by today's standards and never really very "usable" but still quite a breakthrough.
I have always been "hard" on my equipment so these things tended to come and go in an unnerving succession.
I shoot from the hip really started about 5 years ago when I started shooting pictures while riding my 2002 Triumph Bonneville with a group out of the bay area, we like to refer to as "The Presidents".
Most of the pictures can be seen on the Presidents Gallery that I administer.
What happened during the course of doing this is that I became more adept at riding and shooting, at first the pictures were mostly blurred and lacked composition, most probably because I was piloting the bike and trying to stay in one piece. Over time the pictures began to look the same, they were all 3/4 shots coming up from behind someone so innovation was called for and I began to watch my mirrors for scenic setups behind and in front of me where I could position the rider in a picture that would have alittle more pizazz....., or reach down and shoot inches off the road while speeding along at 50-60 mph. A little over a year ago I bought a Nikon D40X, this is the smallest DSLR camera out there, it allowed me to shoot at higher resolution and still be able to "palm" it while my right hand controlled the throttle and sometimes the front brakes.
Shooting from the hip has been very hard on the bike, affectionately named the "tool", the bar end mirrors are pushed into the rubber throttle grip that does not allow the throttle to "return", hence I have a poor mans "cruise control" if you will, well the only way to manage speed while the throttle is open and the camera in clicking is to drag my rear brake, to date I have gone through some 6 sets of pads and I have cracked four rear disks from overheating. I have only managed to eat some dirt on one occasion in Cambria several years ago when I came up on the backside of two bikes "dicing" through the corners, apparently I was paying more attention to the riders in the camera they the upcoming turn....... The aches and pains, the blisters on my fingers, the wear and tear on the bike have all been worth it, for every now and again you are presented with a real "Jewell" for your efforts.
I ride with the eye of a photographer, I am constantly snapping photo's with my eyes even when there is no camera in my hand, I see the world as a constant parade of "stills".
Still pictures capture a split second of time, they immortalize a moment like no video can. They can become art when shot, processed and presented properly.
I shoot from the hip is a mind set for me, the equipment is expendable but the images that they capture at times can be priceless, especially if you ride and understand the shear joy you can get from rounding that corner, feeling the camber of the road cradling you and slingshoting you into a scenic vision that all to often is lost.
It's those moments I am trying to capture and preserve.