Vancouver Street Photography

This, above, is one of my favorite pics from our Vancouver trip, and what follows are some other samples of my street photography...

Vancouver 3

One of the other "must see" attractions in Vancouver is the Museum of Anthropology, situated on the University of British Columbia campus. The building is beautiful and the pieces on display provide some insight into the deep and diverse history of the indigenous First Nation people. There are actually tens of thousands of items available to be viewed as there was an overwhelming number of drawers that could be opened for a seemingly endless number of paintings, carvings and other works.

Vancouver 2

We decided NOT to rent a car as the majority of the things that we wanted to do and see were within walking distance from our hotel. And while that meant walking several miles each day, we did ultimately decide to follow a tip provided by a friend and get a car for one day. We were told that the drive from Vancouver to Whistler was beautiful and we were not disappointed. Highway 99, also known as the Sea to Sky Highway takes you out of the city and into amazing mountains in about 20 minutes. The route goes through Squamish to Whistler and was awesome. Next time, we will DEFINITELY bring the bikes and do much more exploring in this area.

Vancouver 1

"Wow." That was my first thought riding into Vancouver as I gazed out of the taxi windows; a modern city surrounded by natural beauty. I’m not much of a “city person,” and I’d be hard-pressed to ever say that I’d consider living in an urban setting, but I could definitely see Jean and I living in Vancouver.

Jean and her parents were on a cruise that started and ended in Vancouver, and while I didn’t go on the cruise, I flew out there so Jean and I could spend a couple of days exploring. With only five days in the area, we barely scratched the surface on all of the cool things to do and see, but it was enough to let us know that we want to go back.

I’m going to break the photos down into a couple of different albums and I’ll start with some pics of the city itself and some scenes from the Seawall, which is the world’s longest uninterrupted waterfront path. At 28k long, it's popular among walkers, runners, and cyclists and provides great views the whole way. It also goes around Stanley Park which is a HUGE "city park" that has miles of trails through west coast rain forest and is possibly the best part of Vancouver. Enjoy these pics, more to follow.

4th of July Parade, Bay Ridge, Annapolis, Maryland

Some pics from the local parade here in the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Annapolis. If you're viewing on an iPhone or iPad, use this link.
 

Central Vermont Distraction from Chaos

We have quite a bit going on. The moving, packing, and logistical challenges associated with our lives is a bit out of control. I won't get into the details, but suffice it to say that over the past month or so, there has been virtually no "down" time. Until this weekend. Jean and I had planned a camping trip to central Vermont months ago, and despite the fact that there's a mountain of stuff to do and to be sorted out, we still felt it was important to get out and chill out. It was a wise decision.

Travel Trailer Maiden Voyage

In December, Jean and I bought a travel trailer with hopes and dreams of using it nearly every weekend for the summer... Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Western Massachusetts and points beyond were all on our radar. Well, life has thrown us a curveball, so our summer is going to be a bit chaotic.

That being said, we were able to get out for our first trip... a semi-local jaunt up to North Conway, NH for some mountain biking, hiking and visit with the family.

Farewell Jam

Yes, it's true. I'm moving. New job, new city, new state, new challenges.

While there are going to be many things about the new situation that are going to be great, there's one thing that will not compare, and that's the amazing BMX flatland scene here in New England.

The amount of riders, the ability of the riders, and the dedication.. these factors and so many more keep me motivated. And I certainly do NOT get to ride with my fellow NEFlat riders as much as I would like (not NEARLY as much as I would like), just knowing that they're out there keeps me rolling.

Now, moving to Maryland, there simply does not appear to be a thriving flatland scene like New England.

Anyway, I had a chance to meet up with a few riders before my move--actually, I reserved a couple of local basketball courts through the YMCA and I was PSYCHED that some good friends drive up from a few different states to ride with me one more time before I hit the road.

NEMBA Fest 2015

I've been trying to get up to NEMBA Fest in Vermont for the past couple of years, and it seems like something always comes up. This year was no different, but I really made a concerted effort and despite a schedule that borders on sadistic, I was able to get in one day of solid riding with some great people.

BMX

Crane Estate-Ipswich Weekend Get-Away

If you're viewing on an iPhone or iPad, go here!


Jean and I went ALL THE WAY to Ipswich for a weekend get-away, by staying at the Inn At Castle Hill at Crane Estate. You don't need to go far to have a great weekend. The weather was perfect for walking around the grounds of the Crane Estate and for going ALL THE WAY to Willowdale for some mountain biking. It was quite a nice, relaxing weekend. Enjoy the pics above!

Cape Cod 2014

If you're viewing on an iPhone/iPad, go here.

Misc from AMNH in NYC

If you're on an iPhone or iPad, go here for the pics...




Okay, while walking around the American Museum of Natural History in NYC, I saw plenty of interesting stuff... But as you can imagine, it's not the easiest place to take pics... low light, no tripods allowed, glass between you and everything and SWARMS of people. Anyway, I took *some* shots thanks to my camera's super high ISO rating...

NYC City Streets and Scenes 2014

If you're on an iPad or iPhone, go here...

Perspective2

perspective2 from David Alden on Vimeo.

Friends Don't Let Friends Buy Department Store Bikes

I'm NOT a bike snob. I think that any bike that any person has is a good bike. I've seen many, many, many inexpensive bikes with decades of service, miles and miles of history, and with the right rider, used more proficiently than any boutique bike.

That being said, department store bikes are crap, and it's an insult to any consumer that bike companies even try to market these bike-like contraptions. Forget the fact that most bikes in department stores are assembled in a manner to make them--at best--a bitch to ride--and at worst--considerably dangerous to ride.

Kingdom Trails

I used to hit Kingdom Trails in Vermont several times per year. The 3+hr drive, each way, wasn't really a problem, and trails are awesome. But, over time, other priorities came up, my schedule changed, and I just haven't gotten up there as much any more. That's a shame, because the riding is amazing. I HAVE been up there a few times over the past couple of years, but I don't think Jean has been up for at least two years... that finally changed this weekend.

Great Glen Mountain Bike Trails

I hadn't been to Great Glen for many years... I think the last time I was there was when a buddy and I raced in the two-man single speed category in the 24hr race. My back seized up sometime in the weeee hours of the night, but we still somehow pulled off a 2nd place finish. Anyway, from what I remembered, the trails were pretty fun, and I thought it would make a good destination for Jean and I...

Late Summer Old School BMX Jam

If you're viewing on an iPhone or iPad, you'll have to go here for the pics...

2014 Flatland Fracas

Rick MacDonald did it again--pulled off another great event! The slideshow below won't come up on iPhone or iPads, so go here.

Otherwise, you can read about the event on Flatmatters and check out some other pics on Tables & Fables.