Thursday, July 1, 2010

leaving

today is my last day of direct blogging for ten days. sounds strange i imagine. i'll explain. today - well today is canada day, a national holiday here in canada. there are parades, fireworks, people lying around by lakes and rivers and pools, you know. then tomorrow at eight thirty in the morning, i get on my bike along with fourteen other cyclists and head out on a one thousand kilometre journey around lake ontario that will last ten days. one of those days will be a rest and frisbee day so you can do the math on how much riding will be done on the other nine.

i am so pumped. i have done nothing like this before.

we are being accompanied by a big schoolbus that will carry all our gear and beer and stuff. the people i am riding with - well for the most part they're mid to late twenties. i'm carrying a camera and a small camcorder. i'm also carrying three really sweet ultra finepoint markers to write with in a fat little notebook. my plan is to bring all that together and drive you all to distraction sharing cycling stories. actually i'll spare you that and up the entire story over on my cycling blog.

meanwhile i've spent some time creating posts for the next ten days. i'll try and change over the way you post comments so that others can read what you think without my moderation.

thinking of comments - i've not been able to reply to all of your comments and i'm sorry about that. being a teacher has very few negatives about it but the demands on what is nominally personal time are occasionally unavoidable.

so for now. b'bye!


when i am finished riding for the day,
i'm going to be reading matsuo basho's narrow road to the interior
for the third time

it is so beautiful

reading it is like eating really good chocolate

i love the moment of melting
when its consistency changes
and it fills me

and like any worthy addiction
i simply want more

spring passes
and the birds cry out - tears
in the eyes of fishes

with these first words from my brush i started. those who remain behind
watch the shadow of a traveller's back disappear

matsuo, my sweet brother across time

my bloggy people can go here to take the narrow road to the deep north

29 comments:

ellen abbott said...

good journey steven.

Eryl said...

One thousand kilometers?! Makes my thighs ache just thinking of it, good luck and have a great time, I hope Matsuo Basho is able to soothe you at the end of each day.

Titus said...

steven: goodness, the very best of luck to you! I hope you really enjoy it, both highs and lows. And the frisbee day. I think I could manage the frisbee day.

Lorenzo — Alchemist's Pillow said...

All the best to you, Steven. I will be making a donation to the very worthy cause you are riding for. I know you will live the whole experience intensely, the "good good" and the "tough good" that awaits you on the road. As you know, I am a bit of a cycling buff myself, although not as disciplined or fit as you.

So, when the saddle stings and there is no longer any comfortable position, when the quads burn and calf muscles threaten to cramp, and the wind just won't show any mercy, spare a thought for your blog friends rooting for you (from the comfort of my computer chair --- sorry, I just had to get that one in).

Have a great, smooth and safe ride!

alaine@éclectique said...

Keep safe, Steven. Will be thinking of you; have a fantastic journey!!

steven said...

thanks very much ellen. i'll be riding for all the fifty somethings who've put off something they wanted to do thirty years ago but couldn't afford it in some way!! steven

steven said...

thanks eryl i'm hoping that matsuo and a beer will turn the trick!!! steven

steven said...

titus - i'll let you know if i've got enough left in the tank for frisbee day!!! i have a feeling i'll be lying in a tent chilling out!!! steven

steven said...

hey lorenzo thanks so much i really appreciate your support. your list of sufferings made me laugh because those are exactly the experiences cyclists go through aren't they!!! i'll share the story when i return and you'll see and read about the trials, trubulations and glories - oh and also how i managed to follow the tour de france without a computer or tv. steven

steven said...

alaine thankyou for that. i'm sure that with the group i'll be sharing this experience with there'll be some stories!!! steven

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

Have a marvellous adventure steven!
Safe travels.

Golden West said...

All best wishes as you set out on this new adventure - I'll be eager to hear all about it!

steven said...

thanks so much bonnie! steven

steven said...

thanks very much golden west. i'll share as much as i can as soon as i get back!!! steven

Reya Mellicker said...

Gear and beer! Oh yeah it's the best of all worlds.

Have a WONDERFUL ride. I'm sure you will.

xx

steven said...

hey reya thankyou! it'll be filled with moments of wonder (like "i wonder why i'm doing this!) it wraps up a wish i've had for a long time of riding a very long way with people. steven

Jenny Stevning said...

Traveling mercies to you! What an exciting adventure! Have a wonderful time. I love that the bus carries gear and beer. Ha! :)

spring passes
and the birds cry out - tears
in the eyes of fishes

These two lines kill me! So Beautiful!

Aleks said...

Good journey Steven!!

Dan Gurney said...

Ride safely and have a great time. I've done several rides like that over the years. I know you'll have a blast. Enjoy the reading and know that your positive presence in the bloggosphere will be missed.

steven said...

jenny thanks for your generous thoughts and blessings! i'll be filled with pictures and stories when i return. steven

steven said...

thanks ever so much aleks!! steven

steven said...

boy oh boy dan i should've come to you for advice!! thanks for your kind thoughts of course. steven

CiCi said...

Happy Canadian Birthday. Best wishes to you for a wonderful experience biking and reading and time with the other bikers. This sounds like an awesome undertaking and I know you have been preparing for a long time.

Delwyn said...

Have many happy days Steven
what a combination: great exercise, good company and Basho...

Happy days

steven said...

hey technobabe!! thankyou and thankyou!!! i'm tremendously excited to go on this big adventure and then also very nervous. a bit of everything. i'm packing up what i need and trying not to take anything unnecessary and then also trying not to forget anything important. i'll tell the whole story in ten days and a bit!!
steven

steven said...

delwyn thankyou.being with people much younger than myself will be really interesting. seeing new places and experiencing new experiences will be fantastic!!! then peacefulness at the end of the day - i hope!!! steven

hope said...

Safe journey!

Joanna said...

This is such a wonderful thing you are doing Steven. I wish you a wonderful ride and many good experiences.

Valerianna said...

I was just yesterday thinking... now when is that enormous ride steven is going on?? Awesome.. blessings of abundant energy, ease and beauty to you!
And thanks for that amazing writing from your "sweet brother across time", I might need to pick that up!