Dean’s Garage

“I can’t let you leave here with those handlebars,” said Dean sternly.

I looked at my mechanic in surprise. Those handlebars were intended for my new bike, and I’d chosen them carefully. I thought they’d be extremely comfortable, and they looked stylish to boot. “Why?” I asked a bit defensively.

“They just don’t look right on you,” he growled. 

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Messing About with Merry

It can be hard to get a teenager out of the house at times, but when you do, the results can be quite good. Case in point: When the Columbia was roaring along during the spring freshet I convinced Merry to come mess about in the backwaters of Smith and Bybee Wetlands.  

Party Time

The party is almost over. Since late fall, there’s been a raucous gathering each night in downtown Portland… and man is it loud. Come daylight, the sidewalks are a mess, the revelers are starting to disperse, and for us early risers who experience the aftermath, it’s not a pretty scene. 

Light Up the Night

As a daily bike commuter, I work hard to be noticed by cars. It seems that even with my dorky reflector vest and light system, cars still don’t notice me; it’s scary. If that’s the case, I began to wonder why so many bikers don’t use lights at night…

Tale of Terrapin

“I thought you loved that boat,” my wife said when I mentioned that I was thinking of selling Terrapin.

“When I looked in her log book, I realized that I haven’t rowed her since April.”

My wife looked on, still surprised.

“And, Terrapin is a great boat, but she’s not the most comfortable thing to sit in for long periods of time,” I noted. 

The Man and The Book

“It’s not exactly an impulse buy,” Harvey told me with a chuckle, when describing his new book, Kayaks of Alaska. I admit that it’s heavy and that maybe the average person wouldn’t buy a copy, but it’s well worth perusing and I’m not just saying that because Harvey is my friend. A big part of the appeal is visual.