Sunday, September 9, 2007

a couple of unlikely locales

Locale #1: My parents live in the Orkney Islands in northeastern Scotland. The northernmost of those islands is North Ronaldsay -- home to a lot of intertidal sheep, huge numbers of migratory birds and grey seals, and not very many people. It's also the home to an 18thC Stevenson lighthouse -- and replacing it, the tallest land-based lighthouse in Britain.

But looking for something else I discovered the website for the North Ronaldsay Community School and all five of its students. The banner image on their site is, I think, from the Nouster Bay beach -- where Meg and I experienced 'Seal TV'... the only place I've been where seals swimming in the sea will shadow you as you walk down the beach and back. North Ronaldsay is a remarkable place with an incredible history and culture all its own. Please go visit.

Locale #2: Here's a lovely quote from the Unholy Rouleur: "If you don't feel love for road bikes the way a hunter loves a fine Italian or English 12 gauge double barreled shotgun, or the way a fine woodworker loves a traditionally-made japanese straight saw, you just don't get it. Quit asking, I can't explain it to you. Spend some more time with it and you may come to understand. Otherwise... well, I hear jogging and rollerblading are always looking for a few good people."

I have no idea if Jim shoots or just rants and waxes lyrical about road-bikes, but he seems to like coffee and has an awesome banner picture on his blog of a cyclocrosser in some serious mud. Seems alright by me. At the very least, I love these analogies.

1 comment:

Daniel Gauss said...

Road bikes. My brother.. 9 years younger, and with apparently way too much available credit, rides a Scott carbon fiber road bike. It's a beautiful, ridiculous machine.