forty one

PICTURES ARE A PAIN

Walter is my yard gnome. Walter is the name of my bike, I explained this in a previous post. As I travel alone the one problem is having pictures with me in them. Another problem is that I don't like to take the time to take pictures. 

Touring is a full focus event. Maneuvering through traffic, climbing hills, following maps and searching for signs takes most of my focus. As I see a potential picture, I must stop in a safe place, dig out the camera, and setup the shot.  

With one eye on my stuff, I have to take the picture, store my camera, get back on the bike and resume my momentum. This is with sweaty fingers and face and usually half out of breath. 

There is a line in the movie. The big chill, “sometimes you just let the art flow over you”. This is my favorite way to tour, “just let it flow over me”. However, the pictures in my head are not as valued as hard copies years later. 

My last trip I tried to focus more on pictures, I did a little better but pictures with me are still difficult. Walter winds up in most of my shots which serves two purposes, I can watch my bike and there is proof I was actually there. 

I have a small tripod but those shots are a real pain. Handing a three hundred dollar camera to a stranger makes me nervous. I didn't have that problem with disposable cameras. I want to improve on this in the future, but for now it’s my super model "Walter".