Two Wheels To Nowhere

I biked to work this morning on dry roads but by noon wet sticky snow was falling. by evening, when I was forced to leave my two-wheeler at work and walk to Mom’s place and back, I experienced a cognitive dissonance as I was cursing the slippery, snow clogged sidewalks while simultaneously enjoying the beauty…

long after the colourful foliage of Fall has dropped from the branches that continue to reach for the grey Winter skies, I can’t help but look up in wonder. I marvel at the stark dendritic patterns that are silhouetted against the dark Winter sky above. often, these gnarly branches house a squirrel’s sanctuary high above…

walking with Artie on a morning when the temperature hovers around zero; hours before the thermometer will plummet. the last drops fall just before they freeze.  yesterday, Mikayla was awarded for simply being who she is. the embodiment of kindness. like her Mom. like her Gramma. my recent clavicle image tells me the regular activity…

Luci. Little LuLu. Lucifer. Fkn Luci. Luzer, are a few of the many handles she carried in our house over the course of thirteen years. years ago, Chris googled how do you make a Chihuahua stop barking… “don’t get one” was the response. her shrill bark was like fingernails on a chalkboard. Luci was always…

apparently nobody misses them… dozens of shredded copper pairs. you’d think Bell service techs would be all over it but apparently no one complains; it’s been like this for a while looks like a City lawnmower or snowplow got the better of it, LoL 😆

eye catching creations gallery link

in twenty twenty five:• may your life be simple and uncomplicated• may you remember that the “little things” really do matter• may those little things result in a boatload of happiness and gratitude Magnificent Seven, the Clash

photos by Eric vW song by Rebekah Hawker

a wet one for December. Artie wasn’t keen to walk in it

pre-Christmas views around the hood where Artie and I like to roam in the evening and Louie struggles with his saliva. Winter is officially here, whether we like it or not

a dark, dreary December is illuminated by bright family faces and our neighborhood’s colourful Christmas decorations. these views help to buoy my mood as I struggle through the darkest days of the year. a few more days until the day’s light begins to lengthen…

mild air, snow flakes fallwe slog through heavy, brown slushsnap those Big Red Balls

November, with its limited light, still shines on our Family

What I remember, vicariously, through my father’s and mother’s stories…   Both my parents were Dutch immigrants to Canada in 1960. All my siblings and I were born in Canada. Growing up, we’ve heard many wartime stories (World War II), vividly remembered by mom and dad who were ten and twelve years old when the war…

the Sun set early yesterday after work. the Bay was very cool and calm. the fountain no longer flows. Winter is on its way…

an unusually warm September kept the chlorophyll working longer than usual, thereby delaying and muting the cacophony of colourful leaves that usually fill our tree canopies. however, the warmer than usual weather also encouraged us to get outside and enjoy the changing season in what felt like an endless Summer stretching well into October!

Oro is beautiful; whether I say so, or not. just warm enough today to sit outside the Oro Station General Store for a bottle of soda and Doritos. all’s I wore today was pyjamas and a bike kit. truth be told; it was a perfect day

plans don’t always follow the expected path, but if we keep moving forward, we maintain our balance and ultimately reach our destination

Chris and I were chilling on the back patio enjoying an evening visit from Cathy and Al in the beautiful late Summer Sun on Friday the Thirteenth. Rachel was due to deliver their little girl on September 8, so we knew we would be receiving a call at any time. well, after more than an…

perfect conditions for a golden ride in the golden hour

Chris and I enjoyed being shown around the hood by Harrison on this, the day his new sister was due to be born. he is a happy, humourous and thoughtful kid who makes friends easily, as demonstrated by his quick connection with sisters Caitlin and Caroline at the playground. energy to burn, that boy!

postponed, postponed, postponed… and so, my August Two Wheels to Nowhere gran fondo became a September epic effort. wind warnings popping up on my Garmin early on, warned me the ride was gonna be a lot of fun. in one direction. 😜 a really strong crew ripped through the first half, leaving one rider to…

one day a few weeks ago, out of the blue, my sister says she wants to swim across Kempenfelt Bay and asked me if I would help with a canoe escort. of course! now, Sylvia is not a routine swimmer but she keeps herself generally strong and fit. So, it was no surprise when she…

a ride at Sunrise and a dip in the Bay, all before work! a fantastic fog blanketed our route. beautiful

…the chassis can be pretty but ultimately it’s the engine that matters

Jordyn turned two in June. our granddaughter comes by the curls honestly from her Mom and Dad. recent heat and humidity has her hair running outta control. we’ve had a lot of fun with her this Summer! It’s so awesome living so close to her.

cone: two dollars fun: priceless

as the Sun slowly edged up over the horizon on the North Shore of Kempenfelt Bay in a shroud of fog, I was so stoked to see seventeen riders rolling out of Meridian Place for our annual double-century Hairshirt North ride through the lakelands of Simcoe County. seven riders took the “Tank Top” 140k escape…

windstill and warm waters were welcoming after a stellar ride along the north shore of #kempenfeltbay

an awesome aviation spectacle over Kempenfelt Bay on Sunday! Leah and Mikayla called me on Friday to invite me for a Father’s Day excursion on our bikes down to the north shore park, followed by dinner at their house. we watched my cycling buddy, Chris Herten, along with several other skilled pilots, entertain the crowds…

as we approach the Solstice, we roll into prime cycling season. early morning rides are such a great way to start the day. I love the Summer light and heat and frequent dips in the Bay, lazily splashing about as I cool off in the calm water, watching the Sun set between my toes

I had to go from my office back to the shop floor quickly, just before leaving work, to pick up some parts. the shop was dark and quiet as I made my way across the shop floor. as I walked back to the office entrance, l was struck by the abstract dark shadows cast on…

an epic day on two-wheelers

wild weather on Wednesday evening led to calm and clear skies Thursday morning over Kempenfelt Bay

my favourite weekly ride is occurring with regularity now. the BCC Sunrise Ride invariably delivers considerable comradery, stunning Sunrise scenes and an energizing entry to the workday. feeling great gratitude for where we live and who fills the spaces nearby

I had some extra help on my ride recently. not sure how many watts these two beauties added, but it was about one horsepower or two times a half horsepower  Oreo and Ember live not far from our house in Allandale with their human, Chris. All three of them were kind and friendly; gentle out-going…

the home stretch. a Starbux kick-in-the-ass got us rolling out of Fort Wayne at the crack of Noon. we had to check our smokes and firearms at the door heading into the ‘Bux. I wouldn’t want to accidentally shoot the barista before they finished making my Americano. stopped to stare across the St Clair River…

slow morning after late smokes and drinks and miscellaneous bullshitting. listened to Neil DeGrasse-Tyson for several chapters followed by interesting discourse filling up much of the windshield time. what is disability anyways? a couple of truck drivers almost took us out on hwy 70 and 69. gotta get Ian’s passport overnighted to hotel. oops.

there is no black and white. everything is a spectrum

after hunting down a recreational cannabis shop (surprisingly hard to find! lots of medical dispensaries, though), we made our way to Pike’s Peak to take in the highest summit of the southern Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. the Pike’s Peak Toll Road was closed at Mile 13 of 19 due to snow clearing operations…

this stretch of our journey brought us from one side of the Rockies to the other. breathtaking vistas, precipitous plunges into mountain valleys and a serious warning for putting chains on our tires as we passed through Eagle-Vail. snowfall wasn’t too severe in the end but nevertheless, Ian and I were happy to roll into…

enjoying the windshield time with my big brother. some spectacular sights, clusterfuckery and belly laughs

every time I’m in this town, I enjoy a running tour that sometimes brings me to some interesting sights that are fun to try to capture in a pleasing perspective. this afternoon didn’t disappoint.

seeing a small part of Vegas around the Convention Center as we prepare the Hörmann show booth and meeting space. I definitely wouldn’t want to live here but it’s always an interesting place to visit. I’ve seen it change and grow substantially in the 25+ years that I’ve been coming here for work. it’s definitely…

originally posted October 2012 Blue Marinoni ~ by Eric van Wesenbeeck A simple machine, on two wheels I ride.Toothed and chained, one hundred years unchanged.An engine alive, infinitely complex;Fine tuned and perfected over millions of years.Efficient and elegant like no human design.Gentle breeze, howling in my ears; while tires hum a tireless tune.Blood pumping to…

riding with Joe is almost always a pain and a pleasure. we planned a midweek ride that quickly escalated from a quick rip around Barrie to an early Escarpment epic effort that required me to book a half a vacation day to allow time. it was great to reconnect with Joe after a long winter.…

I wonder if he’s working on turning it into Juicy Ass… now that would be miraculous!