Earth Day, 2008

Couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day today. Sunshine, no wind, cool but not cold. A perfect 48°F ride in. I felt compelled this morning, even running late, to stop and dig the ancient digital camera out of my bag.

In order of capture:

Something grabbed me about this shot of the coal ship unloading with the tug along side. As we progressed down the path the tug eventually turned around and started heading north (it is facing south right now).

I looked down and saw one of my favorite and most familiar aquatic plants. Bonus points for those who can name the seaweed pictured. (Call it NTP -name that plant-)
After this image I pocketed the camera and hopped on the bike, rolling down the path a bit until...

This lone swan (the second swan I saw and thought I should capture that image) merited me getting off the bike. The first was was sleeping, or just drifting along. I preferred this one, wake and all.

Then I realized just in the field of view was something I've been watching for maybe a month? or at least a few weeks and each time telling myself, take a picture before it washes away!
There it is. A capsized boat. It has been hung up on the rocks here for a while.

And then...
I saw that guy, lurking there, like a round reptile. Fitting for earth day eh?

And finally, looking back from my spot on the abandoned rail ties at the bike and trailer, back lit with the brilliant sun and quiet inlet behind.

Today also was one of the worst traffic back ups I've seen in a long time. A good long back up on the parkway, and the side streets, all trying to feed into the highway headed over the bridge. So sad. All those thousands of cars idling away, on such a brilliant and amazing day. It struck me as logical (yes you can read this as Spock talking) that we combine bike to work day with Earth Day. What better way to save the earth one step at a time than by commuting by bike? For me, if I drive the Volvo it takes 1 gallon or a little more to get back and forth. One gallon isn't much, but that's $3-$4. And it adds up. What are you doing? The back up and lines and lines of cars got me thinking...

Enough to make the Indian cry all over again:

That's the google one...
here is the youtube version:


The remarkable thing? That PSA is as old as I am.

Heddwch
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