A Setting Moon and The Cave of Light

 

Song:  Drops of Jupiter

Group:  Train

I had left home around 0530 in the morning to trike and to capture the sunrise.

Although it was still pitch black...

much of the colors of sunrise happen before the sun breaches the horizon.

Once I had almost reached Sunset Court...

I saw a dark amber moon setting behind a distant mountain ridge.

I quickly pedaled to the edge and brought my camera to bear.

Although I had taken more...

the rest were out of focus.

I then triked over to Sunrise Point.

As the sun is now shifting more towards true east as it is getting later in the season...

I realized that I will have to change my location from now on...

to the top of the ridge.

I will be taking my folding seat and camera tripod...

and setting it up at the top.

As my trike will have to remain on the street...

I am going to buy a long cable lock and secure it to a lamp post.

As I am partially deaf...

I am afraid someone could ride off on my trike...

and I wouldn't be able to hear it...

as my back will be to it during my photo shoot of the sunrises.

I had seen this strange opening in the clouds...

and as it kept getting brighter...

it seemed to be a misty cave of light.

The whole sky was covered almost entirely in a thick cloud cover...

except where the moon had set...

and right where the sun was rising.

It had an etherial effect...

as the rest of the sky was dark...

further accentuating the cave of light.

I couldn't believe my luck.

The sun was actually rising right in the middle of the cave of light.

As you can see here...

the direct rays of the sun had not shown beyond the mountain ridge just before me...

or on my mountain ridge.

It had a strange, but beautiful effect.

--------------------------

When I first had looked at the sky this morning...

I could see that heavy clouds covered the sky.

However, I was itching for a ride...

so...

I got on my cold weather gear...

and hit the road.

I was so surprised to see the large glowing orb that was 

a setting dark amber moon.

When I then arrived at Sunrise Point...

I sat for what seemed like half an hour...

with only a tiny section of the clouds open near the horizon...

and so, only a tiny sliver of hope for any sun shinning through.

However, I have long since learned in life that to give up

prematurely is to certainly fail.

There have been many instances in my life where 

I had stayed until the end...

had not given up until I saw it was impossible...

and more often than not...

something good came from it.

-------------------

I am but an average man...

better at some things...

not so good at others.

Yet...

many times in life in physical contests...

I had beaten much better men...

only because I had wanted it more...

I took more pain than they were willing to take...

and I never gave up.

I had also learned early on...

that to go all out is to doom yourself to paralyzing fatigue.

Operating at 85% actually allows your body to operate with great efficiency...

as your antagonist muscles won't contract...

thereby, in essence...

having you beat yourself.

The key is to be able to relax under stress or tension.

Efficiency allows smoothness...

and smoothness is speed.

And so...

operating at 85% is faster and longer lasting than operating at 100%.

This applies to everything in life...

and so...

it is the same for triking.

Always go out with the idea that you will finish strong.

Don't allow yourself to go into oxygen debt...

(commonly known as gassing out).

Keep much in reserve...

always.

For those new to exercise...

85% is what you can maintain for an hour...

never getting out of breath...

but breathing deeply and rhythmically. 

On those days...

where you simply don't feel like exercising...

so long it isn't due to having over exercised earlier...

or because of an illness...

by not going...

you are doing damage to your psyche.

By allowing yourself to give in to lassitude...

you will keep on giving yourself an excuse to quit.

Just think how good you will feel after each session.

Go lighter than usual if you must...

but go.

Once your subconscious understands that you are going to go anyways...

it will stop trying to get you to give up.

This is the power of discipline.

Once you start practicing discipline in your life...

the negative urges will eventually cease...

and you will be left with nothing but the good feelings from your activity.

After a while...

exercising becomes routine...

and not exercising soon becomes unthinkable.

This is when you know you have taken control of your life.

Once you can control your own negative impulses in your mind...

it becomes easy to lead a much more positive life.

You will distance yourself from negative people...

and from toxic situations and environments.

As I had said before...

the mind abhors a vacuum.

Without the negative in life...

all you have is either the positive...

or the deeply serene.

Either way...

you win.

That is when you love all the great simple pleasures in life...

and all of life becomes beautiful.

----------

We senior citizens need exercise and fresh air

just as much as anyone else.

Once you allow it to become a positive addiction...

every positive thing in life is greatly enhanced...

and all negative things are greatly reduced...

including perceived pain of all types.

Once again...

just go to your nearest trike shop...

and try out a recumbent tadpole style trike with e-drive

(this will allow you to stay in the optimum exercise zone for your level of fitness).

You will be hooked on your first ride...

and you won't ever turn back.

Just get on your trike and ride.

The Three Wheeled Philosopher

The Golden Dragon and The Flaming Duck

 

Song:  Straight Away To Orion

Artist:  Kitaro

On this evening...

I triked out to Sunset Court to capture what I knew would be 

a very interesting sunset...

as the clouds in the sky were arranged so they would capture the setting sun's rays

particularly well.

I arrived and waited for the sun to set...

and the show began not too long afterwards.

Amazing...

I saw another dragon forming in the clouds as the sun continued to set.

Little did I know that just a short while later...

the cloud would appear to morph into another image as its golden hue 

would change into a flaming red.

I saw a flaming duck diving into the water with its wings folded.

Even the background appeared to have swans swimming on the surface of a misty lake.

The other clouds took on a pinkish orange.

As the flaming duck faded...

the colors of the background clouds became richer.

What an interesting and soulful sunset.

As it is warming...

I heard some birds and crickets chirping...

and the breeze was refreshing...

just light enough to cool...

but not so strong as to force me to zip up my jacket.

----------------------

I so love peaceful solitude.

I just took in the evening sunset as it evolved...

with nothing on my mind but feeling the colors and the breeze...

and hearing my bass flute playing a composition I've yet to compose.

As the colors began to fade...

it brought up parallels in my mind to situations in life.

First of all...

the illusion of animals in cloud formations brings up

the illusions many people create in their lives.

I realize how relatively few people actually

take the time in life to reflect in peaceful solitude.

So many people wish to be around others...

to be in constant contact with them.

This is especially true of extroverts and social butterflies.

They think their lives are rich...

but their lives are shallow in comparison to those of whom

spend their time with just a few deep relationships.

Simple math dictates this to be true.

Time can only be divided so many times

before it becomes so diluted at each point that 

relationships must be only shallow.

And so...

each considers the others as a brief blip in their lives...

giving no more thought to the others' lives or deaths...

than the quality of time actually spent with them.

The others' funerals are a showcase for himself...

to put on a show to "demonstrate" his closeness to the deceased...

as if to imply his closeness with all his other contacts.

Of course...

the person rarely realizes that the same lack of deep sorrow

that he actually feels is how all of them feel towards each other.

His whole life is one of an illusion.

In contrast...

a person who, through solitude in serene settings...

projects himself into the future...

who sees himself as he would be should he follow a certain path in life...

so long as he correctly formulates a viable plan 

to reach the projected destination...

and actively efficiently and effectively follows that path...

although it is in his mind...

and so...

what others may think is merely an illusion...

is merely a yet to be realized reality.

It is this person who values time...

and cherishes those few with whom he surrounds himself.

True and deep friendships last a lifetime...

and time spent apart does not diminish those feelings.

A feeling of deep joy upon greeting them is remembered for life.

And those same emotions are conveyed through the dancing eyes of each...

the dilation of the pupils...

and the sheen and glimmering seen... 

belying the true feelings of which are not spoken...

as mere words would be insulting...

for each realizes that the subconscious speaks through the eyes...

and that the mouth is sometimes used to convince others 

that which is contrary to that which is demonstrated to be true.

So many people judge others by their ears...

instead of their eyes.

This brings up my second point...

truly observe the world...

reflect and ponder upon what you have observed...

otherwise you are merely existing.

As almost always...

whenever I go out to view sunrises or sunsets...

I am the only one doing so in my area.

Although...

occasionally...

a couple may walk by...

only to keep walking with their backs to 

a most beautiful sunrise or sunset.

This momentarily astounds me.

How can people be so oblivious to a show of such splendor...

not taking but a few moments to even look up.

But...

I only wonder about this for a few seconds...

as it would detract from the grand show before me.

As the colors faded on this evening's sunset...

I also thought about how patience plays a large part in life.

Had I left this evening's sunset after the first part of the trilogy of light

(the Golden Dragon)...

I would have missed out on the Flaming Duck...

and of the background clouds as they deepened in color.

So much of life is missed out upon...

not only because of not truly observing in the first place...

but of because of not using patience to see how things play out.

So much of life is stupidly bypassed...

and so...

too often, so little is remembered.

All of life is a collection of memories.

The higher the quantity of quality of those memories...

the richer is that of life...

and so...

I will finish my thoughts with this poem I had penned some years ago

for another blog I had started in 2010 about my son...

although it is now closed to the public.

And so...

my summation of life...

in prose:

Spring...Summer...

rich memories made.

Autumn...

life enriched through experience fondly remembered.

Winter...

one time...never again.

As you stroll down the Autumn path in life...
its trees ablaze in the full glory
of the crimson reds...
of the luminous yellows...
the depth of colors
a reflection of the depth
of memories made.


You may face Winter...
ever ready for
its icy winds...
as you are
constantly warmed
by those memories made.

Through the windows
of the mind...
 you gaze upon
the landscape
of life before you...
with the crystal clarity
that Winter brings.

You sit satisfied
before the fireplace...
still burning brightly
with your love of life.

You are ready for

everlasting sleep...

without fear...

without regret...

as you have

truly lived...

Life.

                                       - James Toller

                                                                         (The Three Wheeled Philosopher)

Whenever I see a glorious sunrise or sunset...

I feel beautiful music as if there were an orchestra before me.

Whenever I listen to beautiful music...

I feel the wind upon my face as I re-experience beautiful sunrises or sunsets.

As I am now in the Autumn of life...

even though I have many rich memories...

I am still making more.

I am still living out my passions in life...

all the while I am experiencing the great simple pleasures in it...

and all of which are greatly enhanced 

by the exercise I get from riding my recumbent e-trike.

When the time comes...

I will be ready for the Winter of life...

only because I am not afraid to tread through hell...

to reach my heaven (metaphorical).

And so...

I leave you with these thoughts...

brought about by this recent sunset...

from the seat of my trike.

                                                                   - The Three Wheeled Philosopher

Gates Of Hell Sunrise

 

Song:  Ocean Princess

Composing Artist:  Thomas Bergersen

Vocal:  Merethe Soltvedt

I triked to Sunrise Point this morning.

It was a bitterly cold morning...

 About 25 degrees F (-4 C)...

and the wind was blowing 5 - 10 MPH.

I could only unglove my right hand to take these photos for a few moments.

My right fingers initially ached in the cold and then soon became numb.

However, it was worth it.

I sat on a post for approximately half an hour before continuing triking 

after I got the shots I wanted.

The beginning of my wait.

The way the clouds shrouded the rising sun made it appear as if

the gates of hell had opened up.

Red rays emitted from the opening and spread across the clouds.

I happened to catch a jet as it hit its landing glide path at Reno International.

(I had triked to another sunset court...higher up the hill)

I had been in -20 F (-29 C) weather before...

but it didn't seem so cold as this morning's weather

because the wind had really multiplied the effects of the cold.

However, this morning's ride was refreshing.

The weather is soon to begin a warming trend.

My sisters and I are chomping at the bit for favorable weather

so we may ride at Lake Tahoe with my mother in tow.

It may be another month or so before it is warm enough for her...

but I am sure she is going to love it.

I am going into the sauna for a while before getting a hot shower.

My hands are puffy from having been frozen.

--------------

(Metaphorically speaking)

As I had said before...

Heaven lies on the other side of Hell.

Every good thing in life must be prepaid with some pain.

Without some suffering...

no matter the beauty...

the experience will be anti-climactic.

To fully experience the great outdoors...

healthfully suffer beforehand.

(Exercise enough to breath like a locomotive...

deeply and diaphragmatically.

Once you have done so...

your body and mind will feel as if it were liquid...

you will then have entered the flow.)

Colors and music take on a whole new meaning

once you are in the flow.

Done correctly for long enough...

you will remain in the flow for days.

A Golden Sunset - The Coyotes And The Carrot

 

Song:  Ordinary World

Group:  Duran Duran

As it had only lightly snowed last night...

which then turned to rain...

and as the day was pretty clear...

there was no leftover snow on the ground.

I triked to Sunset Court again near sunset.

There were some interesting clouds...

so...

I made my way to my favorite sunset location and waited for the colors to emerge.

However...

just as the sun set behind the mountains...

once again...

one pack of coyotes to my left...

somewhere behind a ridge line...

and a larger pack of coyotes somewhere beyond the hills to my right...

began howling for a good 5 - 10 seconds...

and then went silent.

When I got back...

I researched on the internet to find out why they do this...

also, why they don't always do so.

Although I could find out why they howl...

I found out nothing on why they howl preciously at sunrise and sunset.

And, the only reason I can think of as to why their howling seems intermittent to me...

is that on some days...they must be too far away for me to hear them.

Animals are creatures of habit.

As are humans.

As I waited for the colors to emerge...

I thought more about this line of thought.

I had written on this particular concept many years ago...

about the habits that we establish in life being the road we walk

to the destination determined by those very habits.

This is an important concept.

What we think...

is only the motivating and planning stage...

the first two stages of the triad of progress.

Most people excel at these two preliminary stages in life...

however, what separates those of whom succeed, from just the dreamers...

is the actual application of that plan in life...

and the actual staying of the course until fruition.

The thing that separates those who never give up on their path...

and of those who do...

is the proper placements of carrots in life.

The initial strength of your dreams...

the amount of passion felt...

and the realization of the plausibility of actually achieving them...

is your main long term goal.

If your dream (your carrot) is strong enough...

this alone is enough to cause you to formulate a viable enough plan...

complete with time line...

and will power you through the intervening years until fruition.

However...

that is a relatively rare occurrence among we humans.

And so...

the need for medium and short term carrots in life.

I had been in a profession where the money was very good...

and the retirement even better...

but offered very little in way of job satisfaction.

But...

it allowed me a path to financial freedom.

That was my medium carrot.

It allowed very early retirement.

My long term carrot was what I have been experiencing the past almost 13 years now.

It has allowed me to pursue my passions of writing and music...

as these were my long term carrots.

My short term carrot was being able to see my son everyday.

I loved to make him laugh and smile...

and to cuddle him to me.

And on my days off...

we would go places...

and I had always loved sunsets and sunrises.

Relatively recently...

I have been developing arthritis...

not only in my knees...

but in my hands.

(However, triking has greatly relieved many of the symptoms...

and has allowed me to exercise without pain or discomfort.)

That is why it has been taking me so long to put out more music

(I still have stiffness in my hands).

However, as it is a true passion...

I won't be giving up on it.

It will just take me longer to do those things...

but I still love doing it.

Now...

my short, medium, and long term carrots all coincide.

Everyday...

I can practice music...

formulate stories in my head...

where once finished...

I may write them out...

and, of course...

I love triking and watching the sunrises and sunsets.

As I had said before...

exercise is the great magnifier of joy in life.

With a recumbent e-trike...

even where partial paralysis may plague someone...

he or she may still trike...

as with the e-assist...

you will be able to keep up with others

with far less expended effort

(Some use an e-trike using one leg).

This will allow you to more slowly get in shape.

If there are toxic people in your life...

cut them loose.

If there is not enough time to exercise...

to enjoy a beautiful sunset...

make time.

Don't complain...

just do it.

Once you make enough money to ensure a comfortable life...

having more will not make you wealthier...

it will just detract from fully living life.

Time is what then becomes the most valuable.

Time spent well...is time remembered well.

And it is those golden memories which enrich our lives.

A short life is one devoid of those golden memories.

What we do as a matter of habit will constitute

the bulk of our lives.

While the coyote operates by habit to survive...

what habits we allow ourselves...

determines whether or not we thrive.

That is our goal.

Any fool can survive...

and it is the fool who doesn't realize that our habits

determine the extent of the quality of our lives.

That which we do...

is that which we become...

for better or worse.

Make the basic four the foundation for your lives...

make them a habit.

Delicious and nutritious diet

Exercise

Deep restorative sleep

Living life with a passion

By placing carrots in your life...

you will have something for which to look forward at all times.

Things you love doing...

become habit.

Prioritize the basic four...

live by them...

and you will have a far richer life than those who

foolishly chase money for the rest of their lives.