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.

In Search Of A Mountain Route - After The Fall

 

Song:  After The Fall

Group:  Two Steps From Hell

I just came back from scouting out...

what I had thought might have been, a passable route into the mountains on my trike.

I am leaving the immediate neighborhood here.

I would continue on for some distance towards where I used to live.

Where I used to live and where I live now is up over 1 mile in elevation...

in the Peavine Mountains...just across from the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Where I used to live...

the homes were on an extended ridge line off of the summit of one of the tallest mountains

in the Peavine mountain range in Reno.

Where I live now...

although it is on the same mountain...

it is situated on a flattened hill top off another extended ridge.

And so...

the hill trails are deceptively steep...

and slippery...

as the hardpan surface of the graded dirt trails are covered

in loose soil and rocks which become like little ball bearings

under, even my aggressively treaded tires.

The trail I had attempted

 may just be seen above where the curve in the road goes out of sight...

the tan trail amongst the bushy green.

I had scanned the whole area by satellite photos a few days ago...

and I had seen this route up a ridge line as a possibility.

Even from this particular point...

it seemed passable.

It was a whole different reality once I got to the bottom of the seemingly easy route up.

As I looked up at the much steeper trail than what I had assumed from a distance...

I was also gauging the surface.

As I saw the loose small rocks and soil on top of a hard pan surface...

combined with the quite steep trail...

my rational mind told me to turn away and try another route.

However...

the little boy inside thirsting for a challenge and some adventure kept insisting...

"Go...go...go...let's try it!"

You can guess which one had won out.

As I gathered speed on the steep down hill approach before starting the steep ascent...

my hopes went up as I pedaled furiously...gathering even more speed...until...

my rear tire lost its bite into the ground...

as the surface rocks and soil acted like ball bearings underneath my rear tire (drive tire)...

my speed rapidly diminished...

and as I was only halfway up...

the little boy inside looked ahead with a wide eyed but resigned stare and merely said...

"Uh Oh!".

As I had almost come to a complete standstill...

and just before starting to slide backwards...

the confident adolescent inside took over and said...

"I got this."

This cocky side of me has led me to try things my rational mind had foreseen as foolish...

but when my inner young boy and inner cocky adolescent form a team...

they frequently overrule reason...

as they bring up movies of previous successes...

while...of course...omitting previous dangerous failures

(I am a guy...it is what we have always done...and no matter our age...

what we will continually do when faced with challenges)...

and so...

what had come immediately to mind was what stunt car drivers do when faced with 

the need to rapidly change directions by 180 degrees.

They would rapidly reverse and then cut the wheel sharply while applying the brakes...

which if done correctly...

allows their momentum to carry them through the 180 degree arc.

Of course...

I had a much higher center of gravity...

combined with a much narrower wheel base...

both of which had told my rational mind that it was a bad idea.

Cocky Adolescent merely arrogantly said,

(referring to the just played out movie of a stunt driver making a perfect execution

of a 180 degree reversal)......

"We've got this.

He can do it...

we can do it!"

The little boy inside kept urging...

"Let's do it! Let's do it!...Go...Go...Go!"

Guess again who won out?

As I allowed my trike to pick up speed as I traveled backwards...

I cut my front wheels sharply to the left.

As I began the arc which I had hoped would lead to a successful 180 degree

reversal of direction...

it was at the 90 degree point that all three put in their opinions of the moment:

Little Boy:  "Oh No..."

Cocky Adolescent:  "Damn...I really thought it would work."

Rational Mind:  He remained silent...but merely crossed his arms as he stared disapprovingly

at me as he shook his head...all the while thinking.... 'Dumb S**t'.

Now...

only because the little boy inside and the cocky adolescent had won out so many times

in my life...

from jumping over trash cans on my banana seated 

and sissy barred Schwinn on homemade ramps as a child 

(Evel Knievel was popular back then)...

to taking corners too aggressively on my motorcycle...

each of which had been the cause of broken bones...

chunks taken out of my motorcycle helmet (rational mind won out on this matter)...

numerous road rashes...etc...

I had already mastered the art of damage mitigation through the well timed shoulder roll.

As the shoulder roll had long ago become instinctive...

as I began the inevitable tip over at the apex of the arc...

all I could think of was...

"Aw hell"...as my concern wasn't with me getting hurt...

but that of my trike getting damaged.

Just before hitting the hard packed surface...

my body automatically reacted with a well timed roll

as I tucked my head and rolled my shoulder...

while drawing in my legs...

all of which led me to almost instantly roll safely out of the confines of the trike...

and pop back up on my feet as my arms automatically extended and caught my trike.

I was still sliding down the hill as my feet had even less traction 

than had the drive tire of my trike.

But, I had my trike in hand...

and that was the important thing.

I finally stopped sliding...

and I righted my trike...

got back on and continued down the hill as I let my newly gathered momentum

carry me up the steep grade leading to the road.

I did a quick check of the trike...

straightened out my sideview mirrors...

had seen that I had saved my trike from bent wheels or even cosmetic damage...

and even my camera which had been looped around my neck and with the lens cap

hanging down from its protective placement over the lens...

yet...with nothing having had happened to the camera or trike...

I was set...

and so...

I returned to Sunset Court...

where my younger sister met me in the car.

As I sat on my trike at Sunset Court...

hoping for a sunset...

but realizing that with another snow storm moving in over the Sierra Nevadas...

the cloud cover would not allow the sun to display its beautiful effects upon them.

So...I just settled in to take in the wintery winds in my snow suit.

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

After the Fall

I stayed for a little while longer as I reflected upon my fall...

the importance of more finely tuning the ratio among the other facets of my personality...

while listening more to my rational mind when he clearly sees an unacceptable risk...

but while not muting, either the little boy inside or the cocky adolescent.

It was the little boy inside who had led me to decide upon getting a trike in the first place.

He lives for adventure...

always looking upon the world with great hope and wonderment...

of seeing the beauty of a sunrise or sunset...

of feeling fully alive when feeling the refreshing mountain winds upon my face...

and feeling the depth of the colors...

and the rhythms, beat, and melody of great pieces of music.

Never be the bitter old soul...

the old man or woman whom had let their inner child die long before...

and so...

reaps no joy out of the great simple pleasures in life...

of living in great anticipation for the next sunrise or sunset...

of living life fully feeling everything around you...

for if everything you see or hear doesn't directly convert to 

a deep soul rendering reverberation of music which makes you feel 

as if you are riding upon the pink clouds of a sunset...

you have let your little boy or girl inside die.

Not to worry though...

he or she is a phoenix...

always ready to rise again...

if you but listen.

Especially when all three are in agreement...

listen to them without fail.

If you are elderly...

especially if you are disabled in any way...

an e-trike will set you on the path which will please all three inside of you

(A recumbent tadpole configured trike with e-drive assist).

When I had first thought of the possibility of getting a trike...

it involved no more thought than seeing the little boy inside

jumping up and down on the balls of his feet in excitement...

his eyes fully open and watering in anticipation...

while repeating....

"Go...Go...Go...Let's do it...Let's do it!"

At the same time...

the cocky adolescent inside was throwing his hands in the air

as he yelled out a victory cry...

"Yes!"

And the rational mind stood in silence with his arms crossed...

but wore a wise smile on his face as he nodded approvingly...

while briefly and gently closing his eyes in his firm urging to do it.

And so...

it was decided.

I have not only NOT regretted it...

I am so happy I had listened.

I fervently urge all senior citizens

to allow your inner child to guide you to a local shop which sells e-trikes.

Once you experience the thrill of the ride...

you will not turn back...

and in doing so...

you will have a new horizon to explore with your awakened

inner child laughing with bubbly delight...

his eyes open widely as he takes in the great outdoors...

his senses fully alive...

and so...

making you...

once again...

live life with your senses on hyper drive and feeling fully alive.

One caveat...

if faced with a steep hill with a questionable surface...

listen to your rational mind.  :)