Song For Jean Shepherd

It's Christmas Eve and I'm sitting at home with my family watching A Christmas Story. Ah yes, it's that time of the year again. Time to revel in the Ritual. Time to fire up the old Quasar television and let The Film play. Those classic characters! Ralphie. The Kid Brother. The Mother. And of course the Old Man. Jean Shepherd's words ring true any time of the year, but they are especially potent during the wild and woolly Days of December.

Well I'll get right down to it: I wrote a song for Old Jean. I know that he probably won't ever hear it, but I wrote it anyway. Jean Shepherd needed a song. I wanted to hear someone sing about Jean. So I had to write one myself. I didn't have much of a choice.

And now the song is done. For now. Songs are strange little worlds. Some times they stand on their own, and sometimes they need a little more attention. I'll probably change a few lyrics as time goes by. But for now I'll set it down the way that I wrote it.

So Happy Holidays, my friends. Here are my lyrics to "A Holiday Song for Jean Shepherd":

IN GOD WE TRUST, ALL OTHERS PAY CASH
THAT WAS ONE OF YOUR BOOKS
THE RADIO SHOWS AND THE TV PROGRAMS
YOU REMINDED US TO LAUGH

A CHRISTMAS STORY CAME OUT IN '83
YOU WERE GONE IN '99
NOW YOU'RE STILL SHINNING LIKE SOME MIDWESTERN STAR
THANKS FOR TICKLING OUR MINDS

MILLIONS OF EYES LOOKED UPON YOUR MOVIES
BUT NOT EVERYONE KNOWS YOUR NAME
THAT'S HOW IT GOES WHEN YOU'RE JUST THE WRITER
WE DON'T ALWAYS GET THE FAME

YOU BROUGHT HONOR TO WARREN G HARDING
YOU WERE A SOAP CONNOISSEUR
RESPECT THE FLAGPOLE / ENTERTAIN THE MASSES
SUCH A SKILLED RACONTEUR

SCOTT FARKAS HAD THOSE YELLOW EYES
THE OLD MAN LOVED HIS MAJOR PRIZE
YOU HAD YOUR RED RYDER BY YOUR SIDE
SUCH A WONDERFUL LIFE
SUCH A WONDERFUL LIFE

AND NOW WE'RE, THROWING OUT THE ROTTEN PUMPKINS
WE'RE CHOPPING DOWN THE CHRISTMAS TREES
WE'RE REUNITING WITH OUR FAMILIES
AND SINGING SONGS OF LOVE AND PEACE
WE'RE DRIVING DOWN THE SNOWY HIGHWAYS
WE'RE CALLING SOLDIERS ACROSS THE SEA
WE'RE BRINGING LIGHT TO SACRED CANDLES
AND CRANKING UP THE BOB MARLEY

THE BEST COOKIES ARE THE ONES THAT YOU DON'T BUY
THE BEST FRIENDS ARE THE ONES YOU HOLD CLOSE BY
TIME IS A TAYLOR, MENDING OUR LIVES
IT'S GONNA BE A WONDERFUL LIFE

TOMORROW / TONIGHT / YESTERDAY AND LAST NIGHT
IT'S GONNA BE BEAUTIFUL TIME

WE'RE WEARING CLOTHES TO CALM THE WEATHER
SOME OF US ARE EVEN GROWING BEARDS
SOMEONE SAYS "JOY TO THE SOBER!"
SOMEONE SAYS "HAVE ANOTHER BEER!"
AND THE WORLD KEEPS SPINNING ON ITS AXIS
WHILE PEOPLE ICE SKATE IN THE PARK
HALF THE WORLD IS DREAMING ABOUT SOCCER
HALF THE WORLD IS ALWAYS IN THE DARK

A CHRISTMAS STORY CAME OUT IN '83
YOU WERE GONE IN '99
NOW YOU'RE STILL SHINNING LIKE SOME MIDWESTERN STAR
THANKS FOR TICKLING OUR MINDS

MILLIONS OF EYES LOOKED UPON YOUR MOVIES
BUT NOT EVERYONE KNOWS YOUR NAME
THAT'S HOW IT GOES WHEN YOU'RE JUST THE WRITER
WE DON'T ALWAYS GET THE FAME

YOU BROUGHT HONOR TO WARREN G HARDING
YOU WERE A SOAP CONNOISSEUR
RESPECT THE FLAGPOLE / ENTERTAIN THE MASSES
SUCH A SKILLED RACONTEUR

SCOTT FARKAS HAD THOSE YELLOW EYES
THE OLD MAN LOVED HIS MAJOR PRIZE
YOU HAD YOUR RED RYDER BY YOUR SIDE
SUCH A WONDERFUL VOICE
SUCH A WONDERFUL VOICE

Fall 2008

My friend Brian Snyder says that fall is his favorite season, and I know exactly what he's saying.

The natural world changes so much from the beginning of fall to the end. Things start green. Then comes the Technicolor blaze of the changing leaves. Then the leaves fall. The trees become bare. The days grow shorter. Thanksgiving comes and goes.

The transition continues until the winter solstice, the first day of winter (which will be December 21 for those of us in the northern hemisphere).

I try to enjoy whatever the seasons give me. The sun and rain. The ice and snow. The green and the grey. My friend Jake Posko always reminds me to seize the seasons, and I try to do my best.

On my daily walks (and various other travels) I've been taking lots of photographs. Fall 2008 has left a strong flavor in my mind, despite all the time that I've spent indoors. Windows help keep the mind free.

Normally when I walk our dog Marley, I usually end up waiting for him. I'll be standing there, waiting to move on, while he's busy smelling something--he's got a lot of pmail to check every morning. But if I bring my camera on a our walk, Marley ends up waiting for me. He'll sit there and wait patiently while I take photographs. He really is a good dog.

Here are some assorted photographs from Fall 2008.

Thanks for stopping by.

Backpacking With Travis and Abe

Not too long ago I went backpacking with Travis and Abe. These photos are from George Washington National Forest in Virginia.

256 Days 'Till The Revolution

Click here to learn about One Million Bikes.org.

August 9, 2009 will be a day for cycling history in America.

Spread the word to all those who might be interested.

Registration is quick and easy.

New Beasts

My sister Janice turned me on to Theo Jansen and his interesting inventions.

The beasts that Theo makes are powered by the wind.

You can see the beasts in action here, and discover more at: http://www.strandbeest.com/

Thanks Jan!

A Time For Congratulations and Hope

Hello Friends,

Happy New Year! For it seems like a new year is upon us. A new era. All around America people are still celebrating. And all over the world, too. Obama stickers and signs and buttons are worn and displayed with pride and honor.

Congratulations to President Elect Barack Obama and to all the people that helped with his campaign. His victory is our victory, and our victory is a victory for the ages--a victory for the World.

Congratulations, also, to my friend Allen Dyer, and to all those that helped with his campaign, especially Tam Dyer. In this past election Allen was elected to the Howard County Board of Education. It was an honor and a joy to work with my friends the Dyers, and I especially enjoyed my time outside the polls on election day. I spoke with hundreds of people as I passed out cards for Allen. I felt the excitement and energy of Democracy in action.

Now is the time to move in a new direction! A better direction! Now is the time to reawaken our hope and faith in humanity! For we can improve. We must improve. If we give in to greed and hate then we all loose. But if we follow the roads of love and respect--those great roads laid down by the brave men and women who have gone before us--then we have the ability to transform this world into a better place.

I was not there for the 1960s, but my country was. And although there is much I could learn about that time period, it's obvious that the 60s were a time of change. A great wave of change flooded this country, seeping--sometimes unbeknownst--into ever heart and every home. That monster wave was so big, and so wide, that its energy can still be felt today. Its momentum still moves us in our quest for peace, in our search for equality, and in our long walk to freedom.

Take it easy, my friends, but take it. Speak softly and carry a big smile, notebook, camera, basket of food--anything but a big stick.

Some Good News (Words From A Concerned American)

Hello comrades,

Today is a great day to be alive in America! There are many reasons to rejoice and be glad: we are living and breathing in a beautiful country, surrounded by many good and honest people, with our freedoms and our rights and also--this is very important--the potential to move this country forward in this critical time. Today we are also one day closer to seeing President Bush take that short walk out of the White House and into some dark limousine that will carry him far far away. Many of you have probably seen the bumper stickers advertising his last day: Jan 20, 2009. It seems that a great number of us will be happy to see him go. Recent poles say that 70% of Americans disapprove of the work that Bush is doing. This fact gives me hope, but I'm still a little worried. Why am I worried? Because recognizing what's wrong is not the same as knowing what's right. But hold on for a second. I want to step away from politics, just for a few paragraphs, because there is more good news to deliver.

Today, my friends, is the day that we receive a new Bob Dylan album into the vast and rich canon of American music. Today we accept another gift from one of our most gifted songwriters. Today is the day Dylan fans everywhere will rejoice and celebrate! Tell Tale Signs, is the name of the album. Another secret and vast gold mine has been opened. Let the music play! And let the words be heard!

In the Tell Tale Signs version of "Dignity," Dylan shows us that he's been looking around and paying attention. "Soul of a nation is under the knife," sings Dylan, "death is standing in the doorway of life."

What is this country doing? What is happening here? Are the red and blue magnets of politics pulling us away from what really matters? Money is not the big issue here, folks. Money is a tool, a simple tool, and it needs to be handled correctly and responsibly, and this is an issue, but let's not forget that there are more important things at stake here:

People, people's rights and choices, Nature, the world, the environment, education, freedom, peace, health, happiness, truth, respect, honesty, science, art--I value these things (and thankfully so do millions of other Americans) and come November 4 you better believe I will be exercising my right to vote. (I'll be voting for Barack Obama, but you probably already knew that.)

But stay with me friends. There is more good news.

The next American president, no matter who it is, will not hold all the power. We are over 300 million strong, my friends! We are the heart and the soul, the mind and the muscle, the hands and the backbone of this fine land! From the Redwood forests to the Gulf Stream waters! From the green hills of Oregon to the ancient curves of Appalachian Mountains! From the crowded city freeways to the off shore wind farms! This is our country! Our home! Our gift, our burden, our sorrow, and our joy! We, the people, the struggling and the strong, the old and the young, hold the key to whatever future we want. But only together can the key be turned.

I am an American writer, and I felt that these words needed to be said. I sit here today, in my office in Maryland, not a political expert, or a supporter of any political party, but simply a concerned American who wants to see that brighter day, not just for our country, but for the whole world. I've been contemplating these words for some time. I've been emailing my friends, and talking to people, and listening to songs, and searching the Internet. And I've been both shocked and inspired by the things that I have found.

"Flesh shapes the day," sings Tom Morello. And maybe Tom is right. Maybe our actions will ultimately speak louder than our votes. The things we do and say, the way we treat people, and the way we communicate with people--maybe these things matter more than we'll ever know. I try to keep an open mind, even when it comes to politics. How could I be so foolish to think that I know exactly what is right for this whole country? How could any of us be that foolish? We are a diverse country with diverse needs. There are many problems and many possible solutions. There are many things to consider here. But we must consider them, thoroughly and logically, even when the tempers flare and the passions rise. Again we find some poignant insight on Tell Tale Signs, when Dylan sings, "I'm strong enough not to hate."

Ah, but it's not always that easy. People want money. People want power. People want religion. People hate other people who want different things. People act foolishly. People waste money. People waste power. Religion becomes a strange blade, and it gets wielded in places where it might not belong. And people are easily convinced. And good people stand by and watch. And lies are treated like facts, and the real truth becomes hidden like a speck of dust in the belly of a dying tiger.

And where do we end up? Tired and sore, at the end of the day, maybe sitting with our families or our friends. Maybe sitting in front of the computer. Talking about current items and issues. Talking about what we feel, and what we want. It's true, we are selfish animals. We seem to want what's best for ourselves and our families. It's a survival thing, I guess it goes way back.

I try to watch more than the orchestrated antics of the debates and the news. I try to watch what I say and do. I watch how I spend my time and my money, because everyday we vote with our dollars and our hours. The choices we make impact the people around us and also the natural world. The hour is getting late, my friends, and we have a long way to go.

I leave you with the immortal words of the great Woody Guthrie.

Take it easy, but take it.

A New Season

Finally! At last! Fall has come to my little corner of the world! Those summer days and summer nights are gone! Now the days are warm and the nights are cool. The natural world is changing color. Daylight is shrinking and the nights are lengthening. The corn has been harvested. The apples are coming into season. Pumpkins are popping up everywhere I look.

Forget about those college football rankings. Back in the year 1723 Antonio Vivaldi placed Fall in the number 3 spot: after Spring and Summer and before Winter. It's a logical placement, for sure, but Fall doesn't have to be the beginning of the end, the third quarter. It can be whatever we want. The seasons are cyclical and seamless, and we can interpret them however we want. Fall has been coming for weeks. And I've been anticipating it for so long, that it seems to be coming late this year. The seasons are interesting like that. Sometimes we wait and pine for them. And sometimes they sneak up on us like a bolt of black ice lightning.

I find myself enjoying the seasons more as I grow older. Actually, I don't think it's a matter of enjoying them more or less, but rather a matter of enjoying them differently. We see things differently as we age, which is both good and bad. For example: I've always enjoyed looking at the leaves in the Fall. Well now there are names to go with the leaves.

Our 2007 megatransect changed the way I look at the trees. Now, when I see a tree, I immediately wonder what kind it is. Some species are just so obvious: red maple, white pine, sweetgum, tulip poplar--they wear their leaves like name tags. Sometimes the genus and species will pop into my head. Liriodendron tulipifera. Acer rubrum. Pinus strobus. Sometimes I can't remember the name of the tree. And sometimes I come face to face with a tree that I have never seen before. When I returned home after the megatransect, I noticed an interesting looking tree in the forest behind my home. "What's this?" I wondered. "It looks almost like a weird kind of aspen. Crazy! I wonder what it is." Ten minutes later, my good friend Audubon told me that it was the bigtooth aspen, Populus grandidentata. Wow! I was surprised. I never knew there was a type of aspen growing on the East Coast.

Below is what Audubon says about the bigtooth aspen. (From page 324 of National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees, Eastern Region by Elbert L. Little.)

"Easily distinguishable from the Quaking Aspen by the large curved teeth of leaf edges, mentioned in both common and scientific names. Like that species, Bigtooth Aspen is a pioneer tree after fires and logging and on abandoned fields, short lived and replaced by conifers. The foliage, twig buds, and bark are consumed by wildlife."

Ah yes, good old Audubon. I carried that book across the country, along with the Peterson guide. They were my go to books for tree identification. (Actually, to be accurate: I only carried the Eastern editions from central Colorado to eastern Virginia. West of central Colorado, I carried the Western Editions.)

Anyway, I've been working on the megatransect data that I collected last summer. I've been entering the data into an Excel spreadsheet for many months now, and I'm almost done with the data entry. The adventure continues, day by day, tree by tree, cell by cell. And, as always, there are new things to discover. Why just last night, while I was looking through my Eastern trees Audubon, I came across this appropriate paragraph:

"Many broadleaf trees are noted for their brilliant fall foliage. These displays are most dramatic in the Northeast but vary with the species and the year, depending on the weather. The leaves in this section are grouped according to the major fall colors: red, orange, and yellow. Red is produced by warm, sunny fall days followed by cool nights that transform leftover food in the leaves into red pigment. Foliage turns orange or yellow when the chlorophyll, which masks other colors, is destroyed; deep orange is a blend of hues. On a single tree, such as a Sugar Maple, leaves of several colors may appear at the same time. The foliage of other trees, such as the Sweetgum, may show different hues at different times, depending upon soil and climatic conditions."

Thank you Audubon, and thank you Mother Nature.

A very happy Fall to one and all!

Behind The Pages (A Night of Writing)

Well it's a little after 9:00 p.m. on a Saturday night. I'm taking a break from my book so that I can write this post. The book is going well, wonderfully slow I'd say. I'm getting down to the last couple chapters and this is satisfying and exciting. The book is much better than it was before, which is the goal of rewriting, but there is still more work to be done.

Each day, when I start writing, I go back and start working at the beginning of whatever chapter I'm working on. I check over what I've written, and then, when I get to the unedited part, I continue along with the rewriting. In this way, the chapters get read and checked many times before they are finished. The other benefit of this technique is that it helps my mind get in gear for the storytelling.

Right now I'm deep in the Death Valley chapters of the First Bike Tour (summer 2000, Seattle to Vegas). I'm telling the part of the story where Travis, Jake, and I crossed Death Valley at night on our bicycles. Death Valley in California in the summertime is a serious place. Daytime temperatures in the shade reach 120 degrees. The temperature above the road, directly in the sun, can reach 200 degrees (Fahrenheit, of course). It's obvious why we decided to cross at night. Although even at night the summer air of Death Valley hovers around 95 degrees.

As always, there are things to distract me from my writing. Downstairs, my brother and my mom are watching The Endless Summer, that classic film from 1966. Three feet to me left, sitting on a small table, is a new batch of CDs I just got from the library. I'm tempted to delve into Itzhak Perlman's 1990 recording of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in D Major, but for now I am able to resist. Although I do have added interest in the Concerto because my friend Phil Brezina is currently learning the piece at the San Francisco Conservatory Of Music. Phil plays the violin, and this is his first semester of grad school. Phil seems to like living in San Fran. His brother Matt is nearby, and so is Whitney, his girlfriend. The PCH goes up and down the coast. The PCT traverses the mountains. And Yosemite is only 4 hours away. Have fun, Phil (I know you will), and let me know if you happen to find a decent used violin.

I have ear plugs in my ears so I don't get distracted by the music and narration of The Endless Summer. Although I can write with background noise, I prefer not to. I've found that I work best in silence, so that is what I try to give myself.

The Death Valley chapters have been taking me a while. I'm not sure exactly how long. I don't like to monitor my progress in pages or words written. I am both stubborn and pron to being hard on myself. Quantifying or analyzing my progress has never really helped me. Some days produce more words, but other days produce more creative ideas or smoother transitions. It's hard to say which is the better day. Some days the sentences flow. And other days I seem to fight with the sentences as if they were the rusty hinges on the gates of hell.

But the days go by and the writing piles up on itself. I focus on the story that I'm telling. I try to tell it the best that I can. I proceed logically most of the time, but there are times when I find it helps to abandon logic and common sense and give in to the mad spirit of the writing. And although I am comfortable writing about the bike tours of my past, I try not to get too comfortable. There is danger in too much comfort. But the writing process is hard and slow, and the challenge and the pain are usually enough to keep the process fresh. Sometimes I sit on the edge of my chair, because it helps my posture and because I feel closer to the words.

Hiking, biking, driving, busing--these things have helped me learn to love going slow. Countless hours spent climbing up countless mountains--combined with the right thoughts--have helped me learn to love something that is hard and slow. Good writing is also hard and slow, but I'm still learning to enjoy it. It's a hard and lonely process--my mind is one of the hardest bosses that I've ever worked with. And the book is a much longer ride. Those mountains took hours to climb. This book, my first book--the first of the three books I am currently working on--has been a file on my computer for over 3 years. Not quite time out of mind, but it sometimes feels that way. I started writing the book after I graduated college, in the spring of 2005. I originally envisioned a book with three parts--one part for each of the bike tours. But the stories grew, and my writing improved, and now my plan is to separate the big book into three more traditional sized books (200 to 300 pages each). But before the books are done, before your eyes will ever see their pages, there is much more work to be done. Book 1 is progressing, and will be the first one that I finish. Books 2 and 3 have seen some rewriting and editing, but are still very much raw and in need of my attention.

And so now you know a little more about what I am doing: both tonight as well as the bigger picture. After the Death Valley chapters, I will work on the last couple chapters of the book. There's a lot of pressure over beginnings and endings, but I'm trying to stay cool. I remind myself that there need not be any new horses. The same ones that have been running though the book are the same ones that will be there at the end. I simply have to wrangle them up and call them home. Or maybe I need to set them free.

Traveling And Celebrating

Hi Friends and Readers,

I hope everyone is having a great summer. It's been 4 years since I've spent a summer in Maryland, and I'm having fun. Writing. Sweating. Drinking National Bohemian Beer with my friends. Watching movies. Going to concerts like Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. Going to parties. Eating sushi. It's good to be able to do things that I've missed in past summers: The Dyer Family Pig Party, The State College Arts Festival, Father's Day.

Summers have always been special to me. All four of my bike tours happened in the summer, and so summer feels like the season of travel. My body and mind have been programed. But this summer I'm enjoying my time in Maryland. I'm writing about my past travels, and also enjoying my daily travels. Through my journals and photographs, I've been reliving my time in Yosemite, and I plan on posting some Yosemite pictures sometime soon. Below you will see some more posts about Spain. I might add a few more later.

Now on to the celebration. Today, July 22, was a special day. My friends Travis and Mary both celebrated their birthday today. They were born 27 years ago, and we had a fine party this evening. I missed their co-birthday last summer because I was on the bike tour. And so it was good to gather with family and friends, this year, and celebrate. A warm summer night. Torches in the backyard. The sounds of conversation and laughter. 8 pizzas. 1 chocolate cake. 27 candles. Happy Birthday Travis and Mary! Thanks to Valerie and Russell, Travis's parents, for hosting the co-birthday party!

Travis just got back from Ecuador, where he was traveling for 31 days. He told us about his travels, but I still need to see his photographs.

Travis is not my only friend to use Summer 2008 as a stage for a big adventure. My friend Debbie is currently hiking the 500-mile Colorado Trail with her friend Stacey. She is almost 200 miles into her adventure. Keep up the good work Debbie! Take it easy, but take it!

My brother's good friend Kyle is currently riding his bicycle across the US, following the TransAmerica Trail. He started in Yorktown, VA, and now he's in Montana. Very nice, Kyle, very nice. Kyle's blog can be seen here.

My friends Phil and Miles just finished riding their motorcycles across the United States. They started in State College, PA, and rode west. Miles stopped riding in Portland, OR. Phil ended in San Francisco. I talked to Phil the to other night. He was all excited, the momentum of the adventure was still fresh in his mind.

My friend Hanns has traveled to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. He might still be out there traveling, but I'm not really sure. Hanns! Where are you? Are you back in Aspen?

And my friend Jake Belvin is still living and traveling in the Middle East. Jake is stationed in Baghdad. His morale seems to be good, and I've enjoyed reading about his daily adventures and travels on his blog. I look forward to Jake's homecoming and also to our future adventures.

The road is long and life is short. It feels good to get out and stretch the legs and the mind.

Travel safe, my friends, travel safe. I'll talk to you soon.

Jeff

The Pyrenees

We left Spain's East Coast and headed north. We were headed to the mountains. To the town to Torla. To see the rock and snow of the Pyrenees.
Towns on hillsides surprised and excited us.

This was one of the best maps I've ever used. One map, the whole country, lots of fold out pages for the big cities. We made a good choice at the bookstore that day.

Olive trees were a common sight while driving through the Spanish countryside.

I was the driver. Chris was the navigator. Chris also took many photos, like this one.

And this one.

This one too.

This is the town of Torla, which is where we stayed for two nights while we explored the Pyrenees.

We walked this street a lot.

The view from our room.

Chris in our room.

Buenas noches!

Our hike begins here, where the cows roamed.

Such a fine thing to drink straight from the Earth. I didn't think twice about filling my bottle. The water was cold and good, just like it has been for thousands of years.

Higher up in the Ordesa Valley we had good views of the snow-covered Pyrenees Mountains. The Ordesa Valley is in the Ordesa Y Monte Perdido National Park.

These photos are in chronological order. The light was great on the way down. Trees full of living green. Forests full of evening light.

This tree was one of Heather's favorites.

An old beech tree.

One of the longer slugs we came across.

Note to reader: This post was made while listening to Jakob Dylan's "On Up The Mountain" and "On This End Of The Telescope" on repeat.