I spent the weekend teaching a motorcycle class. I know. What else is new? Teaching riders is rewarding on so many levels. The passion still burns. It was literally a hot weekend, as well. I got home in the late afternoon, savored a cold beer, then fell asleep on the couch. Being a high energy instructor takes a lot out of a body! I'm still a bit groggy but felt the urge to play with photos. Another rapidly developing addiction.
Cone were on my mind today. Weird, isn't it? Not for an instructor, actually. Most of my world is made up of, and defined by, orange cones. Big ones and little ones. It's amazing how a parking lot or stretch of blacktop becomes our world. Cones define the borders of our kingdom. Cones direct our paths inside the walls. Sometimes they become a means for one instructor to deliver a message to another.
A big cone in the early morning sunlight.
Placed in a line they become a sort of miniature castle wall.
I was actually trying to capture an effect and failed to achieve it. Steve Williams provided a link to a photo of a line of soldiers. I was trying to duplicate the effect early this morning. The cones were too far apart and stretched over too much distance . My lense would only open as far as f/4. Now that I think of it, I guess I could have moved the cones closer together. My only excuse is that I had to get ready for students this morning. Cones become the start point for braking and turning exercises. Both the start of the line and the start of the practice itself.
Cones form either a chute or a maze, depending on the need at the time.
Small cones transform into imaginary obstacles for students to swerve around. Bless the small cones for they spare instructors from serving as the obstacles!
Then there is this artwork left on the whiteboard. This greeted me when I arrived in the classroom this afternoon. The other classroom instructor invoked the small cones for this masterpiece.
What was his intent? Since this instructor is a truly good and caring man, I choose to take it as a gesture of affection. After all, must not people pay homage to a Legend?
Miles and smiles,
Dan
14 comments:
Poor Dave seems to have had too much time in the sun?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anwy2MPT5RE
Enjoy : ) ; )
When we were kids, traveling through Oregon and the summer road construction, my dad used to call the orange traffic cone the Oregon State tree.
I always thought it was fitting and I still think of that to this day whenever I see an orange cone.
You've got a talented and funny cartoonist there. He even added perspective to the little cones. But it looks like one got tagged.
You instructors have way too much affection for those cones. Us students are not so easily charmed.
In my best gollum voice,"we hates them, nasssty little coneses"
My, my, you've inspired a few classics here. Monty Python and Tolkien.
Cheers!
High Master Conehead. We your underlings would, NARFLE THE GARTHOK, in order to gain your positive preception rating .
(Or failing ride the swerve and brake section without falling off.)
Not related to tis specific post rather a general question: Is there a reason for not putting titles on your posts?
Love your blog, reading it from the very beginnig for the third time and markering for my nephew important advices :)
TNX, Roy.
Cones eh?
As in "ice cream?"
Orange ice cream cones inverted?
They'd melt.
Still, in ho humid weather and nice idea.
Chuck,
Dave loves cones. For whatever reason. As you can see by the post, they make up a large part of my world, too!
Troubadour,
Now I have this urge to go take a photo of a cone with a tree branch sticking out of it.
Bluekat,
Interestingly, I often think of the students sitting in staging and watching us set ocnes for the next exercise. I can hear them thinking,
"What trouble are they plotting for us now?" Or something to that effect!
I haven't seen the Tolkien movies. I did it the old fashioned way and read the books. Dates us, though, doesn't it?
Young Dai,
Your obeisance is noted and appreciated!
Take care,
Dan
Wanderer Roy,
Thank you for your kind words and I am pleased the blog is of value.
As to post titles, I thought I had put titles on each one. I'd appreciate further input on what you are asking about.
Take care,
Dan
Bryce,
Now I'm hungry for orange creamsicles. I'm blaming the next thousand calories on you, Sir!
Take care,
Dan
Dave,
Watched the video. Yes, the orange cones are as abundant as the spam in the sketch. However, cones are not good in any recipes that are meant to be eaten!
Take care,
Dan
Dan the books we read and things we remember do tend to date us ; )
aka Old F
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