I’ve been working on a little side project (among many) lately. It’s a photography project that started during a boring meeting at the office. I started playing around with my camera and found an app (Camera Magic) that allows you to take pictures in the negative. Nothing special but it allows you to see the negative image on the screen and over time I’ve found some utterly ordinary scenes turn out to be beautiful photos because of this technique.

I always keep this blog motorcycle related, since that’s why you are here in the first place, so I’m only sharing pictures below that are consistent with that theme. Click to see the large image.

If you are interested in more, check out MyNegativeLife.com

This is an actual motorcycle endorsement rider skill test. There are five exercises that are demonstrated in this video with an official representative from the Department of Motor Vehicles of Arizona. This test was identical to the one I took in Illinois, and I hope it serves to help new riders get a taste of what the test is like. It’s pretty easy, but don’t stop enhancing your riding techniques after you’ve passed this point. There is a lot more to learn. Enjoy!

I am going to be giving a talk at the Overland Expo this year about video blogging. It will be similar to a talk I gave at the PodcampAZ Conference on “Motorcycle Vlogging” (see videos here if you are curious). The discussion will be more general but naturally there will be an emphasis on motorcycles given my background.

“Overlanding” is what this expo is all about. The people at Overland Journal describe this activity best:

Overlanding is about exploration, rather than conquering obstacles. While the roads and trails we travel might be rough or technically challenging, they are the means to an end, not the goal itself. The goal is to see and learn about our world, whether on a weekend trip 100 miles from home or a 10,000-mile expedition across another continent. The vehicle and equipment can be simple or extravagant – they, too, are simply means to an end. History, wildlife, culture, scenery, self-sufficiency – these are the rewards of overlanding.

You can learn more about overlanding and the philosophy behind it here.

Ted Simon and Lois Pryce will be presenting at the Overland Expo as well. I recently reviewed Ted Simon’s famous book, Jupiter’s Travels which recounts his travels across the world for four years on a Triumph and Lois Pryce gave a great talk last year (see snippet here). I am really excited to meet Ted Simon and see Lois Pryce again.

The expo will be held just south of Tuscon, Arizona in April on the 16th, 17th and 18th. You can register and find out more details at the Overland Expo’s site:

http://ovexpo.com/Details.html

If you are registered, my talks on Video Blogging will be on April 16th at 3:30pm in Seminar Room 2, and again on April 17th at 3:30pm in Seminar Room 2. Hope you can make it!

Here’s a short teaser:

The following post was written about two years ago. I found it in my blog’s drafts and decided to share it after all this time.

A coworker of mine died last Saturday in a motorcycle accident. The rider was traveling too fast while a car made a left turn in front of him. I went to go see where it happened, partly out of respect, but mostly out of morbid curiosity. I saw the road damage before I noticed the street sign. The white dust they thrown down to soak up the oil was still clinging to the asphalt. I walk around the site and noticed broken cable from a turn signal and shards of the plastic fairings. The sight of a broken foot peg, sends chills up my spine.

I’ve been riding for two years now. My worst fear is being lulled into a false sense of security. I read accident reports, statistics and look at gruesome photos from riders involved in crashes to remind myself of the realities. The stories incite sympathy. I analyze the statistics with a detached curiosity and I wince at the photos.

All of those combined didn’t add up to the sight of that snapped foot peg.

Cars making left turns is the single greatest cause of fatal motorcycle accidents. At every intersection you have to scan for this threat among many others. “Does that left turner see me?” “Does the truck behind me see me?” “Does the driver to my left see me?” “Does that kid near the crosswalk see me?” We all take our invisibility pills before you hop on our bikes. Perhaps I never needed one. I’ve felt isolated throughout most of my life. I go unnoticed and blend in throughout the day.

Now my life depends on people acknowledging my existence. You are utterly alone, and the only recognition the world gives you is a head on collision, a side swipe or a rear end.

On the way home from the scene I trail behind traffic and spot a left turner waiting to make his move. As the last car passes he accelerates quickly and he whips a U turn as I rock on the throttle and swerve to the right. Not a close call, but I make sure it didn’t turn into one. After every close call I don’t feel angry anymore. To be angry implies that it should have been otherwise, but wishing it wasn’t so won’t save you from all the negligent drivers on the road. Instead I smile and congratulate myself on another successful maneuver and then scold myself for not doing better so I don’t lull myself into a false sense of security.

After looking at this entry my perspective two years ago seems foreign to me. At least now a days I can say that I’m not as negative and don’t feel as disconnected and defensive about the world and my fellow drivers. We’re all out there trying to survive in one way or another.

The AMA has distributed a video public service announcement to news outlets across the country. Titled “The Distracted Driver,” the 30-second video uses a touch of humor to address the serious issue of inattentive drivers.

I’ve never seen this video on TV…then again, I don’t own a TV. Has anyone see this in their area? A good video, but I wonder how much coverage it actually received.

Original Source: AMA, MSF kickstart efforts to promote Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month