Harley riding in Alaska vs. Harley riding in Florida; I bike to the patio of Metro Cafe

"You must ride a Harley," I observed after taking note of Larry Shumake's t-shirt, just before he took his seat at Mat-Su Valley Family Restaurant. 

"I did for 22 years, but not anymore," he answered.

That 22 years of riding took place in the Lower 48, most recently Florida. He loved it, but after he retired from the Army and came to Alaska at the invitation of a friend and wound up staying, Larry found that riding a Harley here is not the same as it was down there.

"When you ride in Alaska you've always got to dress for winter," he explained. "It doesn't matter what time of year." Plus, he added, there is always loose gravel on Alaska roads, tiny rocks that become missiles upon being flung into the air by the tires of other vehicles.

Then, despite the fact that Alaska drawves all other states in size, area and open space, there just isn't that much open highway to drive upon. One road leads north out of Anchorage and road leads south. That's it. And those two roads tend to be pretty busy. In Florida, he said, there are many, many, highways, including back-country highways where the traffic is light and bikers can ride two and three abreast and go on and on with out ever encountering heavy traffic.

Plus, he added, if you ride a bike long enough, it is not a matter or whether or not you will go down, but when you will go down. He figured the time for him to go down was probably drawing nigh.

He noted that many drivers do not show much respect for bikers. Even though a bike can stop in a fraction of the space required by a car or pickup, people in cars and pickups will ride right on the tail of a biker - much closer than they would follow a car.

"I learned to always keep marbles in my pocket," he noted.

"Marbles?"

"Yes, marbles. Then when someone comes right up on your tail, you take a couple out and toss them over your shoulder. They back off real fast."

Larry did three tours of duty in Vietnam and served "at just about every point in between." He loves to fish and runs his own little business tying flies and making jigs. He calls it, Shu Flies and Jigs.

I begin every summer wanting to find some serious time to just go out and catch fish. Every summer ends almost as soon as it began and if I have caught a fish it is only because I was out in the rural areas somewhere shooting photos on someone who was fishing and who let me borrow their pole for a bit.

Now that summer is coming on, I again find myself wanting to go fishing.

If I do, maybe I will buy some flies from Larry.

Life can be pretty tough, you know? The squeeze of a hand between a waitress and her long-time customer can make it just a little easier to bear.

Through the window, I saw an elderly man assist his wife out of their car, and then help her to the restaurant door. They caused me to think of my own parents - except for the fact that, in the final years of her life, my father could not get my mother to leave the house for anything - not even to go to church, church being what she had lived her entire life for.

It was sad. It still grieves me.

It is a story that I must tell, but I don't yet know how.

Remember this dog that I came upon after I stepped out of Mat-Su Valley Family Restaurant one day last week? It was there again.

Being a very perceptive fellow, I have concluded that this must be a plumber's dog.

A clue or two.

Basically, except for going out to breakfast and then again for my 4:00 o'clock coffee and All Things Considered news break, the day was spent, up until near 2:00 AM, sitting right here in this chair in front of my computer, working.

At 4:00 PM, I brought All Things Considered up on my iPhone and then pedaled my bike to Metro.

As I drew near - these kids and I recognized each other. You might recognize them, too, as they have been in a couple of Through the Metro Window studies.

Immediately after I photographed my fellow Metro patrons, this kid blew by me on the right, dusted me. I imagined that he was pretty proud of himself, thinking that he had smoked the old man.

Kid... if I hadn't been taking pictures, I would have left you in the dust.

As I pedaled on toward Metro, I watched him grow smaller and smaller in the distance. I thought about pouring on the pedal power, about blasting by him, dusting him.

But I knew he was basking in his victory over me. I did not want to take that away from him, so I didn't.

Carmen has put her patio tables out now. It is nice to sit out there. The chairs are comfortable. I photographed Carmen in Outdoor Metro Study, # 1. If you look at the window behind her, you can see that I very cleverly included myself in the picture.

My reflection is a bit distorted, but then I am somewhat of a distorted person myself, so it is okay.

I then sat there, sipped my coffee, listened to the news and watched people pass by. Some walked.

Some traveled in school buses.

A boy pedaled uphill.

This one roared past.

A boy pushing his bike uphill was overtaken by a man pedaling. 

I then pedaled a looping route home. I came to a stop sign, where I passed a cowboy and his dog. Both seemed to have split personalities. 

Except for the breakfasts at Mat-Su Valley Family Restaurant, the weather has been so nice that I have been eating all my meals on the back porch.

Jimmy always comes out with me.

We have good times together, Jimmy and I.

You will notice the greening is less here than elsewhere in Wasilla. We are always the last to leaf out and the first to drop.

Comments

[Michelle]

The portrait of Larry is really nice. I bet his kids (if he has them) would love it. (Larry's kids - call Bill!)

Your photos are so good, they always make me want to comment on them. Plumber dog is great.

[ruth z deming]

enjoyed meeting larry. quite a transition moving from FL to AK! those bike-riding kids must be ecstatic the long winter is over. i know i am...and we ain't nothin compared to alaska, tho we had bushelsfull of snow this year, unusual for suburban philly. will now read your previous blog post with its enticing title.

[twain12]

i recognised plummer dog right away, he has such a sweet face, great pictures and stories.

[twain12]

oh and is that little car a Trabant ?

[dahli22]

the little car looks like a metropolitan nash. my favorite photo is the split personalities. I think I saw CNN covering the photo contest for best photo at 7 am on a particular day...and i think your instincts were right--some people cheated and submitted photos that were not taken at exactly 7 am.

[twain12]

thank you dahli22, i'm not exactly a car buff . Was wondering what a Trabant would do in Alaska LOL