Across Continents

Ken's Blog

Sleepless in Seattle

November 2nd, 2011

"..exciting new Central Library" was foremost amongst the Clipper magazine’s spread on offerings from Seattle. In-flight – of sorts – publication on the late evening fast ferry into the city. I was sure they’d overlooked Microsoft, Amazon. And Nirvana. Never mind Meg Ryan.

But none of this much mattered, for I was to meet up with an old school friend I’d not seen in over twenty years. Now settled in West Seattle. We’d chatted a little on the phone, his distinctive chuckle I’d remembered from childhood still errr… distinctive.

We’d ridden a lot together as teenagers, around Pembrokeshire. Plans to do so once more, but with far greater aspirations this time. South towards California. About twice the length of Wales.

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Mum’s the (final) word

November 1st, 2011

radio

Courtesy of friends at my local community radio station in Somerset, England – www.10radio.org – you can catch up with my regular monthly on-air chats with good friend and neighbour Jon.

In this latest episode Ken talks about his travels through Canada’s British Columbia Province, dental dramas and a chance to ride with an old school friend. But the final word goes to his Mum…. Click on the link below to download the interview.

Download MP3

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Apple a day…

November 1st, 2011

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Good news for all you Apple lovers. For a few changes behind the scenes should mean subsequent video clips are much easier to view on your iThingies – if not, do let me know! Right, need to go and find my whatsit. Should be next to the thingymejig

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Escaping from Alcatraz

October 31st, 2011

Escaping from Alcatraz from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.

Always a bit ahead of the blog – in this case a thousand miles or so south of Seattle, down in San Francisco – Ken takes a short break from repairing his rabbit ravaged netbook and visits… Alcatraz Island.

Incidentally, Lancastrian Ken generally prefers to avoid tourist traps, but did find a visit to the island well worth the effort. Which translates as about US$26, the freedom to wander around at your leisure, an excellent audio tour, and the queuing to board the ferry tolerable… even if surrounded by garlic-munching surrender monkeys… And nobody asked him if he was Australian…

[Parental advisory: Video contains explicit references to Yorkshire]

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Brief intermission

October 25th, 2011

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Regular followers of the blog may be aware I usually run a little ahead of it – in this case, about a thousand miles from Seattle. For I’m now down in San Francisco, so just seven hundred miles or so from the Mexican border.

Spending a few days in the city – routine maintenance, aspirations to visit Alcatraz – and writing up more of the blog once I’ve fixed the power supply for my netbook. Cable chewed through not by a wild bear or raccoon, or even a feral cat, but a house rabbit. Called Bob. Some things you can’t make up….

So, please bear with me – a brief blog intermission – as the last of the scheduled posts have now appeared….

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Swift passage to Seattle

October 23rd, 2011

Swift passage to Seattle from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.

Ken parts company with Canada, making a swift passage by fast catamaran from Victoria into Seattle, Washington State, USA. And there are postcards to write..

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Reflections on Canada

October 23rd, 2011

The Yukon. British Columbia. Two Provinces. Well over a thousand miles through Canada. But what to make of the place, the US’ top-hat? I’d often had to remind myself which country I was in. Perhaps, I thought, it was a bit like Germany and Austria. No sharp cultural divides.

But there were differences. Little details. Unarmed border guards. A people who seemed far less trigger happy than their neighbours. And quite a few less of them. Yukon Province making Alaska look positively crowded.

I’d missed saturation ice hockey. Out of season. But intrigued – even amused – by the very pervasive nature of a minority language. French. I’d suspected this to be a result of a vocal few exerting undue – even unwarranted – political influence. But a German immigrant I’d met had put it far more succinctly. Arrogance. Tres Bien.

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Into Seattle

October 23rd, 2011

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It was late. Gone ten pm by the time I’d cleared US Customs at the ferry terminal in Seattle. My luggage – four panniers, one large dry bag stuffed with bottles and the handlebar bag, one tent and my trusty steed – retrieved and my bicycle laden for the short journey – a few miles – to meet up with an old school friend.

I’d taken the fast catamaran from Victoria, on Canada’s Vancouver Island, directly into Seattle, Washington State. A little shy of three hours. Turning up ridiculously early for check-in had paid dividends. In spades. Arriving prepared to lash panniers together to minimise excess baggage charges, only to find my early arrival being rewarded with some sensible discretion. My luggage treated as equivalent to the normal inclusive allowance of two larger items.

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In the pottery shed

October 23rd, 2011

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Actually it was an art studio, admittedly with a small potters wheel and a couple of large clay blocks amongst the various brushes and paints. A former garden shed that also doubled has a rather charming stop for the night, a small sofa bed tucked away at the far end.

I’d been met earlier, around sunset, by host Michelle on her robust BMW touring bike. Guided to a small, neatly kept trailer park in the suburbs of Victoria. Ordinarily these were the sort of places I’d positively avoid, rather than simply let allude me. But her lot, shared with partner Patti, was different. Quite different. It had character. A distinct cottage feel. I loved the little touches. The woodstove. Home made, lightly perfumed soaps. Driftwood decorations.

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On Vancouver Island

October 23rd, 2011

On Vancouver Island from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.

Ken reaches Victoria Island. Couple of hours of daylight remaining, twenty five miles or so to cover. But always time for a refreshing cup of flask-stewed tea…

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