So like normal I had to drop everything and run out for a task. So off to Watertown, I only had the bike to use so I packed the camera and off I went.
The first thing that one notices when riding in the US is the amount of Patriotism compare to Canada. I think it’s a bylaw in many small towns to fly the flag. As a Vet many people thank you. The houses are a different story, many homes that would be condemned here in Canada actually have people living in them still.
I took 12 to Watertown and noticed just like route 66 the interstate has taken it’s toll on the small family motel business many lie ruins and abandoned some even have the decor of the day still in them as the owners just closed shop and left. Today Sean and I will head to the Upper New York Mental institute for a photo shoot and take the old Seaway trail to Watertown.
I love diving and photography especially when I can combine them. It took a long time this year to get going one of the reasons was the political climate of years gone by. I find it hard to get motivated and even harder to volunteer my time to be rewarded by nothing but slander and shit from the vocal minority.
People forget that volunteers do this for free and the only reward is a thank you. But in Kingston if your not doing it the way we did it in the old days you will pay dearly. The even sadder thing is when you give them everything and back off nothing happens cause the only work they can do is running off of the mouth.
Nuff of that back to the dive. First dive on the Munson the munson is always dark but today it was like being at 180 feet with no ambient light. Sean and I located the mooring raised it and checked the line. No problems so off the Comet.
The Comet was the opposite 70 feet of vis and a lot colder 41 on the bottom. Located the mooring line raised it and off for a photo shoot. the deck caved in a bit more over the winter but other then that a nice dive.
Mooring work done by the GLUE dive club as the others stayed home again. Saturday’s work will start on the Davie, I am on the afternoon run hopefully SM Douglas or Eccles.
Chris Graham runs a bike night on Weds during riding season the cost. 1 can of vegetables for Martha’s table. The idea is to be non club affiliated and no politics. Sadly that doesn’t happen and the biggest group of charity riders “The Cav” is sadly represented. Now there are several veteran riding clubs in town, so imitation is the best form of flattery.
Tonight for I felt uncomfortable among old peers and promptly left for the rally downtown basically cause I don’t need the political bull that is starting to over take the local riding community. I did however purchase a shirt in support of the National Memorial Ride for Veterans. Complete photo galleries for bike night will be posted here
I took some photos of the S and R Rally tonight as well. Complete photos are here. It was my first rally I found it interesting to shoot but not well attended like the the bike night. It may be the weather.
The gang over at Motosport Plus offered me a shot of trying out some of the new Honda small bikes so off I went. The instructors were all professional riders including one that did the Paris to Africa cross country race a few times. The idea was for new riders to get some free advice and experience whilst trying some of honda’s entry level bikes. The CBR 125, EL 230 and Rebel 250. So we went around and around in circles after a while I got bored and did the whole course going in and out of the pylons.
Fun day actually and Sean got some riding tips to boot. Don’t think I will run out and trade in the HD for a Honda but sometimes you need to ride something lessor to remind you how good you have it.
Pics for the ride are here.
I took it pretty easy on the weekend and missed a couple of workouts and then when I got Polly at work I had an axiety attack the first one in a while. So I have to get back on track even with my back screaming I guess. I spent most of the afternoon cruising the back roads looking for insperation and stopped at the Ole 41 Drive In, for some pics.
The Napanee Drive In aka The 41 Drive was one of approximently 300 drive-ins which was operating in Canada during the peak of the drive in era 1958. Now in Canada there are less then 75 still in Operation.
As a kid growing up in the 70′s the drive-in experience was on of the only places one could party and watch cult classics like Zeppelin’s “The Song Remains the Same” , The Ramones “Rock and Roll High School” and the Rocky Horror Picture Show all in one night.
The Napanee Drive-In was a staple in the area for 40 years before closing in 1995 losing out to the Home Movie Market of Video Rentals.
Then off to Marysville just because I had never been and found a great biking route to do later on this spring with the boys. I then went back to Westport and did a shoot at the old Wesport Auto Lot. I hope on the weekend the boys will want to go diving cause I really need a dive. 
Complete pics of the drive in here.
Enjoy
So my buddy Paul and I spent the afternoon trying to relocate a Shovelhead HD I found this winter in a basement of an abandonment. We first stopped at the Perth rd United Church where Paul’s wife was volunteering at the annual maple syrup pancake fundraiser. After seen the line out the door and many waiting to get in we decided to look for the place.
After about 5 hours of searching we relocated the place, on the way we found several abandonments and stopped at the Ghost town of Petworth Ontario. Things are quiet in Petworth now, very quiet. Not like in the 1870s, when a group of vigilante farmers from nearby Verona, upset about their flooded fields and ruined crops, crept down late one night and blew up Petworth’s dam. Petworth started out as a lumber town in the 1840s. By the 1890s, it was one lively place, boasting a blacksmith shop, cheese factory, general store, school and two churches. Two hotels were kept busy, quenching the thirst of the many loggers, who arrived every spring. By 1905, it was a very different story. Sixty years of steady logging had pretty much depleted the surrounding woods and the new railway took a turn eastward bypassing the tiny village. Petworth never recovered. Petworth is not completely deserted. A few older residents remain, along with a handful of newer residents who enjoy the peace and tranquility of rural living. The stone walls of the old Stephenson and Lott sawmill are still standing, along with the blacksmith shop, a barn, several original houses and the one room schoolhouse, closed since the 1960s. Newer houses stand amidst the ruins and other original buildings, some of which are still in use as sheds, storage buildings and the like. For now, the residents of Petworth refuse to give up their former ghosts and visitors can still get a sense of a mid 19th Ontario century mill town, as it once was.
Complete photo’s from Petworth are here.
So I worked out pretty hard this morning and had to quit early but stayed alive long enough to fork out some cash to the plumber. After PUC turned on the water I went riding after a long talk with an old army chum Dan at Motosport.
The first site was in Switzerville and then I tried to gain access to the Napanee Paper factory but they had welded the doors shut. Off to downtown to see if I could get in the the Napanee Marina which was easy. Upon exiting there was cops all over the place luckely it was for a drug bust across the road. Then off to home the long way marking a few more sites to scope.
After I ate, and with Polly being ill I went out for another ride. So 769 KM’s today and a couple of days of rain so I will be working on my pics.
Sean, Polly and I started our back road ritual of photo taking again today. The First stop is the Evergreen Fun farm to see that Alpaca’s which are smaller then Llama’s but less of a personality a few shots then off to the mine/quarry find that I discovered earlier in the week. This time we found a downed fence and proceeded to scope it out some more.
The best find of the day for me was this old pickup truck
Then some bulldozers, cars, bikes and farm equipment scatter in various parts of the head. I will be up loading some more pics to the Library here Then off to the next spot an old transportation company which was closed down and left all the trucks and stuff in-situ. A quick recce and off I went as Sean and Polly chickened out. Found this beauty and will post the rest in this library later on this week
So a good workout some photo searching, stopped at the HD dealer to get them to prep the bike, over to the store to see Vinnie and David. David wasn’t there yet but stated he be there first thing today.
Then in the evening we had a mug out for Ken Dechant as he had retired from the military and was moving on to become an electrician. Good day for the most part.
Well for the first time in weeks I made it out and about without very much ado, Sean came and got me and we headed down to the Golden Rooster for a sandwich and Drink with my buddy Chris.
The afternoon went well and afterwards some time taking photos. Then off to visit the bikes and home for some food. So not to bad for a day except…..
Kingston has a reputation of having some of the worse drivers about. The taxi drivers are pretty brave like many city and will take chances with passengers aboard but that’s only mild compared to the worse drivers in town, Believe it or not they are the female drivers of the short school buses. Yet again today one was in such a rush with school age kids aboard she felt the need to stop was optional. Not once but twice. I couldn’t imagine driving a load of kids and doing stupid driving like that.
Hopefully the rest of the week warm up and the depression subsides.
