EINDHOVEN................Out and About Pt I.

'The Blob' in Eindhoven on 18 Septemberplein.

On a whim I decided to ride down to Eindhoven last Sunday, and coming in from the west on the A270, 'The Blob' is the first landmark that assaults the senses, it stopped me dead in my tracks. My shutter finger was already twitching even before I got off the bike and got my Nikon D3s out.

Argueably one of the more controversial structures built in Eindhoven, 'The Blob'  is a one of those 'Love It or Hate It' types of buildings, and it's not that difficult to see why either. 
Built right in the middle of Eindhoven's shopping district, it was built as the centre-piece of a complete re-development of the 18 Septemberplein area.
It's location and the other buildings that surround it just add to it's intrigue. Upon first sight, it appears to be completely out of place amongst it's older neighbors, like it just dropped out of the sky like a 'Blob', but I must say, I think it's quite an impressive piece.

So given that it's such a controversial piece, I thought I would throw in a controversial image to keep in the same spirit.
I photographed it an angle, usually a no-no in photography, threw it into a Photomatix Pro HDR preset to give it a 'painting' look with a Lightroom vignette to finish (sounds like a recipe for dinner), and i'm sure that i'll hear about it from a few people.

The city of Eindhoven counts 217,200 + inhabitants, 261,000 + if the adjacent Veldhoven is included, making it the fifth-largest city of the Netherlands.

I was only in Eindhoven for one day, and intend to return this coming weekend, due in no small part to meeting this man, Bob Casemier.

I'm riding down the Kleine Berg, a small little cobblestone street in Eindhoven, and as I turn a corner I see a man on a small little stool with a brush cleaning what appears to be a gorgeous Triumph Cafe Race bike.

So off I get and wander over, having no idea what's in store for me.

Bob

Bob Casemier.


Bob built most of this 750 Triumph Cafe himself, you can tell just by looking at the way some of it's pieces are constructed it's not a parts catalogue bike, it has all the hallmarks of being an owner built piece.
But the best was yet to come.
After chatting with Bob he asks me 'How much time do you have?', I have no schedule I reply, why?.
Well, I have a museum upstairs, would you like to come see?.


Ummm, yes please.

To be continued...........






Murph

'Welkom in Nederland' ............Pt I

The Netherlands, in it's entirety, is often referred to (and inaccurately so) as Holland, whereas North and South Holland are actually only two of it's twelve provinces. 
In English the country is called 'the Netherlands', while the people are called Dutch. 
In Dutch the official terms for these are 'Nederland' for the country, 'Nederlanders' for the people and 'Nederlands' for the language. 


The Netherlands is a geographically low-lying country, with about 25% of it's area below sea level and about 50% of it's land lying less than one metre above sea level.
'Netherlands' literally means 'Low Countries' or 'Low Lands'.

One of the scenic country roads a few kilometers outside of Elsendorp.

It's flat here, very flat, many of the country roads here in the Elsendorp area where I'm staying give the visitor and the resident alike some stunning scenery to enjoy as they walk, bike or stroll through the countryside.
No hiking or climbing trails for me here to go play or train on for my Matterhorn climb,but the beauty is in the many symmetrically laid out tree lined roads that seem at times to be never ending.


I arrived at Dusseldorf airport last Monday, May 1st, on a flight from LAX, and British Airways decided that I didn't really need my luggage until Thursday afternoon, 3 days later.
My motorcycle sidecarist friend Richard offered to pick me up at the airport upon my arrival, he just didn't bank on me being 2 hours late . My flight was due to arrive at 9:30 pm, but I didn't get in until 10:45 pm, with an hour + drive to LBS where I was staying.
Still, he drove me the 110 kms to LBS Sidecars in Elsendorp, and after coffee and sitting with Ad and myself and chatting about politics and sidecars he left at 1am to drive the 80km home and then had to be up for work at 5 am. Thank you again Richard.

One of the reasons I timed my arrival here in the Netherlands to be on May 1st was that as a veteran of both Lebanon and Afghanistan, Richard was being honored with a Purple Heart on May 3rd, so I asked if he could arrange for me to be there to be able to photograph the ceremony. It was just something I wanted to be able to do for him and I know he appreciated me being there also.
A special honor for Richard and for me also. Congratulations my friend.





View Larger Map
So as we drove from the airport in Dusseldorf toward Elsendorp at 10 pm that evening, one of the first things I noticed was how orderly the driving is, no one hangs in the outside or 'Passing Lane' here in Germany or the Netherlands for that matter, and within a few minutes of having that thought the reason became very apparent. A car, I think a BMW, it passed by so fast I couldn't be sure, shot by us in the outside lane at approximately  double our speed. We were cruising along at 150kph (about 93mph) and this car just shot by us like we were still in second gear, it had to be traveling at about 240kph, about 150+mph I would guess.
Welcome to the Autobahn in Germany. 


I always maintained that it's not speed that kills, it's the idiot drivers that have no clue how to drive that do, the high speed limits in Germany and a lot of Europe are a testament to the fact that high speed limits are not, in and of themselves, dangerous. They also have very strict traffic enforcement here, much of it electronic, with speed and traffic cameras on most roads, and that, coupled with a 'real' and expensive Driver License test has the end result of putting drivers on the road that actually know how to drive and know the 'Rules Of The Road'. It makes for an incredibly refreshing and safe driving experience over here.


To get a Drivers License here in the Netherlands will cost you about 1500-2000 EUR, $2000-2600, depending on how many lessons you need. The Netherlands is know for excessive bureaucracy, so unless you are exchanging a European Drivers License, be prepared to do battle.
While talking with someone here in the Netherlands who had visited the US and drove there, a comment they made was how everyone drives/hangs in the outside or passing lanes, its just 2 or three lanes of solid traffic, you can't pass them if you want to go faster. 'Don't they police this' they asked?. How can you get anywhere with all lanes a solid traffic jam?...............exactly.
Oh, and if you decide to come here and drive, better make sure you brush up on your 'Turn Signal' etiquette, they use them here, it's the law.

Meanwhile, back in Elsendorp at LBS Sidecars there are 3 sidecar outfits ahead of me before we can start on my one, so it gives me a chance to do a little exploring.

Plus I get this outfit to drive while I'm here, another BMW GS similar to my motorcycle with an EZS Kompact sidecar.

Ad's H-D Boxer V-Rod in the shop for some maintenance.

Awaiting sidecars, a KTM on the right and a nearly finished BMW 1200 GL.

The Netherlands has nearly 1200 working windmills today, there are more windmills in the Netherlands, but the Dutch only count the ones that are actually work. There are over 4,000  incomplete or vanished windmills.

The largest number of mills in good condition is in Kinderdijk near Rotterdam, and I think I may have to go on a road trip there in the next few weeks and photograph them.

Some little know facts about the Netherlands and the Dutch people.
Did you know that:


The Dutch are the tallest people in Europe, with an average height of 1.81 meters (5ft 11in) for men and 1.67 meters (5ft 6in) for women).


Rotterdam is the largest port in Europe.


Almost every Dutch person has a bicycle, and there are twice as many bicycles as cars.


The Netherlands has at least 15,000 km (9,300+ miles) of cycle tracks.


Since 1901, sixteen Dutch have been awarded the Nobel Prize.


The Netherlands has over 1,200 working windmills.


The Netherlands has over 1,000 museums, with 42 in Amsterdam alone.


You can see 22 paintings by Rembrandt and 206 by Van Gogh in Amsterdam.

So until I get to Amsterdam, Van Gogh, Rembrandt and the windmills of Kinderdijk will have to wait, so I hope you enjoy these images for now.






Murph.

The Left Coast and Jay Leno...............Road Stories Pt II.

Jay Leno,host of the The Tonight Show and owner of a very diverse car and motorcycle collection,as seen on the website JayLenosGarage,taking time out of his Saturday to speak with me at his Big Dog Garage in Burbank CA.

Go West young man. 
That's what they said back in the early eighties when I came over here to America from Ireland.I should of listened.Jay Leno listened,and now look where he is.
I've always had a thing for the Left Coast,especially California,the climate,the mountains,the laid back attitudes,the interesting mix of people,the car and motorcycle culture,the mountains(I know,I already said the mountains,but they deserve a second mention they're so beautiful).There's a flavor out in Southern California that's hard to put a finger on,
Since I arrived in LA 10 days ago,I've been caught up in a whirlwind,a series of interesting events and happenings,thanks to some really good friends that I have out here,and also being in the right place at the right time.That's how I ended up at Jay Leno's Big Dog Garage in Burbank where my friend Chuck(who I was staying with) talked to George(who works at the garage) who then called Robert(who's the VP of Production for NBC),and the next thing I know I'm sitting down on a Saturday morning with Jay being interviewed by him for a segment on his Jay Leno's Garage website.


BOOM.

Directly behind Jay,next to the car with the yellow hood is Jay's Silver Buick,a 1955 Roadmaster he purchased in 1972 for $350.
It was his first vehicle he owned in California,the car he used for his first date with his wife,and the car he drove for his first appearance on the Tonite Show in 1977.
It was also the first vehicle in his now very extensive and eclectic collection,and he still say's it's his favorite car to drive.
In Jay's own words,"You gotta love the look in the eyes of a guy driving a Porsche who sees you coming up on him,but he just can't seem to shake you going up a canyon.He's thinking 'how can this old Buick do this to me?".With a ZZ572/620 GM crate motor with 620 HP under the hood,it's not really much of a problem.


I'd like to extend my thanks to all involved in my interview with Jay,Robert Angelo,VP of Production,the camera crew and Jay Leno,for taking the time to make this happen.


And of course the whole garage crew who are a really great bunch of guys,Bernard,John Pera,George Swift,Pear,Jim,Dirk and Bob.
Dirk,thanks again for the 'Killer' cappuccino's.

This forward momentum and being in the right place at the right time vortex all started when I called David Hamilton,whom I bought my motorcycle from,a 2004 BMW 1150 GS Adventure,back in November of 2008,as I rode out west to LA from S.Fl in Feb this year to ship my bike to Europe from the port of Long Beach CA.
San Luis Obispo,a beautiful town just north of Santa Maria in CA is where David calls home,and though up to that point we had never met,we stayed in contact with each other,since David works in the publishing business for Source Interlink Media,who have under their umbrella such publications as Hot Rod , Petersons 4Wheel and Off Road , Motor Trend and about 60+ other magazines,so we both share a love of shiny mechanical things with wheels that make lots of noise and go fast or look really cool and break down.
I mentioned to David that I was going to be over on the Left Coast to ship the bike from the port of Long Beach to Rotterdam for my 3 yr Round the World ride,so why don't we get together and have lunch.
Well,David said he was going to be working at the Tierra Del Sol 50th Jeep Safari the same time I was going to be out there,so why don't I come down to meet him there.Good idea,I had never been to the Salton Sea,even though I had spent time camping close by in Death Valley,so after photographing The Very Large Array in Datil NM,I headed for Salton City and the TDS Jeep Safari.

This is Super Dev,I caught her attempting to ride off on my bike,but fortunately she couldn't reach the handlebars and the footpegs at the same time.Luckily Super Dev's Dad was there so we were able to apprehend her just in the nick of time before she figured out how to start it and ride off into the sunset.I see a future motorcyclist here,another world traveller perhaps?.

Super Dev,if you're reading this with Dad,it was fun meeting you at Salton Sea,and I hope you both follow along on my journey around the world.See you in 4 years or so.

So as David and I were chatting and catching up,another one of those "right place,right time" moments happened in the form of Scott Timberlake,an ad exec with Source Interlink Media.

It was late in the evening and I was talking with by the bike with David when this guy walks up,well,it was more of a meander with a definite swagger,looks at the bike and then at me and say's "are you sponsored?".

"No,say's I".

"Well,you should be,come down and see me this week,we'll have lunch and see what we can come up with,no promises".

This chance meeting with Scott out in the middle of the desert in Southern California led to lunch the following week at the offices and photo studios at Source Interlink and two days of video being shot of me about my story and travels for the Motor Trend Youtube Channel.

I know,the hit's just keep on comin.......

While at the Source Interlink photo studio,Randy Lorentzen(R) Director of Photography for the Performance Automotive Group,had a little fun on the set.

And as a PS,the car is an absolutely beautiful 1940 chopped 4 Door Ford,mostly owner built,unusual in that as any car customizer knows how difficult it is to chop a 2 Door,not too many people bother with putting the amount of time,money and effort into chopping a 4 Door.

This car feature will be out in Street Rodder in the coming months.Keep an eye out for it,it's worth it.

So,last Wednesday,March 21st,I dropped the bike off at the Schumacher Cargo offices in Gardena CA,and there it awaits consolidation to be loaded on to a container bound for the port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

I received an ETA from Schumacher of an arrival May 1 in Rotterdam,so the weeks will go by real fast I'm sure.I will be posting a 'How To' video in the next article here on the blog about everything you need to know if you want to ship your bike from the US to Europe,from the paperwork you will need to exactly how much you will be charged,both here in the US and when you go to pick up the bike at the Freight Forwarders in Rotterdam.

Murph...

Wreaths Across America,Arlington Cemetery 2011...........Images Pt I.

It was a cold ride in to Arlington National Cemetery from my friends Steve Uzell and Susan Lambert's home near Leesburg,VA.I was up at 4:30am,get the coffee on,try to keep quiet.

Morning temps were only in the 20's,still dark and cold outside.I had my camera gear ready to go,fired up the bike,off I went.

I was pretty much alone on the road until I got to Memorial Drive,a long straightaway that culminates at the Women In Military Service For America Memorial and the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery at the west end of the drive,turn around and look back east,back across the Arlington Memorial Bridge and you look straight at the Lincoln Memorial.

The entrance to the Cemetery was already backed up with traffic back to the Arlington Memorial Bridge,luckily I was on a motorcycle,up the side I went to the top,where I got in line behind the press corp and a CNN crew.

It was my first time coming to Arlington,and I wasn't really sure what to expect.I rode up from Hollywood FL spur of the moment,a last minute decision.I had read about Morrill Worcester and what he had being doing at Arlington for the past 20 years,so it was one of those moments that already decided itself for me,so I left the next morning on the bike.

Members of the Civil Air Patrol Honor Guard at the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery,as the convoy of 20 trucks that drove from Maine with the Ceremonial Wreaths pass through the gates to the cemetery.

Morrill Worcester on the left.

 I have another post of images yet to come on my visit here,but needless to say,Arlington is a powerful and beautiful place,but it was all the people who came here to be a part of this event that made it for me.It's hard to explain,but it was like one big family coming together to honor their brothers and sisters who paid the ultimate price for their country.




Murph