When the trees lose their leaves it just makes things look cold. Or maybe because it is cold, it also looks cold. The sun's lower trajectory this time of year gives unique tones and texture with the long shadows.
I haven't taken pictures in the Park Blocks for a couple of months, so I thought I would wander in the cold a little.
Most days the park is bustling with people during lunch hour. The cold weather has them staying inside on this day.
Finding a parking place was easy.
A couple of weeks ago Irondad posted an article about "Avoiding The Ambush" in which the author mentioned a favorite Portland bikers eatery called Kelly's Olympian. I did a drive-by so you can see it.
The parking along the curb is "motorcycle only". I've been here years ago, before it was a biker place. Hopefully in the near future Irondad and I can meet here to check it out. If you can be in the neighborhood please join us.
It looks like parking is easy here too on cold days...
It looks like parking is easy here too on cold days...
Posts
Mike:
ReplyDeleteI really like that idea of the M/C parking. Up here they allow you to park as many 'cycles in one spot, but if the time has expired, then all bikes in that spot get a ticket. There is not really many dedicated parking spots here.
Also in some cities such as White Rock they have opted to remove their parking meters and installed a pay station where every vehicle has to display a valid ticket. So before when you could cram 4+ bikes in one spot, now all 4 have to have a ticket and there is no reduction for your smaller footprint. They have done the same thing down in Richmond and in Stanley Park where all the roadway parking is now considered to be a parking lot.
I like your 1st pix, the shadows cast by the trees & the long shadows of the winter sun. Perhaps changing it to grey scale would give more impact as it's sort of nearly B&W already
bob
bobskoot: wet coast scootin
I really like the first picture. Interesting how we cover the same ground many times but manage to see it so many different ways when we pack a camera.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see motorcycle parking in front of Kelly's. When I saw it was at 4th and Washington I pictured having to park and walk a bit. These are probably still the "pay to get a display ticket" spots, though, aren't they?
We'll get there pretty soon!
Bob,
ReplyDeleteThroughout most of downtown we have a single parking meter kiosk on each block. That's where you pay and get a "display ticket" that you put inside the window next to the curb so the meter person can see it. For motorcycles and scooters you stick the display ticket on the speedo or gas tank. Our system is the same as yours where one bike can pay for the whole spot. In front of Kelly's since each bike has a stall, each one has to have a paid ticket. But it's nice to have motorcycle only parking.
I wish we had one complete floor of a parking structure devoted to bikes to promote riding and saving gas.
Thanks for your comment on the first picture. I hadn't thought about it in B&W. I have a flickr thing but haven't use it yet. Maybe I'll do that sometime for extra shots.
Dan,
Thanks for your comment too on the first picture. Once and awhile things line up and you just happen to be standing there with a camera and all you do is press the button. That's one of the things that makes digital photography so much fun.
I was kind of shocked when I saw what Kelly's looks like from their Website. The last time I was there was in the early 90's and it was a smoky dark pub that looked like a movie set from the 40's.
Yeah, we'll get there soon - looking forward to it!