Good Session

Well, the good folks here at DaBlog have decided to switch off the lights. It’s been a good long run….and now it’s time for the afterglow.To those of you who have dropped in over the last 3 ½ years, it’s been a beautiful thing. We found that sweet spot on occasion and even got in the zone now and then. We probably went off on some weird tangents too, but hey, it’s like that.

So a big THANKS! You’re all awesome!!! Well, GOOD TIMES! Later –Matt

Oh yeah.....Be sure to follow Matt’s ever evolving InstagramGallery

New gallery from PhotoMatt

Photography sure has come a long way! Now it's instant gratification with Instagrams.

Hope you'll check out my all new Instagram Gallery. 

And bookmark the link, as I update fresh new images all the time.

Here ya go........ CLICK TO LINK

Copy to your bookmarks.......

http://statigr.am/wtznot2lyke

BIG harvest!

The crew worked hard and finally feasted well! 

Word from the vintner is the grapes are happily fermenting away!!

CHEERS!!!

 

Bein Green

The Bike Fairy left a little something in my garage the other night….or was it THEEEE LEPREEEECHAUNNNNN!

I mean my new Santa Cruz Superlight actually comes with an AC adapter to amp up the green!

 

 Well, it's no longer as clean as my pre-ride photo shoot and actually will never be again.

So, I taped up my hurt wrist and set off for a world of greenery, up in Annadel after a 6 week lapse. Nothing too technical until I heal, but up Canyon to the lake and back had me STOKED!

 

 The 2012 Superlight is a quantum leap from my old 2001. 
Someone tell Kermit it's just gotten easy ‘bein green’.

 

Instagrams Gone Wild

Instagrams have captivated me, now that I have G's old iPhone. 

No, I don't actually use it as a phone, but connecting with photographers from all over the world is irresistible!!!

See Ya Big Bird

Johnny Utah: [to Bodhi] You crossed the line. People trusted you and they died. You gotta' go down.

surf wax

When it's 102 degrees, the wax pretty much strips itself.

We get it!

Dude, where am I again.....oh yeah....NORCAL!!!

Pancakes

Pancakes at the Rosedale Diner was always a special outing as a boy...... Americana that got put out to pasture. Hall & Oates even sang about the place.

I took this shot back in the early 70s when I was shooting this stuff called film and actually did my own darkroom work. Photoshop was a place where you bought your supplies, like 100 ft. rolls of Tri-X in bulk and packets of chemicals to mix in big brown gallon jugs.

I never dreamed I'd have instant gratification like digital and Instagrams. The love of photography endures!!

Day to day, to day... today
Then they were old, their lives wasted away
Month to month, year to year
They all run together -Hall & Oates

Doctor's Orders: No Arm Wrestling

It’s been a month since I got hurt; so I finally went to a Sports Doc.

Seems that ligaments take awhile to heal….longer than bones even. Thus my small contusion is nearly healed, while my Ulna ligament…. not so much.

Who knew I even had an Ulna ligament? I didn’t, at least not until the Doctor torqued my hand outward, simulating my fall. At that point my screams pretty much cleared out his waiting room.

The good news is I’ll heal. The bad news is it could take 2 months more. Could be worse. At least I can tape up, shut up and do some road rides.

Climbing is fine, but I max out with a 3 mile Lichau Road descent though….so a 12 mile Pine Flat descent will have to wait. The geezer posse will just have to go on without me. So try to keep up the repartee without my scintillating contributions.

One further note to self: Next time, remember not to crash!!!!!

back door world

This guy now resides by my side door.....Guess I'll be taking an alternate route for now.

outtakes

Here's some crazy visuals from Ali's wedding gig yesterday. These were NOT for the bride.

movin on.....

 They can never be what she was to me.

must eat meat

Other than that piece of Spam sushi that I mistook for Unagi, I really haven’t eaten red meat since 1990. Ain’t it funny how sometimes events conspire to affect change!?

Since I am still recovering from a recent bike crash I have lapsed a bit. Last night I realized I was basically refrigerating air. Well, it wasn’t quite that desperate, I did have IPA and coffee....basic survival mode. And there was the Vicodin. I remembered I still had some from my botched hernia surgery years ago.  Forget the 9/09 expiration date, that stuff worked fine…just fine.

My evening plan was to kick back with the Season 5 True Blood finale, under a full moon yet. But first I’d have to venture forth into the night like a vampire in search of food.

I was soon back in my lair with what should have been a fat grilled chicken burrito. Just as the first of many vampires got staked, I took a big bite. The creature exploded and to my horror, the burrito was Carne Asada!!!!

What to do now? No other food source, injuries throbbing, dull from Vicodin, under that full moon fever. I gulped the IPA for courage....... Aw, what the hell.

black & blue sky

The bike flipped over as if in slow motion. 

As I hurtled in my upside down trajectory, all I could think 

before slamming down on the rocks, 

was how blue the sky!

Here's a little addendum form Joel, my biking bro.....
I was waiting at the bottom of Marsh & when Matt didn't show for awhile rode back up a ways to find the stoic Prince accompanying his uncooperative steed with twisted bar, despite his smashed right wrist, down to the top of Canyon picnic table, & then with bar newly set, gamely riding the rocky descent to his car, w/ my barely believed opinion that the wrist wasn't broken. The ride up had been all joy and acclamation for the rolling big wheels, the new found enthusiasm smashed asunder, when a solitary rock refused to join the party.

Dinosaur Foot

A band name like Dinosaur Foot conjures up primordial sounds bubbling from the ooze. Really more like modern day musical mayhem bursting forth from the garage!

This band has energy and stage presence! Oh yeah, it also has my son Garrett.

Seeing them as the opening act last night at the Red Devil Lounge was a blast......

and not from the past!

Just couldn't resist doing a little photo mash up (above) with my shots from their gig.

Beer Country

Yeah, yeah, I know it’s the wine country; but on a hot Sonoma County night, 

sometimes the palette gets to hankering for some pure refreshment. 

So Goldie and I fired up the Red Rocket and drove our Hop Rod

 like a Racer 5! Destination: Beer Republic...er make that Bear.

(Dude...where's my car? So not my Subaru here.)

 After a stint at the bar, we descended a small flight of stairs to

 a large flight of  beer....all astonishingly diverse and nuanced. 

The food was awesome and the beer was awesomer! 
Way to wash down a mountain of garlic fries.

so long, old soldier

With your chrome heart shining
In the sun
Long may you run. -Neil Young

I had to let her go.... Sigh.

bicycle seat neuropathy

Finally....I can ride again in comfort without the dreaded penile numbness!

My new seat is THAT GOOD!

revelation on the road

From the first time I hopped on this bike, it just FELT right! I've been on a roll ever since!!