Getting to Know My Own Backyard

On Sunday morning I was out the door before the sun tiptoed over the horizon. I made my way over to the water in hopes of getting a good spot to watch it come creeping over the edge of the earth.

Early morning setauket harbor

Because I dilly-dallied along my route the sun sneaked up over the trees before I could get to where I was going. But, that was okay. I’ll catch it next time.

Ara from The Oasis of my Soul tweeted something the other day that resonated with me ~ Get to know your now backyard:

 

That is what I have been doing lately – staying on Long Island and wandering my own backyard, around the little nooks and crannies.

JAWS III in Greenport

For all of its faults, there are beautiful spots on the Island. Admittedly, I have a hard time letting my guard down here. Sometimes I just can’t give myself over to this place. But, I’m trying.

Satterlys Landing

With the Ural my pace is different.There is something about the nature of the beast that allows me to look around in a different way than I do on the Tiger. I have seen things that I’ve passed a million times before but never noticed.

Pokey is amazed by the harbor

Does it really have anything to do with the Ural? I don’t know. Sometimes I think we don’t see some things until we’re ready. But when you are ready… there is plenty in the world to be amazed by.

Fuzzygalore

Rachael is the whimsical writer behind the 20+ year old Girlie Motorcycle Blog. As a freelance blogger, she is on a mission to inspire laughter, self-examination, curiosity, and human connection. Girlie Motorcycle Blog can be found on several Best Motorcycle Blog lists.

You may also like...

14 Responses

  1. Very nice pictures, and adventure with your Ural. Thumbs Up!

  2. Dar says:

    Fuzzy – lovely pictures! I am so in love with your Ural. I really want one, if only I could convince my hubby that it is a good thing!

    I love riding around and looking at everything local, there are places I haven’t discovered as of yet even after riding for two years. Now we are into winter season and dark days with lots of rain, so my adventures seem to be less and less these days.

    Great pics!

  3. RichardM says:

    Is the snow-plow looking thing a train engine?

    There is a lot to be said about exploring your local area. I hear from so many people coming up here on their “trip of a lifetime” and I don’t spend much time looking around…

    • Fuzzygalore says:

      Yes, Richard- It was a plow train for the Long Island Rail Road – nicknamed “Jaws III”

      Yea, it seems that Alaska is bucket list trip for so many. I suppose it represents something wild and far away yet attainable.

      Maybe your new rig will have you sharing more of your own backyard with us 😉

  4. Trobairitz says:

    Well said Fuzzy. Like the old slogan: “be a tourist in your own town”

    Riding in our own backyards can reveal so many things we just didn’t know were there.

    I get tired of riding the same roads over and over, but maybe I just need to have another look and see what I’ve been missing.

    • Fuzzygalore says:

      Yea, i feel the same way – tired of the same old, same old. Especially here on this island where there is only so much room. But I suppose in the same way that you never stop learning, you probably never stop seeing. Maybe it all depends on your state of mind?

      Hope you find something unexpected right under your nose, soon 🙂

  5. Canajun says:

    When we become overly familiar with the local roads we tend to blast past as quickly as possible in order to get “somewhere new”. It takes discipline to actually slow down and really look but it often pays off with images and opportunities you would have missed otherwise. At least that’s what I keep reminding myself.

  6. bobskoot says:

    Fuzzy:

    we like it when you explore “Your Backyard”. I always thought that Long Island was crowded with huge population density. Your photos are nearly deserted. It is like you are in the middle of nowhere. I am in the heart of the City and we have crowds nearly everywhere. It is hard to find a place with no people around.

    bob
    Riding the Wet Coast
    My Flickr // My YouTube

    • Fuzzygalore says:

      Oh, it is, Bob. Long Island is crammed with about 8 million people in it’s 118 mile length. But as you head away from NYC to the west, it begins to thin out. The 2 eastern counties that most people refer to as “Long Island” (Nassau/Suffolk) are suburban.

      I live pretty much near the middle of the Island’s length on the north shore – so I am at the edge of where you start to get some elbow room.

      Eastern Long Island actually has lots of has farms & wineries and some open space. Those are the types of areas that I seek out. Though I do love to visit, my heart doesn’t live in a city.

  7. Shybiker says:

    By coincidence, I’ve been doing this too. I can’t get away from work for long trips, so I’ve been exploring nooks and crannies here on the Island. We tend to ride the same roads over and over that it’s fun to detour to unknown places. Good for you. And Happy Thanksgiving!

  8. novos says:

    When I first got the Ruckus, with the little 50cc, I was no longer able to blast down the freeway to “get around,” and instead, I was cruising down city streets topping out at 39mph. The slow pace put me in a different mindset of riding, compared to the aprilia. The RSV would put me in a predatory mindset, with that much power at my disposal, I could rip around, force my way through, get around every cage that was just an obstacle to me.

    On the Ruckus, every car on the road could outrun me, the saving grace being the speed limit on the street, so I chilled out, took the time to look around and enjoy the slower pace, and the sights of things I had blown by a thousand times before.

    That faded away once I shoved the 250cc into the scooter. I was back to predatory.

  9. Adrian says:

    I see you there, in the uncoming lane, *waves*
    I think we’re going in different directions. I did about 30,000 km in my first two years of riding on a 250cc cruiser. I explored the hell out of my backyard and have been trying to go faster and go further ever since. I still keep my 250cc as it’s perfect for in town and light commuting, but I keep switching between mid sizing cruisers to roar around further and further. One day I might just quit my job, sell my condo, and not come back lol

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.