groundeffect
Member
** WARNING - LONG POST 
- This is a good time to pull your bike to the roadside at your favourite pit stop, grab your favourite beverage and come along for a short ride of words with me **
The EverGreen Rider Photobook: Newfoundland by Motorcycle, All Seasons, All Weather
THE BEGINNING
==============
Evergreen - "... all four seasons..."
In 2009 the motorcycle community and lifestyle drew me in (RIDETHEROCK members this means you, you're all enablers!). We all know that feeling, twisting the throttle with that youthful smile on your face, wind in your hair, zooming down your favourite winding roads, and the feeling of adventure a long ride holds.
"Time flies when you're having fun!" As cheesy as that sounds I've come to realize it's the truth. My motorcycle adventures carried me many memorable miles the past five years, though literally all kinds of weather, through every season. That time flew by, but I've captured that time through my helmet's visor, fantastic memories framed from the seat of my Spyder.
THE EVERGREEN RIDING ADVENTURE
===========================
I traded my car for a bike and immersed myself into the motorcycling lifestyle. I rode every day, everywhere I wanted and needed to go. It transformed the daily travels of life into adventures that brought me closer to the landscape where I rediscovered my homeland, Newfoundland, in the open air. With a short stint on two-wheels, the adventures of the road ahead really opened up on three-wheels, with my 2010 Can-Am Quantum Blue RS SM5 Spyder, my only vehicle by choice for the years to come.
Through sun, rain, sleet, snow and ice I rode through beautiful untouched landscapes, traced twisty coastal roads and commuted in the chaos of city traffic. I rode my bike every day for five years, completed twenty oil changes, nine tire changes and clocked over 100,000KM.
THE EVERGREEN RIDER PHOTOBOOK
===========================
With the birth of our daughter a few years ago life has been extremely busy. This last year, between diaper changes and playtime, I managed to compile my road-side journal entries and riding photographs from my Spyder adventures. Referring only to jot notes and not a writer by trade writing was a challenge for me. Nonetheless my first attempt at publishing a short travel book, The Evergreen Rider, is now complete.
The book was a personal goal, but my objective extends beyond just compiling the pictures and words on its' pages. The hope is for The Evergreen Rider to find its way to saddlebags, backpacks and coffee tables of fellow ryders, to the hands of friends and new riders to the adventurous motorcycling lifestyle. The text is brief yet touches on how every ride we take is an adventure. These adventures are available to everyone, no matter if you ride across a continent, across the country or across town for a jug of milk at Marie's (or diapers for our little girl in my case).
BOOK FORWARD WRITTEN BY A FRIEND
============================
The Evergreen Rider - Newfoundland By Motorcycle. Through All Seasons, Through All Weather is a short select collection of photographs and accompanied short narratives of Dean's most memorable moments from the road. His heartfelt poetic words and colourful professional photography highlights his passion for finding faith in the landscape, capturing adventures of how he traveled solely by motorcycle to rediscover his homeland. An accomplished motorcycle instructor, rider and contributor to the adventure riding community, Dean rode over 100,000KM in five years. From errand runs, commuting and adventure touring, through all seasons, through all weather across The Rock.
EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK
====================
"Ancient Ice From The North"
Up again at sunrise, the clouds started to leak light of the faintest golden tones, silhouetting the rugged cliffs of Signal Hill and Fort Amherst. It was iceberg season. Again the Island became a playground for dinosaur-sized icebergs: fresh water frozen over 10,000 years ago separated from glaciers in Greenland. These bergs travel nearly two years to reach our shores and chill our coastal air. I rode in search of spring ice through wet flurries up the east coast of the Avalon.
Witless Bay Line is a 20-kilometer stretch across a barren but beautiful area with only a few hills rolling into the distance. Tattered shacks and broken-down campers were strewn about the roadsides among boulders and sparse patches of evergreens. Tall banks of tiered snow and telephone poles guided me through a thawing countryside.
I shook the cold off my gloves by waving to the welcome signs along the Southern Shore of Tors Cove, Mobile, Witless Bay, Bay Bulls and Madox Cove before seeing the first sign of ice at Blackhead. Winds and surf pounded the first berg that season as plumes of sea-spray exploded from every side.
Further along the coast, the currents shifted the ice from underneath at Cape St. Francis. Deep cracking sounds echoed from the water's edge. I stopped to admire the sights, hung my helmet on the handlebar and took in the refreshing breeze that blew across ancient ice from the north.
HOW TO GET YOUR COPY OF THE EVERGREEN RIDER PHOTOBOOK
=============================================
The 70 hi-quality photographs, 3200 vivid and descriptive words across the 80 page photobook takes readers along for a ride, from errand runs, commuting and adventure touring.
Pick up your copy of The Evergreen Rider - Newfoundland By Motorcycle - Through All Seasons, Through All Weather, for your saddlebag, backpack, coffee table or e-reader at http://www.evergreenrider.com. Select from three versions available:
Hardcover Premium Paper Large Landscape 13x11:
Softcover Hi-Quality Photo Paper Standard 10x8:
eBook version for iPad tablets:
Book overview, photos/book preview and how to obtain your copy please visit http://www.evergreenrider.com
TO ALL YOU 'RIDE THE ROCK' RIDERS OUT THERE - THANK YOU
===========================================
I'd like to take this opportinity to send my sincere gratitude, many thanks and give a rider's salute to the members of Ride The Rock, riders I call friends. I joined Ride The Rock in 2009 as a newbie, asked a lot of questions and learned so much from the informative and friendly community. Over time I'd like to think I was able to give back a little, guiding new riders as I was once guided by experienced, open, honest and helpful riders. From the seat of my motorcycle and from my family to yours thank you kindly for making me feel at home here, and on the road!
A goal set five years ago, The Evergreen Rider adventure is now complete. My Spyder has a new and happy home, the motorcycle lifestyle is in my rearview mirror, for now. Who knows what life's winding road will bring beyond the next curve, over the next hill, through the next valley or along the coast? I look to the road ahead with happy shadows on the road behind me.
Thank You for taking this ride with me. Be safe, stay upright and Ride On! Sincerely,
The Evergreen Rider. Newfoundland By Motorcycle. Through All Seasons, All Weather. Dean Parsons (Groundeffect). On to more adventures...
- This is a good time to pull your bike to the roadside at your favourite pit stop, grab your favourite beverage and come along for a short ride of words with me ** The EverGreen Rider Photobook: Newfoundland by Motorcycle, All Seasons, All Weather
THE BEGINNING
==============
Evergreen - "... all four seasons..."
In 2009 the motorcycle community and lifestyle drew me in (RIDETHEROCK members this means you, you're all enablers!
). We all know that feeling, twisting the throttle with that youthful smile on your face, wind in your hair, zooming down your favourite winding roads, and the feeling of adventure a long ride holds."Time flies when you're having fun!" As cheesy as that sounds I've come to realize it's the truth. My motorcycle adventures carried me many memorable miles the past five years, though literally all kinds of weather, through every season. That time flew by, but I've captured that time through my helmet's visor, fantastic memories framed from the seat of my Spyder.
THE EVERGREEN RIDING ADVENTURE
===========================
I traded my car for a bike and immersed myself into the motorcycling lifestyle. I rode every day, everywhere I wanted and needed to go. It transformed the daily travels of life into adventures that brought me closer to the landscape where I rediscovered my homeland, Newfoundland, in the open air. With a short stint on two-wheels, the adventures of the road ahead really opened up on three-wheels, with my 2010 Can-Am Quantum Blue RS SM5 Spyder, my only vehicle by choice for the years to come.
Through sun, rain, sleet, snow and ice I rode through beautiful untouched landscapes, traced twisty coastal roads and commuted in the chaos of city traffic. I rode my bike every day for five years, completed twenty oil changes, nine tire changes and clocked over 100,000KM.
THE EVERGREEN RIDER PHOTOBOOK
===========================
With the birth of our daughter a few years ago life has been extremely busy. This last year, between diaper changes and playtime, I managed to compile my road-side journal entries and riding photographs from my Spyder adventures. Referring only to jot notes and not a writer by trade writing was a challenge for me. Nonetheless my first attempt at publishing a short travel book, The Evergreen Rider, is now complete.
The book was a personal goal, but my objective extends beyond just compiling the pictures and words on its' pages. The hope is for The Evergreen Rider to find its way to saddlebags, backpacks and coffee tables of fellow ryders, to the hands of friends and new riders to the adventurous motorcycling lifestyle. The text is brief yet touches on how every ride we take is an adventure. These adventures are available to everyone, no matter if you ride across a continent, across the country or across town for a jug of milk at Marie's (or diapers for our little girl in my case
).BOOK FORWARD WRITTEN BY A FRIEND
============================
The Evergreen Rider - Newfoundland By Motorcycle. Through All Seasons, Through All Weather is a short select collection of photographs and accompanied short narratives of Dean's most memorable moments from the road. His heartfelt poetic words and colourful professional photography highlights his passion for finding faith in the landscape, capturing adventures of how he traveled solely by motorcycle to rediscover his homeland. An accomplished motorcycle instructor, rider and contributor to the adventure riding community, Dean rode over 100,000KM in five years. From errand runs, commuting and adventure touring, through all seasons, through all weather across The Rock.
EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK
====================
"Ancient Ice From The North"
Up again at sunrise, the clouds started to leak light of the faintest golden tones, silhouetting the rugged cliffs of Signal Hill and Fort Amherst. It was iceberg season. Again the Island became a playground for dinosaur-sized icebergs: fresh water frozen over 10,000 years ago separated from glaciers in Greenland. These bergs travel nearly two years to reach our shores and chill our coastal air. I rode in search of spring ice through wet flurries up the east coast of the Avalon.
Witless Bay Line is a 20-kilometer stretch across a barren but beautiful area with only a few hills rolling into the distance. Tattered shacks and broken-down campers were strewn about the roadsides among boulders and sparse patches of evergreens. Tall banks of tiered snow and telephone poles guided me through a thawing countryside.
I shook the cold off my gloves by waving to the welcome signs along the Southern Shore of Tors Cove, Mobile, Witless Bay, Bay Bulls and Madox Cove before seeing the first sign of ice at Blackhead. Winds and surf pounded the first berg that season as plumes of sea-spray exploded from every side.
Further along the coast, the currents shifted the ice from underneath at Cape St. Francis. Deep cracking sounds echoed from the water's edge. I stopped to admire the sights, hung my helmet on the handlebar and took in the refreshing breeze that blew across ancient ice from the north.
HOW TO GET YOUR COPY OF THE EVERGREEN RIDER PHOTOBOOK
=============================================
The 70 hi-quality photographs, 3200 vivid and descriptive words across the 80 page photobook takes readers along for a ride, from errand runs, commuting and adventure touring.
Pick up your copy of The Evergreen Rider - Newfoundland By Motorcycle - Through All Seasons, Through All Weather, for your saddlebag, backpack, coffee table or e-reader at http://www.evergreenrider.com. Select from three versions available:
Hardcover Premium Paper Large Landscape 13x11:
Softcover Hi-Quality Photo Paper Standard 10x8:
eBook version for iPad tablets:
Book overview, photos/book preview and how to obtain your copy please visit http://www.evergreenrider.com
TO ALL YOU 'RIDE THE ROCK' RIDERS OUT THERE - THANK YOU
===========================================
I'd like to take this opportinity to send my sincere gratitude, many thanks and give a rider's salute to the members of Ride The Rock, riders I call friends. I joined Ride The Rock in 2009 as a newbie, asked a lot of questions and learned so much from the informative and friendly community. Over time I'd like to think I was able to give back a little, guiding new riders as I was once guided by experienced, open, honest and helpful riders. From the seat of my motorcycle and from my family to yours thank you kindly for making me feel at home here, and on the road!
A goal set five years ago, The Evergreen Rider adventure is now complete. My Spyder has a new and happy home, the motorcycle lifestyle is in my rearview mirror, for now. Who knows what life's winding road will bring beyond the next curve, over the next hill, through the next valley or along the coast? I look to the road ahead with happy shadows on the road behind me.
Thank You for taking this ride with me. Be safe, stay upright and Ride On! Sincerely,
The Evergreen Rider. Newfoundland By Motorcycle. Through All Seasons, All Weather. Dean Parsons (Groundeffect). On to more adventures...
Last edited: