we gripped life in our
hands tightly and knew it was
only a moment

(photo courtesy ride the machine)

prelude to a farewell

i’ve been mulling this over for a while now. in fact I’ve probably been putting it off. but the reality has caught up with me and it’s time i finally pull the plug on this show and send everybody home.

almost 3 years ago I began this little experiment. the idea was fairly simple. a post each day sharing a haiku. a meditation on the day. it became a kind of creative healing. a place to play and park so many of the thoughts that go rolling around inside my brain. this endeavor kept me active and more engaged with the world around me as i looked for new inspiration.

but time has caught up and shifted me now to a different place. the purpose has, i believe largely been fulfilled. i had wanted to share some things and the way i see the world. and i’ve done that. and sure, i could keep it up i suppose, but now it’s time for other projects.

thanks to all of you who joined me on the journey and who are reading this now. thanks for your comments of encouragement. it means a lot. i plan to leave the blog up indefinitely (that is to say as long as blogger allows) and invite you to visit the archives. if there are any missing links or files related to earlier posts, and you would like some more info or the original file, just shoot me a comment and i’ll be happy to respond as i am able.

and finally for those of you who were always wondering or never thought to ask, here is a little insight on the origins of the name “toastrobot”. back at the beginning of this as i was trying to think of a name, i was looking for something that sounded like two opposing ideas, like “iron butterfly”. i love robots, especially the shiny metal toy variety. and the contrast of a warm piece of toast appealed to me. like something fresh. add to it that my motorbike is commonly referred to as a “toaster” and it just seemed to work. anyway, it’s certainly taken on its own life and given me some in return.

so there you have it. may you continue to be blessed as i have been blessed.

mattb

playmobil

 one of the better perks in being a parent is selecting your children's toys for them when they are still very young. in fact, it is something quite like an art picking things out for their play. it requires a combination of keen logical deduction and a reckless abandonment to intuition. and sometimes it is a payback to the wounded days of your own childhood, that without check can get away from you like a runaway train. yet in all of this, there has been a careful attention to quality. an attempt to help form long lasting relationships with toys that will not only spark the imaginative play, but give the user an excellent entry point into solid design.

 all of this is captured in the world of playmobil. born of the fatherland, where some would consider the father land of toy production, the branstatter  group began production in the 1970's. as a child i remember these sturdy plastic figures in themes based mostly in generic historical settings, such as pirates and knights. currently they still produce over 30 themes both historical and modern.

over the years we've collected quite a bit of the stuff. we have the obligatory knight and castle sets, pirate boats and island, (with napoleonic navy in hot pursuit) and of course the city sets with our private lear jet at the ready to take our little people all over the playmobil planet at a moment's notice. although they lack the more intricate assembly and building traits of the rival lego sets, there is still much interchangeability. and with that comes so much of the fun.

 as we routinely clean out the garage and donate or sell outgrown items, the question always seems to come around to what we'll do with these. they get played with less and less these days, and yet it's difficult for me to let them go. i'll pick up a piece or two and stare at the wonderful details that have been included and think what a shame it would be if they were one day gone. so i guess until the kid in me has had enough they will continue to occupy a shelf in my garage and a warm place in the heart.

carrug island

one of the reasons i think the t.v. show "lost" was so popular is because i believe within all of us is an island of private thought. a construct of all of the sacred dreams and desires we carry around separate of our connection to others. this place, which i have named "carrug island" appeals to me very much.
it's my place of escape, and a land where a boy may be king. still featuring a restored castle from original inhabitants of centuries past, now open to guests as a kind of museum, winery and b+b. there is also a football field nearby (and when i say "football" i'm not talking about the american offering) which hosts world cup qualifying and exhibition matches from around the world. just to the south of it is the little hamlet of carrug where one can grab a pint of local ale while listening to folk music or spoken word. further south one may choose to stay in our 5 star international accomadations with all modern technology and convenience.
of course the biggest event each year is the vintage moto gp, whose road course challenges riders from all backgrounds and which circumnavigates the island. after the race you may find some of the riders hanging out at the igloo club and dancing the night away. all of this fun does require an organization, and you'll find our three building headquarters and offices down on the southeast side of the island. when we take a break from the busy planning, we like to head down to the gourmet hot dog stand below on street level.
of course there are other attractions and amusements including the carrug peaks, with an still active volcano, and its unusual desert valley below. a large greenhouse cultivating some of our more delicate fruits and flowers, and even a circus show to rival cirque du soleil's. and too there is always the beach. never far from our gaze, it's beautiful blue reminds us that we are always close to life.

brazil

sunday morning. easter morning. arose early, while it was still dark outside and readied myself for a sunrise service at church. stood in the brisk chill of easter morning under the tall 3 crosses as we sang hymns and waited for sunlight to warm us. drank coffee from a thermos that steamed in my hand. felt the warmth.
returned home and proceeded to mount up on my motorbike for an 2 wheeled easterly retreat. into the oakland hills cutting across skyline and joaquin miller surveying vistas below. through the zig-zags of grizzly peak and then up the steep switches toward tilden park. at the brazil building spotted a wedding reception spilling out on to the patio. pulled over and turned off the bike.
pulled out the ear plugs and watched as a light wind rocked the cherry blossoms, gently creating an effect like snowfall that dazzled the eyes. then watched as wedding guests dressed in elegance moved about and listened to their lilting voices, laughing. and for a few moments wished to be a part of that community. the beauty and sanctity of a wedding on easter sunday. new life.
the moment passed. realized place and time. returned ear plugs and sparked bike back to life. then tore back down the hills through berkeley and tunnel road, and finally screaming back on highway 13, toward home.

baby we were born to be mild. you know, live to ride, ride to live. yeah.

sign of the times

i rode by the old bal theater the other night. the moon was nearly full and the city lights were beginning to dominate the landscape. in that brief moment as i passed i looked up and saw on the marquee that our very own little bal is hosting an upcoming "psychotronic film festival". it made me smile as i motored on down the old 185.
all during my growing up years the grand old dame sat vacant. during the dot-com boom a couple made rich by the tech surge bought the old gal and made a go of it showing second run features and hosting the occasional rave (for which the cops busted them more than once) and then she went silent again.
upon our return i went by and it looked like she was making a second (or third) act. all through the holidays they hosted comedy events and good time old movies. and now it looks like they're delving into the wonderful world of the super cool, super geeky b movie mash up. you've come a long way baby!

small houses 08

location: hwy 49, north of placerville
rolling through the golden chain highway from auburn to placerville and following a 5 dollar guidebook of the finest roads in america some 5+ years ago, i flew past this little structure right off the highway. when i headed back the other way that day i stopped to snap this picture. i never did understand its purpose for being there. there were no nearby signs for public transit or some such indication of its purpose. just one xs home.
and this reminded me today of how my access to it is now so much more removed. i can't just as easily hop on a bike and blast from my home out to hangtown and back on a sunday loop. and the fact that this has changed and all that goes with it continue to feel like a sort of death that i haven't fully processed. the bar across the street from where i work now is a constant hive of what my boss might call "transients". people like driftwood seem to move in and out of the place all day and night long. one of them even knocked my bike over the other day in an act of ignorance and carelessness.
and yet even as i considered the word "transient", isn't it what we all are? moving from one place to another, with and without purpose. whether we carry a 30 year mortgage or a duffel bag, we're just shuffling through this place. and somehow when i spot one of these little come outs from the weather it warms my heart.

viva italia!

some photos from a recent italian car and motorcycle show in nearby alameda. my boys and i went out on a sunday afternoon and walked around and i snapped a few of my favorites. too many to include here fairly. in a time when good design reflected the sensibilities and flavor of each region, the italians always did it with such class. we wonder sometimes why folks don't feel more passionate about their machines. perhaps it's a reflection of the lack of passion now put into them. everything so much the same. no surprises. when i parked cars up on telegraph hill in san francisco, occasionally some oddball little car would show up, and the driver left you the keys and wondering whether you could figure out how to operate his ride. i miss that. the peculiarities and the sense of adventure in figuring out the small details, like how to find the ignition. anyway, enjoy this little taste of italy.

like something george jetson might fly home


the fabulous alfa romeo badge and grill

i met the owner of this one today. a real beaut from count augusta's wonderful obsession

reaching for outer space while holding tightly to the road. viva! (and godspeed marco)

half-dome part 02

after you initially enter the yosemite park there isn't an instantaneous feeling that you have arrived. in fact as we rode those first few miles the whole scene had one of desolation as we saw huge sections of burned out acreage, like riding through a war zone where only the splintered tops of the trees remained. but this was soon replaced as we climbed higher past crane flat, the last gas stop before the valley and then rode through the 3 tunnels. and when we came through the last tunnel now suddenly we were transported. like some land that time has forgotten or protected we were treated to these amazing vistas that left me speechless. each time i have come here i see it in a new and different way. the magnificence and closeness of the towering rock made me feel at once both very insignificant and totally tied in with the Creator.


we followed the signs to our new home for the next 2 nights - curry village. curry is a special place to me. it's always been the home away from home when i've come here. first when i was young and my own dad brought me here, and then as a teenager with my high-school youth group. our tent cabin was a welcome base after being on the bike all day. we unpacked and changed, and then took a walk around the village. it was sunday night and the place was still buzzing with weekend activity. we shared a pizza and sat outside in the amphitheater as half-dome towered in the background. i pointed to it and asked jake if he felt ready to climb it. "i guess so" he replied.


after dinner we walked around the valley spotting deer and coming within a few feet of one doe. i saw the signs for the ahwahnee hotel and wanted to show jake how the other half lived so we walked to it. by now it was getting darker and as we started to head back we caught site of the shuttle stop and decided to take advantage of this great transport system. we boarded with a group in high spirits (from spirits no doubt) who were out for a birthday dinner for one of their group. as we boarded the bus i mentioned that it was in fact jake's birthday the following day. as we rode away from the ahwahnee, the group broke into an impromptu rendition of "happy birthday" for jake as we rode on in darkness.


the following morning we awoke early. we grabbed quick showers and a coffee for me from the lodge, and then were off. curry is about a mile from the trail head, and from there we began the long climb. up first to vernal falls where 3 tourists had met their end only a couple weeks earlier. they had gone over the view railing and were swept away. there was still a missing persons poster nearby with their photos although 2 of the bodies had apparently been pulled out of the river the day before according to the shuttle driver. we said a quick prayer there for them and their families and pushed on. from here at the top of vernal marks the spot where the day tourists separate from those with more serious intentions. nevada falls was our next destination...


(to be continued)

half-dome part 01

time now to relay some of our adventure from last week. a week ago sunday we all got up early. the night before i had done all the last minute packing and preparations. although i could have used a few more hours sleep i was excited for the trip. we loaded up the bike and said our goodbyes. and then we were off.
sunday morning is always my favorite time to ride. as all the world still slumbers from the late night saturdays, there is something so very quiet and peaceful on the sunday morning road before the sun has climbed. we headed out the the old hwy 40 route to auburn and then through 49 past cool and on to john sutter's famous mill. we stopped here briefly for water and a cliff bar. jake was feeling a little woozy, and the brief rest and snack helped calm his stomach.
then it was back on the bike to finish out this section of twisties and into old placerville. we stopped again for breakfast here at mel's where our mascot "josh monkey" who belongs to jake's little brother, ordered for us.


after adding some more weight to the bike we pressed on. through nashville and plymouth. past amador and jackson and then stopped again in san andreas for fuel. again josh monkey proved an invaluable traveling companion as he offered to top us off as we took turns using the restroom. we motored on across the beautiful 49 gazing off to our right at one point to catch a full view of mt. diablo in the east before dropping into angel's camp.


past this we continued across the melones reservoir and into sonora. we stopped for lunch at a sandwich and yogurt shop and by this time this main street was crowding up with the summer commuters. after lunch we hopped back on the bike now in the heat of the day and continued. outside sonora we saw the first signs we were getting closer. through chinese camp and on toward groveland. after finishing the long climb up between moccasin and big oak flat we stopped to gas once more.

signs on the road warned of potential 2 hour delays at the entrance to yosemite but never saw them. outside the park entrance we stopped for the obligatory self taken photo. we chatted briefly with the lady ranger at the entrance as we paid our fee and told her why we had come. she was quite impressed that jake would be taking on half-dome as she herself had not yet attempted it. as we rode on now through the beautiful long and windy road secure in the knowledge that we had made it this far, everything felt right, like it had all come together. it was going to be alright now. we had made it...


(to be continued)

the road to manhood
began here so long ago
now begins again

(photo courtesy mission mission)

trip preparations nearly complete now. just a few niggling details left to take care of and then we're off...

(photo courtesy brickset)

all we need is here

so i've been busy lately trying to sort out this trip i'm taking with my oldest son next week. he's turning 13 and to celebrate we'll be motoring up to yosemite on the beem together and hiking half-dome. it promises to be a lot of fun and a little challenging.
one of the challenges will be packing only essential items for the trip. unlike in a car we won't have the luxury of bringing a bunch of stuff, and only later find it unnecessary. these bags will have to hold the majority of what we bring on our 3 day journey. and i like this constraint because it is forcing me to evaluate everything now very scrupulously and hold it up to the bright light of judgement.
in the end though it won't matter. what we have is all we'll have needed. the trip will conform itself to our resources. and whatever we think we lack we'll just have to pick up along the way...

ride

it's all about the ride...
(and it helps if you've got a cool bird in tow)

the trip continues
along this slender rail as
good friends wave us down

(photo courtesy ride the machine)

reflection

as i ride past bugformance a type 3 variant notchback pulls out in front of me. it's a nice mostly stock model, white with venetian blinds in the rear window. we both ride over the freeway on the overpass and slowly loop onto the on-ramp. it's slightly overcast and nearly midday and everything is clearly focused. i'm still riding behind the notchback and staring at the badge on the rear deck. volkswagen. 1500. and i'm thinking about that engine inside. 4 cylinders on 4 wheels. 1500cc. and i'm following behind on 2 wheels. black and 750 cc. half. and we're both german. and we're both air cooled. and as i pass him by the driver looks over and gives me a hang loose. i nod and ride on by.

the first taste leaves you
wanting, waiting while you see
it with your eyes closed

favorite things 15

time i finally got around to writing about this one. it's been 4 years now since it showed up in front of my house. but first a little back story.
i used to have this little old cb360. i acquired it from a friend who'd had his fun and grew frustrated with it continually killing batteries. his father-in-law had helped him take it apart to try and diagnose the problem and then put it back together and then abandoned it completely. he wanted to give it to me but i think i ended up giving him the 2 dollars i had in my wallet just to ease my conscience a little.
i experienced the same issues and others and struggled to keep the thing running. and because i was basically helpless i sought out my good friend todd time and time again to help me set it to rights. we finally discovered the electrical problem (burnt out rectifier) but this little scoot just never seemed to run as right as the honda reputation would have one believe.
and then one day todd calls me up on a saturday and asks if i'll be around. when he drove up in his old singlecab, there in the back sat this one. i thought maybe he had come by to show off his latest acquisition, which in a way he had. but this was not one he planned to keep. he told me it was mine! i was speechless. he said he'd been keeping an eye out for something better for me to replace that little honda as a daily rider. something a little more reliable. uh, yeah.
i have long admired these bikes. their dependability and beauty, especially the "toaster" tank version. there was a time when living in sf you would regularly see them parked on city streets and the thought of owning one grew as they even began showing up in my dreams. the slash 5 took bmw out of their long conservative tradition of building reliable long distance touring machines and put them solidly into the company of the new "superbikes" of the late 60's and early 70's. things would never be the same. in an age now where everything is a specialty the r75 is an all-arounder, good at many things though none of them well. except to keep traveling on. and now this one is over 40 just like me, and only getting better with age :^)

lincoln highway part 001

i've gone on before about old roads. i love 'em. my advice to all the young people is to go find them and get lost. i've waxed on before about old hwy 40, but i think now it's worth mentioning the lincoln. for roads scholars it must begin here. route 66 gets all the buzz. it helps when they write a song and make a tv show about you. and i'm sure it's pretty too. some call it the mother road. but i honestly think this is a misnomer. the real mother road is the lincoln highway.
conceived in 1912 by industrialists keen on affording the public better roads and formally open for travel in 1913, it was the first continuous coast to coast road across the united states. it was not so much a purpose built road, but rather a route linking together existing roads and improving conditions on the worst sections along the way. in this sense it was a patchwork of so many of the local roads sewn together to cover the country. and in the spirit of the time, maintained and promoted through local municipalities rather than a single agency.
at this time serious road travel was not for the faint of heart. the auto and motorcycle were still in relative infancy and often unpredictable. and the road infrastructure hadn't yet caught up with the ambition of driving for extended periods. so often you read advice from veteran travelers in guidebooks advising would be adventurers to "gas up at every opportunity" and carry extra fuel for the long gaps between services. the surfaces could vary between newly paved sections to gravel depending on where you were, and it was never advisable to travel after dark. the lincoln, though primitive would be the impetus for so many of the road projects that followed, including 66.
in the 1920's the states began numbering highways and the original lincoln route was re-designated us 40 from san francisco to utah. it basically runs along us 30 from there to the east coast. as roads will it has undergone significant and constant realignments in the years that followed. but for the more serious road geeks like myself, it is the original route that is most interesting. here you travel back in time and sometimes see the ghosts of the old highway as you travel.
for the most dedicated of enthusiasts there is the lincoln highway association, a group dedicated to promoting and preserving this national relic. each year their members hold a conference in one of 12 states along the original route. and this year they're meeting in my home state just up the road in lake tahoe. included in this year's list of activities is a drive from the original western terminus in lincoln park, san francisco to lake tahoe along the original alignment. sounds like a lot of fun. and maybe i might just find myself tagging along behind the caravan of runabouts and straw boaters going all the way --- on the lincoln highway.