Tandem Bike in a Bag

Seriously! You can put a full-fledged, honest-to-god, rear-suspension, 24-speed bicycle built for two in a bag. Ping did a lot of research and found Glitterbike, a Taiwanese manufacturer which makes a folding tandem bike. We put over 80 km on it in just a few days, and we're loving it.

This is the coolest thing: you can fold it so small that it fits into a bag which you can carry onto the MRT or the ferry. You don't have to buy a separate ticket just for the bike! Of course, at 19 kilos, you'll rather ride it than carry it, which inspired the following poem:

Bike in a Bag

by Mark Ivan Cole (thanks to Jerry Boyd for the idea!)

I carry a tandem bike here in my bag!
I carry it everywhere, though I may sag
And tumble and stumble and fumble and flag,
I still keep my bicycle zipped in my bag!
When other folks ask why I carry it there,
I simply respond, with the haughtiest air:
"My bike is pristine, and I feign would despair
"If once I besmirched it with my derriere!"
I've wondered, of course, if perhaps we should ride it,
And not haul a bag with a tandem inside it,
But till I've the courage to swallow my pride,
I'll lug this big sack with the tandem inside.

For more detail on the bike, read on!

#6 of 30 - "Marco en su Barco"

Here's the sixth installment in the 30/30 challenge. I took a huge leap and attempted a portrait in oil pastel--something I've never done before. (What??! Mark paints people???) I hope Marco would be pleased with the results!
"Marco en su Barco" - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
- Oil Pastel on Paper, approx. 4x6"/102x152mm

We hired a small boat to take us out to the Arch of Cabo San Lucas, and since I can get around in Spanish, I asked our pilot his name. "Marco," he said. I laughed out loud. "Me llamo Marco también!" I said. For the rest of the ride, we chatted back and forth. I asked if I could have a picture of him as we came to a drifting halt near the amazing islands of Land's End. I hope the portrait gives you a glimpse of the man we got to meet.

#5 of 30, a Wallowa Mountains Moment

This is #5 of the 30 paintings in 30 days challenge. So far so good!
 "Edge of the Storm, Wallowa Mts." - Oregon, USA
- Oil Pastel on Paper, approx. 7x5"/178x127mm

We absolutely love the Wallowa Mountains of Eastern Oregon, right on the border with Washington and Idaho. There's nothing like standing out in the winter cold, watching the mountains reveal themselves only to hide once again behind the constantly moving blanket of clouds.

#4 of 30 - "Idaho Hills"

The painting challenge continues with this image from our first trip to the Sawtooths.

"Idaho Hills" - Sawtooth Mts., ID, USA
- Oil Pastel on Paper, approx. 7.5x5"/190x127mm

The photo for this painting was one of our first glimpses of Idaho's wonderful mountains. By the time we pulled over for the night, we were in Stanley, ID, watching the sun set over the jagged skyline. What a place! This painting was done on white watercolor paper (smooth) using Van Gogh and Pentel oil pastels.

#3 of 30 - "Big Granite, Small Pines"

The latest in the "30 Paintings in 30 Days" challenge, another small oil pastel piece. I tried the softer Sennelier pastels for this one--what a challenge! They're so soft, they melt in my hands. I ended up using a Swiss Army knife to scrape and spread the paint a bit. That worked pretty well, actually.
"Big Granite, Small Pines" - Cathedral Lakes, Yosemite NP, CA, USA
- Oil Pastel on Paper, approx. 5x7"/127x178mm

A few years ago, we hiked up into the Cathedral Lakes area of Yosemite National Park. Such a wonderful day! As we wandered around the lake, I snapped this shot of a small copse of pines. About an hour later, we were sitting on top of Medlicott Dome, looking out at Cloud's Rest and Half Dome on one side and Cathedral Peak on the other. Capturing this light with the very soft Sennelier oil pastels was a real challenge! I don't have a real painting knife, so I used my little Swiss Army knife to scrape and spread the paint around.

#2 of 30 - "Elder Brother"

Got started late today, but I still got a painting in at the last minute! Here's the second installment of "Thirty Paintings in Thirty Days." I call this "Elder Brother." Oil Pastel on Paper, approx. 5x7"

The photo was taken on one of our many hikes in the hills around Taipei. You can see the steps off to the side. This painting decided--on its own, I think--that it was going to be about getting more color down on the paper. I ended up with some pinks and purples, almost garish at one stage, until it finally ended up with this image. I think it's the most oil pastel (per square inch) that I've put down on a surface so far.

#1 of 30 - "Mt. Tallac" - New Year, New Challenge! 30 Paintings in 30 Days

To kick off 2014, I'm doing 30 paintings in 30 days. Here's the first:

"Mt. Tallac, Autumn" - Lake Tahoe, CA, USA

- Oil Pastel on Paper, approx. 7x5"/178x127mm
We've wanted to climb Mt. Tallac ever since we first saw it, but we never got it on the schedule. I still hope to do it someday. In the meantime, I've been looking at this picture since I took it back in 2007. Finally, today, I decided to paint it in oil pastels. Many thanks to Roman Rocco Burgan for the scratching technique he does so well! I found it useful on this one.