I have to interrupt the Miracle Mile series to bring you a photo I just captured yesterday. It is very dear to me, because, much like the girl riding her horse through upper Main Street, I have been hoping against hope, for months, that I could capture this poodle being exercised by his bicycle riding owner. And like the horse, he has always been a moving target; that elusive, obscure object of desire, so to speak. Well, finally, I saw him coming, at close range, my camera out, the light good. I prepared the focus for the spot they would pass through, and bam. I got it. Yay!
I wish you could see this dog in motion, because he has the most beautiful, graceful gait. His owner knows just the right speed that is comfortable, and they can be found perambulating the northern part of town quite regularly. This was out at the Roots of Motive Power work yard, early on their annual show day (more of that later).
21 comments:
I'd love to be there to see that! Willets seems like a character-rich and quirky setting for a John Irving novel. Love love love the idea of that bike/poodle combo going one way and the girl on the horse going the other. All just a normal day...
Yippee for capturing the shot. It's great.
looks like fun!
although i don't really have that good of a handle of bike-riding (don't ask me how, it was just part of my youth that my parents overlooked... and, yes, i feel quite comfortable blaming my parents for everything missing now that should have been made available to me in my upbringing :))
agree with laurie though... poodle going one way, girl on horse the other, your images really do capture a slice of life! it might be a naive attempt, as you say, to photographically document willits, but a naive attempt or not, it's a damn good one! :)
be back soon.
What an eccentric group of locals you have in your town - how wonderful!!!
Aww, sweet! I love that puff at the tip of his tail!
Is it just me who worries about the tangles these combinations can get into? I see a few similar pairs around the village and I always wince little along with my smile.
Pasadena Adjacent
mad dogs and englishmen
They seem a happy pair, and the couple at left doesn't even notice them. Just another fixture in town, part of the local color. Love it.
A shot well worth waiting for. And poor Burd , bike deprived as a child having to relive the pain and anguish of it all.
How nice for both of them to get some exercise...together!
Congratulations on capturing an elusive image!
We indeed get a hint of the dog's gracefulness in the shot.
I think the background of the work yard contrasts very nicely with the gentleman biking genteely with his elegant poodle. Nice!
Laurie - And the thing of it is, I don't personally know these particular people. I think it's the human-animal connection that appeals. Other examples are the sheep and miniature horse being taken for walks through town.
BZK - If I recall correctly, you had an even better response once. "Blame Canada". I loved that. Thanks for coming by.
Jules - I think Willits attracts eccentricity like moths to a flame. We just can't help ourselves. I saw Dr. Patch Adams hitch-hike here once. Robin Williams played him in a movie.
Hilda - I only noticed that after I took the picture! It's the only poodle-ish thing about his haircut.
Z - Well, a local person told me that this dog is not people friendly. I'm not sure what it means, but I just like seeing him cruise by at a distance. Everyone to their own little space, and nobody gets hurt, right?
PA - It was about 10:00 in the morning, and already getting too hot.
P - The more colorful you are, the more you blend in. I'll bet that couple is from out of town.
Virginia - Any suffering I've inflicted was completely unintentional. Honest!
Saretta - A wise observation. I wish blogging was more aerobic.
Louis - Thank you. If I could magically conjure what I'd like to see, there would be a bit more time-lapse shown here.
Kym - It would have been even more fun if the man had been in a linen suit and white boater, but we take what we can get. ;^)
Thanks everyone!
Yeah, they do look kinda stiff. I think I need to visit Willits. I'll bring my special outfits.
Petrea, you do need to come to Willits. Any time. 8^)
I've been thinking it would make a great CDPB Pacific Coast retreat location too. An ongoing challenge for the week would be to replicate as many Willits Daily Photos as you can without the assistance of the host Blogger. Or we could make it a road trip starting down there on 101, and continue hitting all the high points, picking up bloggers, until we get to Victoria, Canada. I get the feeling we could write the film script as we went along. Could John drive the bus?
Yes. But would he? Hmmm.
Victoria is the perfect destination.
Here it is, here it is....
....wait for it.......
"Tryphena: Queen of the Coast Ranges"!
Okay, I'll work on that.
Biking with a dog seems like a good idea - you both get a little exercise in.
I saw some people yesterday walking their dog in a GOLF CART. :S Why even have a dog if you are too lazy to get off your rump and give it a proper walk?
So glad you got this! I LOVE it! Our son exercises his dog by riding his skateboard while she runs (in other words *pulls*).
No, I like it. It sounds epic.
Great job! Love your description of catching that shot.
Are you a writer, by profession?
I am sad to say that this poodle once tried to take off my hand at the Farmers Market. I haven't been too fond of it since then...
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