Conviction or Bust

The post below has nothing to do with the common theme of MotoPhotoAdventures but I felt compelled to share my thoughts.

Below is an article which was published today in the Seattle Times. It’s about a bank teller named Jim Nicholson who was fired from his job for chasing down and catching a bank robber. In the defense of the bank there are many reasons why the banks have rules against tellers doing such heroic acts. Some may say that Mr. Nicholson may have put others in danger through his actions but he also had the courage and fervor to act on his own conviction. Mr. Nicholoson exhibited behavior that should be celebrated and not punished. It just seems that too many people lack the fortitude to take a stand on principal and are willing to sell their morals to the highest bidder.

Our society seems to openly promote us to look the other way when others are in harm’s way. It’s an issue that plagues America. It starts in our schools with bullies terrorizing others and continues on the streets where the week and less fortunate are taken advantage of every day. I think as a population we need to focus more on what is right and wrong and worry less about law suits and financial gain. I spent a year in Iraq back in 2003 and have seen ugliness beyond disbelief but in that same place I witnessed immeasurable courage, kindness and love. As a people, I believe we must begin to look beyond ourselves. We must grasp the concept of humanity and fight for the common good. It begins with simple work of charity and manifests its self to a more splendid world.

Seattle bank teller chases robber, loses job

via the Associated Press from the Seattle Times

Sun Aug 2, 1:24 pm ET

SEATTLE – A Seattle bank teller has lost his job because he ran down a would-be bank robber and held him until police arrived. Jim Nicholson, 30, who had worked for more than two years at a Key Bank branch near the Seattle Center, says he understands the bank's strict policy that employees comply with robbery demands and avoid confrontations.

But he told The Seattle Times that instinct took over when a thin man in a beanie cap, dark clothing and sunglasses pushed a black backpack across the bank counter on Tuesday and demanded money.

Nicholson threw the bag to the floor, lunged toward the man and demanded to see a weapon. The man bolted for the door with Nicholson in pursuit.

He chased him several blocks before knocking him to the ground with the help of a passer-by. Nicholson then held the man until police arrived.

On Thursday, Nicholson was fired. Key Bank spokeswoman Anne Foster declined to comment on Nicholson and his actions.

Police and the FBI discourage such heroics. Bank tellers are trained to get robbers out the door quickly and are advised against possibly escalating a situation over money that's federally insured.

Nicholson said he understands why he was fired.

"They tell us that we're just supposed to comply, but my instincts kicked in and I did what's best to stop the guy," he said. "I thought if I let him go he would rob more banks and cause more problems."

Seattle police Sgt. Sean Whitcomb said the best course for citizens is to be good witnesses to crimes.

"When confronted by a violent criminal, it is best to comply unless they feel their personal safety is in jeopardy. It is possible that taking action and confronting the criminal may lead to the injury of the victim or other bystanders."

"You want tellers to be proactive, but you want them to do it safely," said FBI Special Agent Fred Gutt.

The would-be robber, a 29-year-old transient, has a lengthy criminal history, including convictions for theft and robbery, according to court records. Charges in the attempted robbery were not immediately filed.

Nicholson said he has run after shoplifters while working at other retail jobs.

"It's something I almost look forward to. It's a thrill and I'm an adrenaline-junkie person. It's the pursuit," he said.

Information from: The Seattle Times,

A Visit to See Jack

Just got back from a great tour of the Jack Daniel’s Distillery. There were tons of motorcyclists out.
The riding around Lynchburg, Tennessee is just plain gorgeous. Rolling green hills and fresh black top make for a pleasant journey. I wish I had a dual sport because the wild off road terrain in the surrounding areas begged for some action. The roads are perfect, the people were pleasant and the tour of the Jack Daniel’s Distillery is free. If you get to Lynchburg remember that the tour of the distillery is about 1.5 hours long and afterward you must get a bite at the Iron Kettle Restaurant. The town of Lynchburg is worth a walk through as well.

My Everest

There is only one thing worst then a dream not fulfilled and that is a dream which has been forgotten. Dreams give us hope, dreams make us smile, dreams keep us vibrant and dreams drive us to obtain the impossible.

I am back down south working and will not be able to get back to my cycle for 3 weeks. Maybe the time away from riding is a good thing because I have had some time to ponder of dreams long past. After reflecting on my life, I have found that there is yet one goal I have not yet achieved. My Everest is to complete the Appalachian Trail. Ashamed as I am to admit, I tried to complete the AT when I graduated college. My unsuccessful attempt lead to a string of bad decisions which continued till I got my head together in AmeriCorps*NCCC. . The Appalachian Trail represents one last Goal I have not yet obtained. It's funny because a while ago before I graduated High School, I came up with a bunch of things that I just needed to do. It's crazy because at age 37 I have accomplished all but one task. One more achievement to make before I can start a new list of things to do. Well I am about 50 pounds overweight, have financial and family responsibilities to contend with but when there is a will one can find the way. I just need to find it. The first step may be to stop drinking Coke and eating Twinkies.

Ghosts in Canandaigua

After work, I took a last minute trip to Canandaigua. Unexpectedly, I found Ghostbusters making a house call. Who would have thought there was Ectoplasmic Activity in Western New York? The Island in the photo is Squaw Island and is one of two Islands in the Finger Lakes. It’s also the Smallest New York State Park. You just don’t see all that many paddle boats up north, so I had to get a quick photo. Lastly I found a floating Island of Boat Garages in the lake which have been there for more than 100 years. The town does not allow anyone to sleep in the garages anymore because of safety issues. When I was walking through the docks a local resident gave me a brief tour of his garage. It was a good ride!!

Officially I have been back from my motorcycle trip for a few days. Fortunately, I have not been called away from my residence in Western New York as of yet. I work a job where I usually travel out of state for 30 days and then come home for 7 days. It’s tough on the family and it’s tough on the body and mind. I have been doing this for 2 consecutive years and it has a way of wearing down ones soul if you let it. It has been a stressful first half of the year but my motorcycle trip put things in perspective.

I re-learned that there is more beauty in the world then one realizes. Sometimes we just have to open our eyes to see it.

I also have come to remember the joys of spontaneity and found that adventurous kid that got lost in the bureaucratic shuffle of life.

During my ride, I also re-discovered the joy of everyday conversations.

The ride has re-energized my spirit and hopefully I can take this energy and use it to better myself at home and work. In reality it’s all about not taking one’s self so seriously but giving 100 percent effort in all that one does. That can almost be construed as a conflicting statement but when one learns to walk the line then there is symmetry and balance in ones efforts.

Eat Breakfast with Locals!!

Every morning when I am out of town riding, I find a place to eat breakfast where I can chat with locals. Locals know the best places to visit and ride in their own respective areas, plus they are a blast to chat with. A couple of hints when it comes to finding a good place to eat breakfast with local persons. First, never pick a chain restaurant. Second, if the restaurant looks nice then pass it by, the sketchier the better. Third, the restaurant must have a table bar where patrons sit at the counter. You will never be able to strike a conversation from a booth or separate table. These are the three golden rules to finding locals to chat with during breakfast. Once you sit down at the counter, just order your meal and start talking to the person next to you. If you have followed my rules above then I will guarantee you a good informative conversation with indigenous folk of the area you’re visiting.
So two days ago while in Maine, I was talking with a bunch of locals at a really cool dive restaurant. I spent about an hour just hanging out. Of course they gave me some great information that I used on my trip to Bar Harbor. Well right before I left, this guy named Charlie says, “Watch out down there in Bar Harbor. There are a ton of Flatlanders down that way”. I thought about it for a few seconds and replied, “What’s a Flatlander?” Charlie says with a laugh, “You are of course but you an OK Flat Lander. It’s the rest of them we have to worry about”. I left the restaurant with everyone saying good bye and smiling. It was a perfect start to the day. At least I was a cool Flatlander!! My advice is to throw yourself out there when riding. Meet new people and have some fun outside the box.
FYI, Wikipedia Defines Flatlander as “A derogatory term used by people from areas in the Appalachians (primarily people from Vermont and the rest of both Northern and Southern Appalachian New England) use to describe people that aren't from their area or that aren't from the Appalachians and live on low land.” Now I know one more derogatory term to throw in the old insult box….

Thanks Macgyver

I had the pleasure of witnessing the New Hampshire lower lake region with its rolling hills, sparkling lakes and carvatious black top. A local retiree who I chatted with during breakfast told me of a couple of desolate routes into Maine which I followed till I eventually hit Route 1 North which lead me along the Atlantic Coast to Bangor. I really don’t think you can find a bad route to take in New England.

THE TRICK IS TO GET LOST IN THE MOMENT AND STAY OFF THE INTERSTATE.

I made a rookie mistake and melted my rain gear on my pipe while riding. Well the pipes were bluing out, so I am not horrifically traumatized by the situation but it caused a really big hole in my pant leg. It was raining and only 64 degrees so I needed to make a quick mend. The obvious fix was Duct Tape. Thanks to the show MacGyver, I have been carrying around duct tape and a Swiss Army Knife for the last 20 years. If you see a guy riding around New England over the next 4 days with a leg made out of Duct Tape then it’s just me. Duct Tape was originally developed back in World War Two and was used primarily to seal ammunition cases against water. It worked for folks back then and it still works today! So far 3 people have commented on my good use of Duct Tape. One Maine Native actually stated, “That is how real men use Duct Tape”.
The photos above were taken while riding through Acadia National Park outside of Bar Harbor, Maine.

The Trip Begins

I'm off on my motorcycle tour of the North East. Unfortunately I had to call an audible and will not be going to Nova Scotia. I am meeting some old AmeriCorps Friends down near New York City latter in the week, so I had to make some changes to my itinerary. Here are a couple of high points of my trip thus far. The weather has not afforded good photo opportunities but with 7 more days of riding hopefully some will come along!

Western New York (Starting Point)

Saratoga Springs, NY (Tuning Point of the Revolutionary War)
Back in 1777, American Colonial Forces defeated a British Army under General John Burgoyne in two separate battles which took place in September and October of the same year. The real hero of The Battle of Saratoga was the fearless Benedict Arnold who was wounded in the foot while rallying his colonial troops. If one spends just a bit of time wondering through the park, they will find a tribute to Arnold's Heroism in the form of a Bronze Sculptured Boot (he is given no other such honor or tribute).

Whitehall, NY (Birthplace of the United States Navy)
In 1775 American Colonial Forces captured a British Trading Post in Whitehall, NY. During this battle a British Trading Schooner was captured which became the first ship in the United States Navy. This ship and others like it were used to capture a British War ship in Lake Champlain. The captured British Ship was renamed the US Enterprise. The man who was in charge of the American Fleet during these naval engagements was a hot tempered patriot named Colonel Benedict Arnold.

Rutland, VT (Best skiing in the North East)
Killington and Pico are two of my most favorite places to board and ski on the East Coast.

Woodstock, VT (Get Your Covered Bridge On)
If you want to see old school Covered Bridges then make your way to Woodstock, Vermont. You will not be disappointed.

Concord, NH. (Be aware of cats)
Cats are on my mind because I almost hit one doing 60MPH. It just seems like the more Cats one has the crazier one becomes. Is it the CAT that makes a person crazy or is it the Crazy Person with a 100 Cats that give felines a bad name? My vote is for the latter.