tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776318709416054670.post9130781846632949091..comments2024-03-20T13:35:46.089-04:00Comments on Life on two wheels: 1K klicks in the SticksDavid Massehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09346419242154545286noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776318709416054670.post-47487908325884072482017-10-23T12:08:17.847-04:002017-10-23T12:08:17.847-04:00Thanks Dom, I really appreciate the compliment.Thanks Dom, I really appreciate the compliment.David Massehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09346419242154545286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776318709416054670.post-41654114276484820102017-10-23T11:21:59.443-04:002017-10-23T11:21:59.443-04:00Just watched this David, well done!Just watched this David, well done!redlegsrideshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10927757855921321097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776318709416054670.post-46553094060599058242017-10-19T12:39:42.071-04:002017-10-19T12:39:42.071-04:00Thanks for the tip Kitty, I'll head right over...Thanks for the tip Kitty, I'll head right over and check it out. David Massehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09346419242154545286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776318709416054670.post-13780203733444096932017-10-19T11:17:10.640-04:002017-10-19T11:17:10.640-04:00Mr. Masse, if you're looking for recommendatio...Mr. Masse, if you're looking for recommendations and solutions for equipment and techniques for shooting your action video, you might want to check out CycleCruza's website. He's a motorcycle video blogger who just posted his 1,000th video. You can see his videos on YouTube, and the details of all of the equipment he uses on his website.Kittynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776318709416054670.post-18454033712622124412017-10-18T21:01:27.850-04:002017-10-18T21:01:27.850-04:00Oh, and Steve, that whole being recently retired t...Oh, and Steve, that whole being recently retired thing, with the stubble and free-flowing hair, that privilege comes from a long dedicated career and is earned and well-deserved. Welcome to the clan!David Massehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09346419242154545286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776318709416054670.post-65140725796145981862017-10-18T20:46:48.055-04:002017-10-18T20:46:48.055-04:00Thanks for those very kind words Steve.
Some day ...Thanks for those very kind words Steve.<br /><br />Some day you MUST share Paul’s “hero in the nudist colony” bit.<br /><br />As for the footage, the raw footage was about 36 minutes worth. Quite a bit was unusable because of vibrations when the camera was on my RAM munt. As I mentioned in my long response to Sonja, that long segment which is pretty good, resulted from damping the vibration with my left hand. <br /><br />By now I’ve watched that footage way too many times as a result of the editing process, and I think that Sonja’s right: there is a good matchup of the footage and the soundtrack that makes it reasonably enjoyable.<br /><br />Thanks again for a very memorable day that was more than worth two solid days’ riding there and back, and yes, even the likely blown head gasket in Niagara Falls.David Massehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09346419242154545286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776318709416054670.post-71908546786807737842017-10-18T20:30:53.045-04:002017-10-18T20:30:53.045-04:00David, looking at the video, I see that the stairs...David, looking at the video, I see that the stairs go right to the ground, so climing the tower is just a case of all those flights of stairs.<br /><br />As far as the risk of doing that goes, there might be some chancy treads, and the staircase is very open. If for some reason you tripped, faltered, or fainted, the resulting fall could easily be your last.<br /><br />I don’t do well with heights, but my boy scout training taught me improvise a rescue harness, and with some climbing rope and a few good carabiners, you could clip yourself to the hand rails on the way up and mitigate most of the risk, I expect.David Massehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09346419242154545286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776318709416054670.post-47789834607027146242017-10-18T08:52:38.197-04:002017-10-18T08:52:38.197-04:00David, you produced a wonderful recollection of th...David, you produced a wonderful recollection of the time we spent together on the roads of central Pennsylvania. If I have any criticism, it's that you should have requested your subject shave and get a haircut. I suspect he's still in full work rejection mode after retirement.<br /><br />I didn't realize you shot so much footage. Always interesting to see how others see the places I see. And you've captured the essence of Paul Ruby. His marching band bit with camera and tripod is 100 percent Paul. he's moved on from his "hero in the nudist colony" joke.<br /><br />Regarding the fire tower -- you can certainly climb the stairs to the top. It was obviously kept in good condition and no signs warning visitors away. The observation room would almost certainly be locked so you couldn't get inside. Vandals and would be party makers have long ago locked up these places. Especially there were it's so remote.<br /><br />Sonja -- I think the picture of David on the road was my idea. I think but I'm not certain. Either way, Paul saw what was going on and took it upon himself to lie across the road as he did. The red by his head is his Thermos cup. Looks like blood.<br /><br />It was a great time that I won't soon forget. It was an honor to ride with you David!<br /><br />Steve Williams<br /><a href="https://scooterinthesticks.com" rel="nofollow">Scooter in the Sticks</a>Steve Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04540977884513559091noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776318709416054670.post-63616531018941571852017-10-17T21:07:41.660-04:002017-10-17T21:07:41.660-04:00David Steve mentioned in the video, but it’s all b...David Steve mentioned in the video, but it’s all but inaudible, that he used to climb that tower in his college days. I think that it is definitely accessible but none of us had the appetite to try it. I think I would have done it if I had time and some good safety rope. David Massehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09346419242154545286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776318709416054670.post-37651363004091120132017-10-17T21:03:29.551-04:002017-10-17T21:03:29.551-04:00Thanks for dropping by Brandy. Riding those roads ...Thanks for dropping by Brandy. Riding those roads and experiencing the vastness of the wilderness is a pure joy that my video only very partially conveys. David Massehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09346419242154545286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776318709416054670.post-48361683495792368782017-10-17T19:11:58.548-04:002017-10-17T19:11:58.548-04:00Curious minds wish to know - could you have climbe...Curious minds wish to know - could you have climbed that fire tower if so inclined? I imagine the views from up top would be pretty spectacular.<br />Canajunhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17529505799866207528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776318709416054670.post-81572365138039042582017-10-17T18:23:10.834-04:002017-10-17T18:23:10.834-04:00I am glad you were able to go down and meet with S...I am glad you were able to go down and meet with Steve. And such beautiful roads too.<br /><br />I am usually reading blogs at work (like I am now) and don't get to watch the videos, but I still enjoy checking in.Trobairitzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03453398807198746434noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776318709416054670.post-22694827725541405652017-10-17T14:53:28.889-04:002017-10-17T14:53:28.889-04:00Thanks Sonja!
It turns out that the most difficul...Thanks Sonja!<br /><br />It turns out that the most difficult part of creating these videos is managing the audio. The musical soundtrack is not an issue. I can find plenty of music that is freely usable thanks to YouTube's library. The issue is dialogue.<br /><br />Even when I have separate microphones for myself and the other person I'm interacting with, it's a major challenge adjusting audio levels, minimizing unwanted sounds like passing trucks or planes, boosting soft spoken persons in a conversation without blasting out the person who projects their voice, and so on.<br /><br />As you saw in that video, I have a lot to learn on that score.<br /><br />Finally, my acting skills are too often pathetic and there is no consistency.<br /><br />I am beginning to think that the answer is a) practice, and b) a different recording set up.<br /><br />Many video bloggers use a digital SLR camera and a directional camera-mounted microphone.<br /><br />I need to invest some money to get there. In the meantime I am constantly thinking and re-thinking the equipment issue. I hate wasting money and I want to avoid as much trial and error as I can.<br /><br />In the meantime, the most valuable riding video lesson I learned, I learned from you in Vancouver: wearing a camera on a lanyard around your neck. Most of the usable riding video was the result of that trick. It requires riding with one hand though, which, with a Vespa that has a nasty wobble, is quite a trick.<br /><br />That long four minute riding segment along that twisty road was recorded with the camera on a RAM mount with a monopod head. That set up introduces way too much vibration, and the trick that improved the video was to have my right hand on the throttle, and my left hand on the RAM mount which minized the wobble and damped the camera vibration. Still far from ideal.<br /><br />I think that the better solution is a digital SLR with 4 axis image stabilization plus a motorized gimbal mount. Now assuming all that can fit on a RAM mount and be operable when riding, the results would be really sweet.<br /><br />Sorry for dumping so much into what should have been a quick and shorter response to your very kind and thoughtful comment. David Massehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09346419242154545286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7776318709416054670.post-9013868153715919302017-10-17T14:30:19.174-04:002017-10-17T14:30:19.174-04:00Steve's showing off his talent. The portrait o...Steve's showing off his talent. The portrait of you (and the Vespa) is perfect indeed. And who came up with the roadkill idea? I find this hilarious but I won't try copy it on German roads because t might get way too real. Also, I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of your Pennsylvania ride through the sticks (and the music fits so well).SonjaMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12389245948579828531noreply@blogger.com