Back In Texas

Two weeks on the road and over 3000 miles and here is the pic I took when I crossed back into TX yesterday.

Fortunately the ominous clouds only sprinkled me a litte so I got home dry.


Over 3000 miles

The Mighty Mississip!

Here is the bridge from the Mississippi side.

I decided to go against my original of no Interstates and took I-20 to I-55. ,d then up 75 miles and then east to the Natchez Trace Parkway.

The last bit is quite nice and the fist part felt right since I was so beat down from riding in the rain yesterday that I wanted to cover as many miles as I could while it was still only overcast.
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Camping Rained Out

We'll...I really meant to camp out tonight but after riding through a downpour for 45 minutes I wimped out pulled into a Super8.

Here is the meal I meant to have in a tent.
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The Journey Begins

Phase 1 is complete with the ride from Dallas to Houston.

The picture is about the half way point yesterday.

Monday it's off to Louisiana.
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Handlebar Camera

I'm testing sending a photo and a blog post from my Blackberry.

This is pic of a cool camera that mounts to your handlebars.
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Last week I went for a walk in the dark with sandals on and by moving too quickly I hit my big toe and manage to lift the toenail off the toe just enough to make the toe name change to a solid white color and cause some pain but not pull it all the way off.

So swari waza was out as was hamni handachi. AND since I was a wimp and feared it might hurt to practice...I decided not to take the 3rd Kyu test today.

In less than a week I leave for the two week motorcycle trip so I don't know if I'll be up to returning to practice before I leave. Which means I will miss almost a month's worth of classes.

Good Ol' Koshi Nage

We worked a bit on Koshi Nage tonight and I think it showed how I've changed since I first blogged on Kohsinage. Before I was in awe of the whole technique, and while I still have a bit of that, I realize for me now the most important thing is the “loading up” part. After that it is really easy to release and make the flashy finish.

Of course before I may have been a bit intimidated or even scared to be uke in a koshi nage, but now it is a breeze if nage knows what they are doing. However a clumsy or unsure nage can make your fall quite hard

Anyway, it is the fist half that embodies Aikido. You have to respond to the attacker and find your center while holding uke's center lightly on your hip. For all the flash, it is the quietness that makes it an Aikido move. There is a similar technique Judo and while I have not studied Judo (unless you count the one class I went to) my feeling is it requires more muscle and is a known response to a known attack while in aikido the Koshinage is a surprise. BUT the real point is that as with so many aikido techniques it is only done well when it is smooth, easy and gentle. At least gentle until the finish.

Nage is unbalanced and then rocked completely on your hip and then “poof” they are on the ground.

AND it was great to have Sensei Sidney back after a week and a half away. Charlie taught while Sidney was gone and while you relish the “real world” approach to Aikido, Sidney is so elegant it really makes the martial art an “Art”. He will comment on the applicability of certain parts but he really wants us to “feel” what it right. To sense what it happening and to respond accordingly.

In many ways it is simply a matter of emphasis but I'm in Aikido for the beauty and the truth of the act. I wonder if the fact our Sensei also practices painting in oils relates to how he views the practice of Aikido.

Think about it, where else can you combine the physical act with such an aesthetically refined movement AND a useful defense technique. Sidney often tells us that in “real life” you could not make such dramatic movements, BUT if you understand and integrate those extravagant motions when the time comes a reaction that has a more forced crudity will also include those inspirational approaches.

Anyway, it is good that he is back