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| This sculpture reduces the elements of the automobile to the bare elements. photo source: The Old Motor.com |
The distilled essence of speed, romance and adventure.
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| The Stutz Bearcat. |
Cars can be used for practical transportation.
In fact, that's what most people use them for.
To the enthusiast however, a car means so much more.
Some are competitors who use them to test themselves on a track or road course.
Others use them as a method of self expression.
For me, cars and motorcycles are all about going places.
The sculpture pictured above reduces the equation to the engine, wheels and last but not least, the driver.
Visually, without the driver/operator the car is just a static assemblage of mechanical parts.
Artistically it could be seen as a static sculpture.
It is like a musical instrument that sits idly collecting dust, like a grand piano that has fallen silent.
It awaits the hands of the artist to come to life.
And it needs a venue to perform.
Driving has been reduced by modern conditions to a chore, commuting in stop and go traffic in a late model Camry or SUV.
There is no renewal of the soul taking place out there.
Years ago I read a very insightful article published in Easyriders magazine
In it, the author related an exchange between himself, a motorcycle rider, and a tourist that arrived at the outlook at the Grand Canyon in a motor home. They had been engaged in a casual conversation when the tourist had remarked that the road had been fairly easy to manage in his RV. Then he asked the cyclist how he had arrived at the Grand Canyon. The biker replied that he and his buddy had ridden up on their motorcycles.
The tourist glanced at the machines then blurted out that he could never understand why anyone would ride "those things."
They were loud and dangerous and that some of the riders were real "weirdos!"
The cyclist was quite surprised by the tourists lack of tact but only replied "whatever floats your boat."
As the tourist couple returned to their recreational vehicle, the biker mused about the differences in their choices.
That "citizen" was traveling in a huge wasteful contraption that was essentially transporting themselves within their own house. They were completely cut off from any direct experience with the roadway surface, the weather, and even the experience of camping out or even sleeping in a different hotel or inn.
They could travel with their own beds and food and even a TV. Actually their entire trip was like watching it through the windscreen as if it were a TV program. Everything could be easily ignored.
As the tourist drove away in his RV, the author concluded that there was actually nothing "recreational" about it.
Recreation means to re-create, To experience something that has an effect on the person. It introduces new experiences and challenges that contribute to a new understanding.
The RV was bland and removed any challenge from the traveling experience.
On the other hand travel by motorcycle immerses the rider totally in the road and environment and provides a 360 degree exposure.
The cold and heat, The fatigue of wind blast and bumpy pavement.
Camping in the woods.
Even in Today's modern world traveling by Motorcycle is an adventure.
The rider feels like a pioneer travelling across the unknown prairie to a destination that has only been hoped about.
Bikers buy into the romantic myths of the American West. Some of us long for the freedom of the iconic American Cowboy.
Look back at that photo of Cannonball Baker and his speedster. It was stripped down to increase it's speed. Light and fast, it was set up to break long distance endurance records.
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| The essence of the motorcycle. This is my favorite photo of a motorcycle. |
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| Back in their day all that the racers wore was a leather aviation helmet. |
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| Cannonball Baker, again. The man did not like to sit still. |
There's just something about these machines that gets my juices flowing.
I just discovered a couple of new (to me, at least ) websites that can satisfy my need for visual speed.
The first is the old Motor.com
http://theoldmotor.com/?p=149685
This is a well designed site displaying beautiful photography. It covers many aspects of early transportation. The lead photo of my post is just an example of what you'll find there.
The second is entitled Classic Speedsters.com
https://www.classicspeedsters.com/
This site covers the history of the manufacturers of early speedsters as well as home brew examples.
Speedsters have a long history in the American car scene. Even Today, the name is still occasionally used.
Both sites are well worth visiting. It's easy to spend a couple of hours dreaming about the past.
On a personal note.
I have been sooo busy with other pressing matters that my XJS project has come to a complete halt. Last month has been incredibly busy and it seems like it'll be another couple of weeks more. Everyone's been there at one time or another. It'll be a bit before I can get back on track.
Until then, whenever I have a spare second I can daydream about roaring down a country road in my Stutz Bearcat!
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