Category: travel

Visiting Manchester

On By Rick McIn travelLeave a comment

Birmingham and Manchester are both sprawling British cities, both famed for their influence during the Industrial Revolution.

While I had a poor first impression of Birmingham, I liked Manchester right off the train.

The first thing I saw was this tribute to the wounded of WW I.

War is Hell.

 Manchester acquired the nickname Cottonopolis during the early 19th century owing to a massive number of textile factories.

The Science and Industry Museum does a terrific job explaining the city legacy.

 John Rylands (7 February 1801 – 11 December 1888) was the owner of the largest textile manufacturing concern in the United Kingdom, and Manchester‘s first multi-millionaire.

The John Rylands Library, which opened to the public in 1900, was founded by Enriqueta Augustina Rylands in memory of her husband.

A tourist attraction today, it reminded me more of a Cathedral than library.

End of October, the best foliage I saw was at the University of Manchester.

To move coal and goods, canals were built across the nation. And it was walking those canals that I most enjoyed as a tourist in 2022.

I stayed at a hostel on Potato Wharf where narrowboats are stored and travellers moor. Warren Long and family once parked here for 2 nights in a rented narrowboat.

Narrowboat

I’d return to Manchester anytime.

BAD 1st impression – Birmingham

On By Rick McIn travel1 Comment

After a good flight from Canada, I arrived Birmingham during a booming rain storm. In the dark. Late Saturday night.

Stopping for a bite to eat, a local asked where I was going.

Liverpool, I replied.

He recommended I not stay long in Birmingham. 😀 Nothing to see here.

The empty, dark streets were a bit scary. Maps.me directed me through a parking structure.

I was relieved to finally get to my hostel about 9pm.

NEXT morning, just across from the hostel was this street art. 😀

Crime in the City

It was a grungy part of town.

Weather improving — but still threatening.

Britannia ruled the waves because men wanted to find more sunshine. 😀

Birmingham

Normally I like weird cities.

Reflection

But decided to flee Birmingham in fewer than 24 hours.

Birmingham Cathedral

En route to the train station, I did find one MUST SEE attraction.

Birmingham

My Video Editing Journey 😀

On By Rick McIn cycling, hiking, travel, videoLeave a comment

When pandemic cancelled all my travel and Gymnastics coaching gigs, I took the time to improve my video editing. It’s become my main hobby.

Three phases (so far):

  1. Learning the technology. Experimenting with different cameras. And acce$$ories.
  2. Story. Story. Story.
  3. My personal style.

After posting my French Creek tribute, I declared I was GOOD ENOUGH at video editing technology for my purposes. I could sit down at a table with a professional video editor and understand 75% of what they were talking about. 😀

Far more difficult is to decide on what story to tell. And to tell it effectively. Many super skillful editors struggle finding their next story.

I threw this short video together quickly as a teaser for my How to Survive the West Coast Trail videos. But in some weird way, it’s evocative of that wild and challenging hike. It tells the story well

I’m particularly happy with the audio.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Putting these together is incredibly time consuming.

I kept trying to find ways to improve my efficiency. And that ended up evolving into my personal style of video — as of October 2022, at least. Who knows what’s next? 😀

I posted Valencia, Spain in January 2022. My edits today are all similar. But I’m adding more personal drone footage rather than drone stock video.

What is my style?

  • Music driven
  • Landscape, not vertical (portrait)
  • Cuts are mostly on the beats
  • Mostly hard cuts
  • Use transitions sparingly
  • Use gimmickry sparingly … though I do love speed ramps 😀
  • Lots of drone footage
  • Normally no voice over
  • No ads
  • Social media pestering only at the end.

Challenging for me is finding the right music for each story.

One of my best edits was Norway Highlights. I credit the song — Odesza Higher Ground — as once I decided on the soundtrack, it was easy to decide where to put each clip. In the example, below, the colours are music blocks to be filled with scenes I decide upon later.

Increasingly I’m picking music first, shooting the video later.

Odesza is my favourite band right now. Very popular for YouTube edits.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

What’s next?

I’ve been studying Colour Grading through a course called … Color Grading Academy.

It’s a very complicated process.

Some of the best video editors online send out their final product for Colour experts to finish. An art, not a science.

Things I’ve decided NOT to use:

  • Tracking
  • Hue / Saturation curves
  • … more to be added

P.S.

I posted the Englishman River Falls hike in November 2020 and again in October 2022. I’ve definitely improved.

Click PLAY or watch the Nov 2020 edit on YouTube. I was quite happy with it. But NOW I’m wondering what weird colour grade I was experimenting with at that time. 😀

Click PLAY or watch the Oct 2022 edit on YouTube.

Cycling Gabriola Island

On By Rick McIn cycling, travelLeave a comment

I cycled Gabriola in the Canadian Gulf Islands in 2020. And again in 2022.

Easy access via a 20-minute ferry service from Nanaimo.

Small. With a full-time population of about 4500, I could live on Gabriola.

Grocery store. Liquor store. Library.

3 provincial parks—Gabriola Sands Provincial Park on the northwest shore, Sandwell Provincial Park on the northeast shore, and Drumbeg Provincial Park on the east shore—as well as Descanso Bay Regional Park and an adjacent community park near the ferry terminal.

There’s a hippie vibe.

cycling Gabriola Island

Only 14 kilometres long, I cycled all the main roadways. Took plenty of detours. Cycled some of the many hiking trails. And still had my tent set up by 6pm same day.

Should I get a Bikepacking Trailer?

On By Rick McIn cycling, travelLeave a comment

Tempting.

BEST of the bunch right now seems to be the BURLEY COHO XC SINGLE WHEEL SUSPENSION CARGO TRAILER.

I love the kickstand. It holds up the bike, as well.

Hike-a-bike will be tougher, for sure. I might want to avoid steep hills. This adds 20 pounds to your total weight. When cycling, however, you don’t notice the weight.

Expensive at U.S. $500. As little as $350 if you get a deal.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Here’s a HIKER who was initially dubious of whether he’s want to add this to his gear shed. Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Mexico – James Taylor

On By Rick McIn music, travel, travel MexicoLeave a comment

“Mexico” was the opening track of his 1975 album Gorilla. …

Graham Nash and David Crosby sing backup vocals.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

It’s been covered by many, many others. Jimmy Buffet OFTEN. 😀

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. Jimmy and JT.

I need a MONTH in London

On By Rick McIn music, travel1 Comment

Once again I broke up long international travel with a stopover in London.

I enjoyed my days in June 2022. And again end of August 2022.

BUT it would take a month of dedicated research to really understand all the areas of the city. And to visit all the attractions.

This time I stayed at Wombats near the Tower Bridge so ended up spending more time on that section of the Thames. Especially in the evening.

Most of what I do is FREE — wandering the streets and parks. Something interesting around every corner.

I drop into one of the free museums most days.

There’s a lot of green space.

London is much finer with good weather.
Southwark Cathedral

There are many excellent street performers.

My favourite this time was Mex.fs, an acoustic lap tap/percussive guitarist.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Victoria and Albert Museum, London

On By Rick McIn Art and beauty, travelLeave a comment

Of all amazing and FREE museums in London, the V & A is perhaps my favourite.

So massive!

11 acres, 145 galleries, 7 miles of exhibits and 5 million objects.

It’s not easy to see David in Florence — but you can study an exact replica any time, any day in London. Free. No crowding.

In fact, this space at the V & A called the Cast Courts is perhaps the best. You’ll quickly be diverted from David to other astonishing replicas in those 2 galleries.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Another of my favourite exhibits is Tippu’s Tiger.

The ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in India had made a carved and painted wood casing representing a tiger savaging a near life-size European man. It moves and makes music.