The Ordox
by Dan Rode on Jun.07, 2006, under Short Stories
The last rays of sun streaked through the purple clouds at a sharp angle as I cut behind the old warehouse. I jammed my hands in the pockets of my worn denim jacket and skirted the thin line of trees headed toward the Ordox.
The Ordox was nothing really; just a clearing beside the tracks in back of mostly abandoned factories. Sheltered from view by the old buildings, the hard packed dirt and cracked concrete looked like a moonscape. It was another world; our world.
In the fading light, I could make out 4 or 5 bodies huddled around the orange flickering of a small fire. I had stolen a fifth of cheap 40-proof vodka from a convenience store and the bottle pressed uncomfortably into my ribs as I pushed into the circle. A chorus “Sup?” greeted me. Three logs had been pulled into a rough circle around the fire. I grabbed a seat on one of them and produced the bottle. A couple of cases of beer sat behind another log. Someone passed a joint and I breathed silent sigh as if cinder blocks had just been lifted from my shoulders. The warm vodka tasted like rubbing alcohol. (continue reading…)
Nikon D90 Camera and Sports
by Dan Rode on Oct.19, 2008, under Photography
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I bought my first DSLR, a Nikon D40, last year and took over 10,000 pictures with it. I shot landscape, beaches, trees, buildings, day and night shots. I even shot 13 football games with it. I learned with every new click of the shutter and I even took a few good pictures. The bad pictures were seldom a result of inadequate equipment. It was (and is) a great camera.
For the love of riding
by Dan Rode on Aug.24, 2008, under General
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I sold my last motorcycle several years ago and got busy with kids, the job, etc. Every spring it would hit me as the weather cleared. But, something else was always more important so I put off buying a bike for another year. This year I stopped putting it off and bought a Honda VTX 1300c. As I pulled out of the dealer’s lot, I thought to myself, “How did I get by without riding for so long?” Talking about my bike is great. Sharing tips on making them run nice, look pretty and riding safely is also fun. But in the end, it’s not about the bike. Any motorcycle will do. It’s about the freedom and serenity that comes while riding.
