Describe your own ‘Truman Show’ bubble

[Beach Thorncombe]

I’m no historian or particular lover of historical books but I have created my own ‘Truman Show’ style bubble from which I explore and photograph the landscape, topography, geology and history of my own local area.

My Truman Show bubble represents the range I might expect, (covering hilly ground), from a fully charged battery. (Typically 20 miles) - which includes getting to and returning from - whatever particular adventure I might be engaged in pursuing.

If you didn't wish to read my long post, (Beyond the image), I'd just say;

It would be lovely to build up a Pedelec map of ‘places of interest worth mentioning’ (Historical or otherwise), from folk who use this site. So please share any interesting facts or visions included in your own Truman Show bubble contained within your own Pedelec world.


My 20 mile, round trip, Truman Show bubble representation


For those happy to read on ...

I’ve based the dome on battery range and although the area of my Truman Show bubble is minuscule in the whole scheme of things, I can trace 270 million years of prehistory, (and history), from within it including;

a) The last super continent, Pangea, before it broke up 270 million years ago.

b) West Dorset’s 70 million year journey North having been, originally, located at the Equator.

c) The age of Dinosaurs … and then mammals. (Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods).

d) The remnants of the last ice age. (From 110,000 – 10,000 years ago)

e) The arrival of man in the 'West Dorset landscape' and, with glaciers receding, nature’s creation of Chesil beach, about 10,000 years ago.

f) Bronze and iron Age hillforts and settlements starting approximately 3000 years BCE.

g) Vaspasian’s Roman invasion of Brittania in 43AD.

h) King John’s 11th Century hunting lodge at nearby Powerstock castle.

i) Smuggler Isaac Gulliver’s plundering of ships in the 18th century.

j) The testing of Barnes Wallis’s bouncing bomb in the fleet lagoon at Abbotsbury.

Right up to the present … where, regularly, I photograph, explore or ramble over landscapes made famous in film, TV and literature. (Far From The Madding Crowd,The French Lieutenant's Woman, TV’s The Rise and Fall of Reginald Perrin, Harbour Lights and Broadchurch and novels such as Moonfleet or authors such as Thomas Hardy).

The above represents just a sample of what all of us are riding past, through or over just about every time we venture out into the world on our machines and my examples, (above), are merely my own representation of the world I see around me.

You will have similar tales to relate and I would love you to share ANY particular architectural, archaeological or intriguing structure, feature or inspiring vision that you have come across on your own travels while out on your machine.

Or any location famously used in movies, TV or literature.

I have a thing for the Industrial Revolution, old brick built structures, dams, bridges and power plants but, sadly, living in a rural, almost left behind, part of the UK, I rarely get to cast my eyes upon historical commercial / industrial buildings that some folk probably take for granted.

If I have opened your eyes up to my particular Truman Show bubble, I’d like you to return the favour and tell me a little bit about the historical, architectural or natural features that make up yours.

And if you were to say, “Beach. I’m not sure I have any really, really old history in my area”, I’d invite you to look on a local map of your area for a dwelling called Manor Farm, (Such places are littered everywhere), because the “Manor” in Manor Farm is an anagram!

Manor = anagram of Roman and just about every parish or area with a Manor Farm is actually revealing that such a farm was once a 2000 year old Anglo-Romano farmstead.

It would be lovely to build up a Pedelec map of ‘places of interest’ (Historical or otherwise), from folk who use this site.

So … please share any interesting facts or visions included in your own Truman Show bubble contained within your own Pedelec world.

 

[soundwave]

3/1/2017 18.36 paki shop ran out of cider

 

[Beach Thorncombe]

Jeez. What a nightmare.

Do you have any fields nearby?

(You could pick some psilocybin mushrooms instead).

 

[LeighPing]

Quality! What a diverse, cultured forum we share.

 

[Beach Thorncombe]

Ha ha ...

But lets press on ...

Lets assume, at least, a few of you actually know how to converse online emotively without exhibiting some low grade sarcasm or some latent, in built, need to boost your ego by spewing out a watts, volts, amps mantra every time a question is presented to you.

Junction Bed Starfish Fossils

From home, it takes me ten minutes to ascend and then descend the fern laden downs that represents the route leading me to Eype beach and, once there, it is easy to believe that I am probably the only human being liable to even be within a couple of miles of that location at all.

I usually carry a telescopic fishing rod, a camera, and, sometimes, a metal detector but, for the purpose of this account, I am carrying only a camera and mobile phone.

The ultimate goal, (never yet achieved), is to, one day, travel 700 metres to the Eastern edge of Eype beach, (achieved) and then traverse two treacherous headlands via boulders and quicksand to, eventually, reach a mythical point where I might discover huge fossilised starfish laden rock formations at a location known as Junction Rock.

Trouble is ... from the far eastern edge of Eype beach, the route to Junction Rock is treacherous ... and only, conceivably, "do-able" during the brief period of time offered by an extra-ordinarily high, (and low), spring tide.


Getting boots wedged in boulders is a constant fear.

Route in red box is only accessible twice a year during Spring tide.

Because ... normally ... under regular tidal conditions, the route I am describing, lies entirely under water for most of the year.

The red X represents my objective. My goal. Junction Rock.

My actual raw fear is allowing my foot to become wedged and stuck under a boulder ... and then lie trapped, in a small timeframe, while the tide returns ... and drowns me.

Let me ask you again ...

What sights or experiences can you share with the forum ... in regards to your own Truman Show bubble? (The range you cover within one full charge of your battery).

Ignore the images below. Dunno how they ended up there!

 

[Beach Thorncombe]

.

 

[mike killay]

What is a 'Truman Bubble?'

 

[Beach Thorncombe]

The range you cover within one full charge of your battery.

The Truman Show Plot

"As told through interviews and footage through the film, Truman Burbank is the unsuspecting star of The Truman Show, a reality television program which is broadcast live around the clock and across the globe. His entire life has taken place within a giant arcological dome in Hollywood, fashioned to create the seaside town of Seahaven Island, and equipped with thousands of cameras to monitor all aspects of Truman's life. All of Seahaven's residents are actors. Creator and executive producer Christof wants to capture Truman's real emotion and human behavior."

I use the dome in The Truman Show as an analogy for visually describing the range limitations of a typical pedelec machine.

... but I wish I hadn't bothered ....

 

[Wicky]

You live in a bubble?

Anyway - Nice part of the world - I visited once on a camping holiday to Bridport with a work colleague and chap with learning difficulties and set off (from Seatown, Golden Cap?) along the boulder strewn area between the cliffs and the sea. Traversing the rocks was fun as they were the size of small cars and the chap had visual impairment (tunnel vision) which made clambering across fun. As we went along we realised the tide was coming in and despite it being a sunny summers day when we set off a sea fog enveloped us, and we soon had visions of getting trapped and drowning. (this was in the day before mobile phones). With no hope of calling in rescue all we could do was persevere on our sorry path and listen for any passing air sea rescue and hope to attract their attention to our predicament.

Eventually we soon saw a sandy beach ahead (Eype Beach?) as sanctuary with clear sunshine with folk doing everyday relaxing beach things - and we wandered through to safety and respite from our adventure as if our ordeal was a bad dream.

Next year the client would only go to Pontins with female members of staff...

PS. Not recommended as a route to take a bike along.

 

[flecc]

I use the dome in The Truman Show as an analogy for visually describing the range limitations of a typical pedelec machine.

... but I wish I hadn't bothered ....

Thanks for the explanation, I also wondered what a Truman bubble was, though I got the concept of the range radius of a pedelec.

I did for a moment consider participation, but for a start wouldn't know how to fix the bubble since I used to ride with up to three batteries over a huge circle but more recently only a very restricted ride area and currently not riding, only walking with a little driving.

And the history doesn't interest me much, what does interest me bores others to death, especially pedelecers. For example, on a nearby current thread one posted in a discussion on the photographic merits of cameras and smartphones:

"Who stops to take a picture of an interesting ant?"

Well actually I do!

 

[Deleted member 4366]

That's not quite what I meant, Flecc. When you're riding your bike, do you notice interesting ants on the ground or in the trees?

 

[flecc]

That's not quite what I meant, Flecc. When you're riding your bike, do you notice interesting ants on the ground or in the trees?

The first photo of the Lasius niger black ant attack at the edge of a lane was when I was on my bike, dawdling along as I often tend to do in the countryside whether riding or walking so as not to miss anything. I also stop from time to time at potential spots to look around. What's generically termed "bugs" are a major interest of mine, that's far from a common of course.

Much of my riding is probably very different from most in here, I'm not interested in displays, average speeds, datalogging, videoing runs etc., finding all that stuff very boring. For years since retirement in 1991, other than utility uses like shopping, all a bike does is extend my walking range to access other countryside areas.
.

 

[EddiePJ]

And the history doesn't interest me much, what does interest me bores others to death, especially pedelecers. For example, on a nearby current thread one posted in a discussion on the photographic merits of cameras and smartphone

"Who stops to take a picture of an interesting ant?"

I'm interested.

I'm not adverse to stopping to take the odd and more diverse photo.
No ants shown below, although I have stopped many times to take photos of wood ants.

Just an example. These were taken on the same ride.

This worm was at the side of a very small water fall, hence the wet ground when the other photos show dry ground.

edit.. Thinking about it, that was a busy ride. I even made the time to make and leave this by the side of the road.

Even when out for a walk, my wife is always moaning because my head is always glued looking towards the ground.

 

[flecc]

Even when out for a walk, my wife is always moaning because my head is always glued looking towards the ground.

. Just like me Eddie, head down in the country, walking or cycling. With my fungi interest I have to repeat some woodland walks looking up all the time, since some grow high on trunks.

Great photos.
.

 

[Beach Thorncombe]

You live in a bubble?

Anyway - Nice part of the world - I visited once on a camping holiday to Bridport with a work colleague and chap with learning difficulties and set off (from Seatown, Golden Cap?) along the boulder strewn area between the cliffs and the sea. Traversing the rocks was fun as they were the size of small cars and the chap had visual impairment (tunnel vision) which made clambering across fun. As we went along we realised the tide was coming in and despite it being a sunny summers day when we set off a sea fog enveloped us, and we soon had visions of getting trapped and drowning. (this was in the day before mobile phones). With no hope of calling in rescue all we could do was persevere on our sorry path and listen for any passing air sea rescue and hope to attract their attention to our predicament.

Eventually we soon saw a sandy beach ahead (Eype Beach?) as sanctuary with clear sunshine with folk doing everyday relaxing beach things - and we wandered through to safety and respite from our adventure as if our ordeal was a bad dream.

Next year the client would only go to Pontins with female members of staff...

PS. Not recommended as a route to take a bike along.

Hi Wicky,

Errr. Yep. I confess I do live in a bubble!

Although I can drive, have a driving licence and use of a vehicle when my carers let me out of the institute* , I made a decision, several years ago, to simplify and streamline my life and, kind of, reset everything by pursuing an entirely different existence than when I was married / in business, etc.

I still have a modest little business but even that now follows the new remit.

I don’t advertise extensively, display opening times or allow work to consume me, (like before), and now exist and survive based on word of mouth, referrals from satisfied existing (or former) customers and just display one simple ‘A’ board placed out on the high street as and when I am happy to take on new work.

That said, I still work what we would call a full 40+ hr week but I choose what hours in a day to actually use for business and what hours to use for fun, games or leisure.

For example, if the mackerel or cod are shoaling or the sun is shining, I can drop everything and just take off fishing on one of my machines or enjoy the best of whatever a day may offer, doing ‘actual work’ when I return or much later into the evening or night).

This allows me to, very efficiently, get the best from my humble little existence!

So yes … By not routinely hopping into a car to drive places or being governed by a clock, a deadline or some need to meet some steely railed commitment, I can usually harvest and claim the best part of a day for myself.

Utterly central to such a laisse faire existence, is my stable of electric steeds … with each specific machine built / rebuilt to perform a particular task. (Beach bike. Hill bike. Off road bike. Chores bike. Sunday best bike, etc).

That said, it takes a certain discipline and a lot of hard work … to appear to be as carefree as I may appear to others.

So yes. I do live in my own little bubble.

I now, (choose to), find my amusement or seek out my adventures based ONLY on whatever distraction I might discover by using my own imagination, my own energy or whatever excitement I might uncover within the environs of my own little world.

PS. Re "Not a good route to take a bike along."

That's why I built my lightweight beach bike ... using the lightweight alloy Powabyke Xbike frame ... to enable me to carry it down the steep steps onto Eype beach!

 

[Beach Thorncombe]

You live in a bubble?

Anyway - Nice part of the world - I visited once on a camping holiday to Bridport with a work colleague and chap with learning difficulties and set off (from Seatown, Golden Cap?) along the boulder strewn area between the cliffs and the sea. Traversing the rocks was fun as they were the size of small cars and the chap had visual impairment (tunnel vision) which made clambering across fun. As we went along we realised the tide was coming in and despite it being a sunny summers day when we set off a sea fog enveloped us, and we soon had visions of getting trapped and drowning. (this was in the day before mobile phones). With no hope of calling in rescue all we could do was persevere on our sorry path and listen for any passing air sea rescue and hope to attract their attention to our predicament.

Eventually we soon saw a sandy beach ahead (Eype Beach?) as sanctuary with clear sunshine with folk doing everyday relaxing beach things - and we wandered through to safety and respite from our adventure as if our ordeal was a bad dream.

Next year the client would only go to Pontins with female members of staff...

PS. Not recommended as a route to take a bike along.

Wow, Wicky,

The account of your Seatown adventure was amazing … and so pertinent to my 2nd Junction Bed Starfish Fossils post.

Before I address your comments in detail, let me express something pertinent regarding the very idea, the very nature, of holding some dream, ambition or desire to pursue some goal or another.

My own desire to, one day, attempt to reach Junction Rock from the Eype beach end of the shoreline, hinges entirely upon some crucial facts regarding tides, timing, weather forecasts, advice from the coastguard and being prepared and equipped … to avoid, or at least reduce, the chances of putting myself in mortal danger on route.

Such a journey is inherently dangerous in its very essence.

Thus, from within my own mind, (with all the facts being before me), I know it is not a journey to be taken lightly … even though the length of the endeavour is only just about a mile or so.

Add all that up and you get … a kind of mystery. A kind of ominous excitement. A sense of real, true adventure. (And that is how my planned Junction Rock adventure still sits in my mind).

Imagine then … me reading your words and comprehending that, in all likelihood, you and your learning difficulty companion, actually traversed such a route, unwittingly, unknowingly … though, (thankfully), lived to tell the tale!

I recognise though, as we all would have, that you confess the adventure might easily have turned to tragedy … and, you say so yourself,

“As we went along we realised the tide was coming in and despite it being a sunny summers day when we set off a sea fog enveloped us, and we soon had visions of getting trapped and drowning. (this was in the day before mobile phones). With no hope of calling in rescue all we could do was persevere on our sorry path and listen for any passing air sea rescue and hope to attract their attention to our predicament.”

Brilliant!

Dangerous, foolhardy … but brilliant!

Your post thrilled me for a couple of reasons.

a) I’m pleased you are aware of Seatown, Eype and the surrounding area. (Seatown is, possibly, the most idyllic, picturesque, chocolate box lid of a representation of a genuine West Dorset coastal hamlet that anyone might discover).

b) I’m amazed … that, in some kind of a nonchalant fashion … you have actually travelled the exact, (dangerous), route of a, (still to be accomplished), location I have yet to complete!

Great post, Wicky.

Thank you.

 

[Beach Thorncombe]

Thanks for the explanation, I also wondered what a Truman bubble was, though I got the concept of the range radius of a pedelec.

I did for a moment consider participation, but for a start wouldn't know how to fix the bubble since I used to ride with up to three batteries over a huge circle but more recently only a very restricted ride area and currently not riding, only walking with a little driving.

And the history doesn't interest me much, what does interest me bores others to death, especially pedelecers. For example, on a nearby current thread one posted in a discussion on the photographic merits of cameras and smartphones:

"Who stops to take a picture of an interesting ant?"

Well actually I do!

Off to the pub now but …

Flecc,

I LOVED your ‘Ants’ contribution!

When I get back, if I am not distracted by the gorgeous, busty, intellectual, Louise, I’ll want to add my ten penneth on the miracle … that is the humble ant

Catch up later.

Beach

 

[Beach Thorncombe]

Fighting at 60 is never a good look but .. lets just say my night in The Hope and Anchor was ... eventful.

Jeez.

The landlady agreed / accepted that I was provoked ...

I have a heart condition ... in, as much as ... medication is supposed to keep my heart from racing ... too much.

Responding to abuse, (from a drunk alcoholic), may not be a particularly good thing ... and choosing to knock the fella from his stool ... well ... you might imagine the outcome.

We rolled around on the floor a bit ... and then other people split us up.

Hell ...

(Pause)

I won't be adding much more to this thread until I get my stuff together.

 

[Beach Thorncombe]

PS.

I'm going to do the ant thing though.

In the next day or two.

 

[LeighPing]

PS.

I'm going to do the ant thing though.

In the next day or two.

After reading this interesting thread, I think that I'll take my non-handlebar cam along and start to look more closely at my surroundings the next time I'm out.