A Couple of Close Calls

Well, close call in the good sense...sad sense... As I enjoyed the day and all that was electronic - video games with the kids - I had a couple of trips outside to clean the roof edges, snowball fight ( ice chucks rather ), brush off the drive way....I had to squeak by the rear of the car to get out of the garage - brushing up against my bike * close call number one*. My heart skipped a bit - like a murmur or extra beat - I found myself as in the movie Gladiator - in Alysium riding in green pastures with the sun about my face. Glancing over in my 2 sec daydream I saw the unmistakable smile of Crazy Legs, the pat of the back by Mark Connell, Neil's perfect jokes for all occasions...need I go on? My daughter walked over as there I was wedged in on the side of the car with my left hand resting on the front wheel of my bike.

the second close call came when we were heading out to meet Tina after her work at TGIF for Davids birthday. I saw a cyclist...riding past the front door of Lifetime fitness as if to thumb his/her nose at indoor training. I was at the stop sign right by Holiday gas station -you all know of where I speak - flashing back to 90 deg days, the humidity, the friendship, the getting in trouble for being out on a ride for the 5th time that week.

These close calls were a wake up call - get out and ride. Get out and ski. Get out and walk alone in the park, the street heck the back yard. GET OUT. This time of year is odd - it can force many to retreat to nothing-ness and well I will go nuts. I am glad for the close calls as it reminded me of all that is Holy and right in this world.

see ya'll on the road.

ac

Perma-Frost

That is what my toes feel like. I got to ride today - FINALLY. On with the cold gear, out on the fresh snow - single speed mania lives on. 13 miles through hard pack, drifts, plowed berms...slow going and difficult but a blast. I cued up the Harry Connick Jr Christmas Music and away I went.

It was good to get out - man, it has been tooooooo long. the old bike still rides well - still too small. I may have to retire the rat...wait, nevermind. That bike will go to the grave with me.

Enjoy the holiday season, Merry Christmas!


Andy

the physics of weight loss

I was curious as to how I was going to shave off the few pounds I have put on this winter...well, I suppose it is for the better. Having the pounds keeps you a touch warmer this time of year. So, when I was grabbing the extra flab - and its not really flab - I said " how am I going to drop 10 pounds"? Well, there was this little thing called stomach flu that has been running around the schools and I was the last in the family to get it. It was amazing - the dynamic shift that overcame my body in a matter of hours. Between all the activity, there was a mass exedous that had me amazed. I lost just over 9 pounds in 7 hours....the wrong weight however...but man...a gallon plus of fluid. That can be dangerous - doing some research at 4:30 am had me looking up fatalities due to flu.

So the second I could hold stuff down I was all about water, pedialyte and soft foods. by the way, the target brand pedialyte isnt that bad at all. of course, I am used to Gatorade endurance so it brought me to a place of comfort...on a bike.

Good thing it was a 12 hour ordeal - so tonight I had incredible potato soup, dinner rolls and watched the Bourne Ultimatum. Good flick.

sorry for the details - we're all adults.


andy

Washington DC

Always a pretty cool town...great to visit...deadly to stay. It has a pretty high death rate. Sights seen - Washington monument, Capitol, near the White House ( complete with snipers on the roof ), ol' Abe, Korean War / Vietnam war memorial, Holocaust museum ( that was scary) and ended with the Air and Space Museum...all in 4 hours on foot...my calf muscles hurt.... that places ooozzzesss in history - you can almost feel it surround you as walk the streets - especially the Ford Theater and the place where Lincoln died.

Glad to be home to sub freezing temps - it was mid 50's in DC and everyone was cold - I was in short sleeves.