Humbug!

There are 4 reasons why we don't put up a Christmas tree, or any
decorations for that matter. Those reasons are:

Domino

Katie
Abby
Molly

Here's how it would play out. Domino would topple it over. Of course, he would wait until the middle of the night when we're sound asleep. Ornaments would end up broken. Those that weren't broken would be deposited in the water bowl as well as other various spots throughout the house. Not to mention, some of them might be nibbled.

Once it's toppled over, Molly would hide under it.

Katie would decide to check it out, only to be attacked by Molly who was hiding under it. These attacks always result in a very messy situation (think outside the litter box only messier).

And Abby, well, she probably wouldn't do anything other than to glance at it on her way to the food bowl. She's the only smart one in the bunch and would realize there's already enough damage done. I only included her so she wouldn't feel left out.

New York, New York

Start spreading the news,
I'm leaving today
I want to be a part of it,
New York, New York.

These vagabond shoes,
are longing to stay,
Right through the very heart of it,
New York, New York.

I want to wake up in a city
that doesn't sleep,
And find I'm king of the hill,
top of the heap.

These little town blues,
are melting away,
I'll make a brand new start of it,
in old New York

If I can make it there,
I'll make it anywhere

It's up to you,
New York, New York

Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus

Every year the Salvation Army puts up a Christmas tree Christiana Mall with names of kids and their Christmas wish list. There are 4,000 needy children in New Castle county. To me, that's a staggering number. It's an increase from previous years and I suspect it will increase even more now that extended unemployment benefits ran out. So for the umpteenth year in a row, I'm skipping the frazzled frenzy of buying Christmas presents for people who don't need a thing and buying for 4 of the 4,000 kids who don't have a thing. It really makes you think when you see "winter coat" on the wish list of a 4-yr old. So, there are 4 kids in New Castle County who will get that winter coat, along with some clothes...and a toy. I feel bad that I didn't buy them a lot of toys...but toys won't keep them warm.

"My Baby Takes the Morning Train"

Well, maybe not the train...but John is working full time again! He got a job at The Bike Boutique in Wilmington. One of these Saturdays I'll ride in and check it out. I don't know much about it other than it involves bike storage for those who commute. This is the first store to open in the U.S. It's a pretty interesting concept and they may be a little bit ahead of their time. But maybe that's not a bad thing.

Go Take A Hike...Mush, Mush

A couple of weeks ago I got invited to go for a hike at Fair Hill. Hmmm, give up a riding day, especially when the forecast was for a mild day. I'm definitely not a hiker. In fact, this would be my first. And giving up a riding day is tough...but I decided the change 'o pace would be good. I was a little intimidated by the women I'd be hiking with - all very athletic and fit. So, I met Karen Smith, Amy Wise, Jane, Robin and Julie at 7:15 at lot #1 at Fair Hill. The game plan was a 3-hr hike, then brunch at Home Grown in Newark.

After having ridden there the weekend before, I realized Fair Hill is even more beautiful on foot. It was sort of weird walking on trails that I've ridden. And wow, what looked "technical" (to me) or steep on the bike seat looked fairly smooth and level on foot. Probably won't change the way I ride but it did give me a different perspective. And now I'm antsy to ride there again.

We started out about 7:30 on the orange trail and from there, who knows. It was a bit unnerving to realize at one point we were at the Appleton lot. And I'm thinking, OMG, who can I call to come pick me up!

Was expecting to see more mtn bikers or even more people on horses, but we saw very few. Or is Fair Hill really that big? We did notice a sled dog team practicing and stopped for a few minutes to pet the dogs. And yes, the musher was wearing a bike helmet!

So, after 3 hrs, they tell me we hiked about 10 miles. I have the shin splints and sore hip to prove it, although neither of these discomforts affected my Monday afternoon ride. Okay, maybe 10 miles was a bit much for my first hike! But despite the minor discomforts it was a really great day and I would do it again.

Mountain Biking

With the windy forecast (15-25 mph) it seemed like a good day to ride off-road. Besides, I've been meaning to get out on the mountain bike and swore I would the last time I rode, but road biking got in the way. So I decided I'd do the Trail Spinners 5th Annual Mountain Bike Jamboree at Fair Hill. I'm out of touch with the mountain bike scene and was surprised at how many people I didn't know! I saw Kris Kuss and her boyfriend, and afterwards I ran into Greg Wood. But out the hundreds of people I saw today, that was about it for the ones I knew.

I started out with the intermediate group. I'm an intermediate rider with beginner skills so I knew it wouldn't be long before I was off the back...and I was. I rode a little while with a man who was 10 years older than me, but then he decided to cut it short. I've decided not to get any older. He was somewhat cranky with me when I bobbled and was partially blocking the trail. He told me it was a stupid place for me to stop. I chalked up his crankiness to being old.

So, most of the ride was solo. Not a big deal - the trail was marked. Besides, I'm used to riding solo. It gave me a chance to ride at my pace and not have to worry about holding anyone up or playing catch up. Fair Hill is such a huge place and I had forgotten what a wonderful place it is to ride. I regret not stopping along the way to take some pictures.

I finished up earlier than I expected, so I decided to go back out with one of the beginner groups. Okay, so I'm a beginner rider with begintermediate skills...

Lots of food at the end...well, at least for some. They had such a good turnout they ran out of food about an hour after they started serving! And beer (Dogfish) which I think there was plenty of. And several displays - Wooden Wheels, Eastern Mountain Sports, Garrison's Cyclery.

A fun day!

October 25, 2010 - A Day to Forget...

I suspected something was wrong on Saturday when I got some sort of alert message that someone in Nigeria was using my account and that I should immediately change my password. Without hesitation I jumped to the "change password" link...but hesitated. Was it real? A scam? So, instead I logged out and turned off the computer. Life was good again.

Then Monday morning...I logged into my account, no problem. Answered e-mails, paid a couple of bills. Then, in the middle of a 4-hour meeting...my phone (both work and cell) started to ring off the hook. Am I okay? Where am I? Yikes...sorry, but you are already logged on! So I spent the rest of the day trying to do work AND change passwords to various accounts. Do you think I have a written record of all the different accounts? Of course not! I'm supposed to be "green". And have you ever tried to think of a complicated password using numbers and letters, and oh, some sites don't accept sympbols, when you're under stress and in a hurry? And do you think I remember that password today?

So, it's Tuesday morning...and I'm still in Delaware and on pins and needles. Although the e-mail account has been recovered, I don't feel comfortable. All my contact information is gone, some of my files have been deleted, recent e-mails have been wiped out. Whether Google did that when they recovered my account, I don't know. I think there's more to it than just changing my password.

The one thing I did learn (aside from being very vulnerable) is that I have many friends. A lot more than I knew. People who really care. If it weren't for that, I would have surely lost it yesterday...

Ride to Eat, Eat to Ride

I started this a week ago but got side tracked by a hacker. So here it is a week later and life goes on.

Last Sunday (Oct 25) was White Clay Bicycle Club's Volunteers Brunch at Crabby Dick's in Delaware City. Crabby Dick's is located in what was the Old Canal Inn which was built in 1826 and served as a hotel for rich travelers. It sits at the end of Clinton Street overlooking the Delaware and is the oldest building in Delaware City.

Each year the club honors those who volunteer to help - either lead rides/tours, help on one of the major rides, or serve as a member of the executive committee. Since I led 3 tours this year, I qualified. I'm not sure of the exact count but there had to be 40-50 people. We had a room all to ourselves...and with good reason...have you ever been in a room full of sweaty cyclists??

Since Delaware City is only 4 miles from my house, I rode over to Newark to meet one of the other groups heading to the brunch. I needed to ride a few more miles to justify eating more food at the brunch than I would normally consume in week!

It was the usual brunch stuff - eggs, bacon, waffles, fruit, etc., and I made sure my plate was never empty, however, I don't quite have the bottomless pit that some of the riders have! While waiting for everyone to finish, I wondered around the restaurant. It wasn't very full at the time, most likely because the after church crowd wasn't there yet...or perhaps they got a whiff of a bunch of sweaty cyclists and decided to go elsewhere. I wondered into the bar...and there he was! Our eyes met - it was meant to be! This guy literally lost his head over me! Can't wait until next year when we meet again!!

Reality Check, Part 2

Well, John got a job offer - part time, $10/hr, no benefits. This means he'll have to take a 2nd part time job to bring him up to almost half of what he was making. The really sad part is he has to take the job. You don't get a choice. The way the system is set up, you can't turn down a job offer and still collect unemployment with the hopes of something better coming along. If you are "able to work" you have to take it. Otherwise, you lose the unemployment. No wonder the world is screwed up...

I guess we shouldn't complain.

Riding with the Governor

I'm not a political person and I probably shouldn't admit this, but I'm not even registered to vote. Last time I voted, I voted for Nixon...and we all know how that ended up. But that's another story and another time.

But I'm not going to pass up a bike ride on a perfect Fall day, and especially when it involves riding with Governor Jack Markell. I understand the ride started back when he was State Treasurer, and the ride covered the whole state over several days. But I don't think he gets to ride as often as he did before or as often as he'd like, so the ride was shortened to a 50-miler. The major of Delaware City, Mayor John Martin, who I found out is also a cyclist offered his city as a starting point. The only one missing from the mix was Senator Dave Sokola who has been busy campaigning, but he did show at the beginning to wish us well.

There had to be 30-40 people who showed! The weather was near perfect despite a chilly start and a pesky wind that picked up later in the day. It was quite a site to see the long string of cyclists on the road . I wonder how many cars that were delayed a few seconds before getting around us - and I'm certain were pissed off because of the delay - realized who they were passing!

We had a brief stop in Middletown and a second stop at Coleman's tree farm on Rt. 9, where we were treated to fruit, cookies, and subs. We finished the ride climbing back over the canal on the Reedy Point Bridge. What an outstanding day!

Savage vs Granogue

Today is WCBC's Savage Century. I'm missing it this year using John's layoff as the excuse. I don't like the ride to begin with, never have. Been riding it off and on since the late 80's. Didn't like it then, don't like it now. When I have ridden it I swear I'd never ride it again. So I'm glad I have a valid excuse this time.

This weekend is also the cyclocross race at Granogue. It's a 2-day affair this year, and it's also a UCI race. A request came out for people who would be willing to put up a rider for the weekend and we volunteered. I figured we wouldn't get anyone because we're 35-40 minutes away from the course. But almost instantly I was contacted by Nathan Wyatt. I was curious who this guy was and I looked him up on the usacycling.org site. He's a cat 1 elite rider, a young guy, 28 yrs old. He probably didn't realize he'd be staying with his "parents" for the weekend! What I really found interesting is he lives in the Asheville, NC, area. And why do I find this interesting? I lived in that general area many moons ago. His parents are both riders, and his father also races.

Just getting on the Granogue property is worth the trip. It is private land, owned, and still lived on, by the DuPont family. The entrance is very unassuming and under normal circumstances, you could ride right by it and not even realize. But once you turn into the driveway, the landscape is incredible. You can look in any direction and all you see is land. No big developments, no city skyline. It's a different world. You can feel the money.

We hung out for a couple of laps of Nathan's race before heading back to the real world.

The Saga Continues...

Revisiting the black and yellow garden spider who decided my garden was perfect for a summer home, I discovered the egg sack the other day after I cut down some spent flowers. Okay, so what do I do with it? Obviously she had no idea her work would eventually be exposed to the elements. Not really wanting to destroy it, I laid it on the ground, but unfortunately(??) I don't think it will survive, especially after getting soaked in yesterday's rain.

It's rather large in size - maybe slightly smaller than a ping pong ball - but then she was a big spider. I remember reading it would produce thousands of spiderettes...I can see why.

Reality Check

John applied for unemployment compensation and was approved to receive $330/week for 26 weeks. And $330/week is the MAXIMUM amount you can receive in Delaware! And of course, that's before taxes. This sheds a different light on my wants and needs. It makes me reconsider, re-evaluate whether that "need" isn't really a "want" in disguise.

BAD NEWS...

John lost his job this week. Laid off. Something we never thought would happen. I know times are tough, but surely there were other solutions. Cut his hours? Cut his pay? But not, he was laid off. He's a great mechanic, probably one of the best in the area. Hard working, too. He's never late, never calls in sick or otherwise. Has shown up for work during snowy conditions when most others stay home. Gets phone calls from people who have a mechanical question or problem and they know John can solve it. Certainly he's an asset to any company. But apparently not.

I have over 40 years with DuPont. I learned 20 years ago that it really doesn't matter whether you do a good job or not. It doesn't matter whether you're dedicated. It's all about cutting costs. And if it means getting rid of someone just because they cost you more, then so be it.

Things happen for a reason. Maybe it doesn't seem good or fair at the time, but I'm optimistic there's a good reason behind all of this. So now both of us have been put to the test whether we'll survive or not. I think we will, but only time will tell.

Touring

Last week (Sep 18-24) I spent 7 days without a car, traveling only by bicycle with 5 of my friends. We covered over 560 miles and almost 34,000 vf of climb. We went through Gettysburg and Antietam battlefields, crossed South Mountain (the hard way!), and rode 30 miles of Skyline Drive. No car. No sag wagon to carry my stuff. Just me and my stuff on my bike.

I got into touring about 5 years ago. Touring was one of those things I said I would "never" do. Why would I want to spend all day on the bike sightseeing, travel at a leisurely pace (figure 10 mph including stops), carry my own stuff, and rely completely on the bike (and my legs and lungs) to get me to the next location. But I tried it, and well, it's fun, different, challenging, relaxing. I've seen places I didn't know existed. There's something exhilarating, challenging about tackling a 5-6 mile climb with sections at 19% grade, carrying 20-25 lbs of stuff, and using gearing just slightly lower than I would normally ride (39x29 vs 39x25). There's something fun, spontaneous about stopping in a small town along the way and enjoying a fresh-baked and still warm raspberry scone.

And it's a nice feeling to know that I could live without a car (I hate driving anyway) if I had to.

The day after I returned home, I easily slid back into my normal routine, went out for a short ride with 2 friends, and once again, realized how lucky I am.

2010 SPECIAL OLYMPICS DELAWARE

Yesterday, September 11, was the Special Olympics cycling event held at Dover AFB. Last time it was held at that location was before 9-11-01 so it was pretty special to be able to hold it there again.

This was an excellent venue. The weather was picture perfect but like most locations below the canal, there was some wind. Since I did a couple of the TTs held there back in the late 80s, most likely I had been on the road where this event was being held.

There were several volunteers from the cycling community: James Ambagis, Sen. Dave, Kristi Marinelli and her hubby and his son, Chris McCunney, and me. And of course, Amy Wise, Mark's better half! And lots of volunteers from the AFB. Since it was the anniversary of 9-11, security was pretty tight.

Several of us were assigned as escorts to the athletes out on the out and back course. Our job was to make sure everyone stayed on course, "enforce" the yellow line rule, and stick with those who needed a little more encouragement.

The athletes are amazing! They have a good time at it and are very competitive with each other.

I also had the opportunity to see the REAL Mark Wise. He's not the man we imagine from his e-mails. And I'll probably get in trouble for this, but he really has a softer side! He is truly dedicated and has a real passion for his job with SODE and the people he works with and supports. Unless you see it first hand, it's hard to describe.

Overall, a wonderful day!

More photos at: http://picasaweb.google.com/waddelne/2010SpecialOlympicsDelawareCycling#

Okay, guys. When we're cranky, don't mess with us!!

I went out this afternoon to check on Ms. Spider. She was there yesterday...but today she's gone and all that remains is a very dead male!

Changing Seasons

I joined Facebook this week. I don't have a clue what to do or why I did it, but I think over time, it will become part of my routine, maybe even more than e-mail. I think it will connect me closer to people from my past and closer to my family. So, now I can go around and ask people if they're on FB and send them a request, or vice versa, to be friends.

I was listening to music from the 60s on the way to work this morning and was somewhat sorry that I would be missing my high school reunion this weekend. I'm not sure why I have this sudden urge to connect with people from my past but I do. Maybe it's an age thing. It's actually a multi-year reunion (68-69-70). I graduated from a small school in the western part of North Carolina. There were maybe 600-700 students total for all the grades, with around 125 in my graduating class (1969). By the 20th reunion (I didn't attend that one either), which seemed like only yesterday, approximately 20% of them were already dead. Not exactly good statistics. Which brings me back to FB. Seems some of my former classmates are on FB, so it probably was time for me to get with the program.

The mornings have been cooler and it's getting dark earlier. This is a definite sign...the seasons are changing. Life is still good.

Garden Residents

It's that time of the year when the garden is winding down and I start the tiresome task of cleaning it up. So, Saturday I was out there trimming and cutting and ripping out...when I spotted the mother of all spiders. It's called a black and yellow garden spider. Supposedly harmless but 100% scary. This is the female; she's probably +3" inches (her body alone is about 1.5"). Harmless I keep telling myself. She doesn't sleep from what I read. She'll eat the male if she's in a cranky mood. And she'll die after she lays eggs, which I understand are thousands. When I spot those egg sacks, which I understand are close to an inch in size...well, I think you can guess what will happen to them...

Playing the Ponies

Today was an interesting day! A couple of years ago Lorie's daughter, Kyra, got into riding ponies. This really cut into Lorie's bike riding time. So last year, Lorie got into it, although I understand she did this when she was young like Kyra. And now, her son Jake is into it. So, today, I rode my bike over to Fair Hill where all of them were in a horse show. I don't know a thing about it, but (sorry, Lorie) it's sort of like watching water boil. There's different categories and classes and age groups, etc. They walk around in a big fenced in circle, then turn around and walk the other way. There are people in the middle who are the judges. Some classes are a walk-trot-jog. From what I gather the difference between trot and jog is whether it's Western or English, with English being the trot which is faster than the jog. Some are just walking, and some are walking but being led. They go in one direction, then reverse it. Then after 5-10 minutes they stop and the judges add up the scores and award ribbons the the top finishers. It seemed the bigger the field, the deeper the ribbons go. Jake's event was a walking but led event and he came in second. Kyra and Lorie were in a walk-trot-jog event but neither placed. There were probably 10-12 horses/ponies in their event so lots of competition.

I can't say that I could become interested in this (although admittedly, I looked at the possibility of another wardrobe, especially the sparkly Western garb!) but I wouldn't mind going for a ride sometime.

MR. FROG

People collect some interesting things when they ride. Some collect medals, some collect coins or cash prizes. I collect stuffed animals. It began several years ago when I was doing a short ride on a cold and rainy day. And there on the road was beanie baby-type tiger. It was wet and dirty and looked like maybe a car might have driven over it. I put it in my pocket, and when I got home I tossed him in the washer. Good as new! Next was a black and white penguin with yellow feet. I found a royal blue pug on my way to the Savage one year. Hated the idea of carrying it, but I wasn't willing to let it go. Then I found a Super Mario doll about 3-4" high, which I gave to Mario Nappa in WCBC. It still hangs on his saddle bag. I even found a small white baby blanket with a white puppy that's part of the blanket. I found that on top of the St. Georges Bridge. I found Woody from Toy Story on old Rt. 896 on my way home from a Barksdale Ride. I noticed him on the other side of the street on the way over. Luckily he was still there on my way home. I also found a squeeze-toy type giraffe that squeaks when you squeeze it. I keep all these toys on my desk at work. You just never know when I'll need something to cheer me up.

I was supposed to ride with Mark, Amy and Karen Smith out of GB this morning. But Karen got called in to work at the last minute. So, I decided I'd head out for a ride below the canal. The plan was to head west into the wind so I could have a tailwind on the return. I was just outside Cecilton and the wind was really zipping me along. I saw something green in the road up ahead. It sort of looked like a glove so I didn't stop. But at the last minute I decided to turn around and check it out. And there was Mr. Frog. I would guess he had been out there for a while judging from the dirt. I gave him a "bath" in the washer hoping he'd get clean...but he is a frog.

2010 Shore Fire

One of White Clay Bicycle Club's better rides is their Shore Fire Century. I think this was the 12th running of it. I don't ride it every year, but there's only a few years I've missed. This year saw a record crowd - over 850 people!

I rode with a great group yesterday that included a few of the regulars on the Saturday ride as well as a few I normally don't see but once a year and a few we picked up along the way (I really hate that...). We had a group of 13: Wim, Sen. Dave, DC Dave, Rich, Jamie, Jeff, Tom, Deep Blue Brad, UD Ben, Deep Blue Jay, recumbent guy, yellow jersey Fred, me. Wim was a work horse for the first 38 miles with sitting on the front in a very Wise-like fashion. He got us to Hartley in 1:45. Wim had a plane to catch so he couldn't stay for the full century. But he set the tone for the rest of the ride. In my usual Queen B style, I cracked the whip and kept the stops to a minimum 5 minutes. We kept the pace moderate and steady with everyone contributing to the effort (yes, even I took a few pulls!). In the end we manage a 5-1/2 hr century and that included 3 very short stops AND a flat tire! Awesome ride, outstanding group.

St. Georges Bridge Celebration

When in moved to Delaware in 1970, I remember driving to Rehoboth and crossing the St. Georges Brige. It was a narrow two-lane, 60+ mph, bumper to bumper, white knuckled crossing. In the early-90s they built the Roth Bridge which decreased the traffic on the St. Georges Bridge to basically those who were too cheap to pay the toll or those who lived in the immediate area of the bridge. I would use it on weekends to cross the canal. Traffic was lighter, less tractor-trailers but still a somewhat scary crossing due to the narrow lanes and no shoulder. This year they decided to close one of the lanes and dedicate it to bicycle traffic!

On Thursday August 26 Governor Jack Markell as well as a few other political people and many cyclists in the area joined in a celebration crossing of the bridge.

This really happened because some key people were involved including quite a few people from White Clay Bicycle Club. I think there's a lot of cyclists who don't realize how much WCBC does for them. It also helps that the Governor is a cyclist!

PEFA

I really like watching the birds in my backyard. I have 4 feeders going year round, plus a birdbath that's heated during the winter. I have lots of flowers that attract hummingbirds. And despite having no trees, several birds will nest in the bigger bushes I have. In the winter, it's not unusual to have the resident sharp-shinned hawk visit the "buffet" in my back yard.

Back in April I got hooked watching the webcam of the peregrine falcons (aka PEFA to the seasoned birder) that were in the nestbox on top of the Brandywine Building. I would checked on them several times a day. It was so exciting see 1-2-3-4 eggs. Sitting on the nest became a 24-7 routine shared by both the male and female. Then one day I noticed she seemed to be away from the eggs quite a bit. I learned from an inquiry that the male had disappeared, most likely he was killed. So, many of us watched and waited...and eventually the eggs were removed. It was so sad. The good news was she found a potential new mate so there's some optimism for 2011.

Then in early June I was out riding my bike one very early Sunday morning. I headed down Rt. 9, then worked my way back over to the St. Georges Bridge to use the newly striped bike lanes. The bike lanes are great, especially since this bridge is less than a mile from my house. When I was approaching the top, I heard the sound of a couple of birds overhead. They seemed rather panicked. I stopped at the top and there they were - 2 birds circling and squawking at me. Now, for whatever strange reason, I had decided to bring my camera along with me. Maybe because it was brand new and I wanted to try it out? So, I got out the camera and took a couple of shots. The birds continued to circle and squawk, then finally landed on top of the bridge...still squawking. They "escorted" me halfway down.

When I got home I downloaded the photos, and hmmm, they looked an awful lot like the PEFA's I had been watching in the nest box. So, I contacted the guy involved with the web cam...and sure enough, it was a pair! There are PEFA's currently nesting on both Reedy and Summit but they weren't aware of any nests on St. Georges!! Really exciting news!! The sad news was when DNREC went out to observe...they found a dead falcon, most likely hit by a car. The "good" news in that was it was an unbanded bird, so again, a bird they were unaware of which led back to some optimism despite the loss of the bird.

Fast forward to yesterday. I got an e-mail from the US Fish and Wildlife - wow, this really went pretty far!! Turns out the USFW biologist studied the dead falcon and it turns out it was a juvenile! So that more or less confirms there was a nest on the bridge and the squawking parents were protecting their young from the big bad cyclist!

Queen of Draft

Most people who know me, know I am the queen of draft. It is a skill I work on every chance I get. Don't get me wrong, I want to come away from a ride feeling like I've ridden, but given the opportunity I'm going to find a smooth steady wheel to sit behind. So, for the second Sunday in a row, I've had the pleasure and opportunity to ride with Mark and Amy Wise. Last Sunday (Aug 15), there were 5 of us for 75 miles, with Jamie on Amy's wheel, Sen. Dave on Mark's, and me tucked smartly in the "sweet spot". Yesterday (Aug 22) it was Mark, Amy and me, and Fergie for about 10 miles. They planned to do 100, but I think between the looming t-storms/rain, and the small turnout, they dropped it back to 85. I dug pretty deep to hang on to the two of them. First half of the ride was dry and into a headwind; second half was a wet tailwind. At least the temps were around 80. In the end I begged them to leave me at the bottom of Reedy and let me die a slow death by myself. But no, they tortured me by slowing down to my speed. I've never had kids but I described the ride as giving birth. Incredibly painful during the event, but once it's over, you've forgotten all about the pain. As Billy V would say, another one in the bank.

Our Cats

We have the most beautiful cats, but then I think all cats are beautiful.

Domino, our only male cat, will greet John at the door when he comes home from work. He'll jump around and meow loudly until John walks through the door. He is an ocicat of a rare color (ebony). Ocicats are a beautiful spotted breed, friendly and very athletic.

Abby and Katie are sisters and are also ocicats. They were devoted to each other when we first got them, but now they ignore each other, sparking an occasional hiss. Abby is the friendly, sweet one. Katie is distant.

Molly, the oldest of the bunch, doesn't play nice with the others so we keep her secluded when we not home. Domino torments her. She keeps her distance from Abby. But Katie, she attacks Katie. They're nasty, messy attacks that always require massive clean-up afterwards. I think Katie reminds Molly of our beloved Phoebe who used to attack her viciously. Molly was a stray we found in the bushes near where we live. She is very affectionate when she doesn't have to share.

I can't imagine life without a couple of cats running around the house.

2010 Garden

My garden has been very successful this year despite the drought conditions. I've had a bumper crop of tomatoes, potatoes and cucumbers. I'm waiting until the fall to pick my sweet potatoes, but I'm optimistic they will do well. I also had some early season lettuce and my onions were successful, too.

I have this short list of incredible women riders who I am lucky enough to know. All of them are what I call good riders. Not because they are/were incredibly strong and fast, but because they don't talk about it, they just do it. You won't hear any of them brag about their accomplishments because they don't have to. They're willing to hang back with a weaker rider because they don't have to prove anything. They are my role models, my mentors.

Lorie Struzik
Kris Kuss
Cass King
Katie Compton
Jane (Eickhoff) Becker
Amy Wise
Katrina Dowidchuk
Betty Tyrell

Lots of people I know have blogs. I've wondered what it would be like, so when I turned 59 on July 11, it seemed like a good time to start one. My birthday was an awesome day that started with a 6am bike ride. I like riding that early because it's peaceful, relaxing and you're done early. But wait! I hear my name being called! I look up and there's Amy, Kat, Karen, Jeff, and Karem ready to ride! It's 6am and I can't believe there are others who want to ride that early! So, I join their group for what was labeled as an "easy" couple of hours which was actually 75 miles at a 19+ average. Easy is relative. Fortunately they let me do what I do best and that's sit in! I can't think of a better way to celebrate a birthday!