I've Got Something To Say

And that is, that this guy makes me laugh. Out loud.

Adding A Little Color To The Play-By-Play

Morning weigh-in: 181#, 11% BF (stupid Taco Bell!)

Not much to say, was going to add some affect to the previous post, which seemed somewhat flat emotionally. Instead, I'll just say: I was very glad (relieved, more like) to get back to the gym, and I've been messing around with the tar program lately, among other things. Didn't seem like the kind of thing you could delve into, but it's pretty deep if you want it to be...

Dropped off the car last night, then hit physical therapy, then home to eat healthy (baked stuffed tofu, saurkraut & a big salad) and finish the laundry -- then came the midnight chalupas, dang...

And It Was Good

Morning weigh-in: 177#, 12.5% BF

Fairly mellow weekend, to wit:

Friday night I walked downtown to Which Brew, had a small dinner plus some Allagash white, good time but I was home by midnight -- considering my pedestrian status, I must have left pretty early even though the band (Midnight Shift) was rocking.

Saturday started with the car-rental rigamarole (actually it started with some very-early-morning computer tomfoolery), then came the gym, Nature's Way, and Genesis Bicycles, and then I went down to my parents for a pre-Thanksgiving dinner. Pretty nice, saw my brother & his family, as well as Mom & Dad & my uncle Pat. The drive home was the Carnival of Stupid though, many, many idiots out on the roads, doing foolish and dangerous things.

Sunday was a ride at Allamuchy: me, Brian, Bob, Greg, and Bob's friend Jim. We went about 14 miles, took about four hours all told, serious technical trails. Karen skipped out of studying long enough to get in a short ride of her own; she met us at the trailhead to join us for lunch. Once I got home, it was time for the typical "Sunday Nap And Laundry" regimen.

In The Clutch

Morning weigh-in: 178#, 11.5% BF

Clutch seems like it's been been slipping on the Subaru lately, and last night on the way home it was unmistakeable and pretty severe. Scary drive home too, plenty o' hills between here & there, as well as everywhere else around here... Anyway, will bring it in on Tuesday. Got a ride in this morning, will rent a car tomorrow morning to get me through the next few days.

Meantime, check this out: videos of the last living Tasmanian Tigers. Kind of sad (link via Pharyngula).

Hail To The Chief, Baby

Morning weigh-in: 178.5#, 5.5% BF

Well, I'm now the President of the Chain Gang, as of last night's election. My campaign speech was "well, it's not like I want to be president, it's that I no longer not want to be president," and with that I was swept into power. So what will the theme be for my administration, my major policy initiatives, what I hope for as a legacy? Uh....

Cheese! Cheeeeeeese!

Morning weigh-in: 179#, 13% BF

Skipped the weights yesterday, legs still felt a bit whooped. Played on the computer instead, then went to Which Brew for dinner; I had a "mini-me" salad (tomatoes & sliced mozzerella on a bed of greens) and a white pizza (ricotta, mozzerella, et cetera), washed down with a coupla Number Nines. Saw Scott and Pete (of course, of course), Megan & her dad, and Joe M, and also Fred & Lara. I think I prefer Tuesday nights there to any other, even if it's low-key and an early night.

Anyway, tonight is the Chain Gang meeting at Brian's house: pizza on the menu.

Creepiest. Ride. Ever.

Morning weigh-in: 177.5#, 11.5% BF

Went out for a ride along the towpath last night, didn't get started until about 9:00 and managed to thoroughly scare the shit out of myself, with the help of some little urchins and a few wild animals...

Going along the sewerline right-of-way from Iron Street to the start of Riverside Park, you go under the 25th Street Bridge, just after passing the orphanage, or boys home or whatever. About two years ago the orphanage built an annex across from the park and paved the path, and the kids use it to get from one facility to another. Well last night a few of them must have seen me coming, hid by the bridge and jumped out -- "Boo!" -- just as I went past. Friggin' miscreants, like I don't have enough to worry about with real hoodlums, I nearly jumped out of my skin... I'll admit it was pretty funny though, I laughed too, once I got myself a little further down the trail.

Anyway, rode to Sand Island, expecting to see those "real hoodlums" near the b'ball court, but it was quiet and an unmarked cop was parked at the Ice House. Turn around and head home, and by the way I saw more wildlife on this ride (out and back) than I did in all North Carolina, but on the way home I seems that the critters were deliberately messing with me. Crashing in the woods all around, eyes peering at me in the dark, then all of a sudden I hear a a faint but terrible screaming off to my left (at the time I thought it was birds or cats, but now I think something may have killed a rabbit). It made the hair stand up all over my body, and added a few MPH to my average, just as I was hitting the only bumpy part of the ride... Bam Bam Bam, and the battery for my new $400 lighting system pops off and bounces away into the dark. I really, really didn't want to stop, but I was sure not leaving it there. Took about 5 minutes to find, another five to reconnect, all while critters (deer, most likely) were moving around by the canal, like trying to sneak away, and accidentally crashing into/through the underbrush.

Got out of Dodge ASAP after that, ran into many more critters: rabbits, feral cats near the old dump, and one little mouse scurrying along the Palmer bike path. Full moon, I tell ya.

I Yam What I Yam

Took this test, not sure if these results really represent me, maybe should have read the questions more carefully... too late to fix it now though, time for a ride!

Haymaker

You are one of life’s enjoyers, determined to get the most you can out of your brief spell on Earth. Probably what first attracted you to atheism was the prospect of liberation from the Ten Commandments, few of which are compatible with a life of pleasure. You play hard and work quite hard, have a strong sense of loyalty and a relaxed but consistent approach to your philosophy.


You can’t see the point of abstract principles and probably wouldn’t lay down your life for a concept though you might for a friend. Something of a champagne humanist, you admire George Bernard Shaw for his cheerful agnosticism and pursuit of sensual rewards and your Hollywood hero is Marlon Brando, who was beautiful, irascible and aimed for goodness in his own tortured way.


Sometimes you might be tempted to allow your own pleasures to take precedence over your ethics. But everyone is striving for that elusive balance between the good and the happy life. You’d probably open another bottle and say there’s no contest.

What kind of humanist are you? Click here to find out.

That Old Familiar Ache

Morning weigh-in: 179#, 13.5% BF

Got the bike back Friday, rode Friday night on the towpath, very tough -- I felt like I was pushing as hard as I could, but my pace was waaaay slow. Didn't actually leave the house until 8:45 (dinner, chores), rode until 10:50, ridiculous amount of time for me. After that was a trip to Which Brew.

Saturday I ran some errands, hit Coffee Works, then went to the gym of the first time in a while. Did a leg workout: seemed I was only in the gym doing my thing for a short time, but it exhausted me (of what little energy I had) for the rest of the weekend. Forgot about that, happens every time with leg workouts. Hamstrings, the only part of my legs that aren't conditioned by cycling, are still sore/tight.

Saturday night was the George Hrab show, preceded by dinner at the Tally-Ho & followed by drinks at the Station House. Good times, but the evening was later than I intended (though it seemed to be ending prematurely), as I had to get up early. Slept like the dead.

Sunday I got up early & exhausted (damn leg workout) and went to the Deer Park trailwork session. We were supposed to build bridges/walkways, but the park didn't show up with the wood so instead we did a ride... buncha fast guys plus me, ouchie. Came home, napped during laundry, then cleaned the house. And now it's today!

The Autumn Of Our Discontent

Morning weigh-in: 181#, 12% BF

Things, and people, seem out-of-sorts lately, and I'm not just saying that because I'm wearing old-man stretch-pants today...

A Play

ASPIRING JUVENILE DELINQUENT: Uh-oh, here comes Old Man Stretchpants!
OLD MAN STRETCHPANTS: Hey, you kids! Get off my lawn!

...local scenes just seem to be coming apart.

Anyway, dropped off the Turner yesterday after work to get new pivots installed. The last time I did it, it was a total pain in the butt, so this time I brought it in to Bike King -- and Ron was halfway done with the job before I even left. I guess that's the difference between a professional and an amateur... I left the bike there instead of waiting though, because I had to race from Clinton to Wind Gap for physical therapy. Get there, typical circus (in the fun sense as well as the crazy chaos sense), then home to check the 'puter before going to Which Brew for dinner. First time there since the Halloween Party, pretty cool but I still got that "end of an era" feeling there as well.

Well, tonight I'll hit the towpath, tomorrow I'll go to the gym & then to the George Hrab record release party/concert (at the Ice House, dinner beforehand at Brew Works), Sunday I'll do some trail maintenance, it'll be just like old times.

UPDATE: Le Bobo smackdown, yo.

Odds & Ends

Morning weigh-in (Wednesday): 178.5#, 9% BF
Morning weigh-in (Thursday): 179.5#, 12.5% BF

RIP Ken Whalen: Dude in my high school class, tough-guy athlete -- baseball, maybe? and "tough guy" in the "flannel-shirt crowd rather than Izods" sense) -- decent guy though I don't think we ever exchanged more than two words even back in school. Nodding acquaintance, I'd see him at the Yorktowne Inn on occasion, last time being probably 10 years ago. He was driving on the GS Parkway the other day, another car hit his pickup and both crashed: he was ejected from his pickup and died at the hospital. My friend "Henry" (Kevin) called and told me; his mother worked with Ken. Here is an article about the crash.

It's kind of funny, I was just thinking the other day that I was in the lucky "not many people I know are dying" years, too old for teenage misadventure and not yet seeing the effects of age.

Fighting Through The Blockage

Morning weigh-in (Monday): 177.5#, 10.5% BF
Morning weigh-in (Tuesday): 179#, 87% BF (uh-oh)

I've got a lot to say about Nantahala I'm sure, but right now nothing's coming so I'll just keep to the normal routine, talk about my day... Not much to say there either: physical therapy was canceled yesterday (they had staff shortages), so I went straight home and played with the computer, then caught 2nd & 3rd quarters at Porters. Tonight I'll be cooking/eating in, then riding the towpath.

Back In The Valley

I'm back. Great time, more on that later...First thing I did when I got home was check my email -- how pathetic is that? (Don't answer!) Good night.

Weekend's Over, Vacation Starts

Morning weigh-in: 176.5#, 11% BF

A quick recap of this rather eventful past weekend:

Friday night was my Halloween night ride, with Mary, Rob & Sarah, and Roger. This, frankly, was a disappointment --none of the people I was hoping to come showed up, and the riders who were there (with the exception of Rob and Sarah) were not up for much anyway... I was also hoping to maybe stop in at a pub or two, like the very strange Fuglees, but (with the possible exception of Roger, who I don't know) everyone on the ride were vegans and teetotalers, very clean-living. Oh well. I went out afterward, caught some blues at Which Brew.

Saturday I brought my car in for an oil change at Revelation, then walked downtown to Coffee Works. On the way home I window shopped, stopped in to Utopia. Haven't been there in years, but it's still the same: bongs, bizarre knives/swords and incense up front, really nice furniture in the back.

Saturday night was the Which Brew Halloween Party. I went as a baby on its mother's back, but my costume wasn't as funny or convenient (or well-made) as it appeared on the box. So, out came the inflatble parts and the party roared on. Greg & Judy, Joe & Cindy, Doug & Lori, Eric and myself from the Chain Gang were there, and I saw plenty of other people -- basically, everyone who hangs out at Which Brew was there. Good time, but we didn't have a designated driver or a rented van this year, so things were a little more constrained. I was probably home (even after a visit to Taco Hell) by 1:00.

Sunday was the Lehigh Alumni Ride, alumni as in "veterans of the Lehigh trails," not university alumni. We were to meet at noon at South Mountain Park, but I showed up at 11:00 because I forgot to "fall back" with the clocks, so I retreated into Bethlehem, hung out at a coffee shop for another hour... Huge turnout, great ride with BBQ afterward. The infamous Bernie was there, guy who built the trail system up there way back when (he had help), and who is just now recovering from a broken neck and punctured lung suffered in a crash back in summer. One tough customer...

I posted pictures last night on Flickr, you can find the Halloween shots here and the Alumni Ride shots here. There's also a few from the Halloween ride posted. Check 'em out.

I'll be gone for the rest of the week, riding down in NC, leaving tonight for a mid-morning arrival hopefully. More on this after it happens, tune in next week...

Happy Scotchtoberfest!

Morning weigh-in: 175#, 9% BF

Busy evening yesterday: home to change, then to Wind Gap for physical therapy. Grabbed some Subway on the way home, ate, did chores, 'puter, then went for a ride around 10:00 last night. Short one, just a loop around the bikepath, trying out the bike and lights etc. Anxious few minutes getting all my winter nightriding stuff together & functioning, which is why the ride started so late. Back by 11:20, I played with computer some more & went to bed at 1:00 AM.

Finally, Going Riding!

Morning weigh-in: 175.5#, 8% BF

Went out and got my Halloween costume last night, what a friggin' nightmare but now it's over and done. No clues or spoilers, you'll have to wait for the Halloween party (or to see pictures here) to find out what it is... I was there (at the Party Store in Phillipsburg) from a little after 7:00 until about 9:00, so I blew off riding last night to play with the computer and finish Never Mind the Pollacks. Dinner was a meatball sub from the deli up the street.

I'm taking next week off. Today at lunch I booked several days at the Nantahala Outdoor Center in western North Carolina; car goes into the shop Friday/Saturday to get ready (oil change).

Tonight I have physical therapy, then I will hit the towpath, make sure new lights, chain/ring/cassette and cables/housing are all good before Friday night's ride, and Saturday's, and Sunday's, and next week's...

Getting My Act Together

Morning weigh-in: 177#, 12% BF

I put the new middle ring on the Turner last night, also greased the pivots (I think I'll need a new pivot kit, as well as replacement bearing inserts for the shock); did that while laundry was washing, then hit Which Brew for dinner while it was drying. Moussaka, washed down with Magic Hat Number 9.

Jump on it: For some reason I also decided to restart my web server last night, then I see today that Apache just now reached 50 million website users -- I wonder if it was me? Probably not, no one else can see my server.

Just Waiting for FitzMas

Morning weigh-in: 177.5#, 10.5% BF

Nothing much to say here, busy playing with computer & photos last night, instead of doing laundry/bike/housework, as you know...

(Re)Reading: Never Mind the Pollacks by Neal Pollack. Laugh-out-loud funny.

Some Photos From "Close The Loop" Day

Sals: Dave and John Address the Troops
Originally uploaded by donXfive.

I posted a bunch of photos from Sunday's trailwork at Sals, you can check them out here.Enjoy!

Of course, I bought the new chainring I need for the bike, so I should be putting that on (as well as re-greasing the pivots), and I have laundry that needs doing, and then there's the issue of dinner (as in, not eaten or even cooked) -- thus I sat down at the computer when I got home, been fiddling here ever since.

Reporting In From Weekend Duty

Morning weigh-in: 177.5#, 12% BF (weight-gain weekend)

Friday night: I went on the Haunted Tour of Easton. Pretty cool, got to check out that "cemetery in the basement" in a local church; most of the rest of the tour was stories of hangings, Civil War history stuff, and goth-style vampires running around spouting "Diamond Dogs" quotes (I kid you not). Worked for me! Right after that I went over to Which Brew, where most of the volunteer cast, and a good chunk of the tour-goers, had already assembled. The Skulldiggers were playing, Heath and Hans were there as well as Mike & Carole, Brian came out, and they had Red Nectar on tap...

Saturday was sort of my selfish day, only different. Coffee Works was closed, so I went to the Quadrant, waited there for a call from Joe G: his girlfriend had grabbed some tickets to the Lehigh Valley Brewfest at the State Theater, and we'd be going to the noon-3:00 PM session. This was quite the beer snob's heaven, all sorts of local breweries with samples of their best beers... they filled up two floors at the State Theater, awesome scene -- though I ran into a friend at the Quadrant, who was going to the 5:00 session and he commented that the early one would be all the "sniff the brew and guess the hops" types, all the partiers would be at the later session with him. He was pretty much right, but I had plans for the evening.

Saturday night was Greg and Judy's "Island Party." They, with Eric & Kris, submitted a short video and won a sailing vacation, got filmed for a promotional movie; this was the premiere for their friends of that movie. Cool film, great party.

Sunday was "Close The Loop Day" at Sals: we finished the main trails there and marked them, so now there are several loops that can be ridden... then we rode them. Still finding issues on the bike, leftovers from All-A-Muchy that I must deal with.