week's winding down already?

Morning weigh-in (Wednesday): 175#, 11% BF
Morning weigh-in (Thursday): 175#, 11% BF

Last night was the Chain Gang Time Trial, on an approximately 14.5 mile long, hilly loop from the C's house. Joe & Cindy, Greg, Doug, Eric and myself, and Judy kept the time. I did it in 42.09, for an average of 20.6 mph -- not too shabby, except that I came in 2nd to last...

After that I went to Which Brew. It was Rachel's husband Bill's 50th birthday party -- Rachel was the first bartender at Weyerbacher: pretty girl, super-smart. I met T down there, and I finally wheedled out of her that she was fairly expert at UNIX printing, especially using nroff. I knew there was something I liked about her!

When I got home I signed up for a free account at the Super Dimension Fortress, a public-access UNIX system.

This is probably my last post for a few days, as I'm going to Florida tomorrow morning for my niece's baptism. See you next week!

they call it stormy monday, but tuesday's just as bad

Morning weigh-in: 175#, 11% BF

Rode last night at the 'burg with Brian and Curt. Curt (owner of Curt's Cyclery)was on his Surly singlespeed, similar to the one I plan to buy soon from him; Brian was back on his usual bike after getting his rear hub replaced, and I ... forgot my Camelback. I actually rode pretty good without the extra weight, but I felt naked without it and of course had nothing to drink. Luckily, it was pleasant and cool out, and I grabbed something afterward at the first convenience store I passed on the way home. I'll probably hit the gym tonight, avoid the rainy world outside.

Meantime, books: now that Mason & Dixon is out of the way I can continue in earnest with The Education of Henry Adams, and pick up One Man's Meat where I left off.

Love and Mortality

Just finished Mason & Dixon. Wow. That has probably the most bittersweet ending of any book I know. Gravity's Rainbow is still Pynchon's most brilliant and involved book, but M&D, despite the rollicking, complicated fun along the way, is deeper and sadder and far more beautiful. G'night.

Back From Camping

Morning weigh-in: 177#, 12% BF

Wednesday Night was the Chain Gang meeting. It seems so long ago now...

Thursday: was spent running around, getting ready for camping, then my neighbor's wake (pretty rough: his wife, even though sedated, lost it at one point), then I swung by Theresa's to check out her new car, a Volkswagen diesel station wagon, then "dinner" and drinks at Which Brew -- gotta love vacation!

Friday: I got up to the campsite in Jim Thorpe about noon, met John C and his friends/co-workers Bruce and Mark, set up camp and hit the trails by about 3:00. We rode Psycho Betty's Revenge and Bob's Option, which is only maybe a 6-7 mile loop but fairly technical, then cooled off in the lake. We biked downtown for dinner (and we also grabbed a few beers with Rich B, Greg H and his friend Mike at the Hotel Switzerland) and returned via the Switchback Trail in the dark. I went to bed, but those guys stayed up a little later...

Saturday: We drove to Tamaqua, the new local hotspot, to ride the trails near Bungalow Park. No other Gangsters showed up, but somehow I became "leader" for a pretty big group after Greg H told everyone I knew the trails there... we did the racecourse, then stopped for lunch when we found ourselves back at the park -- and suddenly our picnic tables had at least 40 people hanging out, friends of friends, a "six degrees of we camped with you last year" sort of thing going on. Our plan after lunch was to try and find the big field, a reclaimed stripmine that covered half the mountain, and the trails beyond it on the powerline ridge. Lots of backing and filling, and we finally discovered the powerline but not the trails I wanted; instead, we rode a cool downhill to Tuscarora Lake Park, found a trail around the lake and took a fun road descent back to Tamaqua. A shout-out to the Jersey Action Riders, especially Barb, Mary, Andrea and What's-Her-Name, who kept the ride fun and on course.

We ate in-camp Saturday night, then Mark and Bruce took off for home. John and I paid a nominal visit to the VMB campsite after dinner, but we were both tired and crashed early.

Sunday: John left in the morning, and I packed my stuff up but went for a ride with Rich B, Beth McG, and Joe G (yup); we did the Switchback to Summit Hill, then the Ridge Trail and other singlerack on Pisgah Mtn. When we got back I hopped in the lake, grabbed a burger and hit the road for home.

Dinner was an entire pepperoni pizza, with Gatorade and some Czech beer and Mason & Dixon, followed by an early bedtime.