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!