Jim and Me

Ride Day 5: Our Official Greeter
Originally uploaded by donXfive.

This was at breakfast in Williamsport, at the Williamsport Home (formerly: "The Wiliamsport Home for the Friendless") -- it seemed to be an ordinary nursing home, but maybe they were indigent or whatever...

Jim was our official greeter, the breakfast line started behind him. Everyone basically introduced themselves, made small talk and thanked him for the hospitality, etc. He was in heaven -- sometimes when you're sick you have to fight just to be seen as human.

(I have to point out that not all the residents were happy with our presence, some were downright grumpy that their favorite tables were in use when they came in breakfast..)

James and Me

Don's Memorial
Originally uploaded by hanskneller.

Here's a photo of me at the Young Democrats Club in Williamsport, taken by my friend, fellow PPRACster and flickrite Hans. The guy on the wall behind me is our eleventh President, James K. Polk.

The connection? I do this ride in memory of my friend Mike, who passed away in 2003 (among other people). He served on the nuclear sub USS James K. Polk, and came down with his first bout of lymphoma while in the Navy.

A Little More of the Old Catch-Up

Morning weigh-in (Tuesday): 178.5#, 6% BF (Mug Club Nite Monday)
Morning weigh-in (Wednesday): 176.5, 11% BF
Morning weigh-in (Thursday): 177#, 11% BF

Reading: I picked up sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs the other day, and read it on vacation. The verdict: annoying -- the guy's not nearly as clever as he thinks. Meantime though, I got Babylon's Burning at the same time and also started it on vacation; it's a history of punk from about 1974 through Nirvana (maybe 1992). Big thick meaty book, full of facts, stories, extensive quotes, I'll be enjoying this for a while. (Speaking of annoying, I've also been having a hard time finishing Black Swan Green, it's just getting a little tedious.)

Listening: Patti Smith's 1975 debut Horses. I now have "Land" on CD, and also "Gloria." Sweet!

Rode Tuesday at Sals, saw that I was still not quite recovered... Monday was beginner yoga (hot, and I was the only one who showed up so there was no hiding from the teacher), and Wednesday was the intermediate class, where the teacher "took it easy" but I was still a puddle of sweat.

More PPRAC news: I finished posting my vacation pics onto flickr, you can see all 121 of them in this set. (You can also find a bunch of photos by others in this group photo pool.) Enjoy!

Vacation's Over

Morning weigh-in: 178#, 10% BF

That's pretty good, I didn't gain weight on the trip (and since I had pizza/soda last night the loss was probably more until damage was done).

Believe it or not, I went for a ride yesterday. I felt a little edgy, like I was missing something (and surprisingly, did not feel tired), so I decided to do a towpath ride on the Turner. This meant about an hour or so of long-overdue maintenance first, but I got rolling around 5:30, and met Doug & Lori, as well as Eric & Kris, Eric & Janna, Joe and Cindy and Joe G down at Musikfest. I gave Doug the ribbon I carried on the ride (with the names of two friends who died in the past year), then stuck around for a few songs before bolting.

(I'll probably be doing the Musikfest thing again later in the week.)

Got home, found the boy two houses over using a broom and stepladder to try and get something off my roof -- the girl next door is now attracting the attention of the local boys, including this dork, who threw her flip-flop up there. Out the bedroom window with my own broom, problem solved, then it was time for some pizza on the porch.

...And I'm Back

Got home yesterday. I've basically been resting and doing laundry ever since, though I have posted a few pictures on flickr: check this set for what I've already posted, and stay tuned for more...

The trip was awesome. The rides were tough (especially later in the week), the scenery was beautiful, and the people -- the riders, the support crew, and the people who took care of us in the towns -- were the most wonderful group you could want to be counted among. I've been on an emotional high all week, and when things finally ended I actually felt kind of depressed that it was over.

Watch for ride stories as the week progresses.

One more for the list of heroes: My cousin Ed donated online while I was away. Way to go Ed!