Ahh yes, another fine weekend! This was the Chain Gang "40th Birthday Bash" trip out to the Laurel Highlands (southeast of Pittsburgh) for Memorial Day Weekend.

We stayed at the Lingonier Country Inn, in Laughlintown PA, not far from Speedgoat, which I'd always assumed was mostly a mail-order retailer, but they also have an awesome store... Our home base (the Inn) was a sort of B&B with a bar -- need I say more? Both of these places get five stars for biker vacations.

In terms of riding: We rode in the Forbes State Forest, just outside of town. I'm not sure how much total mileage is available there, but with some backtracking we did 17 miles on Saturday and 25 on Sunday -- that's the day we got lost. The trails are a good mix of jeep road and sweet singletrack, and when they are labeled "expert" they aren't kidding. The riding was so technical, so "total body workout," that we were wasted by these rides.

...of course, the alcohol might have had something to do with it: when Brian, Matt and I got there about 11:30 Friday, we were worried no one would be up, but we found them all in the bar and going strong. We closed the place at 2:00, so we were nice and fresh for our first ride. Saturday night ended earlier and was much more subdued, but the pain/exhaustion never really went away. Sunday night was the birthday celebration, which sort of split the difference between Friday and Saturday, though there was a fairly long "discussion period" in the bar.

Check out was this morning, and we were on the road by about 11:00, with a side trip to the Flight 93 crash site and temporary memorial.

(Never did make it to Fallingwater.)

Did a little running around last nite, errands/laundry etc etc, managed to stop by Which Brew for dinner (2nd official nite open, looked like a good crowd) & hung out w/ Joe G & his new knee brace. Tonight is the trip out to Laughlintown, to spend the weekend bicycling in the rain, being old and checking out "Fallingwater" (if it's open).

I was probably the last person on earth to do it, but at the semi-insistence of my friends I recently got a cell phone. The reason I got it (hooking up with friends, making and changing plans on the fly, sort of like these smart mobs) hasn't really panned out so far, but I did notice one thing: when I don't have the phone it's a non-issue, I don't feel naked without it or anything, but when I do have it, I feel like the phone legitimizes my presence in whatever place I happen to be, as if I'm some kind of suspicious character but luckily I've got my phone to prove my bona fides. Pretty wierd...

One other observation: I seem more attuned to other people's phones, who has one, what kind they have, what kind of features etc. Usually I'm pretty unaware of most gear, and immune to stereo/car/dicksize "Men's Health Buyers Guide" talk, so maybe this'll pass.

Next up: laundry, then the Chain Gang meeting. Our Memorial Day Birthday Party Trip out to the Laurel Highlands looks like it's going to be less than perfect, weather-wise.

Tonight: towpath (ehh), then WB for a charity event, but I was too late & things were winding down by the time I got there, oh well. Good night for an early bedtime. The new _Harper's_ came today, maybe do some reading.

Pretty nice weekend, I must say! Starting Thursday night: got in a good ride at Jacobsburg, had the place mostly to myself (it looked like rain), until I caught up with Scott & Lance... was riding easy and ran into a few groups, who were working hard & riding slower, so it was a bit of a confidence booster -- especially after Wednesday's super-fast "hanging with the big dogs" butt-whooping...

Friday night was the towpath, a little drizzle but very pleasant. Things are finally lush and green, like *really* green down along the river, it's like riding through Dinosaur Land or something. Met Doug and Lori, rode with them for a while. Which Brew is now up and serving beer (investor appreciation night), so that was Friday evening, followed by a stop at Porters to punch my ticket.

Saturday I blew off the gym and went hiking instead when the day turned nice. I hiked up Mt Tammany at the Water Gap, checked out a couple of game trails once at the top. Very unusual & gratifying sight: there were quite a few younger people out (high school / college), and they looked like they were enjoying themselves, not just dying from the walk. Nitelife: back to Which Brew (mug club nite) to assist Brian in his mug-buying and mug-utilizing duties, then when K-Jo threw us out we absconded to Porters for a bit more.

Sunday was fundraising for PPRAC at the Whitehall Wal-Mart. Kris R, Janna and myself on stationary bikes, Kris & Janna's dads, John Agentis & (later) Brian working the crowd for loose change. I thought it was a pretty good haul, but Kris said it looked a little light compared to other days. Needless to say, a very enlightening experience, crowd-watching-wise. Home, nap, frappucino, then down to Jabbers with Joe G.

Everyone here (at work) is complaining about the crappy weekend, but I've got *my* sore legs & sunburn...

The important part of the day: a post-work road ride from friend Brian's house, with seven other riders. Tree pollen season (or something!) turned me into a total snot factory, & even without "post-nasal issues" it took me a long time to warm up, which was too bad because it was a fast and hard ride, with a crew that likes to sprint for the road signs... I felt really good for the later sections though, and everyone was riding well & flying, a total blast.

Full moon tonight, or close to it, and supposedly a lunar eclipse tomorrow night.

So... how was my day... pretty exciting, went to work, came home, did chores...

On the way home I saw a nasty accident: there was a bike smashed in the middle of the I-78W offramp at Exit 11. Hard to see any other damage but the front wheel was totally taco'ed, plenty of state troopers and an official-looking guy photographing the scene. No sign of anyone hurt or any ambulances.

The bike looked familiar though. I see the rider there all the time, slightly shabby older guy on a beater bike; he passes through that intersection probably every day & I see him there maybe twice a week. I doubt if I'll be seeing much of him for a while.

Of course, I already have plans in place to begin biking to work again, starting next week...

"We have the Papacy, now let us enjoy it." - Leo X (Giovanni de' Medici)

(Ah, something like that...)

Now that I have this thing set up, I can't think of anything to say. Dang.