Morning weigh-in: 175.5#, 12.5% BF
Not much to say. All quiet on the Linux front (NVIDIA servers were cranky last nite so I didn't download the new driver software), stopped by T's to exchange her bent wheel with a loaner from me, and her bike (a Wal-Mart Mongoose) has 24" wheels -- WTF? Riding the towpath tonight, maybe WB (again) for dinner, maybe not.
It's official: I just mailed my entry for the Wilderness 101. Gulp!
Morning weigh-in: 174.5%, 12.5% BF
The heat must have finally got them going: yesterday and today the cicadas were extremely loud near work.
Rode yesterday on my own, did the Hellertown loop but started late so I skipped the Morvale Road "Hill Climb of Death" -- the ride was hilly enough even without it. Funny though, and I can't say whether I'd attribute it to my new gearing or some newfound climbing strength, but this ride doesn't seem so hellishly tough anymore.
Got home, did more laundry including my Camelback, went to laundromat to dry it and had a late dinner at Which Brew -- busted! Theresa was there: I didn't tell her I was going & she didn't tell me, like that commercial where the couple breaks their date (each claiming sickness or something), and then they accidentally meet at a nightclub... To be perfectly honest, I think the "interpersonal compatibility index" between us isn't all that high.
Oh well.
On the Linux front: still messing with NVIDIA & the new kernel, still unsuccessful.
Morning weigh-in: 174.5#, 7% BF (WTF?)
Went to that Democratic meetup last night, but it was kind of lame, everyone seemed tired.
Came home, did more laundry and recompiled the kernel -- this time I got all the bugs out of my procedure; the installation was actually easy once you know how to do it right. Should have read the HOWTO before starting...
Unfortunately, something went wrong with the next step, video card installation. I thought I totally lost everything for a minute, but reconfigured X to think I had just a generic monitor, and I was back in business, sort of. Now I have sound, but the 3D graphics accelerator has vanished -- no GL, thus no cool games for a while.
Tonight I may run through the process one more time, make a new kernel but modularize it a lot more than I did, then try again with the Nvidia driver install. I'm supposed to do an offroad group ride from Eric's, but it looks like it's becoming a big production ("bring lights," BBQ afterward) and I have things to do, like drying my clothes (otherwise I'll literally have nothing to wear tomorrow), food shopping, and fiddling with the 'puter. I think I'll just do the "benchmark ride" on my own after work.
PS Happy Birthday Dad!!
Morning weigh-in: 175.5#, 11.5% BF
Got up this morning to watch the Transit of Venus, but my "light from pinhole in one paper plate shines onto the other paper plate" method of viewing left a lot to be desired. (I'll get another chance in eight years, so I have time to find a more effective viewing method.) There are some great shots here, though. This is especially interesting to me right now, since I'm in the middle of Mason & Dixon, whose main events are bracketed by the celebrated Transits of 1761 & 1769.
Ride: I rode at the burg last night. Myself, Rich B, Greg P and Kathy S (who was hurting, suffering from allergies/asthma worse even than mine, and in the throes of a medication change). We took it pretty slow, and I skipped out at 7:45. A nice ride, but the place was a little muddy. Actually, a lot muddy. Ran into Rob L and his wife Sarah, both wearing Campbell's Soup jerseys. Rob broke his collarbone racing a few weeks ago, and was riding one-handed -- the animal!
Dinner: was Mug Club Night at Which Brew. I met Brian there, also Theresa. Brian was a little miffed when I told him about T, wouldn't come over to meet her. She also seemed a little distant or preoccupied...
Computer: I think I have it (Nvidia vs my system upgrade) figured out, but I haven't done anything about it yet. I must recompile the kernel once more anyway, I may do that tonight when I get home, before running back out.
Tonight: I'll be going to the Democratic Meetup at Wegmans.
Morning weigh-in: 174#, 11.5% BF
Saturday night I had dinner with T at Which Brew, then went home and studied the situation with the new kernel. My strategy: delete the image I made already, recompile with new configuration (specifically: I neglected to allow for RAM disks last time), use something called mkinitrd, and set up LILO read the image file thus created. (I really think I ought to take a look at this. When all else fails, read the directions.) I got the kernel recompiled, modules done etc, then Sunday morning I installed the new modules and ran mkinitrd, but I was also going for a century ride so I had to put it aside for a while...
The ride: we started from Greg's house around 10:00 AM, and Greg (uncharacteristically) opted for a less structured ride. Myself, Greg, Joe C, Doug, Brian, Bob W and his friend Chris from the Bulldogs. It was a pretty decent ride, lots of fun and at a pretty fast pace even if it ddn't feel that way most of the time. Brian dropped out before we did Blue Mountain, and Doug & I left a little after that (we ended up with 82 miles), while the crew continued, looping around back roads in the Slate Belt to get up to their 100-mile quota. We had a little lunch/dinner afterward at Gregs, burgers etc.
When I got home, I tried my new kernel, but it failed to start the X server (I think I have to deal with Nvidia 3rd-party modules), and I was too tired to do anything about it...
no morning weigh in, ahhhh...
Rode the towpath yesterday, ran into Joe and Cindy, riding with Talley their dog. I totally did not expect them, but they say they ride there almost weekly now; I guess this is a good substitute for Cindy's "real singletrack" fix until her neck situation is resolved. We met at the Bethlehem Boat Club boat launch, and I turned around & rode with them to the baseball field, then back towards Bethlehem on the singletrack, parts of which I never rode on before last night, though I have jogged the entire thing. We got to Freemansburg before I decided I'd better head home.
During the ride I had a later Mozilla version downloading (v1.7, release candidate whatever); when I got back the connection was broken but the (13 MB) download had already completed, luckily. I then re-connected and started downloading the latest 2.4 kernel (2.4.26, another 30 MB), showered and went over to T's for a bite to eat, a few Sierra Nevada Pale Ales and some Raiders of the Lost Ark on her new TV. I got home around 12:30 and found that the kernel download was fine as well...
When I got up this morning I blew off the gym, instead installing the new Mozilla (it went just fine, though some of my favorite themes are now obsolete), and the new kernel (it went not-so-fine). Make xconfig, make dep, make bzImage, make modules, make modules_install, yadda yadda, put new image in boot directory, upgraded lilo.conf, rebooted and -- got a kernel panic. More fiddling with lilo didn't help, so I may start over from source.
Morning weigh-in: 175.5#, 10.5% BF
Looks like tomorrow will be a washout, which means our plan to ride Blue Marsh on Sunday may have to be modified -- the place gets pretty soggy, and we planned to do two laps, or fifty miles. Greg M suggested a road century instead, hmmmm...
Meantime, there's tonight on the towpath, then probably WB for dinner (unless that 15DollarLime.org thing is happening tonight) -- then maybe over to Porter's Pub to see Duende? I'll have to give T a call, see what she's up to.
Worked late yesterday, then stopped at Merrill Creek on the way home and hiked for about an hour. More people than usual there, I didn't have the place to myself this time but it was still nice.
Morning weigh-in: 175#, 10.5% BF
The "Wednesday Night Roadie Geek" ride last night was a little rough: we were caught in thunderstorms (which of course started when we did), taking shelter on the side of the local vo-tech during the worst of it and then riding in the rain for about a half hour. (Not really that bad, actually, once the body started cranking out the watts.) After that the weather cleared up, though the roads were wet. There were several "open grate" metal bridges which were scary slippery -- and on the last and biggest one, Greg M took a spill at speed. Knocked the wind out of himself, got bounced around and scraped up but was able to finish the ride. A little BBQ and beer at Brian's and everything was OK.
Not much time for reading or the computer lately. I get in a page or two each in Henry Adams and Mason & Dixon, at breakfast, just before bed etc. Read half of One Man's Meat at a sitting, will let that sit for a while, at least until after M&D.
Morning weigh-in (Tuesday): 177#, 11% BF
Morning weigh-in (Wednesday): 176.5#, 10.5% BF
When I saw my trainer Dawn on Saturday, I gave her the wedding presents I bought: two Camelbacks. She and her fiancee were leaving to get married in Florida the next day, then honeymooning in St. Lucia or somewhere like that -- not the regular hotel/casino/restaurant part of the island, but some eco-resort section, nestled in the mountains that I expect she'll make her new husband climb...
She was also talking about her sister, who is a bear-control officer for New Jersey. They have a more work than ever, and a smaller budget (and staff) to do it with so they're relying on volunteers; Dawn does this occasionally, and has shown me photos of her holding bear cubs etc. I asked her to put in a good word for me, see if I'd be allowed to help one day and she said sure, though it means taking a vacation day to do it. All right!
I got an email on Monday from my Mom, saying my grandmother was not feeling too well. Her eyesight is not too good anymore, and her hearing is getting worse, and she feels cut off from the world, especially her family, who live all over. I thought it would be a good idea to write her a letter, including photos, telling her about my latest vacation. Turned out it's 16 pages, so I haven't sent it yet until I get postage figured out, but it was pretty easy to make so I think I might write a few more, maybe take pictures so I have something to send her.
Anyway, last night I went to Which Brew for Ed's birthday. Ed is reasonably regular at the WB (also a Virtual Pubster), and a good friend of T, who called me to meet her there. I worked late, then hiked at Merrill Creek on the way home to check on my friends the cicadas, and only got the message at maybe 9:00. Things were winding down by the time I arrived, but it was still pretty nice. I was starving, so I had dinner there, sure didn't bother to play "catch up" with the revelers.
Morning weigh-in: 174#, 10% BF
Memorial Day, 2004. Um... rode a hard ride at Allamuchy yesterday, then had a little BBQ at the Workmans. Saturday was close to the usual "selfish day" except I hit the Quadrant. I went in to get a half pound of coffee, then I got a cup to go, then I ordered food and sat down with my cup, then I saw two books to buy...Picked up the autobiographical The Education of Henry Adams, and One Man's Meat by E.B. White.
Today will be low key if at all possible. Maybe a little food shopping, house cleaning; there are thunderstorms supposedly on the way.
Morning weigh-in: 177#, 14% BF
Saw T again last nite, feel a lot better for it. I stopped by her house Tuesday & hung out for a while, but felt ...stupid... last night I grabbed dinner at Which Brew, where I met her & we really "clicked" again. It didn't hurt that she was in possession of anti-Bush propaganda that she made & printed (nice job, too) -- she just reads Michael Savage because she thinks he's funny. Phew! Also saw that guy Rathi there, with his wife whose name I always forget, plus some others. Dinner itself was an appetizer of "tuna bites" (very rare pieces of seasoned tuna steak), and a bowl of chili. Their chili has less cumin in it lately, which I miss but the beans are a whole lot better.
Since I worked late (until 7:00) I went home past Merrill Creek Reservoir and stopped in for a quick hike. (I did the same thing on Tuesday.) The cicadas are a little behind schedule there, compared to the woods near work: no song, mostly just nymphs crawling around. The woods are full of them, it sounds like rain as they crawl through the leaves. I guess they can't see too well, and head for any tall tree-like thing to climb and pupate (or whatever). If I got close to some and stood still, they would take me for a tree; I got one or two to climb onto my boots, before looking around and realizing I was the center of a slowly converging circle of creepy crawlies... The deer there are pretty tame too, just placidly watching as you walk by, literally within yards of them.
Tonight I'll be hitting the towpath, then uh, back to WB where Duende will be playing.
Morning weigh-in: 174.5#, 11.5% BF
Wow! Fast ride last night. The usual Wednesday night crew (Doug, Brian, Joe C, Eric, Greg M, Greg P, Pete H and yours truly), only we rode from Doug's house. He had a seriously hilly route figured out: through Lehigh & up South Mountain, then on roads near my "Hellertown ride" route. Since I forgot my Camelback (I usually wear it, full of tools/food/parts/clothes, plus 100 oz water, even on the road) I was traveling light, and was extremely competitive even with the fastest riders, especially on the uphills. The weather was a little cool, and we were all really pushing, so things moved very fast. I still can't believe how fast we were going, and how good I felt doing it.
Afterwards was a cold-cut supper at Doug's, also good times. Lori told us she did her usual ride with Judy & Donna at the 'burg, and (as usual) saw the VMB crowd -- she said they saw Joe & Dave on the ride...
On the bedstand: I'm rereading Mason & Dixon, and enjoying it even more than usual. I can't believe my friends (those who tried it) didn't like it.
Morning weigh-in: 177.5#, 12.5% BF
(looks like I've re-inflated from the long ride)
Finished Uzumaki last night: it was OK but not spectacular, really just a collection of weird (well OK, stupid, for the most part) horror stories set in a remote Japanese village, all of which involve spirals.
Dinner: lemon-poppy baked tofu, sauerkraut, & rice. Kickass!
Hell just froze over, since I seem to be dating someone, or I'm on the verge of a relationship, or... something... She has four cats, a dog, and a copy of Savage Nation though, so I'm not too sanguine about long-term prospects but I like her and (much more important) I think she likes me...
Tonight is a road ride, this time from Doug's but once again it promises to be a suffer-fest.
Morning weigh-in: 175.5#, 12.5% BF
A good ride last night at Jacobsburg, nice and easy. Scattered thunderstorms were blowing through the area, so there was hardly anyone there, and of the Chain Gang only Brian, Rich B and myself. We chanced a ride anyway though, and lucked out with perfect weather even if the trails were wet in places (probably from the night before). Later on I grabbed dinner at Porters while laundry dried. Excellent food: blackened tuna w/ pineapple-orange salsa, plus string beans in an orange glaze, & rice. Tonight is a "rest nite," working late.
Just finished Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything, which was really good but dragged right at the end, and am now reading Uzumaki, a "graphic novel" about a small town possessed by the idea of the spiral. So far it's neither good nor bad, just wierd.
Morning weigh-in: 173#, 12.5% BF
...but it's a good kind of hurt!
Rode yesterday with Doug, we did a metric century on the mountain bikes: from my house to Coffee Works downtown for breakfast, then to Jacobsburg (via Bushkill Creek trail and a few roads), where we rode with a few friends who happened to also be there; from there we took the road, past Nazareth Speedway, down to South Mountain Park at Lehigh, before heading back to Easton via the towpath. A total of 63 miles: 15 at the 'burg, 6 at Lehigh, maybe 12 offroad on the towpath, and the remainder on paved surfaces of one kind or another. It was a hot day, and a long hard ride, and we were spent by the end of it.
Doug & Lori invited me over for a casual post-ride dinner, but Eric & Kris had an impromptu BBQ so we cleaned up, hit Wegmans for some supplies and met Lori over there. The usual suspects: Greg & Judy and Janna & Eric, as well as myself, the Riglers & the Pinkertons. Very pleasant. Lori's birthday is Tuesday, so we had a little cake.
Some catching up:
Friday was also a tough ride: a road loop from Jacobsburg, maybe 2 hours long and brutally fast. Very big crowd too, "slow" & "fast" rides both had about 10 people each. After that they all went ot Cannons while I went to the Which Brew Party.
Saturday I mostly slept, except for going in to work for a few hours, and a little 'puter play -- my Tux Racer skillz have really gone south, ditto SameGnome -- but my bills are done, & I now have one of my fave vacation shots as background and it's beautiful.
Morning weigh-in: 176.5#, 12.5% BF
Well here it is Friday again... a quick recap: Tuesday I worked extra late, then had dinner at Which Brew... Wednesday was the Chain Gang meeting... yesterday I rode the towpath, where I met Doug. We then ran into Judy M & her friend, who were hanging out at Sand Island after leading that "First Strides" women's running clinic. Judy was showing her vacation pics from the Islands, which was way cool -- I'd told Greg I'd go crazy on a trip like that, but it looked really fun in the pictures -- but that broke my time budget and I really had to haul ass to get back to Easton before dark. Dinner was a bowl of chili at Which Brew, and a snifter of Legacy Euphoria.
Tonight I'll be meeting a bunch of people at Jacobsburg, for a road ride with Janna. She's moving to Hawaii soon (poor thing), and I think this is the start of the farewell. They're all going to Cannon's for dinner, then to see some band (the Joes?), but tonight is the Mugger's Ball at -- you guessed it -- Which Brew. Mug Club & investors only, closed to the public, should be good.
I think I'm detecting a pattern to my life.
Morning weigh-in: 177#, 11.5% BF
I'm running out of things to say again, so I think things'll quiet down here (again) for a while...
Rode last night at the 'Burg with Curt, and Greg & Judy. Luckily everyone was agreeable to the idea of "easy, social ride" -- I was hurting! -- but then G&J just got back from a sailing vacation, and Curt was on a singlespeed and also on his second ride of the year, or so he claimed.
I'll have to remember this, dinner was excellent, and really quick/easy: lemon-poppy baked tofu (pre-baked of course!), rice, and saurkraut, and a salad. I grated some ginger onto canned peaches, and sprinkled it with cinnamon & sage, then put it in the fridge to save for dessert but forgot about it. Oh well, it'll be there tonight.
Ran this morning, but just got in one mile before peristalsis reared its ugly head and I cut things short ... went in to work an hour early, will probably stay 2 hours late. Sigh.
UPDATE: This is my 100th post.
Morning weigh-in: 177#, 14% BF
The weekend: Friday was dinner at Which Brew ("Meet the Brewer Night" with Legacy Brewing), Saturday was drycleaning/coffeeshop/run/gym/work, then bike prep and finally Which Brew again for dinner; I wasn't feeling up to snuff, so I split early.
Yesterday we (me, Doug, Brian, Rich B, Joe C, and Bob) went up to Fell Mountain (aka Merli-Sarnoski Park) outside Carbondale. That place is just awesome, and even though we all agreed it really isn't that far away (no worse than French Creek or Blue Marsh), I'm kind of glad it's too far to get regular visits: it's a small park, and I don't want to see it become boring from overuse. Hard technical riding too, it's good to have some recovery between trips...
I'm not sure who can make it tonight, but I'm going to Jacobsburg for the Monday night "recovery ride," hopefully it'll live up to its name and be easy.
Morning weigh-in: 176.5#, 12.5% BF
Not much to say.
Yesterday I worked until 7:00, then went home & played with the computer (first non-thunderstorm day this week); dinner was tuna & wilted greens over fettucine after 10:00 PM. Today I came in at 7:00 AM, tomorrow I'll be working a half day. I could say "CHA-CHING!" but in reality it's just starting to piss me off...
Tonight I'll be riding the towpath, then probably hitting the WB or best offer if anything else turns up. Tomorrow some friends and I may get together for dinner somewhere in Hackettstown.
Morning weigh-in: 175.0#, 14.5% BF
I left work "early" (ie at the proper time) yesterday, and finally hooked up with the Wednesday night road ride crew (Joe & Cindy C, Brian, Doug, and Scott S) despite threatening thunderstorms. They start/finish at Joe & Cindy's house, and wind all around the backroads just south of Blue Mountain (Jacobsburg to Point Phillip, rolling terrain). Many of these guys spent the winter hammering this ride on their fixed-gear bikes, and use it as a hard training ride; they also sprint to township line signs for points, and push each other pretty hard generally.
Needless to say, it was a fast ride. We did about 33 miles or so in about two hours; Doug & Brian both got average speeds of 17.3 MPH, which for this course was fast. I held my own, though I didn't bother even trying to win the sprints (just grabbed the last wheel & held on until things slowed down again), but by the end I was totally used up -- I felt like death for about a half hour after we finished.
J & C had an impromptu barbeque after the ride, dogs, burgers, beans, beer and chips.
No running this morning, and tonight I'll be working late.
