NC BIKE/PED SUMMIT HELD IN ASHEVILLE, NC

Today, February 23, 2011, I was pleased to attend one of the 5 sessions of the N.C. Bike/Ped Summit meetings held around our State. The Summit brought together advocates, business leaders, DOT officials, law enforcement personnel, and various planners to discuss and set goals and strategies for the Department of Transportation for the next 10 years in the State of North Carolina

(Getting to know you… before the start of the day’s session)

The event was held at the Buncombe County Commissioners’ offices in downtown Asheville. Getting there was interesting…

SIGNS OF THE PENDING SPRING SEASON

The unseasonably warm weather that has graciously been visiting the mountains of Western North Carolina has continued into the early part of the work week. I’ve been lucky enough to get in some road riding with both a small group and solo the last couple of days. While out and about, I’ve noted the early signs of the emerging spring season.

Of course, there are those that we all recognize such as the earliest bloomers making themselves known and the return of certain birds. Its about this time of year that the blue bird does his scouting for nests.

(This hearty fellow will soon be looking for a house…)

It is often hard to tell which birds are the harbingers of spring anymore as we seem to have more birds wintering over than happened in my youth. So, we must look to the tried and true signs of spring to know that the season is nearly upon us. One such sign is this…

SMACK DAB INTO A TRAINING RIDE!

We have been blessed, spoiled, ruined by a surge of warm spring –like weather here in the mountain of Western North Carolina. This period has been going on almost a week now. Sunny skies and mid 50’s to lower 60’s weather for daytime temperatures. Most of my cycling buds have been taking full advantage of it by getting out and about on the local roads. My plans yesterday (Wednesday, February 16th) were to carpool to work with the Navigator and then get a good ride home post work. While at lunch, I ran into Wolfpen Andy, who was itching to ride and indicated he would join me…

RIDING IN TWO SEASONS

Today, Sunday February 13th, was the good weather day that yesterday was supposed to have been. A spring-like weekend had been forecast for our area and everyone was all abuzz talking about it on Friday while we waited for the last of the cold air to move on out. A low pressure system moving in from the southwest was supposed to be bringing in temps in the upper 50’s yesterday under blue skies. Well, the blue skies were abundant but my thermometer seemed to hover in the low 40’s. Still, there was hope for today and that hope was well rewarded with today’s great weather. It was riding time…

(Beautiful skies behind Zeke’s Fuji CCR3)

A WINTER PROJECT BECOMES A REALITY

The Haywood Bicycle plan received a nice write up in a local paper on Wednesday, February 9th. The Smoky Mountain News highlighted the effort to bring a formal bicycle plan to our local community. Link to the article by CLICKING HERE!

 

We are very blessed to live in Haywood County, which contains 14 mountain peaks exceeding 6,000 feet in elevation. This one county has more tall peaks within in our considerable border than anywhere else east of the Mississippi. It makes for some outstanding riding with some great climbs. I’ve written about many of them over the past 3 years and most of my climbs are fairly well documents on MapMyRide. The lack of winter riding has left me with plenty of time for thinking and one of those thoughts has now evolved into a project…

NEWS OF HOPE ON MULTIPLE FRONTS!

Zeke the Lab update: Thanks to those folks, who have been kind enough to send words of support and comfort based on yesterday’s post. It is very much appreciated. More hopeful news occurred last evening when our Vet called and said that she could see that the Barium was moving through his system and that had given her reason to be more optimistic. She called back again this morning and reported that she had run more X-Rays late last night and the Barium had reached his colon indicating to her there was not a physical blockage and certainly lends the situation to a more positive outcome. She further reports this morning that his lethargy was gone and he was rehydrated. Looks like the “Old Man” will get to come home tomorrow barring some unforeseen circumstance arising… Again thanks to those who voiced their support and concern!

 

Now to some cycling notes: Today dawned ugly and cold with a light frost on

WAITING FOR THE PHONE TO RING…

 

(Zeke – enjoying the sun at his favorite campsite.)

If you knew me personally or even spent some time near me, you would know that I am generally not regarded as a man of few words. Suffice it to say that my reputation is that I’m rarely at a loss for words. Sometimes, they are on target and others, regrettably, go far astray of their intended points. My siblings and I have lost both of our parents to cancer and, even at those times, I found that words had not abandoned me. The last time I recall begin truly unable to speak was at my wedding 28 years ago. Today is not such a day as I find myself…