The Navigator and I are currently encamped in the north Georgia woods at Fort Mountain State Park for the Memorial Day Weekend. This is our first trip in close to two years. There are a number of firsts on this trip.
One of the more notable firsts is that we are on our first camping trip without …
Day 3 of our 2012 Low Country “Rest and Recharge” week was comprised of some serious lollygaggin’ on the part of me and the Woodman. We achieved a fine state of Lollygag. The Woodman was told many years ago that the type of riding we were doing today was known as lollygagin’. This outstanding form of riding is characterized by slow, pretty much aimless movement with no apparent need for speed or need to be anywhere else than where we are at that exact moment.
"(Lollygaggin’ on a sunny Monday on Hilton Head, SC)
Turns out that when you go about seeking some serious lollygaggin’ or find yourself in a state of Lollygag…
| May 7, 1944 From the daily diary kept by S.Sgt. G.C. Watts, while stationed in Italy during WWII… “My birthday! Work too. Over 100 – 38’s are in air by 9:00 a.m. Escort Y Squadron. 2 return on 1 engine. Cloudy tonight and hot. Looks like rain.” |
Today, I spoke with Russ Roca and Laura Crawford of The Path Less Pedaled fame. We had our first face-to-face conversation about their upcoming participation in the 3rd Annual Blue Ridge Breakaway sponsored by the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce…
We are in the final day of our week long annual trip to the Low Country of South Carolina and specifically Folly Beach. This is our 10th year of the gathering of the Magic Circle in Folly and the fourth year since I found my “rock bottom” of fitness while here lounging around one day “bowling” on a video game. Since then, much has changed and yet much has stayed the same…
(Sparky White image of beautiful Ravenel Bridge, Charleston, SC)
(End of day – Palm Sunday, Folly Beach, SC)
Rain, miserable driving conditions, dangerous idiot drivers, wrecks, speed up, slow down, She-crab soup, sun breaking through, smooth Atlantic waters, crowds, more crowds, Bro Dave, leg loosening spin, double parking, young adults, public urination, the smell of Shrimp Boil in the air, Chef Richard at his best, Lyle Lovett easing the way…
Yep, a very exciting announcement is on the horizon. I can say that it is connected to the third Annual Blue Ridge Breakaway. I can say that it relates to cycling advocacy and cycling tourism. I can say that it involves speakers of national and now international renown.
What I can’t say – just yet – is………
| February 29, 1944 From the daily diary kept by S.Sgt. G.C. Watts, while stationed in Italy during WWII… “Yes, there was an entry for Feb 29th, 1944, which must have also been a leap year! Work with 94 squadron (Harkin-Ring) until noon. A mission so I come back to our squadron area. White wash all walls of barn and everyone is painting their rooms up “American” .” |
It seems like forever since I’ve posted and, in fact, this may well be the longest time I’ve gone without a post since starting this blog some 3 years ago. I’ve found myself in a funk recently – a funk that I can relate to “too many irons in the fire”, a dying pet, housing decisions to make, wet weather, etc., etc., etc. All of which are just excuses for not getting out and riding and finding…
| February 17, 1944 From the daily diary kept by S.Sgt. G.C. Watts, while stationed in Italy during WWII… “Beautiful day – Red line instruments in P-38 # 13 that had been replaced after being shot out. Plane ready to fly again. 5 planes are almost finished by 94th Squadron..” |
We look to have a nice day headed our way this Friday, February 17th but expecting deteriorating conditions by Saturday evening. I’m hoping to get in a ride tomorrow morning to further document part of our Haywood Hub for cue sheet production.
In the meantime, I’m beginning (I think) to see the impact of higher gas prices…
| February 7, 1944 From the daily diary kept by S.Sgt. G.C. Watts, while stationed in Naples, Italy during WWII… “Snow & Rain – Many tents down. We don’t do much work because of coldness. (damn this weather) Bad on beachhead – No planes in air…” |
(Oliver “Babe” Yount, Yokosuka, Japan Feb, 1, 1946)
February 7th is/was an important day in the Yount family life. Had our father survived his colon cancer and not succumbed to some other malady, he would be 88 years old today. As was my father-in-law, S.Sgt. G.C. Watts, Oliver “Babe” Yount was…
| January 15, 1944 From the daily diary kept by S.Sgt. G.C. Watts, while stationed in Naples, Italy during WWII… “Work all day – Last nite one other flier broke his leg. Put some electric lites in my tent. – Still use a candle to write by…” |
What a January workout plan I had. Note emphasis on “had”. You can file it under “Well, that didn’t last long…” But more on that later…
The last couple of weeks have been busy and the coming week isn’t showing any signs of letting up. Starting tonight, with the monthly meeting of the …
I’m finally emerging from a multi-day fog of chemical induced surrealistic life experiences. The past few days have been a great roller coaster ride in which shadows and shapes shifted in and out of my Robitussin, Alka Seltzer, cough drop, infused existence.
When last I felt this way, I was soothed/tortured with a cycling reality involving some interesting characters…
From myself and the Navigator, please accept our best wishes for a Joyous and Merry Christmas and a Happy Hanukkah. We hope that your lives are blessed in many, many ways in 2012!
My fellow rider, Paul Casper, has been busy as shown by this photo of his hand built wooden bike!
(Beautiful wooden bike contains multiple types of wood)
I knew that Paul was a talented photographer but I didn’t know that he was a talented wood-worker. Click on the image above to be taken to his photo gallery for close up images of this beauty of a bike…
Some readers will recall that my brother, Dave, had an unfortunate crash a few weeks ago after putting on his new Schwalbe Big Apple tires. The combination of new rubber and moist pavement didn’t work well when he went into a banked, off camber turn. He reported that before he knew it there was no bike under him and his face was bouncing off the pavement, cracking his helmet in the process and lacerating his face by either the helmet attached mirror or his glasses.
(Bro Dave took one on the chin and other places!)
Normally, quite a handsome dude, if I do say so myself, Bro Dave has been treated for his lacerations and fractured wrist and was back on his steed on Sunday..
Thursday past looked to be the last pleasant day for local riding before the cold front accompanied by rain invaded Western North Carolina so it seemed prudent to get out and enjoy it. A late afternoon ride up NC 215 helped work out the cobwebs and stiff muscles associated with little sleep and uncomfortable time spent in chairs in the family waiting room at our local hospital ICU where the Navigator and I spent the early morning hours attending to a family medical emergency. The ride proved to be a perfect antidote to that “stove up” feeling in my bones…
(Enjoying my colorful new Road Fish jersey from our recent trip…)
The ride started amidst a crowded parking lot of Bethel Middle School footballers…
Sunday was my first opportunity to take the Salsa Fargo out and enjoy it in its real element – off-road, loose gravel, steep climbs. The Wood-Man and I headed out to the Sunburst Picnic Area above Lake Logan on NC 215. A Forest Service Road just off the picnic/campground area was our destination. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t what I got…
Well, the first ride on the new Salsa Fargo is in the books and has found its proper place in history. That is probably somewhere between what I ate for lunch yesterday and the current status of my bank account. None of it is earth shaking…
Steamed? You’re dad gum right! Darn tootin’! I was like a cartoon character – steam was billowing out of both ears, which were probably extended out like bull horns. There I was all uptight and in a hurry to get to work and I was running late. As I started up the backside of Ratcliffe Mountain at 8:00 a.m. (well, 8:10 a.m. actually), there it was – in all of its bright orange glory. Cars and trucks, you know - honest hard working people, just trying to get to work – all in a line moving slowly because that self-centered jerk wrapped in his once upon a time neon colored…
Given the headline I’ve chosen, you may have jumped to a conclusion that this post is going to be a rant about drivers and cell phone use. I can understand why you would think that and, a minor element of today’s post just might go somewhere along those lines of thought. But, I think I’m mostly going in a different direction…
Ah, the smell of ink, the roar of the presses, the fever of the deadline – my return to the printed media reached fruition today. I grew up in the newspaper business. I mean I REALLY grew up around newspapers being published. I have pictures going back to age 6 or so when I would go to work with my dad, who was a long time employee of the Mountaineer. I was a fixture around the place running in and out of the press room and ad composition areas…
To make a tax deductible donation to support Appalachian State University Cycling, follow this link:
http://www.give.appstate.edu/.
Posts
All Comments
