THERE’S A PRESENCE IN MY HOME!

June 3, 1944.. From the daily diary kept by S.Sgt. G.C. Watts, while stationed in Italy during WWII… “2 planes go out of squadron. Repaired but 2 come back in. one crash landed – other blew tire. Plenty of work.”

 

I’ve been away. It has been 12 days since my last post. The Navigator and I have purchased her family home following the passing of her father this past New Year’s Day. Getting one home ready for market and one home ready to move in to has left me with limited time to write. Yet, much has been happening on the cycling front. Unfortunately, I’m acutely aware of more recently having been “talking the talk but not walking the walk” when it comes to riding…

A SKYPE ENCOUNTER AND THE ZEPHYR ARRIVES!

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…

IN THE LOW COUNTRY AGAIN!

(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…

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS…. IS AMERICAN MADE!

 

Recently, I was having lunch with my friend Il Plummer at the local “bicycle friendly” business Smoky Mountain Café when our conversation turned to ABC network’s ongoing reporting on “Made In America.” I haven’t seen those spots but Il Plummer is the inquisitive type and now that he is retired from his English teaching position, he has lots of time to ponder the situations of the world. He was educating me on the “Buy American” series and recalled that, in one of the earlier shows, ABC reported that if everyone would simply purchase $64.00 per person of products Made in America, we would create 300,000 new jobs….