25,000th VISITOR TOUCHES DOWN…

At 2:19 a.m. on May 22, 2012, the 25,000th visitor to Zeke’s Great Smokies Two Wheeled Adventures dropped in for a short visit. The reader, who is unidentified by name, came from a Verizon connection out of Los Angeles. He or she was using Google Reader. About the only other thing I can glean from my statistics is that they were 2,059 miles away…

So, although there were no falling confetti (I’m guessing) at visitor number 25,000’s home or whistles or marching bands playing, please accept my thanks for stopping by and visiting. My thanks extends to the 24,999 visits before this one as well!

I am reminded of a time when a young man, who had just celebrated his 5th year of marriage, asked me what I thought about it. I first congratulated him and then advised him that “it was a darn good start!” Similarly, I’m aware that 25,000 visits are a good start toward that 50,000 benchmark!

Until later,

- Zeke

BIKE WEEK AND A BAD BACK COME TOGETHER!

May 21, 1944.. From the daily diary kept by S.Sgt. G.C. Watts, while stationed in Italy during WWII… “Up at 8:00: 9:00 my work. 10 go to Sanqevera (sp?) at 11:35 a.m. for food for the boys of another mobile unit going after P-38 wings up to front. Have best supper, (ice cream top.) Bombing practice on field.”

 

Between multiple Bike Week activities and a back injury sustained during a lapse in judgment, I’ve not posted here in a period of time that surprised me. Since my last post, I’ve relearned the fact that wisdom doesn’t always come with age…

(Yep, had our own feline (of sorts) rider at Bike To Work Day!)

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…

YES!!!! THEY ARE COMING!

I’m pleased to formerly announce that Russ Roca and Laura Crawford, those world famous cyclists known as The Path Less Pedaled, have agreed to join the 3rd Annual Blue Ridge Breakaway sponsored by the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce!

(Russ Roca and Laura Crawford taking a break on their travels!)

We are excited to have them join us on August 17th and August 18th in beautiful…

THE FAMILY THAT CYCLES TOGETHER…

April 29, 1944 From the daily diary kept by S.Sgt. G.C. Watts, while stationed in Italy during WWII… “Work on 2 props – Most of  day. Plane on landing gets n prop wash and crashes into another P38. Go up in flames. I photo it..”

Blackberry Winter has apparently now come and gone and we’re back to summer like temperatures here in the mountains of Western North Carolina. It has been quite a weather roller coaster the last week with severe storms interrupting our most recent Thursday night ride.

(l – r Tom, Ashley, Yvette Hart make riding a family matter!)

Our Thursday night “new and newly returning” cyclists group rides have gone well thus far…

A GREAT SATURDAY TO RIDE!

April 14, 1944 From the daily diary kept by S.Sgt. G.C. Watts, while stationed in Italy during WWII… “Lecture on Mosquito control. We are starting taking medicine tomorrow. Dark nites now good for invasion. Beautiful days too.”

Our first intermediate level ride of the year was held this morning. The Navigator and I enjoyed our first cups of morning coffee as the sun made its way over Mount Pisgah displaying clear skies. The morning temperatures reflected our current warming trend as they hovered in the upper 40’s. It looked to be a great morning for a ride!

 

(What is missing from this photo? Answer below…)

LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL!

April 13, 1944 From the daily diary kept by S.Sgt. G.C. Watts, while stationed in Italy during WWII… “We got 3 new planes in for repair. One shot up completely. Bill and I develop 7 rolls of films but no printing paper .”

The week has been busy since our return from the Low Country of S.C. On the cycling front, I participated in the Haywood Community College Spring Fling on the 11th. Along with fellow Council member, Claire Carleton, we attempted to survey HCC students on their interest in having the multi-modal connector developed between campus and the Town of Clyde.

(HCC students complete survey regarding multi-modal path.)

Dogwood Winter was in full force on the very clear, very cool day…

WRAPPING IT UP IN THE LOW COUNTRY…

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)

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…

A RIDE DOWN MEMORY LANE

March 20, 1944 From the daily diary kept by S.Sgt. G.C. Watts, while stationed in Italy during WWII… “P-38 downed by flack in the battery up on he Adriatic Sea-side on a Spit-Fire field. Mobile unit goes after it. M/Sgt. Seaver and I are going up North tomorrow (Mobile unit No 2 in Southern Italy).”

 

(Fargo at the East Little Fork Trailhead)

Yesterday, while out enjoying mild summer in springtime here in Western North Carolina, I was treated to an unexpected trip down memory lane. We’ve seemingly skipped winter this year as we’ve enjoyed mostly mild temperatures and no more than a dusting of snowfall at my home in southern Haywood County. We’re already experiencing daytime temperatures in the mid to upper 70’s under blue skies with fluffy white clouds. Yesterday was yet another day in a stretch of several very, very nice days. As my riding time has been suffering thus far this year, it was the perfect day to…