I GOT DEM HOUSE BUILDING BLUES!

I’ve been a little crazy lately characterized by bad eating, bad sleeping, and no riding. I can pretty much talk with you coherently about 24” base cabinets, 3 1/2” crown molding, and the proper length of a tail line for a septic system. I’m no longer as up-to-date in the world of cycling as I was and want to be. In fact, I had a dream…

MY PATH LESS PEDALED EXPERIENCE

As I begin this post, I must admit that I’m not sure where it is going or where it will end. I do feel compelled to share my experiences with Russ Roca and Laura Crawford of The Path Less Pedaled fame over the past weekend as they graciously flew across the country to participate in the 3rd Annual Blue Ridge Breakaway.

(Photo by Roca: Outside TTR Bikes as time to depart was upon us.)

There are probably a number of levels upon which to consider the weekend…

WHEW! IT IS DONE…

The 2012 Blue Ridge Breakaway has rolled to a close. The signs are collected and, in the case of Russ Roca and Laura Crawford of The Path Less Pedaled, the wheels are up! As I type Russ and Laura should be winging their way home to Portland.

(Laura Crawford and Russ Roca entertain the Blue Ridge Breakaway participants!)

We said our goodbyes at the Greenville/Spartanburg, SC jetport after a brief stop…

THE TIME IS NIGH!

Finally, the Blue Ridge Breakaway is upon us! The 3rd annual running of the show gets underway in less than 12 hours with the presentation by Russ Roca and Laura Crawford of The Path Less Pedaled fame as they address…

BACK AT IT AGAIN…

When last I heard from myself, the Navigator and I were headed out with the Wood-man and Sherry Shazam for a little battery recharging at nearby Lake Chatuge, which straddles the southwestern North Carolina border with Georgia. Our abode was in Hiawassee on the Georgia side of the lake one street off what passes for the main drag and shopping zone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Twin Mountains on opposite shore)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Red sky at night was a relaxing way to end the day)

The brief two day trip served its purpose of giving us a break in our efforts to get one house ready for sale and the Navigator’s family home…

GONE TO RECHARGE!

Man, are my dogs tired. The Navigator and I are out of here to try and recharge…

I’VE LOST IT… HAVE YOU SEEN IT?

As I headed home last night from our weekly “new and newly returning” riders group ride, it dawned on me that I’ve lost it. I’m not exactly sure when or where I lost it but, I’m pretty sure it is gone. Small things began to come together that helped me realize it was lost. I mean I’ve had this nagging “just below the surface” irritating pull on my conscious thought for sometime. I just couldn’t name it. I may have named it last night…

HELP ZEKE RIDE AGAIN!

(Warning! Shameful self-promoting plea ahead!) Yes, it is true. I need your help. You see my riding time has been down significantly over the past few weeks. I can tell this without looking at my fabulously detailed Excel spreadsheet in which I gather data on virtually every ride I take. I can tell my riding time is down each morning when I go to pull on my pants – one leg at a time. I can tell my riding time is down when I try to suck in the gut enough to get that middle button through the button hole and wander around the house just long enough (defined as approximately 5 minutes) to realize the cotton is NOT going to stretch enough for these pants to be comfortable for 8 hours. I can tell my riding time is down when I’m sitting at my computer looking at the weather map when the weekly group ride is starting somewhere else! So, yes, I need your help. How can you help, you say? Well, read on…

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…

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