Tag Archives: bike

My Life

Sputtering happiness…

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Well…I did get out on the bike and got to 2K today….but that’s not really the subject of this one…when I got to the top of the first climb and my water stop, there was a glimpse of the happiness that I’ve been missing…but it was like when your car is wet and you are trying to start it…it wants to start; it almost starts, then it sputters for a few seconds while you work the gas pedal trying to get it to catch, then no matter what you do it just sputters and sputters and then quits with a strange wheezing sound. The next time you try the battery starts to go dead and you feel in your stomach that it’s not going to start. That was my bike ride today…and it is so damn frustrating when you can start to feel the happiness a little but then, when you try to understand and keep it going, it’s just gone and you’re back where you were….and it seems like such a damn fine line that you just can’t get across…

Oh, well…at least I could see across the river for a few seconds….maybe it will come back later….

My Life

August 15th part two…

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Well…I did go out to GH this morning…it is strange to be out on the sand before 9 in the morning and to have the weather be so nice that it was comfortable to go shirtless…well…comfortable for me, not the people who had to look at me…they don’t HAVE to look after all. I had forgotten how much fun the big waves are and was grinning like an idiot trying to body surf some of them…did get some good rides in but I am sore from using a bunch of new muscles. Was on the beach for 3 hours and I think I was in the water for two of them….I just love Lake Michigan and that’s where my ashes will be spread when I croak…at least that’s in the will.

After getting a little scorched, I took the bike off the back of the wreck and rode it into town (what there is of a town) to get a couple of Pronto Pups…fresh made corndogs they sell from this tiny little stand along the channel…used to take the kids there when they were little and they are just the best with a slather of mustard on one side….then back to the car to load up the bike and made a woman really happy giving her my parking spot at the little GH city park that is just a little south of the State park…got out of there at just the right time since the traffic had started to pick up and it’s a pain to slide the clutch in the stop and go getting out of town. I won’t bore you with the rest of the day…well, I’ve probably bored you already but that horse has left the barn…

My Life

June 11, part 2

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Well….it has been kind of a long day but had quite a bit of fun….my daughter and I rode our bikes from out here in the west side of Chicago downtown to the spice shop; the last time they were in GR they brought me some great spices like Jamaican Jerk spice and one called “gateway to the north” which is a maple flavor with some kick to it. I had to buy a big bag of each since I use them on almost everything and it was only about 20 bucks for both and a new one that has lemon and lime flavor. Can’t wait to get home and cook some chicken….

Then we came back here and took the train downtown and saw the end of the Blackhawk’s parade and some fireworks they had on the river on the way to the blues festival at Grant Park. Didn’t stay too long since it was really hot and we were drenched before we even got there. Plus, all the walking used new muscles that now hurt like crazy and I have blisters on my feet even with wearing my running shoes. Oh, well….going out for sushi for dinner in a few minutes and then not much else since we are all kind of worn out. Probably not more later but I promise more after I get home tomorrow evening…it’s going to be manhattans when I get back…

Oh, and I promise some topical outrage or some more life stuff that is not as mundane as I’ve been writing lately…

My Life

June 5th part 2….

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Well….can’t believe how sensitive the shifter is on the bike…about a 16th of an inch of adjustment and it works better than it ever has…yay! Now I need to clean the thing up before I go to Chi-town Thurs to visit my daughter…will probably go down thurs evening and stay until the USA England match is over…coming back Sat night..or not, who knows, I may do what I normally do and that is to get out of dodge as soon as possible.

It has been a somewhat boring day but I did get my bathroom cleaned and the whole place vacuumed; getting ready for the sports car race to start at 2…have some chicken brining for dinner but will have to bake it since the grill is gone…brined chicken is no good on the grill anyway. It kind of feels good to have had a no-drink night last night…have a lot more energy today but that may be the coffee…

I did re-watch Burn Notice this morning…must have been the booze thurs night since it was not bad today…probably should stop
drinking completely for a while and give the liver a rest….at least for this weekend….well…maybe not…

I promise more later about other subjects…you may be getting bored with this stuff..but I wouldn’t know without comments…;-)

My Life

June 3rd

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Well…finally won a week shooting pool last night…but forgot it was Tom’s birthday…just don’t remember anyone’s except my kids and T’s really…but we had fun and I won 11 bucks toward the tab so that was not bad. Feel kind of crappy today but don’t think it’s from yesterday, probably from not sleeping and getting up at 5:30. No plans for the day today except to get back on the bike since it rained all day yesterday….and, I know this is kind of strange, but one of my favorite shows on tv comes back on tonight and I’m really looking forward to the entertainment. More later…

My Life

June 1st

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Well…feel a lot better today…even have some energy so I used it to go out and get a new rear tire for the bike and then try to find a USA jersey for the World Cup….but I don’t know if I want to spend 70 bucks for a shirt that I’ll only use a couple of times..probably not. Just got a call from G and since it is the first workday of the week, she thinks it’s Monday, and we usually go out on Monday…so we may go out for a few. Not too much else to say right now….one thing, taking two days off riding was the right thing to do…had lots of energy in the legs today so yay! What else? Oh, stayed home yesterday since it did storm and just did a complete veg….just the thing it appears….

My Life

May 16th

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Well…it is getting kind of irritating that I can depend on the DSL going out on Friday night and coming back on Sunday morning…but I did get a lot of stuff done yesterday do maybe there is a silver lining. Just watched the F-1 race from Monaco and I don’t like the idea that they moved it from Memorial Day weekend…it was always the coolest race weekend with Monaco, Indy, and the World 600 all on the same day…it used to be wash and wax the car day, too, listening to Indy on the radio..bygone days, I know.

Getting ready to take the bike out as soon as the temp gets up to around 60…going to take a nice long one today but I’m not sure if it’s Pink Floyd for the ride or maybe some Peter Gabriel “Secret World Live”….or Neil Young….hmmmm. More later….

My Life

May 9th

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I had to share the fact that it has been three days with no booze…but you know what the big problem is? I don’t feel any better than I do when I drink. I hope it’s not the fact that I’m getting old…that would irritate the hell out of me. I did get to take the bike out today, but when I went out this morning to get a newspaper, the damn car was covered in ice. Not supposed to happen going into the second week of May.

I’m just crabby today..there has been a lot of that going around…G had the crabbiness Thursday and I think I caught it from her.

That’s about it…more later.

My Life

May 7th

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I hope you remembered that when you see a date in the title, it’s going to be about my life and thoughts…just thought I’d remind you so you don’t get your expectations too high…or have any at all since this is just a guy talking.

That was a fun time last night out at LC with G but I don’t know how long we can sustain the bar tabs that are approaching a hundred bucks. Yep, and just for two people. But we did get a coupon for two free steak dinners for knowing the answer to the question: “What is the make and model of the car from the movie Christine?” I knew it was a Plymouth Fury and was the only one…gave the answer to the bartenders since G and I weren’t playing trivia but were watching the Wings game. Don’t know how good they will be but, in this part of Michigan, free is better than good for most people.

Taking the day off from riding since it’s raining like crazy and I think 22 days in a row is enough…the legs were starting to feel dead and it was making the rides not a lot of fun..

I’m starting to feel better since it’s close to noon and I’m going to watch the Wings game again since I couldn’t hear it last night and I want to hear Ken and Mickey. More later…

My Life

May 4th

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Well…it’s been quite a busy day today, had a lot to do to finish up at g’s then on the bike for a good 15 miles. Looks like a pretty good turnout for the Wings game tonight at OT…I have to stop and pick up the traditional chips and dip…maybe that’s why we’re down 2-0, no chips or dip at the last two. I’m doubling up on the gear tonight, too…have my 2008 conference champions shirt under my Hank shirt…have to try something…we need to get going.

One thing that has happened the past few days that is raising some outrage….when did people stop understanding that a “walk” sign means that pedestrians have the right of way (bike riders, too)? Three times I have almost been run over by people that were either idiots or just not paying attention. Stood the bike on the front wheel to keep them from hitting me. geez….

More about Arizona and how thin skinned the righties are…but that’s for tomorrow…

No…need to deal with the righties now…I find it ironic that all of their politics is based on lies and attacking anyone who disagrees with them…then, when Richard Cohen of the Washington Post calls out Newt for his many failings, (not even a very good attack) they scream that it’s not fair to attack him and that’s all the “liberal, socialist, communists” do…talk about the pot calling the kettle black…I know, a too used metaphor but I think of it as an oldie but a goodie…geez.