So many ideas and thoughts swirl through my head. Yesterday I made two climbs with company that I normally make alone. When the group starts hitting 30 I am simply not able to stay. Art stayed back and we had a good ride … certainly not hard by his standards, but I don’t think he lagged too much … or at least I hope not. Riding hard is an incredible experience and those who are prone to shun suffering - well, why bother? On Prairie Home Companion, Garrison Keeler says nobody tells stories about Sunny Days … I beg to differ – Yesterday was 80 degrees of non-punishing heat and reminded me of the Summers of my youth back East. Yesterday climbing and soaring in an attempt to stay will be episodes I remember for a long time (if this senior pre-Alzheimer’s mind of mine remembers much of anything too much longer). But, he’s right – the pain and the salt crust at the edge of your eyes – the legs that have only a mile left in them 5 miles from home and the realization that one’s bike is much better than its rider – but together not even the increasing hostility of drivers can destroy what is, in your mind, a perfect day doing what one really not only enjoys but “is.” Later, I napped and read from a book my friend gave me – “Confederates in the Attic.” It is a book I wish I had written. I have experienced the book many times, more recently. The book attempts to understand the Civil War and America and the South in terms of thought, thoughtful emotion, sectional insanity and historical foundation for a modern and postmodern society. I, too hate Farbs. When Chilton and I were doing 60 miles of Appalachian and more Blue-Flash trail, we called them Nylon Jocks. Maybe today we’d call them Google or Wikipedia experts. But the book gave me another “push” to finish the third Jerry Uxbridge/Zach England book Ductape Finish Line. Believe me based on the sales of my first two in that series – I know I am writing it for myself. Then we went to the Drive in. This little place in Ennis is a throwback to earlier and simpler times. It was crowded but even then most everyone was in the spirit of mutual respect for rules and each other – an astonishing feat in our world today. But Drive-ins for me have two or three stages as well. Family nights with my parents up front and then the Teenaged nights … It was made more thoughtfully interesting to realize that we’ll not have our PunkRock enthused daughter along with us too many more summers. I was surprised that the earbuds were out as long as they were. So on to Sunday … and maybe a ride snuck in … do some pool work … and prepare for a speech to 60 students on Monday – one of the more important – The rise of the industrial, urban Middle Class in America … to people who’d much rather be somewhere else … … and now I am thinking of why and how I got into the ellipse thing …
Posted on: Sun, 28 Jul 2013 12:12:09 +0000
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