Titles

Green Bay, Wisconsin is known as Title Town and nothing but a title would have satisfied me this last Sunday in the Packers game against Detroit. Many thought from the beginning of the season that everything would come down to this last game, and it did. Making the playoffs means nothing, titles usually mean something but sometimes nothing. Central Division Champions, Conference Champions and Super Bowl Champions mean everything in football. The Packer victory has been a joy among joys this Christmas season, which is now, still on, not over yet people.

I caught part of the Red Bull Rampage on NBC. It was in Utah with some truly scary mountain bike trails. The drops were incredible. When one mountain bike rider was asked about the injuries he has suffered he said something along these lines, “We’re the opposite of soccer players (what Europeans call football). Soccer players always want to fake that they are injured when they are not, we want to fake that we are not injured when we are.” Could I take from that, that real mountain bikers don’t play soccer?

Yes, it is still Christmas, something I have always promoted, through January 6th when our lights and tree will come down. My wife put a Christmas bouquet in the bathroom. With the new year, long vacation weekends, and family close by many of you will be going to the movies together. I had a blog with my MySpace account where I wrote about entertainment, but that is history. They obliterated my content and went to a strictly music sharing format. I deleted my account years ago. But let me share my opinions here about current movies.

We have from the last two Christmases nearly $200 in movie gift cards, so I have been paying more than a little attention to what is in the cinema proper. Through our Roku we can view Fandango and Flixster and have been checking the previews. And Marcus has $5 Tuesdays and a Magical Movie Rewards program.

We already saw the latest installment of “The Hunger Games; The Mocking Jay”. A good movie that creates a bit of curious suspicion as to what District 13 is really up to. You really have to watch them all in order. The second of the movies would be far less impactful if you didn’t see the first one. I believe the last two movies will be far less enjoyable than the first two, but part I of “The Mocking Jay” was still good.

“Woman in Black 2” looks horrifying. I say that because we saw “Woman in Black”. The plot and the the way the first story ended make simply viewing the trailer for “Woman in Black 2” completely horrifying; completely. “Luther” is a British series that one must follow entirely for the ending to take full effect. It makes you wonder what it is all for. The star of “Luther” was considered, according to the Sony hack, as a potential James Bond. My first impression, that he wouldn’t fit as James Bond, was not because he is black, but because his body type is too bulky. James Bond has always been lean and mean, not an initially physically imposing figure.

I haven’t kept up with “The Hobbit” movies. I never read the books. My brothers were not impressed with the last two Hobbit movies, and they read the books. “Interstellar” looks interesting but I fear a political agenda may make it a bust for me. “Maze Runner” looks good if I were decades younger. “Into the Woods”; a musical spoof of childhood fairytales; looks clever but I’m not that old.

“Exodus; Gods and Kings”? Okay, I knew I wasn’t going to see it, since I saw the previews. Moses was known for his staff, an inseparable accessory in the Moses story. Yet, in the previews Moses always has a sword in his hand. Enough said, …I could go on and on just on that one point.

I favor true stories. My wife was interested by the “Big Eyes” trailer. ‘Based on a true story’, always makes a movie more interesting to me. There are several biographical based movies out or coming out very soon. “Wild” looks grueling, a type of personal Exodus. “American Sniper”, and “Mr. Turner” (the British artist) are part of the list. “The Imitation Game” looks very interesting to me; a tale of the Second World War and the birth of the computer, but I fear a political agenda will destroy that story as well. My wife Misao does not seem interested in “Unbroken” though I continually remind her that Japan wont let it be shown there. My wife received a gift package from Japan from her sister. All kinds of interesting goodies inside. My wife’s package arrived at her sister’s on Christmas Day.

The latest “Night at the Museum” looks like a lot of fun. Maybe we’ll see that.

“The Interview”? Highly relative look at North Korea from what I heard on the BBC from someone who saw it, but any country will protest excessively if you make a movie where their leader dies. If chaos strikes the North, China will take it and claim the South as part of their empire, like they do Taiwan and Hong Kong.

Okay, I haven’t given you any reviews, but I see something I haven’t seen in a while movie wise; a large number of movies that appear to be worth seeing, at least from the previews.

The $80 question: What are my three most favorite WORS races? Yes, still the same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.

Oh Holy Night

The multitude of angels are ready to pour down to the earth in honor of Jesus’ birth. Yes, four more days till Christmas and sixteen to the arrival of the three kings. I could use a multitude of angels to lend us a hand right now. First and foremost to bring Christmas greetings and joy to any and all who may believe themselves without. The Christmas lights are up and wondrous Christmas songs of our liking are playing over Pandora via our Roku.

Look! The angels are coming to grace our home. See the big green one kneeling in front of our house? Simple works. I should mention Fyxation again, if any are still looking for gifts. I hope I didn’t throw people off the rest of my previous post by my bit of a rant. Also Emery’s has gift cards. Buy a $50 card and get a bonus $5 card; $100 gets you $15. $15 is plenty for a gift.

Sometimes one wonders; ‘Just where are those angels?’ We finally have two cars working at the same time. For a day we had neither, and despite the great expense of repairs we were looking good to make it through the Winter, with its high utility bills, and past the tax man financially intact. Then our furnace stopped working yesterday. …No treble.

Here is a recipe for frosted Christmas Pecans. I have been replacing many of my meals with Christmas cookies and eggnog. We will be buying a ham for Christmas, big enough to take care of anyone who might drop by. Have some family visits planned also.

Yes, I am sitting in peace enjoying the Christmas music with strong family and religious themes. A consistent station on Pandora, unlike my ‘The Doors’ station which plays just about anything. My Frank Sinatra station is also consistent in giving me what I want to here in that genre; is it Swing, Jazz, Big Band; it’s city music. Glen Campbell as a station gives you the best country music. My favorite band, The Band Perry, just put out a rendition of “Gentle On My Mind” that is great. But Misao has decided to go over to ‘One Republic’ this Christmas, asking for their “Native” album.

But now it is time for Christmas music, devoted to the Glory of God. The shopping is almost all done. Flurries fill the air and the nights are long and cozy. Add hot chocolate and a comfy chair, and relax. (we don’t have a fire place)

Merry Christmas; Peace on Earth, Good Will to All Men.

The $78 question: What are my three most favorite WORS races? Yes, still the same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.

Merry Christmas to All

Merry Christmas to all, and I mean all even as I speak truth to power. But before that I had a pleasant surprise when I stopped by Mayfair Mall Thursday evening. They have free food and music in the mall on Thursdays 5-8pm until Christmas, which means this week is your final opportunity.

Metro Mountain Bikers had their monthly meeting at the Bike Fed. Nice place, and suitable. Still not sure what the confusion was as to the location; the Bike fed guy invited everyone personally at our November meeting. Quite a set up. They even have an Architecture firm renting in the same space.

Yes, tomorrow our Alderman appear set to sell all Milwaukee citizens out by ratifying a streetcar project. I’m sure those in the know will line their pockets, the campaign coffers will fill and they will all tell each other how enlightened and wonderful they are when they all know the streetcar is a boondoggle on my dime and the dime of everyone paying taxes in Milwaukee. And if anyone of these almighty engineering firms or Architects tell you otherwise, they are lying. Shame on the media for not reporting the truth about streetcars. A streetcar does nothing a bus can’t do, and you can make a bus look like a streetcar if you really are that senile to be living over fifty years in the past. They are thieves; the worst possible. In my faith, one of the three greatest sins is to misuse public money.

Sorry to be so inflamed over the topic of streetcars. It is not only that these people lie and steal, but then they parade themselves around as something better than all of us. There are thousands, tens of thousand rich and poor in this region who would never stoop as low as these scumbags. Personal gain and not at the expense of others, but to the personal detriment of others.

Streetcars are famous in San Francisco because they always have been. Like rickshaws, something else one of our wacky mayors tried to establish, are famous in the orient (at least in the distant past) and Gondolas, another gimmick this city attempted, are famous in Venice, because the streets are waterways. But the grass is always greener, even when it’s not. It’s all about the green, the green in the right people’s pockets. Hey! If we all agree to let the city buy double-decker buses will you axe they streetcar? I actually think someone suggested double-decker buses years ago. Here’s an idea, let Milwaukee be Milwaukee.

Fyxation also rents space in the Bike Fed building though they are moving on to a larger facility. Very interesting company geared to the urban bike rider.

Minooka trail work is done for the season. The Rock site has lost the privilege of hosting the Collectivo Coffee Bean Classic, it’s a classic. Minooka, the new rising star in MTB trails, will be hosting. Yes, the new WORS schedule is out.

The Christmas tree is up, most all the cards are sent, and we have but one package to send in the next couple of days. If it stops raining I’ll get the outdoor Christmas lights up. In a few more days we can take in and enjoy the season all the way through the twelve days; even the streetcar can’t ruin Christmas.

The $78 question (it’s getting up there): What are my three most favorite WORS races? Yes, same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.

The Christmas Tree

Yes, the Metro Mountain Bikers meeting is at the Bike Fed tonight, though an e-mail blind sided me last night. The location was suddenly in question yesterday but has been reconfirmed this morning. If you want to know who builds your local MTB Trails (not a gang of truant children) then come to the Milwaukee Bike Fed office tonight.

I told my wife we would put up the tree next week, after we get the cards out and I get the necessary work on our house out of the way. Of course Saturday I come home and find my wife has pulled out all the Christmas decorations and is planning for me to put up the tree. So it goes.

But what can one say? Here is the wonderful job my wife did on the kitchen chairs.

And we have piles of angels to spare; punched from our Christmas greeting cards. We received a package the other day but it was for a different address. Our mail delivery is soooooo bad, when you call the local post office to complain, on some days you just get a busy signal; they keep the phone off the hook. Then there are people getting their packages stolen. Not generally something you think of checking, postal delivery service, when one looks to buy a house. But I can still boost the jackpot with a new post so life is good.

The $77 question (it’s getting up there): What are my three most favorite WORS races? Yes, same question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.

It seems I need at least three hundred words for Google to put me in the search engine. I have heard 2,000 words is the sweet spot for getting hits. They also consider the relevance of your links. Okay, I made it.

Black Friday

I wouldn’t call it black, but more of an oppressive gray with silver gilded pockets of sporadic rays from a traversing sun Friday. And we didn’t go shopping.

Overcast, more in the silver spectrum, and continuous flurries should dominate every Winter. The clouds keep the nights warmer and the flurries the landscape white. Thanksgiving was with family and this picture from years past is near identical to this present holiday. No one went shopping after the feast. A good Black Friday is getting up and finding oneself not constipated.

Thanksgiving was late this year but many events, like the Christmas music, are coming early. The infamous Santa Rampage, receiving occasional news coverage, will be December 6th. Yes, a mere week away. It is also Global Fat Bike Day. They went global people. The Lapham Peak Fat Bike Series has begun. Their second race is the evening of December 4th; you’ll need lights of course.

The Bicycle Federation is also having a holiday sale on their promotional products. The next Metro Mountain Bikers meeting will be at there facility in Milwaukee on December 9th.

Many people use this weekend to put up the Christmas tree. When I was young a lot of families waited until Christmas Eve. For us it’s time to start on the Christmas cards. I fear my list is incomplete. Holiday blessings to all in this wondrous season.

The $76 question (it’s getting up there): What are my three most favorite WORS races? Yes, I’m keeping with this question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.

Happy Thanksgiving, Again

It’s cold here in the city… Not sure what happened with warmer by the lake or global warming. But the cold, gloom and snow sure makes the Christmas music sound more relevant. Yes, this is about the time Christmas music should begin, but it has been playing on the radio since Halloween.

There will be a Turkey Hurl Ride Thanksgiving evening for those in the know. Social rides are strongly associated with the drinking of beer. I often partake of beer of the non-alcohol type. This often, Okay always, leads to talk of my being a boozer. Someone sees a bottle in my hand, it has to be bottles, or me carrying in a set of six and… It is particularly enticing to many since in my faith the consumption of alcohol (coming under the influence) is consider a grand leap towards a life of sin and debauchery.

With the spread of micro-breweries, creating convenient routes for social rides official or otherwise, I asked at the last club meeting if the micro-breweries make near beers (maybe the wrong question since near beer still contains a discernable level of alcohol), to which the answer was, no. Is there a market for non-alcohol beers for the micro breweries? It would be nice if there was and it could possibly make the social rides more memorable. As it is, our county parks are looking to require permits for any advertised rides on county trails (that would be riding through any county park). Posting on social media is considered advertising. $1million in insurance considered as a requirement. The county park beer gardens are not open when most social rides take place; spring and fall.

Thanksgiving is with the whole family this year; at least that’s the story. My wife is making the green bean casserole and I my famous rice pudding; the recipe of others. Misao, my wife, ran some casserole recipes by me. I looked over the ingredients and said, “The one with butter.” I, for my part, will be using the least-processed cane sugar possible this year; I hold great expectations.

We will not be shopping on Thanksgiving. I consider Thanksgiving Day shopping (coming under the influence) a grand leap towards a life of sin and debauchery. Besides, Amazon has already been having huge sales this last weekend. Emery’s, a fantastical bike shop of the highest reputation, is holding a Black Friday and Small Business Saturday sale with discounts of 50% and more. The IMBA store, like every year, will be slashing prices as year end approaches. IMBA recently published their third book on trail building.

My wife completed a project just this last week and is damn proud of it. She painted four chairs, four different colors of course: sun yellow, real orange, berry pink and I believe this color is sea foam. October through Thanksgiving has proven the time of year when I get the most work done on the house. This year the weather did not cooperate. Product specifications require how wet or how cold something can be to use or install. This has led to much consternation and pressure driven spurts of work.

Everyone have a Happy Thanksgiving. I was always raised just to be grateful for having been born in the United states. We have much to be grateful for, don’t we. We will most likely enjoy the parade and dog show on TV, before the big meal shared happily with family. The football looks good too. I can’t believe I am saying this but, “Go Bears! (you losers)”

The $75 question (it’s getting up there): What are my three most favorite WORS races? Yes, I’m still keeping with this question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.

It’s Back!

Snow… I finished some prayers and there it was. Winter is back. But did it ever truly leave? Something else that is back is my e-book for free; at least until the end of Sunday. I’ve been looking to post for a while but have been busy. So for now you just get this shameless self-promotion and the promise of a long Winter. Click on the book cover for the link to my free for now e-book

On the bright side this quick post drives up the prize pot for the Charity Jackpot gimmick where even you can win big if you have all the right answers. Same question bigger amount.

The $74 question: What are my three most favorite WORS races? Yes, I’m still keeping with this question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.

A Harrowing Halloween

The temperature could be ten-degrees higher but otherwise it is the ideal Halloween, a howling wind included. I actually had visions of a snow covered holiday, but I’ll settle for flurries.

Dusky blustery days bring to mind Winnie the Poo and outdoor childhood adventures. That, and the coming Winter suggest that it is time to plan one’s Winter training program. Emery’s has several options in Milwaukee and Menomonee Falls. Wheel and Sprocket also has Indoor Cycling Classes you can sign up for. I am sure if you visit your local bicycle shop you will find they too offer similar activities.

To the right of our picture window the tree is still holding out amidst the stiff winds, in contrast to the first tree pictured, to our left. A hopeful omen for our upcoming elections in these spooky times? There are several bicycling events still occurring despite the weather, most namely psycho-cross AKA cyclo-cross. One event  worth reminding of is the Winona Cross Cup in nine days. An extremely beautiful area if the trees are still in color; very doubtful. The Outdoor Recreation Alliance promotes outdoor recreation for every season in that beautiful area of Wisconsin.

The Morning Glories continue to hold on, in outright contrast to the falling leaves. Just like the Minooka Trail Work Days attended with religious fervor by the faithful every Sunday. And even though my wife has given up on The Band Perry, and has professed her allegiance to One Republic, I still listen and sing along in the car. The love never runs out Misao.

Bikes and Beats is a new event being promoted by the Wisconsin Bike Fed, at Turner Hall this coming Thursday. Music and an auction, for those interested in supporting the cause. But Thursdays is bowling for me and I know you are all dying to hear how our team is doing. It’s a tough tight league; many teams have split 4-3 this season. That’s winning two of three games but then losing in nights total pins. We are right in the mix among the top four or five teams; two points behind first after nine weeks. I don’t like to brag, but, after taking up bowling again after a long absence, over the past year I have made more strikes than you can count on one hand without my ball ever hitting the head pin.

I am looking forward to getting into a Winter training routine myself. My weight is inching down still, and a good Winter push may put me over the cusp. Misao’s favorite method of preserving the fruits of Summer is freezing. Having acquired an abundance of jalapeno peppers one Sunday, from the garden of another, she decided to pickle them and found the process on the Internet quite easily. Just like the sandwich shops. So you can eat delicious sandwiches while your riding in place in your basement this Winter. I also saw a recipe for a two ingredient pizza dough; self-rising flour and Greek yogurt. I’m not sure if one should count self-rising flour as a single ingredient. I see the pounds melting away.

Some may believe that I sleep too much, from what I wrote in my last post. My sleep is accurately recorded on my CPAP machine and averages just over 6 hours a night. The doctor checks it every year. They actually say now seven hours is the healthiest. We work late some days of the week and on the others I tend to procrastinate in my daily prayers and writing. Sometimes if I’ve been too busy to write on a particular day, and my goal is to write something every day, I sit down in the middle of the night for ten minutes and before I know it, it’s been more than an hour and I’ve written as many as a thousand words. I was happily surprised, and then regretful over my lack of attentions, that one of my blogs has developed a very consistent, though small, level of traffic, despite the lack of a new post for two months. I get so consumed in writing my books, and more profitable endeavors, that my blogging goals are suffering.

The $72 question: What are my three most favorite WORS races? Yes, I’m still keeping with this question. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.

My Dog Ate My Breakfast

I took Ike, our dog, out for a walk though the weather was wet and blustery. I had seen a beautiful turning tree on Sunday and thought I could get back the next day to take some pictures, but continuous rainfall provided sparse chance. But I braved the elements and threats of downpour for these photos, though the tree in question was much more beautiful before.

Yes, my dog ate my breakfast. What that would be an excuse for, I am not sure. Not a particular surprise, considering. What is a surprise is that my wife left my breakfast out on the table and left without waking me, and believed the dog wouldn’t eat my breakfast. Maybe there is a better word other then surprise. (‘conspiracy’ comes to mind)

There were two successful bicycle related fund raisers recently. The Saris Gala in Madison, which included an auction with fanatical bidding, and the IMBA appreciation night at Ray’s Indoor MTB where they held a raffle. Don’t forget there is a slew of Metro Mountain Biker activities tomorrow. A great way to enjoy your Sweetest Day, a total manufacture ala the wonders of capitalism.

Ray’s wowed at the IMBA appreciation night. Not sure if they had a similar event in Cleveland but one could always jump on Frontier and fly out to ask. Good thing gasoline prices are dropping.

The $72 question: What are my three most favorite WORS races? Yes, we’ll keep with this question for awhile. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.

The Hunter’s Blood Moon

I should have brought my tiny little tripod and set the timer to get a good shot of the lunar eclipse last week. But I didn’t and with Ike pulling on his leash it was no easy task to get a good shot. Still, the Hunter’s Blood Moon fits the mood of the season.

GoPro has a cheaper version, or rather less expensive I should probably say, of their all purpose action video cameras; simply called The Hero for $129. Their stock is tumbling however (not sure if there are any action shots of the event) due to a high profile individual’s ski accident being blamed on the camera.

The cheapest, I mean least expensive action video camera that I saw in my casual perusing was an Ion. Of course they have several models also. I noticed that the variety of available mounts for such cameras range from $20-$40. Must be where they make their money, but I have to admit that I can’t see how those mounts wouldn’t be better than duct tape.

Sorry, no pictures of the day before yesterday’s MTB Challenge, my wife didn’t want to go.

There is still oodles of bicycle action around as the year comes to an end. The UPCROSS is up der in the UP, by dat Copper Harbor place, don’t yah know. It is actually the fourth of nine events. Don’t forget the Dahl-GMC Winona Cross Cup. Here is a list of cyclocross events for Southeastern Wisconsin. I tried a cyclocross event once. My mountain bike was not conducive to the activity; an older heavy aluminum framed model. I tend to not over use my bike these days as with all its cickity-clicks and clackity-clacks I worry that it may breakdown for good and I can’t afford a new one for awhile. How’s that for an excuse? Everything one does is an investment of some kind. It’s collecting the returns that can be a problem sometimes.

Most of my time has been dominated by writing novels. It requires much more investment than one can imagine, not just in time. Many have suggested to me recently that writing a book is a kind of vacation event, not work at all. They obviously have never written a book. I could say the same about artist of the canvas if I were a fool; Mr. I make money selling people’s art work.

The monthly Metro Mountain Bikers meeting is tonight. There is a trail work event on the 18th, Saturday, which is also Sweetest Day and it is also the date of the Metro Social Ride. It is also someone’s birthday.

My wife suggested the other day that we go to a haunted house.

I asked, “How old are you?”

We had our first frost, yet the tomato plants seemed to have survived. We gathered up all the produce we could beforehand. Misao has frozen most of it.

The $71 question: What are my three most favorite WORS races? Yes, we’ll keep with this question for awhile. Check out the Charity Jackpot Page link in the sidebar to possibly triple the amount.

Lions and Vikings and Bears, Oh My!

Yes, it is football season, at least it feels that way when the Packers are winning. I missed the Colectivo Coffee Bean Classic, not just because the Packers were playing at twelve noon, but because our church services have moved later into the day since last year.

Tomorrow is October which means Halloween, which means scary, which means cyclocross is here. If you‘re a fan of the extremely beautiful area of La Crosse, and cyclocross, save November 9th on your calendar. It’s the DAHL-GMC-Winona Cross Cup at Ecker’s Apple Orchard. Makes me wish our weekends were not so busy so we could go out to enjoy the event and the wonders of the natural environment. The most glorious wonders of nature have one of two qualities; either they are devoid of man’s influence or highly influenced by man as a true steward.

And as the days grow short and cold, indoor comforts come to the fore. Yes, Ray’s Indoor Mountain Bike will be opening for the season soon; October 4th. But if you are an IMBA member, and don’t want to watch the Packers play the Vikings on Thursday Night Football, you can ride the new layout for free from 6pm to 10pm. They redesign their courses every season. With gas prices dropping I may be tempted to partake this Winter.

Don’t forget the final WORS race of the season, the iconic MTB Challenge in Sheboygan, now the Sheboygan Bicycle Company MTB Challenge. A great event in a beautiful setting, my wife has been asking me about because she has friends in Sheboygan.

I know what you all are wondering; ‘Phillip! What about your peaches?’ This was a poor year for the soon to be old peach tree. We had few blossoms yet it looked like we might get a good bowl off the tree. Alas, the cool weather made them slow to ripen and one by one they submitted to the needs of the beasts of the fields and birds of the air. A final pair, nearly the size of a grapefruit, were munched on just before they were ripe. They don’t taste so good any way when they get that large. I have a fifty dollar bill from my birthday I intend to spend on a pole saw to give the tree a good pruning. With the one tree, do I go with a cheap Harbor Freight saw that some like, or a $40 pole saw from Menard’s? These are the kind of decisions that tax one’s youth.

Not to leave any one without hope, Christmas is only twelve Fridays away. A wondrous time of year.

I hope I didn’t scare you.

Now, the $70 question: What are my three most favorite WORS races? If you read all my posts you should be able to figure it out. And if you read my books you can double or triple that sum; see Charity Jackpot Page in the sidebar.

Dread and Terror

In reading some 19th century short stories (that would be stories written in the 1800’s for you public school students) I find the times past were plagued with dread to the extremity and the most dreadful terrors that turned the hearts of the tellers most earnestly to God. The first person approach allows for great flourish and prompts of the imagination, to the excess.

Of course it is nothing compared to the dread of the Green Bay Packers losing to the Detroit Lions. Imagination unchecked can only lead to the deepest of terrors, threatening one’s presence of mind and the loss of all control of one’s faculties. But let me check those terrors and  fearful savage beasts of the imagination for those who may have missed a certain local news cast. The last time the Packers lost to the Lions we won the Super Bowl.

Yet disaster, just as in days of old, follows even the best preparations as the Milwaukee Brewers, with the best catcher in all of baseball, here and nowhere else, is on the verge of losing it all as their season has fallen apart over the past few weeks. It began with myself suffering great consternations of the heart at the same time. Not to necessarily associate my own fortunes with that of the Milwaukee Brewers, but correspondingly our financial pursuits were greatly frustrated by the Brewers Mini Marathon of this past Saturday, as State Street was closed down and my wife couldn’t get tot an essential vendor of sorts.

Then our spiritual well being was threatened to its core by the Komen Race for the Cure as our route to church was blocked Sunday, as Lincoln Memorial Drive was closed. If only the road side notices and the blockade the Sheriff Deputies put up could be seen before one has no choice but to be sent to the south side of the Milwaukee harbor, before having to reverse course to one’s northern destination.. The Deputies in their vehicles kept their heads down, wisely avoiding eye contact with those they had forced into a circuit costly in time and resources.

Unplanned yet necessary circuits round horrific scenes were continual part of our weekend, as, where we tried to access the expressway, to return home, we found the ramp closed due to a dreadful accident caused by a wrong way driver, that cost a life. Then, finally returning to our just path, we were again forced off course, just before our exit, by another shut down of the expressway; by an accident, so ill-marked, that several other vessels of the roadway nearly crashed against one another, unable to see the directing flares, until they unexpectedly appeared, just over a rise, in the road, immediately before us all, forcing all lanes, with their associated vehicles, sharply together at one time. (they also used a lot of commas and wrote really long sentences in the 19th century)

I would be the last to suggest that the whole world revolves round me,…but I am compelled by all that is good, and of the disciplines required for the making of honest men, to draw my conclusions exclusively from the facts known by me to be true.

BIG EVENTS! Yes, big events are on the way for next weekend and by our faithful petitions to the Almighty may the terrors of this world be held at bay. You do not have to wait an entire year to participate in the fore mentioned charitable events of the most noble of intents. Other events await your present attentions. The Fall Color Festival, including events for the whole family, is this coming Saturday at John Muir. Milwaukee Metro Mountain Bikers has forwarded a request for volunteers for the festival. Check out he site for contact information.

They are also looking for volunteers for another fantastic event this Saturday and Sunday in Franklin Wisconsin. Yes, it is time again for the Colectivo (formerly Alterra) Coffee Bean Classic. Thanks to organizations such as WORS for promoting mountain bike events across Wisconsin. This Milwaukee area favorite will be where it always has been, at what is now known as The Rock Sports Complex; which also hosted weekly mountain bike races this Summer. I missed the latest monthly Metro Mountain Bikers’ meeting, so have no updates on race results. I chose rather to save on time and resources, as the meeting was not a short drive distant, and spent the time putting out 1,000 words, finishing off a killer scene in one of the books I am currently writing.

With October just around the corner, with its associated Halloween and the days growing quickly shorter, for those of you looking for dread and terror, The Rock is also the location for “The Hills have Eyes” Halloween trail adventure. My own personal dread and terror is looking at my exercise log and seeing how little I’ve actually done this summer. Still my weight is inching down.

But back to the Packers, perhaps they would look more impressive if Aaron Rodgers wasn’t doing a commercial with a couple of dufuses calling him a loser.

The $69 Question: Where was I when the Packers stopped Detroit’s first drive this past Sunday? See Charity Jackpot Page in sidebar for more derails.

The Other Holiday Weekend

The one that symbolizes the end of Summer is here. If you had intended to make it a quiet weekend of rest, rather than the last opportunity to squander one’ s wealth, there are several events that might be of interest to you, that may getting you out of the house.

First and foremost, an event of indescribable import will be held in Waukesha county; the inaugural season of the Wisconsin High School Mountain Bike League/Series will begin at Minooka Park, on the latest and greatest trails the state has to offer. I don’t plan to attend, I’m no longer a teenager, which may be the events biggest draw. Metro Mountain Bikers will be providing volunteers. If something more mature is your style, and you don’t mind a beautiful Sunday drive of considerable, but hardly prohibitive, length, then the 5th La Crosse Gravel Classic may be the event for you. They’re having an outright bicycle festival in La Crosse all weekend.

The garden will be on the downward after this weekend. For some Labor Day will mark the beginning of the school year. For others, it means football is just around the corner. With the beautiful sweet tomatoes and hot banana peppers from the garden I hope we will have enough salsa to last the whole season. Over the years, removing stones little by little from our tiny garden plot, I collected at least half a dozen five gallon buckets full of gravel. I didn’t send them to La Crosse. Now, after composting the garden year after year, we are getting some great tastes, though the wet has brought blight to the cucumbers.

If you need more timely notice for planning your weekend activities, check September 27th and 28th on your calendar, and if the date is free… The 27th is the date of The Fall Color Festival in the Southern Kettles. The 28th is the Colectivo (formerly Alterra) Coffee Bean Classic. I believe the Colectivo team is looking for volunteers to prep the course. The Bike Fed sent out an e-mail for a Door County Fall Color Tour on September 28th, but the link didn’t work. But here is a sight you can check out. Our beautiful Door County is full of fall color activities and events.

We plan to spend a quiet weekend at home. I used to have a blog on My Space, but they ended all but their music related functions and all my commentary on movies and entertainment was lost. Sometimes I’d like to comment on entertainment but it has not been a serious topic for this blog. But I found a preview for “Kundo,” a Korean film that broke all box office records in its own country, on Flixster (or Fandango) on my TV via Roku. A period piece when some claim over half the population were slaves. A story similar to a Korean drama we watched; “The Slave Hunters.” The movie “Kundo” has many good reviews and it is to open in the US today, but I can’t find it being shown anywhere in Milwaukee. We would have gone to see it. But we’re not driving down to Chicago.

The $68 Question: What month and year did I arrive in Korea to live, and what month and year did I return to Milwaukee? See Charity Jackpot page in sidebar.

Morning Glories

It is hard to shift to an early morning rise after working so late into the night on weekends, but it is worth the effort. I accomplish more and stay on top of the multiple and various demands for my attentions when the day begins early. It’s up with the morning glories blooming. (though they stay open till almost noon) I should ride in the mornings also, as most race events I may enter in the future run before noon at my level.

I have been negligent in informing you, my readers of upcoming events. Yes, the Milwaukee Triathlon has passed. I am sure many of you would have participated if only I had informed you a week or two previous. When you think of triathlon, you have to think Emery’s; Milwaukee’s triathlon oriented bike shop. Very good people too.

Irish Fest is in full swing. Milwaukee’s ethnic festival that seems to have the biggest international draw. It is a bit longer than most too. Festivals and other such activities are a good walk for me and my wife. Do I count my State Fair four hour walk as exercise, bowling or walking the mall when we get the chance to go shopping? No, and this leaves my exercise journal lacking. Still my weight is dropping and I will mention something that I believe is helping in a future post.

And don’t forget about Milwaukee Indy Fest at the Milwaukee Mile.

The Polish Moon-Ride is a week from today. Yes, a Friday night ride. Information here. Looks like they want you to register in advance.

Yes, the Wednesday Night MTB Races have been on at The Rock Sports Complex. You must finish all four laps or you receive a DQ, and I’m not talking Dairy Queen. Rain threatened the season and their first race was done despite the droplets from heaven descending, just to get the season started before Summer was half over. It draws a bit of a crowd, and I am sure it will grow. The Metro members are attending and they are seeing new faces and groups participating. It could grow into quite an event. Could The Rock ever be as big and popular as Park City?

Much of the typical run for the Wednesday Night Race (the alpha trail) has been too wet to use, forcing the use of the trails on The Rock property. The Pleasant Valley trails in Ozaukee County are suffering similar difficulties. But Devil’s Head has some mountain bike trails one can ride, as does Alpine Valley. At the latest club meeting Alpine Valley was well-spoken of.

Of course Minooka is where all the up and comers are riding these days. The trails are spoken of highly. At the end of the month they will be hosting the first of four NICA Races. No team affiliation required to participate. This is the high school MTB series that WORS was instrumental in getting moving here in Wisconsin.

Alois has drawn me into one of his international conspiracy theories. What a birthday gift; a whole kit of information and promotional materials for 9/11 Truth. Of course the three buildings were brought down by controlled explosion. I saw them come down. The evidence is hard to deny, the motives are clear, though those put forth by many are the work of nut jobs, and …why do you think the families of the victims received such extraordinary amounts of compensation? Why is the issue being covered up? The Clintons. This system would have had to have been planned and put into effect under  the Clinton administration.

Thanks Alois.

Now the $67 question: In “Chuck Hammer and the Invisible Squadron; A Vendetta’s Wage” I am making a weapons change in the final chapter; name the weapon that is being changed and what it being changed to.

Okay, that is more of a demand than a question, but it’s worth just as much money. The edit will be uploaded to the e-book before the end of the weekend. See the Charity Jackpot Page in the sidebar for details.

State Fair

Ike says, “Go to State Fair!” We went on Thursday, opening day, for our four hour walk around the grounds. Ike is shaking with excitement over some treats we bought for him at the Fair from Annie’s Pooch Pops. Not a name forgiving of typos but Ike can’t read. At least that is what he claims.

We got our roasted corn, baked potato, our lamb brat with mint jelly and a simple chocolate Sunday. Good deals in the Wisconsin (Agricultural) Products Building. Best priced food at the Fair for someone on a budget. Not sure if $55 per gallon for maple syrup is a good price but it may be. We found it not too busy and the lines, such as for the cream puffs (we had one each), were short and fast moving.

We also enjoy the Natural Resources Center which has been greatly enhanced. Then we had to go down ever row of vendor’s, hawker’s and peddler’s booths. Great deal on teeth whitening if you want to sit for a half hour. A huge display of massage chairs filled in where the hot tubes have scaled back. Not as many infrared saunas either. Not that we could afford any such decadences. Good Earth Soap was back in the Wisconsin Products Building. People work hard and invest a lot on a vision or dream to come up with something unique and desired by the public. Overall, looking at the faces of the sales people, it doesn’t look like any kind of financial recovery to me.

Ike loves your pooch poops Annie. …See what I mean.

We came up behind the back of a small stage in the sheep barn. The schedule listed the sheep shearing demonstration for 5:00 and I took out my phone and it was 5:01. “Let’s see the sheep shearing demonstration.” I said to my wife. We walked the five feet around the back of the tiny stage and the sheep was done sheared. “Wow!” I said, “He sheared that sheep in less than two minutes.” We listened in as people asked many an interesting question.

I like going through the cow barns. I like the smell. It reminds me of going around Wisconsin to visit relatives every summer when I was a child. Those that stayed in Wisconsin were mostly farmers. That’s what my dad called a vacation.

If we actually had the money for a sit down meal, listening to a live band, at one of Milwaukee’s fine Restaurateur’s and/or Caterer’s annual establishments we would. Instead we did our rounds, headed back to our car free parked many blocks away and went home to Ike. Our tickets were free.

If you enjoy walking, hiking, trekking or just getting around by foot a pilgrimage may be in the future for you. My brother the Priest goes on a Wisconsin pilgrimage twice a year. Many people are starting to join in. He gave me this t-shirt. Of course you can always do anything you’re doing, not just a pilgrimage, with prayer and offering devotions to God. Not a State Fair thing but still a Wisconsin thing.

The $66 question in recognition of the Catholic Church: What location named above did I often visit when I was young? See Charity Jackpot page for further details.

Fall Color Festival

I’m sorry if the title confuses you. Yes, sometimes I awake, or rise from some all consuming task, and a bewildering ponderation  envelops me; Is this Spring or Fall? Alas, July too has betrayed us all.

Thanks to all for the birthday greetings, no belated cards included. I had a very pleasant birthday thanks to my mom and dad, or in other words my mother and father. But doesn’t that go without saying. We had an early dinner at ‘Parkside 23’, a bit high end but not too pricey. They have their own kitchen garden akin to that of George Washington’s (I always wanted to visit Mount Vernon) that they call a farm. Looking at the menu one thought kept going through my mind, ‘Can I get fries with that.’  Actually extremely delicious. I had the Shrimp Pasta.

The Fall Color Festival feels closer than it is, and before that, just around the corner, is the Ore to Shore race August 8th in the UP; or upper peninsula for those of you not from God’s Country. The week after, WORS will be at a familiar venue under a new name. Nordic Mountain will be hosting the Scarlet Knight Scramble.

Yes, it is a good time to remind you all of The Fall Color Festival, a family friendly mountain bike event in the Southern Kettles. You never know, they may have to move it up a month. For now it is set for September 27th.

Again alas, I must warn of a great evil, caution you to close your ears to the tempting's of the Siren’s call. I heard of an event, now past thank God lest more be caught in the terrifying Charybdis, lost in the depths, or dashed on the stones of despair amidst the shattered delusions of ages. On the local TV news they told a tale of what one called ‘Tour des Trees.’ The words flow pleasant on the ear and boosts ones ego with visions of virtuous deeds to claim. But have you Gone to the web site? Have you scrutinized their sponsor? …No? The sponsor for this supposed group of tree lovers is Stihl. They make …chainsaws! Ha! Not to mention the organization is Canadian. Those Canadians just don’t think right.

Ike says, “Get out of the house and go to State Fair.” I got some free tickets from my summer bowling league. We hope to make it. One of our most favorite annual events. I think we can swing it this year.

Sorry for my blog delinquency. I have been busy working to get another book, first draft, completed. Yes, I really write books.        …The horror, …the horror.

Now, the $65 question: How many proofs did I order last week and for which book? See Charity Jackpot Page for details. Yes, you can triple this amount.

Lake Country; Light out of the Darkness

No, we didn’t ride our bikes to the Fourth of July fireworks, we took the car. We headed for lake country to watch fireworks with my family at my brothers home. Cars everywhere. Not a bicycle in sight. The flames of change rage.

And there will be no bicycles at Sunburst this summer as the WORS race has been cancelled due to labor disputes with the new management at Sunburst.

But wait. You can cancel all your plans this weekend and go to Cascade Mountain to participate in or spectate the WORS Cup this Saturday and Sunday. (Ignore this order if you already plan to attend) It’s the best mountain bike racing event of the season. The Colectivo Coffee Ban Classic event is late this year but I highly doubt I will drop thirty pounds by then to get down to my max race weight.

For those of you from Illinois, or those few willing to travel to Illinois, The Prairie State Cycling Series ‘Intelligentsia Cup will be held for July 18th to the 27th. Events will be held all around the Chicago area. My counter suggests I have a following in Chicago. It is becoming increasingly common for me to receive e-mails from various events. I will have to make a file and seriously promote and track the nearest and greatest for you all.

Support the cause and attend a mountain bike event. I am sure you can find one near you. You can also support Metro Mountain Bikers by purchasing a raffle ticket. First prize is a $1,500 gift certificate at Erik’s Bike and Board. They have two locations in the Milwaukee area and rumor has it they are opening a new store on 84th and Layton soon. It sounded like much more than a rumor but I haven’t seen the ‘Coming Soon’ signs myself. To buy a ticket find a Metro Mountain Biker’s event or head for Benno’s in West Allis.

Dark images this post, but flames of hope and bursts of inspiration light the way. The first half of July is a down time of the year for me. Dark times because my birthday is coming. I’ll be 28. ‘Wait! That’s impossible’ some of you are saying. OK, I’m a bit older than that.

Dark times for Brazil too. GO GERMANY!

The $64 Question: In my book, “Chuck Hammer and the Invisible Squadron, A Vendetta’s Wage”, From which country did Lieutenant Hammer fly out from, and where did he land? See Charity Jackpot page for details and how to triple the prize.

Happy Fourth of July, A Good Day for a Ride

God Bless America! It is good to be free and to celebrate our liberty. A good day to remember what brought it to be. Celebrated with the traditional fireworks tonight our local communities will be front and center as Milwaukee had their big ones last night. A great way to get to your local celebrations is by bicycle, but be sure you have lights for your bikes and don’t wear black please. Reflective clothing is a plus. A local bicycle enthusiast has been known to hold rides from his home to the West Allis fireworks. He is also associated with Dream Bikes, an organization worth mentioning anytime of year. At the West Allis fireworks you can climb high into the bleachers at the Milwaukee Mile and see all the local fireworks going off across the city.

And even though we are down in a valley we can see several firework displays from our local park, at least the top quarter of them. These temperatures may appear pleasant but proper coverage is highly recommended when you are riding. You can get cold real quick, including your legs. As we have our own fireworks going in our backyard, on display all day long, July still has a ways to go to prove it is  a summer month.

Another great thing about this day is I am upping the ante, with another post, on the Charity Jackpot (see page link in sidebar for details). The $63 question: I’ll keep it easy; the same question as three posts ago. Yes three, not two. What is the title of the short story I started now nearly three weeks ago? Hint: four words, one is “life”.

Germany beat France today in the World Cup, just like they did in all the World Wars. Where would the world be without us. My favors are leaning towards Belgium. Life is good. (that’s only three words) Have a Happy Fourth of July! Celebrate with a ride. You’ll live longer, unless you’re hit by a car.

Those Lazy Saturdays; Products you can Use

Lazy only in the sense that Saturday afternoon is a short chunk of downtime in a week that is full of a variety of activities. I put this last lazy Saturday to an interesting use. Via our Roku, I partook of two channels, Finagle and Crowded Now, and discovered a slew of interesting and useful products.

Looking for an electric bike? All you need is a smart phone and to replace the rear wheel of your existing bike with ‘The Copenhagen Wheel’. You can even find it on Facebook. Looks like it is only available in single speed. It collects not only information on your use but on the environment as you ride. The Fitbit Flex also can monitor and track your activity and even monitor your sleep. It is also available at local retail outlets. We saw them at that gadget store in Mayfair Mall.

Then we found a video on the FlyPedals. An adapter to convert your clipless pedals ( pedals that you need riding shoes for that you clip into the pedals. ? ) into a flat pedal so you can ride with any common shoe. Important in this economy. I mean, how many bikes can one afford to ride? Take your competitive mountain bike, put on the Copenhagen wheel and your FlyPedals and you can get to work without having to change your shoes or stink up the office by coming to work all sweaty.

With the threatening skies of the last week I have been using the trainer to keep the blood flowing, especially on Saturdays which is the most sedentary time of the week for me as I spend many hours driving on the weekend. My weight is inching down, and if you are one to join meal programs and/or incessantly count calories to control your weight, we also found a company on Finagle called ‘Plated’ that sends you complete chef designed meals cooked by yourself in 30 minutes or less. Just pick the meal and the number of guests. I find it much easier to sit back and peruse these products and videos on my television with a simple remote than to sit isolated at a desk, playing with a keyboard and mouse on the computer.

I start July with great hopes, not hopes for many s’mores in this season of barbecues and celebrations, but in continuing to advance my writing goals. My goals had been far too aggressive in the past, but I finally dropped them to a workable level. Not only writing over 12,000 new words last month (my goal) , but also spending many a long hour in editing what has already been written. I also worked in some rides and other activities. Based on this success I can work in more exercise and advance my weight loss at the same time. Yes I include my blog posts in that number, and I have many blogs, but if you think that goal is easy try it yourself.

For you dog owners planning vacations there is one other company that I discovered on Finagle that I should mention: DogVacay. The company facilitates finding other pet owners to care for your pet in their homes while you’re away. And the caretakers are insured.

We need a new flag for this Fourth of July but the finances are tight. One of the reasons we wont go to Summerfest. Not my favorite festival, but when you can see a band you enjoy, especially those from ones youth and can enjoy good food and the lakefront it is a treat. Then again, looking at these old bands, sometimes I think people shouldn’t be allowed to perform Rock n’ Roll after the age of fifty.

The $62 Question: The same as the last post. See Charity Jackpot Page for further details.