It’s been over six weeks since the groundhog saw his shadow warning us of a long Winter. The below freezing nights and warm days are ideal for Maple Syrup gathering. I appreciate such weather in the larger scope of things, and hardly desire to belittle a wonderful Winter. We certainly don’t want a quick thaw and the flooding it can cause. But if we stay below freezing throughout the day once more this Spring I am going groundhog hunting and I don’t care what his name is.
This months Metro Mountain Bikers meeting was on the South Shore. The North Shore is known for its wealthy neighborhoods and lake shore homes. The South Shore is South of Milwaukee proper and home to the World Famous South Shore Cyclery, home to used and vintage bikes including a museum. I saw at least four models of electric drive bicycles for sale in their showroom. One was a mere $1,000 though the other three models topped $2,000 all the way to $3,000, which was the price at the Bike Expo for one of the first electric drive bikes on the market a few years ago.
Yes the Bike Expo is coming April 4-6; the unofficial start of the Bicycle season. It’s free and parking isn’t too expensive if you don’t want to walk. The Metro Spring Social Ride is later in April and a good time especially if you like beer. I stay away from drinking oriented activities myself. For those of an International nature of adventure there is the MTB Himalaya Shimla Edition 2014 before the Social Ride. For those of an athletic nature who have yet to make plans for the riding season there is always the Trans-Iowa.
The WORS Handbook is out (though they didn’t send me one). But I wont be racing till my weight gets back down to 250lbs. Yes, my wife bought Paczki (if you don’t know how to pronounce it you can’t, trust me) for Fat Tuesday, an indulgence before Lent. Does that mean we didn’t eat them during Lent. No, that would make me a pig or wasteful as I could never eat all that in one day. The prune is far too underutilized in modern baked goods.
I have consistently gained ten-pounds during the Winter and lost only five the following Summer for nearly a decade. I am now forty-pounds heavier than I was when I bought my mountain bike. BUT this Spring I find myself five-pounds lighter than before this 
last Winter began. There is hope. I have not been on the trainer as much as I would have liked this Winter. My exercise consisted of keeping the curb in front of our house clear for the benefit of those who park on the street. Something I do most Winters. When I first started the neighbors would compete with me and clean off their own curbs, no longer. The Spring exercise routine consists of bailing water from lake back yard.
Not the most attractive of pictures but what is a blog without pictures? But I know it is neither the quality of the photos that concerns you, my reader, nor the lack of posts, something that I am attempting to make up for now. The question that fills all your thoughts is, “But Phillip, how is your bowling?”
Since you asked, I had one of my best games ever in a pre-bowl. Yes, I made a split in the tenth. And yes, the meetings can change to Thursday, I can just pre-bowl and I can always pick up a WORS Handbook somewhere.
It was part of a 545 series, which may be my very best series ever. Being a handicap league and my average being 130 I was quite certain I gave my team a complete victory. …They lost one game. The first game. My 213 game. Can’t win for losing, as they say. In a few weeks we will be bowling for the trophy. There can be only one.
$53 question: Same as my last post. See Charity Jackpot page in sidebar.
