Three Bridges Park

Tomorrow is the official opening of Three Bridges Park. When I heard of it on our neighborhood site I thought they were renaming our park as we have three automobile bridges surrounding our neighborhood. But no. This is a new park a bit farther down our Menomonee River Valley, heading east to the lake. The valley does have three auto viaducts over it but the name comes from three (I am sure very expensive) bicycle bridges that connect the park to the south side which would otherwise be cut off by the river and railroad tracks. It is part and parcel of the Hank Aaron State Trail.

This weekend also includes the Trek Summer Sale at Emery’s and other dealers I am sure. This week is the La Crosse Speedway Criterium, in West Salem. Sounds like a spectator friendly event.

The fact that I have not come across the Three Bridges Park, or the area, since they started the work on it really highlights how little I have gotten out on my bike over the last year. It is very close. So I know what you’re thinking:

“We don’t hold it against you Phillip. We know you’re not one of those dipsomaniacal heathens or liberal binge drinkers that make up the radical bicycling crowd. Don’t worry about it.”

But there are plenty of right thinking high minded wholesome people, like myself, who make up the radical looking bicycle community.

Raspberries!

Yes, after some four years, almost being chewed down beyond return, our raspberry bush is producing. Despite the heat life goes on. Some quite productively. Our lilies are blooming and the cucumber is finally starting to grow; taking off. I have not ridden in the heat.

I know the Charity Jackpot is getting tempting because my wife asked if she could win the money. Now for the $18 question:

In editing my books I often reduce the word count by eliminating unnecessary tautological expressions. I also increase my vocabulary by making notes of unfamiliar words I come across when I am reading. What was I reading when I came across the word “Tautology?”

OK. It’s an almost impossible question. Why complain? No one has been making any attempts. I can tell you now this will be reused if no one even tries. If you are a dipsomaniacal Liberal or heathen binge drinker you might get it. See the rules page.

Car Troubles

Ike was mystified by the fireworks until they became too loud. We saw in part several local 4th of July events in the distance from our local park. And the 4th of July of the Mountain Bike season is soon to arrive. Not yet a national holiday but who knows. Yes, that national classic, The Subaru Cup, is this coming weekend. It is part of the WORS Series. WORS is an advocates of school based mountain bike clubs and competition. Another event this weekend is the Milwaukee Challenge, a scavenger hunt.

Yes car troubles kept me from the Metro Mountain Biker’s monthly meeting last night. I did not forget. Ride my bike? Well… I thought of it too late. This coming Tuesday there will be an Odd Tuesday Ride. It will also be the day Paul McCarthy will be performing at the Brewers stadium, the All Star Game is played (Baseball), the 68th anniversary of the detonation of the atomic bomb is …not celebrated and my birthday.

My car is in far less trouble than this tree; a huge spreading oak. What’s killing it? Malicious landscapers. This tree’s roots had been exposed over much of the yard for decades. When landscapers covered them with top soil for the new owners who wanted one of those ‘most beautiful yard’ award signs in front of their house it began to die. Exposed roots rot if you cover them. I knew that and I told them that. The tree really is, soon to be was huge. They should display the trunk at City Hall (Wauwatosa) as a display of the largest oak in the city and how it was …murdered!

I have been setting my mind to work, design and writing and adding value to our home and whatever day work I can get, and am just now adding regained focus on fitness to my too numerous endeavors that hinder peak productivity. This month has already been one of my most strenuous training wise. I was running along swimmingly, or perhaps swimming, when a ponderance stopped me nearly cold: How does the simplicity of a flash drive become corrupted? I lost three weeks of writing on my book. Fortunately I have hard copy of about a third of what I lost, as I sent a portion of my writing to Alois for review as some of my characters are German.

Why would anyone want someone who can’t dig a straight trench do anything for them. The fact that my attention to detail astounds some, that it is no longer common, is a poor reflection on society. The complimentor spelled ‘hole’ wrong. !? Or did he? Perhaps he is calling me a “whole”.

The $16 question: Where was the picture directly above taken? See rules in link in sidebar.

The Difference a Day Makes

I have missed another Metro Mountain Bikers monthly meeting. My mind has been focused on my writing (and other economic ventures), bettering the house as we climb out of economic oppression and the oppressive political environment big government has created. It has been economic development and now the rains that have delayed the start of this seasons Wednesday Night Race Series. Tomorrow was to be a go for the year but who knows, nothing has been posted. $15 to race or $12 for IMBA members.

Check out the MTB Project and find all your trail maps online. Important enough to give it it owns paragraph.

Tonight is an Odd Tuesday Ride at the Hoyt Park parking lot. The word is they are putting a Beer Garden in the park; it doesn’t grow on trees you know.

Speaking of yard and garden, we have made some advances ourselves. The previous cucumber wall will be a cucumber and bean tunnel this year, if the beans ever come up. Lots of rhubarb and we have tomatoes, peppers and assorted plants of the garnish variety.

A house repair in the basement. Not sure why the former owners hacked away half the width of the wall under the windows but I filled it in and put in a nailer for future refinements. Projects always take much longer and more work and resources than planned. It looks simple but…

As far as fitness goals, what a difference a day makes. Removing a very long stress filled day of driving from my schedule and replacing it with a day of pursuits of a more energetic nature has turned my weight from a very slow rise to a slow decline. Not to mention the day following the deliveries when I was often too wiped out to do much. I am working to add more rides and exercise to my schedule with some success. We may have a second car in the near future which will make me much more active with Metro Mountain Bikers.

Excerpts from my next book will soon be coming out on my writer’s blog. You can find most of my blogs in my profile.

Yes it took a while to get to the object of the title. In the same way you have to wait until the end to get to the now $14 question. A slight rules change. If no one attempts to answer a question I will not give an answer. The question may be recycled for future use.

For $14 for your favorite non-political charity or non-profit; From K-8, elementary school, how many schools did I attend? See how you can double that in the rules.

Congratulations

Congratulations to the hardworking mountain bike enthusiasts of Waukesha. The Minooka Park Trails have a ribbon cutting tomorrow morning. They worked hard. More trails to come. Go thank them and check out the new trails.

If only I had stayed current in my fitness goals I may have enjoyed entering the Spartan Race being held just down the road at Miller Park this September. I can always dream.

My wife has been studying this Heso Ampuku Message. I had been looking to find a good alternative medicine institution but this will have to do until we become filthy rich. Filthy is the easy part.

My wife’s efforts suggest that my liver is the problem, not that I didn’t know that, some chronic condition. I also take these supplements that are both good for the liver. They are supposed to help me lose weight. I don’t take as many tablets they recommend. Some may call me cheap. I prefer fiscally prudent. I have not lost any weight these last couple of months. Green coffee has been talked about a lot as a weight loss aid. I tried it as the claims are it specifically attacks fat in the liver and abdomen.

Yesterday was my final delivery day. I will now focus on writing full time. I arrived home after my final delivery day and put the car in the garage. Sitting in my car in the garage I waited a moment to see if some blow hard on the radio was going to play a song he had said he would play for like fifteen minutes when I received a text message. It was from Twitter. An author I had been following a long time had just begun to follow me. Closest thing to a message from God that I have had in a long time.

I will change my rules for the jackpot again to include International readers. They must name a charity based in the United States however so I can verify its validity. I can add more states to the qualifications if I can receive reliable information as to the legality of awarding prizes to charities in those states. Check out the Charity Jackpot page in the side bar.

The $12 question is the easiest so far, but it is only a $12 question and it is a trick question. After High School in my first year of University where did I live? No specifics required. General answers allowed and expected.

Memorial Day

A time to remember those who died, most notably members of our armed forces. It was called decoration day and decorating graves of loved ones was the norm. Then it became decorating ones yard. I was planning a garden day as both my wife and I had the whole day free. We were going to get some major garden projects done and maybe go for a bike ride. The weather snuffed out everyone’s plans. The whole neighborhood was quiet.

But the weather was perfect for bringing an end to some old unsustainable school projects. I couldn’t bring myself to throw them in the trash so I burned them. The largest seen here.

It is surprising how well Strathmore burns once it gets going.

The WORS season looks to be going well though I have yet to get to a race. Plenty of pictures on their Facebook page. I missed the last Metro Meeting having had a very long work week and weekend with that other holiday in May. I was still recovering and completely forgot.

Another race series some may be interested in is the Urban Dare, coming to Chicago June 15th. I am still pushing to get back into a rigid fitness routine. I gave my delivery job five months notice and will soon be writing full time. It will be easier to work in an exercise schedule around my writing. Writing I am also doing a lot more reading.

Of course there had to be the grilling for the holiday.

Note the changes to the jackpot rules on the Jackpot page.

Here is the $10 question. I have never gone to a movie by myself. Way back there was a movie I really wanted to see but my brothers and mother went without me. I never saw the movie. What movie was it? Hint: I have been there.

See how you can double the winnings for charity on the jackpot page.

Pictures and Portends

My wit, sometimes too earthy humor, valuable information and advice keep people coming back to the blog. But it is pictures that really keep people interested. Like a good coffee table book a blog needs photos.

Took a ride today. Here are the gravel paths around the detention ponds near the Hoyt Park Trails. The site I suggested for an “It’s April You Fool” race. Though in April the trails may not be fit to ride the gravel would hold out. Maybe some cyclocross style runs up and down some grassy knolls. Want to ride the Himalayas? I got an e-mail from these guys.

The other side of the road has more. Several runners and walkers were using the paths.The mountain bike trails had a few wet spots but were in fairly good condition. Tomorrow will be an odd Tuesday ride. I believe it will be the first. I need to follow the site more. I missed the e-mail about the Sunday trail work day they held yesterday afternoon. One of the first times I would have been free. The Wednesday time trials will begin soon at The Rock; The Alpha Trail.

Not sure if this is connected to the flood control plan but it is a picture.

What will the rest of May bring? How will the summer play out? May 1st has been an important date for different cultures and of course the communists. Some consider snow a good sign and it snowed heavy in Northern Wisconsin. In the orient they say a families fortunes are shaped by the landscape of burial plots and many of my family are buried in the north.

Here at home our peach blossoms bloomed on May 1st. Who knows if it is a sign of changing fortunes for us.

We found ourselves in that socialist haven called Greenfield. Took some interest in a local artist.

I checked my settings and yes, I do have the settings at “anyone” for comments. Maybe people don’t like money.

Here is the $8 question anyway. I went to a movie with my classmate who put me onto the magazine of $6 question fame and one other. What movie did the three of us go to see when we were in High School?

April Fools

Everyone complains about April though every year it is rainy and cool at best, snow storms at the worst. Some say they want to turn off their furnace but they never do. We are just too anxious for Spring. No one has been excited over my idea for an “It’s April You Fool Race.”

But May is different. Suddenly the action begins though it is a bit too early to plant. I mentioned the Ominium last week;  held the first weekend in May. Also include is the Granddad Half Marathon, also in La Crosse. La Crosse is beautiful country. And they are going all out in fitness promotion.

There are also Trail Runs associated with seven of the twelve WORS Races

Today I got the wheels of the old mountain bike turning. It began to drizzle as I went out and stopped when I got back. But I had a good meander. Down along a path I often take I found that this bridge has been opened, or not. The allure was too much and I ventured over the old timbers despite my weighty disposition.

On the other side I found this remote stretch that looks to be used only by some pre-digital spammers to practice their ancient craft.

Here on the edge of a wilderness wild I ended the adventure and turned back lest I run into my greatest fear; cannibals. That and hordes of malicious mechanical spiders. I love to travel and have traversed many a part of the globe. New Guinea is one place I have no desire to visit.

I perused Hart Park and headed home. It was a good ride.

The $6 question: The moment you have all been waiting for. I read magazines much more than I did in the past. Mostly the outdoor sports type, often for research on something I write. I pick and choose the articles and most of the magazine goes unappreciated. But in High School there was a magazine I read from cover to cover, every add and classified. What magazine was it?