Fat Biking in Alaska

Well, not me, but I would be if I could! (Thanks to the poster of this video for inspiration)

Alaska Winter Day and Night (Fat Biking)

Tour de Snow

Who can resist a snow ride when it could be the last of the winter. 5 inches of icy powder last night. Ok, so my Trek with 2.1 inch tires isn't the best snow bike. I managed to keep it in a truck tire track going down the lane, handlebars wobbling back and forth as I tried to gain speed. I must have looked like a 7 year old on a first ride. When I cut off the lane into the field, my momentum slowed and I stood on the pedals only to have my back tire spin. I needed some ass weight on the seat to make the back tire grip. This was a workout better than a 10 mile road ride. I pondered the idea of competitive winter bike racing and came up with the following Top 10 Reasons the Tour de France isn't in the winter:

1. Skinny tires don't work well in snow.
2. Lance Armstrong is from Texas
3. Frozen water bottles being handed to passing riders can be used as weapons.
4. Spandex shorts are preferable to spandex tights.
5. A huge yellow down parka is not as cool as a yellow jersey.
6. Podium women dress better in the summer.
7. Tour organizers don't like contestants nicknamed after fruit (i.e. Tomato) (yes, the tomato is a fruit).

8. Dousing winners with hot mulled cider may cause 2nd degree burns.

9. Bike helmets look better.....err..never look good.

10. Wine and cheese is better served at warmer temperatures.

We wore them out!

Trip to Virginia

This weekend Irma and I took a trip to Staunton, Virgina to visit Jared and Lisa, my son and daughter-in-law. Had a great time poking around Staunton and then going to Monticello, home of Thomas Jefferson.

Overview of Staunton from the hill. In the background the large brick buildings with white roofs were originally built in the early 1800's as a mental hospital, then a Confederate Army hospital then a prison and now they are being converted into condominiums. Each unit complete with complimentary spirit presence.

Main street Staunton.

Some of the old architecture. They seemed to have a thing for building towers and clocks back then. I think we have replaced this with the iPhone.

Monticello

Why yes, I'd be happy to join you in the parlor for some home made wine. Please serve the good stuff, not that grog you serve to George and James.

 I think this tree is as old as Tom himself.

He knows how to pick a view.

Greetings from Virginia!

This changes everything

I wonder if the designers of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge realized just how much of an affect it would have on Maryland's Eastern Shore when they first started thinking about it in the early 1900's? Did they buy property in Ocean City and load up a cryogenic freezer with shrimp, crabs and Old Bay? The first span was completed in 1952. The second span was completed in 1973 allowing a total of 5 lanes of traffic that could be used in either direction. It has definately changed the Eastern Shore by spawning numerous "bedroom" communities for people who work "on the other side" and allowing millions of people to flock to the beaches on summer weekends.

Travelling eastbound on the older 2 lane span.

Each span is about 4.3 miles long. The older 2 lane span was recently repainted at a cost that is said to have been greater than the original price of construction. When they sandbasted it prior to painting, they hung collection bags around and under the work area to collect all the sand and old paint so it wouldn't fall into the bay.

One of the many bedroom communities that has sprung up next to agricultural fields.

We moved to the Eastern Shore when I was employed by Southern States, an Ag Co-op. It was a nice place to live and raise a family. Since then I have changed careers and have become one of the daily commuters across the bridge to the "dark side". In the 11 years that I have been doing this, I estimate that I have crossed the bridge approximately 5700 times and spent $5700 on tolls. But unfortunately job opportunities on "the shore" and limited and don't pay well.

This is me next to my old communter car. The amazing Honda Civic. I was going for an endorsement offer here, but discovered that I wasn't the only one that drove one of these cars to 430,000 miles. It also survived a 15 mph glancing kiss by the Bay Bridge railing and a head-on with a straw bale at 60 mph.

One interesting effect of the increased population of non-natives: they out voted the natives. Farming and land owner rights have always been important to long time Eastern Shore residents. But this past fall, the "foreigners" shot down the farming initiatives at the polls. If you're old family born and raised here, that has got to hurt.

The low cost, high quality of life here are hard to give up. I'll just continue the crazy commute. For now.

Winter

If you enjoy the outdoors like I do, you have to like winter. Its clean and refreshing. It means you're standing up to the weather and not backing down. It's saying "bring it on, I can take it!". It's seeing opportunities that others might not see. It's getting up early and enjoying the fog that covers the field, and seeing the sun rise behind it.

It's being outside with your favorite dog, and watching him sense what you can't see. It's looking back at your house, and knowing that as much as you are enjoying this, a hot cup of coffee on a cold morning is one of life's pleasures.

So to that wonderful furry rodent, affectionately know as "Phil", I say look hard for that shadow, my groggy friend from Punxsutawney! If tomorrow's prediction is 6 more weeks of winter, I'm ok with that.