I'm in Kansas City Missouri, accompanying Amy at a Silpada jewelry conference. On Wednesday, I headed south to a town named Peculiar (weird, huh?) and did a 45 mile loop. What a wonderful place to ride.
The drivers are extremely curteous -- they wait patiently behind riders for an opening to pass, sometimes for several minutes or more. Clearly, they've been trained not to overtake unless they have a good view of the road, no overtaking on hills or before turns. And when they do pass, they move over to the opposing lane and wave cheerfully (and with all five fingers!).
It was hot on Wednesday, in the 90s. I stopped into a small town called Freeman, had a sandwich and reapplied suntan lotion. Then I went looking for some water to replenish my supply. Freeman is a *small* town and didn't even have a sandwich shop or bar...I *did* find the Freeman Municipal Water Department and stopped in. Hey, they're in the water business, right?
Anyway, a kind lady refilled my water bottles with water and ice. I do have to say that their water was particularly good, probably local well water.
I continued on my ride and eventually took a five mile detour to Louisville, Kansas, mostly to say that I rode all the way from MO to KS!
The sights and sounds on this ride were simply awesome. The rural country roads were largely deserted, virtually no traffic at all, save the occasional farm tractor.
Thursday I headed north and started a 50 mile loop in a town called Liberty. A bit more climbing on this ride, mostly lots of "rollers" -- short steep hills that don't actually build to any real elevation.
I stopped in at the Smithville Lake Project, an Army Corp of Engineers manufactured lake (and a big one!). Their air conditioning and cold water were appreciated.
On this ride, the drivers were equally scarce and courteous...I still can't get over how well mannered they are. This is somewhat less true closer to Kansas City, but far better than most drivers in the northeast.
This was a hot day...so hot that I skipped a 5 mile extension to Paradise and headed back in mid 90 degree heat. It was as hot a ride as I've ever remembered and I suffered through it.
At one point I stopped at an intersection, leaned my bike up against the stop sign and took my helmet off. Not long afterwards, a guy on a Harley pulls up, nods, and then asks "Are you okay?" Now this is a common question cyclists ask one another on the road when one is stopped, but I've *never* seen a motorcyclist ask a cyclist this question. Perhaps he saw that I was overheated, but more likely, it's just this midwestern courtesy!
I'll get another ride or two in before we head back to Massachusetts on Sunday. With any luck, the weather will be a bit cooler...
Then I begin my taper for the ride next week. The bike is ready and the legs are ready. All I need now is to raise another $6,000 and I'll have reached my fundraising goal.
To contribute, please visit the PMC website:
https://www.pmc.org/egifts/MakeADonation.asp?eGiftID=LL0033
And please forward this link to friends and coworkers. With your help I can make my $10,000 fundraising goal!
Lee
Friday, July 27, 2007
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
The Fourth of July in New England
This weekend, and again today I rode one of my favorite training routes -- north from Needham through Wellesley, Weston, Lincoln, past the Air Force base and airport in Bedford and into Concord.
The history contained on this route is amazing. 200 years ago we fought for the independence of our country on this ground, and many of the battlefields are now protected as national park land. It's amazing to ride through these areas, past houses that were built in the 1700s, along roads that may originally have been horse paths, and think that some of our nation's most important history happened in these very places.
This legacy is much of what keeps me in New England...the richness of our heritage is so evident here.
I took a break at the Concord Rotary and watched the tourists flock. Those of us that live here sometimes take this heritage for granted...we speed past the battlefields without a second thought, ignore the houses and taverns in which our nation's history was written. The tourists, from Alabama, or Missouri, or California, or New York, or even western Massachusetts, stare wide-eyed at these same historical sites. They read every word on the signs and plaques. They remind us of how lucky we are to live here.
Riding through these historical lands is a real treat. I am reminded of what happened here 200 years ago, and think of how difficult life then must have been.
By the way, I crossed paths with a fellow PMCer today...a guy that lost his right leg to cancer 30 years ago. He's out training for the PMC as well...doing his part to raise money for the cause. Or perhaps he's training for another triathlon. Either way, he makes a marvelous model for living after cancer. And for those who say riding 200 miles in 2 days, or raising $3,000 is too hard, well...all I can say is that anyone who puts their mind to it can accomplish this and much more.
The training is going well. I put in 100+ miles this weekend and another 55 today. I'm feeling old and slow and fat...at least the bike is losing weight. Between the two of us I think we'll do okay.
The fundraising has picked up some. I've raised almost $4,000 to date, which means that if I don't raise any more, *I* will be writing a check to the Jimmy Fund for $2,600 to meet the commitment I made.
My goal remains to raise $10,000 this year, and I'm confident that I will reach this goal. I've got so many people are with me on this mission of wiping out cancer, I know we'll do it!
To donate, please visit:
https://www.pmc.org/egifts/MakeADonation.asp?eGiftID=LL0033
Thanks!
Lee
The history contained on this route is amazing. 200 years ago we fought for the independence of our country on this ground, and many of the battlefields are now protected as national park land. It's amazing to ride through these areas, past houses that were built in the 1700s, along roads that may originally have been horse paths, and think that some of our nation's most important history happened in these very places.
This legacy is much of what keeps me in New England...the richness of our heritage is so evident here.
I took a break at the Concord Rotary and watched the tourists flock. Those of us that live here sometimes take this heritage for granted...we speed past the battlefields without a second thought, ignore the houses and taverns in which our nation's history was written. The tourists, from Alabama, or Missouri, or California, or New York, or even western Massachusetts, stare wide-eyed at these same historical sites. They read every word on the signs and plaques. They remind us of how lucky we are to live here.
Riding through these historical lands is a real treat. I am reminded of what happened here 200 years ago, and think of how difficult life then must have been.
By the way, I crossed paths with a fellow PMCer today...a guy that lost his right leg to cancer 30 years ago. He's out training for the PMC as well...doing his part to raise money for the cause. Or perhaps he's training for another triathlon. Either way, he makes a marvelous model for living after cancer. And for those who say riding 200 miles in 2 days, or raising $3,000 is too hard, well...all I can say is that anyone who puts their mind to it can accomplish this and much more.
The training is going well. I put in 100+ miles this weekend and another 55 today. I'm feeling old and slow and fat...at least the bike is losing weight. Between the two of us I think we'll do okay.
The fundraising has picked up some. I've raised almost $4,000 to date, which means that if I don't raise any more, *I* will be writing a check to the Jimmy Fund for $2,600 to meet the commitment I made.
My goal remains to raise $10,000 this year, and I'm confident that I will reach this goal. I've got so many people are with me on this mission of wiping out cancer, I know we'll do it!
To donate, please visit:
https://www.pmc.org/egifts/MakeADonation.asp?eGiftID=LL0033
Thanks!
Lee
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