Tuesday April 18, 2023 (Journal Entry)
Art is choosing to do something skillfully,
caring about the details,
bringing all of yourself
to make the finest work you can.
It is beyond ego, vanity, self-glorification,
and need for approval.
— Rick Rubin
I think this applies to life in general doesn’t it? Living artfully as Rubin describes would bring about countless benefits.
Sunday April 16, 2023 (Journal Entry)
I’m currently reading Rick Rubin’s “A Creative Act.” It is inspirational. I’ve learned so far, that we are all artists, each person in their own way. (Maybe not everyone, but almost all of us.) The better we all are at our art, the better the world becomes, because art is about being in tune and receiving information from the Universe. It doesn’t really matter if we are “good” at our art, just that we are committed to a life that focuses on living artistically. It is our responsibility (not too strong a word) to create “works” that help move the world forward, evolving toward a more perfect version of what the world can be. It’s all about the connections we make and the vibe that we leave behind as we move through the Universe. In other words, sharing ourselves with the Universe. That is our art.
Friday April 14, 2023 (Journal Entry)
Doesn’t this photo say it all…
I am a badass. I love myself. I have enough love for everyone.
Badass, yes. I can do anything. Nothing is outside the realm of possibility. Let’s say for example, next Spring when the wind slab on Mount Washington turns to corn, skiing Tuckerman Ravine… Really, why not?
Editor’s Note. (That’s me.) Skiing Tuckerman Ravine might be just a bit over my head… My back country experience is limited and there are aspects of Tuckerman (the headwall for example) that are considered the most extreme in the Northeast. That said, I’m sure with a couple years of back country experience, I could take on some of the lower aspects.
Thursday April 13, 2023 (Journal Entry)
The real work of the artist
Is a way of being in the world.
—Rick Rubin
Isn’t that true for all of us? We are all artists in our own medium. If we are living our artistic life to the fullest, we are living in a way that allows us to be open to the world around us…
Openness can take many forms. It can be as simple as a conversation we engage in with a stranger, or perhaps a conversation we simply listen to and take in silently, either one can hold the potential to change our life. Either one holds the potential to show us an entirely new path. A path we hadn’t previously considered, but know instantly is the right path for us…
Wednesday April 12, 2023 (TransAm 2023 Planning)
I’ve just completed the weigh-in for my TransAm cycling trip. The break-out looks like this:
| Equipment Category | Weight |
|---|---|
| Bike | 34 lbs |
| Panniers/Bags | 10 lbs |
| Clothes | 8 lbs |
| Cooking Equipment | 6 lbs |
| Tent/Sleeping Gear | 16 lbs |
| Tools | 7 lbs |
| Media/Navigation/Power | 7 lbs |
| Personal Items/Meds | 2 lbs |
| Water (average) | 4 lbs |
The grand total is: 94 lbs.
It is generally considered that weight of bike plus all carry items should fall between 60 and 100 lbs. This is largely dependent on what type of touring you are doing, the sort of bike you are riding, and also, how many people are in your tour group. A solo tour requires carrying a bit more than you might if you could split the gear load between two or more riders. This is a total guess, but based on what I am carrying, I suspect my overall weight could be reduced by about 8 lbs if I were touring with 2 or more people. That said, I wish my load were closer to 80 lbs, but given this is a solo tour, 94 lbs is not too surprising.
Wednesday April 12, 2023 (Journal Entry)
We create our reality through our thoughts. Thoughts are our most powerful tool. Manage them accordingly…
Before you speak
Let your words pass through
Three gates.
The First Gate:
Are my words true?
The Second Gate:
Are my words necessary?
The Third Gate:
Are my words kind?
—Sufi Saying
Wednesday April 12, 2023 (Journal Entry)
Stay away from people with tiny minds and tiny thoughts.
—Jen Sincero
Sunday April 9, 2023 (Journal Entry)
When I have been waiting at a four-way stop and it’s now my turn to proceed into the intersection and a car rolls up on my right and without stopping or even slowing down, turns left in front of me, and I don’t feel just a bit annoyed… then I know I will have enough love for everyone…
Saturday April 8, 2023 (Journal Entry)
I am in the process of learning. Probably a good thing, since I’m no spring chicken. Here’s what I learned today. Affirmations are good. They can become reality if you express them often enough and with sincerity. They can be magical. Okay, that’s what I’m told anyway, but that is what I am going with… I’m going to write these in my journal ten times every day, probably for a long time to come, because I have a long way to go, but that’s not the point really, the point is doing it. The magic will follow.
I am a badass. I love myself. I have enough love for everyone.
I am a badass. I love myself. I have enough love for everyone.
I am a badass. I love myself. I have enough love for everyone.
I am a badass. I love myself. I have enough love for everyone.
I am a badass. I love myself. I have enough love for everyone.
I am a badass. I love myself. I have enough love for everyone.
I am a badass. I love myself. I have enough love for everyone.
I am a badass. I love myself. I have enough love for everyone.
I am a badass. I love myself. I have enough love for everyone.
I am a badass. I love myself. I have enough love for everyone.
Friday April 7, 2023 (Journal Entry)
I had to leave the cat with a sitter for three weeks. He got seriously pissed at me. I know this because after the second week I went to visit him, when he saw me come into the room he hid his head in his paws and tried his best to ignore me. I left the room to take care of something and when I returned he was under the bed. He was not about to come out no matter how hard I coaxed.
He’s back with me now and everything is fine. I have to admit I missed him, probably more than he missed me. I think he senses that and that has helped him get over his distress at my abandonment. He’s a good boy, the best actually. If it didn’t cost $89 I would register him as an emotional support animal. He is that, no question about it.
Friday April 7, 2023 (Journal Entry)
”This is a wonderful day. I have never seen this one before.” -Maya Angelou
If you are going to practice gratitude each day, that is a very good way to start. It’s hard to argue with this notion, whether or not you suffer memory loss… (I suppose that’s an attempt at humor…)
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about gratitude. It’s time to admit I haven’t taken enough opportunity throughout my life to sufficiently recognize the many people and reasons I have to be grateful. I intend to change that. I’m going to take time each day to appreciate at least one of the many reasons I have to be grateful. Here is an assortment of reasons, by no means an exhaustive list, but a list that I think will get me started on the right foot…
Gratitude for my health
Having health to enjoy the day. Having health to remember my experiences. Having health to exercise. Having health to pursue my dreams.
Gratitude for the people in my life
Having that special someone. Having wonderful children. Having people to admire. Having people that care about me. Having a cat that cares about me, even when he’s not hungry. (That last one could be wishful thinking…)
Gratitude for my surroundings
Having a home. Admiring the changes brought by the seasons. Enjoying the fresh air outside. Basking in the smell of coffee in the morning.
Gratitude for my self
Taking time to enjoy who I am. Taking time to learn something new. Taking time to solve a problem. Taking time to create something beautiful (no matter how small or trivial). Attempting to building a legacy. Reminding myself that others matter, even if they don’t care what I think.
Of course this is not an exhaustive list. The important thing to remember is that expressing gratitude feels good, it can also go a long way towards preserving our health and maybe, just maybe, it can be healing as well. No one has been able to show that it hurts you, so there’s no real reason not to practice it. There can only be benefits.
Friday April 7, 2023 (Journal Entry)
”Get a bicycle. You will not regret it, if you live.” -Mark Twain
Im getting excited. Less than one months before I start my TransAm tour. I don’t take Mark Twain’s precaution lightly, but I have done this before and the first thing I did the last time was grow a pair of eyes in the back of my head. I haven’t been using them much lately, skiing doesn’t really require them, but I tested them last night and they seem to be working fine.
I’m going to go solo, and I’m thrilled with the proposition. There might be no better way to get in touch with yourself than a long solo bike tour. My goal when I’m finished is actually two-fold, know thy self, and appreciate the other people in my life that much more. Not a bad goal I’d say.
I might be able to spend some time reading a book or two along the way, not to mention write about the experience here.
Stay tuned. It all begins in less than a month!
Thursday April 6, 2023 (Journal Entry)
Donald J. Trump single handedly placed the Republican Party in a pot of cold water on top of a stove. He then proceeded to gradually (whether consciously or unconsciously is purely academic) turn up the heat. The question is: Will the Republican Party jump out of the pot, or will they boil to death?
Wednesday April 5, 2023 (Journal Entry)
Shins on tongue.
Knees over toes.
Elbows in front of torso.
Big toe little toe, little toe big toe.
Roll the ankles.
Chin over turning ski.
Pressure downhill.
Turning ski, turning arm.
Feel, feel, feel. Correct, correct, correct!
Thank you Chad!
Friday March 31, 2023 (Journal 2023)
This narrative was given to me by a loved one. I’m sure I would not have been able to provide this detail. The events described have not recurred. These and similar episodes occurred over a period of six days between 3/15 and 3/20.
On Thursday 3/16, during dinner, at approximately 8pm, a group conversation was occurring. Andy directed a question to you (not by name) and you didn’t respond in the first couple seconds, so I said your name to cue you into the conversation. Andy repeated the question. You looked up when I said your name, looked around the table, and it looked like you were thinking or starting to say something, but then you looked down and shook your head. You were not able to get a response out. This lasted for a few seconds and appeared as a noticeable inability to either process the language input or formulate any output (answer or get any words out).
The next day, we talked about what happened and you said you were having one of the dizzy spells at that time.
On Friday 3/17 in the evening at approximately 6pm you were sitting at the head of the table, actively engaged in conversation with me and Scott. You were getting Scott up to speed on your scheduled heart procedure, as well as actually describing what your dizzy spells are like. Polly was in the kitchen cooking dinner. In the midst of relaying all this to us, you went from speaking normally to struggling to get your thoughts out. You were still speaking, but you were getting tripped up on specific words, using a large amount of fillers like “uhhh”, and “ummmm” while searching for the right words, occasionally Scott or I would say the word we guessed you were looking for and you’d say “yes” and then move on with another sentence. Over the course of 3-4 minutes, you continued speaking while we listened and about once every utterance you got stuck on a word (couldn’t find the right word), or you used the wrong word in place of what you meant. I believe when you used the wrong words a few times (2 or 3 times total), that you may not have comprehended that the wrong word came out because you continued your utterance without hesitating. (Here is an example of the word replacements that were tripping you up: “I was riding my bike over the balcony when I got a flat tire,” you substituted the word “balcony” when you intended to use the word “bridge.”)
On Friday 3/17 during dinner, at approximately 8pm we were all engaged in conversation. You were mid-sentence when you trailed off into a pause and stopped speaking all together. The empty pause was noticeable and lasted about 2 seconds, so I asked, “should I get the blood pressure cuff?” (since the plan was to take your blood pressure the next time you had a dizzy spell). You nodded in the affirmative but did not say anything. You stayed seated facing forward and I placed the cuff on your right arm. You pushed the button to turn it on with your left hand. You didn’t speak the entire time the cuff was taking your blood pressure. After about a minute you said something like “thank you, good call” and then a few minutes later, after the blood pressure reading was complete and the cuff was off, you resumed normal speech.
You reported to us that you had dizzy spells about a dozen times while driving on Thursday 3/16 and another dozen or so times while skiing at Deer Valley on 3/17. Then they decreased and all but went away by Sunday/Monday 3/20.
Thursday March 30, 2023 (Journal Entry)
I’ve been remiss. I haven’t written here for a few days. Let me just say, I don’t write here for you, I write here for me. While I admit, in the back of my mind I like to think that some of what is posted here might be of interest to a curious few, I’m under no illusion that what is here is probably only enjoyed by myself.
There has been a lot on my mind of late. Writing helps me to sort things out. I’ve learned that I have CAD. It’s not the end of the world, but it is a surprise and something I need to grapple with. In addition, I’ve been told my memory may be suspect. Curious that. I still know how to write, and enjoy doing that. It gives me great pleasure actually, but I tend to write about today, or at least recent events, rather than the past. (Let’s not jump to conclusions, I’ve never written about the past, and it’s possible I’m not the sort of person lives in, or even thinks much about the past…)
Where does all this leave me at the moment? I’m not completely sure. I do know I’m going to keep writing. Keep skiing. Keep cycling. Keep enjoying the people I love and the people that love me, and keep myself in the best health possible so all these things can be enjoyed. When you stop to think about it, there really isn’t a lot more that you need to do.
Wednesday March 15, 2023 (Journal Entry)
It’s been awhile since I have written anything here. Ten days to be exact. That seems like a long time to me. I’ve been wondering the last few days why has it been that long. The best answer is that I’ve been preoccupied with other matters. Important matters, but matters too boring in nature to write about. What is interesting to me is how easily we can be diverted from the things that bring us joy and pleasure if we allow events to distract us.
Sometimes when I sit down to write (I do that daily even if it doesn’t show up here) I have a clear idea of what I am going to say. Other times, I have no idea, this is one of those other times. I’ll admit, it is strange to try and write when you have no idea what is about to come out of your head… At the moment it’s just about making connections and allowing those connection to lead me somewhere.
Where that is leading me at the moment, is an examination of why I write. Writing brings me joy and pleasure. To be perfectly honest (with myself) I’m also compelled to do it. I can’t completely explain that. It is partially a hope that occasionally I will come up with something to be proud of. It’s also a necessary therapy. Who I am is a big part of my urge to write, or to be slightly more precise, discovering who I am is a big part of my urge to write. It’s’ a journey of discovery. It also stems from a desire to leave a mark somewhere that says “I was here,” even if there is no “here” and any mark one leaves is fleeting at best. I’ll be the first to admit that writing a good novel, or writing about some sort of discovery, or most any other subject for that matter, would be more interesting than writing a boring blog, but you have to go with what you know, and I know there’s no novel lurking inside of me.
If you’re still with me (I’m pretty sure I would not be if I were the one reading this) I also think that writing is good for your brain. I think it helps prevent “creeping brain deterioration”. That is a technical term. I don’t want to be one of those senile septuagenarians that can’t put two words together unless they were fed to him by someone on TV. Staying young and having thoughts that are mine alone, thoughts driven from within rather than dictated from without, is my goal. I wouldn’t necessarily say that more people should blog and fewer people should tweet, but I guess I just said that…
It comes down to this I suppose: this is my creativity. Creativity is an important ingredient for a satisfying life. It’s important to find some act that fulfills that need. Creativity can be integral to a rewarding life when it’s recognized and embraced. Besides all that, it’s just damn fun.
Monday March 6, 2023 (TransAm 2023 Planning)
With a certain amount of luck, I will be starting the TransAm Bicycle Route on May 5th. Needless to say, I’m very excited. It’s been four years since I rode across the country and this second tour is way over due. In 2019 I rode the Southern Tier route. This time I’m going to follow the classic TransAm route. This route was established in 1976 for the “Bicentennial.” Below are some pertinent facts. I’m planning to ride east to west. I’ll be blogging the adventure here, just like I did for the Southern Tier.
Mileage (Route Order)
| State | Miles(1) | Total Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia | 577 | 577 |
| Kentucky | 506 | 1,083 |
| Illinois | 134 | 1,217 |
| Missouri | 304 | 1,521 |
| Kansas | 531 | 2,052 |
| Colorado | 431 | 2,483 |
| Wyoming | 462 | 2,945 |
| Montana | 335 | 3,280 |
| Idaho | 347 | 3,627 |
| Oregon | 482 | 4,109 |
(1) Another “Virginia Surprise.” This is the state that presents the longest crossing of all the states on the itinerary.
Mileage (Average)
| State | Mileage (Average/Day)(2) |
|---|---|
| Kansas | 59 |
| Wyoming | 58 |
| Idaho | 58 |
| Kentucky | 56 |
| Montana | 56 |
| Oregon | 54 |
| Missouri | 51 |
| Virginia | 48 |
| Colorado | 48 |
| Illinois | 34 |
(2) Elapsed time to cross, 78 days total (not counting rest days).
Elevation (Total)
| Elevation | Elevation (Total) (3) |
|---|---|
| Virginia | 26,500 |
| Oregon | 20,100 |
| Kentucky | 17,200 |
| Colorado | 16,500 |
| Missouri | 14,600 |
| Wyoming | 14,300 |
| Montana | 12,000 |
| Idaho | 8,400 |
| Kansas | 8,200 |
| Illinois | 5,900 |
(3) The total elevation is equivalent to 5 times the height of Mt. Everest - without the oxygen deprivation.
Elevation (Per Mile)
| State | Elevation (Feet/Mile)(4) |
|---|---|
| Missouri | 48 |
| Virginia | 46 |
| Illinois | 44 |
| Oregon | 42 |
| Colorado | 38 |
| Montana | 36 |
| Kentucky | 34 |
| Wyoming | 31 |
| Idaho | 24 |
| Kansas | 15 |
(4) The way I look at this one is, how much of your time in the saddle will be spent climbing… not necessarily how difficult the climbing. To gauge the overall difficulty I don’t really have much to go on. I am pretty sure that Kansas will be the flattest. Note: It is scientifically proven to be “flatter than a pancake.” See: Is Kansas Flatter than a Pancake.
Probably the big surprise in these numbers is how much elevation Virginia dishes out. Before I dug into these numbers, I was planning to ride west to east. I changed my mind based on prevailing weather patterns around my anticipated May start date. I was also worried that it might not be a good idea for an old man to start the ride in a state that requires a lot of climbing. Well, now I know that Virginia will be kicking ass to the same degree that Oregon does, if not more.
Journal Entry (Sunday March 5, 2023)
I can’t believe how lucky I was to have found you. It amazes me every day. I am grateful to you for sharing your life with me. You are helping to give me the best years of my life.
Love and wonder don’t cease at the boundaries of who we know and what we have accomplished in this life. Every day brings new connections, new loves, and new joys to join all the ones we carry with us.
Journal Entry (Sunday March 5, 2023)
Thank you for being a wonderful mother and giving me my two oldest daughters.
Love and wonder don’t cease at the boundaries of who we know and what we have accomplished in this life. Every day brings new connections, new loves, and new joys to join all the ones we carry with us.
Journal Entry (Sunday March 5, 2023)
Thank you for being a wonderful mother and giving me my youngest daughter.
Love and wonder don’t cease at the boundaries of who we know and what we have accomplished in this life. Every day brings new connections, new loves, and new joys to join all the ones we carry with us.
Journal Entry (Sunday March 5, 2023)
To my oldest daughter: I am grateful to be sharing this life with you. The joy you give me is beyond any I could possibly have imagined, or hoped for.
If time is a never ending river, I look forward to skiing with you for as long as the waters flow.
Love and wonder don’t cease at the boundaries of who we know and what we have accomplished in this life. Every day brings new connections, new loves, and new joys to join all the ones we carry with us.
Journal Entry (Sunday March 5, 2023)
To my middle daughter: I am grateful to be sharing this life with you. The joy you give me is beyond any I could possibly have imagined, or hoped for.
If time is a never ending river, I look forward to hiking and camping with you for as long as the waters flow.
Love and wonder don’t cease at the boundaries of who we know and what we have accomplished in this life. Every day brings new connections, new loves, and new joys to join all the ones we carry with us.
Journal Entry (Sunday March 5, 2023)
To my youngest daughter: I am grateful to be sharing this life with you. The joy you give me is beyond any I could possibly have imagined, or hoped for.
If time is a never ending river, I look forward to hanging out with you for as long as the waters flow.
Love and wonder don’t cease at the boundaries of who we know and what we have accomplished in this life. Every day brings new connections, new loves, and new joys to join all the ones we carry with us.
Journal Entry (Sunday March 5, 2023)
To be a lifelong skier has brought me immeasurable joy. I cherish every day I am able to challenge the mountain. The mountain, like life, holds secrets that can never be fully revealed, but the challenge to try is always there.
Love and wonder don’t cease at the boundaries of who we know and what we have accomplished in this life. Every day brings new connections, new loves, and new joys to join all the ones we carry with us.