Saturday, October 29, 2005

Rain, Snow Cold and Windy




That’s the forcast for tonight’s game. The Revs lost 1-0 on the away leg last week and now must win by two tonight to advance. The hated NY Metros fans will be bused in for the match. Busing into Boston. Now there is irony. My co-worker who is from the Ivory Coast, Africa, is wearing the LL Bean catalog to the game. He will probably still shiver.


A big win tonight and another next weekend will make my trip to Dallas much more enjoyable. Also if you are in the market for a weight loss plan, all you need to do is become a fanatical fan of a team in the playoffs. The stress level is so high, you don' t eat for days. But the AA meeting are Mondays at the Lutheran Church in Fairhaven.


I am working today. (gee??) But I will be leaving from here to the tailgate with the supporters group Midnight Riders



The changing of the clocks will allow an extra hour to recover (from the long drive. I know what you were thinking). Especially if we manage to get the two goal advantage.


Setting the clocks back an hour will also allow bike commuting to re-commence. Although it may be dusk or dark on the commute home, evening drivers are more aware. Morning commute is where I see people driving into things and off the roads. Between, drinking coffee, talking on the phones and applying makeup, it’s inevitable.


I am considered by some to be a hazzard on the highway. To save gas and money, I drive 55mph for the first thirty miles of my commute, before doing the last 10 miles by bike.


Last year I averaged 72 mph and got around 30 miles to the gallon. I slowed to 60 and it rose to 36. At 55, my Pontiac Vibe gets 39 mpg. It is our patriotic duty to save as much gas, and put as little poisons into the air as possible. Besides, spending $20 to fill the tank really irks me every time I have to do it. (dam price gouging oil barons and their politician apeasers).


Go you ....Revs

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Wyland

Marine life artist
Wyland
is widely recognized for his 91 towering marine life murals in 69 cities on four continents.






A multi-talented painter, sculptor, diver, author, and educator, he has hosted his own show on TV’s “Animal Planet,” painted the world’s largest mural on the Long Beach Convention Center, provided community outreach on conservation issues to more than 1,000,000 children, and currently writes a column on children and has authored 10 best selling books.

His non-profit, 501(c)(3) Wyland foundation has actively supported educational and scientific research organizations such as the JASON Project with Dr. Robert Ballard and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, Calif. In 1998, his art was chosen for the "first day of issue" envelope for the United Nation's "International Year of the Ocean" stamps. Today Wyland’s art is seen by more than one billion people a year in museums, galleries, public murals, and public and private collections throughout the world.

"One Person Can Make A Difference!"






He is now in New Bedford doing his 92nd murial, and we are very proud to have him. New Bedford is home to the Whaling Museum, and the
Whaling National Historic Park

Monday, October 03, 2005

The Middle Part was Fun

Offered to work Saturday to be in the area of Foxboro stadium for the Revs game in the evening. This may have been a preview of the MLS Cup in Dallas. San Jose won this one 0-2. But I did get to hang out with a former Manchester United and Nigerian National Team Screaming Eagle.



The glaring example of the sad state of MLS referee quality was shown to the world in the game on Saturday. This poster on the BigSoccer board said it best.
In more ways than one. After the ejection, it's clear that the Revs players said some things to The Ego with Stripes while gesticulating to the replay board. Apparently piqued, he then made it a point to show everyone who The Man in charge was. The rest of the way was a litany of tick-tack fouls, pointless whistles, needless posturing, frequent lecturing to the players, and a general inattentiveness to details of the game.

Unfortunately, he made twenty-one players and 15-20K fans suffer for his self-esteem problem. Just the kind of guy who should not be officiating a big league professional game. There's only so many ways you can spell A-S-S.


The game report is posted on boston.com

I think I telegraph my feelings after a Revs match when I enter the house.


Sunday, as usual was biking day. I chose to ride with the Appalachian Mountain Club group. A glorious day for a bike ride. Temp in the mid 70's, no wind or traffic. The route took us through the quaint village of Marion Ma.


We saw some very different homes like this one overlooking the harbor.


The town grade school that reminded me of the opening credits of Dragnet. I can picture Sgt. Friday walking up to the building. Dum... de dum dum.


While riding through the center of town we heard bagpipes and turned back to see what was going on. There were two, greeting people as they entered a pretty neat building. We figured some kind of brunch or ceremony was in progress. My guess was some kind of anniversary party. One rider guessed a service of some kind and the others just wanted to move on.


From the town center we peddaled to Point Rd, the other side of Sippican Harbor. Kittansett golf course where members pay thousands of dollars to join. Then an annual membership fee. To golf on one course. They could buy a limo, hire a driver and travel to much better courses for a lot less money.

While there we rode onto Planters Island. We saw this sign but figured bike riders are not tresspassers. We were only passing through.





Twenty two miles from homeport I got a flat. Three of us worked quickly to replace the tube. While pumping up the new tube I could hear the air escaping. While I took that tire off, one of my riding partners was patching the first tube. When we put that one in, the same results, pssssssst.

I called home for the "sagwagon". The sag wagon is what they use in races to pick up the riders who cannot keep up for whatever reason. If the wagon catchs up to you, your done.

Naturally according to Murphys Law, she was out. I called Brandon, and he agreed to pick me up. I did have to listen to his mother in the background, making comments and getting a good laugh. I told him to tell her that I would order sattelite TV, so I could watch her on the Comedy Channel, she is soooo funny.

Out of my last six rides, I had to be picked up four times. Something was definitely wrong. The well trained and professional "wrench" at Village Cycle in Westport, found a tiny pebble under the rim strip, which when the tube heated and expanded (like after 20 miles of riding), caused it to spring a leak.

Problem solved with a new tube installed, and 2 spares. (Just in case)

The weekend began with a piss poor ref throwing a game, and ended with a tripple flat tire bike ride. But the middle part was fun.