"I do not intend to tiptoe through life only to arrive safely at death." - Emerson
February 14, 2011
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reactivation
I am pretty good at neglecting many things i begin. Overzealous, i am. I like many things, and many things take my attention away from true thought. True thought leads me here. I am here because this is the one avenue where i can gain recognition of my thoughts. The true inspirations that allow me to create my world, anew, each and every day. I like to characterize my thoughts typically by actions. Actions allow me to speak my mind. Words have little meaning, a large amount of the time. Words are filler. Words make awkward situations, maybe more awkward, and normal situations, well, fucking normal. Normal is strange, we like making the familiar strange. I enjoy the opposite, making strange become familiar. I accept most…
March 28, 2010
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back in action
two wheel ninja is back, preparing for a race in a few weeks. If anyone of you knows of anyone who may be interested in buying a kona sutra touring bike, that would be great if you could pass along the word!!!
September 15, 2009
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dirty dancing
patrick swayze RIP
September 1, 2009
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case of the mondays, back to reality
Im back, back from the future, the future told me, money would no longer be worth any thing, people would actually look one another in the eye, motorists wouldnt be in such a damn hurry to get to red lights and stop lights, bicycles would be the customary mode of transportation, people would learn how to sustain a living, men would learn how to build a house and not care so much as to what their stocks are or aren’t doing from a phone or computer all day. All of these thoughts filter my head on a daily basis, wishful thinking? Probably, nonetheless my bike trip was able to afford me breathing room in knowing that i am human, i am alive, i do love what i have, those around me, life, breath, water, food, all the things me and my body take for granted everyday, im blessed to be here and to have legs that carried me through miles and miles of beautiful land that we continue to destroy on a daily basis. I didn’t have any sort of revelations, or resolutions, but i do want to be more involved in growing a society that sustains a positive, green, progressive way of handling a surrounding without destroying it.
The last week of my trip, well truthfully i dont know exactly where i left off but i think i left off in maine. Well i was able to have a fantastic time and do everything i said i was going to. Maybe i could have eaten a little more fish, or lobster, but, i was pretty glutunous as it was. So Monday, last monday i left mt. desert island and descended back toward the south. I rode and rode and met my nemesis this week. It seemed as thos Monday and tuesday weren’t so bad riding days, however, wed and thurs i met a crazy head wind that left me going nearly nowhere!! monday and tuesday i continued my trek back thru maine and stayed at the two same campsites i previously complained about in camden and in freeport. But when its all said and done, I will give those campsites credit, because they were both on the water, and both had beautiful facilities to launder yourself, it is still worth complaning about. hah….I should preface the rest of this trip by saying once i made it to freeport the 2nd time, i actually bought a sleeping pad, so the entire trip i was sleeping on the ground with no comfort, so dont get any ideas like it was a luxurious camping trip, wrong!!! Altho i did sleep in beds rather often, still, when i camped, i roughed it! anyways, arriving to wed i awoke and i cycled back thru portland and into the hills of Maine. Really they werent so bad until i reached the border of Maine and New Hampshire were they really bad, and thats ultimately when the punishment began. After all this riding one would have concluded that i would have been in great shape, and im not denying i wasnt, however, the hills matched with a crazy headwind was not a great suitor for me and my final two days. Arriving in new hampshire, i was able to ride about 15 miles to white lake state park. What a beautiful place. One of the nicest campgrounds ive ever been to, and, ive been to alot. The lot was right in between a few mountains, and the lake, goodness, the lake water was as clear as the water we drink. I had a good nights rest on a sleeping pad which was money, i woke up the next day feeling like a king. MY FINAL DAY OF RIDING!! So i ended my trip leaving the sate park heading to rumney new hampshire to climb for a few days, fortunately my girlfriend and a good buddy of mine decided to brave the weather forecast and meet me at rumney friday night! I made it to rumney mid afternoon thursday, set up camp and realxed trying to overcome the overwhelming feelings and emotions that stirred throughout my body. I rested, rested and ate and rested. Friday, i awoke and ws able to spend the weekend climbing, it was a fantastic way to end an epic journey through new england doing what i love the most and being with amazing people!!! IM BACk ready climb, and ride some more..
August 20, 2009
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first real days of summer
the first real days of summer, conviently appear during my last two riding days of my trip to Mound desert Island. Monday and tuesday, both, respectively the hottest days of the year, made for long, extremely grim, grueling days of riding from freeport to camden the first day, and camden to Ellsworth the latter. Monday morning i chose to depart from freeport to head roughly 75 miles in the sweltering sun to camden hills state park. Dare i mention how much more i paid at the “luxurious” camden hills? haha. Monday was a beautidul ride, i was pumped full of energy and was able to ride most of the way feeling excited to finally near my destination. During the long hot day i was able to ride through some of the most scenic and essentially right on the ocean bikeways that ive ridden on yet. Rockland was a very cool quiet little town, which, i stopped in, sipped coffee and a cap’n eli’s root beer to refuel (which is brewed by shipyard brew co. here in maine!!) amd carry on another 8 miles to end the day in camden Maine! arriving in camden knowing that this was my last night to camp and spend time alone in the wild was a very sentimental and relaxing evening of crossword puzzles and harry potter book number 1, thats right i needed some entertainment and its true, these books are very entertaining, thanks Jess!
Tuesday morning i awoke at sunrise, hot, should i say very hot as soon as the sun arose! i Quickly packed my belongings, hydrated as much as i could and started down the road feeling on top of the world knowing that today is the day i will arrive at my journeys end! Well the first mile down the road was the hardest, my legs seemed as though they were being weighted down by sandbags, and i felt like i had never ridden a bike before, being that i couldnt pedal and i was sweating profusely. I couldnt keep liquids in my body!! Dripping with sweat at 8 in the morning, i arrive at my first hill, only to be followed by nearly another 49 or so monster hills. A true test of patience and endurance. I feel like this had to happen to humble me. My first and last days of riding were the most brutal humbling days of cycling ive ever encountered. I rode and rode and rode feeling as if i were going nowhere, stopping every few miles it seemed to hydrate and fuel. I finally made it to ellsworth, roughly 15 miles from acadia and realized that my friend topher was going to be passing through packing up his truck with a few last items to finish painting his newly built house. Once again, conviently routed at a place where i thought i couldnt physically ride any longer, topher came through and saved the day. First, i was only going to throw my packs in his truck, then decided to throw the bike and all in the back and carry on in the truck getting the taxi ride of a lifetime entering mount desert island and my final resting place for the next week or so. Iv’e arrived. Im alive and well. well nourished. Well hydrated. My daily activites thus far consist of me waking up, jumping in somes pond, helping toph with whatever various chores i can regarding his house. Cycliing around town. Swimming in echo lake, jumping off cliffs into echo lake, and usually ending days with a few climbs on the steep faces of rock that acadia offers. Im learning to lead “trad” climbing, which was one of the main goals of being up here, so im excited for that. Having said all of that im going to go get wet and swim for a bit while its blistering out. Be well ya’ll, im thinking of you all, i miss you all and hope to hear from you soon!!!!
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freeport post 1
well, it seems it’s been far too long for me to have not blogged, however, i have been out of reach from any sort of modern communications for a few days. Cellular use up here on mt. desert island is farely sparce, as well as internet, its as if the island has just realized there is such thing as modern communications, very laid back, and very slow moving it seems to be here (not complaining). Well, how do i begin to describe the end of my journey to acadia national park and mt desert island. Let me preface this by saying it has been HOTTER than HOT the past few days, nearly impossible to ride, but i did it i made!!!
Last saturday, (wow that seems like forever ago) i left the beautiful town of portland and headed straight for water in freeport Maine. i made the journey in a little over an hour and set camp at the winslow state park. Now before leaving for this trip i was under the impression i was going to be paying $5 maybe $10 a night to camp, reasonable i thought. Nope, camping is now $25 minimus per night. Quite ridiculous if you ask me. If you do the math and mulitply that by 30 days in a month, it equates to roughly $750, more than i pay in rent!! anyways enough griping it was a beautiful campsite and it was right on the ocean, so i can justify camping based on the location! If any of you are’t very familiar with the area, freeport is nearly 17 miles farther north and east of portland directly on the water and his home to none other than Leon Leonwood Bean! If you are’nt quite familiar with that name, the name is LL Bean, and has become one of my new favorite places to visit! Freeport is a quaint town that houses not much more than every big name fashion and or outdoor company. Its as if it is one big town of nothing but a mall, if that makes any sense? Camped 2 nights in freeport with my girlfriend Jessica who came to visit me for two nights and brought me good food and vibes. It was lovely to see someone i know and could share part of my experience with! In my last night of camping, i decided it would be really nice to build a fire and cook up some dinner. In doing so, i collected a bunch of wood and in the process was able to collect a little poison ivy souvenir in between two of my fingers which seems to be getting worse and spreading a bit, and that was four days ago!!!
August 14, 2009
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thirsty thursday (post 3)
after a beautiful nights sleep at topher’s mothers house in falmouth, ME, just north of portland, we awake at 6, and he heads north and i head into Portland. YEEHAW. I arrive and decide im going to eat at whatever place comes first, im starving and thirsty. WHOOPS. I decide to stop off at mister bagel, even tho several times i was told i need to go to becky’s diner. WHOOPS. Mister bagel. Not only did mister bagel have awful coffee, i had the worst egg, sausage wrap ever. I mean egg, and sausage in a wrap, nothing else, BORING. Had i known thats all i was getting in this tiny, no taste whatsoever wrap, i would have just gone to McDonalds. Now i know. Beckys it is. Well, in Portland Maine, Being that its a Port town, and very laid back, there isnt much that occurs on the streets until about 9-10 in the morning. I was able to finish two, not one, but two crossword puzzles and a sudoku thank you very much. Success! My day was pretty much complete at that point. So in about 30-45 minutes after my brain was fried from puzzling, i was able to cruise most of Portlands downtown offerings. I stop off and have an actual good cup of coffee at coffee by design, a little local shop which has really good coffee and good vibes. I walked across the street, went into two seperate book stores just meeting and greeting people, gaining knowledge of the town, the must do’s of portland if you will. Through all of this Im able to meet the Hagelins. A lovely local family who is willing to take me in and grace me with a bed and a meal. AMAZING this family is. they have 3 children, the eldest oliver, Ben, and the youngest carly all accepting and willing to allow me to stay and share their food, tv and anything else the house may offer. Im very grateful for having met this family as they’ve allowed me to stay in their house as they vacate on a sailing trip for a few days. Thank you hagelins, and i hope your enjoying your trip and encountering some wind!!!! Thursday was merely a day of getting acclaimated to the town, visited the local ems of course to see what they may have to offer that the neighborly nyc shop may not have carried. Had a great chat with Cliff the bike guru and was able to learn about a few good rides and few places to grab cheap grub and a brew!! As im exiting EMS, AHA, right in front of me “the maine rock gym” what a great way to alleviate bordom!!! havent climbed yet but im heading there now, i just needed to finish writing thursdays endeavors before playing. Thank you all for your patience, i miss you all and am anxious to leave and head north to ACADIA to climb!!!!!
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rainy gloomsday (post number 2 wed)
I awake to a very gray, dismal dreary day in providence. Kevin and I grab some iced coffee, play a best out of three chess tourney and i decide to finally exit providence, a bit later than i desired. The plan was to leave around 9 and make it all the way into Boston, which is only 50 miles north, in time to catch the USA MEXICO world cup soccer qualifier. Well, being that i got a late start, and had a flat tire, the chances of me making it to boston by 4:00 are slim, seeing as how i didnt leave until noon. Well, the ride from Providence into Massachusetts isnt really one to write home about. The ride is hilly, and i guess i have a little contempt for the route that day because halfway into my ride i encountered rain. Not only rain, but a treachorous headwind. The two of those combined felt as if i were heading into boston riding, oh, 2 miles an hour!! not fun to say the least. I made it into boston, the south end of Boston to a dunkin donuts. Who knew that dunkin donuts actually had more shops on one block, every block once you reach new england, than does starbucks per block in nyc!! kinda funny. Anyway, i make it to DD, and i get a phone call from my friend Topher, who im actually going to end up staying with at my final destination in Bar harbor Maine. Topher tells me hes driving into Boston to drop some friends off at the airport and thought maybe id be around to have lunch. Well conviently i’m around, however, the time for lunch has dwindled seeing as how he has to head back up to Maine. Well i get “conned” into skipping the “beautiful, scenic” streets of Boston and head to Portland where i actually wanted to spend a few days anyway. “perfect”, i thought. So topher and I head to Portland, straight to the harbor and find ourselves eating amazing pizza and having a few brews on the water in Portland Maine. AMAZING, this little town is. Even though I rode only 40 miles today i made alot of headway north and was able to find a haven for the night, and the next few nights as well. Thanks Toph!!
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neglect (post number one tuesday)
Sorry, ive been very neglectful to blogging these past few days, sorry blog, and sorry to those of you actually keeping up with my journey. Sadly, what im about to write may disappoint, neverless, i feel you might be entertained. See, three days ago, tuedsay, i began another leg of my epic journey in Mystic, CT. I exited Mystic on a beautiful, sun filled day, with a belly full of Maine lobster and whittles (local farm) corn, and potatoes, from dinner the night prior. Great start to the day, 80 + degrees, flat roads, plenty of energy, the wind behind me, perfect day for a ride to Providence. I ride several miles down the road and i reach Westerly, Rhode Island. My very first time in R.I. What a warm welcome I received in R.I., not one but five motorists honked at my entry. They were so ecstatic of my arrival,they let everyone know i was in town by laying on their horns!! Thank you Rhose Island. If i knew any better i would think you were all ignorant, aggressive drivers in a hurry to get to that next red light, good thing i know better!!! ha I certainly felt welcomed, accepting their awareness of my presence on the road again. Aside from that, my day was bliss. I stopped several times to refuel, but i would say i had a perfect day of riding, i think i even kept a cadence of about 18mph avg, all thigns considered, thats pretty fast! With having said that, i arrived at the roger williams zoo, which lies on the border of cranston and providence Rhode Island. It’s always a good feeling knowing you’ve arrived at your destination with money in your pocket, clothes on your back, bike beneath your legs and energy to spare!!! God bless Jaime Verroneau. See Jamie V. and i used to work together at the half king in manhattan. And well, Jamie just so happens to have an amazing brother named Kevin, who just so happens to live in providence,75 miles from mystic, what a coincidence. Thank you Jamie and Kevin. I met Kevin a few blocks from the zoo where his apt. lies. Kevin is a character. Hes traveled everywhere, lived everywhere, worked everywhere, so i thought my trip would be somewhat impressive, maybe, maybe not, regarless Kevin is a great soul. We got to sit and play a few matches of chess. Im a chess nut, i love it very much and was able to rekindle the passion of chess that lay inside of kevin. Kevin decided to take me to “los Andes”. A peruvian restaurant, a long way from peru, however, it was more than appetizing. Kevin and his girlfriend treated me to a smorgasborg? of beef tounge, rice with cheese (rice with cheese? who eats rice with cheese? WELL I DO NOW) chicken, steak, pork you name it we had it. Needless to say i didnt want to leave providence. Thank you Kevin!!! tuesday was great…
