My Most Recent Ride 2011 (Part IV of the series)

Congratulations! A worthy accomplishment, indeed. Wonder if you were sick from both exertion and out of fuel? Personally I don't know if "comfortable miserable" would justify the effort for me.

WARNING!! I have used guard rails the same way as you described. However they were never designed for the human touch. I discovered that the galvanizing and metal edges can be dangerously sharp. Extreme care required to prevent slicing open human flesh. Sometimes I use the endpost as a foot prop.

Lots of things I've done in my life just to say I've done them... once. +50mph along the winding section of road coming back from Cades Cove... once. +55mph on a straight highway section with a tailwind coming down Clinch Mountain with the front end getting light & squirrelly... once. Las Vegas and driving thru New York City... once. Building a house... once. Playing four divisions in one tennis tournament & winning two... once. Messing with Absinthe... once. Getting married... once.

Lots of others still to do... once. Visit all the National Parks. Ride the Silver Comet/Chief Ladiga round trip in two days. Attend the Australian Open. Circle a super speedway at 200mph. Learn to fly without a plane. Have a photo gallery exhibit my work. Have a close encounter of the 3rd kind. Photograph a tornado.

 

:sleep::trike:Had a blast today got up at 7 instead of 6 was late for 8 A.M. service after pastor said amen I said good bye. Left went to my 2ed favorite spot to go Young's Dairy ate lunch. Went to see my friend John at the Village Cyclery well his wife now his widow told me he is now riding the big path up in the sky. I almost totally fell apart. I love his custumer service. Needless to say even without him it's still goes on. Bought a Cateye cycling computer. Came back home and now I am well as the smiley faces show.

 

Way to go Brian, finishing a 300k is what its all about not how fast! That miserable feeling, you need to find a food that works for you when you hit that point. A V8 juice will work wonders for me when I hit that point but a coke and a candy bar works almost as well.

Shawn, I'm sorry for the loss of your friend.

 

Sorry to hear about the loss of your friend, Shawn.

And 300 k just boggles my mind. I didn't even manage HALF of that the entire week on Öland.

I got another ride in today though. 13.5-ish. Loke I think needed more rest though he was excited enough when we went out the door. After the first few miles he started to drag and by the time I figured out it wasn't because he needed to stop and... ahem 'fertilize' the road weeds, we were almost half way. Nothing for it but to slog on.

I'm glad we made it home before noon since it's supposed to get quite warm today. Maybe even record high for this time of the year. The temp is definitely shooting up. 34 F when I woke up at 5:30 am. 39 F when Jens took Loke out for a short walk at 7 am. 45 F when I plopped in my trike seat at 7:49 am and 63 F when I got home around 10:15.

Now, to wade into the fray against Photoshop to see if I can get the first vacation post done on my blog! *crosses fingers*

Terii

 

I beat Photoshop! Well, for one postings worth of photos any way.

So, 15 mile May 1st ride on Öland is posted!

http://terii.wordpress.com/

Terii

 

Had a beautiful 18+ mile ride and NO TICKETS!!!

 

OMG I RODE HOME AT NIGHT AND PEOPLE SAID THEY COULDN'T SEE ME. OH I THINK I'M IN LOVE WITH A WEDGY RIDER. SHE HAS TO RIDE A TRIKE BECAUSE SHE HAD A STROKE MANY YEARS AGO AND HAS TO HAVE HER FEET STRAPED IN SHE'S BLINDER THAN ME AND HAS A GREAT HART I WATCH BOTH OF HER KIDS GROW UP. Ok sorry for shouting. Rode with her around her neighborhood had dinner and didn't want to come home. Had the best time ever. Ride home was crazy. IDIOTS NEED TO OPEN THEIR FRACKING EYES AT NIGHT. I HAD MY HEAD TAIL AND GD. HELMET LIGHTS ALL FRACKING FLASHING AND THEY STILL COULDN'T SEE ME WTF. ARE PEOPLE GETTING BLINDER AND CAN'T SEE AT NIGHT OR WHAT WTF.

 

Both love and drivers may be blind. Doesn't matter, you MUST be visible to them or you'll end up as road kill. Get a friend in a car to watch you on the bike at night with lights on. Ask him/her what you need to be seen better. Be seen or be parked. Personally, I don't ride after sundown if I have a choice.

 

Dolly's Parade - 2011-05-06

Dolly Parton is the Grand Marshall each Spring in a parade down the parkway in Pigeon Forge, TN. In years past, it was held earlier in the year and generally coincided with the annual April opening of her theme park, Dollywood. However, the weather always seemed to through a curve and the 'fun-button' gathered dust (or got wet!). This year was different................!

For the most part, these videos just ramble and drag on; after all, isn't that what parades are all about? Enjoy!

 

It looks like you guys ran off with the circus!!! What fun!!!

 

But, will you still like us in the morning?

And this from the organizers (in a follow-up note to them that basically expressed a thank-you for having us'):


Ed,

You will definitely be invited back!

Thanks so much for the videos, they give me a perspective of the parade that I never get to see. You don't know how much I appreciate that.

I also want to say a big THANK YOU for the manner in which you approached the crowd. Thanking them for coming and sharing your smile with them was heartwarming. The city of Pigeon Forge needs more goodwill ambassadors like you.

Again, many thanks and we will see you all next year.

Sherri L. Kirby
Special Projects Coordinator
Pigeon Forge Department of Tourism

 

A beautiful night with light wind. I took the dragon out for a quick 35 miles and kept the hammer down the whole way. 20.7 mph for the whole ride in 1 hour 42 minutes. I didn't smell any roses but the water treatment plant was slightly odiferous!

 

lol that is too funny.

I joined the Wheelmen tonight on the kids training ride. On June 5th they will be having the annual Boys and Girls club ride. So the bike club sponsors 6-10 kids from the Boys and Girls club and takes them on training rides to get them in shape for the June 5th event. http://www.bgcride.org/

Those kids are pretty good riders already. We did 17+ miles and threw a few hills in and they did great. I think they are shooting for the 30 Mile route and they will do fine. I think the rest of us are doing the 70 miler.

Its fun to get kids into biking, even though there on DF's..lol

 

Do you know how lucky you riding in her parade an then having Dolly say hi. Man I listened to her when I was growing up. Still joke about some women having her *****. LOL.

 

Just back from a ride. 5.6 miles, a quick loop to run Loke before I go shopping with my MIL this afternoon. We have a chance of thunderstorms today which are rare in Sweden. I even heard the VERY distant growl of thunder from a large gray mass on the northern horizon while I was out.

Somehow, surrounded by thunderheads in most directions, I had SUN for the whole ride. Warm though. Loke's flat on a damp towel on the floor and panting like a bellows.

Terii