Summer 2008

I hope everyone else is having a pleasant summer. So far, I have been biking and walking on lots of rail trails. The RTC ( http://www.railtrails.org/index.html) is a great organization and I love them. So far this year, we have been on the Wabash Cannonball Trail in Ohio, the Lower Trail, the Staple Bend Tunnel Trail and the Johnstown Flood Trail all in Pennsylvania, the Western Maryland Rail Trail and the Great Allegany Passage in Maryland, among others. Sometimes we walk, sometimes we ride recumbent bikes. Besides biking and walking, my other summer passions are NASCAR (love KK#9)...went to Michigan, great track and lots less fans this year thanks to the gas price issues and concerts...saw Bowling for Soup on a very hot day in Virginia in early June. They put on a fabulous show! Love their music AND they are very funny guys. Hoping to see Journey and Cheap Trick later in the year. It will be interesting to hear Journey's new lead singer. Two years ago, we had the pleasure of hearing both Steve A. and JSS and both did a great job so I'll be waiting to judge the new guy for myself. Always get a good show out of Robin Zander and Rick Nielsen so will look forward to CT. Love Def Leppard and their new album is good but am passing up their concerts because I do not like their opening acts.

Web 2.0--last.fm--COOL!

I chose to look at last.fm which won second place in the music category. What a cool site! I typed in a number of my favorite groups and got to hear a full song from each one. And the song selections were unusual and good--not hits but deep cuts from their albums. I didn't enter into the social networking areas but I will return to this site. For anyone who likes music (I only tried rock and heavy metal groups,) this is a great site!

http://www.last.fm/

Here I am running in from the kitchen to see Kasey Kahne win!! Go #9!!

Def Lep's Famous One-Armed Drummer

The most famous one-armed drummer in the world!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cheshirecat123/246545427/

Vacation Vibes

So 23 Things started while I was in Michigan but as a lifelong learner, I was busy, well, learning. So I will now amaze and astound you with my new knowledge from my trip:

1. There is an amazing amount of road work going on this summer in every state.

2. The temp on the UP of MI can be 95 one day and 60 the next.

3. Honesty is the best policy when speeding through MI and meeting a sheriff deputy up close and personal (be sure to mention you just stopped for ice cream in his little town!)

4. Walmarts are the same everywhere. (Imagine!)

5. Sandhill Cranes are monogamous and their babies are so gangly and cute (especially when being chased by a tourist train.)

6. Waves on Lake MI can reach 5' very quickly but you will probably not die on the tour boat ride (but you might get sick.)

For anyone who hasn't noticed, I mastered Habit #7.5 this week. The hardest habit for me will probably be creating a toolbox.

23 Things--The Beginning

23 things on the computer makes me think we should have a song...you know like "99 bottles of beer on the wall" which was always a favorite on our church bus trips when I was younger. Something like this:

23 things to learn real quick, 23 things to learn,
Along we will slog and make us a blog,
Then 22 things to learn will remain...

Ok, so I'm no Barry Manilow.

May Day

Rural driving has it's hazards and yesterday we made 'road pizza' out of a groundhog while on our appointed rounds. We decided we should probably put hatchmarks on the back of our vehicle for all the ones we take out! The poor critters should learn not to cross in front of us--they should warn their young, "don't wind up like poor Uncle Carl; he got took out by that big white thing when he was out on that hard black stuff!"