First ride 2010

Thursday, Feb. 18, 2010 for all of 10 miles! Can't get over how lazy I've become. Can't be the cold weather because it hasn't stopped me from going out hiking. But, it was good to get out on the Scorp again. Legs were weak, but didn't hurt this morning, no pain from PAD or varicose veins. Ah, old age's benefits. Winter can't last forever, can it?

Social Sites

Cancelled my Facebook account today. After getting a few "confirm that you know so and so" messages from supposedly "sweet young things" (prolly fat old men like me) that stated their interest was "men" and a slew from people I've never heard of before and never will again, I cancelled.

A friend is someone I do/have done things with IN PERSON more than once.

An acquaintance is someone I've only done something with once.

What is so hard to figure out about that? You need face to face time to make a friend. If you are a recumbent rider like me, a friend is someone I ride or hike with, someone I can help fix a flat for, kibbitz with over coffee and a cherry Danish, or help align the wheels of their trike.

Someone sending me an e-mail saying "be my internet friend" just ain't in the same league.

Who Needs California?

We got earthquakes, too! 4 something a.m., a 3.8 in near DeKalb. Didn't bother me too much, but woke the weather monkey outa a sound sleep and made a big mess for me to clean up on the floor. Poor little feller, still trying to get some warmth and feeling back into those 'nether' regions. Well, at least the snow is over for now. Only 12-14 inches. Coulda been worser.

Something New

Here, in Chicagoland! It is cold and it is snowing! To show you how cold it is, I've posted a picture of my weather monkey. Says it better than I ever could. It could be late Spring or Summer already.

Saturday Hike

6.08 miles all flat, thank G-d, because my legs were still wiped out from Thursday. Fellow hikers were Jimmy, Tom, Dave, Rick and Sue. Our route was the Rock Run MUP starting from Black Road access in Joliet, Il., North, and then South to the airport. Lunch followed at the "Greek Isles" in Shorewood, IL. where I made a custom sandwich of a cheeseburger with gyros and BBQ sauce. Yummy in the tummy. Maybe I can get out for a short ride tomorrow, Superbowl Sunday before I go over to Al's to watch the game. Got over 60 miles hiking so far, and it's only the first week of February!

A nice day for a hike

Thursday was hike day, so, Rick, Sue, Dave, Tom and I went for a long one in Palos. We went from the Little Red School House to "Site A" (the location of Manhattan Project's Argonne National Laboratory and the burial site of the world's first nuclear reactor, CP1/2 and the world's first heavy water reactor, CP3), "Plot M", a burial site of low level contaminated items and then back to Little Red School House. I had planned on a walk of just over 4 miles, it ended up being just under 7 miles, plus a vertical gain equivalent to climbing a 40 story building. Up the moraine, down the moraine, down the ravine, up the ravine, in the snow, walking on a trail covered in ice. To say I/we were tired afterwards is to put it mildly. After hiking, we rewarded ourselves with buffet lunch at House of Hunan in Palos Heights. I first found out about this site whole my wife and I were X-C skiing in the mid- '70's. At that time, there were still some structures standing on the site, most obvious was a Quonset Hut used as a garage. It was close to this garage that a hockey puck piece of enriched Uranium isotope (238?) was found in the leaf litter by State of Illinois investigators, which caused a major cleanup of the area by Bechtel Corp. and continued groundwater monitoring through a series of boreholes around the site by Argonne natl. Lab, State of Illinois, EPA and others. Radioactivity continues to be measured in groundwater. At "Plot M", which was the major burial site for low level waste, the Guv'ment genius's decided to be safe and enclose "Plot M" in a concrete vault with reinforced concrete ceiling and walls of either 12" or 18", depending on which authority is taken as gospel. Notice, no mention of a concrete floor to the vault! This is a burial site located in a glacial moraine, made up of glacial till - ie. sand, rocks gravel - highly permiable. All to keep the public from digging up radioactive items - clothes, instruments, filters, animal carcases, etc. Begs the question - who could be considered the dumber - those burying the stuff or those who would seek dig it up for trinkets?

So far, no two headed salamanders or deer have been discovered on site. Or two headed humans! Give it time!

Brachial - Ankle Index Test

Well, it was confirmed that I have a pulse in my feet! Next week, some time, I should have a report from the Quack telling me if I need further tests, or if the cramps I suffer in my calves and big toes are due to something other than poor blood flow.

Temps are supposed to rise to 31 degrees. I guess I could go for a ride or take a walk to the library, about 7 miles round trip. Or, I could do some housework, which is what my wife wants.
Well, that was easy to decide, I'm walking to the library. Bye!