Weird Times, I Guess?

Was out in Portland, OR last week on a business trip, whew! Karma was not on my side, bad plane flights which were cancelled, train rides with really smelly people etc. Finally made it to the hotel for the meetings, a day late & a dollar short.

Portland is a crazy, vibrant town. I have never seen so many panhandlers, freaks, punks, awesome restaurants and the finest hospitality from the people. Everyone was polite, service everywhere you went was great! It was cool!

I have never seen so many of these in one place! Fixed gear bikes! Everyone rides them, It's nothing to see 20-30 at any given time. It was pretty cool!

Riding update: Went out & hammered for 2+ hours solo both Saturday & Sunday am at about 200 watt avg. each day. This was to make up for the week off the bike, eating fatty foods & not getting enough sleep I guess. My "little brother" Ike & I then went for a 15 mile ride yesterday am when I was done, as he wants to be a bike racer! I shall help him with that. We went out & bought him a helmet at Little Ade's Bike Shop Saturday, and cranked out the KJ's on Sunday. He did good, and some base in the off season, he will do much better.

G&I went to the Peoria Art Guild Annual Art Fair yesterday afternoon. This is becoming a yearly event for us, as it was our "first date" when I was still in the wheelchair after my accident. First date means my first official outing out of the house and in public. I remember it like it was yesterday, and still smile almost as much as I did then. She was a trooper then, and more so now. The difference is that I could not go very far away when I was in the wheelchair, so she could keep tabs on me, as I would try some crazy stuff.

Here are pictures of some pieces I purchased from an artist out of Rockford, IL. They are getting matted & framed right now. I saw them, and had to have them. Fit my style? Yes. Weird? Yes. Care? No.


Oh, one last thing. When I came home for lunch this afternoon, I notice something in my front yard, that doesn't look like it belongs there. Yup, it's Terry The Box Turtle. He was cruising across my front lawn looking for some grubs, crickets & bugs in general. He knew where the "real" turtle lived, and wanted to say hi! I gave him a ride to the backyard, and told him to stop by anytime! Isn't he cute! Of course he is, probably a distant cousin or something.