I apologize, blog fans, for not keeping everything up to date in the last 2 weeks. It certainly is not the case that nothing happened during that time; I will definitely post more about what went on during that time. But I just didn't get around to updating the blog. I realize now that I need the structure of the bike rides to keep up to date with the blogging. I think that at some level I feel that my life when I'm not on the bike is not interesting enough to be worth blogging about, which is a thought that might be worth pursuing at some point. But anyway, on to the blogging. Yesterday I did, in fact, get on a Bolt Bus from Portland to Seattle at 6:30 in the morning, get off the bus, hit up the flagship REI, get some work done there, and then - loading everything I have with me on to my bike - ride 37 miles to Snohomish, WA so I could hang out with the best group of people I know, my Northern Tier team. It was very challenging and gives me new respect for those who ride fully loaded. It was a fun challenge, though, and there was a great bike path and the weather was beautiful and so I arrived, soaked with sweat, at the laundromat where my friends sat, still a bit incredulous I think that I had actually ridden all that way just to hang out at a laundromat with them. But it was totally worth it. I met some new folks who had joined them in the interim, and slept beautifully, out under the stars one more time. There were drinks had, and then there was the Bike the US For MS tradition: filling out the cards. Basically everybody gets an index card and we pass them around, with each person writing something anonymously on each card. For posterity's sake, here was my list:
- The Smartest Person I Know
- Most likely to utter words that you would least expect to hear. And it would be very entertaining.
- Strong rider
- most interesting person I've ever met :) in the best way possible
- BEST STORY TELLER
- You are loved
- IT Guy - Good Advice - Nice Guy
- Funny
- "Most likely to lose a bishop that doesn't exist" (this is because I was working on this Virtual Reality chess game that I showed some of them)
- "...or a straw that does"
- seemed very cool WISH YOU'D STAYED LONGER
- I loved your going away speech - still remember it (I gave this sobbing tearful going away speech, I think about how it's hard to make friends when you're older)
- So Glad To Have You Back To Roll In With Us (I'd left and come back to the ride)
- More life experience than you could ever imagine
- An amazing friend. I would not have made it to Seattle without your help
- Getting to know you was enjoyable. Settle down & relaax one of these years.
- Drinks in Buffalo! Keep doing you. (I'm guessing this is Brian who lives in Buffalo)
More about the other days later.
