Thursday, April 30, 2009

Live on Sunday !

If you are wondering what you will do with your Sunday, two guys on
bikes has your answer. This sunday, may 3, 2009, we will be doing our
first ever (probably our only one) live broadcasting of our position.
It really won't be that exciting but if you are next to a computer
between 7 am and 3ish pm you can click "watch" the where are they link
on our blog and get our position as we tour the five Burroughs of new
York city. Position will be updated every ten seconds and you should
be able to see how fast or slow we are going. Not sure if the map will
auto refresh itself or not. If you watch for a minute and we don't
move try hitting the refresh or reload button on your browser. It's
crazy but we are almost there!!!


joe

Thanks

Two guys want to thank Imani Rupert for sponsoring the last few days.

I remember once Imani invited me over for some wine. It was late, I was tired, so I decided to go home to sleep instead. What a colossal mistake! Little did I know at the time, apparently Imani's apartment is like the happiest place in the world. Santa doesn't have elves to make his toys, he goes and gets them from Imani. I imagine a neon glow as I first step into her place. The walls look as though they're made of candy--I try one, they are! Entire rooms are devoted to individual video game consoles, maybe even to specific games! She has a music room where I find every instrument including the Gibson Les Paul in cherry red I have dreams about. I pick it up and play, and I sound awesome. I go to the kitchen. The fridge is stocked full of Nesquik and Sam Adams, and the freezer contains Ben and Jerrys' entire graveyard. I shut the fridge door and I'm startled by a cheerful gray haired woman smiling at me. It's Paula Dean, apparently she's there to make anything I want. "Something with butter, Paula, and what the heck drop somethin in the fryer, too. Don't forget to add some love!" "Comin right up, sugar," she replies. "Now you head into the living room and watch Michael J Fox and Christopher Loyd re-enact the entire Back To The Future trilogy live just for you." I go. I watch. It's life-changing. Afterwards the three of us take turns braiding each other's hair (I don't know, it's a dream). At dinner time the pizza guy delivers without ever being called, and now for dessert Ben and Jerry themselves take over Paula's kitchen and help me invent a new flavor. I call it "Imani's Apartment." It has everything good.

Bottom line: If Imani invites you over, for the sake of your childrens children and the stories you'll want to tell them--say yes. And take pictures to rub in my face.

Imani, we drank a thank-you glass to you last night, some light sparkling wine called Mi Ller L' ite. I think it's French.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Good Old New Jersey

Wednesday.

Today was a gray day. From the get go the smell of coming rain was in the air, and the skies grew darker the nearer you looked to the horizon, like a reverse sunset. Whatever weather was in store, the wind was whipping it stiffly in our direction. I usually find some time during these kinds of days to turn to Joe and say, "Lovely fall weather we're having, eh?" And that's just what it was like. Halloween weather. A day like this you open your door and take one look at the sky, and you pause and then shiver a little out loud and then shut the door firmly and head for your nearest wool sweater. And slippers. And huge blanket. And as you put the kettle on you debate whether to watch The Goonies first or The Princess Bride. Or The Neverending Story. All great choices, and you'll pop them in the dvd player (or VHS if you're old school like me) one after the other, a new cup of tea and maybe a snack to start each new adventure. But one thing's for sure: no matter what you do today, you're not taking one step outside.
This is what I'm thinking as I pack up my damp tent this morning behind Wal-Mart. Yesterday it was 90--that was nice. The wind cuts easily through every layer, and my fortitude just doesn't seem to cut the mustard. Am I getting wimpy, I wonder? I mean it's not even raining yet! I've seen worse than this, like New Mexico when I woke up sick as a dog and the water bottles were frozen and we had to go climb a mountain. THAT was a rough morning. This is..

..well, this is three days from the end. I strap on my last bag and raise my head to scan the northern skyline. Not a good day for riding. Lazy movie day, yes. Carving a pumpkin, maybe. But not riding. The wind nearly blows me over as I make my first pedal strokes of the day. We're headed to central Jersey this morning. 65ish miles. Tomorrow a place called Cheesequake, but all I care about is it's 20 miles from Nicole's house. I can't believe we're this close. The rain starts before we've gone 10 miles, and it's cold rain. But I'm impermeable now, sustained by my mantra: Three days left, finish line in sight.

And so, we ride.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Some pictures

While my huge lunch digests I thought I'd throw up some pictures. This
is the sunset in ocean city. The sun rise was better but those are on
my actuall camera, not the iphone.

On the boardwalk

Mini golf

Ocean City is the mini gold capital of the world. I lost count of how
many courses we saw.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Dinner at the Rio

Alicia and George were great company as we ate dinner at a local
bar(rio station) in Rio Grande NJ. And by great company I mean they
bought us dinner. Thanks you two, you rock.