Al's Blog-o-Sphere

This post was written in 2012, but I never published it. I don’t know why. It’s just as true today.

I’ve decided after several years of retirement that I need to get a job.

I’m not sure what kind of a job I need or want.

Let’s put it this way, I don’t want a career. Nor am I looking for anything too challenging. Actually, collecting carts at a supermarket seems nice, if it pays enough to make it worth getting out of bed for.

That’s the rub. Continue Reading…

On the eve, well week before the 2014 GAP trip, bikepacking.us posted this video from last fall’s trip. Watch closely and you’ll see a bit of me in it.

I’ve cancelled out on the spring GAP trip due to a dire lack of preparation. I’ve ridden a total of 10 miles this season and am really unprepared for this trip. I’m playing it safe and not risking hurting myself far from home by overdoing it on the trail.

So, I’ll just have to enjoy this video and plan on the next one, maybe later this summer.

Well, it’s Spring 2014, even if the weather has been reluctant to let go of winter, and it’s time to start planning the cycle touring for the season.

It’s been on my mind a lot, but the weather hasn’t been cooperating. The Bikepacking.us group held an alumni tour on the C&O Trail recently, and I could have gone, but didn’t get in on it. In retrospect, I should have, the weather turned out fine for it, with just a light rain the first night after they had made camp.

But they scared me away with talk of 50 mile days and single-track bikes. From the looks of the photos I saw, it was no worse than the GAP trail and better than the Greenbriar, plus they scaled back their mileage a bit as well. I probably should have done it. Continue Reading…

It’s been too long since I wrote anything here. I’ve had this desire to write reviews of TV shows for a while, so I may as well do it.

I’ll write about one days’ shows at a time. All shows that air on the same night. I’ll rank them from +5 to -5 with zero = “meh, I’m too lazy to turn it off.” Also, I will only comment on shows I have actually seen. At least half a show. There are so many I won’t even waste that much time on.

So, let’s start with Sunday. Continue Reading…