Up Hill

“Chipping away the moments that make up a dull day”….no that’s not how the song goes but, it works today. I have been out pecking at the glacier that has advanced, during this recent Ice Age, over the driveway here at Uphill. Today there has been a little sun and a few hours where the mercury rose above freezing. It was a brief opportunity to chop away and slowly reveal the stone surface. This is necessary due the Uphill nature of the drive and the fact that the Queens van has made its way, all on it’s own, down the drive, coming to rest on the front bumper of my truck on 2 occasions this past week. I have also been chipping away at the extra pounds I managed to put on since quitting smoking two years ago, and it feels good, clothes getting a little loose, I even had to punch another notch in my belt last week. Like the Ice in the driveway, that’s all it takes, you just gotta get started, stick with it and keep chipping away. Tomorrow, we return the Princess back to school, always a

Today was not a day to be sticking your tongue to the handlebars, no sir, Tomorrow am is going to be the record cold for this winter,or so the weatherman informs me. I have to admit that I chickened out and spun on the trainer in the shop/basement/studio. I was daydreaming of warmer places and St. Bart's came to mind. Come to think of it, I don't remember seeing many bicycles down there in the Caribbean chain, too many crazy drivers on death defying switchback, narrow roads. Well, maybe forget the bike, I wonder how many calories you burn just laying in the warm sand?

Whew, I am exhausted. My world is spinning so friggin fast that here it is January 17th and it seems like yesterday was Christmas. It was not, however, as evidenced by the fact that all assorted HoHo has been packed away in the attic till next year. Just turned 52 and recent events have me looking back into the past as I sprint to the future. Its all good though, scary and exciting at the same time. Life is a roller coaster most of the time anyways and if you don't climb on,well, you won't puke or loose your money in the seat, but you will miss out on the ride. Better to risk it, climb in, take a seat, and scream! I got out on the road Sunday am and did 16 miles, not much but better than spinning on the trainer.

Cake! What do you mean, I can’t have my cake and eat it too? It’s MY birthday and I should be allowed to have whatever I want!! I wish it was that easy… I did find a new band, the Carbon Tigers, as of yet unsigned, laying down an eclectic, psychedelic groove. Check them out http://www.myspace.com/carbontigers

I saw on the news last night that Gerry Rafferty died. Man, you know some songs capture a vivid memory where you can almost put yourself right back there. Baker Street is one for me, April 1978, Washington, DC. “This city desert makes you feel so cold. It's got so many people but it's got no soul” So looking ahead, I reset my ODO back on New Years and I have a whole 68 miles on as of today. I have been cranking along on the winter beater with the generator humming on the tire and the frog lEDs blinking away. It is kind of fun rolling through the cold air sourrounded by total black with the feeble headlight focused on the white line. What I really need is a handle bar mounted Kleenex box as the cold air makes my nose run constantly. I have been working on my old Raleigh 10 speed conversion. I converted the bike to run 700c wheels last fall which allowed enough room for full fenders with space to run 38c tires. Recenty I scored a vintage triple crank and I installed that last we