My 40 for 40 | Peaches Prattlings

{March 17, 2024} A walk, a ride, breakfast, a block shoot, and clean bikes

That was our Sunday, what was your Sunday like?

I decided the pups could sleep with me last night, it was great, until…Well, Ruby fell asleep next to me, Bee started in the crook of my left side, we were all good and then I woke up in the middle of the night had my beagle turned into a cat and was sleeping inbetween my legs! I felt like I was held hostage, I couldn’t move! ha ha. I moved her over to my left side, fell back asleep and woke up to her in the exact same place! No wonder I couldn’t pull the blanket over my legs, really?!

We stayed happy, cuddling, and content, until Ruby decided it was time to wake up, and by that I mean lick my face, and hand, and arm, and…until I gave up and got out of bed. I love the dogs, I do not love getting licked into oblivion! Ok, ok, I’m up! Got dressed and got them ready to go for a walk.

Came back from the walk, fed them breakfast and soon it was time for us to get some breakfast. On the bikes and off to Heisy’s Diner. We really like this place! I think I told you about it, it’s a train car that they just added and added to, it goes on forever! We sat at the counter, which we love to do, ate, drank coffee and tea, talked, laughed, planned, you know, the usual.

Back home we didn’t go into the house to get the dog’s hopes up, we just switched from bikes to truck and headed out towards Bethel, PA. In Bethel, we went to the Lebanon Valley Motorcycle Club‘s Bethel Grounds for a Block Shoot. It’s a cool property, they have a building big enough to hold several picnic tables with benches, riding lawnmowers and garden tools, there is a kitchen, and around back there are port-o-potties. They have a firepit and a lot of space. In the summer, if you want, you can camp for $10 per night. I’m not sure what other events they have there, but the block shoot happens twice a year.

So…if, like me, you were wondering what a block shoot is…at the core, you are shooting at a block of wood with an index card on it. Ok, more details…Everyone signs up, if you want to shoot, you can, if you don’t want to shoot, you can have sponsor someone to shoot for you, yes, you guessed it, that’s what we did. It’s $2 per shot, we each put in $10 for 5 shots each and someone was assigned to shoot for us, there’s a prize at the end!

When it’s time for the shooting to start, there is a target, it’s a wooden block with a white index card on it and you shoot from 50 feet away from the target. There is someone in the big metal box-type thing who puts the block with the index card on the pole, there is a red slider up in between each round, when the person who is setting up the blocks is ready switches the red slider to green and the person knows they can shoot. This goes back and forth until everyone who has put in money has either shot or had someone shot for them.

At the end of the round, or first shoot, they bring in all the blocks and the index cards are examined and the card, which has a number assigned to it/you, with the pellet closest to the center of the X is hit, that is declared the winner! Guess who won $25 for the first round? PSM! Go PSM! And he didn’t have to do anything for it except sponsor someone to shoot for him!

The next thing they do is called a Spinner Round. There is a giant circle with boxes in them with everyone’s number assigned and the winner of the block shoot round gets to shoot the spinner, which is spinning, as the name suggests and the number with the closest X is the winner, not us, sadly!

The clubhouse, as it were, opens at 11 for food, they had hamburgers, hot dogs, chili, drinks, cupcakes, all sorts of goodies. There was a firepit outside and everyone socializes until the block shoot starts. They continue to socialize, but it’s harder to hear if you’re in the back, but it doesn’t stop anyone.

There were other raffles, a 50/50 for our club, a gun raffle and a cash prize raffle for another club. There are all these opportunities to fundraise and help each other out, it’s nice. After the first round block shoot and the 50/50 raffle, it was time to head out and head home.

At the house, we let the dogs out, PSM pulled all the bikes out and we got to work cleaning them. They were in desperate need of baths. Please don’t tell too many people but…we hadn’t given them proper baths since we went on our 3-week trip out west over the summer. We are embarrassed! We’ve wiped them down, but not the given them the detail they really need. And the bugs on the windshield… O M G! We cannot do this to them again! Don’t they look all shiny and pretty?!

Next…into the house, sit down and breath! Oh, and practice my Duolingo, more on that another time!

Who ever heard of sitting still on a Sunday!? Dogs are in the crate, writing to you…g’night!

{March 14, 2024} Spring has sprung!

It was beautiful today, I think Spring has sprung!

Just like yesterday, I had to get on the bike, oh yeah! Well, first, I only needed a hoodie when I took the dogs for a walk around the block, a glorious morning. Then it was home to take a quick shower and get ready for work. Oh, did I mention that being that Spring has sprung, there is new life all around us. I haven’t seen any baby ducklings, wait, if they’re ducklings, which is a baby duck, do I really have to say baby ducklings? Am I alone in this one? I don’t think so, I think we all call them baby ducklings, because it sounds so much fun to hear and say, go on, say it, think it, baby ducklings. Ok, I am cracking myself up here, somebody stop me!

Anyway…so…there is new life in our yard, the crocuses are coming up and around the neighborhood, daffodils, robin red breasts are making an appearance, it’s a treat.

The VW dealership texted to let me know my car was ready, so before my class this afternoon, I hopped in the loaner Tiguan, headed to the dealership and traded it in for my beetle bug, Annie. I got in, dropped the top and the windows and headed home, life is good!

Then, today, for the first time in a few weeks, I took the dogs to the park. I asked ‘who wants to go to the park?’ I actually watched Ruby run and jump over something in the yard, oh boy! It’s been a while, not just because I didn’t have my car, but it’s been cold, rainy, and wet for the past few weeks, and I didn’t want to slip and slide through the park. We did it a few times, but just haven’t lately. Well, so glad we went today! People were out enjoying themselves, lots of cars in the different lots, but the park is big enough, you don’t run into many people.

We met a few dogs, got some lovies from kids and adults, saw some new flowers and growth and we saw some torguga, or turtles, on a log. Some ladies we passed told us about them, so we made sure to look and sure enough…tortuga! The girls were so happy to be back in the park, their old stomping grounds, sniffing everything like it was the first time! We made it around, back in the car and headed home.

Back home, they couldn’t wait to get out of the car and head inside…dinner’s about to be served. After dinner, PSM called and asked if I wanted to meet him somewhere, sure! I hopped on Charlene and went to meet him at Lebanon Valley Craft Breweing. I saddled up to the bar, ordered a tall glass of water and waited for my hubs. He got there, we just ordered an appetizer, they didn’t have the same grilled veggie wrap I had Friday, oh well.

We talked, laughed, planned, cajoled, and just enjoyed ourselves. Eventually it was time to head home, back on the bikes, he revved his engine, I revved mine and we were off! It was a little chillier for me on the way home, but it was still wonderful to be on the bike. Only 23% chance of rain tomorrow, 7% on Saturday, and 7% on Sunday…there’s more riding in my future! Only 3 months until our bike trip up north! Cannot wait!

And now, dear friends…g’night!

{March 5, 2024} I’m in planning mode! Weehoo!

So…last year, I haven’t had a chance to tell you about this trip yet, but PSM and I went on a 3-week motorcycle trip with some friends, and made new friends. We enjoyed the trip so much, we talked about the next year’s trip while we were on that trip. And here we are!

It’s almost a year later and we are in planning mode for our 10 day trip for this June. We would have loved to be able to take a 3-week trip again, but some folks don’t have the time this year to take 3-weeks, but there’s always a next time!

So…what are we doing this year? Well, let me tell you… and you know I will give you a day-by-day of what we’re doing, complete with photos! I tell you just about everything now, don’t I?! Ok, so…JD is our ride captain, he plans the routes and found the hotels, maybe one day he’ll let someone else help with that! ha ha.

My job, as cruise director, Julie McCoy, that was the nickname they gave me on our trip last year because I ended up in charge of figuring out where we were going to eat meals, dinners, at least, communicating these details, along with the meet time to head to dinner, and KSU, Kick-Stands-Up in the mornings. And don’t know I love it! I might need a name badge, or at least a t-shirt with that name on it!

So… we are starting in Middleborough, MA, well, some of us are, since we’re coming in from Lebanon, PA, if we don’t ride to Middleborough, we’ll meet everyone in Bar Harbor, ME, this is about a 6 hour ride and 360 miles. Our plan is to watch the sunrise on Cadillac Mountain, you know that means an unseemly hour of the morning, I can’t wait, then ride to the ferry terminal in Bar Harbor to load our bikes and persons and sail 3.5 hours to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. When PSM and I were in Nova Scotia years ago, we found out it translates to New Scotland, when you look out over the landscape it looked like Scotland to those who named it, and after being there two years ago, I couldn’t agree more!

Our trip is along the Cabot Trail, so every stop is going to be a part of that, passports at the ready! When we land in Yarmouth, we are going to ride about 4 hours and 193 miles to Halifax, Nova Scotia [NS], I am so excited about seeing Halifax again, I loved it and wished we had had more time there! Then, day 3, yes we are only up to day 3, can you believe it?!…from Halifax, we ride to Baddeck, about 6 hours and 270 miles.

Days 4-5, we’re going to do day trips on the Cabot Trail, even staying at the Cabot Trail Motel. Day 6, we ride Baddeck to Tatamagouche, NS for the night where we get to stay in train cars! Cannot wait! Then Day 7, Tatamagouche to St John New Brunswick, about 5 hours and 200 miles. Day 8m we ride about 6.5 hours and 300 miles from St John New Brunswick to Freeport, ME, and we’re back in the US! The last day, sadly…day 9, we ride from Freeport, ME to Middleborough, MA, about 5 hours and 180 miles. Most likely, PSM and I will go from New Brunswick towards PA and then make our way home by June 16th.

I just sent out a spreasheet for us to keep track of everything and as I was filling it out/in, I was getting more excited! I cannot wait to share the trip with you, a daily recount, and as I promised, chock full of pictures!

But for now, dear friends, I am going to bid you a fare fondwell, wait, what?! no, that’s a fond farewell and bid you goodnight!

And…I have to tell you, I am so happy that I started sharing with you again, I have really enjoyed the past two months! O M G! It’s been two months and I’ve shared so much, being as consistent as I can, I know I’ve missed some days, but I’m not as worried about that as I used to be. But we’re talking again and that’s what matters!

g’night!

{March 3, 2024} A pahty, dinner with dad, drive home

I…am…beat…yeah, I’m done! I just got home from Bahston and dinner with dad, I’ll tell you about my day, then I’m crashing!

Got up, the pups had slept with me, they love that treat, I’ll admit, I love it too. It really is a treat because it doesn’t happen every day. I let them on the bed sometimes on a Saturday or Sunday morning, but spending the night on the bed, now that’s a treat. Ruby did her thing and turned around twice and laid down, Bee turned around twice and then dug herself into my side, it was soooo cute. She moved once or twice, but settled into the crook I made and it was warm and cuddly, sigh.

We got up, went for a walk, thank goodness the rain finally stopped! Oh my car window…we came back, they had breakfast, I took a shower, then we headed to J&A’s for Uncle A’s 80th birthday bash! I got there, asked if I could do anything and A said she completely forgot vegan stuff, and there was a gluten-free person coming, so I said I would go to the grocery store and get some, easy! GES is going dairy-free for a while, I wanted to share some of my favorite options with her too.

Ruby just came upstairs to tell me it was time for bed!

I went to Wegmans and picked up some vegan and gluten-free options. I forgot how much I really like Wegman’s and what a great vegan selection they have! And how expensive some of that stuff is! I know it’s expensive, but usually I’m only buying one or two things along with our other groceries for the week!

I headed back to the house and people were starting to show up, including my hubby, PSM! I hadn’t seen him since Friday morning when he headed towards Vermont, very nice to see him, the girls thought so too!

We were in town for Uncle A’s 80th birthday bash and what a bash it was! GES was able to come over for a little bit, try some of the vegan cream cheese and smoked gouda, oh my I was happy, I love this Violife brand! They have such good dairy-free options! She was able to have bagel-lox-and cream cheese, with onion, of course! Not for me, thanks!

We ate some good food, got to chat with friends and family, laugh, hug, tell stories, and have an all around good time! It was so good to see everyone, I don’t think we’ve seen them since the Chanuakah party the weekend of Thanksgiving!

We bade everyone goodbye, PSM loaded the girls in the Jeep and headed towards home, I got in my car, programmed the directions and headed to my dad’s house. Let’s just say, no one likes driving through Connecticut! Aren’t they done with construction yet? Maybe that’s the national pastime in Connecticut!

It was a 4.5 hour drive with no stops, I had to get gas once and use the facilities a few times, and with traffic, it only added about 30 minutes, not too shabby. And…it got up to 70, guess what I did…dropped Annie’s top and we wer rockin’ down the road, that helped! I got to dad’s about 5p, we hugged hello, then loaded up in his car, I needed a minute not to be driving! We enjoyed Zara’s so much on Friday we decided to go back and even got the same meal!

We had the appetizer platter with babaganoush, hummus, tabouleh, eggplant salad, and sauted eggplant, it was so good! And we had a shepherd’s salad, the bread they bring out is fabulous and enough for the appetizers, I had a cup of turkish tea and we ended the meal with an order of baklavah! Sooo good! I’m ready for the next time.

Back to dad’s house, I helped him with his new timer light and then it was time to drive home. It’s only 2.5 hours, but when it’s been a long day and you’re tired, and already drove 5 hours, 2.5 can be tough! Especially after driving to Boston yesterday! But…made it home safe and sound, hello to the hubs and the dogs, unloaded the car, I’m talking to you and as soon as I click publish…I’m going to introduce myself to the back of my eyelids. Now…you know me, I know this, and you know this is just me talking a big game! ha ha

I’m going to give it the old school try! Night!

{February 8, 2024} Hot Chocolate Expo…I should have paid for packet delivery

I talked about participating in the Hot Chocolate 15k, I want to tell you a little about the expo.

The race expo is where you pick up your race packet. Sometimes, you pick up your packet before the start of the race, maybe at a table or a tent. Some races, you pick up the packet at an expo, which is usually somewhere near the start of the race, a hotel, a convention center, if you’re Walt Disney World, it’s at the runDisney Health & Fitness Expo, I’ve done that one a few times, if you’re Disneyland, it’s at the runDisney Health & Fitness Expo, that one I did only once.

There have been some good expos, but my favorites were Disney and the Hot Chocolate. A great expo has a lot of vendors, could be up to 100, vendors include other races from around the country and the world, sign up for your next Disney or Hot Chocolate or Rock-n-Roll race, just to name three out of so many more! Footwear vendors, like Mizuno, or Brooks, or Saucony, running clothing, running skirts, like Sparkle Athletic, socks, hydration, photos, jewelry, medal hangers, recovery experts, running snacks, expert speakers, the list truly does go on.

In the past, I would spend an hour or two at the expo, after I picked up my race packet, just walking up and down each aisle, looking at everything, window shopping, browsing, and purchasing. I would get new Saucony running socks, my absolute favorite, an extra shirt, sweatshirt, jacket, from the race sponsor, maybe some fun things to add to my shoes, or a piece of jewelry, or if it’s cold, a pair of gloves, sometimes I would buy my next pair of running shoes, it was fun just walking, talking, exploring, and treating myself to something, I knew I was about to do something big.

The Hot Chocolate Expo has been at the Georgia World Congress Center, it’s been at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, at least I think it was! But…wherever it was, it was grand! Lots of vendors, big venue, just grand I tell ya! In 2021, it was virtual, as you can imagine, but I still did it…virtually! I walked to the park near where we lived, walked around the lake and back home, 9.1 miles. It had been snowing and doing it in my snow boots, not the best idea!

2022 it was virtual again, I actually did it on a treadmill at a hotel in Boston, I watched several episodes of Reacher, season 1 and the time went by like that! When I did the run virtually, I had the packet delivered, it cost a little more, but it was worth it, I had my stuff. Last year, I was excited to be back in Atlanta to do the race in person again! I went to the expo and I was disappointed, not many vendors, it was a small space, and I was able to walk around the entire expo very quickly and very disappointed.

This year, I was hopeful, but disappointed again…let’s just say, I paid $13 for parking because I was there about 30 minutes total! I walked in, went past the Hot Chocolate Runner’s store, and into the main area where we would pick up our packets.

It was very industrial, and dark. They had a few chandeliers up and groupings of edison bulbs giving off not much light. This wasn’t a date in a romantic setting with mood lighting, this was a race expo that should have had some more life to it.

I picked up my packet and asked where the gear exchange was, not happening this year! What?! Gear exchange is where you can try on the sweatshirt to see if it’s a good fit. When I asked customer service, they had shipping and supply issues, ok, that sucks. I tried my sweatshrit on, well, I tried, I got my arms in…it will look great in my closet with the rest of my Hot Chocolate gear! I should do a post with each year’s swag/gear!

Even some of the volunteers, because almost everyone who is working there is a volunteer, some of them said they couldn’t see anything, that’s great, they need to read people’s names and sizes! I did one tour around to see if there was something I might want, just had to have, couldn’t go home without it. Well, once around was enough to see that the answer was nothing…

I stopped by the Hot Chocolate store, nothing there either, they usually have some good deals, but I left with only my race bib and an event sweatshirt. It’s not the worst thing in the world to not spend money, but…one of the fun things I enjoy is finding a new treat or going to experts for some new gear or trucks, and my trucks, I mean running shoes.

I already signed up for next year, I didn’t purchase packet delivery, I’ll go pick it up…hoping to not be disappointed again. Fingers crossed the Hot Chocolate Expo comes back to life, maybe give it some chocolate and marshmallows, that seems to do the trick for some people!

A fine and happy good evening and happy Friday Eve!

{February 5, 2024} It’s that time of year again! It’s the Hot Chocolate 15k! Let’s do this!

For the past 11 years, I have participated in the Hot Chocolate run in Atlanta. January 13, 2013 was the inaugural Hot Chocolate race in Atlanta, easy for me to do there because I lived there at the time.

The first race I did was a 5k, they offered a 5k and a 15k. As a background: a 5k is 3.1 miles, 10k is 6.2 miles, a 15k is 9.1 miles, a half marathon is 13.1 miles, and a full marathon is 26.2. Here’s a deeper description of all the distances. After that you get into the ultra marathon realm, and that is waaayyy beyond my comprehension! Although, I do know a few people who participate in those, and more power to ’em!

I’m not sure if you remember me talking, in the past, about some of the races I’ve done. I’ve done obstacle races, mud runs, 5ks, 10ks, 15ks, and a few half marathons. I actually used to do about 5 races a month, mostly 5ks and one mud run every month or every other month. I was even doing them while I was on the road for work or when I was traveling internationally. The week before I met PSM, I had just done a 5k in Ireland and for our first 3-week trip to Europe, the week before we left I did the Brooklyn Half and when we got to Lisbon, Portugal, the next day I did the Lisbon Half, crazy, I know! Why did I stop?

To be honest, I don’t actually enjoy running, and no judgement against those that do, I admire you, honest I do, I keep saying I’m going to keep doing these until I enjoy running, hasn’t happened yet! And don’t let me fool you, I run part of it, but most, I run the start and the finish, so when someone asks “Did you run?” Why yes, yes I did. Did they ask how much I ran? No, no they did not! There were a few 5ks I actually ran the entire race, I still remember the first one, The Atlanta Women’s 5k, I ran the entire thing and as I was crossing the finish line, I was tearing up, I was so proud of myself!

When I do a race, I try to run, not just the start and finish, but I try to run some of it, and sometimes I’m more successful than others. This time I ran the first almost mile and then I walked pretty much the duration of the course. I was speaking with someone at work, NO, who is training for a half and said she felt similarly to how I do, until she read a book ‘Born to Run‘ and that changed her whole perspective. I need to find that book. I realized that although I don’t enjoy running, I enjoyed participating in the races. I joke I do it all for the swag, but I did enjoy the sense of accomplishment at completing a race.

There were people who were trying their hardest, there were people who were pushing themselves, there were people who were training for other races, like a half or a full marathon and part of the training is to have a long run, well, 9.1 miles is a longer run and this was a fun way to get that long run in. Now, my friend BG is training for a full and he had a long run day today, his was 18 miles. When he sent me his time, for twice the distance, he took 30 minutes longer to finish than my 9.1 miles, gotta love that!

Back to the race…I started doing the Hot Chocolate in Atlanta in 2013, it was a 5k, I wasn’t quite ready for anything else yet! and I was doing it with a friend. The same year, in Ocotber of 2013, I did it again in Denver, 5k, I also volunteered at the expo for race pick up, that was fun, so I volunteered again at the expo in 2015 in Atlanta. 2014 in Atlanta, I did the 5k again, but the next time I did the race, 2015 in Atlanta, and from that year on, I did the 15k. Why? Becuase there was a medal! I did mention I do these for the swag, right?! The Hot Chocolate really has the best sweatshirts.

You also might be asking why I keep doing it in Atlanta since I’ve moved a bit, well…here’s the swag thing again…they came out with a legacy series, you get something extra at your 3, 5, and 15 year mark. In the beginning, you could do the race anywhere, then…they changed the rules and you could only be a legacy if you did the race in the same city year after year, well, they finally amended that, but…I love doing the race where I started and it was inaugural! Besides, I have friends and family to visit here, it’s a win-win!

This year, I decided that since I’m at 13 years, I’m going to give it 2 more years, get my 15 year legacy swag and call it quits on the Hot Chocolate run. Let’s see if I hold me to that! I’ll keep you posted!.

The race is always at the end of January or beginning of February, and here we are February 4th…The race starts at Centennial Olympic Park, downtown Atlanta, the start is at 730a and you need to get down there by 645am, who sets these hours?! And it’s always freezing! And we pay for this? What? I got down there about 630a, parked, and eventually got out of the car, it was inevitable, I was going to have to at some point, right?!

Best part…rain held off until later this afternoon! Bad part…lots and lots of wind! I had my hat and gloves on, wind dies down, take them off, wind picks up, put them back on, and on and on and on, for the entire run!

Just before 730a, we are lined up in our respective corrals waiting to go, someone sings the national anthem, and then we’re off. I ran the first mile, walked the rest, with a jog/run here and there and definitely over the finish line. It’s funny, as you know I don’t post any pics of myself or anyone else that you can truly see our faces, but the pics they got of me, as I was crossing the finish line, cracked me up!

The course is decent, I was with everyone for the start, dwindled down as we went, since I wasn’t running the whole thing, huffing and puffing with my new friends as we climbed hills, who knew Atlanta was so hilly?! I did, and every time I do this stupid thing! ha ha. The worst, well, the worst part of a run, according to everyone, is that last one or two tenths of a mile because you know you’re almost there! You’re sooooo close. This one…why does the last tenth of a mile have to be UPHILL? It wasn’t a huge hill, it was a steady incline, but you could see it as you’re going up it. At that point I’m the little engine that could…I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!

With this distance, especially if you’re not a runner, or you’re encouraging other folks, you just did a mile, eight to go! They have mile markers out there and then when you get to 3.1 miles, there is a 5k sign, and you’re like…I just walked to my neighborhood, or I just walked to the grocery store and back. Then there’s the 6 mile marker and then the 10k, awesome! Only 3 miles to go! Then you’re down to 2 miles, then you see the 8 mile marker and you’re like, I can’t quit now, I’m almost there!

I have three goals when I do a run, I’ve shared these before: 1. Start. 2. Finish. 3. Have someone behind me. I think those are pretty good goals! There was a point, I was at the back with two other women, we were encouraging each other, pushing each other on, then we caught up to other people, and then somewhere around mile 8, I was pushing ahead of them, I must have found my second win because by the time I was rounding that last corner, there were a lot of people behind me. I ran over the finish, cheered and people were cheering for me, it felt amazing! I did it, another one down!

I got my medal, I told you I do this for the swag! ha ha and then I stopped that pace and all of a sudden, my body said a big WTF, now…I have a race shirt that says WTF on the front and Where’s the Finish? on the back, this was not it, I knew where the finsih was, I just crossed it, ha ha. This was, the adrenaline that you just experienced has left your body and you know what you just put it through for 9.1 miles!

I got my medal and hobbled over to the finisher’s tent to get my finisher’s cup. This is a cup filled with lots of goodies, a hot chocolate in the middle, dipping chocolate, and things to dip in the chocolate. As some of you know, I don’t like chocolate, so I got mine with out any chocolate, poor guy who gave me my mug said he didn’t like it, and he was in the tent giving out the stuff, it smelled so chocolatey! Poor guy! I also gave away a few of the things to some kids near me, the marshmallow and the Rice Krispie treat, not my thing. I enjoyed the banana, pretzels, and trail mix, and my bottle of water, y u m!

I ate as I walked to my car, high fived finishers, congratulated others, and sat in my car with the but warmers on for a bit, ooh, that felt good! All in all I am very glad I did it, despite what my body says! I saw 2:39 when I crossed the finish, my time, that they emailed 2:33, I think that’s pretty respectable time for walking, with a little run thrown in, 9.1 miles!

Another year, another Hot Chocolate 15k done. I’m proud of myself, I just checked my time from last year and I was 5 minutes faster! Go me! ha ha. Now I’m going to check all the years and see what I did!

So, my friends, another race done, I think this may have inspired me to get back into it, and who knows…I may tell you about a race I actually ran! Oh my word! Or even got to where I enjoyed running! I know, I know, don’t get ahead of myself!

Nighty night and sweet dreams!

{January 26, 2024} It’s Friday Night…What to do? A new place and a Motorcycle Club? Sure, let’s do it!

Friday work day is done, now what? PSM called from work and said he’s going to pick me up and we’ll go out to a new place and maybe check out the local motorcycle club, sounds great!

He picked me up from work about about 6/630p and we went to the Gin Mill Restaurant & Tavern, finally! I say finally because we have tried to go on several occasions, but their hours aren’t great. They are open Monday-Saturday until 9p and on Sunday until 8p, not great if you’re out late or riding around and hungry later, and the kitchen closes about 30-45 minutes before the doors, no shade, just hard in the summer when you might want to go out later. But tonight, we got in there in plenty of time!

Did anyone have the fog we did here? It was cr-azy! You could barely see in front of your face! This is what it was like when I was walking the dogs, it was worse for PSM on his way to pick me up! It took him an extra 15 minutes to get home because he couldn’t see!

It’s a lot larger on the inside than it looks from the outside. Great atmosphere, huge bar, two sitting areas off of each side of the bar, not a lot of room to walk behind each side of the bar, but enough to get buy, one of those places where servers kind of have to raise the plates to get buy and not hit you. The place was pretty packed, PSM had been there one other time and it wasn’t this full, it definitely has a different feel when it’s full. There were people of all ages and families sharing a meal together, definitely a local type of place. The decor was fun, a lot of brewery and beer logo signs, things made out of beer/brewery labels, sitckers, and bottle caps, just what you want to see in a pub/local brewery.

I will say, if you’re not a meat eater, it won’t be easy for you, but if you’re going for drinks and a few apps or sides, you’ll be fine. PSM ordered a few mixed drinks, I had hot tea, always happy when a bar/pub has hot tea! It came out in a glass mug, my favorite! I had a Caeasar salad and a side of broccoli, and PSM had their Chinese Takeout Burger. Think…Chinese takeout on a bun with a side of fries, I know right?

We sat at the bar, as we do almost everywhere, which, as you know, we love. Chatted with the bartenders, one of the chefs, which was who convinced PSM to get the burger, from his description, and had a great time on our date night! What more could you want?!

Now…motorcycle club time! We were about 15 minutes from there, but it took a little longer to get there because of the fog! Ugh, should I be drinking London Fog tea? Should I be wearing a London Fog coat? Wow! We got there about 730p, the doors open at 7p, meeting is at 8p. The Lebanon Valley Motorcycle Club has their own clubhouse, very cool! We went to one door, no go, we went down around back where we saw other people heading and score! Just outside the door we met the president and treasurer of the group, the president opened the door, led us in and announced we were there, to a great big welcome, it was grand!

We walked towards the bar and met a lot of people, they have drinks, water, beer, soda, they have coffee cans for the money because they can’t exchange money by handing it to each other, so they put the money in the cans, love it! They have a pool table, currently out of commission, waiting on repairs, they have tables and chairs, places for people to sit and chat before the meeting begins.

There were people of all ages and with different types of bikes, this is a motorcycle club, all bikes welcome. It’s similar to the other groups we ride with, but the primary bike in those groups are Indians, because they are the Indian Motorcyle Riders Groups [IMRG], all riders are welcome, but to join you have to have an Indian Motorcycle, same with Harley Davidson groups, that’s fair. This one is ‘come one come all’, you just have to have a bike! At least I think so!

Several people asked who told us about it, I wish I could remember! I was at White’s Harley Davidson, the dealership near our house and someone told me about it, they knew who I was talking about. Apparently you have to be recommended to join, among other rules, they are serious. With our IMRG groups, you only need to pay your dues, for this club, you have to be recommended by a current member, you pay an application fee, then you’re on a 6-week probationary period where you have to attend at least 1/3 of the scheduled meetings/events, then after the 6-week period, the board either votes you in or not. I kind of like it, you need to attend events or meetings to show you’re interested, not just join and don’t do anything, every group has their rules, I’m ok with that!

We socialized with the group downstairs in the bar/pool room, turns out one couple lives on the street right behind us, how cool! then at 830p, we all went upstairs for the meeting. They are very official! We stood for the pledge of allegiance, then they asked if there were any visitors, we were, we stood up and introduced ourselves, then it was on to reading the last meeting’s minutes, then on to new business, including announcements and updates on how some members who were ill, a very caring group!

The couple we sat with, who are the ones who live near us, gave us the lowdown as everything was happening, as they made announcements, talked events, and happenings. There is a banquet next weekend, unfortunately we won’t be able to attend, but it was nice to be included right off the bat.

After the meeting we spoke with a few people, got more information about the group and joining,turned in our applications and money, got a calendar of events, it’s actually a pocket calendar with the events stamped in, love that! Their first ride is in April, so ready!

We headed home, it was a long day and we were done! Tomorrow…new adventure, I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow!
Night! Dreaming of being on the bike, when is the fog, rain, and snow going to stop! Vroom vroom!

{May 23, 2021} It’s Sunday…let’s go for a ride!

Sunday came and it was a nice day even with the possibility of rain, let’s ride Clyde!

We headed out for Hermann, MO. PSM is the Ride Captain for our mini biker group, of two! He plans the routes, usually avoiding the highways, and he never disappoints! It was about an hour and a half there, which I knew. It was a beautiful ride, a bunch of bikes were out. We stopped at the same gas station we always stop at when we’re in that area. Even though it was more than an hour’s ride, which was fine, as he said, it’s tradition now! We also both knew it would be time for me to fill up anyway. We chatted with a Harley rider, our bikes were about the same color blue. He gave us some ideas for different rides. Bikers really are some of the nicest people!

We went into Hermann looking for brunch, it was about 1203p at this point, so we were on the fence…breakfast, lunch, brunch? It was actually harder than we thought to find a place for breakfast. The nice thing, it wasn’t as crowded in Hermann as it was the last time we were there. We stopped at Stomp ‘N Grounds for breakfast. It was a cute little place, we sat at a bar by the window and chatted while we waited for our food and drinks.

PSM had decaf coffee, hot, it was supposed to be iced, I had a chai latte with almond milk with a mountain of foam that I didn’t ask for, and we got one of the two pastries we were going to munch on while we waited for our food, not a great sign. The funny part about getting the drinks was when they called our names, the guy said ‘decaf coffee and…the other drink’ really? The pastries were ok, a slice of cinnamon swirl bread and a brown sugar cinnamon chip scone, I would have enjoyed the scone warmed up, but I guess it wasn’t an option. PSM had bagel, lox, and cream cheese and I had a fried egg sandwich. I have to say, I have really been missing the East Coast, why can’t anyone have other choices beside PLAIN BAGELS?!

After brunch, we walked around Hermann, it’s a cute town, not much to it, but cute. I could see going back, or stopping there, with the bike group for drinks, like we did a few weeks ago, but I don’t see us going back on our own. What was crazy was how hot it was! There were a lot of bikes in town and I can tell you…the only people wearing pants…bikers! WOW! We were sweatin’! One thing we couldn’t find was anything that said Hermann! A hat, t-shirt, nothin’! I have started getting magnets wherever we go, as a memento, it’s small, easy to carry, and…our back door is magnetic! I’ve used it to display all the places we’ve been! I love it! Bummer on not finding anything!

We left Hermann and rode to Washington, MO, which we’ve been to before. It was about an hour’s ride, which was a good distance, we thought we’d check out the town a little, maybe get a drink. We stopped in two places that were shutting down in a few, really? It wasn’t even 2pm! Oh, that was the same thing happening in Hermann, for some reason, things were shutting down early! We stopped in a bar for a few drinks, enjoyed chatting with the bartender and decided to tip! It’s funny, we haven’t actually seen Washington, only the street down by the river, one of these days, we need to check it out!

Next, we headed to Defiance, MO. We drive through it all the time and talk about stopping, but never do. And when we were there, I think we found all the bikers in the state of Missouri! They were at these two bars across the street from each other. I think I saw maybe four or five bikes, not including ours that weren’t Harleys! I even saw two Indians, that weren’t ours! and that was about it! We hung out at both bars for a bit, long enough for a few drinks each, listened to some music and headed down the road to my main thought in Defiance, Good News Brewing Company. We had been to the first location and knew about this one, which actually has Alpha & Omega Coffee located inside as well.

It was a nice open space, garage doors all around, inside and outside seating, everything is a rough wood, barn-like, the way I like it! I remember going to the first one wanting to turn our lanai into that type of space, I don’t think it’s reasonable, but I would love it! Their menu is very limited, we ordered a cheese bread and a small pizza, not going to be good for either of us, but we were willing to take a chance. We sat, ate, drank, talked, laughed. Wash, rinse, repeat. It was so nice!

Eventually, after last call, which was about 6pm, it’s Sunday, after all, it was time to head out. We rode home, about an hour, got gas somewhere in there, greeted the pups, walks, dinner, relax!

I will say…it was a nice day and we both wore short sleeves…no jackets, didn’t need them, I only wore my vest because it keeps my t-shirt from riding up my back! Well…since we wore short sleeves and no arm sleeves, which we do wear in the summer, most of the time, it protects our arms from the harsh rays of the sun, and no sunblock to prevent what ended up happening…SUN BURN! OUCH! Well, now I have my base layer, which I usually get from driving the convertible, but I haven’t been going many places lately. We learned our lesson! It will be fine, but…I can also tell I am getting my biker’s tan, you can see where the hole in the back of my riding gloves are!

What a Sunday! What’s our next adventure?! Want to join us?!

{May 22, 2021} Just another average Saturday…

Yeah right! Who am I kidding?!

Got up, hot yoga, you know how we roll…it was tough! It’s getting hotter out and more humid, so hot yoga gets even hotter. Today there were quite a few people in class, different for a Saturday, I’m wondering if it’s because of the no mask on the mat policy, this particular studio, on a Saturday morning, it’s us and maybe one or two other people…this class had at least six people!

Hot yoga done, home, shower, work on the basement for a bit, it’s getting so much better! Then…go to Mungenast to pick up PSM’s bike, he was getting a new back tire put on. Pack the pups and PSM in the car and away we go! Top down, of course! And something we learned, Ruby has an issue with overpasses! I didn’t think much of it when we went under one a few weeks ago, she barked at it, but it turns out the change in pressure makes her bark and…jump! Not out of the car, but just enough to make us nervous! I don’t want to have to strap her down in the car! Hmmm…

After we got home, hung out with the pups for a bit, didn’t want to put them right in the crate after being out, and then we headed out to get some grub, bub. We went to a new place that I found, Olivette Diner and O M G! We are in luv!!! If you weren’t specifically looking for it, you would miss it. It’s a non-descript looking place from the outside. It’s in a strip mall, above the door Diner, that’s descriptive! The windows did say Olivette Diner, but honestly, if you weren’t looking for it…

We walked in and were very pleasantly surprised. They did have a few tables and chairs outside, we wanted inside and we weren’t disappointed! The place had a great retro feel, counter service with retro vinyl covered stools, facing the cook space, and a few retro booths, along with the retro signage on the walls. Let’s just say, a little retro. They had a surprisingly big menu for a small place, but we got right down to it.

We ordered a scramble with brie, spinache, and tomatoes, it came with a side of hash browns, and toast. I asked for the scramble to be done well, the hash browns dun…[note the emphasis on done] and when I asked which type of toast was better, our server couldn’t decide between the wheat or sour dough, both of which are made by a local bakery. Could I get one of each? Why, yes I could! Then… we ordered the Amazing Banana Waffle. It was a malted waffle topped with a hot and fresh banana, brown sugar, and cinnamon sauce. How could we not, it said it was amazing!

No sooner had we ordered and I got back from washing my hands, the food arrived. Did they actually cook it? It was sooo fast! Not that I’m complaining at all! I have to tell you, this was one of the best breakfasts we’ve had in a long time! We love the places we go and sometimes something new doesn’t always work out, but wowweee did this ever! It’s going on our favorites list! The scramble wasn’t overpowering with any one flavor and the brie was melted and blended in just right. The hash browns, ahhhhh, almost no one gets it right, this was…crispy and crunchy and just y u m! The toast, you know, I don’t know which slice was better…I ate one, then the other. Then…for the second set, I ate one bite of one, then one bite of the other, didn’t help! They were both so good, and just the right amount of butter! And the waffle…they were right…AMAZING! Wow! It was fluffy and light. The banana was hot and gooey, and the brown sugar and cinnamon sauce, who needs syrup. It really was fabulous! I would order this again and again and again!

I was disappointed, no room for pie and they had the list up and they have…strawberry-rhubarb pie, my favorite! Not to worry, we will be going back! Yessss! A true treat, if you’re in the area, or looking for a good place to go for breakfast or lunch! They are only open until 2pm, so get there early! Also…we were told the food came out so fast because that’s how they have to do it, normally the place is packed! Even at 1pm! Graduations are happening all around the state, that’s probably where most people were. Can’t wait to go back and bring people with us!

Now, back home, after we stop to get a graduation present. One of those graduations this weekend, we were invited to a graduation party, a son of one of PSM’s co-workers. After a brief sit down and hang with the pups, we head back out on the bikes to the graduation party. We saw a few people I actually knew and I met some of PSM’s co-workers, that was fun! Now I have faces to go with the names! It was a nice party, I enjoyed chatting with people and there were cupcakes, what more could you want!

After a while, we said our goodbyes and headed out to Nine Mile Garden for an Adult Prom! We’ve talked about Nine Mile Garden, it’s great. There is a micro-brewery and then there are always food trucks with plenty to offer, unfortunately, limited for me, but not for most. And the trucks are definitely varied! Something for almost everyone! And if you’re lucky, at least one of the trucks has dessert!

We didn’t really read the invite closely, so it was a lot of people watching…everyone was dressed in some form of 80’s attire, it was great! There were some prom dresses, suspenders, bow ties, big hair, wrestlers impersonators, rock star impersonators, 80’s music, lights, some decorations and music videos from the 80’s on the big screen. We ate, loaded spuds!, we drank, we people watched, it was so much fun!

What a Saturday, told ya…just another average Saturday. Well, for us it was!

{May 1, 2021} A perfect day for a fabulous ride!

Today was the group ride, based on the pre-ride I told you about last weekend, did that make sense?! It was predicted to be a gorgeous day! Let’s go!

The day started early, a little before 7a, got the pups up, walked, and fed, and played, and snuggled. We were out the door by 8am, we needed to be at Mungenast by 8/8:30am, we were heading out for a 3 hour ride. No, I am not going to sing again or make you think about Gilligan’s Island, except for that reference! We got to Mungenast in plenty of time to hang, greet each other, catch up, chat, look at each other’s bikes and the changes or improvements we’ve made. Well, not me, but I could ooh and ah and admire like the rest of them!

When everyone had assembeled, we gathered for a talk from the ride captain, rules of the road and all that. We always have those at the beginning of a group ride, it’s most important when there are a lot of bikes and we had quite a few! It was decided that we would break into two groups to make it easier at stop signs, lights, etc. We were with the second group because PSM was going to block traffic as we were leaving, it’s easier if you have someone who stops the cars and you can leave as one unit. The analogy is that when we’re all together, we act as an 18-wheeler, a really big truck. I hope that made sense!

We headed out, our group was about 5-10 minutes behind the first group. There was some highway riding, but the best part was to get to the back roads, the winding roads, off the beaten path so to speak. We rode for about an hour to Washington, MO, stopped for gas, stretch the legs, grab a snack. It was interesting, sometime before we got to the first stop, we caught up with the first group, then we rode together to the gas station. And it was much needed!

Then…we rode to Hermann, MO, we didn’t stop in Hermann, just drove through, lots of people and bikers out, and very cool, there was Harley Davidson rider who was out for a stroll, so to speak and super cool, turned his bike to block the oncoming cars, so we could ride as one unit, aces! We actually stopped a few miles outisde of Hermann for anyone to gas up, bio break, snacks, you name it. This was the last stop until we got to our destination, just about an hour to go and we were all together, nice.

We headed out, and off we go. It was mostly back roads, some beautiful scenery. I did have a bit of deja vu, as we just did this ride last weekend. We kept a steady pace and I know we were a sight to see. Even when I’m looking at us, it’s quite the site! I can tell you we made quite the sight, there were people waving at us and some even taking videos as we went by, it’s pretty cool.

The weather was perfect, started out about 60 in the morning and went up to 80+, but the wind was something! There were quite a few of us who felt it on the ride, especially on the highway. By the time we got to Head Motor Company in Columbia, MO, we were all ready to get off the bikes. All I wanted to do was stand or sit, and not move!

They had tents set up, demo bikes, food, sales on merchandise, it was quite the site. We were also there to meet the Indian Motorcycle Riders Group Kansas City Chapter, something we do when there are events or rides that are going to meet somewhere in the middle, or close to the middle, which this was.

We had some grub, everyone enjoyed the bbq, it looked good, I improvised! I had a cole slaw sandwich! It was actually quite tasty! And an oatmeal raisin cookie, I was happy! While we ate, we chatted, caught up, got to know some new members, met and talked to the KC riders/members. It’s nice meeting new people, fellow biker enthusiasts. We were on an official group ride, so there was a meeting, had to be.

Then it was time to head out. A few of us decided to go to Hermann for a drink, maybe some food for me! We started at the gas station for a fill-up, then we were off. Since the official ride was over, we were able to go a little faster on the way back, the roads were great, lots of curves, I am trusting the bike more and more, it felt great! We got to Hermann, found a place to park the bikes, but finding a place for beverages, not as easy, but we finally found a place!

We settled in, orderd drinks, I got a vegan weisswurst, it’s a sausage, and mighty tasty, hit the spot. We chatted some more, with less people, more intimate. It was fun, drinks, laughter, stories, what more could you want? After that, we headed out and after a while, some folks split off and PSM and I, with two other guys went to another bar for one more drink, conversation, and fun. Then it was home to take care of the pups.

Speaking of the pups…we asked JS to come and hang with them mid-day so they wouldn’t be in the crate all day, she wasn’t available, but her mom was. I set up the hammock and they all had a great time!

What a day! We had amazing weather, great company, a plethora of bikes, a fabulous route, and the wind at our backs. What more could you want?!

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