Did I bike past Senator Webb today?
On my ride into work this morning, I was riding down Mass Ave (which I ride every morning) between Thomas Circle and 7th Sts. I pulled up to a stop light and noticed a weird looking all black towncar. The plates were from Virginia and read: Senate 2. All of the windows were tinted and I couldn’t get a good look inside. However, from what I could tell, there was only one person inside, the driver, wearing a tie and jacket.
I voted for you and then I beat you off the line with my 12 speed!
The cat is definitely out of the bag: Mary and I are planning a huge trip (not quite round the world, but nearly there). Planned destinations are South America and Asia for (estimate) 4 months, each. We’ve been saving our pennies and laying the ground work for a long time now. Fortunately, the stars have come together and it’s time to pull the plug on our normal lives for exploration.
We received our Lonely Planet books last night and were excited to crack them open. We’re trying to NOT stay up all night reading about our impending adventures. After checking them out at the bookstore, we ordered the India (Country Guide) and South America (Shoestring). We have also ordered the Southeast Asia: On a Shoestring book, which should arrive sometime this week.
We haven’t signed up, yet, for the Philly Half Marathon, but are seriously considering having a go at it. Mary and I had a great time during the race in 2006:
I’ve added (and made public) Hal Higdon’s Intermediate Level Training to my Google Calendar:
Check it out and feel free to add it to your Google Calendar, too. I’d also like to dust off my running log, which has been covered in cobwebs during the winter hibernation.
During June, I managed to bike to work on 14 of 30 days in the month.
Of the 30 days during the month, I worked 19 days. I drove two days and totaled 3 days walking.
At the end of the month, I biked to work a total of 14 days.
Quarter-End Total: 47 days
After 6 Months, I’ve biked to work a total of 91 of the total 182 days. As outlined in my new years resolution post, I am 91 days towards my goal of 192.
I was reading some work emails and thought of another important idea for the next administration to embrace. I disagree with many of the Bush Administration’s policies, but they were (mildly) successful at bringing about (some) better management practices into executive branch agencies (or at least the one’s I’ve worked for). I think it a good idea for the next administration expand the U.S.-U.N. relationship, work to strengthen the dollar, pay down the deficit, etc. All of these opinions indicate that the new administration should throw away most of Bush’s playbook. However, I recommend keeping (or even better, RECYCLING) some of the management policies and initiatives within the federal government (including the Expanded Electronic Government initiatives) so as to continue to bring oil tanker sized government agencies into an electronic world filed with speedboats.
It occurred to me this week that my posts have been pretty sparse this fall. I figured out a good solution, blogging by email, which I’m trying out now. Anyways, there’s lots of stuff percolating on the brain right now, but nothing that I’ve wanted to blog out for a while. I did look over Mary’s shoulder at an article about Jason Bateman (yes, it was In Style). He had a funny quote about having a 300 pound man inside of him just waiting to get out. Hence, he does an hour of cardio everyday to keep everything in check. I have been feeling like a bum this spring because I haven’t logged any sizable distances (read: anything longer than 2 miles). Also, the frequency of runs has been down as well. I do enjoy riding to and from work, but am actively trying to NOT work up a sweat during the 20 minute ride. Ergo, this cannot be counted as cardio activity.
Seems like what I’d need is some serious motivation to get out there everyday. I have been using the busy-ness of work as an excuse, but things are starting to lighten up and I’m not taking good advantage of that, yet. Today, I will make the separation from work and sweat it out for an hour — just like Jason Bateman.
During May, I managed to bike to work on 19 of 31 days in the month.
Of the 31 days during the month, I worked 20 days and walked in on 1 day.
At the end of the month, I biked to work a total of 19 days.
During April, I managed to bike to work on 14 of 30 days in the month.
Of the 30 days during the month, I worked 20 days. I drove one day and totaled 5 days walking.
At the end of the month, I biked to work a total of 14 days.
I went out at lunchtime to grab some lunch in Dupont with Mary (Chop’t, delicious). On the bike ride back to work, I saw the motorcade that was transporting Pope Benedict’s motorcade. Keep in mind that I did NOT see his holiness, but rather only caught a glimpse of the Popemobile racing down Rhode Island Ave. at 65 MPH. (I assume that it was headed back to Catholic Univ., where word is that P.B. is hanging out this week.)
One thing that struck me was: could I possibly be witnessing the most elaborate carjacking ever? I didn’t have a camera, but it would have been awesome to get a shot of the empty, all-white Mercedes Benz, jacked up on a flatbed and hauling rubber sandwiched between a couple MPD squad cars and lead by 4 MPD motorcycles. No Swiss Guards appeared to be attending the vehicle, but I couldn’t see who was driving the truck. Let’s say you wanted to nick the pope’s ride (I don’t think he has independently spinning rims, but they’re pretty shinny), wouldn’t some fake cop cars and truck get the job done? Potentially, the Popemobile had more than 2 parking tickets in DC and the city was giving his car a ‘courtesy tow’ (read: $100).
In closing, it did look like a very secure vehicle and seemed like a nice cabin to roll around in. I couldn’t tell if there was any sort of communication possible between the driver and his holiness. Like, what if, the Papamóvil got lost and the Pontiff grabbed a map (or divine directions) and wanted to play back seat driver for a while?
I’ve got questions, who’s got answers?
Yesterday, I headed into Bruegger’s newest store, located about 2 blocks from my office in Chinatown. I was only there for coffee, but the bagels line looked solid enough to prove them a quick star. Of course, nothing less would be expected from another quality Rochester mainstay (cough, cough, Wegmans, cough… there I said it). It’s awesome to have a proper bagel place in the neighborhood and will be a delicious alternative to the Friday munchkins (doughnut holes) that seem to magically appear from the Dunkin’ Donuts on 7th St.
The thing that I’m excited about most is that Bruegger’s brews Green Mountain Coffee, roasted in Vermont near Ben and Jerry’s. The Green Mountain Coffee from Bruegger’s is certified fair trade, delicious and $1.93 for a large. For that, I say: Welcome to the neighborhood!
