(just)ben

Not much going on. Just ben laying low, doing a little bit of everything, and not a whole lot of anything. Not ben doing any Stand-up paddling, I have ben trying to take it easy on my back.
Sarah and I had a nice 35 mile road ride Memorial Day Sunday, followed by afternoon/evening sail. Grilled killer blue cheese burgers on the boat grill Sunday night. MOO! I worked on Monday, but I tried to get in a late afternoon windsurf session. The forecast was for the winds to build but it never happened and I ended up without a big enough sail.
Sarah, Mike D, and I had a good ride at Patapsco last night. The trails were in pretty good shape, but you can tell too many people had ben riding when things were wet.
Hard to believe that May is almost over. Let the summer games begin!!

benblue

The Blue Angels closed the show. Awesome.

ben(to the air show)

I went over to Andrews AFB today for their annual open house and air show. The rain put a damper on things (the wings of big cargo planes make good umbrellas), but it was not bad enough to cancel the show.

The old war planes like the P-51 and the B-17 were cool. We were involved in a way different type of war then, than we are now. The little stunt planes were insane. I don't know how the pilots manage keep track of where they are with all the flips, turns, and twists they do. Words can't describe the F-22 Raptor. Google it, and find the video.

Stay tuned for part-2

benbroken

With all respect to Arlo Guthrie.
"I proceeded on down the hall gettin more injections, inspections,
detections, neglections and all kinds of stuff that they was doin' to me
at the thing there, and I was there for two hours, three hours, four
hours, I was there for a long time going through all kinds of mean nasty
ugly things and I was just having a tough time there, and they was
inspecting, injecting every single part of me, and they was leaving no
part untouched. " Alice's Restaurant 1967

This has not been the greatest week. Earlier this week my back decided to tie itself in knots. I was informed by a massage therapist that it was in such bad shape that I should just paddle out on a surfboard and let the sharks eat me. My chiropractor had somewhat more encouraging words, and thinks he can get me back to "my normal", which is marginal at best. Too many years of working retail and bad posture catching up. Having too much fun could also have something to do with it. I play. I fall down. My back goes boom.

Several weeks ago, my spot doc (dermatologist) found a place that she wanted to remove "just to be sure". Yesterday was the day. Nothing quite like getting a knife in an already whacked back. Insult to injury. All those years working on a "healthy tan".......turns out that it was not such a good thing! (More on sun care in a future blog.)

Yesterday was ride your bike to work day. I couldn't do it because of my back and the doctors appointments. It really bummed me out. I did stop by the rally downtown, to help support the cause, but I felt guilty not riding to work. I will try to make up for it another time. I promise.

Friday afternoon, some people are off to happy hour, I'm off to see the Chiropractor for the second time this week. Due to the mornings spot removal he was limited in what he could do.
He put me on "the rack" and bent me around a bit. I felt pretty happy. Maybe it was the rack. Maybe it was muscle relaxers or the 800mg of Advil kicking in. Hopefully, I can get rid of this hitch in my getalong soon.

Anyway....still on the right side of the flower garden, and trying to keep it that way! Has anyone seen my ice pack?

ben(blow)boarding

Tom Price( my college roommate and avid surfer) refers to my collection of windsurfers as "blow boards".
The wind forecast today was for light winds this morning, building to the upper teens by afternoon, and then mid to upper 20's by evening. Damn.....They actually got it right.
Sarah was out of town for Mother's Day, but Mark Saunders and I took advantage of the light winds in the morning and went out for a 2 hour Stand Up paddle board. The last 20 minutes was up-wind in the building breeze and we had to hump it pretty hard to make progress back home. Mark left for work, and I gathered up my windsurfing gear. I tossed my 125 liter Naish slalom board, and a 6.5 and 7.0 sail in the car and headed down the street to Chesapeake Ave, and Horn Point. I rigged big and headed out.
The wind was just starting to fill in and the waves and psycho chop from all of the boat traffic was ridiculous. I slogged out doing my best not to get run over by huge sportfish boats blasting up and down the harbor. Somehow I don't think those guys are really bothered by marine fuel costing $4.39 a gallon.
Anyway, the wind finally filled in and I got the board up and planing. It is has been so long since I sailed, man......I felt like a total beginner. I had to keep telling myself "I really know how to do this." Maybe the T-shirt is right, " the older I get, the better I was". I went for a little jump and totally ate it. The board ended up downwind, and I had to swim hard to get it. Every time I got close, the next wave would push it just out of reach. My arms were protesting from the morning SUP session, but I finally managed to grab the rig.
I took a couple more runs across the harbor before heading in. I thought about rigging a smaller sail and going back out, but my arms said NO WAY. I feel like a wimp and I wish I could have sailed longer, but I guess some is better than none. Got to go, time for more Advil.

Happy Mother's Day!

What if?

What if there was no gas? Would everyone rides bikes?

Did you know that 99% of all species that ever lived on this planet are extinct?

Triathlon (Annapolis Style)

Stand Up. Ride. Sail.
What a great day off! Mark Saunders, Sarah, and I went for a 2 hour stand up paddle around Annapolis Harbor and Back Creek. Mark split for work, and Sarah and I hopped on the road bikes for a 35 mile ride. The usual loop through Annapolis, out St. Margaret's, College Pkwy, out the B&A, Severna PK, Old County and back to Annapolis. We stopped both out and back to watch an inning or two of Navy playing NY Tech. We also stopped for a few minutes at the Severna Park Model Train Museum Open house. The museum was really cool, but it was way too nice outside, to spent much time inside. Cruised the parking lot at Annapolis Yacht club looking for some old friends, but with almost 200 Opti sailors and their parents milling around, I never saw the people I was looking for. Another quick change of clothes, and then off to the boat. We put the sails on and had a nice two hour sunset sail. Sarah stuffed smoked cheddar and crackers down my throat while I steered. Play then Eat. Awesome

bencommuting

I don't do it as often as I should, or as often as would like, but I try to ride my bike to work 2 or 3 times a week. It is only 4 1/2 miles each way, but it is good for my mental health, my physical health, and maybe it helps mother earth just a little bit too.

People who don't ride, don't get it. I stopped at the bank this morning and was told the drive thru was for cars only. I told the teller that with gas prices heading for $4 a gallon, that she had better learn to deal with it. She was not amused .


FRIDAY MAY 16th is Ride Your Bike to Work Day. If you don't live close enough to ride to work....just take the day off and go ride!!!!

In the words of Neil Young "save the planet for another day"