Whoops. Kids left the bikes out last night and we woke up to snow this morning. I'm working the solo parent shift at home as the wife and her sister are off spending hard-earned coin in NYC. Going to try a little sledding down the driveway, but that's about as freaky as it's going to get around these parts today, most likely.
So the early reports trickling into the East Coast seem to suggest the USGP in Portland is busting out all across the muck in a big way. Big storm, riders getting trashed all over the course, colossal efforts on day 1 by TJ and Gould (and I'm sure many others of lesser notoriety). Guess they got a party going on.
So will the kids happily occupied with various activities at the moment I'm dreaming poetic about Portland. The Portland environs have always seemed to me to be a pleasant and well-managed place to settle one's stuff. I can count on two fingers the number of times I've been to Portland, yet it's always stuck in my mind based on things I've read over the years as a place that's doing a lot of good things with urban planning and lifestyle opportunities for its citizens.
Now, I know that from a distance one can easily paint a romantic picture of a place. Things ain't always as they seems once you get down into the mire. This article, for example, suggests that perhaps Portland ain't all it's cracked up to be. Still those Portlandites got some cool things going on in and around the city:
and of course
Chris King and Vanilla and Showers Pass (for those occasional rainy days) and the Worst Day of the Year Ride.
As a West Coast guy at heart I'm thinking up places to settle my bones in later years. Not sure I want to be cold and wet, though.
Back here on Long Island the snow seems to have stopped outside. Leaves are still piled high all over the yard. I'm about finished with my coffee. I'm thinking it's a good time to fill a thermos with hot chocolate and go for a hike through the woods with the kids.
This morning from the front porch. That solitary Blue Spruce is getting a bit tall. Might need a cuttin' down for the holidays this year.
1 comment:
hey, i found your blog through a link on zank's cross blog. i own a zank road bike with another on the way. someday a zank crosser. i'm riding my first cross race next week in rhode island. i live in nyc and come out to l.i. to see my wife's family. maybe we'll go for a ride sometime. i'll ask zank to give you my contact info. peace.
Post a Comment