LOTS OF WILDLIFE IN THE OLD ERIE CANAL
20.4 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Friday, August 30, 2013
BEGINNING OF THE END...
20.2 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path & Through Colonie Mohawk River Park
Friday, August 30, 2013
As in - the end of my summer break, since we have our first day of meetings next Tuesday. So it seemed fitting that I ride the section of the bike path that I was probably on most often this summer, from the Niskayuna Lions Park over to Colonie Mohawk River Park and Fonda Rd, then almost to the base of the old landfill before heading back to the car.
It was getting dark when I finished, right around 8 PM... another sign that summer draws to a close. Back at the start of break I could have been out until almost 9:30 before it got dark.
Other than in one or two spots, the bike path was pretty quiet... a few riders and a few walkers. There was almost nobody at the park in Colonie.
All in all, a pretty uneventful ride to begin wrapping up my summer break... but it was still good to be riding, considering that two days ago I was wondering how long my spasming lower back would have me laid up.
JMH
20.2 Mile Ride on the Mohawk Hudson Bike Path & Through Colonie Mohawk River Park
Friday, August 30, 2013
As in - the end of my summer break, since we have our first day of meetings next Tuesday. So it seemed fitting that I ride the section of the bike path that I was probably on most often this summer, from the Niskayuna Lions Park over to Colonie Mohawk River Park and Fonda Rd, then almost to the base of the old landfill before heading back to the car.
It was getting dark when I finished, right around 8 PM... another sign that summer draws to a close. Back at the start of break I could have been out until almost 9:30 before it got dark.
Other than in one or two spots, the bike path was pretty quiet... a few riders and a few walkers. There was almost nobody at the park in Colonie.
All in all, a pretty uneventful ride to begin wrapping up my summer break... but it was still good to be riding, considering that two days ago I was wondering how long my spasming lower back would have me laid up.
JMH
Thursday, August 29, 2013
They're Baaaack... And My Back Improves...
Thursday, August 29, 2013
"They" being the college kids, as evidenced by the street once again being packed with cars and the overall noise levels having risen. One of the many things I enjoy about summer is the fact that many of the college kids leave the area, and it's always a bit painful when they return at the end of August. We'll see how noisy the new group of upstairs neighbors are... it could end up being a very long nine months (or it could be delightful... yeah, right, I don't buy that either.)
My back was pretty bad this morning but improved as the day went on... it seems to be connected to some digestive issues I've been having (don't ask!) Hopefully those will continue to improve and my lower back will as well. There were times this evening when it almost seemed back to normal...
JMH
Thursday, August 29, 2013
"They" being the college kids, as evidenced by the street once again being packed with cars and the overall noise levels having risen. One of the many things I enjoy about summer is the fact that many of the college kids leave the area, and it's always a bit painful when they return at the end of August. We'll see how noisy the new group of upstairs neighbors are... it could end up being a very long nine months (or it could be delightful... yeah, right, I don't buy that either.)
My back was pretty bad this morning but improved as the day went on... it seems to be connected to some digestive issues I've been having (don't ask!) Hopefully those will continue to improve and my lower back will as well. There were times this evening when it almost seemed back to normal...
JMH
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
#@$%&**%$!!ING BACK...
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
After lunch today my lower back started bothering me a bit - don't know why, but I hoped our ride would loosen it up. No such luck - by the time we got home it was significantly worse, to the point that after dinner I slathered it with Icy Hot, laid down, and struggled to find a position that wouldn't hurt too much.
And the kicker is - I don't even know what I did to it. It felt fine this morning, and all we did was run some errands and have lunch. Sigh.
Guess I'm not riding on my way home tomorrow... it's not enough that I basically can't run, now I can't ride either? Hopefully it will clear up in time for me to do the Mainiac Duathlon... I'd really rather not have yet another race that I've paid for and have to skip.
Enough whinging, I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed that this passes quickly.
JMH
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
After lunch today my lower back started bothering me a bit - don't know why, but I hoped our ride would loosen it up. No such luck - by the time we got home it was significantly worse, to the point that after dinner I slathered it with Icy Hot, laid down, and struggled to find a position that wouldn't hurt too much.
And the kicker is - I don't even know what I did to it. It felt fine this morning, and all we did was run some errands and have lunch. Sigh.
Guess I'm not riding on my way home tomorrow... it's not enough that I basically can't run, now I can't ride either? Hopefully it will clear up in time for me to do the Mainiac Duathlon... I'd really rather not have yet another race that I've paid for and have to skip.
Enough whinging, I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed that this passes quickly.
JMH
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Monday, August 26, 2013
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Friday, August 23, 2013
"Cliffhangers... Why Does It Always Have To Be Cliffhangers?"
Friday, August 23, 2013
I don't watch much television when I'm at home, both because I think the vast majority of shows are mind-melting crap and because I don't have cable or a converter box that allows my ancient television to get digital broadcast signals. So any television shows I do watch are on DVD... an advantage in some ways, since it means I tend to watch an entire season over the course of a week or so rather than over 5 1/2 months. This past week, for example, I watched season 1 of Grimm, which was both somewhat entertaining and mildly frustrating (mainly in how certain intelligent characters are conveniently stupid at times in service of the plot.) And when I reached the end of the season this morning, I was once again reminded of how bloody tired I am of shows ending their seasons with cliffhangers.
Apparently we have Dallas, Dynasty, and Star Trek: The Next Generation to blame for this... all three had incredibly successful season-ending cliffhangers and paved the way for them becoming a staple for television writers. I get the attraction - give viewers something to keep their interest up and hopefully they'll tune in to the next season opener. Or if a show is getting weak ratings, hope that the potential for an unresolved cliffhanger will get fans to pressure the Powers That Be to bring it back for another season.
Except, of course, when a show is cancelled on a cliffhanger... I remember Alien Nation ending it's first season on a triple cliffhanger (actually it turned out to be quadruple, since the resolution brought in a additional unresolved plotline from earlier in the season) and then being cancelled. Fortunately it was brought back as a series of TV movies. The fantastic Farscape faced the same issue - the production team expected a 5th season which was cancelled after the 4th season finale had been completed with a viscious cliffhanger - which was again fortunately resolved with a follow-up miniseries. I guess in one sense I've been fortunate that most of the genre shows I watch have had their cliffhangers resolved in one way or another... but I'm still tired of them.
Not that I expect anyone in televsion production to listen but - give us some resolution at the end of each season, with maybe a hint of where you're planning to take things next. And then come up with something exciting to start the new season off, rather than trying to pull us in with the delayed ending to the previous season.
JMH
Friday, August 23, 2013
I don't watch much television when I'm at home, both because I think the vast majority of shows are mind-melting crap and because I don't have cable or a converter box that allows my ancient television to get digital broadcast signals. So any television shows I do watch are on DVD... an advantage in some ways, since it means I tend to watch an entire season over the course of a week or so rather than over 5 1/2 months. This past week, for example, I watched season 1 of Grimm, which was both somewhat entertaining and mildly frustrating (mainly in how certain intelligent characters are conveniently stupid at times in service of the plot.) And when I reached the end of the season this morning, I was once again reminded of how bloody tired I am of shows ending their seasons with cliffhangers.
Apparently we have Dallas, Dynasty, and Star Trek: The Next Generation to blame for this... all three had incredibly successful season-ending cliffhangers and paved the way for them becoming a staple for television writers. I get the attraction - give viewers something to keep their interest up and hopefully they'll tune in to the next season opener. Or if a show is getting weak ratings, hope that the potential for an unresolved cliffhanger will get fans to pressure the Powers That Be to bring it back for another season.
Except, of course, when a show is cancelled on a cliffhanger... I remember Alien Nation ending it's first season on a triple cliffhanger (actually it turned out to be quadruple, since the resolution brought in a additional unresolved plotline from earlier in the season) and then being cancelled. Fortunately it was brought back as a series of TV movies. The fantastic Farscape faced the same issue - the production team expected a 5th season which was cancelled after the 4th season finale had been completed with a viscious cliffhanger - which was again fortunately resolved with a follow-up miniseries. I guess in one sense I've been fortunate that most of the genre shows I watch have had their cliffhangers resolved in one way or another... but I'm still tired of them.
Not that I expect anyone in televsion production to listen but - give us some resolution at the end of each season, with maybe a hint of where you're planning to take things next. And then come up with something exciting to start the new season off, rather than trying to pull us in with the delayed ending to the previous season.
JMH
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Monday, August 19, 2013
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
SO MUCH FOR THE ELVES...
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
The wood was still just a stack of boards when I went out on the porch this morning - as I suspected, the woodworking elves are currently a bunch of slackers. So I had to settle for a woodworking turtle instead... and 4 1/2 hours (and a lot of sweat) later, I had two DVD racks.
They're not pretty but they'll get the job done - and that's what's most important right now.
Turns out I miscalculated when I bought the wood and have enough left over that I'll probably make a small bookshelf... maybe next week, when my right arm has recovered from all the sawing and hammering I did today.
JMH
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
The wood was still just a stack of boards when I went out on the porch this morning - as I suspected, the woodworking elves are currently a bunch of slackers. So I had to settle for a woodworking turtle instead... and 4 1/2 hours (and a lot of sweat) later, I had two DVD racks.
They're not pretty but they'll get the job done - and that's what's most important right now.
Turns out I miscalculated when I bought the wood and have enough left over that I'll probably make a small bookshelf... maybe next week, when my right arm has recovered from all the sawing and hammering I did today.
JMH
Monday, August 12, 2013
WOODWORKING TURTLE POKES HIS HEAD UP...
Monday, August 12, 2013
Before too much longer this pile of wood should magically transform into a pair of DVD racks... another step in my attempts to get this place better organized... when I first moved here 14 years ago, I didn't own a single DVD, now they've more than outgrown the shelving I have, and store-bought units with sufficient space cost $$$. Too bad I can't just leave some food and drink out for the woodworking elves and wake up to new shelving...
JMH
Monday, August 12, 2013
Before too much longer this pile of wood should magically transform into a pair of DVD racks... another step in my attempts to get this place better organized... when I first moved here 14 years ago, I didn't own a single DVD, now they've more than outgrown the shelving I have, and store-bought units with sufficient space cost $$$. Too bad I can't just leave some food and drink out for the woodworking elves and wake up to new shelving...
JMH
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Thursday, August 08, 2013
Wednesday, August 07, 2013
Monday, August 05, 2013
Sunday, August 04, 2013
No Indian Ladder Trail Race For the Turtle... Sigh...
Sunday, August 4, 2013
The Indian Ladder 15k was the first trail race I ever did (way back in 1998) and is also one of the races I've done the most number of times, so it holds a special place in my heart, and despite being injured I really wanted to participate in some way. I signed up for both races this year (same price as signing up for one, and a number of distance runners actually do both races) figuring that left my options open to do the 15k if my knee healed up or the 3.5 mi if it didn't... if nothing else I could walk the latter in an hour or less.
Except - we had a lot we wanted to get done before heading over to Syracuse this afternoon (so Ann could pick up her truck and head home for work tomorrow morning) and in the end spending a couple hours driving to Thacher, hobbling through the short race, and then driving back here was going to mean getting off to a pretty late departure this afternoon. So I decided a less rushed morning and afternoon was preferable to "running" the race this year - especially since I probably would have been disappointed with my performance (no doubt even slower than the last time I ran the short course, after having completed the long course a few minutes before.)
It was the right decision... but it's still tough to miss a race that's pretty significant to me, especially on the heels of missing so many other runs this spring and summer.
JMH
Sunday, August 4, 2013
The Indian Ladder 15k was the first trail race I ever did (way back in 1998) and is also one of the races I've done the most number of times, so it holds a special place in my heart, and despite being injured I really wanted to participate in some way. I signed up for both races this year (same price as signing up for one, and a number of distance runners actually do both races) figuring that left my options open to do the 15k if my knee healed up or the 3.5 mi if it didn't... if nothing else I could walk the latter in an hour or less.
Except - we had a lot we wanted to get done before heading over to Syracuse this afternoon (so Ann could pick up her truck and head home for work tomorrow morning) and in the end spending a couple hours driving to Thacher, hobbling through the short race, and then driving back here was going to mean getting off to a pretty late departure this afternoon. So I decided a less rushed morning and afternoon was preferable to "running" the race this year - especially since I probably would have been disappointed with my performance (no doubt even slower than the last time I ran the short course, after having completed the long course a few minutes before.)
It was the right decision... but it's still tough to miss a race that's pretty significant to me, especially on the heels of missing so many other runs this spring and summer.
JMH
Saturday, August 03, 2013
Friday, August 02, 2013
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