"It's Getting a Woodie"

This is blog-worthy and funny as hell. Donna and I went to a canning class (yup... learning to can fruits and vegetables like your grandma did!) in Carlisle at the Kitchen Shoppe. If you've never been there, it's really cool and you could spend way too much money fairly quickly. It was a hands-on class learning to hot-water bath can and pressure can. The pressure canning was time intensive and you spent a lot of time watching the pot, so to speak to. There was a little gauge on our cooker that started to rise as the pressure rose. Donna says to me, "It's getting a woodie." And she chuckles. The gal standing next to me was watching her pot too and overheard Donna's comment. And the gal says to me, "What's a Woodie?" OMG. I said, "never mind." as I looked a Donna with a slight smirk (trying to contain my outburst of laughter just about ready to erupt). And this poor gal is looking SOOOO lost and bewildered. So I whispered in her ear, "an erection". "Oh." She says. And we changed the subject. Me and donna were the hippest in the class, IMHO. We are hip canners. Modern day canners? Oh, the PASA (PA Association of Sustainable Agriculture) gal was pretty cool and hip too.

Taking a Break

You'll see fewer posts on these blogs... I'm stressing and need to cut back on things.

"Dampened" Spirits

The weather guys screwed up this weekend and spirits were dampened in many ways. What was to be a very nice day yesterday turned out to be thunderstorms ALL day. Somewhere around 7:30 last night the sky finally turned blue. WTF!? Rick and I squeezed in a 1 hour ride on fire road in Weiser before yet another wind-whipping downpour came through around 4:00ish. So I spent time on the trainer - sulking.

Paddling Observer

Last night Rick and I had a watcher while we paddled in and around the rocks just above the Rockville Bridge near Marysville. We ran into this guy here before -- it must be good fishing at the Bridge. In the past, he would start flying as soon as he saw us (usually about the same time we spy him), but last night this gorgeous fellow left us get within 10 yards of him. Mr. Bald Eagle was either tired or full from eating, but he didn't flap his huge wings until we were almost on top of him. And when he finally did take off, he only flew about 100 yards away to a neighboring rock. He musta just got done eating one of those 40 pound river carp and was weighted too much to get much height to fly! Ha. What beautiful creatures. Probably one of the most awesome sights to see in nature. And of all nights, Rick didn't have the camera along! It was a perfect photo op. No, this ain't my picture, damn it.

Riding Really Good Mountain Bike Trails

I had forgotten how riding really good, technical mountain bike trails can give you one hell of a workout. The Lykens Rattling Creek Trails are such beasts -- a couple times on Rock's Ridge and the old quads are squealing. I'm growing bored with the same trails at Rattling Creek, but they definitely give you a workout. Lately, I've sorta been takin' it easy on the bike -- a road ride here and there, a trainer session, or an easy ride on the easy stuff on the RCST trails. Last night I finally got a decent, technical, 2+ hour mountain ride in and it felt SOOOO good. I hurt today! And it's a good hurt. It made me realize I gotta get out more on mountain trails. I live about a mile from the side of a mountain that has an old, washed out jeep trail going to the top that the four-wheelers ride all the time. The first part is an 8-10 minute, rocky, "tech-fest" climb that is an awesome workout. Once I get up the rideable climb, I can continue another 15 minutes to an old mining trail -- but that has to be walked because it gets super-steep and rocky. Then I can ride the mining trail along the ridge of the mountain. I don't hit it too often 'cause the abandoned open mining shafts give me the heebie-jeebies, but its an awesome, close-to-home rocky, technical workout. Of course it's not near as good as living in the center of Michaux... but it'll do!

Weekend Happenings - or NOT Happenings

Mother nature just wasn't cooperating today. We finally planned a nice ride on the Rattling Creek trails -- Rick and Keith the check things out to get ready for the BASH, and me to ride with my Cap City team mate, Steph Mader. And it rains! So we cancelled. It was kinda funny; Keith kept saying he was bringing "a friend that doesn't ride much," and when I talked to Steph, she said, "is Keith riding with us?" and I said yes. She said, "my boyfriend is coming up to ride with Keith." Small world! While Keith was lining up his work buddy, Ryan, and I was lining up riding with Steph, both Keith and I were telling each other, "oh, I'm bringing a friend" and it turns out the friends are friends! Ha... Keith and I both laughed. So the trainer entertained me this morning while it rained. Yesterday was fun too... an early morning hour run, then to the "the ledge" at the Rockville Bridge for a little kayaking in 5 ft waters. The bike with the trailer and the kayak is none other than Sam Mummert's. Who else would do this?