Been to Cairo?

This sign went up after they tore down the old video store. Down the road one way is a... video store, and down the other way is a... No! Not a cell phone store, but an empty building that was a failed cell phone store. To be honest, though, I wouldn't know what to open either. We've got McDonald's, Dunkin' Donuts, and Subway now. What else is there?

Von Reno wore a polo shirt to my birthday party. He got loaded up on formula early and slept through most of it.

Lofty Tenting

In order to acclimate myself to hard living I've set up the tent in the loft at home. I've been sleeping over a thin carpet and matress pad for the past month. The new $30 sleeping bag is great, and part of the process as well. (Yes, I zip the tent closed. Realism is key.) The loft also serves as a base camp for higher elevation living. Theoretically the air must be thinner here than in the living room.

The Catskills

I can't do justice to these hills. It's obvious why Rip Van stayed so long.

@ Cooksburg/Potter Hollow (Coordinates)

n 42 25.217, w 74 12.322
Saturday, another perfect day, maybe 75, dry, and sunny. Cooksburg is about 10 miles from home, and further out in the boonies than Cairo.

On the Road

The April snow is gone and the temp has climbed into the 60s. Plenty of daylight after school. These first rides of the season are a bit tricky. Not because I'm out of shape, but because I usually forget something crucial. Last year it was water. Yes, water. Too far out to turn back before I realized it. Today I was set: water, spare tube, house keys, phone, iPod, helmet, gloves, glasses, driver's license and credit card (tucked under my shorts on my thigh), phone, and gu.
Good ride, though I swear the wind shifted round into my face when I made my turn-around. 20 miles down.

Weather

April 21. This Saturday might finally be the first day I can get out on my bike. 70 and sunny is the prediction. As I write this, Jonathan (one of my students) is reading over my shoulder. Now he's giggling. Remember his name because someday he will rule the world!

Spin

How fortuitous. My gym is offering a free spin class tonight. I'll try it. Maybe we'll do a simulated ride across Washington. Wait. That would suck.

@ Fisher's (Coordinates)

n 42 35.718, w 73 42.062

@ School (Coordinates)

n 42 17.976, w 73 59.765

Lantern Light

Lights Out

Literally. This nasty, wet April storm has resulted in killing the power. My Q was fully charged and the local cell access seems unaffected, so here I sit by the light of three candles and write.
I should probably be more frank here, I've come to realize. I'm not the sort who regrets what says, so I won't stop here.
About this trip: I'm nervous. I'm excited, too, but still nervous. My fear? Making it through Washington, over those mountains, with all my gear. It will be very near the start of my trip; I'll be running on adreneline; the road ahead will look very long. When I biked to Boston and back a few years ago, it was hard enough climbing the Berkshires. And they don't compare to this upcoming hurdle. I picture getting on the bike at the end of June and going up, up, up for days. Keep me and tailwinds in your thoughts.

Current Events

My mother just asked me if I wrote about Imus, since I told her I had nothing else really to say. There's got to be something else...
Imus has been fired by CBS radio for calling the Rutgers Women's basketball team "nappy-headed hos". They were justified with the retort "saggy-sacked dickface".

@ Von's

Nate the Great.

Computing

I've spent the bulk of the morning exploring blogging options/enhancements. I can easily send pictures and text from my Q (as I'm doing now), but I really hoped to make gps coordinates into clickable Google Earth links. Unfortunately, without ftp it beyond me as of now. The best you can do is copy and paste the coordintes I leave into Google Earth. Tchuss!

Still @ Home (Coordinates)

Cairo, NY
April 14, 2007
n 42 19.918, w 74 03.055

The Rents

Jay and Kristen still @ St. Peter's the next day.

Better Transport Pic

Tweaking the camera settings on the Q. This one is larger with high quality compression.

The iCross Vehicle
Currently being Tuned.

The Ones I Leave Behind

Well, the one. After 36 years of being a family of four, my sister has added a fifth. Jay helped. Nathaniel was born on April 3, 2007, and did my mom and I the good favor of arriving three weeks early, thus not overshadowing our upcoming birthdays. Who am I kidding- it's all about him from now on.

I said his name is Nathaniel. Nathaniel James Reno, to be exact. I call him Von, or with the appropriate flair- Von Reno! If he had been a girl they would have named him Hope, so when they found out he was a boy, I ended up doing some research on male names for "hope". Besides "Ahkmed" I found others, including Von. What a cool name. And with me it stuck.

So welcome, Von Reno. King of the castle, loved by all.

This is my nephew, Von Reno. (His real name is Nathaniel.)