This letter is from Paul, my nephew!

 
Thanks for asking about the ride. The Sea Gull Century ride was very nice and not as difficult as in Virginia and Maryland because it was relatively flat. But that means no coasting so you pedal all the time and it can get windy near the ocean. See photos on the web site (http://www.seagullcentury.org/) and also click on Ride Details and the PDF route map.



I have a book on long distance cycling and Lance's training book so I was prepared. I used my training data and the Reston metric century (100 km which is 65 miles) data (I rode that in August –-- much more hilly) to predict that I could do the 100 miles in an average of 14 MPH and 10-11 hours elapsed at a cadence average of between 80 and 90 RPM on a flat route with wind. This would keep me aerobic (60-65% to 80-85% of max heart rate) and not cross over to anaerobic heart rate (85% max) which kills the energy level (latic acid "burn" starts at about 85% of max heart rate). I finished with 14.0 MPH average at 10 hours elapsed and 7:08 actual ride time with 85 RPM cadence average. The time difference was in time spent at rest stops every 20-22 miles. Ending energy to spare and an ending sprint! My speed, time and cadence parameters were right on, as planned! Next could be a double metric century (125 miles).



(I just love technical and analytical sports!). (where one doesn't need a lot of strength or coordination).



Mostly a nice ride when we were on small roads through wooded areas. Long flat stretches through farm areas were not so interesting. I did not have time to look for the wild ponies on Assateague (“ass-fatigue”) Island.



Rider stats next in forwarded message.



Paul

Paul is my nephew of whom Im very proud. Not only does he enjoy participating in this great sport...but he's keeping healthy by keeping his glucose level where it should be.

To me, Paul is still a boy! But truth to tell, he just celebrated his 60th...and he'll remain young forever because of his outlook on life and the way he exercises. He doesn't want to take insulin...so he really works at it.

He started training many many months ago for this Bike Century which is 100 miles.

Now to me...I get tired just thinking about it...but I spoke to Paul and he said he could have gone farther without any problem.

Am I proud...or am I proud! Keep up the good work, Paul!

When I started biking, there were no gears...just pedal. We lived on steep hills and if you were of a mind to cycle uphill, you had to stand to give yourself leverage..at least I did.

Biking was my first independent way of transportation and I was thrilled with it. I was in control...I could just go.

My parents let my sister and I buy a rear-view mirror to mount on our bike, and I think I was so busy glancing in the rear view that sometimes I forgot to look where I was going.

Many times we were daring and rode with our feet on the handlebars.

I think I would have killed Paul or Jeff if I had seen them do this. Also sometimes, we rode 2's. One sat..and the other stood pedaling.
Oh what fun.

Life at High Point

 
Life here at High Point in Delray Beach is very relaxed and easy especially when we eliminate from our minds how bad the hurricane was 2 years ago.

Today most of us are as prepared as we can get if one should happen to come our way. Mostly I enjoy here the delightfulness of our swimming pool. Good great exercise and it's also my social life.

But ..and there's always a but. When I moved here, we had a lot going on. We had a Ladies Club and a Men's Club which was fun.

Then someone got the idea we should just incorporate the 2 and make it a Social Club.

We were thrilled to come to the meetings and talk about what we were planning to do next.

Then 2 years ago, our Board decided that it was illegal to have a social club because dues were collected, all of $10 a year, and people who did not belong to our club would not be allowed to come. Also that there would be $100 fee for setting up the chairs and taking them down again.

Never before had we heard this and I have lived here since 1988. The board said that now we would have a social committee who would decide everything.

Well, the only things we have going is Bingo and shuffleboard on Friday nights in season.

Gone are the parties...gone are the shows. Ruth Fagan and I ran a Mother's Day party with little success there and we were critized for having it.

The powers that be would have us believe that nobody supported these activities. Not true...it's just that we have apathy here for the way things are being planned.

Most of us have surpassed our productive years .. and now we want to have a little fun.

We have quite a few homes for sale and I used to do screening and the newcomers would ask what do we have going on. I would explain that we had a Social Club with entertainment...and also on a Tuesday another show for $4.00 with refreshments.

And I was proud to tell them all of our amenities. So..what happened.

Is that really asking too much???

Old Fashioned Jacks

 

Even when I was little I was not very dexterious with my hands. Does having little fingers have anything to do with this skill.

Anyhow..this is how we spent a lot of our summers..on the sidewalk or on the porch.

Later in life when we had a toy store, we sold a "SUPER BALL"...and it really had lots of bounce. Too bad I wasn't a little girl then because the super ball would fly high an I'd be able to pick up all the jacks.

I was much better at pickup sticks'. Today I would flunk that too. Do you recall all those colored wooden sticks that were not allowed to touch another? By the hour we had the patience to play these games.

How about checkers...I always took the black ones...reminded me of licorice. And how you'd scream in excitement...King Me--King Me!

And I musn't forget tic tac toe..you take X and I'll take O. We were happy and content with simple games..and that's how we spent our summers.

Licking the batter!!!!

 
As long as there have been mixers, and even before, with hand beaters, children took great pleasure in licking the beater.

I also enjoyed it when Jeff licked the beaters because I knew it was good. He would stand waiting for it to be done...so he could lick.

Now..today...do children still do this. We're told uncooked eggs can cause salmonella poisoning.

Did the scientists that watch over us take that away from our children today...the delight of licking the beaters.

I did it when I was a child...and I can just see the pleasure on my Mother's face. She gave one beater to me and one to my sister.

No one ever got sick from this tongue exercise!

What a pleasurable memory!

The tree in my backyard!

 

Musings on a dreary day in hurricane season! She sits just like a guest in her own home!


Should be cleaning or straightening up drawers or doing paperwork,

Doing busy stuff.

She can't make up her own mind whether she's just disorganized or plain old-fashioned lazy!

In a portion of her huge bedroom, that also serves as her den, a recliner awaits her elderly body, like an eager loving mother, with both arms extended, inviting her to recline, rock or sit.

She has choices! Once this decision is made.., read a book, turn on tv or fool around with her computer... .another option is open to her... just looking out the window and viewing what the wind gusts are doing to her world. She is drawn to the latter..

Her windows, three glass panes that could bear a washing , reveal a very large tree, probably in the neighborhood Joyce Kilmer had in mind, when he wrote his famous poem, turned song.

Although she lives in High Point, Florida now the day seems 'northerly'... bearing no usual sunshine The branches lush with leaves, but ready to let go, shed green and brown flakes snowlike, reminding her of another time and another place, blowing without direction around her sky.

The wind has taken on a life of its own now shaking all this majesty to the waiting green sandy earth below. blanketing a patch for the crawling red ants to settle, tiny salamanders bearing resemblence to huge dinosaurs of a zillion years ago when the world was young, and all the other critters that travel about. Each busy with whatever naure intended.

The only thing standing staunch and straight is the tree trunk itself, letting the branches know that it's in total control. The weatherbeaten bark showing the wear and tear of its enviroment `is displaying imperfections of algae and age In its imperfections-- there is beauty.

For the 19 years of watching this window scene, never once has she stepped foot to venture out in her backyard. And even though her spiritual philosopy is to "live and let live", she is deadly afraid of ants, snakes and wasps.

During all this activity, the birds sense change and they also flutter here and there, sometimes landing on the window sill where they peck at their own reflection. Her specially- treated windows only reveal what is happening outside.

Inside not a critter can spy on her.

As she still watches all this drama
unfold, she glimses a furry squirrel scurrying up and down the tree, defying all the laws of gravity.

A wristwatch glance makes her aware that she has spent three quarters of an hour, just "looking". And while all this entertainment has been taken place she realizes that she has been "thinking".

The thoughts have run so randomly that it's hard confirming what she was even day dreaming about. Was it the past! Was it the future...or just being, in the here and now.

It doesn't matter al all . Fact is she's found contentment within herself.

She thanks G-d for her Abundance and knows that she has been blessed in life.

At this particular moment...all is well!

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This was written a few years ago. Today, however, Cornelius and Joseph came with their cart and a big long tree trimmer and cut off the branch facing my bedroom window...so if we should get a hurricane...it won't come crashing against my window.

The board acted very promptly when I made known about the branch..that was almost like an offspring of the tree.
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