Out the Hotel Window - Fayetteville, North Carolina

Ground Floor Room
Fayetteville, NC
June 9, 2024

 It is perhaps the worst view ever out the hotel window. 

An obstructed view with the air conditioning unit and a view of the parking lot. I've had better, but I think never worse. We are in a first floor suite, but it is convenient since we are traveling with Finn. And, it turns out, we don't leave the shades open because people can see into the room.

Finn in the Hotel
Fayetteville, NC
June 9, 2024

Finn has adapted to the room quite well, as long as we are with him. He woke me about 5 AM with the need to go outside, which I dutifully did and at least he made the interruption of my sleep worthwhile. He came back to the room and went to sleep--I was not so lucky; drifting off only briefly. 

We are heading to breakfast soon and then it is back on the road for the most grueling 5 hours of the trip. It would be a great drive, if only we could somehow avoid the Richmond to Washington drive on I-95. It is sure to be fraught with traffic and stops. Hopefully the morning rush will be mostly over once we get to Richmond. 

-- Bob Doan, Fayetteville, NC

On the Road North

On the Road 
I-95 in Florida
June 9, 2024

 It is a beautiful Sunday morning and we have been on the road already two hours.  We still have over 230 miles remaining in Florida. Looking forward to getting into our hotel sometime about 3:30 PM. 

Finns finally settled and we just completed our first rest stop so maybe he will sleep for a while. He was funny this morning making sure that we were not leaving without him. 

Well, a long day ahead and despite the thunderstorm forecast, it is clear now.  I put my bike in the truck bed rather than have it hanging on the rack in back to protect it from the elements. 

And the road goes on  

Bob Doan, Edgewater, Fl

Closing out the Week

Dinner at Cooper's Hawk
Palm Beach Gardens, FL
June 6, 2024

 I competed my last checkout ride before traveling to Maryland in preparation for riding the GAP. It was a pleasant 17-mile ride with about 60 percent of the load I expect to drag along on the impending 150-mile ride. It was a bit strange at the beginning, but after about 5 miles, I no longer noticed the additional weight. I hope the real ride is like that. 

Before Friday even began we enjoyed a great meal, and some wine, at Cooper's Hawk on Thursday evening. It was one of those spur-of-the-moment decisions and we had a great time for a couple hours of wine tasting and then eating a very nice meal. 

And then Friday arrived. 

Chris Checking Out a Hat
Tequesta, FL
June 6, 2024

We are  preparing for the upcoming roadtrip. I continued getting my bike bags packed with what I think I'll need for the trip. Jen produced a great spreadsheet which lays out the basic necessities and I have been following through dutifully getting the items I will need for the ride. Yesterday's big purchase was a $10 small, 2-pound folding stool. I got it at, of all places, Wally World (er, umm, I mean Walmart). I actually hate going to Walmart because the parking lot is a danger zone with crazy drivers and even worse, people walking who just wander behind moving cars. But I got the stool and Chris bought a small camelback water backpack for her riding. She needs a lot of liquids when we ride.

By this time tomorrow I hope to be on the road headed north. The drive weather forecast looks ominous. There is a potential for thunderstorms and rain almost all day! Ugh. Well, the truck is big and heavy. Monday looks clear, however.

I will plan on blogging from the road to advise of the actual conditions. I guess my bike, which will be on the bike rack on the back of the truck, is going to get wet! It probably will not be the last time it gets wet as rain is forecast during the GAP ride.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

#travel #biking #GAP #GreatAlleghenyPassage #CoopersHawk

Hitting the Waves

US-1 Bridge Construction
Loxahatchee River, Jupiter, FL
June 6, 2024

 A great boating day turned into a great beach day as we headed out with friends yesterday. The plan was to motor down and check out the US-1 bridge construction and then head for a beach. 

The water, as it was just after high tide, was crystal clear. Truly. We could see the bottom at 15 feet depth. That is something that does not often happen here. 

On the Beach
Tequesta, FL
June 6, 2024

The bridge construction was exciting as they have started placing the beams for the second span. We may actually have a US-1 highway bridge over the Loxahatchee River by November! That would certainly ease the wintertime traffic congestion. We saw additional beams on a barge waiting to be emplaced. 

Osprey in a Tree
Jupiter Island, FL
June 6, 2024

After passing through the bridge construction area we turned around and headed back north to a fairly secluded, accessible only by boat, beach up the ICW. There is one very popular beach, but I chose to head a bit further north to an area where boat access is easy, but most boater choose not to land because it is a narrow strip of beach that, since the tide was going out, I knew would get larger as we enjoyed ourselves. I had to adjust the boat on the beach after an hour or so as the receding tide meant that it was becoming a bit too beached for my liking. Turns out, that was a good choice. We were able to get underway after enjoying lunch and a few hours in the sun without having to resort to extreme measures to reflect the boat. 

As it was just after noon, we motored north to Bridge Road in Hobe Sound to enjoy the wild areas that can only be observed from the water. We happened upon a pair of Ospreys in a tree who did not seem to mind ur presence. I was able to get a fairly good image of one of them, but the other flew off before I could frame a shot of both of them. 

It was a very enjoyable morning and we returned to the marina about 1:30 PM after four hours of boating and beaching.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

#boating #ICW #osprey #US1bridgejupiter 

Biking, Boating, and Beaching

Shooting into the Sun
Carlin Park, Jupiter, FL
June 3, 2024

 Yesterday's tune-up ride with my newly adjusted bike went well.

The bike worked to perfection, except for a small click in one of the gears. I may take it back in tomorrow to have the click checked if it doesn't go away during my ride. 

Now, however, my big project is that I am beginning to pack the panniers for the ride and trying to decide which items should go where. It is not easy since I have never attempted a ride with the complexity and length of the GAP. I know that I will forget something, probably something important. 

Today, however, is a boat day! We will cruise the intracoastal and get some beach time. I haven't yet decided exactly which beach to beach the boat at, but given that the tide will be high, but receding, there should be a couple of nice beaches from which to choose.  

Should be a nice Thursday. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Final Preps

Across the Dunes
Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge, FL
June 4, 2024

 I am working on final preps for the Greater Allegheny Passage (GAP) ride next week with Patrick, Jen, and Jeremy. Yesterday, I rode a hard 20-mile tune-up that saw 51 percent of my 1h34m ride in Training Zones 4 and 5. 

It was a great ride along Beach Road on Jupiter Island with the ocean and the Uber-expensive properties to view. The area is a very exclusive area and many of the houses cannot be seen from either the road or the adjacent Intracoastal Waterway, but there are others that allow a glimpse as to how people live in $30M plus homes. 

Trimmed Trees
Jupiter island, FL
June 4, 2024

The winds were light yesterday, blowing mostly from the north which meant the ride back would have a small assist. The north end of the ride, and coincidentally the end of the road, is the Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge. I appreciate that much of Jupiter Island is devoted to the Refuge. 

On the ride back we toured some of the side roads through the neighborhoods and in pone place came upon heavily trimmed/pruned trees. They look as if they are preparing for Halloween early as they must be an eerie sight at night when the moon is bright. 

New Cassette and Chain
Tequesta, FL
June 5, 2024

After the ride and lunch, I took my bike to the local bike shop for its annual tune-up. I wanted to get it done before the ride next week and I finally made time to complete the task. I expected to be without my bike for two days, but was pleasantly surprised when they called just before closing to tell me it was ready. Awesome! I can ride it today and see if any adjustments need to be made. 

It was good I took my bike in because it needed a new chain and cassette. I expected the need for a new chain as I had over 3700 miles on the current chain. They also, as expected, adjusted my brakes and the gear shifts while giving the bike a general clean-up. They informed me that I was oiling my chain too much, which is why the collection of grime was significant. Funny, I was also informed that both the front and rear brakes were dragging a bit and that I will have more speed and power now. I am looking forward to that. 

Hopefully, my bike, and me too, is ready for the upcoming GAP ride. I will know more after this morning's ride, which will be my usual 16-mile route. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

#bike #biking #GAP

Rainy Morning Evolves into a Beach Evening

Carlin Park
Jupiter, FL
 3, 2024

Down to the ocean we went yesterday afternoon. The day which began with greatly needed rain ended with blue skies and a beach afternoon. I made a special note that with the solstice approaching, the available daylight lasts later into the evening. During the winter months we would have been in darkness long before we departed the beach last evening.

The ocean was calmer; compared with Friday. I hope that it was mimicking the mood in the country after Friday's upheaval with the weekend for things to cool off. Of course the news media will keep emotions stirred as long as possible. There needs to be some rain in the news reporting to cool things off.

Temperatures are approaching summertime levels, in or near the 90s. It is a bit of a shock after spending three weeks in relatively cooler Europe. I don't think we will see morning temperatures in the 50s again until late September. The lowest temperatures expected during the next week are in the mid-70s. The ocean was already at 81 degrees yesterday, which is perfect for swimming although the sargassum washing ashore made entering the water an exercise in caution. The sargassum can be seen in the image I took both on the beach and in the waves.

And another day dawns!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - June 3, 2024

 

1. Monday musings in back! Welcome to the first Monday of June!. This is the month that Summer begins with the Summer Solstice. There are only 30 Mondays remaining in the year. 

Calm Day on the Loxahatchee River
Tequesta, FL
June 2, 2024

2. I seem to enjoy activities that begins with the letter B. Some that I can think of are: biking, boating, and beaching.

3. I got out for a pleasant 17 mile ride yesterday. It was earlier than usual and the traffic, being a Sunday, was pleasantly light. Stopping on the Tequesta Loxahatchee Bridge as I neared the end of the ride I saw that it was a fairly good day on the water. I, of course, wished that I could be out in a boat. 

4. My grill died! Ugh. That is a travesty. Chris and I are now grill shopping. We are quite limited in our selection as it must be electric and have a surface area of no more than 200 square inches. Also, we do not have a large spot on our patio to support a grill station. 

5. I have avoided the topic of the former President's conviction intentionally, but I have happened upon items that need to be remembered. The Biden administration did not convict the former president--a jury of 12 peers in New York City did. One wonders why Trump is so unliked in the city he called home for decades. At least that is what he professes. Trump has been involved in over 4,000 legal proceedings during his career, the only reason this one was different is because he is a former president. He kept saying he was being treated unfairly, and he was because unlike any of us in a similar situation he was not in jail and is freely able to travel around the country. Finally, the eight Senators who signed the letter pledging not to do their jobs should be impeached for not carrying out the business they were elected to do and are required to do under The Constitution. I note that both of Florida's senators signed the letter.

6. Today in History. On June 3, 1943, a group of U.S. sailors marches through downtown Los Angeles, carrying clubs and other makeshift weapons and attacking anyone wearing a “zoot suit”—the baggy wool pants, oversized coats and porkpie hats favored by many young men of color at the time. 

Over the next week, the so-called Zoot Suit Riots spread throughout the city, including the largely Mexican-American neighborhood of East Los Angeles and the largely Black neighborhood of Watts. The riots marked the culmination of simmering racial tensions in Los Angeles, set against the backdrop of World War II.

Judge blocks key defense evidence in Hunter Biden gun trial - CNN

 Fact check Trump falsely claims he didn’t call to lock up Hillary Clinton - CNN

The far-right Proud Boys rebuilding, rallying behind Trump - Reuters

OPEC+ extends deep oil production cuts into 2025 - Reuters

Russia warns US against 'fatal' miscalculation in Ukraine - Reuters

The U.S. Gave Chip Makers Billions. Now Comes the Hard Part. - The Wall Street Journal

China Is 'Prepositioning' for Future Cyberattacks—and the New NSA Chief Is Worried - The Wall Street journal

‘She Hooked Me’: How an Online Scam Cost a Senior Citizen His Life’s Savings - The Wall Street Journal

Mexico elects its first female president - The Washington Post

The B-17 blew apart in an instant. The memory has burned for 80 years. - The Washington Post

A Surging Hard Right in Europe Stumbles Over Its Own Divisions - The New York Times

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

#mondaymusings

Biking for June

Royal Poinciana
Tequesta, FL
June 1, 2024

 As the month of June began, so too did the return to my bike. I rode over 16 miles yesterday working on keeping a steady pace with an easy rhythm. 

Having been away for three weeks, it was nice to see the changes in the neighborhood in terms of the continued construction of houses and general clean-up corresponding with hurricane preparations.

Sandhill Cranes
Tequesta, FL
June 1, 2024

Yup, it is hurricane season. The Atlantic Hurricane Forecast is clear with no storms projected to form for at least the next 48 hours. Yay!

During my ride yesterday, I was impressed by the Royal Poinciana trees in bloom and I also saw two Sandhill Cranes. I do enjoy those big birds and especially the dinosaur-like sound they make. 

I need ti get in a few more rides before I will be ready to tackle the GAP! But that is now less than two-weeks away. At least all of the walking Chris and I did in Italy helped maintain my conditioning.

More biking ahead!

Part of the B's in my life: biking, boating, beaching

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Life is a Beach

 

Angry Ocean
Carlin Park Beach, Jupiter, FL
May 31, 2024

Happy June!

May is now in the past and it took almost the entire month of May, but Chris and I finally made it to a beach to enjoy happy hour last evening. 

The ocean was rough and beautiful with waves crashing on the beach with authority. The waves were too rough for surfing. We watched more than a few brave souls try to ride the waves. 

We tarried on the beach for about two-and-a-half hours to enjoy the waves and conversation with friends. Well, and also to enjoy the goodies that we had brought to celebrate the end of the week. I realized that two weeks hence I would be completing day 1 of the 150 mile Greater Allegheny Passage (GAP) bike ride that I have been training for--well except for the past three weeks. And last week, Chris and I had departed our cruise ship in the morning and were in Venice, Italy. Wow, we sure are packing a lot of activity into this summer. 

But, it was Happy Hour and both of us, Chris and I, unwound from the week and travel and got back into a Florida state of mind. 

Life is a beach--that is where it comes from for me.

Like the Zac Brown Band song, Knee Deep says:

This champagne shore washing over me

It's a sweet sweet life living by the salty sea

One day you could be as lost as me

Change you're geography

Maybe you might be

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL