Riding in the Face of the Storm

Storm Clouds Gathering
Tequesta, FL 
October 4, 2024

 With ominous storm clouds gathering in the distance, I managed an 18-mile plus ride yesterday. It was actually sunny and bright for most of my ride with only occasional clouds. The storms stayed away and I completed my ride without getting wet from rain, I was, however, very hot and wet from sweat. 

Skeleton and Witch
Tequesta, FL
October 3, 2024

Overall, however, it was a good ride. Halloween decorations are beginning to adorn the yards and some are very creative. There is one of a witch on her broom along with an oversized skeleton that has fascinated me. I have taken three images of it over two days trying to get a good one. I know I should just stop and take the image, but it is more challenging to try and take it while moving on my bike. Fortunately, this is a vert low traffic area near a cul-de-sac. The witch is one of the best representations that I have seen.

There is another decoration which I also enjoy. It is a huge inflatable pumpkin with a small sign near identifying it as the "Big Pumpkin."

Cancer Society 300-mile Challenge Update:

I completed my fourth ride yesterday. I cycled 18.44 miles and have logged a total of 80.94 miles. I have 219.06 miles remaining to reach the 300 mile goal. Today may be a washout. Storms are settling into the area--but I will try to find a break in the action to get a few miles logged. If I can't get out I will use the time to do some PM on my bike. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge

Tower
Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge
Stuart, FL
October 3, 2024

Chris and I visited the Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge yesterday. No, it is not a bar in the sense of adult beverages. It is located onshore near a sandbar called Gilbert's Bar.

We learned the history of the U.S. Life-Saving Service, which eventually was rolled into what is now the U.S. Coast Guard during 1915, becoming U.S. Coast guard Station #207. 

It turns out that during the mid-late 1800's and into the early 1900's, Florida was mostly inhospitable. It was also treacherous for merchant ships. Many ships were lost on the bars and shoals along the coast. A series of refuge houses were established to guide survivors to places where they would receive care and shelter. Interestingly, there were actually signs posted on the beaches directing the survivors to the houses. 

The Rocky Coast
Gilbert's Bar House of Refuge
Stuart, FL
October 3, 2024

The Gilbert's Bar house was close to the site of more than a few wrecks. The stories of those saved and their vessels is very interesting. There are many artifacts from the period and a few of the wrecks. The wreck of the Georges Valentine just 100 yards offshore that Chris and I may snorkel on a good day when the ocean is calm. 

We enjoyed the visit and the history, especially the stationing of U.S. Navy personnel at the site during WWII to help combat the German submarines patrolling off the coast and sinking merchant shipping. 

Cancer Society 300-mile Challenge Update:

I completed my third ride yesterday. I cycled 18.72 miles and have logged 62.5 miles for the month. I have 237.5 remaining to reach my 300 mile goal. Next week looks to be a tough weather week for riding as we are expecting tropical rains all week. Finn has an appointment this morning and I may not be able to get a ride in before the rains.  

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

A Concerning Approach

 Chris and I watched the Vice Presidential Debate from start to finish. We at times had side-bar discussions while the candidates were debating, but I believe we saw and heard the whole thing. 

Two things that the Republican, JD Vance, said concern me the most. That, of course is aside from the outright lies and misrepresentations the spewed forth almost every time he spoke. 

First, and most importantly, Vance would not affirm that Trump lost in 2020. That is huge. It continues to demonstrate that the republicans are not willing to accept the fact that the American voters fired Trump! And not just in the Electoral College, but by more than 7 million votes! Thus, they are laying the groundwork to not believe the voters in 2024. While republicans say they are worried about the 2024 election being stolen, my view is that if they are talking about someone else doing it they are already planning to commit the crime. 

But wait, there is more! 

I was outright scared by Vance's assertion that experts and scientists are not to be trusted. That 'common sense" should prevail. I remember that as the pandemic began, Trump's common sense told us that it was no worse than the flu and would go away. He did not trust the experts and in the end over 1 million Americans died. It is impossible to compute how much smaller the toll would have been with immediate action. Yes, I hear the argument that the experts were wrong. 

Someone with true common sense would understand that when working against a problem that has never been seen before, experts and scientists take iterative approach is taken and there may be miscalculations. History shows that once Biden took office; expert advice was followed and the result was that America led the world out of the pandemic and has the strongest post pandemic economy--because of the experts AND because common sense said to follow the experts advice. 

People with true common sense understand they need experts and scientists. True common sense uses all the tools at hand. For instance, science invented the LED light, common sense tells us when to use it. 

I found the following:

Science and common sense differ in their goals, methods, and the types of knowledge they produce: 

• Goals

  Common sense is mainly concerned with immediate action, while science is concerned with understanding the world independently of context and people. 
• Methods

  Science is an empirical field that uses observation and experimentation to develop knowledge. Scientific methodology includes objective observation, measurement, and data. 
• Knowledge

  Common sense is the knowledge that people are expected to know about the world, including properties, relationships, and interactions. Scientific knowledge is precise, well-founded, and systematic. 
• Beliefs

  People can hold incorrect beliefs based on common sense, such as believing that calorie-reducing diets are an effective treatment for obesity. Scientists are skeptical and cultivate an attitude of considering alternatives and searching for evidence. 
• Examples

  Examples of common sense include "You really should go to see a doctor if your leg hurts that much". Examples of scientific concepts include measurement, properties of matter, atoms, waves, genetics, electricity, and energy. 

  (This was an AI generated response)

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

First Ride of the Month

 Yesterday I headed out for my first ride in an attempt to ride over 300 miles this month for the American Cancer Society. I had intended an 18-mile or so ride, but I rode with a friend and I rode the 2.3 miles each way to and from his house. We rode a nice 20-mile ride. So, as a result, I started the month strong with a 25 mile ride. 

Along the Loxahatchee 
Tequesta, FL
October 1, 2024

It was a nice ride through most of the places I traverse on a regular basis. It was a nice day for riding and I stopped along the Loxahatchee River in a small community and took an image of the flat water and idyllic day. I admit, the image did not come out quite the way I envisioned it. The neighborhood is very quiet and I enjoy riding along the river.

Along the way we saw three tortoises, which may seem boring, but seeing a tortoise is something by which we gauge our rides. We always ask each other, how many tortoises did you see? I never see as many as he does. He pointed out a couple tortoise holes that I was unaware of and that may improve my ride counts. 

Well, only 275 more miles this month. I'm planning a 17 or so mile ride today. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

October Arrived -- Biking Goal

 

October arrived overnight. 

Happy Fiscal New Year and Congress actually took steps to keep the government open! Yay! Well, at least until right before Christmas. I wonder if the Lame Duck Congress will be able to prevent a shutdown for Christmas?

The big news this morning, with the arrival of October, is that I will be riding 300 miles for the American Cancer Society!

Sandhill Cranes in the Drive
Tequesta, FL
September 30, 2024

Chris and I biked an easy 14.5 miles yesterday and enjoyed the morning and the day. We saw some Sandhill Cranes in a year along our route. I finished September with just over 143 miles in 9 rides. That is pretty well on track with what I have to do in October by just doubling the number of rides. We were gone or entertained visitors for 13 days during the month which reduced the number of days available to ride.

Thanks you to all of my sponsors. There remains time to become a sponsor. Just click the link below to become a sponsor. 

I want to sponsor Bob. 

Enjoy the day. I'm heading out on my first ride of the month in a few minutes!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - September 30, 2024

 

1. It is the final Monday of September. There are just 13 Mondays remaining in the year. Tomorrow is the first day of October and the New Fiscal Year begins!

Birds on the Beach
CocoCay, Bahamas
September 25, 2024

2. Family NFL Report. Family teams went 4-1 with Dolphins to play tonight. The Steelers fell to the Colts leaving the Chiefs the only undefeated family team. The Ravens improved to 2-2 by overwhelming the Bills.  

Cowboys (2-2) defeated Giants (1-3) 20-15 

Ravens (2-2) ran past Bills (3-1), 35-10

Steelers (3-1) were stampeded by Colts (2-2), 24-27

Commanders (3-1) plucked Cardinals (1-3), 42-14

Chiefs (4-0) survived Chargers (2-2), 17-10

Dolphins (1-2) Titans (0-3), Tonight

3. Baseball gets exciting tomorrow with the beginning of the post-season, but before that the Mets and Braves have unfinished business in the form of a doubleheader which will decide which two of three teams, the other being the Diamondbacks, will move into the post-season. The Orioles host the Royals at home beginning at 4:08 PM on Tuesday. This is now the second year in a row that the Orioles have made the post season. While they did not win the division, as they did last year, they earned the first wild card spot and the honor of hosting the opening round of their post-season.

4. Lies, Lies, and more Lies. On Friday and Saturday, Trump lied that Vice President Harris had let 13,000 or 14,000 convicted murderers enter the U.S. in the past three years, who “freely and openly roam our country,” a lie that Elon Musk called “true.” In fact, as CNN’s Daniel Dale pointed out, it is a lie. The Department of Homeland Security clarified that the data to which Trump appeared to refer lists individuals who entered the country over the past 40 years—including during his own term—committed crimes in the U.S. rather than their country of origin, and either are currently incarcerated or have served their sentences but can’t be deported because their country of origin won’t accept them. Such individuals are monitored. (CNN)

5. We have been enjoying the heat here in South Florida. On Friday afternoon the heat index was 109 degrees. Ugh. It is looking better this week with the heat index being in the mid-90s for most days. Maybe autumn is here?

6. Today in History. The USS Nautilus, the world’s first nuclear submarine, is commissioned by the U.S. Navy.

The Nautilus was constructed under the direction of U.S. Navy Captain Hyman G. Rickover, a brilliant Russian-born engineer who joined the U.S. atomic program in 1946. In 1947, he was put in charge of the navy’s nuclear-propulsion program and began work on an atomic submarine. Regarded as a fanatic by his detractors, Rickover succeeded in developing and delivering the world’s first nuclear submarine years ahead of schedule. In 1952, the Nautilus‘ keel was laid by President Harry S. Truman, and on January 21, 1954, first lady Mamie Eisenhower broke a bottle of champagne across its bow as it was launched into the Thames River at Groton, Connecticut. Commissioned on September 30, 1954, it first ran under nuclear power on the morning of January 17, 1955.

 

Israel widens attacks on Iran-backed militant groups - CNN

Fact check 12 election lies Trump is using to set the stage to dispute a potential 2024 defeat - CNN

A Senate investigation discovers new red flags surrounding Jared Kushner's private equity firm - MSNBC

China stocks set for best month in nearly a decade on stimulus cheer - Reuters

Labour's move to tax private education leaves Britain divided - Reuters

North Korea says US military aid to Ukraine is 'incredible mistake' - Reuters

Why Kamala Harris Wants to Stockpile Minerals You’ve Probably Never Heard Of - The Wall Street Journal

Scores are fleeing North Carolina’s flooded towns after Hurricane Helene, which killed at least 87 in six states - The Washington Post

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL 

#mondaymusings

Tune-up Ride

Cybertruck in a Drive
Tequesta, FL
September 28, 2024

 I could not believe it had been over a week since I last rode my bike. I realized that the cruise had changed my usual workout habit and that I needed to get ready for the 300-mile October push for the American Cancer Society. 

Thank-you to my sponsors.

Check out my personal Facebook page for sponsors and updates.

I am planning 15-mile (or more) rides. I have to get all 300 miles in before October 28, as Chris and are flying to Vegas on that day and will not return before the end of the month. 

Yesterday's 18.5-mile ride was a nice tune-up. It took almost 6 miles for me to get into the biking groove. 

Along the way I saw a cybertruck in a driveway. It looks equally as out of place in a driveway as it does on the highway. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Reflections of the Cruise

Symphony of the Seas and Celebrity Reflection
CocoCay, Bahamas
September 25, 2024

 Being a short 4-night cruise, there is not too much to reflect upon, but I can state that we had a great time. This is now our second Celebrity cruise 

Boarding was efficient and pleasant. It was much better than our experience in Italy during May. We arrived and were quickly processed and just had to wait comfortably for less than 5 minutes to get onboard. We made it onboard in time to enjoy the welcome lunch to which we were invited. During our Italy trip, processing through the Italian security was so slow that even though we were in line in time, we missed the lunch.

Watching the Mooring
CocoCay, Bahamas
September 25, 2024

The Celebrity Reflection is a nice sized ship with activities for most everyone. One night we danced to Abba music and had a really great time.

Dinners were nice. The food was good, but did not exceed the threshold to be considered excellent. We were disappointed that there was no lobster night, which as most cruisers know is usually the last night of the cruise. I enjoyed a chilled soup starter every dinner and I very much enjoyed the variety of soups presented.

The bars on the ship were diverse and each seemed to present its own vibe. We spent the most time in Cellar Masters, which catered to the wine lovers in us through its decor. It also caters to the bourbon crowd. 

My Birthday Cake
Celebrity Reflection
September 25, 2024

The Celebrity team/crew was great. They provided everything we needed and our room service was great. The only issue was the room service breakfast. We ordered coffee, yogurt, and bagels. The bagels were cold and rick hard making them inedible. That happened two mornings in a row and so we stopped ordering the bagels preferring instead to go to the buffet for a light breakfast.

I enjoyed a birthday cake a day early as we celebrated dual birthdays on the cruise. It was a great time with friends.

Perhaps the most impressive activity during the cruise was the real-world emergency in which someone needed to be transferred off the ship for medical care. This occurred after our departure from Key West. The ship diverted into Miami during the night for the transfer. Originally a helicopter was going to land to make the transfer.  Later, I heard that a Coast Guard cutter was going to rendezvous with the ship off the coast, but the weather was too rough for either the helicopter or the at-sea transfer and so the ship went into the Port of Miami, but not mooring, to make the transfer. It all worked and I slept peacefully through it all. Out arrival into CocoCay was delayed by about two hours, but I was impressed with how the transfer happened without most of the passengers even realizing what was happening. I wished I had been awake to take some pictures. 

And now, I have to plan our next cruise adventure. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Home Again

Port Everglades Pier 25
Ft Lauderdale, FL
September 27, 2024

 Our cruise ended this morning after a fairly rocky night on the ocean. I was awake as the ship entered the Port Everglades. I actually woke because the rocking from the wind and waves suddenly stopped. Pretty funny! It was just after 6 AM and that is also my normal wake-up time. 

It was quite a sight from the veranda as we sailed into the port with all of the lights in the pre-dawn hours. The pier where the ship docked is on the very left. The ship actually backed up to the pier, which is exactly opposite of how the ship was positioned when we boarded on Monday. 

Reflection in my Wine Glass
Celebrity Reflection 
September 26, 2024

Chris and I enjoyed a relaxing, yet pleasantly busy last day on the ship. We began with a visit to a hot tub which was very enjoyable. Following that we were invited to a reception to meet the Captain and enjoyed some early drinks and munchies. After a light lunch we pressed on to a wine tasting. The wine tasting included eight wines and while enjoyable because we were tasting with friends, it was a very basic tasting with minimal information. I think the sommelier was relatively new in his position. Evening was highlighted by a great last evening on-board and birthday dinner with our friends followed by Thursday Night NFL Football!

And now we are home, having driven home from the port this morning. It was a bit busy this morning getting off the ship since we did not pack the night before. But, we were off before 8 AM and on our way home about 8:30 from the parking area. 

And now it is back to the routine. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Was it a Perfect Day?

Hen Guarding Sandals
CocoCay, Bahamas
September 25, 2024

 Royal Caribbean and Celebrity advertise the stop at their private island as the Perfect Day at CocoCay. I enjoyed the day, but calling it a perfect day might be a stretch. For those remaining on the ship, I hear it was a great day having the near empty ship to themselves. 

Chris and I had fun watching the chickens fight with the seagulls for morsels of food. One enterprising hen decided to guard our sandals hoping for a handout that never came. We make it a point not to feed the wild birds, although she later did some counter surfing at our table. 

We enjoyed our day, but both Chris and I felt that since we live near a beach and have ample opportunities for beach time, perhaps we could have done something else with our day. We went to the South Beach, on CocoCay, to be somewhat removed from the crowds and while that seemed like a good idea, we realized that our entertainment comes from watching others enjoy the water and the weather. 

Sunrise over the Ocean
North Atlantic
September 26, 2025

We ended the day with a great birthday dinner for a friend and an early celebration for me. Cruises and celebrations are fun!

Today began with a stunning sunrise. We are avoiding the Hurricane Helene, but the ship is rocking from the winds. Today is a sea day and so everyone is on the ship and I expect the main attractions, like the hot tubs, to be crowded. We will likely do some more crowd watching. Sadly, today is the last full day of the cruise and tomorrow we will arrive back in Ft Lauderdale to make the drive home to Tequesta. 

The birthdays (yes plural) cruise is almost over. I have to admit that I have collected more than a few bottles of wine somehow. The cruise ship seems to send me a bottle for almost every occasion and our neighbor is not a wine drinker and she has given me her wine as well. Today, to add to the wine-ing, we will also enjoy an early afternoon wine tasting.

I love cruising.

-- Bob Doan, North Atlantic Ocean, IVO 2612.94N 07610.77W