Riding into Halloween

 

Moon over the Houses
Tequesta, FL
October 28, 2026

Halloween is almost here. The full moon is waning and it was making its way down the western sky yesterday as I was preparing to head out on a ride. The moon sat there in the sky, almost laughing at me. 

The forecasters got the weather wrong for yesterday, thankfully. There were predictions of intermittent rain all day, but that did not materialize and I was able to get a 17-mile ride accomplished. I am still developing a new base ride with the closure of one of the bridges that I normally traverse. 

Ghouls in Tequesta
Tequesta, FL
October 28, 2026

The halloween decorations abound and I snapped an image of some interesting decorations as I zoomed past on my bike. People are so very creative.

There was some standing water in places that I had to traverse, but the rains definitely had stopped and the land was beginning to dry. 

I am looking forward to the upcoming transition from Halloween to Thanksgiving and then Christmas. Lawn decorations express the seasons in so many different ways and they make my rides more interesting.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Guarding Dinner

Finnegan and the Grill
Tequesta, FL
October 19, 2026

 Finnegan is not so much a guard dog as he is a watch dog. The is no reason to be afraid of his bite, but his bark can break eardrums. 

He has taken up a new hobby, watching dinner. The other evening as I was grilling, he climbed up onto the table I use for preparation and protected dinner from unknown threats. 

It is a bit weird. 

Instead of reclining on a chair or sofa, he is more often finding comfort on tables. I'm not really sure what that is all about. He still rests in the dog beds we have around the house, but he can also be found on the coffee table or and end table. 

About my grill. We are not allowed gas grills in our condo. The Weber electric grill is incredibly versatile and I enjoy cooking on it. It is easy to clean and i have started lining the bottom with aluminum foil to collect the drippings.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Riding out the Storm

Sea Birds on the Beach
Jupiter Island, FL
October 25, 2026

 The weekend storms ravaged the South Florida Atlantic Coastline. The rains swept through but even more impressive were the wind whipped waves, reportedly up to 18 feet, crashing on the beaches.  

Jupiter Lighthouse
Jupiter Beach, Jupiter, FL
October 25, 2026

I had to go out and see them for myself! I talked Chris and Finnegan into joining me.

We walked up the stairs to cross the dune and visit the ocean, but were met with a stiff wind at the top. I stood on the platform and took in the raging ocean and was most amazed by the sea birds. From the time I started watching until we departed, the birds went from flying on the wind to sitting on the beach. 

After enjoying the view, we departed and went to DuBois Beach in Jupiter to observe the powerful waves crash into the inlet. We were not disappointed, but again, the birds were the stars of the show. They were flying over the water in front of the Jupiter Lighthouse. Apparently, non-stop!

This video is from the platform atop the dune at Jupiter Island. Wow, what a weather day. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - October 26, 2026

 1. It is the final Monday of October 2026. We will say good-bye to October next weekend as we fall back off Daylight Saving Time. The dark times are coming. There are only 9 Mondays remaining in the year. 

Looking Out from Jupiter Inlet
Jupiter, FL
October 25, 2026

2. There is a powerful storm in the Atlantic which is affecting South Florida's weather with rain, strong winds, and huge waves. Chris, Finn, and I went out to see the waves during a break in the rains. The waves pounding the shore were magnificent.

3. Family NFL Results. It was a miserable week for the family teams. The teams went 2-2 for the weekend with the Cowboys playing tonight and the Commanders on a BYE. The teams now post a 18-19-1 record for the season. 

Ravens (4-3) against Bengals (4-2), 13-35

Steelers (5-2) overcame Saints  (2-5), 16-10

Commanders (1-4-1) on a BYE

Cowboys (2-4)  on MNF

Dolphins (1-5) shot down Jets (2-5), 28-28 

Chiefs (5-1) scalped by Seahawks (3-3), 3-20

4. Quote of the Weekend: 

“What’s with the gold? … He’s got the White House looking like Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory,”  - Barak Obama

5. Today in History. On October 26, 1881, the Earp brothers face off against the Clanton-McLaury gang in a legendary shootout at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona.

After silver was discovered nearby in 1877, Tombstone quickly grew into one of the richest mining towns in the Southwest. Wyatt Earp, a former Kansas police officer working as a bank security guard, and his brothers, Morgan and Virgil, the town marshal, represented “law and order” in Tombstone, though they also had reputations as being power-hungry and ruthless. The Clantons and McLaurys were cowboys who lived on a ranch outside of town and sidelined as cattle rustlers, thieves and murderers. In October 1881, the struggle between these two groups for control of Tombstone and Cochise County ended in a blaze of gunfire at the O.K. Corral.

Houthis say they attacked Saudi oil pumping stations, Riyadh airport as fighting intensifies - Reuters

Audi will build a $4 billion US factory in Georgia, Trump says - Reuters

Zelenskiy says US fully resumes warnings on ballistic strikes - Reuters

Giant ‘heat storms’ are scorching Earth. This is the story of the biggest one. - Reuters

Serbia’s leader concedes defeat to student-led movement in seismic political shift - CNN

What Should the Rules for A.I. Companies Actually Be? We Asked the Experts. - The New York Times

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Sunday Washout

 

Happy Sunday!

Today is supposed to be a washout. Rain is expected all day and incredible waves of up to 18 feet hitting the beaches! Ugh!

It will be a good day to stay inside and watch football. 

I am concerned about the Steelers game from Paris, given the unrest there. Maybe the NFL needs to rethink its international game schedule. 

Turning to baseball, I was thinking of heading to St Petersburg for tomorrow's World Series Game 3, but the tickets remain over priced. And then there is the need for a hotel. The whole package is a bit much, I think.

I was reminded that yesterday was the last Pythagorean Theorem Day for this century. I'm glad I didn't miss it!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Chatting with the Grandson

Beckett at Play
Glen Burnie, MD
October 23, 2026

 He is not yet two-years old, but he is fun to chat with and watch his antics.

Beckett seems to really enjoy FaceTime calls. He is a character on the phone and he is precise in identifying the callers. Pop-pop and Granma are clear when each of us is in the picture. 

But, he also continues to play mostly undisturbed. 

Beck is one of the oldest members of Generation Beta! Generation Beta have birthdays between January 2025 and December 2039. Being born during early-January 2025, Beckett is an early member of this newest generation.

I generally take a few screenshots of him while we are talking. They become true candid shots and are fun to enjoy later. 

It is almost like getting a nature shot of, for instance a bird, in its natural environment, undisturbed. 

Beckett truly is a character and Chris and I are happy we can continue to interact with him from a long-distance away. 

We expect to see him and the entire family, soon. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Troubleshooting the Light

 

Wall Switch - No Power
Tequesta, FL
October 22, 2026

The light on the veranda has not worked in a couple of months. I checked the bulb and that was not the problem. Too easy, right? So I suspected there was a wiring issue somewhere. 

The other evening, I was cooking on the grill and trying to read the temperature of the meat. I had difficulty reading the thermometer because it was dark--sunset is coming earlier and we will soon be jumping back to standard time which means darkness will envelop us earlier.

Behind the Light
Tequesta, FL
October 22, 2026

Yesterday, I decided to attack the problem. I started with the switch. I wanted to determine whether it had power or whether there was a loose connection. It had no power! Well that's a problem. Then I had a choice to make. Do I open the light fixture and see if the hot wire runs through it, or do I find the nearest wall receptacle? I chose poorly. I opened the light. Only one wire coming from the wall switch. No other problems noted.

OK, so on to the nearest wall receptacle. Eureka!

Wall Receptacle with Unattached Wire
Tequesta, FL
October 22, 2026

I confirmed the receptacle had power and then turned the circuit off. Upon opening the receptacle, the problem became apparent. As I pulled the switch out, one of the wires that was supposed to be inserted into the receptacle was almost out and as I pulled the switch out to examine it more closely, it separated from the switch.

I carefully reinserted the wire, ensuring it clipped into place. I turned the circuit back on and checked the connections with my multimeter. All was good. I then turned the circuit back off and reinstalled everything. 

We have light on the veranda again!

The project was a success!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Vote!

 

I love early voting! I have, in the past, enjoyed standing in the lines to vote. I especially remember the 2020 election during COVID and standing in the lines and being 6 feet from the person in front and wearing a mask. It was, fortunately, a nice day. 

Since then, however, I believe we have voted early in every election. It allows us to vote on our schedule. If the U.S. was dedicated to encouraging everyone to vote on one day, then it would be a national holiday with very few businesses or schools open.

I prefer early voting to mail-in voting. I mailed in my ballot for the entire time I was in the military. I missed the act of going to the polls to cast my ballot in person, hence, I like early voting because I can vote in person!

The important thing is to VOTE! (I picked purple because it is a mix of red and blue)

Election day is Tuesday, November 3rd. 

Early voting is open in some states and there is also mail-in voting.  Get out there and make your voice heard. "We the People" must make our voices heard. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

A New Watering Hole

 

Cold weather arrived this morning in Tequesta. It was the first morning since the early months of the year that I felt a cold breeze when I took Finnegan out for his morning duty. 

Tuesday at Locals
Tequesta, FL
October 20, 2026

It was 66 degrees and low humidity. Really cold. Ha Ha! I am looking forward to biking this morning.

We haven't seen temperatures this low since late-April. 

Although last evening was what we usually call Tiki Tuesday, we ventured to a different watering hole last night, Locals Pub in Tequesta. Tuesday is Smashburger night at Locals. Our friend Cody is working there and the the vibe, while very much a pub, is relaxed and believe it or not relatively quiet--even when packed with patrons as it was last night.

Locals is a different watering hole giving us an alternate place to visit when the weather is bad. And the Smashburger is excellent!

We had a really enjoyable evening and it was our third or fourth visit, so we are comfortable in the pub atmosphere. I was surprised to see a very famous golfer and his family were also in attendance last evening. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Growing Older

 

The Crew, Jeremy, Nicole, Patrick
Elkridge, MD
October 18, 2026

I realized something yesterday as Chris and I were celebrating the birthday of our oldest--who turned 50.

Ugh! 50 years ago, Chris and I became parents! That, friends, is a half century. 

We must be getting older. I suppose we should have realized it since we are both retired and living our best life. But now, we have a half-century old adult child! And I thought I was getting old when I became 50!

It was good to see our three adult children together for Jeremy's birthday, even though we were in Florida. It warms our hearts that they are finding their way together. 

So Happy Birthday Jeremy! We will see you all soon for a huge holiday.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL