Friday, August 31, 2007

No Sweat


Runner's World says that the maximum heart rate formula is 208 - (.7 x age).
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That puts mine at 170. I've been consistently at 150 beats per minute, and have also hit 160 on the Cybex stationary bike recently, so I was interested in finding out where I should back off.
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Anywhere over 140 and I'm getting a good burn based upon my breathing and sweat.
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When I'm rowing in the Tender, I don't really get a burn in because there are two many distractions on the water.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Peep of the Week - Week 34

Peep of the Week day.
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People shouldn't get so worked up about it.
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It's just another day.
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So why all the hubbub???, why all the dither????, why all the rigamarole????
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It's only Thursday, Peep of the Week Day.
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I suppose that if I didn't have the heavy and aching responsibility of selecting the POTW, I would get all hot and bothered too.
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Whatever....

Announcing
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for week 34 of 2007
  • Trish Rockett
  • Denise Sousa
  • Patrick Piscatelli
  • Bill Hillegas
  • Marion Solomon
  • Derek Jeter
So now that's over with. Everyone can take a chill pill until next Thursday when all of the angst and hysteria begins again.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Dark and Stormy Tour.

It was a nice evening with Lynda and Will Murray as we first graced the Corinthian Porch for a drink, then headed to the Boston Yacht Club for dinner. At both stops, I sampled the Dark and Stormies and rated the BYC's far superior.
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Both yacht clubs had better D&S's than the Landing Restaurant however, which advertises a "Best of Boston" for their Dark and Stormies.
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Course, the ones that I make at Beverly Ave. eclipses all of them.

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Book Writing Methodology

I'm thinking of writing the Gunning Dory book on this blog, then transferring the text and graphics to Microsoft Word. That means that the many thousands of you who faithfully hit this blog every day will get a free book.
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Maybe it would be worth it.
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After all.... the book should draw millions, and a relatively few "loss leaders" shouldn't greatly diminish it's commercial success. Plus, I'll put a few bonuses in the Word edition which should lure the Blog Peeps to make the purchase.

Burdensome Free Speech

Have any of you Peeps noticed the comments made by "the Topper" and "Tuna Lips"???? They are bogging down the Blog, nasty to Nanepashemet, piercing to the Peeps. What can we do about these sinister influences???
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Even though I believe in a free exchange of ideas, and cherish our civil liberties.... I am troubled by the hapless comments made by these ill advised individuals.
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As always, I am open to suggestions from the Peeps in dealing with this unpalateable dilemma. Despite the fact that I hardly ever do what you suggest, I am still open.

Nice Bridge


Millau, the highest bridge in the world

The construction of the Millau viaduct in the southeast of France was a colossal engineering effort. The piers rise 803 feet from ground level, and the bridge weighs 400,000 tons. The bridge is supported by seven huge pillars. When the thickness of the platform (14 feet) and the height of the pillars are included, the total height reaches 1102 feet. That is about 50 feet higher than the famous Eiffel Tower. Construction of this bridge required more than 350,000 tons of concrete and 40,000 tons of steel. Assembled with the precision of a Swiss watch, this giant was designed to resist winds of up to 130 miles per hour and has cost almost 300 million euros (US$523 million). Built across the mountainous terrain of the Tarn river valley, the 8071-foot long bridge is part of the A-75 freeway that connects the cities of Clermont-Ferrand and Béziers. It will shorten by more than 60 miles the route connecting Paris with the Mediterranean.

Monday, August 27, 2007

New Beginnings

Last week of the summer before Labor Day. Even though the calendar year starts in January, September is always the month for new beginnings. We have Murph's wedding next weekend with Tina's the following weekend. It will be a nice beginning for them.
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In many ways, Nanepashemet Telecom will begin anew as we roll out some major contracts.
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I've also consciously decided to begin my book on building the Marblehead Gunning Dory, which means that I'll have to actually begin building the boat. This book won't be presold, which means that I will have a final manuscript to send to publishers.
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A nice byproduct will be that I 'll also have completed the Marblehead Gunning Dory as drawn by John Gardner after the prototype developed by William Chamberlain of Marblehead in the early 1900's. The boat will be developed using the cedar strip method similar to the process for the Tender construction. Improvements on the Tender will be a larger size - 18 ft. - to accomomdate two rowers or fishermen. It will be equipped to sail - with two sprit sail masts - but will also have an internal motor well to handle a 12HP outboard and fuel.
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A little something for everybody.
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The book will detail the construction process including not only the boat itself, but all of the distractions and issues that impede its completion. In many ways, the boatbuilding theme will be the note of resolve in a free flowing jam.
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I will entertain suggestions from the Peeps for a book title.
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As always, upfront cash for the reserve of signed, first run copies is perfectly acceptable.

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Fish 1, Me 0


Today (as in most days) the fish won. But it was an interesting fight. Rowing across Conway Lake, I had two strong strikes, but saw no rising fish. Dead heading back to the put in, the trolling rod went down hard, and as soon as I picked it up, a large mouth bass leaped out of the water with a head shake that he must have learned in Tarpon school.
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I was pumped, and felt that the day was vindicated. While keeping the line tight, I was reeling in when the fish made another twisted jump clear of the water. I figured that if he didn't throw the hook on those two attempts, that I would boat him for sure.
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When I got him to the boat he came out of the water yet again, and rid his mouth of the lure. I lost him. He was by far the better competitor.
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I didn't mind losing him.

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Another Day, Another Fish

Conway Lake will be the field of battle tomorrow.
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We'll see if any one other than the stout Yellow Perch will have the fortitude to mount a challenge.

Yellow Perch Recollection


The Yellow Perch is a feisty little fish.

Many years ago, I fished with my Grandfather, Adelbert Crosby, in Little Lake Ossipee and we caught a mess of these and took them home to fry. They were great to eat, but small.
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I thought of him today, catching these fish in Lake Umbegog.

The Battle of Umbagog


The confrontation with Small Mouth Bass and Brook Trout didtn't materialize on Lake Umbegog today.
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Five Yellow Perch fell victim to my deceptive and highly effective angler techniques..... but no small mouth or trout.
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I did catch an ambitious pickeral as well - the smallest fish that I've ever landed on a lure.







Other events of the day are worthy of note.
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I saw two bald eagles, three loons, two otters, and a dead bull moose at the side of the road. The moose took with it a Dodge Ram Pickup front end, and the three mountain men standing on the highway looked pretty perplexed.
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I was going to stop and take pictures, but then thought the wiser of it since I had my NY Jets T-Shirt on that Rich Berliner gave me.
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Umbegog is a nice lake. More motor traffic than I would have thought, and the wind that was written about, definitely came up after the noon hour, which made rowing back to the ramp a workout.




Friday, August 24, 2007

Confrontation with Small Mouth


By the time I finished three meetings today and returned to Marblehead to clean up a little, it was 5:30 PM. So I hitched up the Tender and headed to North Conway. This is the first time that I trailered the Tender on the highway, and there were no issues. I think this could be a regular occurence.
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Tomorrow morning, I hope to head to Lake Umbegog in Errol, NH first thing in the morning. Mike says that he say a TV news item that says that the Bald Eagle is making a comeback, and specifically mentioned Umbegog. I've seen one before, down in Naples, Florida where it flew right in front of my car like it was a common pigeon. It would be cool to see one again.
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The last time that Joanne and I were in the Umbegog region in Northern NH, a Moose crossed the road in front of us.
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Hope to have a violent encounter with some small mouth bass and brook trout sometime tomorrow morning. I will bring a camera, because no one will believe me otherwise.