Morning Ride

Had a nice 15 mile ride with son, Mike, and son-in-law, Brady, this morning in North Conway and Intervale.  They kept up with me pretty well.

Everyday Americans

Not only did I not break out of the rut today.... I didn't even ride the Trek.  The PICS Safety Audit was pushed back later in the day. and with my background and experience in ISO 9000 audits, I spent a good deal of time in preparation.
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So when the audit was successfully completed with all appropriate accolades from the Auditor, I was a bit fatigued and opted to take a nap instead of the 10 mile cycle.
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Even a Mountain of a Man gets burnt out once in a while.
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I'll make up for it this weekend with rides planned with son, Mike.
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But nothing stopped me from getting more irritated with H. Clinton, as it was revealed that her much publicized get together with "Everyday Americans" in Iowa was completely staged and populated by selected political Democratic operatives.
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The much heralded ex-First Lady, former Secretary of State seems to be constantly pummeled in the social media..... and it is hard to imagine that she can arrogantly sling the Bull that has been her hallmark.  Early in her career, she was fired from a legal job because of dishonesty, and the pattern seems to have continued.
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Her use of unsecured personal email in a highly sensitive government position and the wholescale destruction of government records is something that she can't just brush away, but the sheep herd that supports her gives her a pass with no explanation why.  If you've ever worked in corporate America, email security is not to be taken lightly.  And yet this high profile position of Secretary of State doesn't merit oversight and security clearance in Hillary's world.
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What is the allure that Liberals have with her?  What message does she send that resonates with her supporters?   On Facebook, it seems that the only rationale is that they hate Conservatives.... and I never see any substantive reasons saying why Hillary would be suitable to lead this country.
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The litany of scandals and shady deals.... people close to the Clinton's who have met with unfortunate accidents... it's too numerous to mention.   Her face to face meeting with relatives of slain Americans in Benghazi..... where she lied about a video being the cause after failing to take any precautions for protection of our people....
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Sure.  What the hell does an idiot like me know?    I did once have a first hand discussion with a Secret Service agent who served during the Bush's and Clinton administrations.   He said that the Clinton's were rude and dismissive while the Bush families treated him with common courtesy.  I did have that personal conversation with the Agent, who held a highly sensitive post with lots of exposure to the First Families.  Guess that agent wasn't an "Everyday American".
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But now Hillary wishes to be a "Champion for Everyday Americans".    WTF is an "Everyday American" anyway????    Apparently someone who bleats like a sheep and believes any lie that comes their way.
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I hope that not too many people out there are "Everyday Americans".

Loop Rut and Champions

For the last three days, outside of Nanepashemet Telecom, I 've  been obsessed with completing a 10.5 mile loop around Marblehead Neck, Old Town and back to Suite 1-A on the Trek Domane 4.1 Road Bike.  The weird thing is that each time I've tried to get my heart rate up, and push the pace, but every day's ride has been completed in 49:00 minutes.   Actually, between 49:01 and 49:12.... and each ride seemed different from the other.... but was really almost the exact same.  12.8 MPH average.

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Tomorrow, after our PICS Safety Audit, I'm going to bust out of this rut.   On the stationary bike, 19MPH over 45 minutes is pretty standard for me, but out there in the real world, I haven't been able to break 12.8. But I'm losing weight.

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Not going to tell you how much yet, but if this routine becomes habitual, I'm sure I'll be obnoxiously bragging in a month or so.

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I've also been fairly obsessed with the Hillary Clinton for President announcement lately too.   If she has any redeeming value after a public lifetime of arrogance and dishonesty... then I just can't see it.  She has proclaimed herself as a "Champion" of everyday Americans and states that America needs a Champion.  It reminds me of a former boss who informed me that it was his job to be my "Mentor".

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What a Buffoon!   I pick my own Mentors, and I pick my own "Champions".... and H isn't even close.

Bike Prep

Two Tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar in 12 oz. of water.
One Tablespoon of Black Cherry Extract in 12 oz. of water.
Gout Pill, High Blood Pressure Pill, Low Dose Aspirin.
8 oz. cup of Black Coffee.
Vegetable and Fruit Smoothie. (Not sure what Joanne put in this, but it's real green)
Two Fish Oil Pills.
Two Gummy Multi-Vitamins.
One 12 oz. mason jar of water.
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It's not easy staying Rough, Tough, Hard to Bluff and Damn Good Looking.
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But this breakfast puts down a MOAM Base to start the day.
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With 50 degrees and sunshine this Saturday morning, it's time to take the Trek Domane 4.1 out for a ten mile spin around Marblehead.  It's the first nice morning that screams "NO EXCUSES".   Joanne and I have seemed tohave  beaten that two week bug that had us hacking away this month.   Spring weather is in the forecast for the next few days.
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So this morning, after I finish this narcissistic post about myself, I will go for my first serious ride on the Trek Domane and see if I can get the hang of the bike shoe clips and the shifting system.

Respect for Native American Land

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Joanne and I took a walk this morning, through Gerry Playground and down to Stramski Beach.
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Everything was grey, mucky and muddy.... lots of downed and decayed tree branches on the ground due to the harsh winter.  It is a deteriorated and ugly scene.
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In the pre-Columbian era, our predecessors on this land, the Native Americans, whom I prefer to call in the politically incorrect manner as Indians.... they used to burn the forests every year.  Once in Spring and once in fall.
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The first Europeans who ventured to these shores were astounded by the countryside.   They marveled at the forests populated by large trees with room to drive a large carriage though with no problem. This was due to the seasonal burn treatment that the Indians had practiced for milleniums.   It made for a more suitable habitat for deer and other wild game as well.
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It flies in the face of our Smokey the Bear practices of preventing forest fires, and also does not meet the preferred narrative of the Noble Savage, who lived in harmony with nature and did not alter the Environment.
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Nevertheless, it is the truth, and the wild places in Marblehead look like forest slums with the dense undergrowth, mutilated trees and dead wood that is the most distinguishable characteristic of our forest conservation areas.
So I have been harboring a MOAM proposal now for a number of years, but have yet to articulate it until this moment....
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We should restore our "wild" areas to the way our predecessors experienced them.... not by burning, but by mulching the underbrush and harvesting the deadwood for garden mulch and firewood.
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The Indians did not have the advantage of our modern machinery like chain saws and power mulchers.... so they resorted to burning.  We could achieve the same state without the hazard of extensive smoke and air pollution.

Benefits

• The Wild Areas would be more aesthetic.
• More accessible to all.
• More Hospital for wildlife.
• Yield firewood for Energy.
• Yield mulch for gardens and fertilization.

Plus it would make us intelopers be more like the noble Native Americans.

In my job for Nanepashemet Telecom, I travel the backroads all though New England.   The presence of stone walls in the woodlands details a far different landscape that used to prevail here.  My MOAM contention is that we have let this landscape deteriorate and should return to the practice of our Indian Forbears.

Appreciation for Google

Next year, this Blog will be 10 years old.
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It's been therapy for this MOAM... and I hope a little bit of entertainment for you Peeps.
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But now, it is serving me well as a reference point...... letting me see how some things have changed.... and some that have stayed the same,
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I'm particularly grateful for the Google server that has kept these pathetic posts intact all of these years.  Don't know what the motivation is to keep this service free of charge, but it is appreciated.

Requiem for Ted

I listened to President Barack Obama praise Senator Kennedy today in the dedication of the $40M memorial to him paid with public funds.

A lot of good can be said for Ted Kennedy.... and one despicable evil.   He should have faded into obscurity after the manslaughter incident at Chappaquiddick with his criminal and insidious attempt to hide the facts and avoid being implicated, while a person died who could have been saved..... but his pedigree saved him.

And yet he went on to become a stabilizing force in the United States Senate.  Maybe this was his redemption...  But a $40M taxpayer funded tribute.... with accolades by our lightweight President seems to be a bit presumptuous.

Buddy, Can you spare a Dime?

The Outstanding Public Debt as of 30 Mar 2015 at 10:45:17 PM GMT is:

The estimated population of the United States is 320,292,366
so each citizen's share of this debt is $56,696.08.

The National Debt has continued to increase an average of
$2.30 billion per day since September 30, 2012!

How do we reconcile leaving our children with this burden?

Spring Refrain

Its 25 degrees Fahrenheit  here on the North Shore of Boston this Sunday morning.

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The shit stirrer in me wants to post something on Facebook about Obama's settled science global warming..... but I don't want to rub it in to my friends in the Democrat Party sheep herd.  They have enough problems, and there is no need for some MOAM like myself reminding them what a crock of shit they have bought into.
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It would just be too low.
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No, I'm just content to stoke up the fireplace, bundle up, and enjoy the Spring.
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It would be great if I could take a spin on my new Trek Domane 4.1 Road Bike... but it is just too phucking cold this Spring morning.
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So I guess I will turn my attention to installing some crown moulding in the Master Bathroom and then get a weight workout in.    Maybe make a Whey Protein shake afterward to drown my sorrows.

Checking off the Box

Nice Photo of my kids and their significant others.
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I view my greatest and only significant achievement as seeing my offspring mature and build happy and productive  lives for themselves.  The road to reaching this goal has been filled with bumps and surprises, but I am very happy at the result and pleased to check off the box.
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Since this MOAM has no frigging interest in siring another brood, I now  turn my attention to their offspring, and the lessons that I can leave that might be valuable to my grandkids.
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Hope that some of them want to build some boats with me.