Back In Ack(tion)

Hey Buddy! Long time no me not to lazy to write! I'm starting to get pretty hip-hyped about this tour. I have a tent and other camping crap we can use, fa'rill. How many days total riding do you project? 4? I'm thinking if we can do it so I can fly both ways on a Tuesday or Wednesday it will make it cheapest for me flight-wise. What's the weather like out there in late August? Things are warming up here. I'm trying to ride 1000 km this month to prep for our Alberta ride, which unbeknownst to me has raised upwards of 60 grand already. Bitchin. I think the wheels on that Colnago would probably be okay, though a larger diameter tire may be a wise choice. The main thing will be figuring out how to put a rack and panniers on it. That or see if we can rent a trailer for a couple days. I'm trying to work out how I can get an iPhone so has to have mapmyride going all the time. I checked out a couple of your routes today, they look quite scenic. Can't wait. Here are a couple shots that Matt took last week on our ride to Squamish and back. It was pretty epic and more than a little exhausting, but I'm glad we did it. It was just over 150 km for me, and 20 km shorter than our longest day in Alberta. It also took us slightly longer to go 150 km than it took Fabian Cancellara to go 289 km mere days before in the Paris-Roubaix. So proud. Anyway, hit me with some pics of the riding around your area. TTYL.

A Map

Since I didn't have to work to day I decided it was time to get serious and put some work into where we are going to go. This is a loose plan that we can clean up together, I sent you a colab invite I believe.

View Dear John Let's Go For a Ride in a larger map

I envision a four day journey, allowing for beach time and maybe some fishing, though it's all fly fishing I believe. With four days the cycling will be a little more broken up, which isn't an issue for you, but may be for me. There is lots of camping on the trail as well as B&B's if we wuss out or something. I have read a few itineraries and notes on peoples rides and there are some decent climbs but lots of coastal riding.

Gear is my only question at this point. I wonder if loading up the Colnago will put to much load on those tiny wheels. Should I be looking into an alternative setup for this ride?

If we camp what do you think about tents? I got a 6man tent, it's large but not excessively heavy.

I watched Che parts 1 & 2 this week, it's a pretty good movie. Benicio Del Toro is a good actor, I'd like to see more films with him in them.

Back Online

Dear John,

Please pardon my lengthy absents, after Cj and I were burgled my online commitment has faded to checking emails on my phone and text messaging. I've been thinking about this bike trip and been feeling I need to get planning it with you. Late August would be great for me too, I think Ceej might be planning to head to Cuba around then as well. I haven't studied much of the trail so far, but much of what envision is riding, camping, seafood, ocean, surfing, and the occasional bottle of screech. How each of those things gets down is still very much in the open. In my vision I see campfires on the occasional beach, and setting up a tent where & when we see fit. I know the terrain isn't quite mountainous, but from what I remember it's fairly .....(Upy downy).

Late in the summer I hope the ocean is warmer, I seem to recall someone saying that region is cold because of arctic ocean currents, but maybe they're wackers.

N to S Alberta would be a fun ride, I miss the prairies in the summer. I have an album of panoramic views resting in the frames of cross canadian trips. Long stretches of unbending highway, bright yellow canola fields, dilapidated homesteads. Nova Scotia has some charm though, you'll see.

Oh man, we are in a pause mid episode and it's all happening, the cliff hanger for season 5 is set. McNaulty is upset over Boodies death, Freeman is more or less leading the major crimes investigation, Daniels is being groomed for a substantial promotion.
I feel like the polarity between good cops and bad cops is exemplified well in season 4 with Carver and Haulk. They grew together as rookies through the western then into narcotics and major crimes until they saw different roads to better their positions. Conversely to their partnership the relationship between the roads they do take is definately one of this series themes, politics in police work.
Carver's return to the western shows him as an honest cop looking to get back to real police work, or at least the police work who grew up doing. While there we see him take a leadership position and also report to the notorious Bunny Colvin (one of my personal favourite characters).
Though he disappoints the viewer and his commanding officer on a couple of occasions we eventually see his epiphany and the fruition of proper police work.
Haulk on the other hand looks to climb the ladder, taking on a laid back assignment protecting the mayor with the notion that everyone else he knows to have taken the assignment has moved up. After his assignment is cut short by an unforeseen promotion he serves in major crimes as a sergeant(?) to the disappointment of all. No one is on Haulk's side.
Though they both kicked off the season getting their stripes the Gospel of the Baltimore Police Department chose only one to keep them.

Cabot Trail

Dear John,
I have been entertaining the idea of doing a bit of randonneuring this summer. The Cabot Trail comes to mind and fromwhat I have seen of and read about it is a pretty majestic trail around Cape Breton Island. Rated one of the best treks in the world yadda yadda...
The whole loop is only 300 km and would be nice to do over a week. The area is full of fishing villages and beaches and campsites to stop at with lots of fish to eat and Acadians to attempt french with.
Sometime in mid to late summer would probably be best because I think it gets really wet here in the spring.
In doing it I see myself with a co-pilot, and I know Cj wouldn't be that interested, would you?

VLC SNAP!

Just picked up with the Wire again this evening. Saw the sequence with Omar looking for some cereal and then walking to the store to get some. It's kind of a hilarious scene. The celebrity of his character is really brought out by his green satin robe.

I was thinking that since you've retired the Baltimore beat, do want to do a biweekly movie viewing? I was thinking in theatres would be a good outing on a casual basis, but if you find a really worth while movie we could each make an effort of seeing it. At least until we find something as good.

Taking a cat on a plane is kind of a pain, I wouldn't suggest it. Although I did get to walk through the metal detector holding a cat.

The Road

Omar Little vrs. Aragorn son of Arathorn
Both hard as fuck.
Omar, the Robin Hood of West Baltimore and Patron Saint of Rippin' and Runnin'. Aragorn, the King of Men.
Micheal Williams - Professional Dancer and Choreographer
Viggo Mortensen - Jazz Musician, Skilled Horse rider, Poet.

I don't even know if they are adverseries in the film yet, but I'll find out. TONIGHT!

We should have some sort of Dinner Party when we're back.

Trivia Question # 2

What is Omar Little's brother's name, where is he, and why?

Trivia Question #1
For what reason does Avon Barksdale retire is his boxing career?