lost and found in retirement
I was nearing the Paw Paw Tunnel when an approaching cyclist yelled out, “Tom, is that you?” It turns out it was Dan, my host for the evening at his bed and breakfast in Paw Paw, West Virginia. He had ridden out to greet me and lead me into town. I quickly found out that Dan was an extremely outgoing and friendly guy. We rode…
This morning I pedaled out of Harpers Ferry with a breakfast destination fifteen miles west in Shepherdstown. I cycled up the switchback from the canal trail to the main road into town. I was pleasantly surprised that there was a wide shoulder on both sides of the highway welcoming towpath cycle tourists into the quaint college town. I Yelped Betty’s restaurant and easily found myself…
I spent Sunday evening at my cousin Michal’s house in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington DC. It was a very enjoyable evening and the perfect place to start my journey yesterday morning across the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Trail. I often feel that people under appreciate their family and what family means to you. My family on my father’s side is quite small. Today only…
One of the things I am challenging myself to do this week is to engage in conversation with interesting people I meet along my way. I strongly believe the best part of bicycle touring is meeting new people and experiencing new places. When I boarded the train, Uncle Sam came strolling by my seat. Now this is just something you don’t see every day. I…
Early this morning, I boarded Amtrak’s Capitol Limited with my bike and paneers headed to Washington D.C. I am embarking on a weeklong journey across the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Trail and the Great Allegheny Passage. I will mount my saddle later today in the District of Columbia and cycle 334 miles through Maryland and Pennsylvania. Bicycling touring is not new to me. I have…
Retirement gives me more opportunities to cycle. Cycling for a cause is an important part of my cycling adventures. I cycled the Bike MS 150 for many years prior to my retirement. I looked to continue this tradition in central Ohio. Pelotonia is the premiere charity bike ride in Columbus. It is integrated into central Ohio bike culture with the expectation that “serious” cyclists be…
Thirteen years ago I could not have imagined being in the place I am today. Touring Europe on a bike would have been a laughable dream for me, the sedentary obese fifty year old recovering from a heart attack and triple coronary bypass. Change happens. There is something to be learned from changes in our lives. The challenge is to turn unfortunate circumstances into teaching…
Why are Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook in the hot seat? Just a few weeks ago you loved the video of the roller skating cat that juggles tangerines. You couldn’t resist sharing “What Disney prince are you?”. I spent over 40 years in a career in information technology. Almost 30 of those years were in the data world. What you see today is the explosion and…