4/28/13
Well it
has been an event filled month since my last post. I have been out on the bike
a few times and found a new “hill” training route that I feel will do me some
good. For those that know where I live the Steele Hill Resort is close to my
house and “hill” is not to be underestimated. It is a 8.9 mile loop that is a
long slow uphill battle with a short but very steep downside at the end of the
loop, it is all uphill 85% of the way on the front side and then a 45-50 mph
scared shitless free fall down the last 15% of it. That and the 23.8 mile loop
around the lake have been keeping me on the better side of in shape so far.
My brother
Mike and I had our 2nd annual PMC fundraiser at the Crazy Gringo restaurant
April 13th and it could not have gone better. Dave Christmas, Scott
Apgar and about 7-8 members of Team Lick Cancer came up in the team bus. They
sold some Team Lick t-shirts and temporary tattoos; I think everyone had a
great time. A note about my friends: “My
friends are the best friends a person could have, having friends like mine is
the reason that I live in the lakes region of NH. I could not be prouder to be
associated with all of these people.” We had some great silent auction items, a
50/50 raffle and all the tips that my brother and I got from bartending went to
the PMC. My great friends Sean and Jane Monahan’s daughter Ellie wanted to do
something for the fundraiser so she donated her hair for the “Locks of Love”
foundation. She got up on the bar in front of 150 people and had her hair cut
off and smiled the whole time! I am so very proud of her and her parents for
raising such an amazing daughter!!
That was
Saturday,… Sunday my brother, his wife Kelly and their great friend Walker left
for home in Ohio and on Monday 4/15/2013 Myself, My friend Gary, Sean Monahan,
and Dennis went down to Boston for the Bruins game and whilst there a couple of
troubled, lost, foreign dickheads decided to kill and maim a few fellow
citizens at the Boston Marathon. A very sad and anger filled afternoon that
made me wish I had chosen a different profession. But.. as of today it is
finally over and life as usual is moving forward as it will always do,
hopefully without any further media anti anything bullshit that the meek and
feeble seem to feed on.
Fast
forward to Wednesday 4/24/13 …My mothers
birthday. She turned the BIG 69 today which after talking to her on the phone,
next year’s birthday is going to be tougher on her than I had previously
thought. She has survived the last 3 years without my father very proudly but I
think it is starting to take its toll on
her a little bit. The thought of turning 70 is starting to sink in somewhat
with her. But, as many have told me, this is a part of life that I, given good
health, will have to face someday!
Let’s fast
forward a couple more days shall we… Saturday 4/27/13 Michelle and I, hers sisters Katie, Kim, her husband John, Michelle's brother Mike and his wife Nicole and friends Katie and Dan hiked up Tuckerman’s Ravine for some headwall skiing and people
watching. there are some people that try things on ski’s that are way out of their ability.
One such person tried to ski between the right side of the headwall rocks from
the top of the bowl and fell right of the bat. He smashed his melon and face on
the rocks and tumbled all the way down to the bottom ending in a life flight
out because of blood loss. Don’t get me wrong there was some great skiing going
on all day and the weather could not have been better. All in all it was a
great day and I can now check Tuckerman’s off my bucket list.
So, in a
final note I will continue my training, fundraising and more importantly the
Rogue Chocolate Stout that I have been drinking. I will continue this blog more often as the
weather is much warmer and I am now on the Team Lick email list and can now
plan to catch a few training rides with the team. For now I am done …
Rich……….
