Vacation Time

Still playing catch-up from the Louisiana trip it seems. I had to replace some of the plants in the garden that got frost killed. I sketched up a design to help with the high school team that is going to a welding contest. Welded up some parts for the ring at the boxing gym with some more pieces still to come. The pieces in the photos are to hold the planks for the ring floor down. I still need to make four wall brackets for heavy bags. Did some more yard work and managed to get an eighteen mile bike ride in on Sunday morning. I've still got a stack of magazines to work my way through but I've managed to keep up on the book count. I've got 24 read so far this year, that being the only thing I'm ahead of schedule on.

I'm officially on vacation for three weeks until summer school starts. I haven't prioritized the to-do list yet but I think I'll just wing it. Whatever I feel like working on when I wake up in the morning, that'll be it. As long as I see some progress every day, that'll be good enough. I looked for a couple of race walks to compete in but a couple of the ones I've done in the past no longer offer race walks, just runs. Maybe just devote my exercise time to training for the bicycle race in July and see what I can find for a race walk after that.

Lots to do - some fun stuff, some not so fun. I got serious about cleaning up the mess from the raccoons. Respirator, rubber gloves and Pine-Sol. I threw a bunch of stuff away and scrubbed the sidecar down real well. I would have done it before I left for Louisiana but I didn't want to take a chance on coming down with the hantavirus or some kind of gunga-lunga while I was gone. It's a lot cleaner and it smells a lot nicer out in the shop now. I didn't even want to go in there with what I had going on. I still need to replace a couple of the ceiling sheets. Fortunately, the ones that need to be replaced are right in the middle and won't require any trimming or anything special. Take two down, nail two up, throw the clothes in the washer and shower up.

I do want to get in good enough shape to ride the Panhandle Pathway this summer. Actually, I'm pretty close to being in shape for that already. Ride down, camp for the night and then ride back the next day. Won't be like Bronson but I've done my share of cycling around the country. Just human powered rather than V-Twin powered. I'd still like to do that motorcycle trip, however. I know it wouldn't be the same as when I was an eighteen year old kid. I should probably reconcile myself to the fact that boat's already sailed but I doubt if I'll ever truly get over not having gone. Should have replaced the stolen Sprint with the 500 Triumph and hit the road regardless what it took to make it happen. One of the few regrets I've got for something I didn't do - got plenty for things I did do - but only a few for the ones I didn't do.