As I’ve traveled and lived around the U.S. and abroad I’m usually pretty easy to place, thanks to my accent. My long vowels and hard ‘ch’s always point back to Chicago, to which I say, “youbetcha” for I am very proud indeed to call myself a Midwesterner. It wasn’t until I was in a Lyft … More Roots
During the week-long-party-on-wheels that is RAGBRAI, all… no, MOST inhibitions are thrown to the wind. Men and women who ordinarily armor themselves with suits and dresses – of the sort that hide bulges and accentuate the more flattering curves, be it of muscle or body shape – strip down to spandex, which by nature hides … More When Pigs Fly
Wake-up calls on RAGBRAI come early, as most of us rise with the sun and are eager to hit the road to beat the mid-day heat. Why they do this monstrous ride during the hottest week of the entire year is beyond me. Nevertheless, we enjoy and revel in it. After taking down the tent … More Saddle Sores, Sunburn & Other Pleasantries
To repeat anything of an ‘extreme’ nature is to insinuate a certain level of bravado, insanity or – more likely – an unhealthy combination of the two. This is especially true when there is a level of physical pain involved in the activity, but thanks to the human body’s ability to forget pain (of course … More Behind Bars (again): RAGBRAI
How does one climb a mountain? Slowly. Painfully slow – glacial, even, at least in my case. I hail from the low and flat lands of Chicagoland suburbia, and have only had brief affairs with mountains (though with an extensive variety: Rockies, Appalachian, Magaliesburg, etc.). I quite enjoy the ample amounts of oxygen found down here … More The Beginning / El Principio
The Wild Rose 