Sunday, November 29, 2009

Walk #333: Down by Five...

Up to the Monastic Dorm after work. I plop on the bed, close my eyes and...

Three hours later I awaken to darkness. Must have been tired. Off I go for a gentle walk around the hospital grounds. Then, feeling a little refreshed, I head down to St. Helena to take a walk around town. The holiday lights are out. Revelers in the fancy restaurants are making their holiday reveling sounds. I stop and look in at all the doodads in the upscale stores. Things I will never buy. Or even wish to buy.

I stop at one of the Realty offices where they have a large plasma screen giving virtual tours of mansions. Places that have guest houses that are much bigger than my house. The slide show continues with mansions with views; huge fireplaces; large bedrooms all of them painted the same beige color. I live in a house of dirt and straw. That's okay, I'm in good company---Jesus was born with straw and mud all around.

I stop off at the grocery store and buy a piece of artisan bread, some cheese and a bottle of mineral water. No booze! I'm in training! Stepped on the scale this morning before work to find out I'm down five pounds. Five down, twenty five to go. By January 10.

If you want to make God laugh, tell her your plans!

4 comments:

Ian Woofenden said...

Congrats, Allan.

I should get a scale and compete with you. I could stand to lose about 10...

Ian Woofenden said...

The new Allan challenge leads to...

The 6-mile wimp-out!

In the old days (last week), when I was lazy, I'd just stay home and not ride. Now when I'm lazy, maybe I'll "just" do the block, and let the figure 8 (12 miles) become the "normal minimum"

I pushed it tonight on the 8 -- standing up on the hills and going for it, thinking about that hike that requires a passport:


11.99 miles
58:36
12.28 mph average
35.84 mph max

Dark, but the rains of earlier in the day were done, and the moon and stars were out in places.

Ian Woofenden said...

Biking Poetry -- draft

---
on the bike
at night
the headlights chase me
first touching the tree tops
then cresting the hill to light the bushes
and me
before catching me up and
passing-- not too close, I hope

tonight
the moon lit the
treetops
and never
caught me up
---

Did the 8 just after dark
12.06 miles
1:00
11.94 mph average
37.36 mph max

Allan Stellar said...

A new Gary Snyder is born....Ian the Biker Sutra...