PowerCycle

Just kidding. Although it’s been suggested that I just go ahead and buy a home here already. I have been having a great time hanging out with the other cyclists staying here and of course with Monika, who is slowly but surely being subjected to all the crazy things that make me me.

Karin and Marten left here a week ago on their way south but unfortunately Marten’s dad became ill and they had to fly back to The Netherlands. They are coming back in mid-March so I might run into them again. Hopefully everything works out OK at home for them.

My birthday was back on the 21st of this month which marked Year Two on my trip. It also marks my last year that will have a 3 in front which I find a bit depressing. I don’t feel at all like I’m pushing 4 decades (I can’t even write the number) which is good. This last year has had a few more obstacles to overcome than the first year but every little thing that happens just makes me that much better at handling the next crisis. I can’t wait to see where I end up on my birthday next year.

Did some shopping a couple days ago. Bought some new pants–the kind that zip off at the legs and turn into shorts. I’ll try not to lose the pant legs on these ones. Also bought a new black shirt since the other one was looking pretty bad. Watched my 2nd movie in 2 years at the theater. It was that movie Unstoppable. I spilled half the popcorn which was the most exciting thing that happened during the movie. OK, the movie wasn’t that bad.

Nothing else new at the Casa de Ciclistas. A few other groups of touring cyclists have come through. Meeting people from all over the world is one of my favorite things about this trip. 99% of them actually know what’s going on in the world too. The nasty little dog that peed on my sleeping back has been avoiding me which is a good move on its part. Its name is Odie but I call it Grody Odie. They gave it a bath a week ago but after 4 days it looks and smells like it just crawled out of the grave.

When I was walking by one of the other cyclists tent yesterday I heard a noise like a bird flapping up against the inside. The noise turned out to be a huge bubble forming at one end of his Thermarest (air mattress). I guess the heat inside the tent was too much and it finally just expanded the air in the mattress to the point that the seams just burst. It was pretty much ruined so he had to buy a new one. It was 5 years old–not sure if that’s good or bad for air mattress longevity.

I’ve been reading a lot about everything going on in the Middle East (and China and North Korea). Glad to see people rising up to change things instead of just sitting back and doing nothing while their rich leaders suck the country dry.