Hope everyone had a happy holiday. I got to catch up with lots of my family and friends. Hasn't the weather been bizarre the last week, even by Michigan standards? On the Friday before Christmas we get 10 inches of snow. Then Sunday it goes down to 3 degrees with a wicked wind. More snow on Tuesday, followed by lots of rain on Christmas Eve. The Saturday after Christmas it goes up t0 56 degrees, all the snow melts and we have flood warnings. And winter is just starting. How can January top this?
The good news is that the part that was backordered for my mountain bike came in and I have it back, in time for the 1st Dozen ride on January 1. I checked the weather: no snow, but 26 degrees. I tried to ride one cold 1st Dozen using long fingered bike gloves. Bad mistake. My hands froze. It was painful. Now I use the same thinsulate winter gloves that I usually wear outside. It's fun to see what everyone wears. Generally riders wear so many clothes that if they fall, they can roll to the finish. I have friends who used to live in the condos by the start. The first year that they were there, they watched several hundred people unload bikes New Year's Day and wanted to know what was happening. And then the mayor of Dearborn showed up and everyone started to bike to the "Ride of the Valkyries". It made quite an impression.
I'm keeping the PALM mailing list. There are over 3100 people on it so far and I'm still adding new names. It's not too late to get on it. Just email us your home address and we'll send you a PALM application by 1st class mail. It's the quickest way to get a PALM application since the application won't be on the PALM website until a week after the applications are mailed.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Friday, December 12, 2008
Into the winter
We had a long, long fall this year. We didn't get a blast of cold weather to warn us of what was coming and then Indian Summer so that we could be grateful for what we had. Instead we got all the warm weather at once (it was in the 70's all thru October well into November) and then all of the cold. I put off harvesting all my greens until the start of December. I pulled the plants out of the ground on the last day before they would have been frozen there until spring. I did cook and freeze some so that I can have a little summer in January.
I try to ride my bike every month of the year. November was not a problem and since the 1st Dozen in Dearborn is on January 1, January looks OK. December however... I run outside to stay in shape. Yesterday I ran when it was 19 degrees and I froze. It wasn't even windy. I'm weak. I'm usually good until around 5. Of course a lot of clothes are involved.
My point is that now that it is really winter you have probably forgotten all about spring and summer. This is a mistake. The PALM application comes in the mail to you in the 3rd week of January, before the Super Bowl even. You may not believe it. You may put it aside. Be strong. Have faith. Read that application. You will be riding your bike again. Sign up now. A little secret - all you need to do is send in enough to cover the registration to reserve a spot on PALM. You can send in the money to cover meals and buses (if you want them) later. (I shouldn't tell you this since I work registration and it's more work, but these trying times. We all need help.) Get out the sun screen and fill out that application!
I try to ride my bike every month of the year. November was not a problem and since the 1st Dozen in Dearborn is on January 1, January looks OK. December however... I run outside to stay in shape. Yesterday I ran when it was 19 degrees and I froze. It wasn't even windy. I'm weak. I'm usually good until around 5. Of course a lot of clothes are involved.
My point is that now that it is really winter you have probably forgotten all about spring and summer. This is a mistake. The PALM application comes in the mail to you in the 3rd week of January, before the Super Bowl even. You may not believe it. You may put it aside. Be strong. Have faith. Read that application. You will be riding your bike again. Sign up now. A little secret - all you need to do is send in enough to cover the registration to reserve a spot on PALM. You can send in the money to cover meals and buses (if you want them) later. (I shouldn't tell you this since I work registration and it's more work, but these trying times. We all need help.) Get out the sun screen and fill out that application!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
How to get on PALM
Ellie Knesper, the person who answers all the PALM email and phone calls, has been getting questions about PALM applications almost every day. I'm going to tell you how to get on PALM. Don't look for the application on the PALM web site. I'm in charge of the web site and I don't put the application on the site right away. I do it a week or so after the applications are mailed out. Why? Because a lot of our riders, especially ones who have done PALM a lot, are older and have not made friends with the Web. I want to give them a fair chance.
What can you do? The way to get on PALM is to get on our mailing list. Then you will be mailed a PALM application by 1st class mail. (Why 1st class? Because then everybody gets the application at the same time, within a day or 2. Then everyone has the same chance.) Don't worry about me selling your email address to Canadian pharmceutical companies. This is a low tech operation. Just look at our web site. I'm one of those older PALM riders who have done PALM a lot. Email us your home address and we'll put you on the mailing list. I'll also email you when the ride is getting close to filling up.
I am proofing the application now. It should be mailed out sometime in the week of January 18. I'll post the exact date of the mailing on the web site and here. If you are on the mailing list (and all past PALM riders are on the mailing list) and you haven't received your application by Jamuary 25, email us right away and I'll email you one.
Last year we mailed out the applications on January 25 and the ride was filled by February 19 (my sister's birthday). This year with the uncertain economy, who knows. But we have filled up early the last three years and, at $110 with $75 more for 2 meals a day, PALM is an awful cheap vacation.
What can you do? The way to get on PALM is to get on our mailing list. Then you will be mailed a PALM application by 1st class mail. (Why 1st class? Because then everybody gets the application at the same time, within a day or 2. Then everyone has the same chance.) Don't worry about me selling your email address to Canadian pharmceutical companies. This is a low tech operation. Just look at our web site. I'm one of those older PALM riders who have done PALM a lot. Email us your home address and we'll put you on the mailing list. I'll also email you when the ride is getting close to filling up.
I am proofing the application now. It should be mailed out sometime in the week of January 18. I'll post the exact date of the mailing on the web site and here. If you are on the mailing list (and all past PALM riders are on the mailing list) and you haven't received your application by Jamuary 25, email us right away and I'll email you one.
Last year we mailed out the applications on January 25 and the ride was filled by February 19 (my sister's birthday). This year with the uncertain economy, who knows. But we have filled up early the last three years and, at $110 with $75 more for 2 meals a day, PALM is an awful cheap vacation.
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