This month's PALM meeting is when we pick tshirt colors and next year's patch. We did pick out a patch (there were several good entries this year) but we put off picking the tshirt color until next meeting when we can see some samples. It looks like it will be another bright color. We got a treasurer's report: we didn't lose money this year, in fact we are a little ahead. This means that the registration, meal, and bus fees will stay the same. Registration will be $110 for riders 18 and over, $65 for riders 11 thru 17, $55 for riders 10 and under, and $75 for nonriders. Meals will be $5 for breakfast and $9 for dinner. (You pick the meals you want, if any.) A bus ride to the start will be $45.
I was late for the meeting: who knew that I-96 was going to be closed at I-275? I ended up going along 8 Mile until Milford Road and I-96. Then Mt Hope Road was closed when I got to Lansing. I was an hour late and missed all the good stuff. If it wasn't for the meeting minutes I would not have known anything. I did get there in time for a (long) discussion of campers on PALM. More on this later.
Lately I've been cold all the time. I thought that I was getting weak, but it ends up that October for the last two weeks or so has been 10 to 15 degrees below the seasonal average. I was worried that I could no longer appreciate Indian Summer. But no, it was nature's way of telling me that Eskimos are also Indians. At least the greens (kale, collards and swiss chard) in my garden are holding up. Everything else is dead and on the compost heap: tomatoes, marigolds, basil. I left the cone flowers standing: the finches eat the thistles from their flowers. It drives my cats crazy but it keeps another species going and reminds me of summer when the flowers were in bloom.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
Frost and the PALM Meeting
I mentioned that my garden was looking a little ragged because of the lack of sunlight in the fall. On Saturday we had a hard frost. It killed my basil dead. It went from a sickly yellow green to brown overnight. My tomatoes are also goners. I have lots of green tomatoes. Does anybody know of a fried green tomato recipe for Italian (ie pear shaped) tomatoes? I have dozens of them, all very green. I'm beginning to put the garden to bed. I've pulled up all the tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants and put them in the compost heap. (The green beans, squash, and lettuce are already there.) My greens are still hanging in there. It takes an ice storm to kill them. If it seems like it's getting dark awfully early now, remember that daylight savings time is still in effect and it really should getting darker even sooner.
Our second PALM meeting is this Sunday. The last I heard, the schools we wanted gave us a tentative OK. This meeting our route guy will tell us if he was able to find us a suitable route between the schools, a route with low traffic, a decent paved surface, and at least a hint of a shoulder, one that is not not too long. Any long day (ie over 60 miles) needs to have short days (ie 35 miles) around it. We are still at the mercy of construction, especially road construction though. You really don't know if you have a route until a couple of weeks before the ride. Road construction: it wouldn't be summer without it.
This meeting we'll pick the patch for next year and (maybe) the color for the tshirt. You wouldn't think it, but we've had some long discussions about tshirt colors. I can't figure it out. If you look at what bikers wear when they ride, it's obvious that they have no color sense. Having bikers pick out a color is like having Detroiters pick out a City Council. (Remember, I live in Detroit. I can say that.) The last couple of years we've had neon colors. At least you could see our riders when they rode their bikes. But the PALM parade at the end of the ride, 700 bikers all wearing the same neon shirt, good God! It was blinding and I wear progressive glasses. Wish us luck.
Our second PALM meeting is this Sunday. The last I heard, the schools we wanted gave us a tentative OK. This meeting our route guy will tell us if he was able to find us a suitable route between the schools, a route with low traffic, a decent paved surface, and at least a hint of a shoulder, one that is not not too long. Any long day (ie over 60 miles) needs to have short days (ie 35 miles) around it. We are still at the mercy of construction, especially road construction though. You really don't know if you have a route until a couple of weeks before the ride. Road construction: it wouldn't be summer without it.
This meeting we'll pick the patch for next year and (maybe) the color for the tshirt. You wouldn't think it, but we've had some long discussions about tshirt colors. I can't figure it out. If you look at what bikers wear when they ride, it's obvious that they have no color sense. Having bikers pick out a color is like having Detroiters pick out a City Council. (Remember, I live in Detroit. I can say that.) The last couple of years we've had neon colors. At least you could see our riders when they rode their bikes. But the PALM parade at the end of the ride, 700 bikers all wearing the same neon shirt, good God! It was blinding and I wear progressive glasses. Wish us luck.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Fall in Michigan
It was a cool summer this year in Michigan, but it has been long. It's been in the 70's and sometimes the 80's all the way through September. You just didn't think about summer ever ending. The days did get shorter and now that it's officially Fall (and the nights are longer than the days) I can't really do my Tuesday night bike ride in the city any more. It just gets too dark especially if it is cloudy at all. My garden and trees look ragged like there is some kind of insect or disease working on them. But it's just a case of lack of sun. Thursday it got down to the 30's and I had to scrape my windows before I could drive to work. (The plants all survived.)
We have a tentative route for PALM 2010: South Haven, Otswego, Hastings, Eton Rapids, Grass Lake, Milan, and Erie Metro Park (actually the school across the street from Erie Metro Park). Beth Best, our new vice chair in charge of sites, has contacted all the schools and they seem receptive. There could still be site changes: we've had years where we've had to change 4 of the sites for various reasons. So don't make those reservations at the Ritz Carlton's along our route just yet.
Fall is the best season in Michigan. It's more consistently warm than the spring but not too hot to enjoy being outside. You are prepared for any outside activity because you've had the whole summer to get in shape. You have the last burst of color from every plant and tree and the golden fall light to see them in. Winter is still far enough away not to dread it. Things are settling down into a routine but fall allows you to appreciate every good day instead of taking it for granted. You can still do everything you want to do, like take a long bike ride, even though you may have to do it on a weekend. Enjoy the fall: can those tomatoes, make that pesto. And remember that the 2010 PALM application will be there in January to rescue you from winter.
We have a tentative route for PALM 2010: South Haven, Otswego, Hastings, Eton Rapids, Grass Lake, Milan, and Erie Metro Park (actually the school across the street from Erie Metro Park). Beth Best, our new vice chair in charge of sites, has contacted all the schools and they seem receptive. There could still be site changes: we've had years where we've had to change 4 of the sites for various reasons. So don't make those reservations at the Ritz Carlton's along our route just yet.
Fall is the best season in Michigan. It's more consistently warm than the spring but not too hot to enjoy being outside. You are prepared for any outside activity because you've had the whole summer to get in shape. You have the last burst of color from every plant and tree and the golden fall light to see them in. Winter is still far enough away not to dread it. Things are settling down into a routine but fall allows you to appreciate every good day instead of taking it for granted. You can still do everything you want to do, like take a long bike ride, even though you may have to do it on a weekend. Enjoy the fall: can those tomatoes, make that pesto. And remember that the 2010 PALM application will be there in January to rescue you from winter.
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