Today's the last chance to get a bike ride in for 2010. For me it is also the last chance to do a December ride period. December hasn't been the best month. Yesterday was the first day its been above freezing for 3 weeks. (December is the new January!) But things have thawed. Maybe I can get a short ride in before it starts to rain. Hmm.
Let's talk about PALM applications. PALM has filled early the last 5 years. Last year it was filled by Jan 23. We mail out applications by 1st class mail and don't put the application on the website until we feel that all the mailed applications have been received. This is a long way of saying that the best (and almost only) chance of getting on PALM is to get on the mailing list. To do this, email me. the mailing address of where you will be on Jan 12. Don't be worried that you are going to get bombarded with junk mail: we are an all volunteer organization. We have trouble picking a color for the t shirt, let alone trying to do anything with a mailing list.
This year we will be mailing applications to everybody outside of the state of Michigan and everybody in Michigan whose zipcode starts with 49 on Jan 12. Then we will mail applications to the people whose zipcode starts with 48 on Jan 13. I'll put the application on the website on January 15. Hopefully this will mean that everybody will get their application the same day and will have the same chance of getting on PALM.
Let me make a suggestion. If you are planning to be on PALM this year (our 30!), fill out and return the application the same day you receive it. If you are a little short after Christmas, just send in the registration fee ($110 for people 18 and older, $65 for people 11 to 17, $55 for people 10 and under). You have until May 15 to add meals and busses. If something comes up and you can't do PALM, you can cancel up to May 15 and it will only cost you $20 to cancel everyone on your application. If you know you are going to do PALM, there is no reason to delay.
If you are going with a group, put everyone on the same application (There is room for 5 on the application. We tolerate a couple over 5, but don't put any more than that.) That way you either all get on PALM or you all don't get on PALM. And please, please, please include a business sized stamped self-addressed envelope with your application. We use it to mail you a confirmation letter with the t shirt sizes, meals, busses, and jerseys that you may have ordered plus directions to the starting / end site. (And if you don't make it on PALM we use it to mail you back your check.)
Friday, December 31, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
It's Never to Early (or Late) for Safe Cycling
This is my favorite time of year. The temps are cool, the Fall colors are vivid, and there seem to be fewer cars on the road. There is still a lot of opportunity to ride before the snow starts to fly.
The 2011 PALM (PALM XXX) has been scheduled for June 18 - 24, 2011 and as a compulsive planner myself, I know it's never to early to start preparing. There were suggestions from last year's PALM that we provide some on-line, safe cycling training, especially for those that may not have much on-road experience. Below is a link to an on-line version of the Traffic 101 class that League of American Bicyclists instructors teach. It is essentially the same material I cover during the nightly PALM classes that I teach. I do not want to put myself out of a job, but if you have never had any formal cycling training, this is a great way to start. Even if you think you are experienced and don't need any training, you may be surprised at what you might learn.
http://bikeed.org/
This free course is endorsed by the LAB and will give you something to do during those dark winter days as you wait for the PALM application to arrive in the mail.
As the ride approaches, I will also be posting links to videos that demonstrate vehicular cycling. Let me know if you have any favorite safe cycling videos.
Please post up if you have any questions.
The 2011 PALM (PALM XXX) has been scheduled for June 18 - 24, 2011 and as a compulsive planner myself, I know it's never to early to start preparing. There were suggestions from last year's PALM that we provide some on-line, safe cycling training, especially for those that may not have much on-road experience. Below is a link to an on-line version of the Traffic 101 class that League of American Bicyclists instructors teach. It is essentially the same material I cover during the nightly PALM classes that I teach. I do not want to put myself out of a job, but if you have never had any formal cycling training, this is a great way to start. Even if you think you are experienced and don't need any training, you may be surprised at what you might learn.
http://bikeed.org/
This free course is endorsed by the LAB and will give you something to do during those dark winter days as you wait for the PALM application to arrive in the mail.
As the ride approaches, I will also be posting links to videos that demonstrate vehicular cycling. Let me know if you have any favorite safe cycling videos.
Please post up if you have any questions.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Applications Finished and a Warning
Things slowed down application wise in March. OK, things stopped application wise in March. Things changed in April: we processed 252 applications in the first week in April. We've added a few since then and we now have 845 people registered. That's everybody but maybe 20 problems. Everyone should have received their confirmation letters by now. If you haven't, please email us. You could be one of the 20 problems or we could have sent your confirmation to the wrong address somehow. If you email us, we can email your confirmation letter to you directly, bypassing that messy mailing stuff.
I mentioned in January that you had until May 15 to buy meals and bus rides. A lot of you took advantage of this and included notes saying that you will be buying meals later. Last year we had roughly 650 people at each meal. So far the most meals we've sold for any meal has been 620 for breakfast at Otsego. We have yet hit 600 at any dinner. I have a feeling that we are going to be deluged with meal requests. If you intend to buy meals, NOW is the time. PALM doesn't make any money on the meals: whatever we collect we give to the people making the meals. (It's a fund raising opportunity for local groups.) After May 15 we give each site the number of breakfasts and dinners to prepare. It's in their financial interest to prepare exactly that many meals. Even if they make a little extra, we are talking about bikers here. They make locusts look like anorexics. Don't expect to buy meals at the site. If you want the meals, buy them now. Here's a link to this year's application. You can use it to order meals and/or bus rides. You don't have to fill it out completely, eg sign the waiver again. Your name would be nice. Please include a stamped self addressed envelope. I am so tired of addressing envelopes.
I mentioned in January that you had until May 15 to buy meals and bus rides. A lot of you took advantage of this and included notes saying that you will be buying meals later. Last year we had roughly 650 people at each meal. So far the most meals we've sold for any meal has been 620 for breakfast at Otsego. We have yet hit 600 at any dinner. I have a feeling that we are going to be deluged with meal requests. If you intend to buy meals, NOW is the time. PALM doesn't make any money on the meals: whatever we collect we give to the people making the meals. (It's a fund raising opportunity for local groups.) After May 15 we give each site the number of breakfasts and dinners to prepare. It's in their financial interest to prepare exactly that many meals. Even if they make a little extra, we are talking about bikers here. They make locusts look like anorexics. Don't expect to buy meals at the site. If you want the meals, buy them now. Here's a link to this year's application. You can use it to order meals and/or bus rides. You don't have to fill it out completely, eg sign the waiver again. Your name would be nice. Please include a stamped self addressed envelope. I am so tired of addressing envelopes.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Doris West Slow and Determined III
Doris had some mean doctors. They kept insisting she was too old to bicycle across Michigan. But Doris was a stubborn lady. Finally, at age 87, she gave in and stopped coming on PALM. Doris was tricky too. She had friends drive her to down on her birthday and we celebrated with her. By age 90 the mean doctors kept her from pedaling at all. But Doris had a new group of friends so she was the lead harmonica player in a harmonica choir. They laughed a lot and played the harmonicas some (which was good because they were funnier than they were musical).
Another thing became evident this decade: how much all the branches of the West family meant to her. I remember the picture on her wall of Pat and Isaac on a cross-country motorcycle trip. And pictures of the far-flung Wests. If you come to the memorial service for Doris you will be a lot of bicyclists wearing bright shirts, one of them will be a shirt that has the first 25 PALM patches on it. In this last decade Doris would have replaced all of the bicycling patches with pictures of the children, grand- and great grandchildren.
My wife and I had dinner last night with good friends. The guy is a 4th grade teacher here. Each year he would take his students to Brecon Village to hang with the golden agers. Doris was the favorite oldster. The student who was most affected by Doris was named Gerry. The circle of life....
On March 20 at 3 pm the people who were lucky enough to know Doris are gathering to laugh and celebrate an amazing woman. Come join us:http://obits.mlive.com/obituaries/annarbor/obituary.aspx?n=doris-h-west-barnard&pid=140493424
Pictured are the Brecon Village Harmonicats, photo by Ann Hunt at Doris's 90th birthday.
Another thing became evident this decade: how much all the branches of the West family meant to her. I remember the picture on her wall of Pat and Isaac on a cross-country motorcycle trip. And pictures of the far-flung Wests. If you come to the memorial service for Doris you will be a lot of bicyclists wearing bright shirts, one of them will be a shirt that has the first 25 PALM patches on it. In this last decade Doris would have replaced all of the bicycling patches with pictures of the children, grand- and great grandchildren.
My wife and I had dinner last night with good friends. The guy is a 4th grade teacher here. Each year he would take his students to Brecon Village to hang with the golden agers. Doris was the favorite oldster. The student who was most affected by Doris was named Gerry. The circle of life....
On March 20 at 3 pm the people who were lucky enough to know Doris are gathering to laugh and celebrate an amazing woman. Come join us:
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Doris West, Slow AND Determined
{continued from Part 1 at http://palmbiketour.blogspot.com/2010/03/doris-west-slow-and-determined.html )
In the second decade of knowing Doris two things come to mind
(Before I get started I should say that Doris had both hips replaced (giving me a chance to have more biking miles than she did for a year), ... and oh yes my family joined her on PALM in 1986, ... and she tricked me into being on PALM staff, but I digress)
- Ann Arbor's own bike club (the Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society or AABTS) realized how much it needed to expand ridership. AABTS had A, B and C rides. When they added Doris's rides it needed another designation: D+ rides. I am pretty sure that means Doris AND all the locals she introduced to bicycling. AABTS said these rides were for the Slow But Determined. In truth, Doris was both Slow AND Determined, and damned proud of it.
- But Doris was not satisfied with just PALM and AABTS riding. So she had her own
three person biking club, riding with Louise and Ruth. This trio showed anyone, who slowed down and watched, how to grow older. They biked, laughed, enjoyed everything around them. Only one story: One Friday morning I came across these three down by the river. Doris was fixing a flat. After getting Doris's trike ready to go I asked where they were headed. "To Lansing," because there was a Women on Wheels ride that weekend. They were going to bike ~180 miles over the next four days. WOW!!
[Stay tuned for Doris in the new millennium]
The photo of Doris, Louise and Ruth is by Ann Hunt
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Doris West, Slow and determined
Doris West in the eighties
[This is part one of a three-part series]
[This is part one of a three-part series]
The Burtons got to know Doris West in 1980 when we worked with her on the Ann Arbor Bicycle Coordinating Committee [a2bc2]. Two notable things came from that committee:
- In 1981 Ann Arbor was designated one of the top 10 bicycling cities in the country.
- Three people from the committee started a bicycle tour called Pedal Across Lower Michigan [PALM].
The Burtons knew Doris when she had her own hips, when she was a librarian at the University of Michigan. We knew Doris when she brought her own children and grandchildren on PALM. We knew Doris when she would draw a smiley face on your envelope if you remembered a SASE with your application... or a frowny face if you didn't remember.
We biked with Doris in the eighties and we are still biking with Doris today. . . .
[next: Slow but determined]
Monday, March 8, 2010
Application Update
With the confirmations that I mailed out last Tuesday, I have processed 587 riders so far. From what I've heard from Ellie, we will be registering 757 riders plus about 90 more staff, SAGs, truck drivers, bike shops, and sponsored riders. So I am about 2/3 of the way thru the participants and it's already March. I'm going to have to take a week break from working on the applications now so I will be hard pressed to get them all done by the end of March. In the meantime, I'll be sending emails to everyone whose application I haven't processed yet and whose email I have. I hope this will relieve any worries that riders who have sent in applications and haven't heard from us have. Once again, if you mailed in your application and haven't heard from us and haven't had your check cashed yet, don't worry. You are on the ride. We returned all the checks to the people who were too late a month ago. If you are not on the ride, you would know by now. This is counter intuitive, but true.
The weather has been great: lots of sun and the temperature stretching to the 50's. I was able to take a short 10 mile bike ride late Saturday. I used my mountain bike with the knobby tires in case there was any ice and rode on Outer Drive. The sun kept me warm enough even on the way back when I was going against the wind. I haven't ridden a bike since November and it felt like it. Gripping the handlebar and leaning forward made my arms tired. My legs felt stiff and awkward. I could sit on the bike, but then again I didn't go that far. I forgot how much water you need to drink to ride even when it's cool. I've got a lot of work to do before I'm ready for PALM.
I saw more signs of spring. Today I saw an honest to God robin in a tree. Yesterday I saw a rabbit. (Not as thrilling for gardeners as a robin however.) I know that there will be more cold weather and snow this month, but the sun and the 50's sure improved my attitude.
The weather has been great: lots of sun and the temperature stretching to the 50's. I was able to take a short 10 mile bike ride late Saturday. I used my mountain bike with the knobby tires in case there was any ice and rode on Outer Drive. The sun kept me warm enough even on the way back when I was going against the wind. I haven't ridden a bike since November and it felt like it. Gripping the handlebar and leaning forward made my arms tired. My legs felt stiff and awkward. I could sit on the bike, but then again I didn't go that far. I forgot how much water you need to drink to ride even when it's cool. I've got a lot of work to do before I'm ready for PALM.
I saw more signs of spring. Today I saw an honest to God robin in a tree. Yesterday I saw a rabbit. (Not as thrilling for gardeners as a robin however.) I know that there will be more cold weather and snow this month, but the sun and the 50's sure improved my attitude.
Doris West Thank you for everything
We thank Doris West's son Patrick for providing us with Doris's
obituary. It will appear in the March 14 and March 18 publications of
annarbor.com.
obituary. It will appear in the March 14 and March 18 publications of
annarbor.com.
WEST, Doris H. (Barnard). Born in Enderlin, North Dakota in 1917,
Doris and her family moved to Monrovia, CA where she attended school,
graduating from Monrovia High School. She married in 1935, living in
Texas, Oklahoma, Alaska, and Washington before moving to Michigan in
1956, where she worked for the Bureau of Government Library at the
University of Michigan until her retirement in 1983.
Doris is survived by her children Gerald (in AZ), Sheila (in GA),
Diane (in WA), and Patrick (in MI). She was predeceased by a daughter
Helen. She leaves 9 grand children and 7 great grand children.
Doris never dro
ve a car.
She used a tricycle for her local transportation for 38 years.
During the gas crisis, her tricycle bore the sign
"My 'CAR'. NO Gas".
Doris was an active member of the Ann Arbor cycling world. She served
on the Mayor's Bicycle Coordinating Committee, and worked to make
biking accessible to beginners, leading bike rides in Ann Arbor and
working to improve bike paths. She rode in PALM (Pedal Across Lower
Michigan, a week long bike ride across Lower Michigan) for many
years, where she was usually one of the oldest people on the ride.
She even went to Great Britain to pick up a trike with better gearing
and spent several weeks riding the roads in England on the new trike.
Interested in learning about plants, people, and the exact meaning of
a word, she kept 3 unabridged dictionaries well used. She had many an
interesting story to tell and had a quotation for any situation.
In her 80's, when breathing difficulties arose, she became part of a
University of Michigan pulmonary rehab program in which she learned
to play a harmonica. The harmonica group joined together in music and
laughter to build lung power for more effective breathing. After she
moved to Brecon Village in Saline, she became known for her impromptu
"Happy Birthday" harmonica serenades for other residents.
Doris passed away February 24, 2010 at 92 years of age. A memorial
will be held in the meeting room at Brecon Village in Saline, 200
Brecon Dr, Saline, 48176 on March 20th at 3 p.m. The family invites
you to come to share your memories.
Memorial donations may be made in Doris's name to PALM, PO Box
7161, Ann Arbor, MI 48107.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Alternatives to PALM
As many of you know, PALM filled very quickly again this year, and we have turned away a large number of potential riders. I believe that PALM is a fairly unique ride in that we keep most of our daily distances to a maximum of about 50 miles, and we try to have a ride that appeals to a wide variety of ages, abilities, and biking experiences. However, there are other rides in Michigan and our surrounding states that you might decide to try as an alternative to or in addition to PALM. I will list some of them in this blog entry, and you can get details by checking out the web sites. As far as I can determine, these rides do not fill as quickly as PALM does. There seems to be a "hilly" theme to the rides this year. If you have young children, please read the web sites carefully as some rides have restrictions on the ages of children permitted on the ride.
The Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure. www.goba.com. June 19-26, a 7 day loop ride. From what I have been told, this ride attracts the same variety of participants as PALM does. Like PALM, each year GOBA follows a different route, and this year's ride will be located in very scenic but also rather hilly southeastern Ohio, near Athens and the Hocking Hills area. The 7 days include 5 riding days of 45-60 miles each, with 2 layover days that include optional loop rides or alternate activities. The ride limit is 3000, and the fee does not include meals. GOBA has an excellent web site, with lots of details about the ride and an excellent rider handbook.
Across Ohio Bicycle Adventure (XOBA). July 25 to August 1. www.outdoor-pursuits.org/xoba. The ride is limited to 250 participants. This year's route will cover the rolling hills of southern and eastern Ohio. The average daily mileage is 60 miles.
TRIRI. Touring Ride Across Rural Indiana. June 20-26. www.triri.org. This year's hilly route is in southeastern Indiana and includes 3 days of 65 miles, and 3 layover days with optional loops.
Rides sponsored by the League of Michigan Bicyclists. www.lmb.org. The League sponsors several rides which this year include Pedal and Paddle (June 5-6),the Sunrise Adventure (June 18-20), MUP (July 17-24), and the challenging and very scenic West Shoreline (August 7-14).
If you want even more options, you can go to www.nbtda.com, and search for rides all over the country.
We sincerely hope that all of you find a biking adventure that you can enjoy in 2010, and we hope that you will be able to join us on PALM in 2011.
The Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure. www.goba.com. June 19-26, a 7 day loop ride. From what I have been told, this ride attracts the same variety of participants as PALM does. Like PALM, each year GOBA follows a different route, and this year's ride will be located in very scenic but also rather hilly southeastern Ohio, near Athens and the Hocking Hills area. The 7 days include 5 riding days of 45-60 miles each, with 2 layover days that include optional loop rides or alternate activities. The ride limit is 3000, and the fee does not include meals. GOBA has an excellent web site, with lots of details about the ride and an excellent rider handbook.
Across Ohio Bicycle Adventure (XOBA). July 25 to August 1. www.outdoor-pursuits.org/xoba. The ride is limited to 250 participants. This year's route will cover the rolling hills of southern and eastern Ohio. The average daily mileage is 60 miles.
TRIRI. Touring Ride Across Rural Indiana. June 20-26. www.triri.org. This year's hilly route is in southeastern Indiana and includes 3 days of 65 miles, and 3 layover days with optional loops.
Rides sponsored by the League of Michigan Bicyclists. www.lmb.org. The League sponsors several rides which this year include Pedal and Paddle (June 5-6),the Sunrise Adventure (June 18-20), MUP (July 17-24), and the challenging and very scenic West Shoreline (August 7-14).
If you want even more options, you can go to www.nbtda.com, and search for rides all over the country.
We sincerely hope that all of you find a biking adventure that you can enjoy in 2010, and we hope that you will be able to join us on PALM in 2011.
Ellie, PALM "Mail Granny"
Friday, February 12, 2010
Working away
Things are going slowly on the application front. I did a batch of applications for about 80 people last weekend. I sent out confirmations for those on Wednesday. Everyone should have gotten them by now. I checked with Vickie today and she sent me some more that I should be getting tomorrow. With all this, I'm only up to rider 371. I'm not even half done yet. Ellie has created a list of everyone who is on the ride and when we received their application. I checked it and I haven't started on the people whose applications reached us on Jan 19, the Tuesday after the MLK holiday. That means if you didn't fill out and mail your application the day you received it, there is no way I've processed your application. We've mailed back the checks of everyone who didn't get on the ride 10 days ago so everybody who is not on the ride knows it. If you haven't heard from us, that's a good thing.
While you are waiting for your confirmations, now would be a good time to get your bike in shape. I got a note from my bike shop. He's pretty idle and it's not like you're going to miss any good biking weather this week. You'll get your bike back quickly and you'll be ready for those odd little quirks in Michigan's weather. (Last year it got up to the 50's in February and I was able to ride to Belle Isle and around it from work. Go figure.) For me, I broke a tent pole on last year's PALM. The bike shops helped me jury rig a fix for the tour, but I've got to get it fixed or replaced. Now is the time for me to do it, not May when Sierra Designs will be too busy to care about me.
Amazingly, the gardening stuff has really picked up. Last week I began a 9 week course (Urban Roots) on community gardening. We had the first meeting of the Grandmont Community garden on the Tuesday of the big snow. And we have the potluck next Tuesday that kicks off the Garden Resource Program, a good way to spend Mardi Gras. All this and we can't see the ground for the snow. We must be optimistic in Michigan. I found out that my dog really likes playing in deep snow, so it does have its uses.
While you are waiting for your confirmations, now would be a good time to get your bike in shape. I got a note from my bike shop. He's pretty idle and it's not like you're going to miss any good biking weather this week. You'll get your bike back quickly and you'll be ready for those odd little quirks in Michigan's weather. (Last year it got up to the 50's in February and I was able to ride to Belle Isle and around it from work. Go figure.) For me, I broke a tent pole on last year's PALM. The bike shops helped me jury rig a fix for the tour, but I've got to get it fixed or replaced. Now is the time for me to do it, not May when Sierra Designs will be too busy to care about me.
Amazingly, the gardening stuff has really picked up. Last week I began a 9 week course (Urban Roots) on community gardening. We had the first meeting of the Grandmont Community garden on the Tuesday of the big snow. And we have the potluck next Tuesday that kicks off the Garden Resource Program, a good way to spend Mardi Gras. All this and we can't see the ground for the snow. We must be optimistic in Michigan. I found out that my dog really likes playing in deep snow, so it does have its uses.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Entering Applications
We are well into processing the applications now. I've sent out confirmation letters for 286 people. Basically I sent out confirmations for all the applications we received thru Saturday Jan 16. This would be everyone who sent in their application the day they received it and live close to Michigan. Last week Ellie returned the checks, with regrets, to all the people who sent in their applications too late, ie everybody whose application is postmarked greater than Jan 19. She sent out letters covering roughly 200 people. If you didn't mail in your application the day you got it in the mail, you don't want to hear from us until the end of the week at the earliest.
Vickie has been working me hard. She even sent me applications for 55 people just before she left for Florida for 6 weeks. (She'll be sending me the rest of the applications from there. If you can't get to Florida at least your application can.) I sent out confirmations for this latest batch today, so I am finally caught up. Meanwhile, it's getting cold here and I run outside. On Thursday it was in the low teens with a 10-15 mph wind and I froze. On Friday, it was 3 degrees with a 5 mph wind and I was fine. I wore different clothes on Friday, basically everything I had, but I wore plenty on Thursday too. Today I ran with the temperature in the mid teens and a 10 mph wind. Once again I was cold (but not my hands: I learned my lesson there). It looks like for me, it's all about the wind.
I know you're thinking: it's the end of January. It's the coldest time of the year. How can he work in something about gardens and vegetables? It can be done. I mentioned that each family garden gets 34 packets of seeds and 102 plants in the Garden Resource Program. The plants come from the greenhouse at Earthworks Gardens by the Capuchin Soup Kitchen. Where do the seeds come from? Some of them are saved from plants grown in the last season. Some are brought in bulk. That still leaves filling the individual packets from the bulk/saved seeds. This year the seeds are being packed by volunteers all over the city organized by Riet Schumack. Last Saturday I helped pack seeds for kidney beans, Swiss chard (one of my favorites), and dill at Rosedale Baptist Church on Evergreen, a place I run by every time I run. And next week I start the Urban Roots gardening program. You see I could work gardens in and summer is coming.
Vickie has been working me hard. She even sent me applications for 55 people just before she left for Florida for 6 weeks. (She'll be sending me the rest of the applications from there. If you can't get to Florida at least your application can.) I sent out confirmations for this latest batch today, so I am finally caught up. Meanwhile, it's getting cold here and I run outside. On Thursday it was in the low teens with a 10-15 mph wind and I froze. On Friday, it was 3 degrees with a 5 mph wind and I was fine. I wore different clothes on Friday, basically everything I had, but I wore plenty on Thursday too. Today I ran with the temperature in the mid teens and a 10 mph wind. Once again I was cold (but not my hands: I learned my lesson there). It looks like for me, it's all about the wind.
I know you're thinking: it's the end of January. It's the coldest time of the year. How can he work in something about gardens and vegetables? It can be done. I mentioned that each family garden gets 34 packets of seeds and 102 plants in the Garden Resource Program. The plants come from the greenhouse at Earthworks Gardens by the Capuchin Soup Kitchen. Where do the seeds come from? Some of them are saved from plants grown in the last season. Some are brought in bulk. That still leaves filling the individual packets from the bulk/saved seeds. This year the seeds are being packed by volunteers all over the city organized by Riet Schumack. Last Saturday I helped pack seeds for kidney beans, Swiss chard (one of my favorites), and dill at Rosedale Baptist Church on Evergreen, a place I run by every time I run. And next week I start the Urban Roots gardening program. You see I could work gardens in and summer is coming.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
PALM 2010 Has Filled
We jumped from about 250 participants to 414 on the Tuesday after the MLK holiday. When we only got applications for 50 riders on Wednesday, I thought that we could make it thru the week before PALM filled. Wrong. We jumped to 637 on Thusday and then got applications for 200 more people on Friday. We are filled. If your application is postmarked on or before Jan 19 you are on PALM, otherwise you are not.
A word about this: we don't like turning away people from PALM. All of the staff are volunteers. We do this because we love PALM. To tell someone that they cannot be on the ride that you can't imagine living without is very painful. We try to do what we can. Everyone who didn't make it this year will be added to the mailing list. (And once again, the best chance you have of being on PALM is being on the mailing list.) Each year I create an email list of everyone who has missed the cutoff. When we start to fill, I email warnings. This year I did it on Saturday when I saw that we had 250 participants after only 2 days. People do miss PALM, but we do what we can.
I'm starting to enter applications on the computer and send out confirmation letters. Today I'll be sending out confirmations for all the applications that we received on Friday Jan 15 . I'm up to 175 so I have about 600 more people to enter. It will take Vickie and I weeks to check the applications for errors, enter them into the computer, and mail out confirmation letters. We'll be returning the checks of the applications that didn't make it to us in time, with regrets, starting today. Unless you mailed in your application the day you received it, you don't want to hear from us for a while. Ellie has been keeping track of the applications we have received. Wait two weeks. If you really got to know if you are on the ride, email us then and Ellie will tell you. But wait two weeks. If you haven't received your check back by then, the chances are very good that you are on the ride. Your application would have to be lost in the mail and, if we receive it even weeks later and it has a post mark of Jan 19 or earlier, you are on the ride. Remember Ellie is the one with the broken wrist. Give her a break (no pun intended).
A word about this: we don't like turning away people from PALM. All of the staff are volunteers. We do this because we love PALM. To tell someone that they cannot be on the ride that you can't imagine living without is very painful. We try to do what we can. Everyone who didn't make it this year will be added to the mailing list. (And once again, the best chance you have of being on PALM is being on the mailing list.) Each year I create an email list of everyone who has missed the cutoff. When we start to fill, I email warnings. This year I did it on Saturday when I saw that we had 250 participants after only 2 days. People do miss PALM, but we do what we can.
I'm starting to enter applications on the computer and send out confirmation letters. Today I'll be sending out confirmations for all the applications that we received on Friday Jan 15 . I'm up to 175 so I have about 600 more people to enter. It will take Vickie and I weeks to check the applications for errors, enter them into the computer, and mail out confirmation letters. We'll be returning the checks of the applications that didn't make it to us in time, with regrets, starting today. Unless you mailed in your application the day you received it, you don't want to hear from us for a while. Ellie has been keeping track of the applications we have received. Wait two weeks. If you really got to know if you are on the ride, email us then and Ellie will tell you. But wait two weeks. If you haven't received your check back by then, the chances are very good that you are on the ride. Your application would have to be lost in the mail and, if we receive it even weeks later and it has a post mark of Jan 19 or earlier, you are on the ride. Remember Ellie is the one with the broken wrist. Give her a break (no pun intended).
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Applications Are Coming In
Ellie and Vickie went to the PALM post office box on Friday and it contained the applications for 143 participants. There goes my chance for a low number and I mailed my application on Thursday night. I went to Ann Arbor on Saturday to pick up the first few applications from Vickie (26 of them) so that I could test the changes I made on real data. They brought in Saturday's mail. I counted 70 envelopes. That should end up being about 100 people. We picked up mail for two days and PALM is already 1/3 filled. Since there is no mail on Monday, Tuesday could be a big day. If it is and you want to be on PALM, you had better send in your application this week. Remember all you have to send in with your application is the registration fee ($110 for adults, 18 and over; $65 for young people, 11-17; and $55 for children 10 and under). You can select and pay for meals and bus rides up to May 15. If you need an application, you can download one from here.
Besides the PALM application, the application to join the Garden Resource Program came in Tuesday's mail. My two favorite things for the summer in the same mail. I've expanded my garden to 20 by 25 with an additional raised bed behind the garage, but I'll be getting 108 plants and 34 packets of seeds. I'm going to be hard pressed. There is going to be a community potluck on Feb 16. There is nothing better than to talk about gardening in the dead of winter. They also sent out a list of classes that I can take. I took one on bee keeping last year to see what was involved. It was very interesting. Did you know that keeping bees is illegal in most cities, including Detroit? Something about harboring wild animals. Did you know that almost all cities are losing pollinators, but not Detroit? (Could have something to do with the 40% of Detroit that is vacant land.) Did you know if you move a bee hive 20 or 30 feet, the bees won't be able to find it? (They navigate back to the hive using the angle of the sun. They'll find where the hive used to be.) But if you move a hive miles, no problem. (When the bees leave the hive after the move they realize that their geographic bearings are messed up and they will recalibrate.)
Besides the PALM application, the application to join the Garden Resource Program came in Tuesday's mail. My two favorite things for the summer in the same mail. I've expanded my garden to 20 by 25 with an additional raised bed behind the garage, but I'll be getting 108 plants and 34 packets of seeds. I'm going to be hard pressed. There is going to be a community potluck on Feb 16. There is nothing better than to talk about gardening in the dead of winter. They also sent out a list of classes that I can take. I took one on bee keeping last year to see what was involved. It was very interesting. Did you know that keeping bees is illegal in most cities, including Detroit? Something about harboring wild animals. Did you know that almost all cities are losing pollinators, but not Detroit? (Could have something to do with the 40% of Detroit that is vacant land.) Did you know if you move a bee hive 20 or 30 feet, the bees won't be able to find it? (They navigate back to the hive using the angle of the sun. They'll find where the hive used to be.) But if you move a hive miles, no problem. (When the bees leave the hive after the move they realize that their geographic bearings are messed up and they will recalibrate.)
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Applications Have Started Arriving
I guess they really did mail out the 2010 PALM applications because I got mine today. Of course, I'm only 40 miles from where they mail them. This year's applications are in black and white, sort of like winter. The hardest part of winter for me is the lack of light and the color deprivation. That's why I like cardinals. Their red coats in the winter are an act of defiance. You also can show defiance: mail in that PALM application. There will be a summer. You will be able to ride your bike again.
I took a few days off last weekend before the registration rush to go to Florida. It was the coldest it's been there in 27 years. I was going to run a race so the cold weather was great. I was trained for it. The 80's was what I was afraid of. I was probably the only happy person on the plane. The only trouble was the race started at 5:30 AM (Actually I was in the third wave so for me it started at 6:00 AM). There were 16,887 participants so we had to get there early. We were supposed to be at the start at 4:00 AM. This meant that we had to get up around 3:00 AM. All this so that we could wait in the dark and the wind and the cold for the race to start. We had 4 or 5 miles in before the sun even rose. I went with my brother and his training group from Flint. We all did well. My brother was the first finisher from Flint. I was the second finisher from Detroit. Well, Detroit is larger. Oh, I was also the last finisher from Detroit. You just have to look at it the right way.
I should start getting applications this weekend to do my part of registration. I still have work to do to get ready. I had to make changes to the registration program, database, and the confirmation letters. I made the changes but I need to test them more thoroughly to be sure that they work. I made a preliminary test and caught a few obvious errors, but I need to test some more before I start doing things for real. It's best if I do it on weekends when I have more time and am more awake. Wish me luck.
I took a few days off last weekend before the registration rush to go to Florida. It was the coldest it's been there in 27 years. I was going to run a race so the cold weather was great. I was trained for it. The 80's was what I was afraid of. I was probably the only happy person on the plane. The only trouble was the race started at 5:30 AM (Actually I was in the third wave so for me it started at 6:00 AM). There were 16,887 participants so we had to get there early. We were supposed to be at the start at 4:00 AM. This meant that we had to get up around 3:00 AM. All this so that we could wait in the dark and the wind and the cold for the race to start. We had 4 or 5 miles in before the sun even rose. I went with my brother and his training group from Flint. We all did well. My brother was the first finisher from Flint. I was the second finisher from Detroit. Well, Detroit is larger. Oh, I was also the last finisher from Detroit. You just have to look at it the right way.
I should start getting applications this weekend to do my part of registration. I still have work to do to get ready. I had to make changes to the registration program, database, and the confirmation letters. I made the changes but I need to test them more thoroughly to be sure that they work. I made a preliminary test and caught a few obvious errors, but I need to test some more before I start doing things for real. It's best if I do it on weekends when I have more time and am more awake. Wish me luck.
And They're Off
The PALM 2010 applications were mailed out January 12 by 1st class mail. We mailed 3477 of them, up about 400. If you haven't received our application by Friday and want one, check the web site. I'll post a link to a PDF file containing it there. Our printer mailed them out and said that about 300 people had forwarding addresses (they moved or are in Florida). It's going to take some time for the applications to reach these people. If you are one of them, download a copy on Friday.
As advertised, I added anyone who emailed us their mailing address by Jan 2 to the mailing list and you should get an application by mail. Everyone who emailed us after that I added to the mailing list and then emailed them the link to the application on the web today. You should be set. Once again the reason I'm not posting the link to the application on the website now is that lots of our riders are not friends of the web and we want everybody to have an equal opportunity to get on PALM.
A few more things to remember: last year we mailed out the applications Jan 25 and the ride filled (700 rider limit) on Feb 5. Every year for the last 4 years we've filled a little earlier. With the economy in Michigan, who knows about this year, but you've been warned. If you are short on cash after Christmas, remember all you have mail in immediately is the registration fee: $110 for adults 18 and over, $65 for young people 11 to 17, and $55 for children 10 and under. You have until May 15 to add any meals and bus rides you may want. (All meals are optional: you can pick and chose if you want.)
Please fill out your application carefully, Last year about 15% of the applications had errors. Every error means we have to at least make a phone call. If you got the amount wrong, we have to mail you back your check and get a new one. Very time consuming. And please send us a business sized self addressed stamped envelope so that we can send you back a confirmation letter. (That's one of the things I do for registration, so I'm real interested in this.)
As advertised, I added anyone who emailed us their mailing address by Jan 2 to the mailing list and you should get an application by mail. Everyone who emailed us after that I added to the mailing list and then emailed them the link to the application on the web today. You should be set. Once again the reason I'm not posting the link to the application on the website now is that lots of our riders are not friends of the web and we want everybody to have an equal opportunity to get on PALM.
A few more things to remember: last year we mailed out the applications Jan 25 and the ride filled (700 rider limit) on Feb 5. Every year for the last 4 years we've filled a little earlier. With the economy in Michigan, who knows about this year, but you've been warned. If you are short on cash after Christmas, remember all you have mail in immediately is the registration fee: $110 for adults 18 and over, $65 for young people 11 to 17, and $55 for children 10 and under. You have until May 15 to add any meals and bus rides you may want. (All meals are optional: you can pick and chose if you want.)
Please fill out your application carefully, Last year about 15% of the applications had errors. Every error means we have to at least make a phone call. If you got the amount wrong, we have to mail you back your check and get a new one. Very time consuming. And please send us a business sized self addressed stamped envelope so that we can send you back a confirmation letter. (That's one of the things I do for registration, so I'm real interested in this.)
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Happy New Year
The First Dozen was on January 1. The high was supposed to be 25. I got a call from a diehard Wolverine Bike club member. She said it was too cold and she wasn't going to ride. I went outside to get the bicycle pump out of my car. The wind was blowing, it was cold, and I hadn't preregistered. I decided not to do it and decided to jog instead. (Biking is always colder than running.) The first 1/2 mile was against the wind and I was really cold. The street was a sheet of ice so I thought that I made the right decision. Later on in the run I warmed up and it wasn't bad. I looked at the main roads: perfectly clear. And to top it off the Wolverine Club member called me up. She did the ride and wanted to know where I was. There is a lesson in this. It's either always try to ride before you decide that you can't or don't live where they have winter, I'm not sure which.
I jog outside year round. Winter in SE Michigan is makes jogging doable: it snows, but snow accumulations of over 6 inches are rare. Granted it doesn't go away, but it does get trampled down. It gets cold, but a winter can go by where it doesn't get to zero. My hands and my face are what get cold. I found a new set of gloves to wear under my mittens now my hands are good. I have a Poletec bandana that I can use to cover my face so that's OK too. I jog in the morning. Not many people are out. Emanuel Stewart lives in my neighborhood and occasionally I see one of his boxers (who leaves me in the dust). It's a kick to be the first one to make tracks in fresh snow. It's different being the first bike to make tracks in the snow. I try to avoid that.
I sent the mailing list for the 2010 PALM applications to the printer today (January 3). There were 3417 addresses for applications. You can still email us your mailing address and we'll put you on the mailing list. We printed up and stamped some extra applications to mail out and we'll try to get you one of those. However the staffer who volunteered to do this (Ellie) slipped on the ice and broke the wrist of the hand she writes with. It seems to be one of the prerequisites for working on registration. She is the one who answers all the email. She's gamely pressing on but you'll notice that her answers are getting shorter. Meanwhile I'm getting the application program ready for this year's registration. (New application fields, changes to the database and the confirmation letter.) I made the changes but I need to test them before the first batch of applications come in.
I jog outside year round. Winter in SE Michigan is makes jogging doable: it snows, but snow accumulations of over 6 inches are rare. Granted it doesn't go away, but it does get trampled down. It gets cold, but a winter can go by where it doesn't get to zero. My hands and my face are what get cold. I found a new set of gloves to wear under my mittens now my hands are good. I have a Poletec bandana that I can use to cover my face so that's OK too. I jog in the morning. Not many people are out. Emanuel Stewart lives in my neighborhood and occasionally I see one of his boxers (who leaves me in the dust). It's a kick to be the first one to make tracks in fresh snow. It's different being the first bike to make tracks in the snow. I try to avoid that.
I sent the mailing list for the 2010 PALM applications to the printer today (January 3). There were 3417 addresses for applications. You can still email us your mailing address and we'll put you on the mailing list. We printed up and stamped some extra applications to mail out and we'll try to get you one of those. However the staffer who volunteered to do this (Ellie) slipped on the ice and broke the wrist of the hand she writes with. It seems to be one of the prerequisites for working on registration. She is the one who answers all the email. She's gamely pressing on but you'll notice that her answers are getting shorter. Meanwhile I'm getting the application program ready for this year's registration. (New application fields, changes to the database and the confirmation letter.) I made the changes but I need to test them before the first batch of applications come in.
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