A special evening with a “Murder Mystery” Train trip on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad.
Outside the Train in Cumberland. We boarded at sunset, and had an enjoyable evening.
There are times when ideas come from strange sources. Dianne found a Murder Mystery dinner party game and asked about trying one. We weren’t too sure about them, but the idea stuck in the back of our minds. I had signed up for a “Rails and Ales” train trip last year, but that had been cancelled. I found myself looking at the schedule again to see if they had set up another such trip this year, when I saw the “Murder Mystery” train trip. That was an easy decision – when I mentioned it to Dianne, she was immediately enthusiastic. So it was that in May I got tickets for early October.
The murder mystery was provided by a group of players, who would go up and down the train performing for the passengers in each car. A program gave us the background and some details of the characters. A nice dinner was served. At the end, we had to guess who the killer was, and among those who chose correctly, one name was drawn to receive a prize. (We didn’t choose correctly, but we still had fun with it.)
Our table. We had a nice trip, a good dinner, and a mystery to solve!
We sat with another couple and enjoyed the company and the time. The trip was at night, but with the entertainment on the train itself, we had plenty to see and do, and enjoyed good conversation, a nice dinner, and of course, the Murder Mystery itself.
We stayed in a Fairfield Inn only a quarter of a mile from the station. It was a pleasant walk. The area includes restaurants, and everything you might want is nearby. We want to go back for another trip, maybe a fall foliage tour or another day trip on the trains.
The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad Station. The platform is at the back of the building, and our hotel was a very short walk from there.
The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad has many specialty trips, including day trips from Cumberland to Frostburg, and specialty trains such as a “Polar Express” ride near Christmastime, dinner trains, and of course the Murder Mystery train. We’re going to be riding again in the future!
I’ve been working hard lately, riding my bike alone after work and generally trying to keep busy. Much of my cycling has been on my gravel bike. It’s a very comfortable and fun bike to ride. I’ve written about it here before. Mostly it feels DIFFERENT, and that’s what draws me to it. The road bike is still my friend, but I haven’t been training for any events this fall. Training for long rides is a very serious thing. It was much easier when I was riding lots of events from spring to late fall, and I had a group of friends to ride with and keep me motivated. That’s been changing too. Those friends have mostly moved on from the events if not my local area. It has become harder for me to commit the time and effort to solo training, and events can be expensive to sign up for and travel to attend. I’m still riding often, but this year it’s been shorter distances and slower speeds. Those 100 mile events that I used to be enthusiastic about started to wear on my body. That was my first clue that I had to evolve.
For the first time in 19 years the Seagull Century in Salisbury Maryland has been held without me. For a long time, I thought I would miss it, but yesterday the event went on, and I didn’t feel like I missed out. It felt more like I’ve moved on. I’ve ridden it 17 times, and most of the friends who rode with me during the best of those years stopped riding it long ago. A post on the Seagull Century Facebook group suggested that less than 2500 riders were there. When I started, there were 6000-8000 riders per year. Whatever the reason for the reduction in participation, it seems like the event has changed too, and that’s another reason for me to change with the times. I’ve been thinking of new ways to spend my time, and I’ll certainly write about some of them, but for the last 20 years or so a large part of my identity has been “hardcore cyclist”. It’s time I dropped the “hardcore” part, ride for the soul, choose different events for different reasons, and look for different activities and interests. Change is never easy, particularly not to a part of my identity that gave me good times and introduced me to so many excellent people. I have to find a good level of cycling to match my ambitions. Perhaps more than this year’s miles to keep a good fitness level, but no century rides. While I’ve loved riding them, in recent years they’ve started to take a toll on my body. I’m told that a tradition is an experiment that worked. This is true of century rides. The Seagull was an experiment that repaid me many times over for the effort to train for it and complete it. Yet both the event and my relation to it have evolved. As a dear friend asked, Am I going out of habit? Or does it serve a purpose? I think it didn’t serve me to continue. That isn’t a source of sadness, more an acknowledgment of my own evolution. I have good memories and feelings bound up in them, but they don’t serve a purpose for me as they once did.
Recently, I met with a group of friends who all share my love of good Scotch Whisky. My contribution to that meeting is pictured below. We’ve been meeting over good Whisky for many years. We’ve been doing it so long that we’ve refined our tastes. We tend to agree that we like single malts from the Islay region. I’ve found that just because a whisky is aged more doesn’t make it more interesting. Smoother, yes. But the enjoyment is often in the complexity and fullness of the taste. I like whisky that is 14-16 years old for a balance of smoothness and taste. While the Jura 18 is an excellent whisky, my friends and I agree that the Jura 16 is actually a little more interesting on the palate. Tastes change over time just as people do. I enjoy different whiskies as time goes on. Whisky is a complex subject. As you can likely guess, these whisky nights with friends (which include good food as well) are deeply enjoyable and memorable times. It struck me that evolution was happening all around me.
I’m a fan of good Scotch Whisky. This is an 18 year old single malt from the Isle of Jura Distillery that I shared with close friends. It’s very smooth with a rich, smoky flavor that makes Islay malts some of my favorites.
Among these whisky enthusiasts are some whom I once cycled events with. These are times to laugh, share, sift through old memories and even emotions, and let the whisky and camaraderie flow. When I talked of backing away from these events, I was greeted with “It’s about time” and “We all change”, but of course we also set up a short (20 mile) ride in a month or so starting and ending from a brew pub, so despite our advancing years we remain committed to maintaining some of our hobbies and habits, at least for now. The point is that we have all evolved. I am evolving, and it feels odd to have this part of my identity changing. I suppose that my awareness of the changes has caused me to put a lot of thought into what I will become. I have had time to reflect and discuss my desire to move on and explore other interests with close friends, and even through a whisky haze, it made perfect sense. As time goes on, I will write about these new lines of thought and new lines of interest as they come up. This has been a cycling blog for the most part, because cycling has taken up a good deal of my time, but as I evolve, this blog will evolve with me. Stay tuned.
March is here, the forecast is looking slightly warmer, and the time has come to get outdoors again.
Spring cycling time has arrived, and my road bike is ready to go!
For me, the worst time of year is the winter. There are good things about it, but the days are short and cold and to be honest, working out indoors just doesn’t appeal to me. That sweet weekend when Daylight Savings Time comes in really gets me started. Daylight Savings Time is finally here, and I’m getting excited about getting outdoors. My bike is back from the shop for its yearly service and it’s time to get out and ride. I’ve already had some rides on my backup bike. I have some new things to try as well. I have a new kite design to refine, I have some new fishing spots to try as the weather warms, and I have recently found a meetup group for steel bicycle enthusiasts. When I get the chance, I want to ride with them after my bike has been serviced. The combination of daylight and new ideas has me feeling excited about the spring. I have another new idea that I’m excited about – a different kind of cycling adventure for me. I will write about that in a few weeks, and by then I expect to have many more springtime miles under my wheels, and other ideas to end those wintertime blues!
At last I’ve taken vacation in 2024! It took until early September but I took a trip to Lunenburg Nova Scotia, and enjoyed a cycling event in Maine and a visit with my son in Massachusetts on the way home.
Lunenburg, Nova Scotia. A UNESCO World Heritage site, and a great place to visit.
Dianne and I had a good vacation in Canada. We spent some time seeing the sights in Lunenburg, and looking at the historic schooners in port, including the Bluenose II, the vessel that is shown on the Canadian 10 cent coin. We also went whale watching, which was interesting, but we saw more seals than whales. We did see whales on the ferry to and from Bar Harbor Maine through. We took a trip from Bar Harbor to Yarmouth NS on “The Cat”, an oceangoing catamaran ferry. We didn’t get to sail on the Bluenose II, that was booked months in advance, but we did get to see her under sail, and I got a good photo (see below). Spending a few days in a new place does wonders for your peace of mind. There were a lot of things to do, and we got out of ourselves and just had a good time. We stayed in a beautiful bed & breakfast in Lunenburg named Ashlea House. I loved it. Breakfast was fabulous and the rooms were terrific. We had great weather. We found good food and got to know more about Nova Scotia. It was worth the time and effort to get there.
The Bluenose II under sail.A dockside view of the Canadian dime. We walked the decks of the Bluenose II, but didn’t sail on her.
On the way home we spent some time in Portland Maine, where I rode the Maine Lighthouse ride again. As always, it was a beautiful event and we visited some of our favorite places.
In front of Portland Head Lighthouse during the Maine Lighthouse Ride.
I have to admit that most of my vacations involve activities like cycling. I’m not the sort to be found lying on a beach or in a lounge chair poolside for a week. It would drive me insane. I know that this may change because it’s a dynamic life and I’m getting older, but for now I’m happy to merge my vacations with my hobbies. We also took the opportunity to visit the L.L. Bean campus, because it’s 20 minutes from Portland and it can be fun to do. I’m not much of a shopper, but that place is enormous and walking through the multiple buildings filled with different goods can really turn my head. Dianne and I had a good time throughout.
Dianne and I. It’s always fun to have someone with you when you vacation to enrich the experience.
Our final stop was in Worcester Massachussetts to visit my son. I haven’t seen him in a very long time, and it was wonderful to spend time with him.
My son Paul and I.
There is really nothing like taking some time and getting away. This time was well worth waiting until September to take!
The time between New Years and the start of Daylight Savings Time are the hardest days of the year for me. There are very few distractions, it’s cold outside and the days are short. My workouts are mostly indoors, spinning in place. The best thing to do at this time is to use the time the best way I can, and set goals for 2024.
This year’s goals will be more modest than in years past because I’m getting older, and most of the people I used to ride with aren’t available anymore. Most of my cycling miles will be ridden alone. I can’t expect to keep up a fast training pace or plan my time the way I did 10-15 years ago. I’ll plan on riding events, perhaps half a dozen or so to keep me motivated. The goals this year don’t come with times attached. Just miles. This year I want to ride at least 2000 of them. Once the weather improves I’ll be riding 3-5 days a week. I don’t count indoor miles and I never have. (I know, I know… they should ALL count, but trainer workouts just aren’t the same!)
As for setbacks, I’ve been spending a lot of time in doctor’s offices recently. First, I needed a checkup, which came with changes to help control my blood sugar and blood pressure. Then I broke my nose in a fall – for which I got surgery. While I recover, I have been working on my diet. I am determined to get my blood pressure and A1C numbers in the right place. I also want to lose weight. This is the perfect time to start. It’s never easy to address concerns like these, but I am determined. I’ve tried to add good habits such as stretching in the morning to help my flexibility, and I’m proud to say the weight and blood sugar are both heading in a good direction! I know this doesn’t sound like a setback, but you can’t tell what medications will do to your exercise routine, and a broken nose is weeks worth of bother about simple actions like breathing! I’m just glad this happened in the winter. Anything that would hold me back during the good weather months would make it harder to reach my goals.
It is really difficult to change old habits and ways of thinking. I’ve been told that it takes three weeks to develop a new habit. I suppose that includes things like dietary and lifestyle changes, and you really have to commit to a change to make it stick. If I do my best, then come springtime I might make 2024 a very good year!
My photo album above seems like a chronicle of habits, but I need some new ones. the action camera on the left side of the photo is one of the ideas I’ve had to adapt to ever changing times.
I’m a creature of habit. Those habits, good or bad, have become locked into my life. I don’t manage change as well as I would like. The sad part of that is understanding that life IS change. Lately, for a variety of reasons, I’ve had to face some changes, and the discomfort I feel in dealing with them has forced me to think about ways to cope with change. It might be a good idea to start driving changes for myself. After all, many of the habits I’ve formed are the results of decisions that I’ve made in the past and adopted as habits. It occurs to me that one way to cope with change is to make deliberate changes to my own viewpoint and actions in response. It preempts the feeling that change is something that I’m forced to cope with. Change can’t be avoided completely, but once you’ve faced the initial shock of it, finding a way forward is the only answer. In my case, I have to find a way to set aside old habits, or use the change as an opportunity.
This morning I picked up a photo album that I enjoy. It holds photos of cycling events and friends, and it’s got a lot of memories in it. I thought about signing up for the Patuxent Rural Legacy Ride, a local event that I have always enjoyed. Since it’s already mid April and the ride occurs in mid June, I thought that the sign up page should be available online. I could find nothing related to it. Now this might be an error in searching for it on my part, but I couldn’t even find it on the calendar of the Oxon Hill Bike Club, which sponsors it. I could still be wrong, but it seems to me that if I can’t find a registration page two months before the event, then it probably won’t be held, or in the best case will be held later in the year. Since Pax (As I call it) has been one of my favorite events, I’ll miss it. Change has pounced on me again. The pandemic short circuited a lot of events, and some may not come back, but I have to accept that some of the things I have done from habit aren’t a certainty any more. What I need to consider is developing new habits. It’s less of a loss to consider new things to replace what had become a habit or tradition.
I’ve had a slow start to 2022. Between nagging pains, difficult weather and other concerns, I’m feeling less fit and motivated than usual. This doesn’t mean that I’ll give up, but I need to make some deliberate changes in my own behavior. As the weather warms, I have decided to lead some rides for my local club. that will be an intentional change. In addition, I’ve gotten a small action camera to use as I expand on this journal. The Insta360 Go2 is an interesting device, and I’m still learning the best way to use it. Later I may post more about it. By changing my point of view, and offering change to deal with change, I hope to alter how I relate to to things I’ve taken for granted and move forward with purpose. Replacing the habitual with something new seems difficult. It won’t be easy, but nothing worth doing ever is.
I’m looking forward to some familiar events and adventures in 2022. Another trip to Maine in the fall, to see sights such as the Portland Head Lighthouse will certainly motivate me.
Every new year comes in with a sense of optimism. My 2021 was an improvement over 2020, but 2020 was so dismal that it didn’t take much to improve on it. Despite my advancing age, I don’t want to slow down too much. My 2021 will be about trying new things and improving on the old.
For 2022 I want to improve my cycling mileage a bit. It doesn’t have to be a big improvement, just more miles. While I rode more miles last year than I did in 2020, 2020 was such a miserable year that it represented a big drop in miles and it was easy to improve on. I want to improve on 2021. I’m looking into a couple of century rides, a couple of new events, and some longer weekend rides, and perhaps I will ride some of those longer rides at an easier pace.
I’d like to do a few other activities… perhaps some fishing, and other outdoor activities that keep me moving and occupy my mind in a different way. I’ve been very focused on cycling since 2005, and I won’t just set aside something I’ve enjoyed seriously for 17 years. But over the years things have changed. I’m never giving up on what I’ve done all those years. It’s just that I need to find a new way to enjoy it, and just maybe I’ll diversify my interests. That will keep me feeling refreshed. That might be the secret to staying happy in 2022.
It’s been about 2 years since I’ve been to a movie theatre, mostly due to the pandemic, but partly it’s been a lack of films that I’ve been inspired to see. I was intrigued by the release of a sequel to “Ghostbusters”, and the pull of “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” finally got me into a theatre seat. The original “Ghostbusters” came out in 1984 and was an instant hit. The film was original, funny, and well paced. The characters were a good contrast, and nearly 40 years later, it’s accepted as a cult classic. It has been a difficult formula to follow though, after a lackluster follow-up in 1989 and a controversial reboot in 2016.
I noticed that the film received generally poor reviews from critics, but enthusiastic reviews from fans who saw it before it was released to the public. This was the opposite of the reception for the 2016 reboot, which critics praised but audiences disliked. Reading the critics, I think they wanted to defend their praise of the 2016 reboot, and Afterlife makes it an orphan in the Ghostbusters film history. They dismissed Afterlife as pandering to fans of the original. Yet fans found it appealing. Perhaps they want to be pandered to?
This left me thinking – should I believe the practiced eye of the professional critic, or the approval of the kind of fan who attends conventions? Both can be ruthless in their reviews. Sequels and reboots rarely live up to their promise. The Ghostbusters franchise has had 1 disappointing sequel, 1989’s Ghostbusters 2, and the 2016 reboot was considered a failure. The problem with the all female reboot was that it came during a controversial election year. Either criticizing it or supporting it became linked with the candidates. Liking (or not liking) the film got political. When you insert politics into it, you get people polarized for reasons unrelated to the film itself. I think that explains the differences between critics and audiences. It’s the shadow of politics. I decided not to go into the theatre with high expectations.
Count me as pleasantly surprised. I won’t indulge in spoilers here and it’s difficult not to, but my impression of Afterlife is that it clearly wants the audience to remember its roots in the original 1984 classic. Scene after scene will show something familiar. (Watch the 1984 original before you go, and see how many of these things you notice!) The original cast made brief appearances, and the film paid homage to the late Harold Ramis, who played Egon in the original. The story required a lot of character development, and centers around Phoebe, Egon’s granddaughter, a scientifically gifted girl living with her mother, who clearly isn’t anything like her. The actress, McKenna Grace, was brilliant. She and her family find themselves at her grandfather’s farm, which is full of clues about his ghostbusting past. Phoebe’s brother Trevor, his love interest Lucky, and Phoebe’s new friend “Podcast” become the focus of the story.
The cast, particularly Phoebe, are good. Podcast is a quirky character whose enthusiasm was his strength. I thought Trevor and Lucky could have had more character development though. They felt under-used to me. The film plods through the early phase with Phoebe discovering her heritage, but begins to gain momentum as these characters discover why their grandfather lived there, and the secret of his farm and the nearby mine. Then it builds to a strong finish. The film doesn’t beat you over the head with pratfalls. The comedy is well written. The action sequences are good, and the plot follows on from the 1984 film, giving it a familiar vibe. There is also room for more sequels, but we’ll have to see how it does at the box office before that discussion can start. At this writing, Afterlife has out-performed expectations, and unless interest collapses, it should turn a profit. It’s definitely worth seeing, and while it isn’t as good as the 1984 original, it is definitely better than Ghostbusters 2 and the 2016 reboot. This one is worth buying a ticket for – and also worth watching for the mid credit and after credit scenes! This isn’t the kind of film that keeps you guessing or makes you think, but it does exactly what a film should do: it entertains.
Motivation is a tricky business. Getting yourself started when there are other priorities or when doing those things isn’t an attractive or easy notion can be the hardest part of getting something done. What has helped me when I wanted to motivate myself are the concepts of “Pull” and “Push”. The concepts transfer well to many situations and define a style of leadership as well as a personal motivational tool. Push is a command. Pull is an incentive. Between the two, I prefer “pull”. There is nothing you can do that doesn’t include a little bit of both, but the style of pull is a style with positive connotations. The more you use “pull” the less demanding you are.
A reward for reaching your goal is both a good feeling and incentive to keep going!
In many ways, Push is easier. We are all self contained individuals and since we are all at the center of our own awareness and direct our own actions, it can be very easy to make demands of ourselves and others. That isn’t to say it’s always wrong to push. There are times when it is the only option. The mistake that so many people make is that they leap to it as their FIRST option. Given any kind of authority, a measure of push is implied, but the drawback of push is that eventually there is resistance to push that can overwhelm you. In short, the more push you use, the more push you need to use.
Pull is a far more interesting concept. Pull is an incentive to act – a reward that feeds back on the person who is “pulled”. This is a positive experience. It takes more planning, more trust in yourself and others, and more commitment to the goal when you use a “pull” style. It doesn’t always work, but it does make achieving a goal different by emphasizing the reward. For pull to work, the reward has to be realistic. A goal that moves is not achievable, no matter what the incentives are.
Part of pull is creating good habits. Those include good management of time and a good attention to detail. If you have a good plan and follow it, the goal can pull you along. If you fail to keep to your plan, often the only way to get back on track is to push. Flexibility in planning and reaching a goal is important. The better the plan, the less push is required to reach your goal.
Commitment is important. Pull isn’t possible without it. Keep the goal in focus. Constant pushing can lead to avoidance, which is self defeating. If you’re constantly nagging yourself to do something, that task will take on a very negative connotation, and nobody likes to be pushed constantly or can consistently push themselves. There are times when you have to build a rest or a change into your plans. That is part of pull.
Push and pull are evident in how we interact with other people. Everyone has a personal style that they’ve learned over their lifetime. Part of that is the language and tone you choose when you talk to others. Good leaders pull. They share positives. They welcome input and ideas. That’s pull. Bad leaders push. They are not open to new ideas, and they lean on procedures. It’s said that people don’t leave jobs, they leave bosses. I think much of that has to do with the overuse of push!
Sometimes you need to push, but in my opinion, the best way to move yourself forward is to employ incentives and goals and pull yourself along. Often the good feelings you generate by achieving goals will feed back and make continuing that good behavior easier!
Great narratives require obstacles and challenges. We are all the heroes of our personal stories, and our lives are journeys that present us with problems and choices. I find myself thinking about choices, and the metaphor that occurs to me when I think of obstacles or goals is the dragon. As a metaphor, the dragon we picture from legend and story is a powerful and dangerous thing. Dragons represent all kinds of things that have to be overcome as a part of the larger story that each of us are living through. Dragons are fearsome creatures. They embody raw power, and they inspire great fear. As the hero of your personal narrative, you have to overcome dragons to advance your story. When thinking about problems and goals, there are parallels to be drawn with these legendary monsters and real life problems. Metaphorical dragons can be found all around you. Choosing to confront a dragon is how a hero grows. Some dragons we must face in life, and some we choose to face, but dragons exist to challenge you. No matter what kind of dragon confronts you, there are things about dragons (and problems or challenges) that you must remember.
Dragons should not be ignored.
It’s out there. You can feel it. It might make you nervous or tense or anxious or even fearful. You recognize that something is waiting for you. It may even be a small or trivial thing, but it is a dragon. Once you know that a dragon is lurking, you have to recognize the dragon. They have a way of growing larger and more powerful if you ignore them. They consume resources. That dragon occupies your metaphorical space. If you ignore it, fear of the dragon can cause you to freeze or stagnate. There are many problems that only grow more complicated if you ignore them, or if you delay the journey to face them. As they grow, dragons only become harder to defeat. Problems have a way of growing if you don’t face them, and challenges ignored may become harder to face and overcome if you don’t recognize their nature.
Dragons test your resolve.
You know the dragon is there, and now you have to cope with it. Dragons are fearsome things. They have great claws and teeth. They fly and they breathe fire. Will you be able to overcome the dragon? There comes a point when you must make a decision. Dragons are stubborn and malicious. Confronting a dragon is a test. It can occur on many levels, because dragons come in all sizes. Dragons are things you don’t want to face, because facing them requires focus and effort and the character to accept the task of slaying them. Dragons test your resolve. Whether small or large, that dragon is a problem that won’t go away until you face it. The decision to face the dragon is a tipping point. Resolving to face the problem and fight the dragon is important. It may be a matter of responsibility, a matter of pride, or a matter of choice. Once you resolve to fight a dragon, a journey begins. That could be an exotic journey of discovery or a well known and well worn path, but you have to commit to traveling on it.
Dragons require a plan to face.
Dragons are formidable. Once you have committed to facing the dragon, you need the strength and skill to overcome the dragon. Facing a dragon unprepared is unwise. You need tools to defeat them, your metaphorical armor, shield and sword. You must learn how to use these tools. You need to know how to approach the dragon’s lair, and you must learn the weakness of the dragon. Every dragon of legend has a weak spot. As the hero you can overcome the dragon by your strength, your skill, your planning, and your knowledge. A journey is often required to gain the strength, skill and knowledge needed to slay the dragon. Heroes must learn and grow. The price of gaining knowledge is facing the dragon at the end of the journey.
Dragons hoard treasure.
There is a reward for slaying dragons. When the dragon is slain the dragon’s treasure belongs to you. Each dragon you face, big or small, guards a treasure proportionate to its size and power. As you face ever larger and more powerful dragons, you gain confidence and experience. You become more competent. The treasures you gain may be in the form of joy, relief, satisfaction or contentment, and sometimes even material gains. The dragon’s treasure makes the quest to slay the dragon worthwhile. You can’t receive the treasure without facing the difficult task of confronting a dragon. No treasure worth having is unguarded. You need to slay the dragon to appreciate the treasure you receive. Something you get for free is far less valuable than something you had to work for and overcome a dragon to possess.
Dragons in this context are metaphors for all kinds of tasks and goals. Your life is a narrative, and you are the hero of your own tale. The meaning of your life is bound up in the obstacles you have to overcome. Great narratives require obstacles and challenges. These are the dragons we must slay. You get to choose the dragons you challenge. Part of that requires knowing yourself. What do you really want? That is a difficult question that will identify the dragon you choose to face.
Lines and My Life 