Inside The Perimeter

I have been so busy, and so mentally exhausted that it wasn’t until yesterday that I realized just how lucky I was to have my frame break during BRAG, where I could get picked up and driven to the end. I think of the many times I’ve done solo long rides, and though I’ve attempted to limit disasters, don’t exactly know what I would do if my bike became unrideable. AAA? Uber? Lyft? Walk? I hope I don’t have to find out in the future.

At Nam Dae Mun I bought seven ears of corn for $2 the other day. So, with the Korean cabbage I also bought there and some WLF zucchini I made a fry up, and served it over some Asian noodles and an Asian sauce I mixed up. It was delicious, and only wish that all of the vegetables came from WLF.

Speaking of WLF, I think I am going to pull the few corn plants which are growing because there are not nearly enough to pollinate the silk in order to turn into ears of corn.

I’ve read that CHaRM will be vacating their Hill Street location at year’s end. I don’t know if they own or lease the land, but either way I’m sure a new housing development will be put there since it’s directly on the Beltline. Pity. This means I will probably stop making the effort to recycle electronics and glass. This planet is fucked, and my efforts are making little impact.

Wordle: four, my starter was OILER

Today’s excursion is to take my broken frame to Marietta where I will pick up Allan and head to Atlanta Cycling. If I can get a deal on a new bicycle I might buy a new bicycle (remember when I wanted to stop spending so much money?), or if they simply offer me a replacement frame I will go that route. If they don’t offer a discounted new bike, and no conditioned are made to compensate me for my broken frame, I don’t know what I will do next.

A rouge, small storm cell made its way ITP and barely over WLF yesterday afternoon, providing some much-needed rain. WLF could soak up a lot more, but at least I won’t have to run the sprinklers today.

Wordle: four, my starter was DRUPE

Yesterday’s irrigation workshop was very educational, and included an amazing lunch. Afterwards I drove over to Schoolhouse Brewing and was pleased to see my favorite employee, Gabby, behind the bar. With two beers in belly, and a four-pack in hand, I tipped heavily and spent the next hour driving home.

My busy week continues. After doing laundry this morning I will be driving down to Luthersville, where I was briefly during BRAG last week, to pick up my broken frame from ITP-Reader Steve’s house. If I can time it properly I will also be revisiting Karvelas Pizza Co. in Hogansville, where we Chattahooligans consumed a few beers during our ride.

Looks as if I will be watching some ad-laden tv soon as I have discovered that a new season of “Clarkson’s Farm” has been released. Unfortunately for me the next season of “Severance” may not arrive until 2027? WTF…

Wordle: three, my starter was CRASH

Unfortunately I may have picked up a bit of a repetitive stress injury doing BRAG. For the past couple of days it feels as if I have an issue near my right Achilles tendon. I will wear my ankle brace and rest it as best as possible this week and see how it goes.

Wee Little Farm at Urban Farm Ormewood has been launched! Yesterday morning I drove over to the Wylde Center Plant Market to buy plants. Unfortunately they didn’t have any pepper plants, so I left with two tomato plants because they were 50% off. From there I went to Lowe’s to buy four pepper plants. The tomato plants and three of the pepper plants were taken over to WLF@UFO and planted into my raised bed. I have enough space remaining in my raised bed to plant some bush beans soon.

For dinner last night I made a hamburger served over potatoes and lettuce, both of which were grown in WLF.

Today I am doing more farming cosplay, this time attending a workshop about irrigation, in a faraway place called “Roswell”, which probably receives inches of rain at a time. Water management, especially when it refuses to fall from the sky, is huge so I’m spending $10 to learn more about it.

Wordle: five, my starter was CLEAT

Another BRAG is in the books. With the exception of my bicycle frame breaking it was an amazing week. Thanks again to ITP-Reader Steve, as well as all of my other friends who helped me complete the task. After almost nodding off a couple of times on the drive home I spent the remainder of Saturday catching up on sleep.

As an added bonus, our very own ITP-Reader Bob was interviewed by Fox 5 when we were in Trilith.

In the process of searching for the receipt for my bike, which I may have tossed last year since I see the folder labeled “Bike Wreck” is empty, I found the receipts for the other two bicycles I have purchased while living in Atlanta. Dangen!

Wee Little Farm is suffering. Most things are not growing, except for the zucchini which were HUGE by the time I picked them yesterday. I also picked three nice cucumbers, four potatoes from one grow bag, as well as a handful of rattlesnake beans. This may be a very lean year if things don’t start to grow soon.

I decided to take a walk to Urban Farm Ormewood yesterday and fortunately ran into someone who is responsible for managing it. I identified my 4’x8′ raised bed, and confirmed that I could start planting. Of course, it’s supposed to rain every day this week…

Wordle: four, my starter was ASTER

Good day riding yesterday, 55 miles. Stan worked on the bike a bit, and almost all of the gears were available.

Today is the penultimate day of BRAG.

World class athlete and Olympic champion Lindsey Vonn is now following me on Strava. After dating Tiger Woods I might be a letdown. 😀

Wordle: six, my starter was PRIME

Yesterday was the layover day in Carrollton, so not much to report from BRAG. We did ride to Printer’s Ale for beers and food. Instead of going into town I decided to stay at camp and reorganize my gear.

There is news from the home front, just not as big of news as I was hoping. I finally heard back from Urban Farm Ormewood and I was randomly selected to receive a farming spot. Unfortunately, I was selected to receive one raised bed (whose location and dimensions I’ve yet to discover) and not an in-ground plot. Given that we are already in June I may try to grow some fast-growing plants like squash, or I may see what pepper varieties are still available at nurseries or hardware stores.

Wordle: three, my starter was SILKY

Well, I rode a century yesterday. One hundred miles on a frame on which I had never been, and with a chain and rear cassette which often had to negotiate before settling on an acceptable gear. But did it, and today I will suffer the ramifications of my choices made yesterday.

Wordle: three, my starter was ANISE

As I mentioned yesterday, the frame of my bike broke yesterday. Add another item to the “Weird Things That Happen To Paulie” list. Thanks to the generosity of ITP-Reader Steve I am probably out suffering as you read this. But, suffering beats abandoning. Today’s destination: Carrollton.

Wordle: five, my starter was SOUPY

Happy June 1.

Day 1 of BRAG was a good time, 50 miles from LaFayette to Rome, where the climbing was done in the first half. I felt good, even if I had to ride without sunglasses since mine broke as I was cleaning them right before our departure.

Relatively short day today, only 38 miles, so we are going to pack up camp and ride to a real breakfast prior to starting our was to Cave Spring.

Wordle: six, my starter was FAIRY