Day Six, and Some Leading Up

Day Six already! I've hardly started! I suppose that's what happens when you really like your friends and family and don't bug out as early as possible.

While Marc was at work I asked Paula if there was anything around the house with which I could help. My options were to help hang wallpaper in the kitchen, or "sex" the parrot. I chose wallpaper.

"Sexing" a bird involves plucking some breast feathers and mailing them to a lab for analysis, which means chasing down and capturing the bird. A bird with a sharp beak...and talons...and a temper. Good luck, Paula!

The Chase and The Capture

Forgive the length of the videos. I just don't feel like jumping through the hoops necessary to trim video on this aging Mac.

Wallpaper done and bird harassed I took advantage of a break in the rain to get my unruly hair trimmed back a bit. Pete actually did a pretty good job, and gave me a taste of old world New Jersey at the same time. "How'sa you wanna meah to cutta you hair, ah?" Pete's the guy on the right. The monkey at the bottom just got a haircut.

The next morning I snuck out of the menagerie early, through Pennsylvania to the bottom of the Poconos, where stopped at a nondescript roadside diner called, charmingly, "Hickory Valley Ham & Eggs in the Pan." They specialize in healthy vegetarian fare.

From there I boogied up through the hills to Hamilton, NY, and Colgate University to watch the game from the press box. No, I wasn't supposed to be in there, but it's amazing what kind of access you can gain when you're willing to trade first names with a guy who IS supposed to be in there.

 The original owner of the name "working":

Yes, the Moores seem to have a penchant for the technical (except for those of us who refuse to edit video).

My first cousin, Erik, and his wife, Deb, are great hosts. Assisting my amateur effort to fatten up they prepared (really, Deb prepared while Erik and I watched more football - GO LSU!) a delicious meal of steak and potatoes, after which we put on a movie and proceeded to pass out. The next morning it was determined that while my fat content might be high enough, I could use a little muscle to marble the lard. Both of my hosts are avid bicyclists, and there are some nice trails up the hill on the university campus, so I borrowed Deb's bike and did my best to follow Erik. I've never actually ridden a mountain bike off road, so I'm fairly proud of myself for not crashing and only once smashing my junk with the bike's stem. Aside from that it was a beautiful ride.

Thoroughly trashed from a long climb and short descent I packed up and hit the road. This time opting for the interstate as I was running out of both daylight and clear sky and needed to reach Rochester and most of the rest of the Moore clan. The kids are all happy and healthy, and the majority have taken up rugby! As a former rugger, myself, I can't tell you how proud I am (even if I had absolutely nothing to do with their decisions to play). When's the last time YOU saw a pretty, friendly 18 year old girl giving an opposing team member an elbow to the chin? Sorry, no pics of the next generation. I was having WAY too much fun hanging out and hearing about their lives to think about snapping photos.

I did, however, manage to capture the smallest as Hillary contemplated their futures. Everybody say "Vrrrrrrrroooooooom!!!"

I've failed to mention my roommates back in Los Angeles, who have been tireless about finding my stuff and getting it shipped out to me so that I could do this ride without having to return to LA, first. To their credit, they managed to get absolutely everything I asked for, but they couldn't find the controller for my heated clothing. The temperature in upstate NY is on the low side of brisk, and riding without an additional heat source is challenging. The company that made my gear is out of business, so I took a trip to the hardware store and managed to cobble together a solution. It all tests out fine. We'll see how it works on my ride through the hills and down to Philly, tomorrow!

See you all, soon.