Greetings, Gentle Reader,
These infrequent entries will hardly be substantial enough to warrant another Big Row - esque book, but then, perhaps (as been said about the Presidential campaigns), enough has been written, enough has been said.
(Take note, Fox: When content chases volume, boredom and disenfranchisement ensue.)
This being said, one week from today I will be in transit to Buffalo in order to be on the water next Monday. The logistics of actually getting to the water are proving to dwarf the rest of the expedition's requirements. You see, asking someone to drive you to Buffalo with a 15' boat strapped to their car is no small request and is proving to be beyond even my own considerable moxie. Mom offered to drive me out…with the proviso that she then "come along for a lock or two," thinking that "there must be a Hyatt or something along the way" that would afford shelter. While she is renowned for her appetite for long-distance driving (slide War and Peace into the CD player and she's good non-stop to Kansas City), I gracefully (and gratefully) declined her overly generous offer…but you know, I bet that I'll pass three Hyatt's over the first 50 miles.
So the game plan is to 1) drive a rental car out west, 2) find a secure launching point on Lake Erie, 3) drop off the boat, 4) ditch the rental at the Buffalo Airport, 5) cab back to the boat (hopefully still there), and 6) finally, push off. Whew.
Other preparatory activities have included some visits to the gym (depressing), a shopping spree for supplies/gadgets at REI (expensive, but thrilling), a walkabout at the local bookstore (a day in the tent out of the rain might be nice), and more perusal and planning over the charts (always a vicarious pleasure). As next Monday draws near I'll include monitoring The Weather Channel in my mix; hey, let's all coalesce our psychic energy for a deep, enduring cold front out of Canada (winds WNW at 190-15 kts, if you please) starting next Monday, shall we?
Commercial Pause: Gentle Reader, may I pause for a moment to update you on the heretofore understated fundraising aspect of this sojourn? Kathy (Exalted Blogmistress) assures me that we will have a pledge paddle (and pledge instructions) up on this site in short order. No, this is not a full-court-press fundraiser as was The Big Row…but a little would be nice, and as you may recall, it all goes to financial aid for deserving fellows at Boys' Latin School where I teach 8th grade English. Pending Kathy's efforts, if the spirit moves you right now, you can certainly let me know of your largesse via my e mail at alfrei@earthlink.net , and we'll take it from there. We raised over $18,000 in '06, and while we're headed to two thou right now, a lil' bit more gravy over the '06 potatoes would be nice. It goes to (effectively and efficiently) support great kids…and you have my profound thanks for whatever you might do. Pass that gravy along, 'K?
One of the highlights of this trip promises to be a side-trip to Seneca Falls, the acknowledged birthplace of the women's rights movement and home of the National Women's Hall of Fame. Peg and Kathy have suggested that they might meet me there, affording me the opportunity to start the nomination process that will install these two deserving stalwarts in that hallowed hall. Getting there will entail darting off the main canal about 130 miles (and 14 locks) into the trip, heading down the short Cayuga-Seneca Canal which connects the Erie with Seneca and Cayuga lakes. I've seen the Finger Lakes many times from seat 34A at 28,000 feet…and once when I visited Cornell as a teaser for college admissions…but getting on their clear waters will, I suspect, be a welcome change from the Yoo Hoo of the Canal itself. At that point I'll have 130 miles of sea stories under my (hopefully tightening) belt to share with the ladies over a campfire (imagine their rapture at that prospect. Sigh). I don't know how far into the Finger Lakes I will go; as with The Big Row, the lack of choreography is a particular delight in this kind of travel, and I'll proceed as the spirit, weather, and my derriere dictate. Just expect an extensive Blog communique at that point, OK? The Blogmistress will find a way.
That's it for now. I'm off to the gym for another rehabilitation session. A persistent rotator cuff tear, a partially detached bicep, an Achilles ripper, and (of all things) tinnitus (sp? It's that perpetual "ringing in the ears" thing) - and a few too many pounds - are all that stand in the way of physical perfection. This reminds me of that wonderful "Lost" poster for the wayward dog: "Missing right front leg, lost left eye, neutered last year, abdominal scar tissue…answers to the name of Lucky."
"Lucky," signing off for now. More soon, I promise.
Hugs,
Mr. Frei
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