Happy Birthday, America!

Today is July 4, 2009. I love July 4. I was going to buy fireworks, because in Tennessee you can buy them 364 days a year, around the clock. I've bought them in October, on a Wednesday, at 3 in the morning. I am not making this up. There were other people in the store, too. Anyway. over the years I've bought less and less, because the neighbors would come up to watch. In the beginning, they brought some, too. Then they brought less, and less. Finally I was the only one buying any. So I finally gave up. Today we went over to Melling's lake property and went boating and eating and visiting. I fought all the 9 year old pirates and dumped them off their inflatable Black Pearl, and then was shamed into riding the inflatable Raft of Death. Me and Brother Ritter rode it. We are top heavy, so the front went in the water immediately after we yelled it "HIT IT!". We set a record for the worst ride in history. So we did it again. My strength is prodigious. However, in relation to my body weight, many people are stronger than me. Therefore I had a devil of a time holding on. I drank the lake, diesel fuel and all, once. The second time I just couldn't hold on anymore. Then I gave up. I was more fun talking with the women, drinking diet cokes and eating. Oh, and giving high fives to the kids.

The picture I've posted is of me in the summer of 1976. There is no trick photography, no smoke and mirrors. That is my goal. I want to look like that again, simply with gray chest hair and bald. I hit the 60 mile mark today. Made it to Lake City, TN. Good thing I'm in my basement, because now is where I have to start up over the Cumberland Mountain. Steep climbs and it's probably raining and foggy. Logging trucks buzzing by at 70 mph and not even a Cracker Barrel to get out of the rain. This is the area where Cindy's great-grandfather served a mission. He said that, in the 19th century, the people were mostly friendly, but very superstitious, and the pastors mostly vicious and often great liars. Gee. This area is in our stake today.

Guess I'll run. I might ride some more later. Depends on how I feel. I may think like a 17 year old, but I feel 50.