2010 time flies

Well, here I am again. The blog has been on the back burner for a while but I need to get back to writing. What, you might ask, brought me back. Well, it's Sarah. Yes, she's back. It comes as no surprise that she winds up on the ( facts don't matter) fox news channel.

Cheney rears himself yet again

Too bad is what I say. He's never at a loss for criticizing the current administration. The more I learn about Afghanistan the more I realize that little or no research was done by the previous administration about the Afghan's history, culture and geography. If they had, they would not have jumped so fast. Don't get me wrong. I abhorred the 9-11 attacks. But remember that the attacks were executed by a band of people that are spread over the globe. They blend in and and live otherwise normal lives. Sending tens of thousands of troops to Afghanistan will only displace Al Qaeda. When I hear about all the troops going to fight in Afghanistan I can't help but think about our own revolutionary war. How the British would all line up and march forward with rifles blazing as America's fledgling rag-tag fighting force scattered among the rocks and trees of well know neighborhoods ultimately won out. We are trying to fight an unconventional army with conventional tactics.
I applaud President Obama's thoughtful approach to the execution of the war. President Bush painted us into a corner and now we need to find a way out.
American's also have a lot to answer for. Our demand for so much oil and drugs ( from Afghanistan) only weaken us in many ways.

Concerning Joe Wilson

Imagine; one politician calling another one a liar!
Where was he when President Bush told us that Iraq had WMD??

THe AP has made a bad decision

I agree with Defense Secretary Robert Gates that the AP should not publish the photo of a mortally wounded Lance Cpl Joshua M. Bernard. Cpl Bernard's Parents asked that the photo not be published. The Ap defended it's decision saying it "conveys the grimness of war and the sacrifice of young men and women fighting it.” HELLO? We are at war. We get it. Why "use" this soldier and his family to sell news? I can only imagine if it were a son of mine how I'd feel. Apparently those at the AP can not.

The frame is built up.

I have attached the decal to the downtube and "branded" my bike "Carter's Cycles." I get Carter from my middle name. I like the way it sounds with cycle. I'm still building up a repair kit / tire pump for this bike but so far the ride is nice, stable and comfortable.
I tried a different brand of spd pedals on the bike. Spds are the type of pedal that my shoe clips into. Unfortunately I didn't test getting out of these new pedals until I was nearly at the front door of my destination, Genuardis. I must have looked funny careening around the front of the store struggling with both shoes trying to get released. I managed not to hurt anyone and returned the pedals for ones I am familiar with.
Link to pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/harryhellerman/NewCustomFrameBuiltUp#

The frame's progress

Here is an update on the frame that I built while out in Oregon in May. The frame is painted and has most of the accessories attached. I need to make two more attachments (peddles and water bottle cage.) and apply a decal to the down tube. I appreciate your patience. A picture is soon coming.

Hiking on the appalachian trail....REALLY!

I went hiking on the AT recently. I climbed out of Delaware water gap on a bright sunny day. I thought the first day it might be good to stop at 6 miles and relax at the shelter. I ended up staying there for the night and glad I was. At about 10 PM it started to rain, lightning and thunder. It rained hard until about 6 AM. Shortly after I got up to take care of making breakfast, get water and pack up. I was on the way a little after 9. The view out the shelter was over the valley and showed a sky that was overcast and some low hanging fog. I found myself walking into a foggy sections of trail. All the ferns and varieties of mushrooms! This walking with my head down had me seeing things I normally do not see. As the day progressed the fog burned off and the sun would come and go as would the brief showers. What was constant on this part of the AT were the rocks. Big 'uns little 'uns, sharp ones and round ones. Still I managed to stay on the trail despite rarely looking up. There seem to be quite a few people coming the other way. "Through hikers" making their way from Georgia to Maine. To be in PA at this time of the year they would need to have started in the March-April time frame. Many stopped to talk and learn what was ahead or how far Water gap was. Rocky as it was there were no hills to climb or descend. Until I got to Wind Gap where I waited for another south bounder Mark. We then walked into town for some Dinner.