Scratching Deeply

Well, here we are on Sunday.  Did everybody remember to change their clocks?  Most of mine do it automatically, the few that don't... well, they're already changed.  The last thing I want to do is show up at work late today...  right.
I got a lot accomplished yesterday, including a ride along this road by Wastwater, in the lake district of the UK.  There were sheep, but none of them crossed the road in front of me as they did up in Scotland.

Regarding my Tacx trainer and software, (pronounced tocks, as in tick-tock): I like it better than the Rouvy.  Longer rides are broken down into stages, so you can ride a stage rather than go the full distance. A 43 mile ride may have between 4 - 6 stages, and you can pick and choose to ride either all 43 miles or just a section.

I went to bed a little early last evening - clock change, you know?  I wanted to make sure I got my full 7 hours of sleep (usually I get less, seldom more).  Because of that, and the fact that I don't have cable, I missed Saturday Night Live.  I understand they skewered the Idiot Jerk's administration on their handling of the Coronavirus, which isn't quite a pandemic even though it looks a lot like one.  Even reading about it, I had to chuckle.  Fox News is geared completely for his base and I can tell you, except for one person, everyone who's worn a MAGA hat into the store has been old, 70's and 80's - the crowd most susceptible to the virus.

I saw where Mick Mulvaney was deported to Ireland.  Was he in this country illegally?

The real fear Americans should have is that the Idiot Jerk and his administration will release some sort of flawed vaccine on the citizens of this country just in time for the election.  This is something you should really be concerned about.  He and his party care not a wit about human life.  They will do anything to stay in power.  Right now, their precious economy is prepping to do a swan dive into the cesspool of recession.  You can bet your bottom dollar they are all scratching deeply into their collective asses searching for any little turd they can offer as proof that they are successful.  And they will lie.

Rudy the G

Tomorrow's a holiday... I think.  Columbus Day.  I have off work because I'm scheduled to have off, so it isn't really a special day.  The weather is supposed to be nice.  Yard work is planned, as well as couple other chores.
I had a customer yesterday who relocated to the area from Long Island.  She and I had a nice conversation.  I said, "big culture shock, eh?"  And she nodded, "really big."  She grew up 7 blocks from Queens.  When I asked her what her biggest challenge had been she paused for a few seconds and then said, "I was surprised.  Everything was so.... white."  I told her "we're changing rapidly."  Someone who grew up in a very racially diverse city was surprised by how vanilla Central Pennsylvania is... or was.  Eleven years ago, when I started working at the store, seeing a person of color shopping our aisles was rare.  Not so today.  Not only are we diversifying rapidly in regard to color, we are doing so with nationalities as well.  Some speak English well, others don't.  Patience is a wonderful thing.  I helped 2 gentlemen yesterday who were looking for what turned out to be a water heater.  We turned it into a bit of a game, which was fun.  This is what terrifies the Republican Party and the White Evangelicals:  humanity as a whole.
I put over 45 minutes on the bike yesterday.  Rouvy said I was riding in Warm Springs, Oregon.  Since that route isn't recognized by Tacx, I was listed as doing a Power Ride.  They also listed me as riding 13.14 miles.  That's nice, not very accurate, but then Power Rides are never going to match mile for mile those attached to a route.
Yesterday the Idiot Jerk in the White House had lunch with his Henchie, Rudy the G.  Can you imagine what that conversation was like:

Idiot Jerk:  Shut up!
Rudy the G:  Yes sir, yes sir.
Idiot Jerk:  I said shut your fucking mouth!
Rudy the G:  Yes sir, yes sir.
Idiot Jerk:  There's a pardon in it if you shut up!
Rudy the G:  Yes sir, yes sir.
Idiot Jerk:  Well then just shut up!

And they used to be sooooo close.

Hhhmmm.  In case you're wondering, that pardon already has a price tag on it.

On Shifting Gears

We have drizzle.  The forecast is for rain on and off throughout the morning and early afternoon.  We need the rain.  Interestingly enough, from now on the temps are rarely forecasted to rise above the high 60's.  This means fall is finally here.  I turned off my Central Air.  Haven't pulled the woolly blankets from the cedar chest yet... but that's head this way fast.
At 11:10 yesterday morning my new trainer arrived.

Holy crap.  This thing ways 70 lbs.  The Neo works with my Rouvy.  The Tacx app is downloaded into my phone.  The new cassette is arriving tomorrow, as well as the tool to tighten the cassette to the trainer.  Translating 'Bikeese' into the vernacular - this is a cassette:

These are the gears for your bike.  Your chain will moved from larger gear to lower gear as you shift.  This is what it looks like when assembled:

The cassette fits on the hub of the trainer and your bike is attached.  Biggie was not impressed.

And, instead of shifting gears, the Idiot Jerk in the White House let loose with a salvo of anger yesterday.  There was some sort of press conference with the Finnish Ambassador and all the reporters wanted to do was ask the Idiot Jerk about the impeachment.  Can we talk about Karma here?  I cannot even begin to imagine the turmoil roiling around inside the Idiot Jerk's head as he tries to trade off one insanity for another.  Nothing is working for him anymore.  All his shitty tricks are being exposed.  And his delusional base keeps sending his campaign money - $135 million was the last figure which I believe gets credence.  They don't understand he and his spawn are already siphoning that money away.  As time passes, his desperation will increase, and his behavior become more erratic.  He has absolutely no clue on how to shift gears.