My friend, Mike, is selling his 2005 Yamaha FJR1300 Motorcycle.  This sweet machine has 18,000 miles of nice road miles with Avon tires.  Since Mike has a history of taking great care of his bikes one can feel confindent that this bike is in top condition.  Asking price is $9,500.  Call Mike, during the day, at 360-378-4343 if you are interested.

For more information on the model, please visit : http://motorcycles.about.com/od/roadtestsreviews/p/05yamfjr1300x.htm

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I am sitting in our room at the Marina Inn in Anacortes.  It's a nice room and a nice place.  ...   more »

The passing of dear friend and a great lady.   more »

I am always looking for something that will motivate me to keep running through the coming Dark Months - Months that usually rob me of my desire to keep running.  I know, motivation should come from within, but during the Dark Months my inner motivation usually stays in bed on those cold, dark mornings.

Back in the 70's I considered writing a book titled, "How Can I Train For The Olympics When I Can't Get Out Of Bed In The Morning".  It would have made a great movie.   I have the same problem now as I did then.  I call it Warm Bed Syndrome or WBS.  I am sure most readers have had dealt with WBS at one time or another.  You know what I mean.

For this coming  season of the Dark Months I am using the Chuckanut Mountain 50K Race which is on Saturday, March 17 as my motivation.  This trail run is held in the Bellingham area and is popular for island trail runners.  You can learn more about the race by visiting http://www.gbrc.net/chuckanut50k.php.  A 50K race is equal to 31.068 miles.  About five miles longer than a marathon.

The profile of this race is basically running straight up and then running straight down, with a bunch of little ups and downs.  Should be fun, right?

My training for the next couple of months is basically this:  get out of bed in the morning and run and where from 3 to 10 miles.  Depending on the day.  And running up and down any hill I can find.

Stay tuned, this should be interesting.

7:30 am.  Low skies of heavy gray clouds mixed with fog over town.  Heavy mist falling on Friday Harbor.  What the hell is heavy mist any way?  Better said, it is raining, but not a heavy rain that could wash the dirt off of ones car.  Or motorcycle, not that my bike has any dirt on it.  Well, actually it does as I haven't really cleaned it up after my trip to Wyoming last August.

The point I am trying make is this, this morning is wet, gloomy and is encouraging me to stay home rather than meeting my running buddies for a six mile run.  I would have continued to stay in my warm bed if it wasn't for Skye barking at something outside on the street.  Like falling rain.  I am up now and drinking some coffee waiting to get outside and start this miserable day off with a run.  I meet the running group at 8:00 over at the fitness club.  Last week I had a small group, which was just me.  We will see who shows up this morning.

10:00 am.  My buddy Brian was the other half of the group run this morning.  I have known Brian for many years, remembering him when he was a student visiting The Whale Museum, where I worked.  We ran around the Turn Point Loop and chatted about running, races we have run, races we would like to run.  Cool stuff like that.

The day is still gloomy, the clouds are really low and dark gray.  We have a fire roaring in the fire place, keeping our physical bodies warm and CSN&Y music keeping our souls warm.  Not a bad way to spend a Sunday morning.

My most favourite movie of all time is "The Big Lebowski".  It's a wonderful story of the Dude and his bowling buddies and the lives they live while trying to resolve a kidnapping case.  Did I mention bowling?  There is that too.  The movie is also in the all time top ten list using the f-word in the movie.  (Number 18 with 260 f words).

Today I am reminded of a scene from the movie.  The Dude, Wayne and Donny are bowling when a friend slides over the line on his approach.  Wayne yells out "Over the line.  Mark it zero" and a argument breaks out.  At one point, Wayne - played by John Goodman - stands up and yells "Has the whole world gone crazy"?

That is how I feel today.  We have had the third in a line of school shootings, this time at a Amish school in Lancaster County, PA.  As I write this four girls have been killed.  Apparently the killer, shooter had issues over something that happened twenty years ago.  I can't even remember twenty years ago and this guy has some bent-up anger resulting in shooting kids.  Female kids.

And there were two other shootings last week as well.

Has the whole world gone crazy?

Also, the Republican Representative Foley (who had been sending suggestive emails to a former, under age, page) resigns for his actions.  Now it appears that the GOP leadership knew about this behaviour for some time and didn't do anything about it.  Why?  No protection of children here.

Has the whole world gone crazy?

I could mention the whole war in Iraq, but can't.  It upsets me too much.

Again, has the whole world gone crazy?

To top it off, from professional football, a player is suspended for five games because he kicked a competitor in the head whose helmet had fallen off.  I don't understand it.  Pushing someone, that I can understand.  Kicking him in the head?

And again I ask, "Has the Whole World gone crazy"?