Focus, people, Focus!

The amazing complicatednessness of both of our falls is under way, and this weekend is a shining example.

On Wednesday, Beff had to fly to DC for a conclave of State University music school chairs. She had must to bring all of her clarinets (including bass) with her, for later use.

I, meanwhile, had to drive to New York to speak at a memorial service for George Edwards, who was my colleague at Columbia during the Davy Teaches At Columbia years (1989-95). The weather decided to be wild for that drive, prompting thunderstorm and flash flood warnings for the places into which I was driving. Indeed, soon after passing the hookup of Route 95 with the Merritt Parkway, NYC news radio 880 informed that the Hutch (where I was soon to be driving) was closed due to flooding, and I should use 95. Thus did I exit and figure out a way to get to 95. It was about 30 minutes of extra driving, and obviously it was raining in sheets (said the rain, I've got the sheets).

Beff was to make it to the memorial service easy, with a 1:15 flight from Reagan to JFK. The weather had other ideas.

The 5:00 memorial service was great, and every speaker, myself included, killed. At the reception, I saw plenty of people I haven't seen in years, some of them for good reason. And finally at a bit before 7, Beff made it to the reception, and a good time was had by all. Wine was consumed, but not at all passively.

Hayes, who was one of the memorial killers, put us up and drove us to Bronxville, where we did pan-Asian delivery.

Yesterday, we had to drive to Geoffy's place in Floral Park for Beff to rehearse with him — hence trucking all her clarinets on this trip. Five minutes into our ride, the Garmin GPS I got five months ago, and which is pictured here, froze. So we had to go to the redundant system for directions: iOS 6 iPhone maps. Which definitely sucked a lot less than the Garmin.

They rehearsed. iOS 6 maps got us back onto the Hutch. All was well, if rather a boring drive.

Since Beff's car is in the lot at the Bangor airport, she must needs rent a car to get back, or take the bus. From our remote location, getting to the bus is about as time consuming as taking the bus, so she chose the rental option. Thus is a Ford Focus parked in our garage for the first and only time ever. Note new driveway. Also note old leaves.

Meanwhile, I am, at the moment, availing myself of my free Lifetime Garmin maps updates for the unit that froze. Noting, of course, that lifetime may be exactly five months.

Columbia law school

They call it the Toaster. Ruth Bader Ginsburg taught there, and it's a superfluous detail to note that when she left for the Supreme Court, I got her former apartment.

To wake up with a different cat

Rasia.

Columbia

Bronxville

South Acton train station

Today's 7.19 mile ride had the un-benefit of a head wind all the way, however that could happen, and took us the back way to the South Acton train station — where I rode around in circles a little to make the flyover a little more woo-hoo.

Summer Hill and Stow cemetary walk

Beff and I often do this walk when she has a video to return to the Shaw's plaza and we feel we could use some exercise. It's only 2.16 miles, but a good workout. Here's the all-important elevation graph

And the obligatory flyover.

Octopus's garden

The Bangor house has an old 'octopus' furnace that was probably taken offline in the 60s. Now it could be a great, if complicated, Halloween costume.

Some Bangor

On our walk back from dinner at Nocturnem.

The walk from the Bangor house to the Family Dollar Store. Which is having a Dollar Days promotion.

Bangor for Beff's birthday

Our current house in Bangor, the Kennebunk rest area on I-95 N, and the first house we ever owned.

Oh, THAT'LL work.

My office

New driveway part 1

The driveway is being repaved for the first time in FOREVER. It kinda looks like this. Yes, I'm staying inside. The cats are annoyed, but not scared.

Around Lake Boon

So it turns out we have another 10+ mile ride — going around Lake Boon, which Beff has called "boring". A lot of it is, but not all. It's 10-3/4 miles, and I expended 530 calories, or so says MapMyRide. The route

And the obligatory flyover.

Season-opening ride with extensions

With two little extensions, I increased this ride from 5-1/4 miles to 7-3/4 miles. Cool, huh? Here's the map overview

And here is the obligatory flyover.

Maynard walkabout

Including booty from the Farmers' Market. Also, we cleaned the garage for the first time ever.

Assabet Refuge end run

This is a longer path, skirting around the Assabet Wildlife Refuge on Route 27, passing the Sudbury Senior Center and playgrounds, entering the Refuge from the back. It's 8.69 miles, and what it is, too.

Brandeis ring road

This is simply the walk I take every day I'm at Brandeis, which I now know is a mile and a quarter.

Assabet Wildlife Preserve roads

This is a shorter trip (7.19 miles) through the wildlife preserve, staying on the roads rather than going through the woods.

Minuteman Air Field

This is the last of our usual programmed rides, and the longest at 11.56 miles. It takes us by the Minuteman Air Field onto Route 111 and through West Acton, where it intersects with the "West Acton" ride. This is also the hardest one by a fair piece because of the hilliness. Voici the altitude graph.

The Air Field's driveway comes into view at 1:46, as a left turn from the main road.

And the obligatory flyover.

The "other" Gropius house

Walter Gropius's Bauhaus house in Lincoln is now a tourist attraction, and Beff and I have been to see it a couple of times. Gropius built another one quite similar to it near the Concord Middle School, and you pass both the school and the house on this ride. This is just the second trip I've posted that exceeds ten miles (10.29). The Gropius House is visible, on the left of the route, in 1:27 to 1:30 of the flyover.

Here's the altitude graph for the ride

And here is the flyover.

Delaney Wildlife Preserve

This ride is 11.33 miles, and is the longest one yet posted. Here is the altitude graph, so you can see the hills encountered:

And here is the ride reimagined by an imaginary Canada goose (beginning with a drop from 2000 miles, of course).

Summer hill steep walk

This is the version of the walk that Beff doesn't like to do — follow the very steep incline to the top rather than take the long winding path around it.



This is the «altitude graph» for the walk:

Oops, ho fattolo ancora

The baguette/brie/farmers' market tomato thing was such a big hit that there has been an immediate reprise. This time, though, it's pictured at a different angle. Because you're worth it.

Baguette, brie, farmer's market tomatoes

Turns out the sandwich was simple and AWESOME.

The Summer Hill walk

This is our woodsy walk for the greatest possible exercise. For the wooded part, we have to be sure to stay close to the trees spray-painted yellow.

Hammocking again

Spell check, though, wants me to mock a ham.