PR - Hey Joe this will be a quickie.
F - Go!
PR Rolled into Washington, PA this afternoon, a day and half out of Cambridge,OH, two newspaper and one TV interview later. Small town media outlets a lot more interested in local news than the big guys.
F- Where you headed from here.
PR - Straight east on Hwy 136 over hill and dale to West Newton, intersect the Greater Allegheny Passage Trail there.
F - When do you expect to be in DC?
PR - Still on course on glide path for making it 13 May. But will see far I get today.
F - You have anything lined up for DC yet?
PR - Not yet, maybe Obama forgot to put me on the calendar.
F - You think? Catch you down the road. You're almost there, be careful.
PR - Thanks, I have a lot of folks praying for me. Positive vibes help.
Don Peace Rider
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Hi Don,
ReplyDeleteDon't know how much news you get on the road.
Nashville recently had one of those severe weather events that have become so common lately. On May 1 and 2, 13 point something inches of rain fell, a quarter the annual amount in two days. Nine people died in town, more across the state. The Corp of engineers called it a 1000-year rain event. I've also heard it was a 500-year flood. I suppose one is a measure of the rainfall and the other refers to the depth of floodwater.
The story didn't get much national coverage because of the oil well leak in the Gulf and the attempted terrorist attack in times Square. (The good guys seem to be losing a round.)
The Mayor's first damage estimate was one billion, but lately I've notice that number has gone to two billion. Some 2,000 house were flooded. Many (most?) had no flood insurance because they didn't stand in an historic flood-plain.
Many treasures were damaged. Schermerhorn Symphony Center lost two Stienway grand pianos and the organ consol. On the same interection, the Country Music Hall of Fame was flooded, but all the exhibits were spared, thank goodness. The Grand Old Opry House had two feet of water on the stage. The Titan's football stadium had what looked like two feet of water on the playing field. It looked like a fish bowl. Even the arena where the Predators hockey team play was flooded.
One of the greatest losses was to a collection of legacy musical instruements. Most musicians have several instruements. Many were stored at a place called Sound Check that was flooded. I heard that Vince Gill alone had 60 guitars there. Some were museum pieces. A Stratocaster that belonged to Jimi Hendrix was lost. The reporter said Hendrix learned to place guitar in Nashville.
Although I live 80 miles away, Nashville is my spirtual home. I go there to run races and to attend concerts. I belong to a Nashville running club and have many friends there. Two nights before the flood I was in Schermerhorn, where I reckon I saw one of the Stienways on its last go-around with Chopin.
Nashville will recover, of course. Many of the honky tonks near the river have already re-opened. FEMA was here promptly.
All of this is just to put a human face on severe weather. I hope where you are is much better.
Don, you used to wave the flag from the seat of your military jet. Now you do it from the seat of your bicycle. The latter is just as patriotic and maybe the braver. It's an effort that brings amazement and inspiration, and my graditude.
Let me make an invitation. While you are this far south, if you could manage to fly into Nashville, I'll pick you up at the airport. We can take a tour, have lunch, and I'll even give you a place to sleep. Let me know if you can work that in.
I admire what you are doing. Good luck.
Buena suerte,
Dallas
dallassmith@charter.net