Life On A B-I7

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Journal Entry - September 27, 2026

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If you can say you don’t spend time wondering how other people see you, but instead, you are focused on seeing other people for who they are, then you are on the path to becoming your best self.

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2026-10-08

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Northern Tier Summary - September 9

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After I got the bike on the bike rack. I’m pretty sure I heard the bike say:

“It’s about time I got that fat “bleep” and all of his stuff off of me!”

• 4,145 Miles
• 1 Flat Tire
• 2 Chains
• 3 Tires
• 2 Tents
• 101 Days
• 81 Days of Riding
• 20 Days of Rest

Would I do it again?

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - September 9

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My SAG drove out from Washington to pick me up. The last day was only 15 miles. We met along the way and enjoyed coffee and pastry half-way to Bar Harbor. It was a relaxing ride in to Bar Harbor. My SAG may have enjoyed a Lobster Roll, you never know. After I finished the last 15 miles, we had a nice leisurely day in Bar Harbor.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - September 8

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This is a Cable Stayed Bridge. It was the most beautiful bridge of my entire tour. I was pleasantly surprised to find one in this fairly remote area.

The Cable Stayed Bridge is a hybrid design suspension bridge where most of the load is carried by the towers allowing for longer suspended deck spans. The first Cable Stayed Bridge in the United States was built in 1983. The world’s longest Cable Stayed Bridges (many of them) are in China. These are a relatively new design compared to the more traditional Suspension Bridge.

The traditional Suspension Bridge (like the Brooklyn Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge) use two massive main cables draped over the top of the towers and are anchored to concrete blocks on the shore. The road deck hangs down from these main cables using smaller vertical suspender cables.

The Cable-Stayed Bridge uses individual cables attached directly to the towers and running diagonally directly down to the road deck. The do now use vertical suspender cables or heavy shore anchorages.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - September 7

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I’m really close now. I did not know Maine produced Sardines as well as Lobster. I can’t eat those either…

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - September 6

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This is the home of the Maine Lobster Roll. It’s ironic that Maine is my destination. I can’t eat sea food of any kind.

You can’t miss the Lobster Shacks, they are everywhere. I’m told Lobster Roll is good. I’m going to have to rely on second-hand reports.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - September 6

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This is the point where Forest Gump reached the Eastern Shore and turned around to head West again.

I didn’t realize I had missed this landmark until I was about 30 miles beyond it. That made it too late to turn around and go back so I stole this photo off the internet.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - September 5

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You learn something new every day. It’s not likely I will look at my breakfast egg in the same way ever again.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - September 2

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The last State Line. I’m starting to get really excited. The ride from here to Bar Harbor follows the coast line for most of the remainder of the ride. Contrary to what you might think, that does not translate to flat.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - September 1

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I made it to the top of the Kancamagus Pass. This is the biggest climb in New Hampshire. 3,000 feet of climbing in 6 miles. This is world class cycling fun.

The locals affectionately refer to it as “The Kank.” It is steep, but also winding, and very beautiful.

When you top out, you really feel like you have accomplished something. This was probably the most challenging part of my tour but if was also one of the most beautiful.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - September 1

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I always brake for Moose, don’t you? Another one of those road-side signs that is a statement of the obvious, like wash your hands.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - August 30

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The interesting thing about Vermont, New Hampshire and Main is that there is more climbing in those states combined than there is in either Washington or Montana.

This struck me by surprise.

It’s a different sort of climbing. The climbs are shorter, but steeper. The roads are also a lot more winding. I assume that is because when these roads were built, heavy earth moving equipment had not yet become available.

It’s no piece of cake making your way through the New England States.

It would be a lot of fun if you had a Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300…

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - August 29

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Another State Line. I’m getting really close now. I can taste the finish line!

I’m crossing the Connecticut River into New Hampshire.

My body is starting to complain to me and I can hear it asking me when will I arrive in Bar Harbor?

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - August 29

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There are 64 covered bridges like this one in Vermont. Yes, I think it would be fun to do a tour of all of them.

The reason they built covered bridges was to protect the bridge deck from from rot and decay caused by the severe New England weather.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - August 27

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The Ferry landed in the hamlet of Shoreham Vermont. Vermont is the home of the Green Mountain Boys. Led by Ethan Allen and others, in the 1660’s and 1670’s, they were instrumental in establishing Vermont as an independent U.S. Territory.

In May of 1775, the Green Mountain Boys captured Fort Ticonderoga from the British, a key strategic victory in the early days of the American Revolution.

Vermont is green AND hilly.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - August 27

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With the Erie Canal Trail and the Champlain Valley Trail behind me, it’s time to enter Vermont.

I took a cable ferry from Ticonderoga at the Southern end of Lake Champlain into Vermont. I’m about 50 miles from the Canadian border.

As I’m waiting for the ferry, I’m wondering why it’s not crossing the lake to get me. I can see it on the opposite shore. I wait for about 20 minutes until a car finally joins me at the dock. The driver looks at me and says, “are you going to raise the flag to let the ferry know there is someone over here?”

That was the beginning of a nice conversation that occupied the entire crossing. (The gentleman followed my Blog and sent me a congratulations message when I finished!)

While we were crossing, I asked the captain what would happen of the cable the ferry was running on broke. He thought about it for a minute and said, “we would end up in New York Harbor.” He added, “of course we would have to navigate several locks along the Hudson River and it would probably take about two weeks…

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - August 25

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The historic sights along the Erie Canal are a real treat for a history buff.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - August 20

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After more than 3,000 miles of dealing with cars and trucks, I’m now able to enjoy an experience where four wheeled vehicles are, at least for awhile, the furthest thing from my mind.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - August 20

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I am 16 Miles North of Buffalo in Lockport. This is the beginning of my journey on the Erie Canal Trail.

The Erie Canal Trail is 280 miles of crushed limestone bikeway that follows the historic Erie Canal.

New York is called the “Empire State” because the Erie Canal was the waterway that, to a large extent prior to the railroads, built the United States West of New York.

This is the only lock on the Erie Canal where original and newer locks operate side-by-side. The photo above is the original lock with a restored canal boat tied up.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - August 20

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A Barista gave me a special message. “Enjoy the Ride.” So far I have done just that. In fact, it’s no exaggeration to say I’m have the time of my life.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - August 17

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I made it to New York.

I’ve been anticipating this for a couple of weeks. I’m not going to follow the ACA Route along the shoreline of Lake Ontario to Ticonderoga New York. I’ve decided to take the Erie Canalway Trail through Albany and then take the Champlain Valley Canalway Trail to Ticonderoga. That is a flatter route with a lot of cool history of New York along the way.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - August 16

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“Command Duck” is determining the cause of my first flat tire. I made it 4,145 miles with only one flat tire. I have to think that is close to a record for someone traveling this for and running tubes.

After careful examination, Commander Duck determined an electrical staple was the culprit.

I was bragging to a fellow in a bar about my good fortune when it came to avoiding flats, he said that was because I knew how to “miss stuff.” That might be the reason, or it could be just luck.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - August 11

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Since I’m interested in watercolor painting, I decided to play around with a photo special effects app.

I like the way it turned out.

Isn’t that just about the most beautiful corn field you have every seen?

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - August 10

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I thought this mural was cool so I put my bike up next to it, because, bike and rider are just like that locomotive. (Sort of.)

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - August 9

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I met a fellow cyclist today. He proudly showed me his TransAm tattoo. It’s a thing among cyclists…

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - August 8

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Sunset on the Maumee River in Mary Jane Thurston State Park.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - August 8

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Get in early, build a fire, relax. It doesn’t get a whole lot better. It also gives me time to write about my day.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - August 8

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This field of Sunflowers took my breath away. This is a crop that is commercially cultivated.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - August 7

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I can’t stop admiring the man murals I encounter.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - August 7

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It is not unusual to see signs like this one throughout the mid-West.

The number of cross-country cyclists has really dropped off in the last decade or so. I saw fewer cyclists on the road on this trip than in either of my two previous trans-continental tours.

I think a lot of people have moved on to mountain bikes and gravel bikes. Travel by bicycle is no longer called “bicycle touring,” it is now called “bike packing” and the emphasis is now on what are referred to as “Backroad Discovery Routes” (BDRs).

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - August 5

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I was told the best fiddler in 3 counties would be playing in the band. All of the musicians have recorded as stand-ins in Nashville.

The concert was wonderful.

After the concert I went up and talked with the fiddle player. When he found out I was riding across the country he told me to go get me bike so he could see it.

We talked bicycles and had a great time. He told me he builds bicycles for fun (art pieces mostly). He has over 200 bicycles hanging in his barn.

I would have given my front brakes to see that them.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - August 5

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I can’t resist a good mural. The good town of Monroeville allowed me to camp in their city park.

They also told me I had to stay for a concert that night, which I was happy to do.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - July 31

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I meet my second Mayor. This one put me up on a cot in his office for the night. Iroquois is a cool town. The food at the local bar was top notch too.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - July 31

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The further East I go the more murals I see on brick buildings.

I’m fascinated by these. It seems the small towns are proud of these embellishments.

Traveling, uncredited sign painters known as “Walldogs” dangled from ropes high above the street to paint the many murals seen in the Central and Eastern U.S. The artists used durable, lead-based oil paints mixed with natural pigments and linseed oil. This allowed the paint to soak directly into the porous brick and mortar, giving the paint a strong grip and vibrant look.

This mural really speaks to my trip!

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - July 30

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This is a fully restored Route 66 Gas Station. A tourist thought it would be fun to take my picture “gassing up” my bicycle.

I’m not far from Chicago but my route bypassed the Windy City. Route 66 is another classic bicycle tour. From Los Angles to Chicago. I haven’t tackled that one yet, but I was glad to grab a piece of it on the way East.

I’ve been on the road for two months and I’m beginning to look around for a shorter route to the finish… There isn’t one.

There are no straight lines to Bar Harbor, Maine from here.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - July 29

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You don’t want the people back home to forget what you look like…

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - July 26

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“If you build it, they will come!”

So I did…

When I pulled into the parking lot the attendant let me in for free. He even gave me a ceramic souvenir pin on my way in.

The rest of the story is revealed in my Day 56 of my Northern Tier Travel Journal.

I will give you a head’s up… There are ballplayers in that corn field, and one you may have heard of did step out to meet me…

See the full story at Bicycling the Northern Tier Day-by-Day - Day 56

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - July 26

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Wisconsin was a short traverse. After two days of wandering back to the official Northern Tier Route, I realized the Field of Dreams was only 30 miles away from where I was… I couldn’t pass up that opportunity.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - July 23

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I crossed the Mississippi River at Winona Minnesota and found this awesome single track heading East. I’m still making my way back to my originally planned route after my detour through Fairbault.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - July 23

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It’s always a special day on a long distance tour when you cross a line and enter a new state.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - July 19

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This Mill is world famous. It was established in 1865. It was originally powered by a horse drawn treadmill, later converted to water power using a 48-inch water wheel adjacent to the Cannon River.

The Mill is considered to be one finest producers of woolen goods in the United States. (My apologies to Pendelton Mill.)

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - July 19

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The people living in the home were kind enough to take this photo for me.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - July 19

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The town of Fairbault was 60 miles off my route. I decided to go there and see the home my Dad grew up in. He went to Fairbault High School before moving to Washington after a year at the University of Minnesota.

My Grandmother raised my Dad by herself. My Grandfather came back from WW1 with PTSD (unknown at the time). He died an estranged from my Grandmother shortly after my Dad was born.

My Grandfather flew back-seat in a Liberty DH-4. It was the only American built airplane (built under license from the British) to see action on the Western Front in WW1. He was shot down. His pilot did not survive. Airmen referred to the plane as the “Flying Coffin.”

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - July 17

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They were a little surprised when I pulled this out of my pannier…

They liked it!

It’s one of my favorite dehydrated meals. Much better than the biscuits and gravy at a Motel 6.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - July 16

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The big city! One of two on my tour. (Minneapolis and Cleveland.)

Visiting friends and getting a free bed for a couple of nights. They took me out on the town and showed me all the best sights at night. Minneapolis is a cool town.

I was not able to catch a Twins game since they were on the road.

In exchange for my friend’s hospitality, I volunteered to fixe them breakfast the next morning…

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - July 15

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I will admit to falling over a couple of times. (The exact number of times is classified.)

Sometimes when you come to a stop you can’t get out of the clip-in pedals fast enough. It happens.

I never thought of my custom touring bike as a “two wheeled foot pusher,” but I guess that sums it up pretty nicely.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - July 14

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I met some really nice people. In fact, everyone I met was friendly and nice. Many times I would ask for my check and I would be informed that someone had picked up my tab for me.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - July 10

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This caught me off-guard. You have to admit, it is always a good idea…

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - July 10

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I met the Mayor of Leonard, North Dakota in a C-Store. She was very proud of her town and told me all about it.

She was not only Mayor, but also a retired EMS Responder. She gave me a medallion in honor her 30 years of service as an EMS in Leonard.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - July 8

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I liked talking to cows. Occasionally I could get them to talk back to me. The bulls run the show. When they have had enough of me they leave and take the cows with them.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - July 5

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I had issues with this tent. It did not have a rain fly. That was a mistake on my part.

I went online to the REI website and had them ship me a better tent via General Delivery. I picked it up a few towns east of here.

“When the morning light streams in you get up and do it again” — Jackson Browne.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - July 3

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It’s always a good idea to send a little reminder home, so they don’t forget you…

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - July 2

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The Docent at the Dickinson Art Gallery gave me this rubber duck as a thank you for visiting.

I named him “Commander Duck”. Partially because he is a duck, and partially in honor of the friend I made back in Fort Peck.

Commander Duck made an excellent navigator and stayed with me all the way to Bar Harbor. Here he is holding down his seat on the Flying Bridge.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - June 30

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My first stop in North Dakota. Food that would seem routine back home can be amazing on the road. This little hunk of goodness would have stood out both back home as well as here.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - June 30

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I’ve been on the road for a month and I have finally made it across Washington, Idaho, and Montana. Next up, North Dakota.

I was asked many times, what was your favorite State. That’s a difficult question to answer. Every State I passed through had something beautiful and unique to offer. I enjoyed them all. I hind-sight, I will say that North Dakota gave me a picture of the West that is probably the most unchanged from what it looked like a generation or two ago.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - June 21

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I’m just outside the town of Wolf Point which is on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation.

While stopped at an historical roadside marker. A man named “Duck”in a pick-up truck asked me if I liked history? I said yes. What ensued was a lengthy history of his tribe.

His job was to check the water purity of the fresh water pipeline to the Reservation twice daily at each end of the pipeline.

Duck is a member of the Assiniboine Tribe. He invited me to a Pow-Wow (several days hence). He also offered to show me the Tribe’s Buffalo Herd. I had to decline and keep moving but I was humbled by his offer.

The Assiniboine have the only genetically pure herd of Buffalo outside of Yellowstone National Park.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - June 24

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There are two dozen of these “sculptures” spread across Montana They were created by metal artist Jim Dolan and donated to the Montana Highway Department.

The artist installed these as a reminder that those suffering with mental health issues should reach out for help.

Yes. I checked every one to see if I could call home… I don’t have any issues though… None that care to admit to…

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - June 24

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The route follows Highway 2 across most of Montana. I’m about half-way between the Fort Belknap Reservation and the Fort Peck Reservation.

Camping is pretty much the only option and has been for a several days.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - June 23

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Still making my way across Montana. Here I’m just a few miles from the Canadian Border.

I enjoyed trying to get the attention of animals as I passed by. For the most part they were uninterested in me.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - June 23

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Occasionally you have to stop and smell the… whatever these are.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - June 21

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I stopped to admire a lot of scenes like this one. It seems like these appear randomly out of nowhere. They disappear just as quickly.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - June 20

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You have to listen to your bike. It’s your best friend on the road. When it tells you it wants a break, it’s a good idea to listen to it.

Of course, the engine on the bike never needs a break…

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - June 19

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You only have to travel 848 miles to get to the Eastern border of Montana. That is the longest state traverse on the route.

This is good road with good shoulder. A lot of the roads along the way are not quite as good as this one.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - June 18

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I’m passing through the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. The landscape is awe inspiring.

I took a lot of landscape photos on the tour. I plan to learn watercolor painting when I can’t ride a bicycle any longer. The photos I captured on this trip will provide a lot of inspiration. This is one of my favorites.

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2026-10-20

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Northern Tier Summary - June 18

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I reached the summit of the Tetons. The elevation at this point is not that impressive, but it took a lot of climbing to get here.

I’m told it takes a lot of climbing to reach the East Coast. Surprising how much there is. I will learn all about that as I head east.

One thing is for sure, it is not down hill all the way to the Atlantic Coast from here…

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2026-10-21

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Northern Tier Summary - June 18

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It can get cold in the summer in the higher elevations. This looks bad but actually it is a minor inconvenience. After all, you can’t worry about what you can’t feel.

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2026-10-21

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Northern Tier Summary - June 17

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I was captivated by this waterfall. This is “Silver Staircase Falls” in Glacier National Park. This type of waterfall is referred to as a “Cascade” falls.

The stair steps are formed by alternating layers of hard and soft sedimentary rock.

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2026-10-21

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Northern Tier Summary - June 17

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I’m starting my climb up to the summit of the Tetons and the Continental Divide.

I wasn’t fully prepared for the climb, but I made it. Having SAG support across Washington was a big help in getting me ready for this part of the route.

This was still a bit of a struggle.

My SAG left me after I crossed into Idaho. I suspect Pickleball tournaments back home may have had something to do with that…

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2026-10-21

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Northern Tier Summary - June 16

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I stayed in the Chalet Motel in Whitefish.

This is a photo with the owner. Her son ran the restaurant attached to the Motel. She told me he made the best pizza and Italian food in Northern Montana, and she was not kidding.

She was a sweetheart. She even did my laundry for me.

Whitefish is the first major stop-off point for the Great Divide Mountain Bike race from Banff to Mexico. I arrived the same day the racers hit town.

The bike shop in Whitefish had 6 bicycle mechanics working that week. Not only did they service all the racer’s bikes but they even took care of mine on very short turn-around.

Whitefish is a very cool town.

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2026-10-21

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Northern Tier Summary - June 14

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It didn’t take a whole lot of convincing to persuade my friend to pose for a photo with me. He did insist on a treat and he’s not the sort of fellow you say no to.

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2026-10-21

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Northern Tier Summary - June 13

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I camped most of the time, getting a motel every 4th or 5th night.

I enjoy camping. It is nice to sleep in a real bed occasionally and it saves a lot of money.

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2026-10-21

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Northern Tier Summary - June 12

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You can see the spring run-off at peak flow. The river is very swift. This would be a fun kayaking adventure.

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2026-10-21

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Northern Tier Summary - June 8

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My route followed U.S. Highway 2 through Northern Idaho and much of Montana.

U.S. Route 2 goes all the way from Bellingham Washington to Bar Harbor Maine. Once I reached the central states I mainly followed county roads instead of Route 2. That allowed me to avoid the more congested stretches of Route 2.

The Northern route across the U.S. offers spectacular scenery. It is my favorite of the three major bicycling routes across the country.

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2026-10-21

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Northern Tier Summary - June 5

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The official start was June 1. That was to make counting the days easier…

I was only able to cover 61 miles out of Anacortes on June 1 before reaching a road closure, a winter rock slide had closed The North Cascades Highway at Ross Dam.

My SAG (Support and Gear) drove me around the closure.

Two days later I met Todd. Todd is retired Navy. He served with distinction. I couldn’t get enough of his stories during the short time we had together.

It looked like we might make the rest of the trip to Bar Harbor together. We rode for three days before he unexpectedly had to return home. My SAG took him to Spokane, Washington and helped him get his bike shipped home and gave him a lift to the Spokane airport.

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2026-10-21

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Northern Tier Summary - May 31

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Family and Friends gathered for a send-off dinner a Dockside Dogs. Not only home of the “Anacortes Dog,” but possible the best dog on the West Coast. (Open to interpretation, but the owner of the restaurant agreed with me.)

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2026-10-21

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Northern Tier Summary - May 31

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It is customary to dip the rear wheel in the Pacific Ocean before beginning a West to East trans-continental bicycle journey.

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2026-10-21

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A Year of Living Stoically - June 1, 2026

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No one can take away your accomplishments, they are yours. Even if someone does a thing better than you, that has no impact on what you have achieved. Enjoy your accomplishments. Hold on to them, strive to improve them to the best of your ability.

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2026-10-22

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Journal Entry - October 23, 2026

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I start each day with these Chants. I typically repeat each one three times.

Chant #1

Ohm Nama Shivaya.
Ohm Nama Shivaya.
Ohm Nama Shivaya.
Ohm Nama Shivaya.

Chant #2

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna,
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare,
Hare Rama, Hare Rama,
Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Chant #3

Krishna,
Jehovah,
Allah,
Buddha,
Yahweh,
Shanghai,
All Are One.

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2026-10-23

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Journal Entry - October 22, 2026

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I start each day with this Mantra:

I acknowledge the Creator and give thanks for the opportunity to greet another day. It is my intention to honor this day by presenting my best self to the world.

It is my goal for today to be kind to everyone I meet. I will look for the best in everyone and treat everyone I meet with kindness and respect.

I will share a smile whenever I can because I believe a smile has the power to make lives better.

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2026-10-23

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Journal Entry - October 24, 2026

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I guess you would call this a teaser. In November and December I plan to post 50 quotes that I find meaningful. (A quote a day for 50 days.) All of the quotes I will be sharing have been written by female authors. I chose female authors because I realized my personal reading has been heavily weighted toward the works of male authors. It’s time to diversify a bit.

It’s not a matter of male vs. female. Everyone has a unique perspective to share. Society makes a big deal about the “differences” between men and women. I think that perception is largely nonsense. What is different between men and women is not the way they think, or how talented they are with words; The difference comes down to the experiences we have as we move through life. I have found looking over the quotes I plan to share, that all of the ideas stem from the author’s experience. Many of those experiences are ones I have not had, so I expect these quotes to open up new vistas for me.

Along with each quote I plan to add some thoughts of my own. I’m looking at this as a writing exercise. November is “Writing is Fun” month at my local Senior Center. I plan to attend the weekly class in November to write. I think the quotes I have found will be excellent fodder for my own writing and posting.

November is going to be fun. I’m looking forward to sharing these quotes and my thoughts about them. Here is one that I will be including. You can read about this one on November 9th…

I need not sell my soul to buy bliss. I have an inward treasure, born with me, which can keep me alive if all the extraneous delights should be withheld, or offered only at a price I cannot afford to give.

–Charlotte Brontë

Check back on November 9th for my reflection on this quote.

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2026-10-24

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Journal Entry - October 25, 2026

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Under US Law, it is a crime for any publicly elected figure to knowingly and intentionally tell a material lie about the state of the Union or any issue of public concern.

Oops! That’s a lie.

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2026-10-26

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Journal Entry - October 26, 2026

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No pardon can change the tragic truth of what happened on January 6, 2021. It cannot whitewash the blood, feces, and terror that the mob left in its wake. And it cannot repair the sapped breach in America’s sacred tradition of peaceful transition of power.

—Judge Tanya Chutkan

We should all remember these words, spoken in a court of law upon the pardon of the convicted J6 Perpetrators. We must not forget the atrocities and disgrace of that day. If anyone argues that the events of that day were justified, simply ask them, “why was the violence and degradation justified?” If their answer avoids any acknowledgement of the seriousness of that event, keep asking.

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2026-10-26

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Journal Entry - October 27, 2026

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Wealthy people buying and controlling our Social Media gives those few outsized power over us. Their ability to propagate lies and give their platform the ability to control what is fed to us is a violation of what boils down to free speech. It is not free speech, It is speech that has been bent to propagate lies in a way that society has never had to deal with before. It is directed, coercive, speech, intended to insidiously control you and your view of reality. The only tool we have right now to counter this phenomena Is critical thinking. We all must employ that tool and share it as best we can with as many people as we can. Politics is not supposed to be a reality show that is packaged for our entertainment. It is not a race to the bottom of what constitutes societal morals and decency.

Treating politics as if it were those things is placing us on a path that jeopardizes the survival of a free society.

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2026-10-28

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Journal Entry - October 28, 2026

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Brazil’s legal model rests on the premise that the right to truthful information in elections supersedes an unfettered right to free speech.

—Andrew Weissmann

Free Speech is not the right to say whatever you want to say regardless of whether it is true or not. It is not the right to lie without legal encumbrance.

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2026-10-28

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Reading - October 29, 2026

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Have you given any thought to a degree from Harvard? Here is the syllabus for Humanities 10a and 10b, Fall ‘26 and Spring ‘27. This is a popular course limited to only 90 students. Use the syllabus below to join the fun (sans classroom discussion and final exam).

My score is 5 out of 22. That’s not great, but I’m still working on it…

Fall 10a covers classics from antiquity to the modern era, in chronological order. Here is the reading list:

The Odyssey (Homer)
If Not, Winter: Fragments of Sappho (Sappho).
Oedipus the King (Sophocles)
The Symposium (Plato)
The Aeneid (Virgil)

Inferno (Dante Alighieri)
The Decameron (Giovanni Boccaccio)
Hamlet (WIlliam Shakespeare)

Meditations on First Philosophy (Rene’ Descartes)
The Souls of Black Folk (W.E.B. Du Bois)
The Metamorphosis (Frank Kafka)
To the Lighthouse (Virginia Woolf)
Ulysses (James Joyce)

Spring 10b covers classic literature from the modern era back to the ancient world. Here is the reading list:

Frankenstein (Mary Shelley)
Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
Lyrical Ballads (Wordsworth & Coleridge)
Emily Dickinson’s Poetry

On LIberty (John Stuart Mill)
On the Aesthetic Education of Man (Schiller)

Confessions (Saint Augustine)
The Golden Ass (Apuleius)
Antigone (Sophocles)

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2026-10-29

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Journal Entry - October 30, 2026

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PCE is a measure of how people are adjusting their spending based on the impact of inflation on their overall financial situation. In other words, their overall ability to afford life’s necessities. Viewed another way, will I buy chicken or beef, or will I eat baked beans…

Wealthy people are not impacted by inflation to the degree that ordinary people are. PCE for the wealthy stays relatively flat. The biggest impact of inflation on the wealthy is their calculation of when to trade in their yacht for a larger one.

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2026-10-29

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Journal Entry - October 31, 2026

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The Cambridge Dictionary defines megalomaniac as:

Someone who has an unnaturally strong wish for power and control, or thinks that they are much more important and powerful than they really are.

I can’t imagine whom this might be describing…

Sadly for us, he is the most powerful man in the world. So he doesn’t have to imagine how powerful he is. Combined with his lack of humanity, this is bad news for all of us, not just here at home, but the entire world.

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2026-10-31

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