Taking Notes and Diving Into Spring

My blog has always been a place for me to come and sort through my thoughts and make note of some of the goings-on in my world and in our world. Perhaps it's because I don't trust my memory to recall little parts of my life that I may take pleasure in reminiscing about at some later date. Other times it's just me writing about things that seem too important to not talk about, such as what follows.

Not long into Trump's term as president, I found myself wondering if we were witnessing the fall of our democracy — a thought that seemed over-the-top in some regards. It wasn't just me thinking along these lines, either. It was pretty much anyone who was paying attention to the erosion of our democratic norms on so many levels and who wasn't in the grip of conservative media. We were right to be concerned.

The party of Regan is now the party of Trump. The party of the patriotic (or so they claimed) is now the party of insurrectionists, conspiracists, and corruption (the corruption aspect isn't really new, tho). It's been stunning to witness this transformation.

The Big Lie, that Trump actually won the election, is still very much alive and well (more than 6 months post-election) and I have siblings and friends who fully embrace it. I'm not sure how we move forward together, or if I even want to anymore. There's really no reaching them. I've tried. God, how I've tried. Joseph Goebbels would be so envious to see the ability of today's propagandists who populate conservative media. They have no shame whatsoever. For all of the technology and information available to each of us, this is how an alarming number choose to use it. My only question is: what's the end game of these propagandists who hold such sway over so many? What is it they want to achieve with their lies? 

This past week we're seeing Republicans speak out about the insurrection that Trump orchestrated on our nation's Capitol in a brazen attempt to thwart the will of the people. They're taking to the airwaves to proclaim that the insurrection of 1/6/2021 was nothing more than an organized tour of the Capitol. Unreal! But this is where we are. 

“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.” George Orwell - 1984

A democracy where there exists an alternate pseudo-reality isn't sustainable — not where we depend on an educated electorate that respects the process. Republicans are stripping power away from any among their ranks who speak the truth and don't fall in line behind the Big Lie. This is concerning to watch, especially when you pause to consider what will become of our democracy if Republicans win back the House and refuse to certify a subsequent presidential election which they lose. That's a real possibility. If you don't think so, you haven't been paying attention. They no longer respect the rule of law or our norms, but if you listen to them, it's Democrats who are out to destroy our democracy. Now is not the time to be silent.

Tammy and I spent a few days last week shopping for flowers for the gardens in our yard. (I miss our Nissan pickup truck during this time of year.) We mostly rely on Gertens Greenhouse for our needs. They have by far the best selection; just don't shop there on the weekend! 

It's always such a big job and a relief to have it done. We have a fair amount of perennials but we mostly rely on annuals to populate our flower beds. We both love this time of year. There's something about the new life that springtime brings and the freshness of it. And it looks like we got the work done just ahead of some much-needed rain!

I've been back on the links with Tom, Chuck, and Lyle 4 times in the past two weeks. Steve says he's ready to get out there, too. It'll be nice to tee it up with him again. I'm pleased with where my game is at so early in the season. 

I've been doing a fair amount of riding but not the distances or intensity I'm used to. I can't say I'm okay with that but it is what it is and not something I want to force. I'm saving my more intense efforts for the mountain bike trails it seems. Of all my bikes, I'm enjoying the time spent on my Orbea full-suspension mountain bike the most. It's such a fun ride. 

The first video below is from today with Reid at a mountain bike park near his home in Victoria: Mammoth. It's a fun set of trails that I'd never ridden before with some short but steep climbs and quite rooted in places. I left out most of the dizzying video footage to make for a more enjoyable viewing experience.

The 2nd video is from last Saturday's ride with some friends from the Silver Cycling group in Lakeville. It was an 89 mile (143 km) day that included one pit bull encounter at the 2:28 mark of the video. One of the guys in our group made an incident report with the county sheriff's office. I received a phone call from the officer to add my input and provide him with a link to the video. Most dog encounters aren't anything too concerning — this one was. Steve actually gave us a heads-up before we got to the area where the dog lives.

The 3rd video is from our Tuesday Night Gravel ride two weeks ago with the group out of Northfield. 

That's all I've got.