50 miles from home - and a flat

I was 50 miles from home for a Saturday ride with several guys - and I get a flat or the rear wheel.  I didn't have any spare tubes nor tools to fix the flat.

I had to let the rest go on with the ride as they should not be waiting on me.  I was only 2 miles from the starting point so I just walked back.  I took a picture of the empty country road as I headed back to where I'd be waiting for my wife to pick me up.

Took a picture of the bike while I waited for my ride back home:

An Odd Hotel Room

One benefit of frequent travelers is getting "upgrades" such as getting a seat in first or business class when flying.  When I stay at a hotel,  my frequent traveler status ( "Platinum" / "Platinum Premiere" ) usually results in the hotel giving me their bigger rooms instead of the regular rooms.  These "suite rooms" are more elegantly decorated but for the most part, I really don't get to enjoy these as I don't spend a lot of time at the hotel. I've only enjoyed these room upgrades when I travel with my wife and kids.

On this particular week,  I was given a "corner" suite room which usually means it's larger than the regular suite. Outside the room,  I noticed the sign.

Usually "upgraded" rooms have some sort of dining table but this one was a bit odd - it was definitely a conference room table.

I moved the curtains to check the view and this is what I see:

Scenes from the Park

It's a Saturday morning in Beijing and I went to the Temple of Heaven.  It's a place revered by the Chinese and historically,  this is where the emperor prayed to the gods for a good harvest.

The amazing thing about parks in China is that the people actually use them for activities that we probably will never see back in the states: individual & group singing,  people playing cards,  tai-chi,  yoga, dancing and other activities.

Here are videos that I took with my cellphone this morning:

Spring Break, 2010

I traveled with the family to Washington, DC as it was spring break and there was no school for a week. Washington is an amazing place to visit - a lot of historic names, places and events too numerous to mention. The subway system is great and is a great way to get around as finding parking space is difficult in this city.  Here are some of the more significant pictures from DC.

The White House - view from the South Lawn

The Washington Monument

The World War II Memorial

Reference to some of the Major Battles in the Pacific during WW II

The Lincoln Memorial

Inside the Lincoln Memorial

View of the Reflecting Pool,  Washington Monument and the US Capitol from the Lincoln Memorial

Winter in Boston

It's winter and I've been working in the Boston area for close to a year now. Winter in the northeast makes the place very pretty (due to snow) but living in the area is a hassle. You need layers of warm clothes. Driving can be treacherous and if you actually live here, your car will not last as those in warmer states due to the salt that is put on the roads (to prevent ice). Even walking is dangerous as it gets very slippery.

This is the view outside the office window.

Heading back to the airport