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It has to be in quotes because so far I don’t feel like we’ve rested. We’re going out to eat tonight and I hope to be in by 11AM as tomorrow’s meetup is at 6:30. It’s not a small day on the bike: 85 miles. ‘Course for us...
It is a relatively flat day, though the challenges will come, I imagine, in the group. There is much to figure out - and as I write that I release it, too. The figuring will happen in the action. The die is cast.
We start with a brief continental breakfast -- the most spare of all we’ve come across, but hey, I’m grateful for a little grub to get things going en la manana. After that, we’re up and out to meet Ruth at Cigna -- just a few blocks away in downtown Philly. I’m taken aback as we’re walking through the hustling morning city. It’s a great feeling city -- alive and electric. The smells and sounds are all right -- reminding me of New York and San Francisco (two other cities I love very much).
We are across the street from our destination when I run into our supplemental cameraman (volunteer 2nd unit DP) for the next two days, Mikey Catalanado. I got wind of him last night from Annamaria through a friend of mine in Philadelphia who’s working for the film commission out here, Maria Gebhardt. By the by, Maria, if you’re reading this: THANK YOU and NO, I’m not mad at you! I don’t know where you get such ideas, but we’ll have to talk. Mikey’s wonderful...as I continue...
The meeting at Cigna is easy and full of laughter. They’re all so happy to have us with them and accommodating to a level I can hardly believe. They’ve blocked off a piece of Market Street for us (RIGHT downtown!) and have a police escort, antique bicycles (with the riders) and Benjamin Franklin, himself, joining us! It’s a scene as we ride our bikes out of the garage and onto the congested streets. I’m rolling two cameras (one in my hand and one attached to my bike), Mikey’s rolling another from the SAG and people on the sidewalks are staring at the freaks in green on bikes following the 34-foot RV.
Welcome to Philly. Now move your freaking car!
We arrive at our holding position early -- awesome. Plenty of time to chat and get involved with the awesome energy that everyone’s bringing: motorcycle cops, police car, university cops on bikes, the antique cyclists, Ben Franklin, loads of Cigna people and lots and lots of others all crowding around and taking part in the festivities.
Before we know it, it’s time to go. We line up and the siren from the police car begins to wail. I’m rolling two cameras again, holding on to my handlebars with one hand (and trying to hold a steady picture, mind you --what’s really important?). Mikey’s dropped my other camera on a tripod and has it grabbing a static shot coming down the street. He’s got another camera in his hands that he’s working on a monopod like a steadi-cam, weaving in and out of the riders (can’t wait to see this footage).
We get to the spot, Ben F. just avoids crashing (bonus), and we have a thick crowd surrounding our stage. The president of Cigna welcomes us and gives a great speech. Gary’s up next and he charges up the group. Next comes Ben and he’s classic -- a great character (and I should know having donned the Caesar gear for a few years in Vegas). The crowd is very responsive and the whole scene just works.
I’m still thinking every 10 seconds or so -- we just biked to Philadelphia!
Then it’s over. Whoosh. The table and chairs are gone with the cat and the hat like it never happened. I get a MUCH-needed chair massage and the guy works on some tight back muscles that have been knotting for weeks now. They’re certainly not worked out, but I greatly appreciate the effort. Annamaria has already promised to help work them out when I get home.
Home is not so far away now...
We have one more appointment at a wellness center in New Jersey. This is a building that Gary’s brother actually helped design. It is an amazing place, integrating an extremely high-end gym/fitness center with a rehab center to work with local hospitals and recovering patients. The atmosphere of getting a patient out of the hospital to do their work and into a place where “healthy” people are (to serve as inspiration) is an amazing dynamic. The ladies who run this place are enthusiastic and so excited to share the ins and outs of their facility with us.
Oh -- I weighed myself and I’m down about five pounds -- not as much as I thought (but not a problem either -- I didn’t need to lose weight). Gary was down about ten (he doesn’t need to lose it). Geoff didn’t weigh himself.
Gary’s taking us out on the town tonight. More on that in a bit.
LATER...
The disintegration has begun. Geoff reunited with his wife tonight. The rest of us went out to dinner. Amazing food -- but something was missing. There was a piece of our group that wasn’t there. It is what it is. Tomorrow I expect chaos in terms of the reunions. Everyone will be with their families. Mikey and I will do our best to cover it.
DAY 34
“Rest” day in Philadelphia
“Rest” day in Philadelphia
It has to be in quotes because so far I don’t feel like we’ve rested. We’re going out to eat tonight and I hope to be in by 11AM as tomorrow’s meetup is at 6:30. It’s not a small day on the bike: 85 miles. ‘Course for us...
It is a relatively flat day, though the challenges will come, I imagine, in the group. There is much to figure out - and as I write that I release it, too. The figuring will happen in the action. The die is cast.
We start with a brief continental breakfast -- the most spare of all we’ve come across, but hey, I’m grateful for a little grub to get things going en la manana. After that, we’re up and out to meet Ruth at Cigna -- just a few blocks away in downtown Philly. I’m taken aback as we’re walking through the hustling morning city. It’s a great feeling city -- alive and electric. The smells and sounds are all right -- reminding me of New York and San Francisco (two other cities I love very much).
We are across the street from our destination when I run into our supplemental cameraman (volunteer 2nd unit DP) for the next two days, Mikey Catalanado. I got wind of him last night from Annamaria through a friend of mine in Philadelphia who’s working for the film commission out here, Maria Gebhardt. By the by, Maria, if you’re reading this: THANK YOU and NO, I’m not mad at you! I don’t know where you get such ideas, but we’ll have to talk. Mikey’s wonderful...as I continue...
The meeting at Cigna is easy and full of laughter. They’re all so happy to have us with them and accommodating to a level I can hardly believe. They’ve blocked off a piece of Market Street for us (RIGHT downtown!) and have a police escort, antique bicycles (with the riders) and Benjamin Franklin, himself, joining us! It’s a scene as we ride our bikes out of the garage and onto the congested streets. I’m rolling two cameras (one in my hand and one attached to my bike), Mikey’s rolling another from the SAG and people on the sidewalks are staring at the freaks in green on bikes following the 34-foot RV.
Welcome to Philly. Now move your freaking car!
We arrive at our holding position early -- awesome. Plenty of time to chat and get involved with the awesome energy that everyone’s bringing: motorcycle cops, police car, university cops on bikes, the antique cyclists, Ben Franklin, loads of Cigna people and lots and lots of others all crowding around and taking part in the festivities.
Before we know it, it’s time to go. We line up and the siren from the police car begins to wail. I’m rolling two cameras again, holding on to my handlebars with one hand (and trying to hold a steady picture, mind you --what’s really important?). Mikey’s dropped my other camera on a tripod and has it grabbing a static shot coming down the street. He’s got another camera in his hands that he’s working on a monopod like a steadi-cam, weaving in and out of the riders (can’t wait to see this footage).
We get to the spot, Ben F. just avoids crashing (bonus), and we have a thick crowd surrounding our stage. The president of Cigna welcomes us and gives a great speech. Gary’s up next and he charges up the group. Next comes Ben and he’s classic -- a great character (and I should know having donned the Caesar gear for a few years in Vegas). The crowd is very responsive and the whole scene just works.
I’m still thinking every 10 seconds or so -- we just biked to Philadelphia!
Then it’s over. Whoosh. The table and chairs are gone with the cat and the hat like it never happened. I get a MUCH-needed chair massage and the guy works on some tight back muscles that have been knotting for weeks now. They’re certainly not worked out, but I greatly appreciate the effort. Annamaria has already promised to help work them out when I get home.
Home is not so far away now...
We have one more appointment at a wellness center in New Jersey. This is a building that Gary’s brother actually helped design. It is an amazing place, integrating an extremely high-end gym/fitness center with a rehab center to work with local hospitals and recovering patients. The atmosphere of getting a patient out of the hospital to do their work and into a place where “healthy” people are (to serve as inspiration) is an amazing dynamic. The ladies who run this place are enthusiastic and so excited to share the ins and outs of their facility with us.
Oh -- I weighed myself and I’m down about five pounds -- not as much as I thought (but not a problem either -- I didn’t need to lose weight). Gary was down about ten (he doesn’t need to lose it). Geoff didn’t weigh himself.
Gary’s taking us out on the town tonight. More on that in a bit.
LATER...
The disintegration has begun. Geoff reunited with his wife tonight. The rest of us went out to dinner. Amazing food -- but something was missing. There was a piece of our group that wasn’t there. It is what it is. Tomorrow I expect chaos in terms of the reunions. Everyone will be with their families. Mikey and I will do our best to cover it.
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