I should be on the East coast racing the two UCI ‘cross races there, but instead, am sitting here in Topeka with a sucking chest cold.  Probably just fall allergies, but I’m a horrible sick person during the season.  And, I have a tendency to not get over these things too quick, so it really weighs on my psyche.  There are a couple local ‘cross races that I’ll go and watch.  I don’t mind watching local races, but am not into watching bigger races that I think I should be racing.  Kind of weird.  So, back to the drawing board with fitness.  It is hard not to just lose fitness all fall until ‘cross Nationals in December.  That is why it is so important not to get sick much later than now.  There just isn’t enough time to recover.  Sometimes there isn’t enough good weather, either.  That is two strikes that are almost always thrown.  So, the message here is, don’t do anything stupid the next couple months to get sick.  OK.  That’s all the energy I have for now.

The word pioneer describes the life of Gary Penman. A friend, one that I admired, died yesterday.  He made a dramatic impact on my life.  And I’m just one of the thousands/tens of thousands of people that he did this to.  He single handedly created/built his surroundings to his liking.  And, he allowed anyone that came to Northern Wisconsin the luxury to enjoy the fruits of his labors.

I can’t say I really knew Gary all that well.  But well enough to know I liked him alot. Something eclectic made him tick.  And this was what made him special.  He recreated the town of Seeley, Wisconsin.  And, built the Sawmill Saloon.  This is a place that hundreds of World Class athletes have been to.  A place that is a gathering point and melting pot not found elsewhere. This is a place where Elite athletes-cyclists/skiers/skaters, etc. drink beer and eat pizza with loggers and snowmobilers. He did this on his own. I believe for his own quiet entertainment.

There are too many stories and memories to try to relate how Gary bettered so many lives.  Below is a link to an article that probably says it better than I. Please click on it and read about his life.  We should all strive to live a life as such to be so admired.    I will miss having the knowledge that he is up in Northern Wisconsin creating. But feel free to go to Seeley and be awed by one man’s work.

Gary Penman - A Pioneer

http://blogs.jsonline.com/offthecouch/