Laced up the speed skates for the first time this weekend. Kind of a strong south wind so going north we could really cook but the headwind requires lots of power. I was doing good for the first time out but I was barking my blades once in a while. When the good guys put their blades down its silent and they are so fast. I need Floyd back here so he can yell me orders. He's an awesome coach in the way that he knows when to get on your case when needed and when to have a good time.
We have our robot project teams picked out. My two teammates are in my chem class so we see each other every day. One is a carpenter and the other has a machinist background. Dan Konrads' dad owns Konrad marine stern drives in Hudson. So he has access to a machine shop. They went with my idea in automating the water bottle holder using an RF remote I can put on a stem or something. We're going to make a hand that will grab a bottle and hand it off. If we have time I have some add ons we can incorporate but those are after we get the basic robot to function properly.
Lots of "bigger" issues going on in terms of life and death. 3 people we know had close ones die in the last few weeks. A family friend passed last week from cancer. He was only 50. The funeral was like a reunion though. I like going to funerals where the atmosphere is a happy one, because everyone knew he was in a better place and he no longer has to suffer here on earth. His wife and kids were doing very well. They were all smiles and their joking selves. I'm sure they will have there lone times when they will miss him, but they are comforted in the assurance that they will see him again. Then there is my grandma. She has been in and out of the hospital the last few weeks with a failing heart. Keep her in your prayers. And finally I'll end on a good note, my cousin and his wife had their first child yesterday. Moriah Ann was born. Congrats Gary and Andrea.


It doesn't look fast but each straight away is 100 meters and each corner is 100 meters. The fast guys can do a 500 meter somewhere around 35:00 to 40:00 sec. Thats 28-32+ mph! on skates. There is also the 1000, 1500, 5,000, and 10,000 meter.