1099

The annual Spring Sale is on at CompuTrainer, www.racermateinc.com and as added value you can, for a limited time, get an RCV as part of the deal. That's right folks, a $100 RCV (Coeur d'Alene, Hawaii or Arizona) free with your purchase of a CT Pro 3D. Nice. So if your work schedule or real life priorities preclude you from getting to spin class, doing an outside 50 miler, or keeping the fitness you have worked so hard and long to achieve, take advantage of this yearly offer at CT, and ride indoors, safe, dry, happy, and motivated. Seriously, riding the Queen K allows you ample time to multi-task (got Kids?).

The above logo is being considered for our production crew's flight jackets. I like it. Any comments from you design professionals is appreciated.

Today is rather infamous. April 15. My home/business phone number is 842.1099. It was my choice when I decided to bring it home and go total indi. It still gets laughs and winks. And today is its birthday!!!! Sadly, a quick wikipedia check shows that in the year 1099 the major historical news was from the Middle East where The Crusaders (as directed by Pope Urban II) were successful in the overthrow of Jerusalem. Carnage, bloodshed, massacre, violence, fear, hate, ego. Allah in the name of God. This report sums it up:

The First Crusade was the most successful in that it actually accomplished what it set out to do - conquer Jerusalem. But it had its problems. Responding to the Pope's challenge, thousands of peasants rallied to the cause motivated by a combination of religious fervor and the desire to escape their squalid condition at home. Led by Peter the Hermit and Walter the Penniless the hapless rabble marched across Europe to Constantinople, only to be slaughtered by the Turks soon after crossing the Bosphorus into Asia Minor.

In the meantime, the nobility of Europe raised an army of thousands that made its way through various routes and with much mishap to Constantinople. Unfortunately, many of these crusaders could not wait until they met the Muslims on the field of battle to demonstrate their religious zeal. As they progressed through Europe many Jewish communities became the target of their wrath and thousands were massacred.

In the spring of 1097, a host of over 100,000 crusaders joined forces on the eastern side of the Bosphorus. The combined army then fought its way along the coast of the Mediterranean reaching the gates of Jerusalem in June of 1099.

Did you catch that? Led by Peter the Hermit and Walter the Penniless? Hapless rabble?

Today, as I sign a check that will aid and abet our misguided leadership in their modern religious zeal, I can't help but wish I could somehow get a call from Walter the Penniless at 842.1099. We're still hapless rabble fighting the same futile war financed by taxation with overzealous representation.

All that took place 909 years ago. It was 1099.

"I think I'll go for a ride", he said in a tone of complete resignation.