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OKAY TO MAKE IT AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE. NEXT YEAR IN 2006 I WOULD RIDE MY BICYCLE AGAIN, BUT INSTEAD 0F GOING ACROSS I WAS GOING TO ATTEMPT GOING AROUND THE COUNTRY . I WOULD START IN NEW RO AGAIN AND HEAD THROUGH NEW ENGLAND AND THE ACROSS, DOWN THEN BACK ACROSS AGAIN AND THEN BACK HOME. THAT DIDNT WORK OUT TOO WELL. I LEFT ALONE ON A WARM AFTERNOON IN JULY FROM MY MOMS WHERE LUANDA SAW ME OFF. I ACTUALLY STOPPED AT LOU AND GINAS HOUSE ON THE WAY UP RT 1. I WOUND UP REACHING MASS. AND STAYED WITH MY FAMILY, TITI TATA, YVONNE, IVAN, AND THE KIDS. SAMMY MY COUSIN WAS AROUND BUT I DIDNT GET TO SEE HIM. HE WAS BUSY, BUT THE DAY I LEFT WE SPOKE. WE JOKED AND LAUGHED ON THE PHONE AND WE PROMISED EACH OTHER WE WOULD GET UP SOON. AS I ARRIVED IN ALBANY THAT NIGHT , I HAD CAUGHT HEAT STROKE. THE WEATHER WAS IN THE MID TO UPPER 90'S AND I SURE TOOK A BEATIN. SO MUCH SO I HAD TO SPEND AN EXTRA DAY IN ALBANY. HEY, THE HOTEL WAS BEAUTIFUL AND THE PEOPLE THERE TOOK CARE OF ME MAKING SURE I HAD WATER AND MEDS, THANKS TO PABS FOR MAKING THAT CALL. YOU KNOW MY HOMIE NAAR CAME UP TO ALBANY. HE WAS DROPPED OFF BY HIS WIFEE AND MY EX LU.WE RODE A WHOLE DAY ABOUT 11 OR 12 HRS. TO COOPERSTOWN NEW YORK. BY THE TIME WE RODE INTO TOWN IT WAS ALREADY DARK AND DAVE HAD BEEN TAKING A BEATIN BY THE SUN AND THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. WE STAYED AT A LAKESIDE MOTEL AND SOAKED IN SOME NICE VIBES THE NEXT DAY, AND EVEN WATCHED A FEW INNINGS AT DOUBLEDAY FIELD. TO JUST SKIP AHEAD A LITTLE BIT. IM STILL WAITING FOR MY COUSIN RUM AND SMOOK TO COME FOLLOW ME IN THE CAR AND FILM THE TRIP, WHEN I GOT THE CALL THAT SAMMY HAD JUST BEEN KILLED IN A CAR ACCIDENT ONLY DAYS AFTER I LEFT AND WHICH WAS ONE YEAR TO THE DAY THAT MY MOM DIED, JULY 25TH. I WOUND UP STOPPING MY TRIP FOR A FEW AND GOING BACK HOME AND THEN BACK UP TO MASS. TO BE WITH THE FAM FOR THE FUNERAL AND THE WAKE. I ACTUALLY GOT SICK UP THERE AND HAD TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL IN ATHOL, TO WHOM I STILL OWE MONEY TO. NOW BACK AT HOME I HAD TO DECIDE MY NEXT MOVE, TRIP WISE.