Family Bike Ride - Bike Coconut Grove - this Saturday, April 26 - 10:00 AM

I am forwarding information relating to a family friend bike ride - This event is a cooperative effort of Bike Coconut Grove, Friends of the Commodore Trail, the Coconut Grove Business Improvement District, and the City of Miami Police Department Coconut Grove Team.

The family-friendly bike rides with a special City of Miami police escort originally scheduled for April 16 and May 21 (both on Wednesday at 5 p.m.) have been rescheduled. Instead, there will be one ride on Saturday, April 26, at 10 a.m.

Meet at the Coconut Grove Playhouse parking lot on Main Highway and get ready to pedal Coconut Grove's streets with the City of Miami local law enforcement bicycling team.

The ride will begin at 10 a.m. and will take approximately 90 minutes. It’s free to all. To join, register here.

It's a great opportunity to spend quality time with your loved ones while enjoying a safe and organized bike ride. Don't miss out on this exciting event - bring your bikes, helmets, and smiles!

Enjoying a white Christmas - Christmas Eve Day - December 24 2024

It is snowing (a light snow for this venue).  We are enjoying a white Christmas in Warrensburg, NY - the Adirondacks. Family time - Merry Christmas

A view of the Hudson River behind the Upstate NY home of the in-laws.

Join the ride 43, 22 0r 12 this Sat, 10-19 – BISCAYNE-EVERGLADES GREENWAY – detailed information listed on the flier

Join me at the Homestead Sports Complex this Saturday, October 19, 2024, for the EBC/Bike305 BISCAYNE-EVERGLADES GREENWAY Rides. Registration starts at 7:30 AM and last through 8:15 AM.

Choose your ride - 3 to choose from - 43, 22 and 12. See the flier for more information.

ALL RIDES ARE FREE!

I will be one of the ride leaders for the 22 mile route (route photos below). Jump in. Have I ever led you astray? It will be fun.

22 mile route standard view

22 mile route satellite view

Merry Christmas - 2021 - remembering the Christmas Truce in WWI - read History dot com account

Christmas Time - a time for a little truce and ponder the true meaning of Christmas.

One of my favorite Christmas events still remembered - Christmas in wartime - leading to the brief respite that came to be know as the Christmas truce. 

Read the full account on History.com: Christmas Truce of 1914

On December 7, 1914, Pope Benedict XV suggested a temporary hiatus of the war for the celebration of Christmas. The warring countries refused to create any official cease-fire, but on Christmas the soldiers in the trenches declared their own unofficial truce.

At the first light of dawn on Christmas Day, some German soldiers emerged from their trenches and approached the Allied lines across no-man’s-land, calling out “Merry Christmas” in their enemies’ native tongues. At first, the Allied soldiers feared it was a trick, but seeing the Germans unarmed they climbed out of their trenches and shook hands with the enemy soldiers. The men exchanged presents of cigarettes and plum puddings and sang carols and songs. There was even a documented case of soldiers from opposing sides playing a good-natured game of soccer.

Some soldiers used this short-lived ceasefire for a more somber task: the retrieval of the bodies of fellow combatants who had fallen within the no-man’s land between the lines.

The so-called Christmas Truce of 1914 came only five months after the outbreak of war in Europe and was one of the last examples of the outdated notion of chivalry between enemies in warfare. It was never repeated—future attempts at holiday ceasefires were quashed by officers’ threats of disciplinary action—but it served as heartening proof, however brief, that beneath the brutal clash of weapons, the soldiers’ essential humanity endured.

Info above taken verbatim from History.Com

Photo: “1914 Christmas Truce Monument, Messine.”

Where is Santa now? NORAD tracks Santa - 2021 - this is for the young & young at heart - links to tracker and the story as to how it all began.

  NORAD Tracks Santa.  A recommended site.

Click on this link to Welcome to NORAD Tracks Santa to view where Santa is at the time.  

Or follow Santa on Google's Santa Tracker by CLICKING HERE 

Always a family favorite, at least until the kids age out.

Enjoy, 

Merry Christmas

Eugene Flinn and family

How it started: One of my favorite Christmas stories: A great read - NPR (originally published December 19, 2014)

Read the full NPR story as related by the grown children of Col. Harry Shoup who came to be known as the "Santa Colonel." Col. Shoup passed away in 2009.

See NPR - NORAD's Santa Tracker Began With A Typo And A Good Sport, December 19, 2014

The Earthrise photo. Taken 53 years ago today, 12/24/1968

Smile, you're being photographed (53 years ago). Two of my strongest non-family related Christmas time memories:

Apollo 8, we all monitored that mission (all space missions at that time) - we later saw the Earthrise photo taken  53 years ago this date, 12/24/1968.  This photo provides perspective; that we live on a small self-contained outpost.

The other, and certainly less important memory was back in 1971, when the Miami Dolphins were relevant, and played in the Christmas Day playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs. The double-overtime game remains the longest game ever played in NFL history.

The Dolphins were led by coach Don Shula, and six players – Nick Buoniconti, Larry Csonka, Bob Griese, Jim Langer, Larry Little, and Paul Warfield. 

I prefer the space memories, looking up as if I could actually see something with my own eyes, if I could only focus on the exact spot near the moon. 

One of the many gifts that space exploration/NASA has provided to us.

Read the article (it remains available online), Miami Herald: The stunning photo on Christmas Eve that changed how we see our planet, by Christian Davenport The Washington Post

Christmas rankings for movie versions of Dicken's "A Christmas Carol". Here is a suggested guide to binge watching. Ranking my personal favorites.

Who is a fan of watching the many variations of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol? Does anyone want to argue about which is the best?

We are in prime binge watching season for the Christmas specials. We still are not fully out of the woods on COVID, so I offer up an activity you can share within your family bubble as well as participate with others remotely. Here is a guide for your Pandemic Christmas Ideas –

'A Christmas Carol' Adaptations Ranked from "Bah Humbug!" to "God Bless Us Everyone!" by Dave Trumbore, COLLIDER Movie News, Dec 21, 2019 His lead in: 

Besides the Christmas stories that are Biblical in origin, Charles Dickens' 1843 classic telling of A Christmas Carol remains one of the longest-running, most-adapted, and most-relevant holiday tales to date. More than 170 years after the infamous miser-turned-do-gooder Ebenezer Scrooge entered our culture for the first time, there are still quite a few folks out there who could do with taking this timeless lesson to heart. I'd suggest they take the time to do what I did and watch 20 or so adaptations of A Christmas Carol until the moral sinks in, but the good-willed among you who don't need a lesson from the spirits can check out our ranked list to see which version is most worthy of your time.

A story for that stands the test of time. A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas, commonly known as A Christmas Carol, is a novella by Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall December 19,1843 - Wikipedia

Here are some of my favorite film versions and how they were ranked by Dave Trumbore:

9. A Christmas Carol (1999) what I call "the Patrick Stewart version". (My #4)
6. A Christmas Carol (1984) George C Scott (my #5)
My favorite - 5. Scrooged  - Bill Murray - For all the reasons in the description:

Easily the best non-traditional adaptation of A Christmas Carol, Richard Donner's 1988 comedy Scrooged is a testament to just how timeless Dickens' tale is. Set in the hyper-violent and profit-obsessed entertainment world of the 1980s, Bill Murray plays Frank Cross, a TV network executive who's under the gun to bring in huge numbers for the channel's upcoming Christmas special. What follows is an exploration that goes behind the scenes of a "traditional" TV adaptation of the story, and more importantly, a character examination of Cross as a modern-day Scrooge.

Scooged (rated #5, but it is my #1) does compete with the top two as determined by Dave Trumbore. I, however, have them ranked in reverse order and both after Scrooged in my personal list:

1. A Christmas Carol (1951) Alastair Sim (my # 3)
2. A Christmas Carol (1938) (my # 2) An earie classic - wonderful to watch even 82 years later - 82 years old and still holding its own!

In conclusion: Much like college football, pre-BCS championship sellout, the fun is in the argument as to #1, so watch and opine away.  

It’s just not Christmas until two things happen on my TV:

I watch my #1 Scrooged (note: checked off the day after Thanksgiving here in 2021) and …

“It's not Christmas until Hans Gruber falls from Nakatomi plaza” (Die Hard is a Christmas movie – change my mind).

Norman Brothers Produce Inc. will be officially closing on August 8th, 2021 at 5PM. An end of an era.

I saw the notice online and it caught my attention. Last call is set for 5 PM on August 8. I bet the lines will be long.

I had many good times there. I am old enough to remember Norman Brothers before their current (for now) location as it existed prior to SW 87 Avenue widened to four-lanes.  I am a long-time customer starting through my parents. Alexandra and I went there while at UM and then introduced our daughters to their shakes. We have most recently used it as a bicycle destination, where we earned a guilt free shake! 

Norman Brothers will end at 3 generations of the Flinn family. I know some families went longer into their family tree. Norman Brothers is a Galloway Road classic, much like Arbetters Hotdogs (Bird & 87th, close enough) and Frankie's Pizza (if you generously include a turn west onto Bird Road). Relax, neither Arbetters or Frankies are going anywhere anytime in the foreseeable future. 

More background on why it is closing, see the Miami-Herald (for subscribers): ‘End of an era’: Zoning approved to replace Norman Brothersmarket with seniors home, by Douglas Hanks, May 19, 2021.

An end of an era. We still can ride to Pinecrest Wayside Market (10070 SW 57 Avenue) as well as Robert is Here [waaaaay out there (a great ride, BTW)].

I will miss Norman Brothers. Some great times. I watched that business evolve as I grew up. Another area that I saw move from farm / horse country to what makes up Miami today. I pass by it each and every time I head home from my mother's house. It will not be pleasant to see it go.

Break out your telescopes (or binoculars) if you got ‘em – Saturn will be a spectacle. Evenings of Aug 1 & 2.

Photo credit: NASA.gov

Saturn will be visible to the naked eye, but the details visible from a telescope or even binoculars will be spectacular. 

Saturn will be at opposition, on August 1 and 2. This means the Earth will be located between the ringed planet and the sun. Saturn will be at its most luminous, making for a brilliant night sky view.

For more, see EarthSky Saturn At Opposition August 1-2, Near Jupiter, posted by Bruce McClure and Deborah Byrd

Saturn continues to provide local viewing pleasure - see a prior related post of December 22, 2020, POD - Photos from the #GreatConjunction. This occurred on Monday evening, December 21, 2020. This apparent event occurred on December 21, 2020, when Jupiter and Saturn aligned to appear as one single bright point. 

This is a recommended family time event, sponsored by Mother Nature. Enjoy.

Combining some of my favorite things on a Holiday Weekend: Family, biking and nature - greetings from Shark Valley

Saturday, July 3, 2021. Enjoy these pictures of the day:

Repost: National Bike Month - great read: Article(s) on How to Have a safe Family Bike Ride, by A.C. Shilton

NOTE: This is a verbatim repost of a 2020 article, but the information is just as relevant and as helpful as in 2020:

"The humble bicycle is the surprise star of lockdown. With youth sports on hold, car traffic down and cooped-up kids doing park hour on living room furniture, going on a family bike ride has never sounded better." 
- A.C. Shilton

But as pointed out by A.C. Shilton, there are a few things to know about staying safe and having fun.

From an Everglades Bicycle Club (EBC) past president and long-time cyclist: "This is by far the best guide I’ve seen for beginner bicyclists and for people who want to get the family involved for a bike outing. For experienced riders, share with someone you know to help get them started." So I am sharing it to readers:

I have the guide in the JPEG posted. I also have provided CLICK HERE (or the headline) links to view an article online, NY Times, How to Have a Safe Family Bike Ride, by A.C. Shilton, Published May 18, 2020, Updated May 23, 2020.

CLICK HERE to download and view a printed copy of this article if you can't get through a NY Times paywall.

The point is to enjoy cycling. It is a event that can be enjoyed alone, with friends, family, small and larger groups. This is a sport that does require some planning and maintenance of equipment (though far less than owning a boat). There are laws and courtesies that must be followed in order to ensure a fun and safe event.

Some cities have gone so far as to temporarily close off streets so families can safely cruise (sorry, none around here - think of how it would have been nice to have 'pop up' safe recreation areas - what a missed opportunity). 

On the road or the trail, there are many places to have a successful adventure on wheels. 

Unfortunately, new administrations equate to new directions, new policies, new priorities, so cycling is not being encouraged here in Palmetto Bay. 

However, the residents are speaking through their action and we have seen many people of all ages out and about on bicycles. I have posted previously about how there have been a run on bicycles - one of the hottest items to buy.

Please contact me via e-mail at eugeneflinn@bellsouth.net if you have any questions or request assistance as to cycling.

Stay safe, stay healthy and enjoy our local outdoors!

Happy 90th Birthday Mom!

The family celebrated a wonderful milestone event on Saturday, May 1, 2021: my mother's 90th birthday - celebrated at the family home with 2/3rd of her family.

We have spread out a bit, to Orlando, Palm Beach Gardens, and Gainesville, and even other states including Texas and Arizona, even the District of Columbia (not yet a State).  Those who could make it joined with our vaccinated family bubble. Other joined in through the wonderful technology of FaceTime, WA Video Chat and/or Zoom.

I am blessed to still have my mother here with us. She is blessed with 8 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Her brother & sister-n-law (my aunt & uncle) flew into town to be part of the celebration. Always great to see family.

I will update with more photos when they are shared.  

A photo from her 85th birthday celebration:

Happy 90th Birthday Mom!

Happy Earth Day - 2021. Keep pushing for sustainability.

 Where are we in regards to protecting our fragile ecosystem?

Do you know the approximate age of the Earth? 4.543 billion years. Yet today, 4/22/2021 is just the 51st Earth Day celebration. Its a great time marker to celebrate, but a single day, or even a week is insufficient to preserve this wonderful life providing planet. We must act 24/7/365. And ACTING on Earth Day is more than just a movie night, it is taking action and participating, doing things differently, ending (sub)Urban Sprawl.

A brief history of Earth Day: The April 22 Earth Day was founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson, and was first organized in 1970 to promote ecology and respect for life on the planet as well as to encourage awareness of the growing problems of air, water and soil pollution.

I am proud to have led Palmetto Bay and created more than a simple Earth Day Celebration, but set Palmetto Bay to be committed to Earth Day 24/7/365. We don’t just recognize a day, we are now in big, in such a big way, that we take a full week to celebrate. Green activities, all free to the public, have been going this past week. We continue to involve our youth in partnership with the local schools as they are going to inherit what we leave behind.

I milestone we all should be proud of : Friday, July 20, 2018, Palmetto Bay was certified by the FGBC as a Green City. Next stop is Silver and then Gold Certification so long as the subsequent councils continue to subscribe to the green footprints cast before them.

 

 

Participating in a python hunt to 
remove an invasive species

What, if anything, are you doing to mark this event?  Please feel free to CLICK HERE for past updates on Earth Day. I recommend that you also take the time to review the Official Green Page of Palmetto Bay: "Palmetto Bay Village Green" which has both information of all the events of the week as well as the ongoing green efforts of our village. 

Prior relevant blog posts: Some relevant posts on my personal blog include Invasive Species, creating a backyard oasis, Celestial Events: there have been many posts throughout this blog covering these topics and how they are relevant to our South Miami-Dade Communities. Please take the time to check a few out. It is all about my transparency. I am about preservation of Palmetto Bay. That means thinking differently, saving the 22 acres of the rapidly deteriorating Pine Rocklands at the Palmetto Bay Village Center.

Finally, on a silly, but fun note, no special day is complete without viewing Google's special Earth Day animated doodle on the Google site.

Happy Earth Day – 2021!

Eugene Flinn

March is bike month in Florida. Are you riding? Join us.

March is bike  month in Florida. Are you out their riding with friends and family? Sometimes it the destination, but usually it is about the ride. Remember Mayor's Bicycle Rides in Palmetto Bay?

My routes have varied this month from 15 - 30+ miles. I have posted 4 routes here. There will be even better opportunities to ride now that the time has changed, allowing post work rides before dark.

There is so much to see. I have documented so many opportunities to ride, for all levels of interest and abilities.

Here are some of the stops for March:

More information:

NARCITY - Things To Do: 6 Scenic Bike Trails In Florida With The Most Breathtaking Views Of Nature, A bicyclist's playground, by Kareem Gantt, May 26, 2020.

The Sunshine State is a nature lover's paradise. What it lacks in mountain views, it makes up with its diverse scenic wonders that will take your breath away, especially if you're on two wheels. These bike trails in Florida will provide you with a break from the hustle-and-bustle of city living while providing stunning nature views as your backdrop.

From sandy beaches to refreshing springs, most of the state's hidden treasures can be seen while biking through these Florida trails. Whether you're an avid rider who wants to ride amongst the alligators on the Shark Valley Trail or do a leisure ride through orange groves, these routes present a multitude of options for all riders itching to get out and explore.

So go ahead, break out that bike, and make your way to one of these six scenic bike trails that will take you on a vista buffet of Florida's natural wonders.

__________________

Two of these recommend trails are located nearby, one actually runs through Palmetto Bay:

Old Cutler Trail
Price: Free 
Address: 7001 Old Cutler Rd., Cutler Bay, FL 

Shark Valley Trail 
Price: $15 per cyclists
Address: 36000 SW 8th St., Miami, FL

EDITOR'S NOTE: Maintenance is iffy along parts of the Old Cutler Trail - grass attempting to retake portions of the trail as well as the dreaded 'root snakes' - where the tree roots have pushed up the asphalt to the point it becomes uncomfortable for the cyclists and a tripping hazard for walkers and joggers.

The Shark Valley Trail is fun for groups (so long as you are paying for yourself and not an entire group) – in Shark Valley National Park. A great place to see alligators and other wildlife – the scenic outlook building is outstanding. Take a picnic and spend the day. 

I have blogged often on the subject of cycling both on road as well as on trails. I enjoy both, though remember – the Old Cutler Trail is not a dedicated bike lane – it is a multi-use path. Old Cutler Road is both a "Sharrow" as it has shared lane marking and signage and it has a multi-use path. Bicyclists have equal rights and responsibilities to use the Old Cutler Road lanes as any motorist.

Recreational cycling. The entire family will enjoy a nice Palmetto Bay ride

Get out and bike! It is a very healthy activity that was popular before the pandemic, but has exploded during COVID.  Socially distant, outdoor, fresh air.  Here is a fun photo, a cyclist as seen on the Old Cutler Trail (a shared path) on Saturday, 2/27/2021. 

Everyone love a good ride. Humans and their furry family members.

Enjoy the ride - Cycling - an activity that is enjoyed by everyone.

Today is the day! Exciting Mars mission - here is the official NASA Landing Toolkit: Perseverance Rover Event show starts at 2:15 p.m. EST

Another exciting NASA exploration event. Plan on taking some time today to view (beginning 2:15 PM local - links provided). OK, not a manned mission, but robotic exploration is the way its done now, and is part of the scout missions preceding a 'manned' mission.  See the NASA Landing Toolkit: Perseverance Rover: One-stop shopping for everything you need to know about the upcoming landing of the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover.

See mars.nasa.gov

Toolkit Resources

Landing:

Feb. 18, 2021
(Show starts at  2:15 p.m. EST)Landing Site:Jezero Crater, MarsMission Duration:At least one Mars year (about 687 Earth days)

Ways to Use this Toolkit

On Feb. 18, 2021, NASA's Mars Perseverance rover makes its final descent to the Red Planet. Here are some of the ways you can take part in this landing.

Now Through Landing

• Watch Online
  Tune in to landing on Feb. 18 and get our guide to the TV programs coming up you can watch online.

***   ***   *** 

After Landing:

• Latest News on Mission Website
  As the rover begins its mission at Jezero Crater, visit the mission website for the latest news and images every day.

• Where is the Rover?
  This interactive map will let you see where the rover is on Mars. Once the rover starts driving, the traverse path and latest odometry will display automatically.

• Raw Images
  Once the rover lands, see the latest images the rover sends back here. Vote for your favorite to become “Image of the Week.”  

• Sounds of Mars 
  Try this audio experience to hear what you might sound like on Mars. Once the rover sends back recordings from its two microphones, you’ll be able to hear those audio files too. 

• Stay Connected
  Get regular updates about landing, news, science, images, TV programming and some of our new web experiences. Sign up here.

It’s Groundhog’s Day – once again. But this time it’s virtual. We won’t notice the difference, but for the size of the crowds we see on the screen. How/where to tune in to follow the events.

Tuesday, February 2nd, 2021 - is Groundhog’s Day – once again. But this time it’s virtual. We won’t notice the difference, but for the size of the crowds we see (or won't see) on the screen. How/where to tune in to follow the events.

Punxsutawney Phil will leave his burrow at 7:25 a.m. February 2nd at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania when h will perform his annual duty to observe the weather conditions and look for his shadow. He will then make his prediction for the remainder of winter. One place to look for Punxsutawney Phil is www.groundhog.org to view it online!

The Inner Circle of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club takes the COVID-19 threat seriously and is looking out for the health of all who would like to participate. The club determined that there will not be any in person attendance or guests on the grounds due to the potential Covid risks. 

There will be a live ceremony and prognostication, but no live attendance of spectators. All are invited to participate virtually including television, Internet and live steaming. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club developed numerous live internet, website and virtual events and interactions that will take the place of the traditional in person events.  

Information regarding these virtual events is listed on their website:  www.groundhog.org.  

EDITOR’S NOTE: Strange. We here in sunny South Florida can for the first (and hopefully yhe only time) enjoy the annual Groundhog’s Day event with Punxsutawney Phil to the very same extent as the locals!

I do want to see this event live sometime, obviously not this year. It is a fun event.

Merry Christmas - 2020 - remembering the Christmas Truce in WWI - read History dot com account

Christmas Time - a time for a little truce and ponder the true meaning of Christmas.

One of my favorite Christmas events still remembered - Christmas in wartime - leading to the brief respite that came to be know as the Christmas truce. 

Read the full account on History.com: Christmas Truce of 1914

On December 7, 1914, Pope Benedict XV suggested a temporary hiatus of the war for the celebration of Christmas. The warring countries refused to create any official cease-fire, but on Christmas the soldiers in the trenches declared their own unofficial truce.

At the first light of dawn on Christmas Day, some German soldiers emerged from their trenches and approached the Allied lines across no-man’s-land, calling out “Merry Christmas” in their enemies’ native tongues. At first, the Allied soldiers feared it was a trick, but seeing the Germans unarmed they climbed out of their trenches and shook hands with the enemy soldiers. The men exchanged presents of cigarettes and plum puddings and sang carols and songs. There was even a documented case of soldiers from opposing sides playing a good-natured game of soccer.

Some soldiers used this short-lived ceasefire for a more somber task: the retrieval of the bodies of fellow combatants who had fallen within the no-man’s land between the lines.

The so-called Christmas Truce of 1914 came only five months after the outbreak of war in Europe and was one of the last examples of the outdated notion of chivalry between enemies in warfare. It was never repeated—future attempts at holiday ceasefires were quashed by officers’ threats of disciplinary action—but it served as heartening proof, however brief, that beneath the brutal clash of weapons, the soldiers’ essential humanity endured.

Info above taken verbatim from History.Com

Photo: “1914 Christmas Truce Monument, Messine.”