This is Eco1...
The guys at Belleville's Fire Station #2 kept up with the five star treatment this morning. After returning from an early morning call, I sat down to breakfast at the station's table and joked and laughed with guys from shifts. Then John and Carson (Capt. Cross) went off shift and gave me a tour of Belleville's summer camp grounds. Thanks to their exceptional efforts, I was able to meet with the fun kids of Quinte Bay Sailing School and The YMCA day camp. Thanks for the great questions and fine gifts!
Carson and John also introduced me to Belleville's bike shop-owning mayor, Neil (a great guy), and then arranged for me to be interviewed and photographed by Luke Hendry, a reporter for Belleville's The Intelligencer. They did all of this before 930 hours, Skipper. Firemen really are the best. Amazing stuff they did for me on their precious time off. I can't thank them enough. Belleville is the Friendly City.
DAMAGE REPORT: Arriving in Kingston I couldn't resist the temptation to buy a small Starbucks coffee. I figured it would be the last chance for months. I went inside the coffee shop for no more than two minutes. By the time I came out, some yahoo in a pick-up truck had backed into the side of the EcoRocket and was inspecting for damage. How he hit it with more than enough room for him to back out of his parking spot is a mystery to me.
Major Dude: You hit it?
Yahoo: Yeah. I backed up and heard this cracking.
Major Dude: (checking the front right wheel for damage): Where did you hit it?
Yahoo: I don't know. I didn't see it.
Yahoo's Mother: Maybe it bends....
Major Dude: Maybe it bends?
Yahoo: I heard a big cracking sound.
Then I found the crack at the midpoint of the Starboard (right) side and a black bunmper mark. Luckily, the crack isn't too bad (10 cm horizontal) because it's supported by Scott Dawg's metal tube structural support. Thanks, Scott Dawg!
But, now for the day's Happy Ending...
VICTORY! Today I savour a personal triumph: I have set camp on the lawn of Canada's finest Mechanical Engineering department - McLaughlin Hall at Queen's University.
This secret mission can now be revealed in its fulfillment with the blessings of a kind engineering professor. As an art school student, who barely passed every math course, camping on this sacred engineering ground with the EcoRocket is a blissful moment for me. Deep thanks to the Econaut Team and our many sponsors for helping to realize this major expedition honour.
There's still the question of those pesky engineering students and their notorious practical jokes. I must think of a way to foil their scheming plans so I don't wake up to find the EcoRocket stuck on the top of a flag pole. Tonight Major Dude will match wits with the Engineering Students of Queen's University!!! Only a fool or a madman would even attempt it.
Now I must go to work!
Tomorrow, if I beat the Queen's engineers, I hope to reach Brockville.
This is Eco1...Over and Out.
-- Major Dude
Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network
4 comments:
Wow Bill, I hope I don't jinx things but you are really moving!!!
I think I'd strap myself to the rocket and wear your gas mask to sleep so if those waskely engineering students touch the ecorocket and the tear gas goes off, you'll be OK.
Really great of the firefighters for all their help and support. All of the Kidscan2007 fans appreciate it!!!
Congratulations on your arrival at Queens U. It sounds like you are making good time. Unfortunate to hear about the run in at the Starbucks and hope the damage isn't too bad.
Good luck battling off those engineering pranksters!
Wilshy
I'm awake at 650 hours and the EcoRocket is safe and sound!
So far so good - but I'm not off the campus yet. I still have to make some chain repairs before I can set off again.
I laid a trip wire from the EcoRocket to my tent and someone must have tripped it, scaring them off in the dead of night. My burglar system? I completely wrapped the Ecorocket in my big orange tarp. I figured there'd be no way the pesky engineering students could touch the velo without the crinkling sound of the tarp waking me up. It worked.
I didn't think about gas, Sue.... If they sprayed knock-out gas into my tent, I couldn't have woken up. Glad you're on our side, Sue!
-- Major Dude
Actually what I was meaning was if they tried anything, then the tear gas that you had set up, would get them, not you. I was just trying to get them concerned in case they read this and were contemplating any trickery.
I guess your low tech security devices were all you needed ;)
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