March 31, 2024
To Jupiter: Tommy Lasorda
Now that we have a car, we might as well take advantage and use it to haul the gear. Mike thinks it's cheating a little. I have no qualms whatsoever. Lemons to lemonade.
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Barry and I are doing another bike relay; I get to go first. He drives off in the car while Mike and I ride for the beach. After a sunscreen stop in Deerfield Beach we turn north on A1A/Ocean Boulevard and start cranking along. There's not much wind beyond what we're making.
Another guy pulls ahead of me and settles in at a respectable 16 mph. Well buddy, if you want to pull I'll be happy to ride in your draft. This never happens when I ride with the luggage.
It lasts for a few miles, then he motions me to go ahead. Mike speeds up and I hang on his wheel for a while, then drop back. The relay is not a race. No need to rush.
With no performance pressure I'm back in tourist mode, looking around and taking pictures. The clouds filter the sun and keep things cool. I pass by a string of private beaches, resorts and ... mobile homes?
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7 months ago
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Barry is waiting for me in Palm Beach, ready to jet off on my bike for the rest of the ride to Jupiter. I'm happy he can use it even though the reach to the crank is a bit short for his legs. It would be such a drag for him to have to sit out the ride for a week. I'll take advantage of the time to work on the journal at a cafe, then drive up U.S. 1 to our home stay for the night.
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We're staying tonight with Mije's relatives Joe and Lorraine Kurtz in their lovely three bedroom condo, a half mile walk from Jupiter Beach. Lorraine is the twin sister of Lori Mandl's mother Loretta, a sweet woman I have the pleasure to know. So Lorraine and Joe are aunt and uncle to Lori, and they are both incredibly kind. Two of their granddaughters in St. Louis spend a lot of time with them when school's out. Lucky girls to have them for grandparents.
Lorraine shows me a neat cabinet full of photos and mementos of their childhood, their marriage and children, and her medals from running the Boston Marathon three times.
About that beach. There's still a chunk of the afternoon left so we walk over for a swim. The sand is clean and soft and the water is a pleasant 78 degrees, much warmer than the Cape Cod beaches I've visited with my family since I was a kid.
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7 months ago
7 months ago
We had vague notions of cooking on the grill for dinner, forgetting that the grocery stores are closed for the Easter holiday, as are some of the restaurants. Luckily Miller's Ale House is open. Our waiter Chris is also a photographer and takes pains to make a nice photo for us.
After dinner we play Mexican Train, the game we usually play with Mike and Lori when we hang out at home. The rules Joe and Lorraine use are a little different, and better I think. Lori and Mike are like family to us so it's a treat to get to know Lorraine and Joe. St. Louis natives, they are big fans of the St. Louis Cardinals and have season tickets every year for Cardinals spring training in Jupiter.
Joe has a great story about meeting Tommy Lasorda that I'll finish up with here. While I can't replicate his delivery, I want to remember Joe and his story:
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I got to know these Major League umpires who were staying next door to me. They were always at the Cardinal games and they would come up to me and say "Hi Joe" and my friends would go crazy saying "You know these umpires?"
One day I was sitting on the patio and the umpires drove by and said "Do you want to go to the ball game?" And I said "Well, the Cardinals aren't playing but okay, I'll go to the ball game." And one of the guys said "You can't wear that stupid red hat with the StL on it." They were going to where the Mets were playing the Dodgers in Port St. Lucie. I asked them "Would I be able to buy a ticket?" And they said "Don't worry about it. Just come on but don't wear that hat."
So I got in the car. They were in a red convertible with the top down and we drove over to Port St. Lucie. And one of them said "We gotta go in the dugout." I said "You gotta be kidding me." First we went in the dressing room and I got to meet the Dodgers and the Mets, all the ball players. And I said "Where am I gonna get my ticket?" And they said "Come on with us" and we walk into the stadium and it's lined up all the way around with people. And there I am with four umpires walking down the line, the only ones on the field.
So I go in the dugout and the guy says "You're over there on this bench, right by where the Dodgers are playing. Sit there and whatever you do, you be quiet. You don't start jumping up and down and screaming and everything like that."
I sit down there and lo and behold, the guy that sits down next to me is Tommy Lasorda, the old manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers. And the first thing he asked me is "Who in blue do you know that gave you this seat? This is only for Dodgers ballplayers or somebody in the organization." And I said, "I don't know anybody." And he says "Well then how did you get this seat?" And I said, "See that guy over there with the blue hat and a mask, the umpire? I'm with him. He told me to sit here." And he said, "Oh, okay."
Me and him talk baseball the whole nine innings, non-stop. He'd ask me "What would you do with this? We got a runner on first. Would you steal? Would you hit and run?" And we were going back and forth. Then he was asking me about places to eat in St. Louis. I never did ask him for his autograph in all that time. He told me "I'll never forget you." And I thought, oh, yeah, that'll be the day.
Then at another Cardinals game I was at I hear this guy yelling "Joe, Joe, Joe!" I was with all these guys and I turn around and it's Tommy Lasorda and he says "I told you I'd never forget you. How you doing?" And all these guys were going "You know Tommy Lasorda? I can't believe you know Tommy Lasorda!"
So in the middle of the game, I walk over and I said, "You know, when we were together it was one of the best times I had." And he said "It was very good for me too. I enjoyed it tremendously. First time I enjoyed a ballgame that much." And I said, "Well, I need a favor. I need a ball signed with your name on it." And he goes, "Is that all you want? I thought maybe you wanted a check." And I said "Well I'll take a check too but trust me, I'll take the ball."
So he signed the the ball and he said "Believe me Joe, I'll always remember your name. No matter what, I will remember you."
Today's ride: 51 miles (82 km)
Total: 280 miles (451 km)
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Yeah, famous folks are just regular people too. Known a few myself. Probably not famous as ol' Tommy though... Remember Lynda Carter? Knew her in college when she was in high school and sang as lead female vocalist for a local garage band "Just Us" but lost contact over the years. Body painted flowers on her arms and face many times for performances. Wikipedia article mentions the band. The vibraphones player (Melanie Searle) gave me a little book as a goodbye gift and I still have it... Memories!
7 months ago
7 months ago
We got hooked on that last September when we visited old college friends after my Minnesota tour. Since then we've helped spread the word, giving sets to several other friends and relatives.
When you come visit we'll be sure to break them out!
7 months ago
7 months ago