The White Cloud 250k, a Reversal of Fortune

The usual mental load of work and outside work are still keeping me away from the keyboard, so I at least wanted to get a photo-post up for this most recent ride, which marked #24 in a row - for R-12 #3, complete!  I don't know if I touched on it after the last ride, but, having the Carradice saddlebag back in the arsenal is SO nice.  I was able to just ride, and not worry about where to stow things - and best of all, it allowed me to keep the camera handy, for lots of on-the-road pics.  WAY more than usual, which is a good thing.  This helps with ride reports as well, and while this is something of a photo-dump for now, check back:  I'll be adding notes later on, most definitely, because - especially for the last 25 miles or so - there remains much to tell.

For now, the ride in brief:

Prep begins:  Glen in the mobile fortress.... a.k.a., zie RAAMwagen (a secret nickname I've given it, but really haven't uttered until now... muahahahaha!)  No, that's not an announcement.. just a deeply unfounded and financially ridiculous pipedream... for now.

Next to it, the SAG-Delux, now with roof-carrier!  Thanks, again, Badger!

Huh?  The Dude realizes how much work it is to prep stuff out of a trunk, after months of riding from home.

Koggy, at the ready.  A perfect morning, all-around - clear, crisp, inviting

We began our tour promptly at 6:09am, after checking in at Speedy's c-store, and headed out onto quiet St. Joseph streets.  It really didn't seem like a Monday morning... light traffic, but who's complaining?
The early hills taxed my legs a bit - I never seem to get warmed up until maybe mile 20 these days, so early hills are always a bit "fun."

Whaddayaknow?  Not much, you?  Face-shot, on US-59 northbound, south of Oregon, MO.  A few layers still present , as thick, low clouds - almost fog - continue to blanket the morning.  The scenery begins to open up, and distances between towns expand.

Glen, cuttin' up the countryside - the reverse angle of the picture above, US-59 - headed into the expanse of northwestern Missouri.

We made Oregon, MO. at about 8:20am, for a non-control refuel and refill.  I like this little town - quiet, friendly, familiar.  Good ole Americana.

The hazy clouds of the morning begin to part and thin-out, as we cross the giant Missouri River floodplain, headed away from the eastern bluffs.  Compared to November's version of this ride, the fields are no longer beige and sandy, but lush and green.  The road converges to a single point in the distance behind me - the dead-straight run towards the state line on US-159.

Glen, working the run-up to the Rulo Bridges on the Missouri River.   I'd thought by this point the new bridge, 650 ft. to the south and out of frame here, would have been complete - but, we get to ride over the old bridge at least this one last time!  I wish they were keeping it - once the new bridge is finished, this steel masterpiece will be dismantled.  Thankfully, the railroad bridge beside it will remain.

Here, you can see the new bridge at left.  Unimaginative engineering, and not much higher than the old bridge.

A rare treat, we encounter an eastbound BNSF coal train while on the bridge!

Your truly, sitting atop the state line, 60 feet above the rolling Missouri

State line!  Back in Rulo again.  (Think CCR.)

Right at the state line, at about 9:45am, the sun finally comes out in full force, and the clouds disappear!
Sunscreen time!

NE-8 highway, westbound... under blue skies!  Awesome views all around, as we hammer toward Falls City, NE.

We make Falls City, NE at 10:30, approximately.  Skipping the Subway sandwiches this time, we are in and out in 30 minutes or less, swapping layers, refueling, and laughing.  Its a great day for a ride!

On NE-8, headed back toward Kansas, a smaller version of the Rule Bridge gives another visual treat.  Glen on point!

After a much-improved performance from me on NE-8's last few miles, Glen and I pause at US-75 and NE-8, and consider riding to Omaha - just because.  Unfortunately, it would have added 300km to our trip.  Next time...

Glen, pausing at the NE/KS border on US-75 southbound.  There's still construction about, but it's a much better road than we rode in November '12

Pause for the cause, at Morrell, KS.  The only services, a pop machine and a bench in the shade -- which is all I really need!

Glen, feeling good and fresh on 310th Street, east of Reserve, KS.  Compared to November, the monster chip seal is manageable, the light winds perfectly cooling, and the legs feeling strong.

Another great shot - the road looks almost like gravel, and feels about like gravel - but we don't have a care in the world!

...feeling good enough to screw around with the camera, to try out a couple of panoramic shots!   

Though I don't like this one as much as the one above, these are my favorite shots of the day, and maybe ever.  Not perfect, no - but it really gives a sense of the vastness of NE KS, how awesome the sky looked, and the aloneness and alien-like experience of riding a bicycle across such a landscape.  White Cloud is a spectacular route!

After the fun of the camera, we checked off the remaining miles to White Cloud, KS., and the Tee with K-7, marking our final run back to the finish.  In November, I managed to recover from the chipseal pounding and up my pace to a degree that would help salvage a decent, though difficult, finish.  THIS day, we had been planning on the same, yet the difference lay in how fresh we'd been compared to the November version.  I felt strong, fresh, ready - and Glen and I both knew we were on-target for a sub-12 hour finish, perhaps.  It had been a near-perfect day, nutritionally, and it reflected in our riding.

Until we hit White Cloud.

This is where the pictures stop, and the tale begins... a reversal of fortune neither of us saw coming.
Arriving at K-7 and Main street at White Cloud just a hair before 4:00pm, with light winds and hot - but bearable - temps, Glen and I said "hello" to the river once again, and turned south.

Stay tuned....to be continued...

R-12 + R-24 = R-36, asterisk

The short version, yesterday's White Cloud 250km permanent ride from St. Joseph, MO., to Falls City, NE. and then over to White Cloud, KS. on a short ghost-town tour marked the 12th consecutive 200+km ride for me, since last June.  That officially makes it (when my card gets its final stamp, of course) R-12 #3, finished!  I wish I could call it "R-36" without an asterisk by it - which refers to my first R-12 being off by itself back in 2008-09, then a break, and then picking things back up again in 2011.  Still, I guess, technically, that's 36 rides for a total of the three R-12 awards... even though right now I'm really only on R-24.  Whatever.  I'm happy!  

Photos tocome, hopefully while the memories are still fresh.  It was - all in all - a great day for the 200k.  The last 50km, however... good grief.  I'll likely limit the tale to photos, and focus on the last 26 miles or so from White Cloud back to St. Joseph.  It proved to both Glen R. and me that it doesn't take much to completely change the face of a bike ride.  It ended up being a hard-earned finish for both of us.  ..but, you know what they say.

For now, it's down to resting, rehydrating, and trying to get my digestive system back on-line.  It's been an interesting month, which I'll also get into.  

Now... about July... 

Stay tuned!

Catching Up - the May 200k, and more updates

It's been several weeks since the May ride, and it struck me that I hadn't posted a darn thing about it.  Priorities, I suppose... as each month unfolds into the next, I find myself not spending as much of my time in front of a computer... at least, not at home, that is.  With a slightly fuzzy memory, as my brain is already starting to home-in on my June ride, taking place next week, here are few notes from the May edition:

Especially considering I hadn't started a brevet with exposed knees and uncovered fingers since last October, watching the forecast for this latest ride proved to be a smile-widening experience.  Even the morning forecast low in the upper 40's couldn't get me down, with highs showing in the upper 70's and the promise of a tailwind return.  Sweet!  Even the thought of riding the "same old route" didn't bother me - a clear contrast to the last R-12 run, I hadn't ridden the Border Patrol 217km route ... ok, since February:  but, with the rain and double headwind, that one (in my mind) doesn't count.  Prior to that, however, it had been a long time embarking upon this home-turf run.  The bonus:  three others came along for the ride!

At left, Arlys's custom, tall, Ti, chrome-fendered, gen-powered, disc-braked, Spot-Tracked, and GB-front-bag'd rando-machine.   R-Wark, are you taking notes?  Glen's cleverly-adapted Rando-Pinarello in blue, and the tail-end of the Kogs, now sporting the rando-appropriate Carradice togs.

We rolled out a couple minutes after 7AM, onto busy suburban streets, dodging cars and SUVs and school buses as the morning commute unfolded around us.  It felt weird to ride on a Monday, but, somehow rewarding.  No matter what would happen, I wasn't sitting at a desk.  Can't beat that!  

With a steady rush of traffic on 175th, comprising the first eight miles or so of the route, we all settled into a silent rhythm.  It proved difficult to hold a conversation over the constant din of 55 MPH flybys, so we all just pedaled and took in the lush scenery north and south of the busy thoroughfare.  

Soon, we turned south, into tranquility - Antioch Road and the first climbs of the day, leaving the traffic snarls behind, and greeting the countryside.  For once, maybe it's the cross-training, the dietary changes, the attitude... or perhaps it's the new saddle (more on that later)... but, Antioch's hill didn't seem quite as steep, and I didn't feel quite as winded as the last time I'd ventured out that way.  

We caught sight of a blue heron taking flight from a small, secluded private pond... an awesome sight, but too quick for cameras.

We made our way through Stilwell and onto the long stretch of Metcalf through Louisburg - Glen taking point and making short work of the run to the Miami County line.  The slight headwind didn't prove too daunting, and for once I was managing to hold Glen's wheel as we ate up the road toward Louisburg, chatting away and enjoying our surroundings.  Glen and Arlys weren't far behind, but the day would unfold as a game of cat-n-mouse control leapfrogging instead of a true group event.  

8:50 AM, Louisburg, dash-n-go and a bottle refill.  The morning sky gleamed brilliant blue above us... it was going to be a great day out!

...which is probably why I remember so little about this ride... which prompted Glen to start asking what kind of weather challenge would befall us, later on down the road.

Hail?

Earthquake?  

Hmmm.... SOMETHING interesting would have to happen, or there'd be nothing to write about!

The sun and temperature rose higher, and Glen and I played gravity-tag, enjoying the long downhill into La Cygne, KS. for the first control.  After months of slog, weird weather, chills, impossible headwinds and other challenges, it felt amazing to uncork, and just ride for the sheer enjoyment of it.  

No complaints!  An awesome morning - at La Cygne, KS.

Departing the control for the halfway to Pleasanton, there was nearly nothing to worry about... again, makes for REALLY short posts and boring reading; but, that's okay by me.  Still engaged in control cat-n-mouse, we kept in touch with Arlys and Terry as they'd pull into the controls only a handful of minutes behind Glen and me.  The temperatures were nearly perfect - not too hot, or cold.  Sporting the short-sleeved wool KCUC jersey, I'd never been more comfortable. Adding to the comfort, the new saddle felt good... but not quite "perfect."  Surely, a few millimetric tweaks would be needed, and I began to wish at a couple points that I'd brought the right tools for the adjustment job, instead of the short, compromised repair tools in my bag.

Finally, having a Carradice bag behind me again -- just like I'd predicted -- put the icing on the improved cake.  No more squeezing items into a cramped (though still large by most standards) seat bag and struggling to get the zippers closed.  No more worrying about where to put shed layers or extra bonk rations.  Even better than I remembered from the last time I'd ridden with a good saddlebag, having a saddle with bag loops creates a much more stable load - compared to the seatpost quick release I'd used years before.  Since I'm not using the saddlebag for commutes, the QR feature isn't really missed.  The bag, as a result, sits lower, closer to the bike's center of gravity, and the rear rack on the bike serves perfectly as a saddle-bag support for the load.  I can't even tell the bag is back there while riding, or climbing out of the saddle - and the added flexibility and ease of use at controls...priceless.  It's not the "end-all" front-rack, decalleur & handlebar bag I've often dreamed of, but compared to what I'd been doing it's perfect.  Perhaps the best part:  no more stuffed back pockets on my jersey.  Combined with the improved comfort of the saddle, rider enjoyment has gone up considerably.  I honestly don't have a single thing on my equipment wish-list now.  Maybe I can finally just get to the business of riding the bike?  That's a good feeling.

Lunch in the shade.  Glen R. pulls up a seat, and enjoys the gentle breezes under a shade tree in Pleasanton, KS.  at the halfway mark.

With only a few short miles of a crosswind to deal with, we departed the halfway at Pleasanton for the return trip to La Cygne, putting the last of the big hills behind us under amazing skies, tweeting birds, and light traffic.  I didn't have any Superman-moments on the climbs, but felt better than I had in many rides - controlled breathing, and slightly more energy and speed.  I don't want to sell-up the idea of the saddle being responsible here TOO much - it's all very, very individual, as most folks reading this will already know.  However, my previous saddle had begun to hit me incorrectly in a particular area, ultimately resulting in some pain, and occasionally some mild numbness.  While this was never problematic in a clinical sense, it did create a level of fatigue which would certainly cause a drop in speed and "push", depending.  As a randonneur, I expect a certain amount of discomfort.  It's inevitable - and I had become largely complacent about trying to adjust it out, especially in the aftermath of "the fit issues" of 2010 -- probably my obsessive personalities' all-time low point.  After a couple small tweaks, I'd simply resorted myself to the notion that the saddle had just become old, broken-down a little, and no longer felt as good as it once had... but, it was still likely going to remain the most comfortable saddle I'd be able to find.  So, about the same 30-40 mile marker into each ride, the pain would come and stick around... and so, I 'd just pedal through it.  Life goes on.  After a while of tolerating this, of course, here we are today:  things reached a point on the Oak Grove 300k, after hours of seated deathmarch into a ridiculous crosswind, that I finally let myself fall over the edge into New Saddleville.  Why I waited so long.. well, I'm just stubborn.  I think it's a safe bet to assume that no cyclist prefers changing saddles.  One never knows what one will get, and it's a hassle.  So far, I've gone through the slow progression of small adjustments to arrive at a good location... one more tiny tweak may be needed, and the surface is slick (mainly because it's still new), so I'm sliding around a bit.... but, the partly-numb, partly-inflamed soreness area brought on by my old saddle is long gone, and I feel like I'm actually sitting on my sit-bones -- where I should have been all along.  Always read that, always heard it... but, like I'd mentioned in previous posts:  either I changed, or the saddle did, or a combination... at some point along the last ten years, I stopped getting the correct saddle support.  Now, I can actually look to things like a 600km ride, and see it as a largely positive experience.  

The last thing I'll say about saddles:  the right saddle has almost nothing to do with price.  It has EVERYTHING to do with personal comfort.  If cycling hurts, it should hurt your muscles... NOT your body.  If the stock saddle doesn't work, get advice from your LBS, your cycling friends, etc.   It may only take the adjustment of your current saddle, but it may take a new saddle design, or width.  Patience and persistence pays off.  I have tried out $300 torture-devices disguised as carbon race saddles, and I end up with $30 rummage-bin saddles that I still hold onto today for beater bikes because they're so comfy for me.  For the long-distance bike, though, I happened toward a randonneuring-style touring saddle constructed from very old-school methods (leather) based on many recommendations from my cycling peers and after reading posts from well-respected reviewers.  I had been prepared for it NOT to work, based on previous experience with leather saddles; but, at this point, I really don't see myself sending this one back to the vendor for an exchange.

Dude, captured at the home-away-from-home:  Casey's General Store.  The sun is out, and the smiles widen!

Heading back toward Louisburg, with a tailwind helping along, Glen began to get away from me a bit, so I ended up managing a lot of this section as a soloist.  The Border Patrol route, one of these years, will be redesigned - slightly... I'm still waiting patiently for Miami County to respond to my letter-writing campaign to pave Jingo Road from 327th to 359th streets, so, until they come to their senses, 3 miles of the ride takes place on US-69 highway.  It's bicycle-legal, with a large, 8-10' paved shoulder, separated from traffic with rumbles... but, the good kind that don't extend all the way across the shoulder.  Still, with 70MPH traffic nearby, it's possibly the least enjoyable part of the ride, in my opinion - there's simply no way around it, and it's never really too bad.  It's a love/hate relationship:  on the outbound, I don't like it.  It's uphill, usually windy, and seems to take forever.  On the northbound return trip, however, it's all downhill, and the wind has usually picked up... so I end up LOVING that part!  Glen was really loving it... at times, I'd peer down and see 28 MPH of tailwind fury.... and Glen would still be slowly, surely, pulling ahead, making the most of his top gear.  For all the seclusion and traffic-free tranquility that Jingo Road's eventual paving will someday provide, it won't quite be the same slingshot this highway section has proven to be on the right day.  One sees the 70 MPH sign, and actually smirks at the fleeting hope that it might be achievable... just 20mph more wind, and a 54-tooth chain-ring... mmmmm ... remove the highway traffic, and it becomes the BEST part of the ride.

Back at Louisburg, it started to become almost "hot" - though none of us were complaining.  Sports drinks guzzled and more calories on-board, I fueled up to ensure a good finish.  I think I traditionally fall short in the last 25 miles of this route, because I keep thinking "I'm home" or something similar .. the home-turf phenomenon?  I put the curse to rest with a couple Hammer Gel shots, a couple Fig Newtons and a bag of chips.  Time to wrap things up.  Even though Glen and Arlys again appear at the control only a handful of minutes later, they wave Glen and me ahead - insisting they'll slow us down.  They're too hard on themselves, I think... sure, we hadn't ridden much with them, but they caught us at every control!  Glen and I turned north again, and checked off the intersections.... 279th, 247th, 223rd.  Re-entering Johnson County at 215th, I felt surprisingly fresh and nimble - energized by the warm air and seemingly effortless floating pace Glen and I maintained along Metcalf, I stood up and climbed on hills - even though it wasn't always comfortable, I pushed my limits a little bit - instead of feeling like I'd been on damage control.  The fast downhill on Antioch was a thrill, and soon only 175th street and the short trip north on Murlen Road remained.  5:37pm for the finish, with Glen perhaps 6 minutes earlier, displaying that "smell the barn" last kick again.  Not a bad finish - and much faster than the last few rides, for sure!  A cold chocolate milk, and big congrats to Glen for wrapping up his first R-12 with this finish!  

Yeah, not much "exciting", I suppose... but, I'll take it.  Finally.... a ride that seemed to REFRESH the mind, rather than tax it.  I could have just summed it up that way.  Can't wait for the June ride!

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

In other news!:

I wanted to take some space and congratulate my son, officially in these pages, for having finished his first metric century this past weekend!  64 miles at a hard-earned 9.9 MPH average, on a hilly course with headwinds and some drizzle.  Considering his longest-ever ride prior to this sat at 40 miles, it's a huge accomplishment - moreso considering the heavy, steel, converted mountain bike, flat bars, flat pedals and tennis shoes he'd used to finish the job.  I'm giving him an opportunity later this month to help me chronicle the ride from his OWN thoughts - not mine.  He's not confident with the keyboard quite yet, but I think therein will come an interesting innocence and perspective - most of the content might come from a transcribed, casual interview, but little will be done by me to fluff-up his words.  

It's with some trepidation that I'm excited about some of his first questions, post-ride, though... normally, not something to be discussed immediately after a long, tough ride (which, for him at times, it had been very tough).  His first questions involved  what a couple months ago he'd seen me reading in American Randonneur about the P-12 program.  Sitting comfortably in the car while I packed things up, sipping his remaining sports drink, I could see his wheels turning.  He knew what he'd just accomplished, and was somehow smiling, and already thinking about the next one.  Surely this will only last as long as it takes for him to tighten his fingers around his first set of car keys, but, if he's in, so am I.  The timing is pretty good, too, considering it seems I've finally put the final touches on MY rando-bike for a while, it would appear there are several changes needed for HIS ride before our next outing... so the wrenches will remain warm in the garage.  Sweeet.  I love a good project bike.  I have just the frame, too -- once saved for the wife (and never traded, sold, or discarded for the same reason...hung on that fleeting hope), there is a 48cm Bianchi road frame waiting to be let loose on the road again.  It was graciously handed over to me by Cameron Chambers, once at Bike Source and now out in Colorado occupying the upper podium steps of the regional mountain bike racing circuit when he isn't coaching at Carmichael Training Systems.  His wife had been using it for a while, and upgraded - so he offered it to me in good health, and I've had it ever since.  The tape measure confirms my suspicions, and the parts are laying ready... its time has finally come.   

The best part, perhaps?  After a steady diet of Top Gear and Road & Track magazine, my son is becoming as much a car snob as me.  For him to be able to tell his friends that he's piloting something red and Italian before he's even got his driver's license??  Dude.

So, stay tuned...and thanks for reading!

It can certainly wait, mom and dad.

I usually don't jump on bandwagons.... (ok, I probably do more than I'm willing to admit.)... whatever.  However, after countless busy months for me, I'm finally back into something resembling a routine with regards to riding to-and-from work.  It feels GREAT... except for one small thing.  Perhaps it's always been there and I've neglected to notice; but, I've recently noticed quite a few folks texting-and-driving in my immediate vicinity during my commutes.  Instead of ranting wildly about it, I'd like to take a moment to get behind the "It Can Wait" program:  originally initiated by AT&T a couple years back and now supported by nearly all the major wireless players and about 200 other organizations, this program exists as an outreach mechanism to end texting-and-driving.  The stats and stories are compelling, and their webpage has it all.  Give it a look.  If you have teen drivers, give it a look with them.  Talk about it... and be a grown-up:  I'll get to that later.

From a bicyclist's perspective, specifically, this represents a message worth spreading.  Just as I don't personally prefer jerseys slathered with corporate logos, I'm not much on bumper stickers, either.... but something like the logo above laminated into a spoke card, or something to hang from the rear panniers comes to mind.  Drivers behind me would do one of two things:  ignore it, the way they ignore everything else cycling-related... including us riders... or, read it in the context of someone usually occupying the area of the road where (I'd wager) 50% of texting-while-driving drivers tend to wander towards when they aren't watching the road.  This is based on the assumption that the other 50% would be slowly wandering toward the center line of the road... at which point, does it really matter WHICH way they're wandering?  If they suddenly over-correct for such a move, they are again aiming for the part of the road we're riding in.  In any of the millions of scenarios and outcomes that come from playing this out, someone's going to get spooked at the VERY least... and drivers, school kids, pedestrians, joggers, the guy edging the median with a line-trimmer, the guy getting his mail from the roadside postbox, and - yes - that guy riding his bike, are all in danger.  You know the rest.

The only beef I have with this program, if I had to pick out an item to critique, is the focus on teens.  Teen drivers, interestingly, do NOT make up the majority of "bad drivers."  I wish I could find the study I recently read - I must have spaced it out - but, from my obviously imperfect sample size and scattered observations from the saddle (ninja-plug!) I have come to conclude that the largest group of offenders in the texting-while-driving category are people that oughta know better.  

Most teen drivers I see, though there are some exceptions, are NOT texting and driving.  they've heard the rhetoric.  They might be within a few degrees of someone that has sadly suffered from the social stigma that is gaining the same kind of traction as smoking cigarettes and drunk driving in teen circles.  Many times I will see them at a stop-light, sitting idle, and checking their phones, yes, ... but upon rolling, they are (apparently) putting the devices down and resuming focus on the task at hand.  In many cases, the appearance of a device in a teen driver's hand has far more to do with changing the music track than it does checking their status or email.  In this age of nerd-chic, "smart=sexy", Mythbusters, and social awareness, and the targeted exposure on TV, radio, pre-movie PSAs, and reverse peer-pressure, teens SEEM to "get it."  

So, who's doing it?  Again, this is MY silly "research," but, each time I see someone actively moving forward in a vehicle while simultaneously staring into their lap, or, with their device-laden hand extended in front of them (as if super-positioning will give them some sort of advantage and prevent impairment), it is someone in their "parenting years", which I'll use for a blanket demographic of late-20's to early-50's.  Soccer-mom's and dad's, on the school run, with their kids in the back (probably with their faces buried in some device or another, too, if not glued to the in-car DVD player's monitor... you know the look:  that bolt upward, glazed over look of a generation doomed to never fully develop the use of their neck muscles.  Zombie apocalypse... will we be able to tell the difference between the truly undead and the just-plain lazy?  I digress....  the do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do parenting style still reigns, and it's people that oughta know better who seem to stand out as the offenders.  It's THESE folks that need to be grown-ups about it, and realize how silly it is to facetweet and text while driving the kids to the mall.  It.  Can.  Wait.  Seriously.   

I know we'll get there.  Programs like this help raise awareness.  It's needed.  I remember a time where buckling a seat-belt was NOT automatic behavior.  Now, I feel somehow exposed and naked without a seatbelt on in a car, even in the driveway.  Why some people STILL don't do it, it's beyond my comprehension - and can only be explained with the notion that one can't cure "stupid."  But, we will get there.  Preventing forest fires, climbing utility poles, buckling up, friends not letting friends drive drunk, just saying "no"; advocacy and awareness does - eventually - help. 

For the cycling community, heck, the entire two-wheeled community (as if motorcyclists weren't up against enough already, texting and driving is certainly on their minds, too)... You don't need to "pledge", or sign anything... we all know the rhetoric by now.  Live by it.  Don't text and drive.  None of us are above it.  

Especially for the benefit of those NOT protected by a steel crumple-shell, please, spread the word.  


Thanks for reading . . .