My last story was titled, "Catch Me If You Can" and that is just what some folks did while I was working a week at the Pennsylvania RV Show in Hershey.   There were quite a few visitors that came up from Virginia for the show and even a few that asked me "Tom, Where are your Pants," a reference to this series.  The PARV was a sweet show with over 45,000 attending it.  I got to visit Chocolate World while there and came home with $90 worth of chocolate.  So some trick-or-treaters may be getting some at the end of October.  My thanks to Joe Tice of Anderson's Brochure Distribution and his family for their warm hospitality during my visit. 

Pennsylvania RV Show in Hershey

The week of September 18-22, I was at New River Trail State Park and I was part of two great teams; one organizing the Friday pre-race party at the Pulaski Train Depot, along with the New River Trail Challenge triathlon; and the team of the Virginia State Park Power Rangers that actually participated in the race.  When the dust settled, I felt like I was lucky enough to be a WINNER on both teams.  Ironically, my first selection on the music I played while kayaking during the race was LOSER, by Beck.   Those that could hear the tune playing during the transition from my biker on the team, to when I departed on my kayak, seemed to get a strange look and a chuckle.  I use the song as motivation, remembering all those that didn't take the time to know me enough and passed on me, in pick up games on the court, relationships and job interviews. I always give my all, like this year's training for the race that included over 11,000 sit ups and 200 miles of kayaking.  It seems to have paid off as I knocked 37 minutes off my 2012 time and finished the 12 miles in 1 hour 52 minutes. 

I Charge for the Finish Line with the LAST of my energy!

The team did great too.  This year we were in the all male team division and we finished 5th, just 6 minutes out of third place.  My forester buddy Dan Hockenberger did the 40 miles of biking in just over 2 hours and Nate Clark, Assistant Park Manager at Smith Mountain Lake State Park ran the 13.1 miles in scorching time of 1 hour 36 minutes.  It is always great to be part of this event, especially with a team.  At the end of each of our legs of the race, we end with nothing left on the table; we have given it everything we had in us, the mark of winners!  And although I improved with age, maybe next year I may start the costume division! 

Fifth Place Finish

It was a great feeling getting through the grueling race with my team, but the real highlight of my weekend was our pre-race party on Friday night at the Pulaski Train Depot.  I made it a fund raiser for the local food bank and besides cases of food donated, we also raised $420 for them.  I had visited the food bank earlier in the week and their shelves had just scattered cans on it.  It is always nice to know something so simple can mean so much.  We'll be doing it again next year.  A special thanks to my friend Brooks Dawson at Food City in Pulaski, who helped arrange a donation of 40 cases of pasta and sauce.  

Janet Johnson of the Pulaski Food Bank Accepts the Donation

Well I am now out at the State Fair of Virginia and the weather has been spectacular, as has the deep fried food, entertainment and all the school kids that have stopped by our booth.  During their visit they panned for gold like you can at Lake Anna State Park and hunted for sharks' teeth like at several of our parks on the James, York and Potomac rivers, and search in the dirt for fairy stones from the state park that gets its' name from the rare geologic formation.  The fair goes through Sunday, October 6, so come on out and find us in the Natural Resources Area below the Mid-Way. 

Well, this has been a long stretch on the road and I believe the next place you can find me is sitting in the solitude of the woods somewhere.