lazy days, using universities to your benefit, and more bad news from Portland.

It was yet another warm day here in Madison. It got up to near 90 degrees again, but there was a breeze that helped things. Right now at 10pm Central Time it's 80 outside. No dramatic overnight cooling like I've gotten used to back west. The weather stays the same tomorrow, but Wednesday it drops to the low 70s, which is when I'll get back on the bike and head towards Milwaukee. So today was another lazy day in town, which is really welcome after being on a bike for a week.

One great thing about being in an area with a college or university is the free perks. When I lived in New Haven I used the Yale library's computer for my internet. Same went for Tucson and the University of Arizona. Right now I'm typing this at the University of Wisconsin's Student Union. I just saw a free movie put on by a social justice student group. It was "Bread and Roses" starring Adrien Brody, documenting unionizing efforts amongst Latino cleaners (Janitors for Justice) in Los Angeles during the end of the nineties. And no one suspected I wasn't a student. Even though I'm now 30, I still have that "eternal student" look, messenger bag always on. Remember that kids, it gets you places.

Kiran left to return to Portland today. Before he headed to the airport, he informed me of more tragedy from back home: Gareth Parker, avid bicyclist and a member of Portland's biking community, was struck and killed by a motorist last week outside of Oregon City. I didn't know Gareth well, but we hung out a few times, and he always seemed like a good guy. I'm getting sick of this shit. Yet another bicyclist down. This summer is deadly. Gareth, we'll miss you.