Thought for the day. And other stuff.
I can't believe tomorrow isn't Saturday. It has felt like Friday all day long. Got a lot of work done. It's the last day of the month -- which means invoicing my clients, and invoicing for my biggest client -- and that feels like the end of the week.
Plus, a horsie I own in is racing tomorrow in Arkansas and it's a big stakes day. Usually, big stakes day happens on Saturdays, but that track is having an even bigger stakes day on Saturday. Our girl is 20-1 and deservedly so, for a Grade III stakes on Friday. She's coming off a long layoff and it's a big ask, plus breaking from the 13 post position with a short run to the turn, but there's not much to choose from at the present time, as far as available races. With more tracks appearing to be re-opening for races, without spectators, it should be a fun summer, as I'll have about a dozen race ready horses within a month or two.
The Kentucky Derby is the first Saturday in May. This year it's in September and I'm not missing it. But apparently everyone else is and keeps doing reminders. It always amuses me how much media attention there is on the equine contenders getting their morning baths. Today, an acerbic tweeter in the industry posted a selfie of giving himself a bath, so fans don't miss out on baths.
According to ESPN, there are 263 roads in the United States with the name "Secretariat". Far more than any other athlete, human or otherwise. That makes me smile.
Also looking forward to how NBC is going to pull off some sort of virtual race with great horses from the recent and distant past. Betting money going to charity. How can Secretariat not win? His finishing time for the 1973 Kentucky Derby still stands as the record. He ran every quarter-mile faster than the prior one, which was thought to be impossible. Supposedly, they're using some sort of logarithm to figure out how the horses finish.
I am so looking forward to going on a road trip the second half of May -- or, at least, that's the time I've allowed for it. I only know what I'm doing the first five days, and then I'll figure out the rest as I go along. That could mean returning home after a week, if traveling feels like too much of a hassle, or if I'm tired of driving, but I doubt that will happen.
I was going to New England, but that thoroughly lost its appeal as a pleasurable destination a few weeks back. So, now I'm thrilled to drive to Arkansas, and then take a scenic road from the middle of the state, north to the middle of Missouri. Somewhere in there, I'll meet up with a longtime fan friend and her husband, who live near Chicago. They're eager to get out, so will probably want to meet outside of Illinois, especially since Illinois is supposed to remain on lockdown through May.
I've saw a couple of corners of Arkansas on a trip three years ago. I was eager to see more. I've seen Missouri from Interstate 70, going East-West, and as a kid visited relatives in St. Louis, but going from south to north will be a different experience. So, looking forward to some peaceful drives on sparse roads, lined by lush vegetation. Just me, my car, nature, and All That Is. I've had such remarkable spiritual experiences on solitary road trips. It's the greatest feeling of freedom I know.
I'm still pondering a few logistics, with having enough edible supplies to keep stopping minimal, and plenty of hand cleaner and wipes etc. Bet businesses that are opening back up will welcome paying customers.
The biggest challenge for me for road trips is that I eat a lot of drive thru, even in normal situations, and have a lot of snacks in the cars. Therefore, I start craving a crisp, fresh salad by the time I'm settled in a motel room for the night. They're not always easy to find.