The U.S. Cycling Hall of Fame (part 2)

I had little idea how unautomatic it was through the years to keep the museum cared for and here in Somerville; or all its homes. I too commend the Board and everyone that has had a role in the Hall. As for your opinion Glenn Cole of Bridgewater (replying to part 1), yours is the healthier one for the sake of the Hall and cycling, at this time. But it ain't easy to hear as a hometown boy.

When it was conceived, the Board had Rutgers Business Management students give a presentation on its founding and the first thing they said was, "Museums are a hard sell." It's about someone coming up with a good plan, one based on the health of cycling; most people own a bike.

Trexlertown, PA, home of the Lehigh Valley velodrome has expressed interest, among others. If I was on the Board and not a Somerville resident, my choice for its best interest might be in relocation, but if say, donations came in, I would volunteer to help write and design the necessary fund-raising materials.

The reality is the County has offered space in a yet-to-be-constructed building on East Main St. but it must prove its sustainability before they will act. In order to keep the Hall of Fame in Somerville, seed money needs to be raised to produce fund-raising materials and someone is needed to initiate contact with potential sponsers and follow-up with them. I'm willing to do what I can but is there someone in Somerville willing to donate 5K to the cause for the necessary literature? Does anyone have ideas or contacts for potential sponsership? M'all ears and hands.

The United States Cycling Hall of Fame (part 1)

It Belongs on Main Street, Somerville.

Our historic entity was grounded on a corner of the Somerville Shopping Center, during the time Pathmark and the old Alfonso's Pizzeria did business there.

It has since been placed in Bridgewater near Patriot's Stadium; now displaced from an address currently renovating.

Someone in California has made a bid to relocate it. To me It is like Cooperstown, NY sold the U.S. Baseball Hall of Fame to Las Vegas, NV. That ain't us far as I've felt. Nor them.

As the story develops, I hope the Mayor and Council, all affiliates, the Main Street New Jersey project and our community will do what it takes to keep the U.S. Cycling Hall of Fame here in Somerville.

Need Help with leaves or sidewalk snow?

If you are in need of assistance or know someone who does in Somerville, please email me describing your need.

Note your name, address and phone(s). I will be back to you regarding community service for your property.

Town like the Town Well

We meetup all the time. With all the human relationships we have and have had in Somerville. Like the other day I ran into my Kindergarten teacher who reminded me I'm a writer and to keep it up. With two religion teachers that hugged me and slapped my face and said its been years. I like the idea of helping neighbor to neighbor and how we have a town unlike many surrounding whose design un-neighbors themselves by acre and yellow lawn and noise ordinances at the ready instead of a knock, request and apology.

It's good to know the following story would never happen here.

The Tunnel

A man has been standing
in front of my house
for days. I peek at him
from the living room
window and at night,
unable to sleep,
I shine my flashlight
down on the lawn.
He is always there.

After a while
I open the front door
just a crack and order
him out of my yard.
He narrows his eyes
and moans. I slam
the door and dash back
to the kitchen, then up
to the bedroom, then down.

I weep like a schoolgirl
and make obscene gestures
through the window. I
write large suicide notes
and place them so he
can read them easily.
I destroy the living
room furniture to prove
I own nothing of value.
When he seems unmoved
I decide to dig a tunnel
to a neighboring yard.
I seal the basement off
from the upstairs with
a brick wall. I dig hard
and in no time the tunnel
is done. Leaving my pick
and shovel below,

I come out in front of a house
and stand there too tired to
move or even speak, hoping
someone will help me.
I feel I'm being watched
and sometimes I hear
a man's voice,
but nothing is done
and I have been waiting for days.

Mark Strand

All the Houses

How come most the streets of homes except some Somerville homes are set back the same distance from the curb?

What are the historical zoning-statements acknowledging and granting the territories in conjuction with the langauge of their deed? Or, which, came first?

Just something I wonder driving by. Anyone know?

Kevin Foley Through The Gauntlet

Kevin Foley of Somerville, NJ, being named Big Ten Freshman of the Year, recently led Penn State to a second consecutive collegiate victory as a Sophomore. He posted teens under par which you can read about if you Google: Kevin Foley Golf – or start by reading his bio at: http://gopsusports.cstv.com/sports/mgolf/mtt/foley_kevin00.html

The type of talent Kevin Foley possesses comes from his purist mentality for the game of golf. Winning the Joseph I. Bedell Junior Tournament at age 11 in a tournament for 8-17 year-olds was big. And being the youngest of 8 helps too I believe. This is the type of pure golfing family, having learned from eldest brother Brian, that won't even hit off the mats at Pitch & Putt at Green Knoll Golf Course. Although it is technically against the rules to hit from the surrounding grass, the mats present to them the problem that that shot is too easy and therefore not close enough to real golf. If one of them were to use a mat during the round, their score would be marred by an asterisk. They may hole-out a shot from the mats, but it will always have been, from the mats.

I never even seen one of them slouch replacing a divot. If you've seen or played golf with any of the Foleys, it ain't hard to observe the unspeaking rogue respect they walk in as talented brothers. None moreso these days than the youngest, Kevin.

They all looked up to Brian being 6-foot-4 and a sling of himself driving the ball so deep off the tee, he’d land buckets over backnets of every local golf-range. It was a thing to behold as a kid shanking shots between the awe and pretending one’s own connection made the same thwack. A ball-shank was brought and walked around back to retrieve the drives Brian sent into orbit still ascending as they headed toward Rt. 206 from the Raritan Golf Range (now affectionately nicknamed “The Black Pearl”, after the pirate ship, since its netting running lengthwise flails with tears).

End up with socks full of burrs and shins of thornmarks but it made us feel victorious I remember. Don't even ask how many thousands of barely hit high-quality balls were harvested like morels when the ponds were drained at Green Knoll and Raritan Valley Country Club, where all looped as caddy, double-bagging. The hunt was on and joyful announcing of the purest ball finding was commonplace to the responses of intense envy, which brought a faster pace to it all – “Titleist Extra-Spin!” “Slazenger Balata!” (which was later shortened to simply: Slaz Balaz). Foleys were grammar school kids spinning back wedge shots 10 feet into the pin. Let's just say an entire kiddie-pool full was a fixture in the backyard. And so was Kevin Foley at a bathroom sink with a steel-tooth brush whitening them back to pure, and back to the course.

It all happened well before that day for Brian Foley, but looking back, him hitting that shot sure created a new fever and momentum for the boys. The Boy Scouts of America held a benefit hole-in-one competition; the first 3 shots were on the house - $10 each shot after. Brian holed out in the complimentary amount. Brian won $50,000 that day.

Coincidentally, Kevin was on his way to play Pitch & Putt as a kid and had to have the ball off the fireplace mantle to play with that earned his brother 50K. Apparently, he scratched it all up during his round. His brothers scolded him pretty bad for using it but neither Brian nor any other brother could honestly give a damn now. Kevin is ranked 17th amateur golfer in the nation. His 5-year plan is the PGA Tour.

Despite ages and time, I like to think looking at the moon that Alan Shepard forgot to bring golf balls and found a couple of the Foleys’ up there.

Keep hittin’ ‘em where you want ‘em Kev!

Growing up in Somerville

20 years ago I was 7 and Jim was 6. We’d call eachother up: Wanna come over and play? 9 out of 10 times we spend the day—interested and happy—either building something, riding bikes or swinging from the rope in my backyard on Davenport Street. Like the day I’m writing about.

From a high—seated-rope that hung knotted from a beast whose roots gathered enough earth to register a zipcode, or so we believed, we’d swing that limb shook—enough to make that rope crack sounds of mercy from length against one of our weights. One day a kid came over from behind a neighboring garage.



20

20 years ago Jim and I
were spending our days swinging
from a Davenport St. maple,

off a knotted seat & after a while
he’d insist on a pair of saw-horses
standing, 2x4s and ply-wood to

highten the ride in some ville,
any ville. And, in short, I was afraid.
But he swung in laughter-hanging-

suspended and made his way back steady
safe. My turn felt like a burn; but look
a neighbor came introducing

and we followed him off & watched
him pluck his neighbor’s sunflowers like
cornstalks from his neighbor. Just for fun.

His mother leaned a window frame
what the hell! We went back to the rope
as the neighbor kid skulked off.

The Parklands of Somerville

Want to know where you can play what in town?

http://www.somervillenjrec.com/facil.html

In addition to the linked park list from Somerville Recreation, there's a:

Bird Sanctuary at Prospect Circle

A weddingphoto-gazebo in Ellsworth Van Fleet gardens at N. Bridge St. and William St.; diagonally across from the Y.

Ride bmx, rollerblades or a skateboard at Ken Cornell Wheel Park at E. Main and Veteran's Memorial Dr.

Walking and Cycling paths are at Grove St. Park and Culver St. Park

Baker & Taylor Park at Kirby Avenue has a quiet playground

Flockhart Park on Mercer St. is named after Mayor Thomas Flockhart for planning of the town's parkspace.

Causes are sometimes lost so there’s a

Novena to Saint Jude

Saint Jude, I resort to your protection and in my prayer, I offer thee this light which I will burn every Tuesday night. Comfort me in my difficulty, and through they lodging in the house of our Savior, intercede for us in our necessity. I beseech thee to have pity in regard to this favor I ask of you. (Name Favor) that I may be able to overcome as slaying a dragon at my barefeet. (Speak 3 Hail Marys, 3 Our Fathers and 3 Glory Bes).

This novena is said 9 Tuesdays in succession and a copy of this prayer is left in the Church to help another soul in distress and to support devotion to you St. Jude.

This miraculous saint grants everything no matter how difficult and grants it at the termination of 9 Tuesdays.