An insight to how JP is handling the new normal

[Paul Danik]

Greetings,

   I just spoke with John Penton for a few minutes and thought you folks might be interested in hearing what he is up to.

   John sounded quite upbeat and said he is pretty much hanging around the house and doing some reading and thinking, and rest assured I could hear the TV in the background.

   For those who don't know, there is a cemetery across from John's home, it was shown in the movie as John and Mrs. Penton were shown doing their daily walks in the movie. John says he goes for walks in the cemetery for exercise.

   John mentioned about how living through the depression helped to shape his life and he wonders if possibly younger folks going through this event might have their lives influenced as well. Possibly having them gain a greater appreciation for the simpler things in life, but as he said, time will tell.

   John stated very mater of factly that we will get thru this.

   He said that given his age he better do as he is told and try not to get the virus, but then he concluded that if he gets it, he gets it.

   I mentioned to him that I was hoping to do this post on the POG site and he was fine with it.

  In closing I would like to say that John's enthusiasm and upbeat attitude came thru the phone loud and clear

   How about you folks, how are you doing?

Paul

[Toolsurfer]

Just carry on with life as best as we can .  Trying to follow the health care experts advice as to not endanger other folks . Good citizenship I guess . William

[fischercycle]

Hello , IN RESPONSE, WE at the appliance store slowed down to a crawl in PITTSBURGH, AS A SHUT DOWN TO WALK INS. JUST MY THOUGHTS ABOUT THE MILLENIALS I HOPE THE HELL A WAKE UP CALL IS HERE TO STAY, AND WITH NO RESPECT FOR ANYBODY BUT  ( THEMSELVES,) AND THIER ( IPHONE ). JOHN PENTON AND MYSELF WE ARE ON THE SAME PAGE, HOPE ALL IS WELL WITH POG. MEMBERS AND STAY SAFE.  Load up on a lot food for the long haul.  Good to hear J.P. you are doing well, Also PAUL DANIK KEEP up the good WORK. JAKE

[Rick Bennett]

Ohio is now shut down except for essentials.

As I spent the middle half of the day in a dust bowl while sanding drywall compound, I had a good bit of time to reflect on my current situation. I thought back to those long dusty days spent riding my Six Days on the Vintage rides last year. I couldn't help thinking that I made the right choice in going. In today's world people are way to caught up in things that don't really matter. I wish I was able to ride now.

I am taking this time to make sure my Sportcycles are in good repair in case I can get out later this summer. Hope to see some of you on the trail.

[wfopete]

Down here in Arkansas things are pretty mellow. I live back in the hills so isolation is my kind of style.  Very little TP around but many of us don't know what that is anyway [:0]

I have a few elderly neighbors I checked up on.  Told them to give me a call if they needed ANYTHING.  Think the bible says something about  loving thy neighbor. Last week I received a part from AL. B. for my J'Piner so that's that.  Then Saturday I went out and bought a new 2020 Ford Transit T350 Cargo van for my new Moto Van. Don't know if it will see any vintage races this year though  [V]



Pete Petrick
175 Jackpiner
Slow but Good

[Rick Bennett]

Hey Paul

Just tell John, you can't touch your face if your hands are greasy.

Oh, wait....he already knows that. He is the one that taught us.

[Pat Oshaughnessy]

Remember to put gloves on when at the gas pump! I did today. No more shaking hands! Thats a hard one to remember for me. We will get thru this! I dont know about Africa & So. America tho they will be hit hard Im afraid. Hope Im wrong.[V]

[Daniel P. McEntee]

https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

    You may want to check out the accompanying link to a map with real time numbers on what's going on in the world. It's amazing where it is and where it isn't. No politics involved, just information that is updated constantly. I myself have been laid off for three weeks from my job due to business being really slow, and the owner took the opportunity for the layoff "to allow you to self quarantine at home to help prevent further transmission. I have been expecting it. I just didn't expect the rest of the country to go ape over it and crash the stock market. I also don't like the use of the term "new normal", as that implies that this is the way things are going to be from now on. I fully expect to be able to buy a roll of toilet paper in the near future. There is a lot about the numbers that disturbs me, but numbers are like play-doh, you can make a lot of different things out of them to suit your purpose. Supposedly they have "contained" the virus in China and the numbers for recovered patients are totaling higher than new confirmed case, allegedly. The map will show you where the higher concentrations of confirmed cases are in the US and other countries. Play with the controls and you can zoom in on certain areas and obtain other information.Some of the numbers don't make sense. Like in the US, if you click on individual cities, it shows confirmed cases, deaths and such, but shows no numbers for recovered. I can't believe that no one has recovered from it by now. When this all first broke out, my research and reading into it showed that the virus itself only causes cold like symptoms. The danger comes from a secondary infection that gets to your lungs and causes pneumonia, just like a cold or flu can cause. Those at highest risk are the elderly and anyone with compromised immune systems, much the same as a cold or flu. People that are healthy, have a minimal risk. I have had to deal with pneumonia in both lungs years ago, and at my age,64, I am considered at risk. As of right now, the global numbers show over show over 300,000 cases with over 14,000 deaths world wide, and  33,000 confirmed cases in the US with approximately 430 deaths. By comparison, the total of deaths in this country from the flu just since last fall exceeds 8,000. And the totals for flu deaths since 2018 has exceeded 30,000. It's true that the current crisis is not over yet, but the level of panic and hysteria just doesn't match what we are experiencing compared to previous experiences with other serious illnesses. Some things are just not adding up, and the media just continues to fan the flames of panic and hysteria in search of ratings. Stay tuned for further developments as they become available. And I hope Mr. Penton can get out on the farm as do some work as I know that is the "constant normal" for him and he continues to lead a healthy and happy life. And also the rest of your and yours.
   Type at you later,
  Dan McEntee

[Paul Danik]

Greetings,

   What is amazing to me is thinking of what a difference technology makes in how we go about being hunkered down today, compared to what it would have been like a number of years ago.

   Today we spent probably and hour and a half on facetime or whatever they call it with our children and grandkids. Even though we are not physically with them, it is nice to be able to communicate with them and laugh and talk. Adding in texting and cell phone calls and email makes the separation much easier to take, for all of us. They all live within 8 miles of us so we are together numerous times each week in
normal times.

   Our two daughters are school teachers and the schools are shut down in Pennsylvania. Both girls are doing lessons for their students and doing some educating by way of their computers. I think there is certainly an added value for the students to be doing this as it adds a bit of normalcy to their lives and gets their minds off of the "situation".

   Son Chad has been a tool and die machinist for a number of years and has recently started doing the programing for those machines, which he now is able to do from home on most days. They do mostly medical work in his division so their company is still up and running while many businesses are shut down by order of the Governor of Pa.

   Judy and I need some groceries and we are fortunate to have a number of large grocery stores with in 10 miles of us. I will be doing the grocery shopping on line with the one store and when the order is picked and ready we will simply drive up to the store and they will
load the order in the back of the Subaru without us ever getting out, and for no extra charge. When curbside pickup was first introduced I scoffed at such a notion, but not anymore.

   Last but surely not least is the fact that I can enjoy the company of all of you fine folks right here on the POG message board, which I most certainly do enjoy

    Now if I can only remember the username and password for the grocery store website !

Paul

PS  The only thing I still can't order online at the grocery store is toilet paper, which seems to be about as rare as a Sears catalog, go figure !

[Bill Campbell]

Yep here in OZ we are bunkering down. The first ride of the year has been cancelled. Most major sport has shut down until June. As for myself my wife came back from seeing our daughter in NZ last week so we are both in isolation for two weeks. Seeing as I still have to work I am connected to work from home but it is very slow. I have reacted to the boredom by stripping my Hare Scrambler down for the second time in 45 years. 25 years since the last one. Got the dreaded kick back crack in the rear of the engine case for the second time in its life. I have to post the case interstate. My confidence in this is getting less with every day but I want to get the HS back together ASAP. Doesn't help when our dollar is down to the all time low of US$0.55. What with postage a $20 part could cost me A$160 !  Lucky I have most gaskets etc for the rebuild. Hope you all get through the crisis as we hope we will. We know the world will be different on the other side of this but I have faith in my family and friends to get us through.

[Don Roth]

And I hear grease is a decent disinfectant. Stay safe and healthy.
My wife is ready to shoot me, garages are a good thing.

[paul a. busick]

Hi All,  I'm just around the corner from J.P. and I can hear him now going off on the virus thing. As a 80year old I can tell you that things have changed here.  The price per gallon of gas has dropped to the $1.50 mark at most stations.  What a pity that there is no place to go, except the gas station or grocery store. One thing good for me is being able to take a good long walk and blow the stink off. Not too many people to bump into. Big day tomorrow, I will be going for food stuff at the butt crack of dawn.  The Giant Eagle will be opening it's door from 6 am to 7 am for seniors ONLY. We have not had to shop for the past month.  So the first stop will be the toilet paper isle.  Wish me luck.  Speaking of TP.  The GOV. has finally figured out why there has been such a run on the stuff and here it is.  If on person sneezes(wait for it)10 people **** their pants. LOL  So much for the gallows humor. Everybody keep a stiff up lip and all that rot.  See you down OLD DUSTY.    Amherst Paul

[dennis brown]

all my bikes are ready to ride! and no place to play!!

dennis l.brown