Garmin and Pate

Yesterday, I sent off my Garmin Edge 305 for service. I'll record here how things go with Garmin support. So far, I have been pleased with it. The last email I sent received a response within four hours. I shipped the device yesterday by UPS two day air. It should arrive at Garmin on Friday. They say it will be 10 to 14 days to get it back. Here's hoping it is closer to 10 days.

A funny of sorts... I went into Sunshine the other day to pick up my bike that was being serviced. As I walked in, Mike said, "We were just talking about you." Actually, it wasn't so much me as my name. It appears that while I was riding last week, I came across the Thursday night Sunshine ride. As we passed in opposite directions Mike asked, "Was that Pait?" "Yeah, that was Pait," one of the shop guys replied. Then someone in the group said, "Does he live here too?"

Now that means nothing to you unless you are familiar with American cycling and the new cycling team Slipstream. One of their better riders from the TIAA-CREF days is Danny Pate. The rider thought that in addition to George Hincapie, Greenville was now home to Danny Pate. Sorry to disappoint!

When people spell my name P-a-t-e, I always say, "It's P-a-i-t. The other Pates are the rich ones." Somewhere back there we are all related. I have a cousin that did a huge book on our family tree and it all goes back in America to the 1600s to a guy named John Pate. Somewhere along the way (around the time of the Civil War) the Pait set branched off. There are all kinds of interesting theories as to how the change came about. If that is not enough, don't forget the Paite clan - they are our long lost cousins as well.