While at Edmond Town Hall last week, I encountered Jerry Valenta who had been working for several hours in the stifling heat of the clock tower to keep the building’s clock in good running order. A few twists of this bolt and turns of that screw are what’s needed to keep the antique timepiece in good running order. But it’s knowing which bolt to twist and what screw to turn, and by how much, that lies in the art of clock maintenance and repair. Jerry lives in Florida most of the year, but it’s nice to know he likes to keep his old hometown ticking when he is around.

C.H. Booth Library adult programs director Kim Weber was feeling a little frazzled last Saturday evening, and it wasn’t just the heat and humidity. A power glitch left Easton Banjo Society without power for the start of their August 4 summertime performance at the band shell on Glen Road, but Kim didn’t have to sweat it. After 50 years of professional performances, the banjo players proved they knew the meaning of “The show must go on.” They dove right into their set with an acoustic rendition of “Hot Time In The Old Town Tonight” and a couple of other early 20th Century ditties. Luckily, thanks to some sleuthing by a library fan, the power source was located before the guys wore out their strings playing so hard, and the band proceeded to electrify the crowd for the remainder of the show.

Arthur and Raleigh Upshur are resting comfortably in their own soft beds at home, 4,012½ miles of biking behind them. The cross-country bicycling father and son arrived home on Saturday, August 4, after some final adventures in Kentucky and Virginia.

In eastern Kentucky, they found a huge contrast from the western side of that state. Eastern Kentucky is home to a big population of very poor, but very proud people. “One of the interesting characteristics to me is how self-reliant the people are,” wrote Arthur. “Every house has chickens and a big vegetable plot.” Big hearts, they found, are also common in Kentucky, where they encountered many incidences of wonderful hospitality.

In Virginia, they met up with Carol Upshur, who loaded all of their camping gear into a car. “We got to experience a little riding without gear,” said Arthur. “What an amazing difference that makes going up hills. Our mileage has now increased to nearly 100 miles a day.”

The Blue Ridge Parkway offered beautiful vistas followed by a swift, downhill journey into Charlottesville, Va. Leaving Charlottesville, Raleigh and Arthur meandered past the University of Virginia, President Jefferson’s Monticello, and President Monroe’s home, Ash Lawn.

Visiting battle sites around Richmond was a sobering experience. “I think the Southerners left most of their gallantry on the field that day as the cannons mowed them down in great groups. Sad bits of history…,” said Arthur.

The final stop was at Arthur’s ancestral home on the James River, where the family farm is now a bed and breakfast. “Raleigh slept in the bed of his great, great, great, great-grandfather, Edmund Ruffin. The headboard still has some damage when it was shot up during the Civil War,” Arthur said. The family claim to fame is that Edmund Ruffin fired the first shot of the Civil War, all the more ironic because the house ended up as the command headquarters for Union Army commander General Sheridan.

A swift ride through Williamsburg and Yorktown, a car ride across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, a final ride up the Eastern seaboard, and the epic bike trip was over.

Above and beyond the amazing experience of seeing the country from the saddle of a bicycle, Raleigh’s ride was also to honor the memory of his dog that he lost in the spring to chocolate poisoning. He hopes that all who supported him through text messages and phone calls and well wishes will take a minute to write out a check now to support a new dog pound for Newtown. Donations can be mailed to Canine Advocates of Newtown, PO Box 236, Newtown CT 06470. And don’t forget, a new pound can provide shelter to homeless cats, as well.

Talk about traveling, teacher Karen King might win the prize this summer for far away places. An e-mail arrived this week from Karen, a sixth grade teacher at Reed Intermediate School, whose students are pen pals with students at the Carolyn A. Miller Elementary School in the Buduburam Refugee Camp in Ghana. The story about her students’ correspondence and fundraising for the African school children that ran in The Bee on June 15 was picked up by Allison Lee, a freelance reporter who works for MSNBC world news network. Ms Lee visited Buduburam last month and has posted a blog at http://dailynightly.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/08/01/298919.aspx. Ms King is in Ghana now and is posting updates on her school webpage. Visit www.newtown.k12.ct.us, select Reed School, then School Directory, then Ms King’s webpage. On her page, click on “Our Friends in Buduburam.”

It seems that miracles do still occur. Labor Day Parade treasurer Brian Amey tells me that for the first time in many years, the Labor Day Parade has made its monetary goal of some $20,000 — without having to beg, borrow, or steal at the last minute as they have had to do several years in the past. Hats off to the local and area businesses that stepped up to the plate so that the parade can step off in style on September 3. I am a bit mystified, though, as to why donations from residents have lagged. Plenty of people line the streets every year on Labor Day and count the event as one of the endearing aspects of our home town. No doubt the check is in the mail, leaving plenty of time next week to…

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