Sunburns, sore legs and frostbite

Unlike my wife, who is half Cape Verdean and will turn brown under a 100-watt bulb, I burn easily.

I've had two notable sunburns in recent years. The first was a few years back when my wife and I took a cruise to Alaska. The ship stopped in Skagway, "Gateway to the Yukon", and we went horseback riding. It was 80 degrees and sunny and I got a sunburn. In the Yukon. Go figure.

The second was a couple of years ago when my daughter and I sailed from Waquoit Bay to Padanaram (South Dartmouth) for a catboat race. At the time, I was on some serious antibiotics - the kind with the warnings about being in the sun - because of a Lyme infection. The trip across Buzzards Bay was windy and wet - with a hazy sky. I burned. Big time. We had fun that weekend, but I was red and sore for a week after. Very sore.

I don't recommend sunburns, but these came to mind when I realized that I got burned again today. I was at the Teaticket post office handing out flyers to anyone who'd take'em, but in spite of being in the sun, I was cold. Like that trip across Buzzards Bay, the wind made me forget how strong the sun was.

So sunburns are apparently an occupational hazard of running for selectman.

As are sore legs.

When I started walking back to my car afterwards, I suddenly realized how stiff and sore my legs were. Last night I'd been going door to door - and up and down hills - in Woods Hole. Between that and standing in one spot for three hours, I was sore. Really sore.

And earlier this week, when I was standing at the intersection of Jones Rd/Rt 28/Worcester Court, my fingers got so cold that my hands were stiff from frostbite.

I've been standing at post offices, walking around neighborhoods (from Woods Hole to Waquoit and everywhere in between) and waving from intersections for a month now. I'm serious about this campaign, and I'm going to endure another month of sunburns, sore legs and frostbite to demonstrate just how hard I'll work for you.