Things are busy here at My Brilliant Mistakes HQ, and I apologize for the even-lighter-than-usual posting. Given that I’m very busy, it’s about time for me to cram something strange and needlessly time-consuming into the schedule.

Right on schedule: I’ve signed up to help transport the Human Baton for a leg of his cross country journey.

The story in brief: This guy Luke (aka "Running Fool") decided to spend his Christmas break crossing the country from Eugene, OR, to the East Coast and back, and depending as much as possible on the kindness of strangers. He floated the idea on the wiki of Ze Frank, and fans of Ze’s show (known as Sports Racers) signed up to help.

Including me. I offered to drive a little ways, and to have Luke stay at my parents’ ski house in Hidden Valley, PA, near Seven Springs and Somerset. Luke wrote back that Hidden Valley looks very pretty (which it is) and he wanted to include it in the trip. As I read the map of the chosen route, he’s going far out of his way to see the Laurel Mountains, so he must have seen some *really* pretty pics online somewhere.

I’ll be meeting him and the previous driver on Thursday night in Somerset, and then we’ll crash at the ski house. On Friday morning I’ll drive him to Youngstown, OH. On the way I thought we might take a slight detour through Pittsburgh, so he can see the bridges and the rivers and all the pretty buildings. (Yes, the buildings in Pittsburgh *are* pretty. Some of them. You hush now.)

We should hit downtown in time for a late lunch — I’m thinking Primanti Bros. but am open to suggestions. Where would you take the Human Baton this Friday for lunch? And while we’re at it, would you like to join us? The schedule will have to be flexible — according to Luke’s blog of the trip he seems to oversleep often, and who knows what traffic will be like. But most likely lunch will be around noon.

If you’re interested, say so in the comments or send me an email. Also, we’re supposed to give him pins — so bring a pin.

Go Luke, go!