Can I get an amen for the Church of Cyclentology?

Dan Rose of Fruitland fixes a flat tire Sunday morning for Diana Tank of Muscatine (in the pink jersey) while clockwise, from the left, Deb Elliott, Chuck Vesey, Peg Heither, Julie Rose and Jeanne van der Veen look on alongside U.S. Highway 61 and Burlington Road near Muscatine, Iowa.

MUSCATINE, Iowa — Bless me, father, for it has been a long time since I’ve been a regular on Sunday mornings.

Of course, like Catholics everywhere — both the regulars and the irregulars — this leaves me feeling guilty. It’s not that I really am opposed to going to church. But I’ve been working on Sunday mornings for the past couple of years, which makes church attendance difficult. And I also seem to always find something else to do on Saturday evenings.

That was my story for this morning, too. As it happened, I wound up not working, leaving me with a choice:

1. Go to church. After all, today is Palm Sunday.

2. Join some friends for the 9 a.m. service at the Church of Cyclentology.

Forgive me again, please, father. The pull of the bike was too strong and I rode 35 miles today, including a breakfast ride with friends to Mad Marv’s Place in Fruitland. It turned out to be a beautiful morning for riding.

And Mad Marv’s was a great destination. It’s hard to go wrong with spending $7 to make your own bloody Mary and order a half mess: one

Made my own bloody Mary at Mad Marv's -- and it was pretty good, too, if I don't say so myself.

egg, hash browns, cheese, sausage and lots of veggies all tossed together and served with toast.

I’ve become a disciple. More breakfast rides to Mad Marv’s are likely this summer. In fact, I may have to find out if its open during the week.

This and that: When I got home, I discovered a marathon of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” on the Hallmark Channel. How is it that a TV show that debuted 42 years ago is still better than most of what’s on TV today?

Maybe it’s just that the older I get, the more I look like a bigger version of Lou Grant.

Today’s quote: Here cometh April again, and as far as I can see the world hath more fools in it than ever. — Charles Lamb, English critic (1775-1834)