I'm it too. Tagged by Ed

I have been tagged by Ed. I'm not going to talk about my first computer (a TI 99/4A), or my first program (a leap counter and speed meter for my electric car circuit), my first hardware project (an RC for planes) or the first time I programmed something useful (when was that? :-) ).

5 facts about me:

1- I'm a railway fan. Many years ago I was a member of Ferroclub Argentino were I helped in a few restorations. For almost 10 years, I occupied my parent's garage (30' x 15') with a big layout permanently under construction. At its peak, when I completed the automation of the switches and signals, it could handle about 8 simultaneous trains. The layout was inspired in the Patagonian Andes: somewhat between the Swiss Alps and the North American Pacific Northwest. I used to drag my father on scouting and photo trips to old depots, bridges, tunnels, engine yards, etc.

2- I did a lot of long distance running and biking during my college days. On summer holidays I'd load my bike packs with tent, sleeping bag, etc. and then would ride for 400-500 miles in the Argentinean wilderness. Most of my trips where in the remote mountainous regions of Argentina (Patagonia, Cordoba, San Luis). I usually got there by train (after several dozen hours: getting to Patagonia by train from Buenos Aires used to take like +20 hours by train). I remember riding for days without seeing any homo-sapiens.  "I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion..."

3- In one of such trips I slept one night in the jail of the smallest town you can imagine, but ... I entered voluntarily as it was the only warm place to stay for the night. I traded with the police the (warm and lock free) jail for a pizza :-). There were lots of bugs though (real, biting ones).

4- I'm a reserve army officer. I've never meant to join the military, but at that time, citizens were drafted for service whether they liked it or not. Actually, I was part of the last generation being drafted into the armed forces. After that, service became volunteer and a paid job. I did my year of duty and was honorably discharged with the rank of 2nd Lt. . Contrary to many other conscripts, I learnt a lot and everyone I met there was great. My former superiors are still good friends of mine.

5- I love reading and have a huge library with branches in Washington and Buenos Aires :-). I never counted the books I have, but I know I added hundreds of them to the already wide collection I inherited from my grandfather and my godfather.  "You are what you are, not for what you've written, but for what you've read."

Now, my turn to tag: Matias, Gianpaolo, Michael, Mario, David