competitive american riders

I think everyone knows I ride everyday to and from work (26+ miles) up from La Jolla through Torrey Pines. I am always passed by fast riders in training and regular commuters all "spandexed up" and cranking like its the 10th stage of the Tour de France. The route that I take is a popular one for out-of-town riders - it is probably a section of some of the best and sought-after experiences in road cycling. I was noticing the other day a couple of Italians (who I had seen before) riding along at about the same pace as I do. They rode well, understood the rules of the road, and were clearly very experienced - but they didn't ride like it was an Olympic competition. They clearly enjoyed what they were doing and were getting a good workout while they took in the surroundings. That got me to thinking that the fast-pace of most of the riders I see is because of the American notion that eveything has to be a competition and done really fast, or it isn't deemed a "proper" pursuit. Made me think of the "slow-food" and "slow-life" advocates. Things don't have to be done just to get them over with.

a cyclist's nightmare

Since Team Spectra is going to ride the Rosarito-Ensenada fun ride in September, this one got my attention. A drunk driver in Matamoros fell asleep at the wheel and plowed into ten riders on a similar ride (although in a different placce). One was killed. This is what anyone who rides a road bicycle fears the most. Fortunately it doesn't happen often.

the back side of Mt. Rushmore

I love this - for some reason picking on poor shrub. I have a list of blog stuff that I will get to soon. J

nothing much to add to this one

blind eye

I don't feel sorry for the US Automotive Industry. For years it has been predicted that gas prices would rise. Now they have and Detroit is again asleep at the wheel. Late '70s deja-vu all over again. Just stupid.

bicycle commute ~ the beaches

Some people get to work grudgingly in their $4.50 per gallon cars. I ride my bike. Here is what I see everyday. Note the classic break at Wind an Sea Beach with the surfers going off on either side of the wave. Then, the La Jolla Shores crowd (some waking up on the beach, others paddle surfing) finally moving to an early moring at Torrey Pines Beach. Then I had to go in to work ..... Thanks to Chris Isaak for the music.

windansea dreams ....

Got to work early and its kind of hard to keep going today. Weather is great and the road beckons. This is a quick shot of my girls at Wind an Sea beach last Friday, which someone had designated "International Surfing Day". There were some amazingly accomplished surfers getting some great rides. Very good entertainment.

salgado is still going ....

Curtis Salgado has always been a favorite of mine. From small smoke-filled bars in Eugene, to San Francisco and outdoor venues in Portland, this guy could always bring me to my feet. Curtis was diagnosed with liver cancer a couple of years ago, underwent a liver transplant, then diagnosed with lung cancer and had it removed. The dude survived and is back TOURING! Unbelievable. any way they had a concert in 2006 for him. Here is the poster: What looks like a great line-up. Steve Miller, Taj Mahal, Robert Cray, Jimmie Vaughan .... People who basically stood up and saved Curtis' life. Very cool.

la jolla elementary fifth grade graduation

If I could just turn back the clock. Lauren is up there somewhere - big deal moving on to middle school.

my vp choice

why do I think the caption should be, "god my shorts are crammed up my ass"

my friend peter unthank

These were pictures I posted last year and lost. I missed them so I am putting him back up to remember. Peter essentially killed himself the day after Bush was last elected -- no joke.

a new bicycling experience

I have been hit by cars, yelled at (and screamed back), hit in the head by a flying fruit-bat and all sorts of other things, but today was a new one. I had just ridden to the top of La Jolla Shores Drive near the UCSD campus when I looked up to see a good-sized dog (like a Jack-Russell Terrier, I think) flying right at me. The dog wasn't running at me to bite me, but had seen me and I think jumped out of an electric car (with no doors on it) maybe to just say hello. The trouble was that the vehicle with no doors was traveling past me at about 35 miles an hour. I swerved to miss the flying canine and didn't go back to see the eventual outcome, but now I can cross off, "Swerved to Avoid Flying Dog", from my bicycling experience list.

before the NYT corrected it ...

This popped up on the Times front page a couple days ago. I didn't think the Clinton campaign had any fun?

The Remarkable Mr. Burney

Were I only half as organized, I could take over the world. This is the irrepressible Craig Burney about ready to sort and organize a mountain of miscellaneous felt-tip markers. Note the enthusiasm!

Cosmetic San Diego and the US Open

The US Open Golf Tournament is going to happen at Torrey Pines in a week or so. I ride my bike through there every day and the cosmetic changes have been dramatic. For a bunch of fat, rich white guys the city (which can't seem to fix the pothole in our neighborhood streets) have somehow:

• Repaved a good portion of the road leading up the Torrey Pines grade of the coast highway
• Repainted all of the lane markers and bicycle lanes
• Cleaned off all the nearby roads (including the bike lanes, which they never gave a crap about before)
• Pruned all of the trees along the coast highway within a quarter mile of the golf course
• Blown new ground cover on to all of the medians and roadsides
• Carved an access road between the coast highway and the eastern side of the golf course (it would have taken an act of congress and an environmental impact statement to get this done for any other reason)
• Actually manned the ranger access station to the Torrey Pines Beach parking lots and beach access - in the 6 months I have been riding the route I have never before seen a human anywhere near the structure

Its remarkable what an influx of fat cats can do in motivating the city to actually do something. I'm certain it will fall into disrepair once they all leave.

The Finished Product

10 days - probably a world record

Now We Sand the Living Shit Out of the Floors

I must have sucked in 10 lbs. of sawdust in this lovely process ....

OK, Now the Carpet is Ripped Out

What you can't see are the double carpet tacking strips that came out maybe 6 inches at a time or the thousand tacks, nails, brads and staples that had to be pulled from the floor by hand.

Pre-Filthy Carpet Removal

In these pictures the carpet looks OK. Upon closer inspection - disaster. The house had been owned by one of those "cat ladies". You know, the old woman who has 2 cats, then 8 cats, then 20 cats and then 83 cats. Cats until she dies and the cats crap and claw everything in the house. Pulling up these carpets (until I cleaned the cooktop in the kitchen) was right in there with my high-school job of plunging out the sewer lines under the Redwood City Elks Club ... but that's another story. Anyway here are the marketing pics..