Rocky Road

Did a little rock collecting ride this morning, before the sun came out. Left around six fifteen. Not too many cars out, for some reason. Headed over to Grossmont High school to pick up a couple rocks I had noticed the other day. To my surprise, I noticed the OTHER side of the street has zillions of rocks in the gutter. Too many to carry at once, especially since I also planned to pick up that big sucker you see pictured below, over on Fletcher Parkway. So, I will be back! But only on weekends, too much traffic during school hours!



So, let us see how this full size picture looks in the final edition. It's SUPPOSED to be screen-size!

Nope, it cuts the side off. Here's a smaller version:



Picked up around ten heavily laden miles this trip.

Thirsty Thursday

It getting warmer and warmer. I'm desiccating!!

I rode down to the dam this morning, ignoring the Tour de France and all its problems.

At the 1 hour mark I found I had completed 14.6 miles, so I must have had a tailwind!

I used the almost-granny gear to go up Jackson Drive hill, as I was a little pooped. My nose felt itchy, like it was sunburned (no, I didn't put on sunscreen today!), but it went away after a while.

I saw the lady that carries her dog around the lake in a basket. It was yipping quite loudly (the little dog, not the basket!). As I passed her (wearing the fabulous pink jersey, but I digress...) I yelled out, "You want some oil for that?" She laughed and laughed.

Saw that running blond chick. This is news?

Ride Stats

Trip Mileage  25.02 miles  (40.28 km)
Trip Time     1:46:51      (1:46:51)
Avg. Speed    14.16 mph    (22.8 km/h)

Tuesday

Went for a little meander around the neighborhoods. Picked up rocks along the way.

I turned down a quiet little lane and spotted a rock in the middle of the road. No one was coming, I LOOKED, so I paddled over on the bike and picked it up. So then, of course, EVERY CAR IN THE WORLD decides to turn down this street! So I'm stuck in the middle, waving car to go by. Finally there's a space, I start to paddle over to the side. Actually, I was trying to get on the seat so I could peddle, but I stumbled a bit. And of course there's another car coming, so I'm foolishly in th way, still. I felt very foolish. I SHOULD have left the bike at the side of the road and ran over to get the rock. My "window of vulnerability" would have been reduced. Or, alternatively, just left the rock there?

At least I was wearing my helmet!!

Why You Should Wear A Helmet

Didn't ride today.

I'm sure if you read my drivel, you surely are reading the Fat Cyclist's, as his is so much better. Today he has a story (with pics!) about why you should always wear a helmet when bicycling.

Check it out: Kenny Uses His Head...As A Brake

Ride To The Big Water

Went west for a change. Rode down to the jetty on Quivira Point in Mission Bay. I've been there before, but not for a long time.



I never noticed all these jetty cats there before, but there they are. There were about 7 cats lounging around in the vicinity.



I took some pics while riding east on the San Diego River bike path. No hands!



Yes, it's dull, but it's NO HANDS!!!



As I was riding homeward I thought about taking the "shortcut" up to Hillcrest that I had read about. I wondered where it was. Then I saw a sign the said "Hillcrest". I figured that was it. It was, the street is Bachman Place and it goes up the mesa to the UCSD Medical Center. It's not the narrow little road I read about, it's been repaved and has parking along the side.

I rode home on University Ave., and that was about it.

Ride Stats

Trip Mileage  29.90 miles
Trip Time     2:14:34
Avg. Speed    13.39 mph

Week Stats

Schwinn:     39.50 miles
Jamis:       56.54 miles

Week Total:  96.04 miles

Odometers

Schwinn:   6,652 miles    YTD    606 miles  (YStart 6,046)
Jamis:     3,138 miles    YTD    865 miles  (YStart 2,273)

                       Total  1,471 miles

Riding the Helix

Rode up Mt. Helix this morning. Very nice cool climb. Overcast and foggy.


(Remember you can click on images to visit my zooomr page for larger versions)

Needed a pic to post in the flickr Fat Cyclist pool, so I posed for the timer.



Hey, where did that trash can come from?

And one last pic, slight edited.



Saw five other cyclist on the Helix this morning, two dog walkers, one runner, and one walker.

The mileage was 9.5 miles for the Schwinn this morning, a goodly portion of it in the granny gears.

It's Friday!

As promised, here's a pic of the thing I found the other day.



56 miles communting this week.

Nice and cloudy this morning, none of that nasty bright light so early in the morning!

I wuz riding along yesterday and heard this plantive little beeping sound. I looked around, and there on the road was this round plastic thing with wires sticking out. It had a blinking LED and a very sad little siren-y sound. I didn't know what it was, but I researched it and came up with the answer. It's an anti-shoplifting device called an Alpha Spider Wrap. I took it apart to see what makes it tick, and to shut the dang thing off! I might make it into something I can use, like a bike alarm in the garage. Or not...

Here's a pic showing a reconstruction of the cable hitting the crankarm incident I mentioned the other day. I bent the cable back for this picture. Then bent it back back.



I got the super-bright idea to paint a little White-Out on the rims and notate the maximum tire pressure thereon, since I can never remember what it is. I am impressed with myself!


FRONT -- Hutchinson "Flash" 700x28 maximum 90 psi


REAR -- Performance Forte GT2 700x28 maximum 105 psi

Miles so far this week, 46 or so.

Today was a no-cloud morning. "June Gloom" must be over! Alas!

We hate it," he hissed. "Nassty, nbassty shivery light it is -- sss -- it spies on us, precious -- it hurts our eyes."-- Completely taking Gollum's words out of context.

As you know, I don't care for bright sunny mornings much. That's how Tom Fudge got whacked. I've almost done it myself!

Tuesday In July

Rode to work again. Dropped off a book (Dick Francis, Under Orders) at the library on the way. Saw a box of drums sitting there. What's up with that?



Apparently the BIG NEWS in La Mesa this morning will be the water main break yesterday that left TEN houses without water overnight...



Live reports from the scene of the action, I'm sure!

23 miles so far commuting, this week.

Oh, and I noticed a clicking noise whilst pedaling. Not sure if it was the same noise I've been hearing for the past couple of years, I thought that was the seat tube suspension. But this turned out to be the cable end sticking out from the front dérailleur. I didn't notice this before? Weird! So I bent the cable end down and away so it doesn't hit on the crankarm, where I'm sure it has been wearing a groove so there will be a stress fracture and I will fall flat on my face.

Again.

Yesterday was what?

Rode the Jamis to work today. Not much going on. Watching the Tour de France off and on. Rest day today! Sunday was pretty impressive, riding and scenery wise!

Here are the stats from last week.

Week Stats

Schwinn:    43.50 miles
Jamis:      23.00 miles

Week Total: 66.50 miles

Odometers

Schwinn:   6,613 miles    YTD    567 miles  (YStart 6,046)
Jamis:     3,081 miles    YTD    808 miles  (YStart 2,273)
                        Total  1,375 miles YTD

Bright Saturday

Did the Dam Ride this morning.

Discovered the Graveyard of Dead Street Signs!



Saw a cadaver on Prospect. NOT REALLY!
Saw a book titled Stiff, The Curious Lives Of Human Cadavers.

In fact, I saw three books in perfectly good condition laying in the road.
I set them up on the side so maybe someone might take them.

Here's the last of the books.


I bet this pile of stuff that was farther down Prospect Ave. has something to do with those books.



Took a granola bar break at the visitors' center in Mission Trails Park at the south end of the Father Junipero Serra Trail.
Gave a guy directions to the trailhead for the hike up Cowles Mt.
Got surprise-passed AGAIN on Jackson Drive hill, like I was standing still.
I WAS carrying a load of rocks in the Jamis basket. That's my excuse...

Said load of rocks.



And of course, you are wondering where these rocks are going.

They are going in the drip-line from the back roof in the garden so as to absorb the rain (rain?) as it runs off the back roof.

Treasure chest in the garden.





Ride totaled about 23 miles.

Drank two water bottles.

Wish I had put on sunscreen.

Friday Summary

Tuesday I rode out to the top of the hill on what is apparently E. Main or possibly Olde Highway 80. Or possibly not.

That was the turn-around point, so the ride totaled twenty miles. It seems longer than the Dam Ride, maybe because I was farther east.

The Fletcher Parkway hill was pretty much as expected. I remember when I use to walk partway, or laster, use the granny gears.

El Cajohn is certainly busy in the morning, all those people going to work!

Thursday I rode the Dam Ride, but without the Lake Murray segment. It was pretty cloudy, but interestingly the sun was poking through at a goodly portion of the Cowles, although the very tip had wisps of a fog encircling it. How lyrical!

Both days I wore the fabulous Fatcyclist Fighting For Susan pink jersey. I felt pretty good.

I had P.T. in the afternoon of Thursday. I got some new exercises to do. I need a personal assistance/coach to remind me and keep me on track.

So, so far, I've got around 45 miles on the bikes this week.

W00t!

I didn't ride today, but the mail lady brought me a surprise package this afternoon, MY PINK JERSEY from the Fat Cyclist and Twinsix!





The back says "Fighting For Susan." Susan is Fatty's wife, she has cancer.

You will be happy to know I did not get matching socks.

But I did think about.

Kinda wish I had...

Sunday Rock Ride

Rode up to the top o'the hill this morning. Picked up a bunch of rocks. Starting to feel silly, picking up pebbles in the bike lane. Probably will stop doing it.

Might start picking up pine cones, instead!

Week Stats

Schwinn:    100.13 miles
Jamis:       18.78 miles

Week Total: 118.91 miles

Odometers

Schwinn:   6,569 miles    YTD    523 miles
Jamis:     3,058 miles    YTD    785 miles
                        Total  1,308 miles

Yesterday and Today

Yesterday I rode the Dam Ride. It went ok.

On the Father Serra Dog Walking Path a pedestrian lady kindly reminded me to say "Passing on your left". I said, "That's what the 'Good morning' is for!"

The headset is loose, AGAIN. When I got home I put in another spacer ring, and tightened it up again. I didn't check to make sure that I had put the bearings in correctly in the first place. How would I know?

Went for another Dam Ride today, instead of watching the Tour de France. It went ok.

Only saw one pedestrian on the path. He got the bell.

Going up Jackson Drive hill I was startled by a bicyclist passing me. What's the use of having a mirror if you don't see people coming? And WHERE did he come from? I was a long way up the hill, and never saw him approaching. I caught him at the light. He didn't LOOK like a haunt.

I managed to accumalate a nice even hundred miles on the Schwinn this week

The headset bearing is still loose.

Day After Going Forth

Rode to Dam today, on the Schwinn.





It was foggy. Some cars had their headlights on, some didn't. I would prefer they kept them on, in the fog.








There was a couple guys walking in the bike lane on N. Marshall in El Cajohn, and a truck, which caused a bit of consternation to me and the cagers, but hey, it's an industrial area, it's part of the deal.

I have a little detour near the top of Jackson Drive Hill that I sometimes use. It involves turning on to Park Ridge Blvd, right on Laurelridge, then right on Cibola Rd., right on Forrestal Road, back up to a left on Park Ridge, then right onto to Jackson Drive. Adds a couple feet to the mileage, don't cha know.

Well, TODAY, just after turning on to Forrestal, I came upon three children walking a VERY LARGE DOG! Said dog LUNGED INTO THE STREET at me, and indeed tried to bite me. He, in fact, made physical contact with my leg! Fortunately, he had some kind of muzzle on. He also barked a lot! I told the kids, WITHOUT SWEARING (for once!), they need to control their dog. I should have taken a picture, or a movie, I had the camera. I didn't think of it. I should have told them how when I was a kid, our dog Pal was put to sleep because a girl on a bike said he bite her. Which would have been a lie. We only got sued...

Every thing else went pretty ok, and I wandered around the area for a bit, and manged to get around , oh, I don't know, say 27 miles or so. Anyway, the week mileage on the Schwinn is 50 miles for two days of riding. Plus whatever I got on the Jamis, say ten miles.

The headset is loosening on the Schwinn. The nut isn't coming loose, but there is definitely some movement. And chattering when the front brake is applied. Mr. M. is going to clobber me!

Forth Of July

I did go forth and do battle with the world, I rode along Fletcher Parkway and collected rocks.

All sizes of rocks. Big'uns and lil'uns.

And I didn't even get them all!

A guy in full kit passed me after I stopped to pick up a rock (No, I WAS safely out of his way, what are you thinking?!?)

I wonder what he thought...

Let us see if this works: .uʍop ǝpısdn ɯɐ ı

Ok, I don't know how to make that happen with code, but here's a site that will generate it, it's called flip. Saw that on The Bike Riding Donut Guy blog today.

Day Before The Forth

That's a pun, I hope to "go forth" into the day tomorrow, on some sort of bike ride. There are a lot of rocks out there waiting to be picked up!

I rode to the Dam on the Schwinn today, so I couldn't pick up rocks. There were quite a few out there, though. And they were hard to see.

Why? Because for some reason, I decided to wear my REI glacier sunglasses (which come with side shields (don't cha know?), although I didn't use them). Now, these are not prescription, and they are pretty dark, so the world looks like a Renoir painting to me.

A GREEN Renoir painting.

So I have to to pay attention while I'm riding.

Not that I'm not ALWAYS paying attention!

Highlights Of The Ride

• Ringing bell THREE TIMES at pedestrian on bike path, who finally got it.
• Seemed to be a tailwind, no matter what direction I was going.
• Climbed Jackson Drive hill in 36/24 combo. I think.
  

Ride Stats
Distance               22.73 miles (36.6km)
Riding Time            1 hour 43 minutes 4 seconds
First Hour Distance    13.5 miles (21.7km)
Overall Average Speed  13.2 mph (21.32km/h)

So So Sunday

Thought I was going for a long ride today. Turns out, I'm not. It's too hot. I'm too tired. I'm too depressed.

Went for a little ride yesterday, picked up some more rocks.



The rock pile is coming along nicely.

The mileage for the the week is around 65 miles, all on the Jamis.