July in New York

It's been a busy time here, first was getting in work with an injured worker, and I made up for his not being able to work.

On Wednesday the 3rd after work I figured I better stretch out my legs, and I headed over to Prospect Park, I got in a few laps then I could feel that it was going to rain, and I got soaked coming home...

Then came July 4th a day off. I was going to meet with some of my Brooklyn crew but I slept till 10:30... Ugh, Oh well still good day for a ride. I headed over the Brooklyn Bridge and over to George Washington Bridge up 9w. I rode up to Nyack and stopped for coffee where I met "Joe" from Jersey City who is a R.N. and uses cycling to unwind after work, and rode back to Washington Bridge with him, the Bike path on the bridge was closed to had to cyclocross stairs in road shoes and I meandered back through the city as the West greeway was closed.

Then that night I went over to the west side and watched the fireworks..

And here I met Ali who is visiting NYC for a couple of months and we got our photo in front of the Empire State building lit up in Blue,White and Red for Bastille day...Oops someone did not pay attention in history class... France is Blue white and red, USA is Red, White and blue... Viewed TOP DOWN!

Then back to work on Friday to finish the store in Brooklyn and on Saturday my daughter Céline came to town, and we Citi-Biked on Saturday all over town and then on Sunday we Sub-Wayed and walked all over town as she took photos of everything... Later in the week she dissed me in the street for looking to touristy. 

I then had her working in Long Island with me, and the following weekend Heather joined us and we went through the city again seeing all the sights. 

All this work, touristing and with Céline I've only gotten one ride in so far and it seemed to be mostly in rush hour traffic... I have another ride planed I was hoping to get it in tonight but Céline was tired and I needed to get her supper... so I hope Thursday.

Till then take care all.

My last week in California

With much colder temperatures back home I did try to find an IKEA co-worker to adopt me, but there were no takers... Oh well I have to leave 18°C and overcast for 7°C and rain (and I hope NO SNOW). It is what it is.

The last two weeks have been very busy at work trying to get two stores finished, last week was a disappointment I could not ride as much as I wanted because it was very nice out, but this week has been quite cool and overcast or raining (and pretty hard for the Bay Area).

First off in training you build and take an active rest week then start building again, so after doing a mountain a weekend for two weekends my body wanted a rest, and add to that long days at work a tired body just can not turn the pedals. The first ride after Hamilton Mountain was out of the loft to the bike trail. I got started rather late in the evening and I knew I would probably not get as far as I wanted and kept a watch on  the time, even with flashing lights in a bike friendly city after dark on major roads is a bit dangerous. The trail itself in not too exciting but safe and nice to have such an asset so close to "home". The ride around the Lexington Reservoir was beautiful.



Friday I was able to finish work early, so I took a nap when I got back to the loft, made some coffee (this becomes a theme). And went out on the trail for the hills. There is one nasty little dirt hill on the trail just before you get to the damn that goes UP, last time I hit sand and had to walk, this time I used all my cyclo-cross skills, picked my line and got up on the bike. Then onto the highway to get to "the climb" The only thing I did not know about the road I was going to take is that it's 9-10% average with a fair bit of 13% and there was one hairpin at 15%, this is difficult climbing and I almost gave up... Remember when you're on a new road especially a climb you have no markers of when that 15% is going to hit you, or how much further you have to go. But once I got up to Summit Road, I was VERY glad that I finished. The only problem with a phone camera on a sunny day you can't tell when all your photos are blurry, so no visual memory's of that ride.



Saturday was pack, laundry (the loft had a VERY nice washer dryer) and move day. Once I got back up to Emeryville, people were driving crazy on the highway. A Saturday drive took me almost two hours to do a hour drive, I missed out on two accidents by being alert, whew. I then got checked into my hotel, got some groceries at the Berkeley Bowl, I will miss the grocery store with all of it's produce, it was late. The weather was not very nice but the roads around Eastbay are great for riding. So I called this one "A run from the Rain" it did catch me at the last of my decent off the hill so I had to slow down.



I decided that I would splurge and go out. I found this place calle B Side BBQ and enjoyed an evening of good BBQ good beer (Thelonious Triple Belgian Beer), the night before Flanders.

I originally had plans for Easter that involved me being on the other end of the Bay on Sunday a.m., but I had no intentions of driving over an hour both ways for a church service. And I also planned on waking up early to watch Flanders, my body had different plans I slept like a rock and do not remember turning off my alarm.  I decided to go for "brunch" and found this little hole in the wall café Doyle Street Cafe and had Huevos Azteca's, and good coffee.

The rest of the day was reading what I could about Flanders, a quiet time and doing two AutoCAD drawing for the next phase of work.

This week began long hours and DIRTY work, Monday was come home shower eat and bed... Tuesday I could have done the same but the evening was quite nice and I just wanted to be outside so I went out on the Bayview trail, for a coffee ride (nice little coffee shop at University) and up the bike shop to add air to my tires. I've got to find a floor pump that is lightweight and will fit in my luggage.

Tuesday I was hoping to ride but there were clouds over the hills (which are still there today as I write). It was just as well as I was just tired, but I found that the Bayview trail goes all the way to the San Rafael Bridge which has a bike lane and then you're in Marion County!

Then the rain did come and just as well as I was in the need of rest, but come Friday I wanted to do the hills one last time, so after work (a full day), I came back took a nap and had some coffee and off to the hills. It only takes a tired rider 20 minutes to get to Claremont climb, so as I said it's a nice place to be. It was quite an overcast day and a bit cool but I packed my kit for the Bay Area two months ago and I've learned that I have to take stuff off to climb and put stuff on the flats and add more on the descents, and for the last two months I've been out of reach of the team car to take my gear or hand me my gear so I look like the Hunch Back on the climbs.

.

After this ride I packed my bike... the Ritchey Break-Away fits into a suitcase, Ritchey's video says it takes 20 minutes to pack, a Cyclingnews.com reivew says after a while it takes 20 minutes to pack... I'm at the one hour and 45 minute mark... though I think next time I may be able to cut some time off? maybe.

Now it's time for my flight home to Toronto. Which before I even woke up this morning it was delayed an hour. I've not had one single flight this year that has not been delayed... Oh well the joys of travel.

A Busy Busy weekend.

I started my weekend by going on a bike ride Friday afternoon still looking for the Three Bears, to no avail. That was O.K. because I did not have as much time as I thought and I had also plotted new accesses passes over this "hill" behind me. Then went out for Indian curry, yummy. Early to bed.



Saturday a.m. time to Conquer the Three Bears, which were kind of anti-climactic, it was the climb after the three bears that was cool, winding and on back roads that I'll remember.




After this it's home for a shower and left-over lunch, then walk down to the BART station and head in San Francisco for the afternoon/evening. It seems every-time I get out of an underground it takes me a few minutes to figure where I am... no orientation underground and "tube" maps are not to scale. Just the same, at the base of Powell street is where the Trolley's are that go up to Bay street... HUGE line up, so I walked up to the next stop and caught this!

As you can see it's pretty open air and they are TINY! but pretty darn cool. I then got up to Bay street where I walked around Pier's 45 to the famous Pier 39... TONES of tourist and not really my cup of tea, but I saw Alcatraz, Sea lions and Buskers. 

Then back through town, stopping to relieve myself and off to China Town where I had a very inexpensive dinner and back on to the BART home again!

 And I did ALL that JUST so I could get my daughter this sweat shirt to add to her collection.

Sunday Morning I rode with Skye from the Emeryville store

I love it when you can climb and descend this easy from one's front door, We had a good ride, it got Skye out of his house and it allowed me an easier Sunday ride. After we finished the ride I went out for Brunch at Rick and Ann's which is a half km walk from my front door, and sat a a communal table and enjoyed a good talk with my table guests. Then back home to the car, first time needed this weekend! Off to explore Highway 1, which I know people who have ridden it, and I did see cyclist but, TOO many cars and fast motor cycles on it for my taste, and to note any serious cyclist when asked if it can be ridden say "it could but.." Point taken, there are enough other fine roads around here without cars that make this not worth riding.

Back to my Sunday Drive, I drove along the road, and it's a 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock drive for sure, keep both hands on the wheel. I drove out and past Stinson Beach, where the road turns inland a bit, and became much less scenic, and a lot less traffic... Stinson Beach is packed, so I decided to go in and see what it was all about, I walked on the beach and stopped at a restaurant and had some nachos and people watched a while before getting back in the car and heading back home. It was a very pretty drive and great to get to enjoy God's creation.

Bike Commuting

We are on the one car experiment. And I am getting more and more conscious of how much junk and pollution we throw or belch (via our autos) into the air.

The abusurdity of North America and autos, the Cash for Clunkers in the US the largest majority of trade-ins were Ford F-150 FOR... Ford F-150's for the total savings of 1 m.p.g. I have a 2003 GMC Pick-up which pulls my work trailer, would love to have a more economical Sprinter Van. That aside, the 2003 Pick-up is smaller than than the new GMC pickups by about 4" and a good 10" smaller than the new F-150's I'm comparing 2WD's only. The 4WD's are considerably larger. Why? Up here in Canada everyone's so politically correct sounding, BULL Canadians are just as Red Neck, prejudice and wanting to be Macho as Americas... NOW don't get me started on SUV's They are ABSURD! and the largest majority of the drivers DO NOT know how to drive such a large vehicle.

OK... Onto bike commuting. I logged in 50 kms. this week commuting, most trips 5 kms or less one way (all destination stops). I saw, and I've got to find the research or I'm going to do the math, that everytime you start your car it costs $35-$50 then add the fuel, and at 5 kms city driving, and I hit all the lights red, fuel economy is low. Math says I saved myself $350, not immediate savings as part of that calculaion is tire wear, oil, etc. Plus immediately about $10 in fuel. I'm spending this winter about $35 to re-cable the old red commuter, and looking into getting a trailer to get groceries and other consumables... What about showing up at a customers house ready to trim the house with a chop-saw on the back of a bike? I don't think the guide-rails would fit, but other tools would... Hmm...

I think I may find an alley here in Brantford, have a cameraman walk right in front of me while I rant waving my hands right in front of the camera and make Dramatic sharp turns...
The write a book titled "A Book, about stuff" NOT that I would be copying anyone in particular...