Night Ride.....

Well...last night we went on a night ride. It was a harvest moon and it was awesome. University ave still needs some work. The road between 1st and kettner is dark and rickety--but--it's a nice night ride. We took PCH all the way into downtown and had a picnic on the bench in front of the Embarcadero. I HIGHLY recommend a night ride ending over here. You can look at the boats, have the grassy knoll all to yourself, and there's plenty of night light with the Hilton right next door, the Coronado bridge and the marina lights. It took 20 minutes from Mission Hills to downtown and 35 minutes back. Nice nice ride.

In other news....this morning on my bike I found a sign in the neighborhood called "The Ponder Post". Someone randomly posts quotes on a little piece of paper on the "Ponder Post". This week's ponder was about the value of reading a book. Very cool stuff. Anyway....Just another reason to ride a bike--the things you find along the way are things that have been there forever, you just never paid attention--or had too....

Back in the saddle....

Well--we've made some strides the last couple of days. My car lease expires 11/24 and guess who's NOT getting a new car??? You got it--ME--that's right. I am going to be a full time 100% bike commuter.....chew on that Exxon Mobil.

My boyfriend still can't believe it's possible and is already thinking about insurance options for his other car. It's impossible for him to believe that one can just ride their bike everywhere.

I say, anything's possible with a bike and a blog...right?

Anyway---you have to check out this movie.... Riding with the Dutch. YouTube it. I am fascinated by the story and want to see more. I want to learn more about this guy and his family and how the bike stuff changed his life. More to follow.

I finally reconnected with the SD Bike Coalition today. Very excited to volunteer again at Tour De Fat. This time I am going to ride in it...then volunteer. Also, I guess there are some other awesome Urban Core things happening in the downtown area. Need to connect with Kathy at SDBCC to get back involved.

Easing back in....

OK...now that I am back in San Diego I need to get back into my groove of biking everywhere. It's been a slow start as I am going between 2 house--my main squeeze and mine...I have a ton of running around to do for new job and house stuff...and the main squeeze has a dog..who unfortunately cannot ride a bike--YET. I got back into the groove this week and kicked off the inspiration with the annual Bike the Bay bike ride. WOW...what a great event. My friends Sandy and Andy created this great ride and they let me run the beer garden for it. How fun is it to greet bike riders after they just enjoyed a radical ride over the Coronado bridge on the San Diego Bay...and then have a delish cold brewski? Seeing all those bike riders this past Sunday was inspiring...so....we watched...we enjoyed and I kicked it back into bike gear. While riding this week I realized cars still do not like bikers. They are still real mad. On the road a couple days a ago a fella yelled from his car window: "You're suppose to be riding on the sidewalk...". I did not correct him, nor did I cite the law that states in a commercial area you are suppose to be on the road...but..if I knew that off the top of my head I would have for sure. Today while riding I encountered a man with a plastic pitch fork riding his bike on the opposite side of the road. He didn't seem mean...but...he did seem that he was on a mission...Yesterday on the way from a gal pal's house to my main squeeze's house I hopped on the trolley... There seemed to be a bit of a scuffle with some folks on the trolley and I started feeling unsafe, so...I hopped off and rode the rest of the way. I was suppose to get there at 830 and arrived at 9 but fret not....the spaghetti was hot and a glass of wine was waiting---DELISH! Today I rode 15 miles....rode from my house to doctor in U heights....then to Kinko's in Hillcrest..then Mission Hills for boot camp and back home. University street seems in the worst shape I've ever seen it. There are cracks and crevices that are not safe. That street needs to be fixed.... Onward and upward...stay tuned for my progress on getting my pedi cab lisence...yep...I said it...Pedi Cab Operator....

Back in San Diego......

After a 6 month hiatus in Vegas, I am back in San Diego. Although I could--and did ride my bike in Vegas....I couldn't ride it for long. You see--in case you didn't know...Vegas is in the desert. I say this tongue and cheek--because--I know this--and---I still moved to Vegas--knowingly--that I wouldn't be able to ride my bike there. It was a good experience. Met some great people. Worked for a great company and learned some big things---about Vegas--and--about myself. The biggest lesson learned--I missed my bike. I am a bike commuter at heart..so...here I am back in Sunny SD..ready to revive my mission. Here's what we've got cookin' so far:
1. Tour De Fat (New Belgium awesome beer bike fest) is 10/2.
2. Bike The Bay (30 mile community ride over Coronado Bridge--) 8/29

I am in charge of the beer festival. My team of talented and capable beer pouring ladies are called the Brew Crew--OR The Beer Wenches. We will be there, pouring, 9 a. Come see us...but..first register for the ride.

3. I am taking a 3 week vacation in between jobs--so--I have some bike catching up to do. On the roster: is reconnect with bike coalition, reconnect with BikeStation in SD mission, get my pedi cab licence and drive a pedi cab for a day.

So-people--we're back in business. Let's bike this town...shall we???

Special Aromas and Compliments....

Ride in today was easy peezy--super brisk--makes my face nice and red when I get into work--totally natural rouge style--who needs maybeline--I've got morning face burn:) After work I was doing my normal wonder woman change of costume from work wear to workout wear...and realized that not only am I using my neighbor's borrowed helmet--but--my bike light on the front went out--and--I left my pink light hat at home--Oh Schnikes-- so....I proceeded with caution on the way to the gym taking the most lit streets. Hit the gym--and walked my bike to the bus. On my walk--a man looked at me dead in the eye and said--in a perverse way, "Nice Bike Girl".... Now, I'm used to dudes looking at my boobs instead of my eyes when they talk to me--I've been "endowed" since I was 7. I'm used to a casual, "pretty face" comment--but, in a dirty weird voice from a seemingly normal person--"Nice Bike Girl"....weird. Even more weird---I have a Baby Blue Huffy that arrived to me in a box back in December 2008. My neighbor put it together--so--it's not even a nice bike. The front light is out, my back tire is flat and it's a Huffy--- Who knows--I took the compliment and ran. Got on the bus and 3 stops later a man with a HUGE back pack held together with a card board box and duct tape on the bottom got on the bus. He also was carrying a large box appx. 4 feet tall held together with bungee cord. Between the back pack and the box--we could barely see the guy. He sat down and immediately there was a wafting scent of sickening stuff lingering to the back of the bus. The man behind him got up and moved. The nice lady next to me put her scarf over her nose. It was apparent to me that I was not the only one smelling him. I couldn't figure out if it was him or some of those items he had in the box or the backpack...then--in a real morbid and imaginative moment--I thought: "What if that guy has a dead person in that box?" I know it's a weird thought--but--nothing could smell worse.... I got home safe and sound and took a shower right away. I needed to scrub the scent and the thoughts off me.

In other news----Dan Martin and Maria Filipi from SanDag emailed AND called me back today. Unfortunately, my day got away from me today and I had no spare time for my "volunteer" work to return the call. I am in sales--so, every minute that passes is a minute of something not sold..and today--we had a lot of buyers--believe it or not. I am going to propose a phone appt. for Thursday. I hope one of them can fit it in their schedule:)

Let's make this Bike Station thing happen. According to Dan's message--the biggest obstacle is funding....but...what if we could resolve that? Let's talk!

Baby Blue's Slumber Parties...

Baby Blue has had alot of slumber parties lately. Last Friday, I had plans after work, so I left the bike at work and took a cab home after my extremely disappointing Friday night with Michael Vic "the dog fighter" dude. I walked down on Saturday, got my bike, and rode Market Street home. Market street is horrible to ride on. There are pot holes and crevices in the road. The cars go so fast on it. I like the challenging incline of that hill--but--WOW--that street needs some improving. Sunday, I rode Market again to East Village Tavern to meet my gal pals and watch the Charger game. A full day of drinking and another disappointing day--this time--The Chargers--I thought it would be best to take the bus home and leave Baby Blue locked up in front of Lotus Thai. Monday rolled around--I left her there--I did check on her on the way home. It was so rainy outside that I didn't want to put her in my car. Then.....I was coming back from an appt. and scooped her up, loaded her int he back of my car and took her home where she slept in her own space--just for 1 night. Rode her in on Wednesday and had a day full of meetings. After meetings, we had a company dinner, and then the company dinner turned into a night on the town. Most of the company friends had left. It was time to go home, load Baby Blue onto the #2 bus, and grab my Jansport.....All of a sudden, a sudden flock of men in suits came into the bar. I am a sucker for technology men--in suits--especially after a couple glasses of vino. So...there I was...with Baby Blue on the mind, still a lil' broken hearted from my previous Friday night, and what's a girl to do???? So...I stayed....I met an awesome guy. He is a runner--hiker--and bike rider. I explained I needed to leave due to the Baby Blue, #2 bus, Jansport situation...... He recommended we get a drink somewhere else. I obliged with disclaimer---"I'll go, but, I have to warn you. I ride my bike to work and I carry this huge, red, masculine, old, backpack on my back. It has my laptop, change of clothes, work stuff in it...and it's not pretty. I need to get that Jansport and if you want to take me to another bar to buy me a drink, the Jansport has to come with us." He said that sounded fun.....So...I grabbed the Jansport and off we went in the Gaslamp. Bike/Hiker/Running guy carried the Jansport on his back with great pride. He agreed it was very heavy and was quite perplexed how I ride my bike to and from work with this hefty thing on my back every day. Since that was quite a late night, AND, I had to catch a flight to San Francisco at 6 a the next morning.....I left Baby Blue at work--again--and took a cab home. So...Baby Blue has been through alot this past week---3 sleepovers, 2 dates, & a torrential rain storm. I understand if she's acting out a bit, and moving slow...I just hope she forgives me soon. It's alot of work up and down that hill with that Jansport---we don't have time for Baby Blue to act out...I gotta go to the grocery store....Neighbor/friend will look at her this weekend and I hope he diagnoses her problem so we can hit the road again.

Flipped Off by a Blue Hair......

Ok...we all know I am a new bike rider. We all know that I am still learning the "rules of the road". In all my bike travels I am always nice to the peoples. Today, I was thrilled to ride my bike. I was in SanFran all week, it was raining on Monday & Tuesday--although I had my slicker--I was super excited for the sun I saw this morning....I walked down to work where I left Baby Blue for a slumber party. On my walk---I had the right of way. I was on the corner of K and 6th. Car was stopped. I crossed---the math on this was in line and good. The car behind stop sign #1--started speeding toward me. So......I stopped---right in front of that speeding car. I looked that dude right in the eye--gave him a big smile--and a finger wag--of course--and said--"Be Smart Mister---Be very careful" Then...I kept walking....I looked back, he beeped his horn really loud--rolled down his window--and flipped me off---times 4. There were 4--70+ year old dudes in the car--and they flipped me off. It was really funny--So....I ran to the corner---just before they turned right at the next stop sign.....I stood there, gave them a HUGE smile, and waved at them. They flipped me off again. I am normally a fan of the blue hairs. Typically, I'll soak up their wisdom or just be a part of their world since they have so much more experience than me. I rarely bump into an angry blue hair--especially when I am a pedestrian with the right of way almost getting barrelled over by a silver rental mini van--but--I have to say--this was the best angry driver moment yet. I scooped up my bike from the hotel and rode home. It's so pretty and sunny today. There's a lil' crispness in the air that reminds me of Ohio football weather...and...there is still a ton of debris in the road from all the storms. Something has happened to my bike in the last week. It was really slow going up the Island street hill and there's a clicking sound. I don't know what that is. If only there was a Bike Station near by---I could engage in a learning session with their station manager and he/she could show me the wonderous ways of my injured Baby Blue. Speaking of Bike Station---I sent an email to San Martin with Sandag today and left him a voice message. I have not heard back from Curt Letz from UCSD. I hear they are working on plans for a Bike Station up there. Our next Bike Coalition meeting is coming up and I'd love to hear from Maria Fillipi--of Sandag, Dan Martin--of Sandag and Curt Letz--from UCSD so I can be armed with some back up info and pitch the Bike Station idea to the Urban Core committee...........
My neighbor friend Curtis said he'd look at my bike for me. I hope he can find the secret to why it's so slow.

Tomorrow we head out on a nice bike ride to Point Loma.....