Why do people have Blogs

The BatCruzer - 3 - BLoG
Since June 2005

Dedicated to all the other obsessed,
bike commuters, photographers, health nuts,
shower singers, and folks who give a damn
about the world.

AIDS LifeCycle 8 (2009) - Fundraising Progress
Please help me reach my goal of raising $5000 for the SF AIDS Foundation!

(click on the link to the left)

Tuesday, 12/16/08 - A Magical Day

"Why?", you ask... I'm about to tell you. First of all, it's been TOTALLY cold lately, and this morning, Jim (co-worker/friend) brought in a bag of SNOW from his house up in the hills. I made a snow person (he was really a man, but I'm being politically correct). He was a white man too. Cold and not very long lasting... like many white men I have known. Anyway... seeing and touching snow is always a bit magical.

But the real magic happened when I was decorating my office. I guess the snowman put me in the holiday spirit. So I dug out my box of x-mas lights and such. As expected the two bundles of lights I have were completely tangled. So I made a light "clump" and put my mini-redwood tree in the center and decorated it with "stuff", and the mini characters from Rudolf the Reindeer. By the way Jeffrey, it's "Hermey", and not "Herby". Thanks for the dollar! : )

I then decided to hang the second set of tangled lights from my painting on the wall. There conveniently happens to be an electrical outlet just below it.
So imagine this. I'm in my office, Pandora is playing random music while I decorate. I'm now hanging candy canes from the clump of lights that's supported by this beautiful painting that Noah created, a watercolor replica of Van Gogh's "Starry Night". I suddenly realize that the music playing in the background is Don McLean's "Vincent".. you know how it goes, "Starry starry night... paint your pallet blue and gray..." I immediately got goose bumps and called my coworkers into my office to witness such a magical moment. I'm not sure they got it, but I sure did. It was a great way to start out my morning, seeing how I had not ridden my bike to work today : (

Friday, 12/12/08 (12:49 am)

I'm up WAY too late, but wanted to update this very outdated blog. Yes, I've signed up for year FOUR! Anybody care to join me?

Stay tuned for last year's video highlights (link on the left), upcoming training rides, and as always, thank you for your support!

- Paulie

Saturday, 5/31/08

Well, I am packed and ready to ride 545 miles down the coast once again.
Thank you all for your generous contributions this year. Together we raised $2,885 for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. And Team Slugs and friends raised over $30,000!!!

Be sure to log onto my PhotoBucket page where you can ride along with us (virtually) via pics and video clips. Click on the "Ride Photo Links" on the left side of this page.

I'll see you when I return!

Paul

Tuesday, 5/6/08 - 33% of goal!

Hello Friends and Family,

Less than a month to go (25 days to be exact)... YIKES! I still have SO much to do before the ride.
I had signed up for a two-day ride this past weekend, but had to cancel. A hot water pipe under my house decided to spring a leak, and I spent the weekend dealing with that instead. I won't even get into finding a dead rat.. RIGHT where I had to repair the pipe. Can rats chew threw Galvanized steel pipe?

You are all invited to attend the Team Slugs Wine & Cheese Tasting Fundraiser on May 15th. See below for details.

Support the Fight Against AIDS

Wine & Cheese Tasting Fundraiser

Please join us on

Thursday, May 15, 5:30 - 7:30 PM

Vinocruz, 725 Front Street, Santa Cruz

$20 donation per person

Taste wines generously donated by local vintners, paired with exotic cheeses munificently donated by Praise Cheeses, while supporting the fight against AIDS.

Team Slugs will be participating in AIDS/Lifecycle 7 – a 545 Mile Bicycle Ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles to raise AIDS Awareness. Proceeds go to the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, an organization that not only provides AIDS related services locally, but also partners with Pangaea to fight the epidemic globally.

Team Slugs at the Summit

Sunday, 4/6/08 - 25% of goal

This past weekend, we rode just 40 some miles..."Piece of cake", I thought. What I had not considered was the climb to the summit. It was a perfect day, lots of climbing, gorgeous views, and a really fun ride back down!

Our team has been discussing food (fuel), what to eat, what to drink, when to eat/drink, and how much. I for one LOVE training for this ride, because I get to eat like a little piglet.

Here is what I consumed yesterday. "Oink oink"

Breakfast (1 hour before the ride)
1 rather large bowl of Oatmeal with brown sugar and soy milk.
1 banana
1 tall glass of orange juice
1 English muffin with peanut butter and jelly
1 berry smoothie
1/3 multi-vitamin

Pre-Ride
Odwalla energy juice drink
1-Cliff bar
2 of Susie's delicious cookies (thank you Susie)

Morning Ride
2 Cliff bars
1/2 bottle of electrolyte drink (not Gatorade)
Almost a full camel back of water

Lunch
1/2 avacado and cheese/vegie sandwich
Almost a full ziplock bag of asian mixed nuts and assorted other things from Costco
A few pita chips from Jeffrey (thank you Jeffrey)
Several squares of a Ritter Sport Chocolate cookie (yum)
Another Cliff Bar
Water water water

Afternoon Ride
1 more Cliff Bar
1 Cliff Shot
1/2 bottle of electrolyte drink
1/2 of my camel back (water)

Post-Ride
Two glasses of water
Tomato juice
Veggie/avacado sushi for dinner
tea
more water
1 Motrin

SLEEP

p.s. I think I tinkled 6 or 7 times during the ride. :)

Oh my GAWD.. I ate FIVE cliff bars yesterday?!?!?! (My favorite flavor is Apricot).

Next weekend... 100 miles! Will I be able to carry that many Cliff bars?

P

Sunday, 3/16/08 - 18% of ALC Goal
Swanton Loop Ride - To the TOP!

Team Slugs woke up early and beat the gale winds, and rode 34 miles up the coast to the top of Swanton Road and back.
Other than wind...the weather, the view from the top, the treats at the Whale City Bakery, and the company were all wonderful!
Here we are celebrating our quest at the top!

Join Team on one of our many next rides!

Stats:
Ride-Out Time: 10:15 AM
Category: 2 -- medium pace (10-12 mph)
Terrain: 2 -- rolling hills
Climb: 2353.5 Feet
Miles: 34.21

Tuesday, 3/11/08
Where does all the money go?

A very common question among people I talk with about this ride. "Where does all the money go?" In the past two years, I have raised over $9000 for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, thanks to you, and the event overall raised over $19 million dollars. That is a lot of money, but until this year, even I didn't understand where all the money went.

This winter, I attended an ALC kickoff party in SF. My eyes were opened as I saw the many displays from the various organizations supported by the SF AIDS Foundation. And even more so, my heart was opened as I shook the hands and looked into the eyes of the many people served by these organizations. Each of them thanked me personally for riding, and told me how much of a difference the SF AIDS Foundation has made in their lives. I would like to share these services with you.

Client Services assists people living with HIV/AIDS with the complex private and public benefits system, and offers transitional housing assistance and rental subsidies to nearly 400 individuals and families.

The California AIDS Hotline provides comprehensive, accurate information regarding HIV and AIDS, responding to more than 70,000 calls a year, and answering as many as 750 emails from more than 100 countries.

HIV Prevention Project, one of the nation's largest needle exchange programs, exchanges more than 2.3 million syringes a year at ten sites. The incidence of HIV transmission via intravenous drug use in San Francisco is now less than 1%.

El Grupo sponsors a weekly peer support group for Spanish-speaking Latinos living with HIV and their families. Reaching out to men and women, gay and straight, youth and old, El Grupo is the only ongoing support group of its kind in San Francisco.

Black Brothers Esteem, an HIV prevention and networking program, enables African American gay, bisexual and same gender-loving men to support one another and to become community leaders.

The Speed Project provides harm-reduction outreach to gay and bisexual men in San Francisco who use crystal methamphetamine. Peer educators share information and resources to encourage good health and safety.

The Stonewall Project offers nonjudgmental counseling to gay and bisexual men who are struggling with their use of crystal methamphetamine. As part of its outreach program, the website, tweaker.org, provides education and information about methamphetamine that reaches an international audience, receiving nearly 2300 visitors a day.

Magnet, a health center and community space in the Castro for gay and bisexual men, offers sexual health services including HIV and STD testing, as well as a myriad of community events and exhibitions.

Science & Public Policy Department provides up-to-date information about the most effective HIV/AIDS research and treatment, influencing local, state , national and even international policy.

Pangaea Global AIDS Foundation offers international consulting services for the development and execution of sustainable national HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment strategies in Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe.

Thank you once again for your continued support!

Sunday, 3/9/08
Corralitos Ride Planned for Sunday

Join the Slugs for a 33 mile ride this Sunday!

Meet Time: 9:00 AM
Ride-Out Time: 9:30 AM
Meeting Place: Corralitos to Playa Market via Calabasas and Hazel Dell
Corralitos Rd/Hames Rd/Eureka Canyon Intersection

Rain Cancels
Category: 2 -- medium pace (10-12 mph)
Terrain: 2 -- rolling hills
Climb: 1928.5 Feet
Miles: 33.58

Friday, 2/29/08 - 16% of ALC Goal
(Leap Day)

Slugs/ALC Training Ride to Whale City Bakery - Saturday Ride... 3/1/08
Join us for a leisurely ride up the coast to Davenport!

Meet Time: 11:00 AM
Ride-Out Time: 11:30 AM
Meeting Place: Java Junction Coffee House in the Cost Plus/Office Depot/Ross shopping center
580 River St

p.s. Happy Birthday Rich!

Bring cash for some yummy baked goods.

Thursday, 2/14/08 - The Eagle has Flown

I write with sad news today..

Sheldon Brown, the cyclist, mechanical guru, web developer, artist,
photographer, world traveler, father, husband, and crazy
bald-headed guy with the orange beard and eagle on his helmet, has
passed on.

http://www.velonews.com/article/71802

From the very birth of the world wide web, I have been relying on
Sheldon's online mechanical advice, cycling reviews, and good humor.
He shared his gift of gab, mechanical expertise, and love for the
bicycle with so many. And now it is time to say good bye.

There is a memorial ride planned for this Friday evening, starting at the UCSC Bike Coop, and ending at the Town Clock at 6:30 PM

Wednesday, 2/13/08 - 10% of ALC Goal
New Team Name...

After much deliberation, discussion, brain storming, creativity, and difficult decisions. The NEW name that has been officially chosen by the people, for the people, to replace the old "Team Slugs" team name is......

TEAM SLUGS!

Now to decide on a mascot!... and team colors!!! Stay tuned :)

Monday, 1/14/08

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Someone told me "2008 is gonna be great!"
At first I thought it was a cute rhyme, but then I though... why not? What we have is what we make of it, right?

I have officially started fundraising for the 2008 AIDS LifeCycle Event. My goal this year is to raise $5000 for the SF AIDS Foundation.
This year, the ride goes from June 1-7 (SF to LA). For the past two years I have turned my blog into my fundraising headquarters...
and I will do the same this year. Stay tuned for training ride schedules, photos, and a running total of how much we've raised to date.
We're off to a quick start with $150 in the till. Only $4850 to go!

Click here (or on the left, to make a donation). Thank you very much!

Saturday, 10/27/07

Monterey Bay Coastal Trail

Team Slug etal on our ride from Castroville to Monterey for lunch and back. Weather was PERFECTO, as was the company!

Saturday, 10/20/07

Fall sunshine from the Chicken Lady!

Thank you Chicken Lady for the gift you left on my bike during the AIDS ride last summer. Noah and I finally got around to planting the seeds a couple of months ago, and now they are very happy and beautiful... just like you! What a bright spot in our Fall !

Wednesday, 10/16/07

Team Slug - Monterey Bay Training Ride Planned

It's official. We had our first Team Slug meeting today, and 7 warm bodies showed up, so I guess we have a team for ALC 7! Four of us have signed up already, and the other two need a little more time and gentle persuasion. The seventh was there for moral support and lunch.

Next Saturday, 10/27, Team Slug will embark on its second fall training ride, from Castroville to Monterey and back (weather permitting) - about 30 miles. We'll start out somewhere in Castroville, and end up somewhere in Monterey (how's that for accuracy). If you are reading this and find yourself saying, "Hey, that sounds like fun!", then by all means, please join us. This is a ride for the team and their friends. None of us are competitive riders (unless you try to pass Susie).

If you have not been on the Monterey Bay Coastal Bike Path, it's a really beautiful, leisurely ride along the coast, through the dunes, the old Fort Ord, Sand City and into Monterey. There are very few real hills to speak of, more like gentle rolling slopes.

We are very fortunate to have a graphic artist on our team. She came up with several designs for our team logo. Once we have decided on a final final, I'll post it here for you to "oooooh, and aaaahhh", and maybe others will be inspired to join in on the ride!

First Team Slug meeting topics were as follows:

Susie's top 100 list of fears for the ride
Alice's cupcakes
Eefei's Cookies
Porta Potty Humor
When riding north, are you really riding "up hill"?
What to wear on red dress day
Paul's ALC-6 DVD World Premier
Team Logo
FUNd raising.

Monday, 10/8/07

Amazon Waste!

Last week, I ordered a new keyboard and mouse from Amazon.com. As expected, the order arrived within just a couple of days. But it also came with a whole lot of other things that shocked and disappointed me. Check out the pics below and tell me, is all this packaging really necessary for a keyboard and mouse? Three different boxes, plastic, foil coated cardboard. Oye... At least they didn't use Styrofoam peanuts!

What did I learn?... Shop locally, even if it's more "convenient" to shop online. And always recycle!

The earth will thank you.

Thursday, 10/4/07

Santa Cruz Bike to Work day

The cold air and cold Jamba Juice couldn't stop this group from pedalin' their booties to work.
Pictured L to R, Michelle, John, Dan, Alice, Paul, Susie and Rich... Not pictured: Steve-O, he showed up a few minutes later!

Monday, 9/24/07

Tour for Woodside Bike Ride

This past weekend, Team Slug, or as Susie likes to call us, "The Spice Girls", rode our first official 32 mile training ride. The weather cleared up just in time for a nice overcast day. Perfect riding weather. This trip, Rich rode the Batrike (shown displaying his buff legs) while I rode my Bianchi step thru. A good time was had by all, but I learned that a townie 8-speed isn't really designed for long distance touring, and my bum is feeling it today. Next time, Rich rides his OWN recumbent! So there we are below, looking happy after our BBQ feast. Feel free to join us on one of our next rides...Monterey along 17-mile Drive, Le Tour de Menlo, (Sunday, Oct 14) which offers some challenging hills, with a 30, 40, or 50 mile option.

Pictured back row, L to R, Rich, Paul - front row L to R, Alice, Susie... And Rich's infamous leg!

Wednesday, 8/29/07 - Lunar Eclipse

For those of us who stayed up (or set their alarm for very early in the morning) it was a real treat.
Photographing the moon is not an easy task when it's bright, but even more challenging when it's glowing dim red in the earth's shadow... but well worth the effort!

Zzzzzzzzzz

Tuesday, 8/7/07 - A very sad day

This morning a young man on a bike was killed at the corner of Bay and Mission streets in Santa Cruz. The details are not yet clear, but he was hit by a semi truck as it was making a turn. The cyclist was identified as a young man in his 20's. This is an intersection that I commute through every day, and it is almost always congested and difficult to navigate.

Santa Cruz needs better bike lanes, better roads, and more education about the rules of the road... for both motor vehicles and bicycles. This is the second accident at this intersection in less than a week, and now someone has lost his life.

Please be aware of your driving and your riding. Sometimes we don't get a second chance.

Sunday, 8/5/07 - New Riding Friends!

This weekend, I went on two rides. On Saturday, I rode on the Marin Century ride with my friend Rich. The weather was perfect, and the scenery was beautiful. I got to try out my new front tires (Schwalbe Marathon's), and loved the extra cushioning they provided. They are not as fast as my previous racing tires, but much more comfortable. I also noticed a bit of slipping on the downhill curves, which was a little scary, but I managed to keep all three tires on the ground. I think Rich had a nice time, despite not feeling all that well during the first half of the ride.

Today, Ryan and I rode on the Tour de Peninsula in Redwood City. The weather was foggy all day, but it was a rather hilly ride, so it was actually a good thing!
This was Ryan's longest ride ever, but he did pretty well. He only yelled obscenities at me once after I somehow "tricked" him into riding 33 miles instead of 21. But as soon as he was safely back at the finish line and got some food in his stomach, all was well again. We saw friends Glenn and Joel on the ride, and rode with them part of the way. Good times were had by all. I got a new T shirt!

It felt nice to be back on my trike for longer distances than back and forth to work. I recognized a few people on each ride who were on the ALC ride, which was fun. If felt like a little reunion of sorts.

Saturday, 7/28/07 - 35 years later

When I was just a wee lad, I remember finding a long, thin, flat, piece of metal in the road. I didn't think much about it, but I did wonder what it was, and why it was lying in the road. It was about the length of a drinking straw, and had the appearance of a wooden "swizzle stick", only made of steel. I don't really remember the first one I found, but what I do remember, is finding more than one, and at different times. That is what made me curious to find out what the heck this flimsy metal thing was.

I remember carrying it around, asking everyone if they knew what it was, but nobody offered any explanation. Eventually I forgot about it and, as life has a way of doing this sort of thing, I grew up.

Well, lo and behold (which means, "look and see"), I recently ran across another one of these little flat metal sticks while riding up to work. Because I practically sit on the ground on my trike, I reached out and picked it up. I looked at it in disbelief! "These things are following me!", I thought to myself. The first ones I saw were back in Michigan, a million years ago, and now it appears that they have traveled all the way out to California, just to haunt me!!! Now I was on a mission. If these things are still around after all this time, I was going to find out what they were! So I tucked the specimen into my shirt and pedaled the rest of the way to work. I stuck it into my pencil holder for later research.

A few days later, I found another one while riding up to work, but in a completely different area, on a different road. Now the wheels were beginning to turn. I picked it up, and took it work to join its mate. Maybe if I saw the two of them together, it would help me piece something together. It didn't. This went on for a few days, and then BINGO! Like a bolt of lightning, it came to me. "Of COURSE" I thought. "How OBVIOUS".

Now I have started a bouquet of these metal bristles!

Friday, 7/27/07 - Fade Away

The sun that burns us while we sleep
has left it's mark
on my aching soul.

A tumultuous voyage fades,
and a long deep breath subsides.
Without further movement
my body lies still,
my mind wondering.

Thoughts scattered
like tiny particles,
carried away
in the arms of the wind.
No spoken words of calm.
The deafening quiet, my only escape.

Time passes slowly,
and scars begin to form
from the carved out wounds
of silence.

Many suns rise and set.
More burns
More pain
More dried layers of flesh
peel away
your wilted gaze.

The dark sky trembles
while I weep.
Fallen pebbles dam the trickling stream.
A pool of muddy water forms.
My own reflection
unfamiliar.

Gently,
one last tear falls
but never reaches the sand.

Wednesday, 7/25/07 - Clean your chain... Cleanse your soul

After repairing my front derailleur this past weekend, I also removed and cleaned my chain (actually 2.5 chains linked together... that's one long chain!). I also degreased my entire drive train, cleaned and re-lubricated the derailleur sprockets (which the bike shop said was not necessary...WRONG, and then re-lubed the chain. I used paint thinner to clean the chain. Simply coiled up the long chain and placed it into a recycled Costo salad container (Why does Costco use industrial grade plastic salad trays, that 99.9% of the people throw into the trash? What are people thinking?...) anyway, these containers make excellent chain cleaning trays... pass it on!

So there I sat on the back porch, soaking and scrubbing my chain with an old tooth brush. Suddenly it hit me, as I watched the solvent turn from clear to black, I was washing away all the dirt, grime, oil, and tiny metal particles that were trapped inside my chain. But at the same time I was cleansing my soul. About 1000 miles of dirt, and wear, and sweat, and memories... were all falling to the bottom of the little round Costco salad container. Wow... what a total feeling of freedom!

When I was done scrubbing (wearing latex gloves, of course) I lifted the chain and admired it's newly reborn gleam in the sun. My chain was clean, my soul felt renewed, and for just that second... everything was perfect.

Once the chain dried (solvent evaporated) I re-installed it onto my trike (I love those handy "PowerLink" master links). I carefully added "just enough" chain lube (bio-lube.com , made right here in Santa Cruz, and good for the environment!), and wiped the chain clean. My drive train once again purrrrrs like a tiger, and looks like a hot rod!

So, if you find yourself bored on a some Saturday, and have an hour or so to spare... go ahead, and cleanse your soul.. your bike will love you for it!

Footnote:
I re-use the paint thinner over and over again by letting it sit long enough to let the dirt settle to the bottom (of the Costco tray). Then I carefully pour off the clean solvent into a glass jar with a lid, and save it for next time. If you have less time to wait for the dust to settle, you can simply pour the dirty solvent into the glass jar with a lid. Over time, the dirt, etc. will settle to the bottom. Then next time you use it, just carefully pour the clean solvent off the top. Voila!

Friday, 7/20/07 - More Riding

I signed up for two more rides in August. The Marin Century Ride and the Tour de Peninsula. I have not ridden any further than back and forth to work since I returned from the AIDS ride. I miss that "glowing" feeling I get from riding. So between these two rides, I should get plenty of glow back.

I need to replace my front derailleur, as it's pretty much out of commission. I wrecked it when I hit a rather large pot hole riding down Bay Street. My trike jumped off the ground, causing the chain to come off and jam into the derailleur, snapping the two sides. It still works, but not good enough to ride 100 miles! I emailed the City to inform them of the dangerous hole in the road, and they fixed it within 24 hours. I was impressed with their response time, and I was also thankful that I was on three wheels rather than two, otherwise I surely would have been eating asphalt.

Anybody wanna join me on one or both of these rides? It promises to be fun, with some decent hills, and beautiful views of the bay area!!! Ryan has promised to join me for the Tour de Peninsula, and two friends from work are thinking about the Marin ride... the beginnings of "Team Slug"!

Wednesday, 7/18/07 - Amaryllis belladonna

Computers, cable, DSL, cars, food, education, gratification... It seems like EVERYTHING is getting faster and faster, with far less quality, and yet claiming to give us more (More what?). So why is it that while things are twice as fast, we have a net gain of ZERO spare time to slow down, relax and actually talk to people? Instead, we spend MORE time online, MORE time playing computer games, MORE time blogging (usually about nothing), more time "youtubing" (usually about nothing), more time watching "reality" TV. And by the way... what could be further from real, than reality TV?

Luckily, by some force of nature (let's call it... "Nature"), both my apricot tree and my yellow plum tree have decided to go WHACKO this season. Each has produced so much, that large branches have actually come crashing to the ground, under the weight of their own fruit!

What does this have to do with fast cars and low quality food?
EVERYTHING!

Somehow, I have no idea how, I was born with the genetic code that causes me to care. I care about other people, I care about animals, I care about nature. I even care about the gophers that are destroying my entire yard. This must be the year of abundance on many levels! So, being the "Care-Bear" that I am, I was forced to look at these two trees, being held hostage by their own offspring, and make a decision... a "fast" one. If anyone has had fruit trees, you will understand, that a week's procrastination can and will result in a heap of rotten fruit on the ground below. I can't stand the thought of wasted food, or more broken branches.

So after just a moment or two of thought, I swung into action, picking up the ripe, but not rotten apricots from the ground, and the soon-to-be grounded fruit from the drooping branches. Quickly filling a rather enormous bowl, I realized that I had more than I could work with for one night. "But.... look at all those yellow plums!" I decided that I could probably wait a few days, as they were not yet "plummeting" to the ground.

"To the kitchen!", I shouted out loud, knowing that Noah would surely love to help me make a big ole batch of Apricot freezer jam, even though he had been to busy doing "other" things to help me gather the harvest. (This is beginning to remind me of the story of The Little Red Hen). Long story short. I picked, I rinsed, I pitted, I sliced, I cooked and I canned the fruit into little golden jars of heaven. Then I stuffed them into my freezer. Noah did help a little, knowing that his mom's birthday was one of the excuses we were using to make the jam in the first place. To his credit, he was working on other gift-like things for her while I was a whirlwind in the kitchen. And in reality... is there ever room for two once I get going?

So now, almost everyone I know has been given a jar of Paul's (soon-to-be-famous) West Side Apricot Freezer Jam. If you have not received a jar of your own, don't panic...this story is far from over. Simply send a self addressed, postage paid, cold pack mailer box to me, and I will ship you a jar! (while supplies last). If you live close by... no need for the box, just stop anytime. (Recipe available upon request).

There are still hundreds of apricots falling to the ground, and now the plums are also exploding, right on the branch! Each rotten fruit that I have to leave behind becomes like a needle under my fingernail. I can't bear to see them go to waste (crazy-ass genes).

So last night, I gathered two more enormous bowls full of each fruit and carefully rinsed them and packed them into enormous zip lock bags, and placed them into my not-so-enormous freezer (for a time less filled with urgency). Tonight and many nights hereafter, I will surely do the same, until my freezer door will no longer close (Luckily, I have a chest freezer in my laundry room).

Is there really a point to this story, you ask? Yes indeed there is, I promise.

There's no better feeling than sharing home made things with the people you love. On top of that, the fact that I am canning fruit, makes me feel like I have stepped back at least 35 years to my friend Janet's grandmother's house in Grand Ledge, Michigan. I remember thinking, at a very young age of 10 (now you know how old I am), that it was the coolest thing that they had a huge garden that they would actually eat from (what a concept). And Grandma Kingsley would always be canning something from the garden to save for fall/winter, when the once thriving garden laid dormant under the brown leaves, or the blanket of white snow. I feel so blessed with these memories, and that I can repeat the same "old fashioned" traditions that are all but lost in most homes today. I love knowing that Noah, though he seems to pay no attention to my weird ways, is at least getting a taste of what it's like to live slowly enough to smell the sweet scent of boiling fruit. And if even just for a moment, maybe he will realize what it feels like to live at the slow speed of sound.

Bon Appetite!

Footnote:
Yes, I am aware that the speed of sound is actually
quite fast. Faster in a liquid than in a gas, and
faster in a solid than in a liquid. However, for the
purpose of the above (one sided) discussion, the speed
I am referring to is actually quite slow. When we
slow down, we see, smell, and hear things, that
normally get missed or ignored. For instance, when I ride my
trike UP to work, I am traveling so slowly, that I see
and hear things that even other cyclists miss. Tiny centipedes
crossing in front of me, the sound of a single leaf as it lands on the road
beside me, the smell of the newly opened Amaryllis belladonna flower,
the little things that I find, pick up, and collect from the road...
like a hawk feather, little BMW and VW emblems that must have flown
off someone's fancy hub cap, a ping pong ball, a beat up marble,
an old IBM Selectric typewriter head... the list
goes on and on.

Friday, 7/13/07 (Friday the 13th) - Save the Whales

I read this little blurb on the net, and thought I would share it with ya'll.

Vegetarian on the Street:

I saw a car with a bumper sticker on it that read "Save the Whales... Ask me!". So I did, I said, "I see you have a "Save the Whales" bumper sticker on your car...", "Oh yes", the woman eagerly replied, "Do you want to know how to get involved?". I said to her, "I just have one question... are you a vegetarian?". She looked puzzled, then she said, "No, but what does that have to do with saving the whales?" (She asked for it). I said, "Please explain why you are so concerned about saving whales, yet you participate in the daily murder of cows, pigs, lambs, chickens, fish, etc.?" She gave me a frustrated look... and I whole heartedly expected her to say "duh". Then she said, "Well, for ONE thing, whales are mammals, and cows and pigs are not near extinct. I reminded her that cows and pigs are also mammals, and the only reason they are not extinct, is because we raise them in captivity so that we can kill them and eat them." She walked away shaking her head. I smiled!

Wed, 7/4/07 - Happy Fourth!

Time flies, whether you're having fun or not!

Friday, 6/29/07 - There should be a LAW!

This month's bike commuting was not one without a couple of close calls.
I had one close call with an automobile, and one with an ipod. Luckily for moi, and Apple Computer, I am alert, and have great breaks on my trike!

Incident #1 - The multi-tasker

I was riding UP to work, so I was not moving more than like 10 MPH. As I approached a parking lot at work, a car passed me, and then proceeded to turn right in front of me into the parking lot. This is fairly common, and I have become aware of this potential hazard, so I was prepared. Not only was I able to stop, but I also had time to HONK MY HORN (I have a very loud air horn on my trike). Now I can totally understand why this woman who was driving the gray/green Toyota was far too busy to notice me. You see, she was not only very busy driving, but she was also talking on her cell phone with one hand, and holding a coffee mug in the other hand. "But Paul", you must be thinking, "How did she steer the car if both of her hands were busy?" ... Easy, with her WRIST! I actually honked my horn until it ran out of air, but I'm sure that she never even heard it. The music in her car was so loud, I could hear it clearly from the outside, and her windows were all rolled UP.
Could I have made a citizens' arrest for reckless driving? I wonder if I should start carrying a CO2 pellet gun pistol, so I can shoot out the rear windows of these cars as they speed away!

Incident #2 - ipod idiot

You may already be familiar with my hatred of ipods. This was the icing on the cake.
Riding down the bike path from work is a fast, fun, and dangerous adventure. It's not easy to go slow, as the hill is long and steep. I tend to be conservative, so I was probably traveling no more than 25 mph, but it's not difficult to get it up to 35!
So I'm zooming down the hill, and I see a pedestrian walking down the path a ways ahead (of course she is walking WITH traffic instead of against it, so she can't see me at all). I start ringing my bell to get her attention. But I quickly recognize the white ear buds and wire... a tell tale sign of an ipod idiot! So I start tooting my air horn... still no response, but she is walking on the edge of the path, so I am sure i will have enough room to pass. I slow down to about 15 mph. Well, just as I start to pass her, she decides to change directions and cross the path in front of me. Did she bother to look behind her? HELL no... there must have been a good song playing in her head... looking for traffic would have clearly broken her concentration! Instead, she steps in front of me, maybe 6 ft away. So... let's pause here while you do the math... 6 ft at 15 mph... how much time do I have to react? All I remember is that everything suddenly became " slow-mo". So, in an instant (which seemed like 30 seconds in slow-mo), both brakes were locked, and my rear tire was up off the ground. I could feel the trike shuttering as it slid sideways toward the unsuspecting groovy ipod chick. What seemed to last for a minute, really only lasted for a few seconds. My front sprocket missed her legs by about 6 inches (that would have HURT), and as I eased up on the brakes to unlock the tires, she almost stepped onto me. She jumped (I guess I must have startled the poor dear), and then said, "oh, sorry dude", and continued walking. I have no recollection what adrenaline-driven words came flying out of my mouth at her, but most of them were not very pretty, I'm sure. Did she hear me? HELL no! What an idiot! What a complete, unaware, over-educated, ipod idiot!
All the way home, I was pissed... thinking about the flat spots I must have created on my tires!

6/28/07

Letting go

Rather than grip a fist full of sand,
to watch in anguish, as it slowly escapes your tight hold...
Better to open your hand
and relish the feeling as it
pours freely through your fingers.

Monday, 6/25/07 - Life gets back to normal

It's amazing what can take place in just a week. Well, that's not actually true. Yes and no.
I'm talking about my favorite topic. The AIDS LifeCycle ride.

So I signed up at the beginning of February... that gave me five months to obsess about the ride, get in shape, raise the money, ride ride ride, pack, get caught up at work (haha), and finally GO. If you know me at all, you know that I tend to become obsessed with things, and they can sometimes take over my life. Well, that's not always a bad thing, but the problem is... once the five months (and one week) comes to an end, I find myself feeling empty, listless, and without purpose.

Three weeks have passed now, and I finally feel like my life is returning to normal. I cleaned my house, and I finally got all the AIDS ride stuff put away. "Phweew"
Now I can begin my next project... But which to choose? Finish the painting projects around here, planting a vegetable garden, pruning the rose vine, finishing the fence I started building, trim the olive tree, fix the sump pumps, clean out the shed (or build a new one), remodel the bathroom, or relax.

THANK YOU!

$5400 this year!

ELEVEN MILLION TOTAL DOLLARS RAISED!

Another WONDERFUL Ride!

Well, I'm back home, safe and sound (but feeling a little blue). I expected it, as I experienced it last year as well.
The ride was incredible, hard, fun, windy, cold, hot, wet, windy, achy, funny, windy, foggy, windy, windy, and of COURSE I will be doing it again next year!

I had some technical difficulties this year, but not with my trike... more like with my phone, my video camera, and with my knee. All worked well in the long run though.
The vegetarian food was pretty good... some days better than others (just like at home), but I never went hungry, nor thirsty. I did forget to keep drinking after the ride ended, and so I wound up a bit dehydrated. So remember kids... DRINK DRINK DRINK! (water). Very tired of Gatorade and Cliff Bars!

I kept a journal, which I wrote in each evening by flashlight. For those who know me well... I fall asleep in like two seconds, so I didn't write much, and most of what I did write looks like cave drawings... but I will try to translate and expand on my thoughts... read below.

THANK YOU ALL so much for your generous support, both financially and emotionally. This year we raised $5400 ($1000 more than last year). And thank you to all who helped Stephan reach his minimum.

Ok... so here goes...

Day -1 (that's minus one) - 6/1/07

A day of last minute preparations, but success in most cases.
I spent two (or more) hours on the phone with Verizon and Palm, getting my phone to send video images... FINALLY!
Just as I was about to load my bike (trike), I realized that my rear tire was fairly worn, but not to the point of not being able to use... hmm, what to do?
So up to SF to pick up a couple of spares. Luckily the folks, CVC, had them in stock.
Then off to SFO to pick up Stephan.
We got our bikes assembled and had dinner at a Thai restaurant - not as good as Saibing in Santa Cruz, but not bad.
It's now 1:22 AM, and time for sleep. Tomorrow is Day 0 (zero, not Day-O like the song).

Finally it's daylight.
I don't wanna get out of bed.
Luckily, orientation doesn't start until 10 AM.
This journal smells good, like an old book... random thoughts, I know, but oh well... I didn't get much sleep.
At some point, I will have to drag my lazy A%% out of bed and get something to eat. I can't see what I'm writing, and I'm sure I won't be able to read it later.
Oye..... (have no idea what I wrote there)......
I'm going to go back to sleep now. I hope this trip turns out alrite (alright)... all right!

Day 0 - 6/2/07 - Orientation

I slept in today (yea)
I didn't get a lot of sleep, but I somehow felt rested anyway.
I went to orientation - nothing too exciting, but it was nice to see the familiar faces from last year. The M&M guy (he's cute), the "Glory Glory Hallelujah" guy, later named "GGH" (last year he sang that song every day)... Mr. "Engage your core" (he was our stretch leader), and of course Lorrie L. Jean (my latest hero).
After orientation, it was off to the Park & Fly to drop off my truck. I saw a big fire on the hillside in South SF... scary! I wonder if we will be able to ride out tomorrow morning.
Once back in SF, I realized that I had only eaten a power bar and brownie all day! But the brownie was the best I'd had, ever! (could be because I was so hungry).
We ate at "California Pizza" - Nice.
I learned how to make a "snake" out of a straw wrapper. Fun, I can't wait to show Noah!
It's already 10:49 (approximately), and time to sleep fast.
Oh... Jerel called me tonight (my tent mate from last year) to wish me well. It was very sweet to hear from him.
Nite!

Day 1 - 6/3/07 - SF to Santa Cruz

I woke up at 3:30 AM, had a power bar for breakfast and caught a cab to the Cow Palace. The little old driver was so "lively and quick"... We all thought we were going to DIE!
We started off on the road at around 6:30 AM. The weather was foggy and cold, but it was still exciting. We had a different route this year that lead us up to Skyline Blvd.
The weather turned warm and it seemed like we climbed a hill for like FOUR HOURS! Finally we reached the top and FLEW down into San Gregorio for lunch (yum).
We had a tail wind (20 mph, at least), which blew us down Hwy 1 south all the way into Santa Cruz. That was NICE!
It was a longer route, like 97 miles - now my legs are tired and I'm sleepy (very hard to read my own writing).
Noah, Sarah, and Ruby came to Harvey West Park (our camp site) to visit during dinner. I spilled some of my dinner, but still got plenty to eat.
Now I'm in the tent, writing in my journal.
Nite!

Day 2 - 6/4/07 - Santa Cruz to King City

Today I questioned why I was on this ride! "Two - one hundred mile days, back to back? Are they crazy???... Am "I" Crazy? This ride is H A R D !"
"I'm exhausted, grumpy and my knees hurt. I feel OLD!... but I'm not at work... so life is good!"
I got up late, after sleeping on the dirt infield at HWP... thank you for that!
I rushed through breakfast and every rest stop. I was pretty grumpy in the morning, but by afternoon, I felt renewed.
Unfortunately, I missed seeing my lone fan, Rich. He waited for like two hours at a crossing to greet me, but he had no idea that I didn't leave camp until 7:30 AM!
Sorry Rich!
We had a nice strong tail wind again today, so I could ride like 30 mph without a lot of effort... Wheeeeee!
Tomorrow is about 80 miles or so, but NOT 108 like today.
g-nite!

Day 3 - 6/5/07 - King City to Paso Robles

The roads SUCKED today. I felt like I was riding on Mars!
"Quad Buster" was an easy climb, and we had crazy winds, which occasionally turned into head winds! (we don't ride in a straight line).
I got into camp in time to hear Lorrie Jean speak (my new hero, remember?).
Rod Stewart and the Dream Girls were at rest stops, and...
Zzzzz (I thiink I must have fallen asleep mid sentence this night).

Day 4 - 6/6/07 - Paso Robles to Santa Maria

The ride is going by so fast, but the mornings are hard.
Today I had more pain in my right knee, and had to get drugs, and stretch a lot.
The "Evil Twins" (two large hills, and half way to LA) were nice - and the sky was sooooooo clear, we could see the ocean from the top!
Ginger Broulet, a "bitchy" drag queen, was yelling at me during my photo shoot at the half way point. I had to lift my trike over my head like four times before we finally got the photo with my camera phone. Ginger forgave me later.
Gale winds almost tipped the trike over at one point, I swear! They were blowing from the side at about 800 miles/hour.
I met a sexy red-headed woman who wanted to date me. That was flattering!
My 17 flags continue to be a hit, but they act like sails in all this wind. Sometimes that's good, and sometimes it's not so good.
Yummy dinner - Burritos & Mexican salad.
More Laughs with Lorrie Jean, and I was able to read messages of support from all of YOU... very sweet!... though I was one of the last ones to read, and had to rush as usual, as they were closing. So I will have to go back to read them more carefully tomorrow.

Day 5 - 6/7/07 - Red Dress Day - Santa Maria to Lompoc

I woke up late (again), but this time I was not the last out of camp.
I think it was yesterday when I was like the last out and I ended up being chased by the caboose for several miles!
The dresses were fun today. I discovered however, that I was NOT out of battery power after all (I had left the vid cam ON in the camera bag one night, and recorded the inside of the bag... doi!). So I was happy to be able to capture more video today!
The wind was strong again, and my skirt kept rubbing the chain of my bike. I managed to make the 40 some miles anywho!
What I really want to know is... who the hell invented fish net stockings? And what was I thinking for wearing them. I now have a sun burn in the pattern of a fish net on my legs! And the body parts that get caught in the netting... Oh my! Never again!!!
Casmalia (a tiny village near Lompoc) was fun, and I stayed to watch the dance party in the street.

In camp early today, to take a shower and dry off in the sun, and take a nap (why don't I remember taking a nap... I wrote it, but I don't think I actually DID it).
It felt nice to relax.
I've been farting for days - especially today. One woman keeps passing me on the ride, saying "Ride to fart, and fart to ride". Go figure!
Dinner was good, and the talent show was pretty horrible (but entertaining). It did make me laugh, and the Asian guy across from me laughed a lot... even at parts that were not meant to be funny at all. I gave him the nickname, "I.L." (short for Inappropriate Laugher).
It's 9:30 PM now, and the show is STILL going on, but I'm back in the tent, writing in the dark again.
Tomorrow is all too soon to come.
Good night!

Day 6 - 6/8/07 - Lompoc to Ventura

Today felt the best of any day so far. I feel good, even though I'm burned from "Red Dress Day".
The candle light vigil was emotional, as expected, but very nice. I stayed on the beach for about an hour while the candles burned down.
I felt sad, as expected, but it was a very special event.
Tomorrow is the last day. How very quickly it goes by.
Nite!

Paul

The rest of the pages are blank. But I will write now from memory of last week.

Day 7 - 6/9/07 - Ventura to Los Angeles

I was sad for most of the morning. I cried as I rode out of camp for almost an hour I guess.
Me, normally all excited, singing and saying hi to every passer-by... was silent as I rode.
The long journey, the candle light vigil, and the end of the ride, were all too soon coming to an end.

sigh

The afternoon was better. After lunch, I pulled myself up by the boot straps and kept riding.
I arrived in LA to be greeted by a cheering crowd! That felt very nice!!!

I arrived safely back in SF (the flight was delayed a bit, and the baggage was late).
I drove home down Hwy 1, where we had all ridden our bikes a week ago. It felt strange to be back in a car (truck).
I got home safely to find Ryan waiting for me, and a note from Noah reading, "Welcome Home Dadda... Congratulations on the Ride!"

Day 8 - 6/10/07 - Santa Cruz - Home

I was a zombie most of Sunday.

Day 9 - 6/11/07 - Work

I returned to work on Monday to find that my co-workers had printed photos of me from the ride and posted them on my office door.
My co-worker Michelle made me the most delicious chocolate (flourless) cakes in the entire world! Thank you Michelle (aka, Science Cutie, or SQ).
I felt weak and tired and a bit nauseous in the afternoon.... One must remember to drink a lot AFTER such an event as well as while ON it. Dehydration can sneak up on ya!

Day 11 - 6/13/07 - Normal

Now life is slowly returning back to normal... which is nice.
My co-worker Rich has already signed up for the ride next year! There seems to be a lot of interest around the UC this year. We are talking about forming a team.
"Go Team SLUGS!"

Ride Stats:

Top speed: FAST
Average Speed: AVERAGE
Miles: ALL OF THEM
Flat tires: NONE (and I have three to worry about, don't forget).
Gallons of water/Gatorade consumed: A LOT
Number of hours of sleep: NOT NEARLY ENOUGH

I have already signed up for next year's ride...so keep those cards and letters comin'!

THANK YOU for coming along on this journey with me!

All the best,

Paul

p.s. Stay tuned for the DVD!

Saturday, 5/25/07 Sunday - 113% of goal!!!

Well my friends, I am once again amazed, and grateful for all the love and support you have shown.
This year's fundraising started out much slower than last year. Initially, I was afraid that I would not reach the $4500 goal that I had set ($500 more than last year).
But once again, you have all come through for me, and for this incredibly important cause. This year's total has surpassed $5000! All I can say is THANK YOU ALL !

As you can see, from the new player window above, I have added a crazy voice message-blog thingy. I tried and tried to create a live journal, where I would be able to post messages, and photos from the road, but even as geeky as I am, I could not get it to work. Now I need to focus on packing and last minute adjustments of my bike. But I will do my best to share my experience from the road, through voice messages to this page. Cross your fingers. If not, you will just have to stay tuned for next year's DVD :)

Once again, Thank you from the bottom, top, and all sides of my heart.

Ride on!

5/20/07 - 107% of Goal.

Last minute repairs on the trike!

Still working on the new drive train on my trike. As it turns out, the idler pulley was also worn out. Because I accidentally reset my computer just as last year's ride began, I lost all the data. So I can only go back and estimate how far I have ridden. From what I can figure, I have ridden close to 2500 miles since I got the trike in March 06. It seems like a LONG way to have ridden, and I can't imagine myself riding that far, but I guess biking eight miles to work every day, all the training rides, and last year's ride quickly added up. I really should calculate how much I would have spent if I had driven to work every day... with parking and the price of gas, I'm sure I have more than paid for my trike and the recent repair! Plus... cars require maintenance too! Beyond all that... it feels really good!!!

This past Saturday was the Santa Cruz Pedal Art Parade. My friend Mia organized the event, and it turned out to be a really fun and colorful event. Noah and I rode the "conjoined" bicycle that we put together. Luckily, the parade was slow, and not long. I don't think the bike would have held up for much longer, but it was fun, and we got a lot of attention. :)

Sunday, 5/13/07 - 104% of Goal.

Stephan has met (and surpassed) the minimum fundraising goal of $2500!

Thank you to all who have made such generous contributions to both my fundraising effort, and for helping Stephan meet his. With all of your help, I have raised $4680 for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. It is not too late to make a donation. With just 21 days left before the ride, now is as good a time as ever to click that blue button!
I am touched by the donations and messages of support you have all sent.

I have had some mechanical challenges with my trike, so I have not been riding as much. After replacing the entire drive train ($300 later), I found out that I also need to replace the tension pulley. Before this is over, I will be an expert in recumbent mechanics. Good thing, as there are none here in Santa Cruz!

Don't forget the Santa Cruz Pedal Art Parade, coming up this Saturday (5/19). Parade starts at 10:30 AM and festivities follow. Noah and I will be riding on our "conjoined" bicycle we made... hopefully with Tina riding in the trailer behind us. Hope to see you there!

Thursday, 5/10/07 - 103% of Goal!!!

THANK YOU to everyone who has been so generous. Monday, 5/7/07 - 96% of Goal !

Now, between my fund raising and Stephan's... we have raised a combined $6216. Thank you to all who have helped Stephan meet his goal. He is just $64 away from reaching his minimum goal.

I took the BatTrike in for service this week. In one year, I have ridden close to 2,500 miles on my "new" trike. Unfortunately, bike parts do wear out. I had to replace my chain (all three of them), two front sprokets, and the back gear cluster. While they were at it, I had them change the brake pads and re-pack the bottom bracket. I should be ready for another 2500 miles!

Friday, 5/4/07 - 96% of Goal

Thank you for supporting Stephan (my tent mate for the ride this year). Because of your generosity, he is very close to meeting his $2500 required fund raising amount. Just seven days after I asked you to help Stephan, $875 was donated under his name. Thank you!!! We were both amazed with the level of donations and quick response! It acknowledges two things. One, that I have wonderful people in my life, and two, that we all realize that the fight against AIDS is not yet over.

As a team, this brings our total donations up to $6461...just $369 to go for Stephan to meet his minimum goal by the end of May. He continues to ask his circle of friends and family, and he has talked about hosting a musical performance to raise more money. His dedication toward this effort, and many others is truly amazing, as have been your wonderful donations.

We still have a few weeks left before the hard part (and the fun part) begins. Your donations are welcome up until the start of the ride. Just because I have reached my goal, does not mean you can't help surpass it!

Thank you all again for your support!

Paul

Sunday, 4/27/07 - 73% of Goal !

This weekend I rode 80 miles on a ride organized by the ALC event. It was a fully supported ride, with rest stops, lunch, and a spaghetti dinner after. Yum... for lunch, I had the best Peanut butter and jelly and banana sandwich I have ever tasted. Could be partly because I had just ridden 40 miles to get it.

I was a bit worried about the ride this year, as I remembered being somewhat exhausted at the end of the same ride last year. I have not trained as hard this year, but I actually had an easier time. Maybe because I've had a year to realize that I'm not as fast as those road bikes, no matter how hard I pedal. Maybe it has something about the physics of pedaling while in a totally relaxed, reclined position. But I did manage to fly past several of them on the down hill, who had passed me earlier on the uphill. Not bad for my ego, and a reality check on theirs. This year, I will have more company... There were six of us "low-riders" on this training ride. I think I hear a song for this year's video...

I'm not complaining one bit about my bike (trike)... after the ride, many of the people limped around as if their bike seat was still stuck to their cheeks. The only pain I felt came later when I realized that my legs are not sun-proof. I didn't even feel tired, until I woke up the next day, after sleeping for 12 hours. Oops. It was a great ride, and I officially feel ready for the trip! And I'm happy, because I found a tentmate who seems really fun! (and he's a "vegeta-ma-tarian")

Thank you for your continued donations!!! We are getting closer and closer every day!

Here's a peek of one of the beautiful views I got on the last of the 80 miles.

Saturday, 4/21/07 - 71% of Goal !

Thank you to all who have made such generous donations to the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. We have reached $3,205 in our fundraising so far! ... And with just over a month and a week to go, I'm feeling excited. The weather has not been cooperating so well these days. I love it when it rains, and we do need it, but it's not the most fun to ride in. Despite the cold weather and cloudy sky, I set out on a ride, back up the coast, and along Swanton Road. Still one of my all time favorite rides. If only we could get them to close Hwy 1. Can anybody say "Rails to Trails"?? Next weekend is a 75 mile ride up in Marin with the ALC group. It will be nice to ride with other cyclists again and get used to how it feels to be passed by everyone : ) I don't mind, as long as I am out there pedaling and get back in time for the spaghetti dinner, I'm cool.
Now to find a tent-mate for this year's ride!

Sunday, 4/15/07 - 67% of Goal!

This weekend, it rained on Saturday, but Noah and I went for a short ride on Sunday, from Sand City to Monterey and back.
What started out as a short, fun ride, turned into something rather unexpected. We loaded our bikes into the truck and headed south to Sand City.
Luckily we brought our warm up pants and jackets, because it was about 55 degrees and windy. We stopped into a store to get some healthy snacks, and to get Noah a pair of sun glasses. He seems to go through them like he does Q-tips. Somewhere out there, there is a group of happy kids with fairly new sun glasses that Noah has lost, dropped into the water, or has otherwise made disappear.

As we finally exited the parking area, and headed up the first hill, Noah complained that he could not ride any longer. The wind was at our faces and very gusty. (we had gone all of a quarter mile so far.) Once we got to the top of the hill, I knew we would be fine, so we pressed on. Now riding along the coastal bike path, we should be home free, right? Wrong. We were faced with a path that was covered in sand, and a side wind was blowing at about 40 mph. At times, it felt we were kites, riding through a sand blaster. Good thing we stopped for those sun glasses! We sped through these areas as fast as our pedals would take us, until we finally stopped in a sheltered area to brush the sand from our faces, inside our ears, and our crunchy teeth. "What have I gotten us into?", I thought. But I acted like it was an every day occurrence.

At last, we arrived in Monterey. "When can we stop?" was Noah's plea at every pause. "Soon", was my reply each time. Eventually we reached the quaint little wharf in Monterey. I would have loved to press on further, but I was afraid that Noah would never come with me again if we had. It was still cold and windy. So we took a break in the grass, huddled up next to a stone wall. We ate some healthy snacks and then took a stroll out on the wharf. Just before we left, I filled Noah with salt water taffy, A little sugar never hurt anyone, did it?

Now with the wind at our backs, the ride felt much nicer for both of us. Noah, with a song stuck in his head, sang the entire way back. We still had to pass through the torturous flesh-removing sand blown dunes, but we eventually arrived safely back at the truck.

Thank you Noah for humoring me!

Friday, 4/7/07 - 53% of Goal !

Just over a month of fund raising, and we are half way to our goal!!!!!
Last weekend I loaded the trike back into the truck and headed up to SF to meet a group doing a training ride from SF to Marin and through the hills. Well, I learned a little late, that there are two Mason Streets in SF. One downtown, and one near the Golden Gate Bridge. I ended up in the middle of SF, thanks to MapQuest and my being in a hurry to leave the house without really checking. It took me 1.5 hours to finally get to the GG bridge, but by then, I was far too late, so I just drove across the bridge and did some hill training in Marin City. The climbs were steep and long, and the views were incredible! I just kept climbing and climbing until I came to a sign that said Dead End. I knew it must mean for cars only, but when I got to the very top.... I guess they were serious.

This weekend I plan on riding at least 60 miles. I would like to go back down the coast and ride the bike path North from Monterey. I wish there were nicer (safer) roads from Santa Cruz.

Wednesday, 3/28/07 - 31% of Goal!

Not much training this past weekend. Last week, my feline friend Johnny, of 21 years, let me know it was time for him to move on from this life. So last Friday evening, he peacefully fell asleep for the last time in my arms at home, and he was buried in the back yard next to his brother Timmy, who had passed similarly a few years back. Needless to say, it was very hard for me to say good bye and I just didn't have the energy to get out on my bike to ride. Even considering how difficult the past several years of Johnny's life have been on both of us, I still miss him, and I catch myself "seeing" him in the house, or "feeling" him under the covers in bed. He was such a presence in my entire adult life. I will miss him very much. This is the first in my life that I have been without a cat! It is amazing how much we take for granted.

I promise to get back in the saddle this coming weekend. Thank you for the continued ALC donations. Only two months to go!

Wednesday, 3/14/07 - 21% of Goal!

It was a trip to Sand City this past weekend. I Loaded the trike into my truck, and took a trek down south (trike, truck, trek... is there a pattern here?), and rode down the bike path into Monterey, and then down to 17-mile Drive and back. This time, I took the long way home. Climbing up to the Vista Point at Shepard's Knoll (not sure the elevation, but it was way up there). The weather was perfect, and therefore, the roads were filled with cars, walkers and other bikers. But it was still nice to get out and take in a few sites and climb a few hills. Keep those cards, letters and donations coming in. The hills feel a little bigger this year. I'm going to have to cut back on the chocolate for a bit. Or it could be that manly facial hair slowing me down. :)

Sunday, 3/4/07 - - 17 % of Goal!
This weekend I was able to get back out on the road for a couple of rides. After three months of not being on my trike, It felt so nice compared to riding my mountain bike. On Saturday, Noah and I went for a 15 mile ride. We rode down the bike path to Wilder Ranch, up to the base of UCSC campus via Miramar St. (steepest street I know of in Santa Cruz), downtown for Jamba Juice (Peanut Butter Mood), and back home. Noah complained a little bit going up the hills, but in the end, he was proud. This was his longest ride to date.

Today I went 36 miles up the coast to Swanton Road and back. This is one of my favorite rides, as Swanton Road is in a canyon off Hwy 1, and its so beautiful, with some rolling hills and nice scenery. I watched a hawk hover over the ground for about ten minutes. It was amazing that it could stay in one exact spot for so long. For a while I wondered if it was a kite, but it finally flew down to catch what ever it had been spying on. I also saw a bobcat, that ran across the road right in front of me, and heard two roosters announce that morning had arrived. Even though it was late afternoon.

What a beautiful day for a ride! Now I realize that I have leg and butt muscles again! Keep those donations coming!

Thank you!

Wednesday, 2/28/07 - 14% of Goal!
The weather has not been cooperating for any pleasure rides. I still bike-commute to work every day, which may not seem like much, but it IS up hill all the way!
On Monday night, on my way home from work, it was raining. At first I didn't mind, as it's sort of nice to ride in the rain once in a while. It makes me appreciate the rest of the time when it's NOT raining. But this rain took advantage of my good attitude. Almost like someone had decided to test me or something. All at once, the gale winds began to blow, and the rain turned to ice. Riding down hill felt like riding UP hill, with blasts of hard, icy rain beating against my face. At one point, it was blowing so hard and I was so wet, I just screamed out with laughter. It was pretty ridiculous, but I guess when you are blessed with SO much nice weather, you really have to get beat up once in a while to really not take it for granted. I am thankful for a dry warm house to come home to.

Saturday, 2/24/07 - First Donations are in!

The first two donations came in late on Friday night. Thank you Ryan and Rob for being getting the "wheel spinning"!
If tomorrow is a nice day, I may take a ride up the coast. My trike is back on the road after taking most of the winter off with flat tires. I never imagined how hard it would be to find 16" road tires and tubes. I think I will take a spare set with me on the ride... just in case!

Wednesday, 2/21/07. New AIDS Lifecycle 6 goal of $4500

From June 3-9, I will once again be riding my bike (trike) 545 miles, from SF to LA, to raise critical money for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.
Last year, together we raised $4075!!! So this year I am hopeful we can surpass that amount!

Thank