Sunday, January 31, 2010

New approaches

Since I've done the same ride for three week in a row, I decided to try some thing different:
The usual purple Mountain Majesty:
From 1-30-2010

Not that many people at the Start:
From 1-30-2010

But social hour was a hit:

Karen enjoyed her PB&J:
From 1-30-2010

And Dan Had Bagels with Honey and Peanut butter:
From 1-30-2010

I headed for the Taco shop and went home, as we had a party that night. I won shirt two sizes too small.
Sunday, I was going tho bring my camera, but I forgot. Since I had and extra hour, I rode up to the home of Sam Maloof I didn't want to go back down and climb back the 10% grade, and I saw a dirt path:
From 01-31-10

but I had this bike:
From 01-31-10

But It made it ok. aside from the too friendly dogs, It was only a block, but once I got the pavement I remember my cell phone, so back I went:
From 01-31-10

From 01-31-10

I made to church ,and on the way home, explored a little fountain at Base Line and San Antonio. It's dedicated to Saint Anthony(who else?)
From 01-31-10

From 01-31-10

Then I headed out for my second outing: Lunch with the Linux Chix at the La Public Library. Approaching Downtown
From 1-31-2010

a Traffic Jam on Sunday Afternoon:
From 1-31-2010

Betty Chung and Sharon lake:
From 1-31-2010

I took a little tour after words:
From 1-31-2010

From 1-31-2010

From 1-31-2010

I came back on the Pasadena Freeway Lot easier:
From 1-31-2010

I finished up with one final errand. There was a new grocery store that opened up across the Street last week. It's called Fresh and Easy
From 1-31-2010

It's about quarter the size of the Albertson's across the Street, or about twice the size of a convenience Store.If your'e Familar with Jackson, Mo in the 60/70's, it's about the size of Lictinegger's Market. Despite that they are a full -line grocer. Their trick is that almost everything is only available as the Store Brand. The only exceptions are Drinks, Chips, and Candy. I've never been much for name brands, anyway. The produce is broken down in to individual servings. That way I don't have to worry about spoiloage, and The food was good , as well being cheaper. Part of that is F&E is non-union, and they do have a lot of purchasing power, as they a part of Tesco, The Uk's largest Retailer.
Hmm I shop at an English Market, and go to and English church. What could be next?

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Taking care of business


It was cold this morning. I thought about starting my ride earlier. naaah.
I took some eucalyptus trees on East ave:
From 1-23-2010

The came the nice part of the ride:
From 1-23-2010

Snow on the San Gabriels!
A far away view - with the old Pacific Electric in the Foreground:

We didn't have as many folks on the ride today. Warren seems cold:

MT baldy from Benson ave:

I stooped and had some coffee, and decided to reward myself:

That, and I fugured it wa good way to get some fresh veggies:
Coming home I did some errand running.
I stopped at REI and got some Odwalla Bars and a tire lever:

Then I went to Sears to make a layaway payment. They have neat Art installation in the front of the Building

Chicago does seem to have moved:

"it goes through Saint Louie..."

"...Kingman, Barstow, San Bernardino"


Then I went to the post office and got some stamps:

all without moving my car! not bad
Speaking of my car, I got a package in the mail from South Korea today:

I found this on Ebay for $10. It turned out to be $15 with customs and postage

I do like this color better

Probably need a close up lens

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Let me fix that for you

Today's ride was in lot of ways, a repeat
I went up to Duncan canyon. Nice house
From 1-16-2010

The view might soon change:
From 1-16-2010

Coming back down Base Line,I rode with Karen Miranda, we were interrupted by "Lance". he had to run a red light to get ahead of the Babbling babes. Don't worry, we dropped him.
Geez, let's calm down. This is actually some one front yard, it just doubles as a citrus grove:
From 1-16-2010

At the coffee shop. I ran in to Pete Figueredo. He fell while Mountain Biking:
From 1-16-2010

I wanted to see if I could get a better picture of the Victoria Street underpass.
Getting ready:
From 1-16-2010

I took a bit of video. In between the wind noise and my verbal tics, I wanted to replace the audio. My First thought was something from John Tesh's Tour de France albums:

But , the songs aren't available as MP3s(too old). I did find something from the Avalon album:
This wasn't the song, but it was filmed in Avalon, Ca (Santa Catalina Island, Los Angeles County) then I went to find some editing software. I Really didn't want to spend the $30 for QuickTime Pro. so I found some free software. Which promptly froze on me. so I tired another freebie, same result
Once again, Google (or YouTube) to the rescue. They have a "I'm feeling lucky" for audio tracks. I listened to a couple and picked one I liked. Plus I didn't have to worry about getting sued for Illegal reuse(assuming Google has done due diligence on the tracks):

And the after view:
From 1-16-2010

Later I went to pick up my Illegal Performance enhancing substances:
From 1-16-2010

I stopped at Red Hill to take some more pics:
From 1-16-2010

From 1-16-2010

And here my Drugs:
From 1-16-2010

The Performance enhancement is actually my Blood Pressure pills, which are banned by the IOC, due to the fact that they can be used to masking blood doping.
Until next week, keep the rubber side down (unlike Pete)

Saturday, January 09, 2010

Covering up history

I did the club ride again today
Nice and sunny at the start:

And there's still a little snow on mt Baldy:
From 1-9-2010

But this photo: Typical suburbia, right?

well there's a story behind it It seem all the streets there have aviation related names Lindbergh, Earhart, Mc Donnell, Heathrow, Gatwick, Kennedy
because once upon a time it was a airport. More history here
The the Telstar Connection . I happen to work at the Corner of Telstar dr and Aerojet drive. I was wonder why the streets had such distinctive names, and found this page at the same site.
Now those street names made sense
And sometime history can reused . I did part of the ride on the Pacific electric trail. one of the highlights is the old overpass over Victoria ave it's a masonry arch, so I'm sure it went over a wash before it went over a street:

Saturday, January 02, 2010

The brevet that wasn't


Ok, so I was supposed to do a brevet today.
But I really didn't feel like, plus my place needed cleaning up. Yes It could wait till next weekend, but then it'll always be next weekend. And I'm teaching a virtual class on the Grails web Framework, too. Plus I have the bent club to look after. Having a life beyond the bike is good.
So, It sound like I've found a game I can't play.
But this cowgirl rode down to Pasadena yesterday instead of riding away.
We meet at Citrus college:

Rode by the Santa Anita Racetrack:

Before arriving at Sierra Madre and Foothill.

It seems there was a Parade going on:

we had the Grand Marshall, "Sully" Sullenberger:
From 1-1-2010

and bands (this is the Marine Corps):
From 1-1-2010

Being the rose parade, we had corporate spokesmen, Like Jack:
From 1-1-2010

And Rain Bird sprinklers (This float was done by a fellow Parishioner of St Marks, Tim Estes, and won the Grand prize)
From 1-1-2010
We didn't stick around for my Favorite Float, also by Tim, the Prefect Balance Pet food with sledding dogs. (KTLA - Channel 5 reruns the parade all day)
Navy f-18's:
From 1-1-2010

I heard there's a football game:
From 1-1-2010

More heroes. The Surviving Tuskegee Airmen:
From 1-1-2010

Another Fiesta(tim) float : Honda
From 1-1-2010
,
and being La, international Flavor - This band is from Guatemala
From 1-1-2010

And patelas - Mexican Popsicles
From 1-1-2010

we left had lunch, and went back to Azusa:
From 1-1-2010

Toady , I did the club ride, and had lunch with the usual bunch. One of the fun thing about riding here this time of year is that it's warm enough for Short Sleeves, but you can see snow on the Mountains
Mt Baldy 210 and baseline:
From 1-2-2010

San Gorgonio Victoria and Cherry:
From 1-2-2010

Will I do another Brevet again? who knows? I had planned on going to Paris Brest Paris in 2011, but plans change. My main goal right now is to savor the moments and see where my journey leads me