Last Day of March 2010

My Mountain Bike turned 26 years old today.  Here is what I ride almost every day of the year http://www.trek4fun.com/mountain_biking/1983_diamond_back_trail_streak.htm  Today we, my mountain bike and I, took a thirty mile ride.  The weather report said rain and wind, so even though the sun was out and it did not appear to be very cold, I dressed for rain.  Wish I had not because it did not rain and I was overly warm.  It did not start to rain until around 5 PM, so I could have dressed in cycling shorts and wind breaker. Oh well live and learn.

De stomme Rapporten van het Weer!

I should have believed what I saw when I looked out the door.  The weather reports however said, cold, rain, and wind.  In reality the weather was not much different than yesterday.  I should have taken a bicycle ride. I did not and will regret it for the rest of the month at least.  De stomme Rapporten van het Weer!

Monday March 29th

Have you ever noticed that the older you get the quicker time seems to pass. 2010 is almost 1/4 gone, and I still find myself entering the year on checks and things as 2009! Maybe time is not passing faster, it could be that I have just become slower or more forgetful.
The weather report said that it would rain today and be colder than yesterday. Well it is 6:14 PM and the only water I saw on my bike ride was in the San Francisco Bay. It was a bit colder but not so cold that shorts and wind breaker did not take care of things.

Teenage sailor Abby Sunderland approaching treacherous Cape Horn, by Pete Thomas

This is very interesting
Teenage sailor Abby Sunderland approaching treacherous Cape Horn, by Pete Thomas

Varieties and Types of Tomatoes: Tomato Colours, Sizes and Many Uses

Varieties and Types of Tomatoes: Tomato Colours, Sizes and Many Uses
I learned a great deal about tomatoes today, like current tomato varieties are very small in size but have the most health benefits per pound.

Another Nice Day

It was another nice day today. It would have been a great day for a bike ride. However there was not enough time for a ride, I had promised my Mom and Dad that I would visit them in the early afternoon.  So I got up at 9 AM, cleaned up my apartment and while I was waiting for the bath tub to fill, I visited the tanning salon. Needed to even out the tan, as my arms and legs are much darker than the rest of me.  Arrived at my parents house at around 1 PM, and helped my mother figure out what new plants she wanted and where they where going to be planted.  After deciding we had a sandwich for lunch and then visited Home Depot for plants, dirt, and other things.  We spent the remainder of the afternoon getting the plants in the ground.  Funny that working in my parent's yard tires me more than a 40 mile bike ride.  Sure hope it does not rain Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday like they are forecasting.

50 Miles Today!

I left the house at 8:30 and followed the Bay Trail from Redwood City to Burlingame. Spent some time looking around the town and then retraced my ride back along the Bay Trail from Burlingame to Redwood City arriving home about 14:45. Here are some pictures of Burlingame and Coyote Point Park. 50.43 miles round trip!

It Was Warmer Today

Not by much, but at least the wind was only about 5 to 10 MPH.  Took a ride from Redwood City to Burlingame and back.  About 36 miles round trip.  Would have been a good day for taking photographs if I left earlier, but did not get out the door early enough.

Another Very Windy Day

Today was even more windy than yesterday. I started out around 11 AM and no matter which direction went I ran into a cold head wind. I went north for 12 miles riding into a 20 mile an hour head wind. It took twice as long as it normally would. So I turned south and still a 15 mile an hour wind from the south-west. After 24 miles I was to tired to ride any more so I went home.

A Very Windy Day

When I got up this morning, I was planning to take a long bike ride. However I noticed that the windows where rattling and the wind chimes on the patio was ringing its little heart out. Winds where blowing at about 20 miles per hour from the West and there where gusts to 35 mph.  I do not mind riding my bicycle when it is cold or even raining but I hate wind.  So instead of riding I did some grocery shopping, laundry and other things around the house.  At noon the wind died down a bit so I took a quick 25 mile ride.
Hope for better weather tomorrow.

Nice Warm Day and a nice long ride.

I got up early enough to go on a 50 mile ride today, but just as I was going out the door the telephone rang.  It was Pat, she is a talker so I almost did not answer the call. However if you do not answer Pat will continue to call until you do answer.  It is safer to take a phone call sitting in a chair than when riding your bike, so I answered it.  An hour and a half later after telling her goodbye a number of times she was finally gone. So I was out the door by 10 AM instead of 8:30 AM took the bay trail from Redwood City to Burlingame, Crossed Hwy 101 at Broadway then followed California Blvd. north another few miles.  Then turned south passing through San Mateo,
Belmont, San Carlos and Redwood City.  A forty-three mile round trip.

Check Out This Link

Here are some books that must be fake -- check out the link and tell me what you think.
http://delong.typepad.com/sdj/2010/03/dummies-are-much-smarter-than-they-used-to-be.html

Started out for a bike ride at 9:50 AM and rode for 43.5 miles. I am going to attempt to leave the house between 8:30 AM and 9:00 AM tomorrow and attempt a ride of over 50 miles. Wish me luck on getting out of bed early enough to do this.

Turned 59 Years Old Today

I did not ride today, instead I spent the day with my family. Was not to upset that I did not ride today because in the last 5 days I have ridden 212 miles or a little more than 42 miles a day. Not bad for someone who will turn 60 in another year. I received some nice gifts and we had Chinese take out for dinner. I would like to reach 50 miles in at least one ride before the 4th of July and at least one ride of more than 60 miles before my next birthday. I average about 13 miles an hour over a thirty mile distance so I should be able to pass 65 miles in 5 hours. However that just never seems to work out. Limiting factors are traffic, traffic lights and stop signs between my house and the bay trail. I also tend to stop to take pictures and visit with people I have met on the trail. Although I can drink fluids while riding, I have never figured out how to dispose of fluids without stopping. If I can get out of the house early enough just maybe I will get over 50 miles soon. I tend to work late into the night however answering emails, blogging and playing computer games, so getting up early mostly does not work out.

40 Miles Today

I got an early start today. So I took the Bay Trail from the San Carlos Airport to the San Francisco International Airport. Then rode back home through Burlingame, San Mateo, Hillsdale, Belmont, and San Carlos. Round trip of just over 40 miles. Took just about 5 hours.

Nice Weather Three Days in a Row!

Took a 32 mile ride today along the Bay Trail but once again I started after 10AM this limits how far I can ride, because I need to be home around 3PM to have enough time to do the other things I must do in any given day. I should start out around 9AM just to see how far I can get by noon. So I can turn around get home on time. Wish me luck.

Do you know why the hedgehog crossed the road?
It was the chicken's day off.

Do you know why the cow jumped over the moon?
The farmer's hands where cold.

Another Warm Sunny Day

I only had time for a 20 mile ride today. Had to do other real world things like laundry, paying bills and grocery shopping. Tomorrow I will try riding north as far as South San Francisco if I can be out the door by 9AM

Great weather today for a bike ride

It was in the 60 to 70 degree range today perfect for a long bike ride. So I went east on Whipple Road in Redwood City past Hwy. 101 and entered the Bay Trail at the Bear Island Bypass. Followed this north to the San Carlos Airport. Then east on Redwood Shores Blvd hooking up with the bay trail once again behind the San Carlos airport then north northeast past Oracle Corp. to where the Bay Trail and the Belmont/Forster City trail join. Left onto the Belmont Foster City Trail to Mariner Island Blvd. West on Mariner Island to Norfolk the again north (Right) to 3rd Avenue in San Mateo. West over the Third Avenue bike bridge then up 3rd ave to the rail road tracks. Right on South Railroad to the Hayward Park Cal Train Station, through the station parking lot to Pacific Blvd. South on Pacific Blvd to Delaware Right onto Delaware until it ends.
Then onto the bike trail that ends at Hillsdale Cal Train Station through parking lot onto Pacific Blvd. just past 32 Avenue this becomes Old County Road. Down Old County Road to the San Carlos Train Station then West on San Carlos Avenue to Ceder left (south) on Ceder to Eaton left on Eaton to Stamford. Follow this street to Arlington then right (west) to Turnsworth then left (south) Turnsworth becomes Nevada follow this to Katherine then left on Katherine to Myrtle right on Myrtle to Red Morton City Park. Through park to Sanchez street south on Sanchez then right on Redwood and left on Kentfield (home). Total distance 28.5 miles total time 2 hours 35 minutes.

Redwood City Photos

The Memorial Service

Yesterday I went to the memorial service for Terry. Although it was a sad event, I had a chance to see and visit with some old friends and co-workers. This was nice as I had not seen most of them since October of last year.
I was out riding my bike on the Belmont/Foster City bike trail. I was about to the point where the trail crosses under Hillsdale Blvd. Sitting on a bench next to his mountain bike was Bill, someone that I worked at the book store with and who was not at the memorial service. We talked for a while so all and all it was a pretty good Friday and Saturday.

Death of a friend

On Monday a friend of mine died. He was younger than me and it was not apparent that he was ill in any way. I will be going to his memorial service tomorrow. Hope all goes well. I hate funerals, hospitals and things like that.

Exploring

Do you always travel from one location to another using the same route or do you like to explore other ways to go. I when I see a road that I have never been down I have to go down it even if it says no outlet.

Just wondering

I wonder if anyone has ever seen this blog?
I wonder if anyone is following this blog?
I wonder if it will rain tomorrow?
I wonder if the books I ordered will arrive soon?
I wonder if I should get a hair cut, and if so which one?

I was walking down the street the other day and saw a blind man and his seeing eye dog stopped waiting for a light to change. When the light turned green the dog stood up and urinated on the blind man's leg. The blind man reached into his pocket and when he pulled his hand out he was holding a dog treat. He gave this to the dog. I was at this point confused. So I said to the blind man, "Sir the dog just pissed on your leg why did you give him a treat?" The blind man replied, "Well I am blind and I gave him a treat to find out where his mouth is so I can kick the stupid dog in the ass.

I wonder if anyone else finds this joke funny?
Leave a comment

Don Edwards San Francisco Bay Wildlife Refuge

Today I visited some old haunts (places I used to visit regularly) when I lived in the east bay.
The wildlife refuge at the eastern end of the Dunbarton Bridge was a favorite for both hiking and bicycle riding. It is now part of the San Francisco Bay Trail. Here are a few photographs.

Riding in the mud

The Sun was out today so I took a 27 mile ride along the bay trail from Redwood City to San Mateo. The pictures where taken at the end of Radio Road in Redwood Shores.

It rained again today

It rained again today!
I have not taken a bicycle ride since Sunday. I do not mind riding in the rain but I just do not trust people in cars on rainy days. I think they remove their brains before going out. I normally ride on bike trails but when it rains most of the trails near the San Francisco Bay are muddy and often under water.
So instead of a 25 mile ride, I strapped on some 10lb leg weights and took a five mile walk between rain storms.

Bay Trail San Mateo County

A Sunday in Livermore

Yesterday Sunday February 28, 2010 in spent the day in Livermore California visiting my two best friends Sue and Sara. Although I took my camera with me I never got around to taking any photos. I arrived in Livermore about noon and spent a little time looking at their very slow computer, I could not find anything at fault, think it is just old and tired. Then Sue and I did a bit of grocery shopping. About 2 in the afternoon Sue and I took a nice bike ride up and down the bike trails that cross Livermore in almost every direction. We rode for about 15 miles getting home just before dark. While I picked oranges from Sue and Sara's orange tree, Sara made a Raspberry Pineapple tart and Sue cooked a meat ball soup. What a great dinner.

I will place a link in my blog to the Livermore bicycling and hiking trail map