I have a basic philosophy to help me get through this thing called life. I must keep three things in balance: Spiritual,  Personal and Financial.

Spiritual has to do with my spiritual well being. Am I keeping up with my Bible reading, praying and meditating. As I see it if I don’t understand spiritual things here how am I to understand spiritual things after life is over. Life is to prepare me for the other side.

Personal is enjoying the things I like to do and the people I have around me.

Financial is a job that allows me to pay my bills and to put money into savings. I like having a financial cushion.

When I’m out of balance I’m edgy and a little stressed. Spending too much time on the job and ignoring friends or things I like to do can make me feel negative towards life. I might just need to go on a bike ride or have lunch with a friend.

I know life is complicated and this is pretty simplified. But this is something that helps me to keep me balanced and happy. To remember to enjoy life.

Love this bike jersey. Got it from Rails-To-Trails. Love this organization. They buy old railroad trails and turn them into biking and walking paths. They have a new bike jersey every year. Personally I think this is one of the coolest.

My Top 10 for Now:

1. Amerika-Rammstein

2. Among My Souvenirs-Connie Francis

3. Can’t Stay Away-Bootsy Collins

4. Fortunate Son-Creedence Clearwater Revival

5. The Ghost of Hank Williams-Kentucky Headhunters

6. Hear-Shaped Box-Nirvana

7. I Ain’t Drunk-Albert Collins

8. I’m A Blues Man-Z.Z. Hill

9. Venus As A Boy-Bjork

10. Victory-Larry Graham

Now that the rain has approached it is time to hit the gym more. I have to use the Bally’s in San Leandro because they closed the Pleasant Hill and Danville locations. I would have thought that Bally would have opened one in that area. I can’t believe people would in that area would drive over thirty miles to go and work out. Wonder how much money Bally’s has lost. Though heard it is hard to cancel membership but it can be done.

The only thing Bally’s has going it is close to where I work. So after work I can go for a workout. I do get to do my workout with weights.

I rather ride my bike but I am not a fan of riding in the rain. I know there is rain gear that can keep a person dry, but all that stuff does is make me hot and I just want to rip it all off. I tend to run hot.

If the Bally in San Leandro closes then I will be forced to stop my membership.

My Top 10 as of Now:

1. Sex Machine-Fat Boys

2. She Took it Like a Man-Confederate Railroad

3. Mayhem-Imelda May

4. A Good Fool is Hard to Find-Albert Collins

5. A Hard Day’s Night-The Beatles

6. Hawaiian Island World-World Party

7. I Asked the Question-Awad

8. Johnny B. Goode-Peter Tosh

9. Lady You Are-One Way

10. Aged and Mellow-Amy and the Hank Sinatras

No matter what town I go to I always look for the library. I like libraries. I like being around all the books. I like the sounds of a library. A library is like my church and rest stop. A time to do a little reading and to catch up on things.

I always carry a book with me when I’m on the go. Always nice to stop somewhere and just do a little reading. Especially on a nice warm day with a slight breeze and sitting under a nice tree.

All in all when it is time to relax it is time to relax.

My Top 10 as of Now:

1. High Steppin’ Daddy-Kentucky Headhunters

2. Hoochie Koochie Man-Steppenwolf

3. Hopelessly Devoted to You-Olivia Newton-John

4. I Believe in You-Don Williams

5. Lady Lay Down-John Conlee

6. Last Dance-George Clinton

7. No Fly Zone-Zilatron

8. Older Woman-Lil’ Ed and the Blues Imperials

9. Pink Elephants on Parade-Lee Press-On and the Nails

10. Seven Year Ache-Rosanne Cash

Now this is a great resting spot. I find one like this it may be an all day rest.

This is my buddy Cookie. I should change it to Corn Chip since she loves her corn chips. I go to the bag and she wants to dive in head first. She does bring me many laughs. Always good to come home and she is excited to see me or she just wants out of her cage.

This is still my favorite cycling jersey. Poseur-Charlatan. Probably what the the road runners think. I probably get in their way or I’m a marker to catch up to. I’m probably a sloth of the biking world. But it is a nice fitting jersey. Really comfortable.

It was a nice Thanksgiving bike ride. It is always nice to get a morning ride before I eat. I always got to keep in mind that I can’t go crazy and do a long ride and not be able to make it back in time. Hard to explain to non-bicyclist.

My Top 10 for the Moment:

1. Born on the Bayou-Creedence Clearwater Revival

2. Boys-Mary Jane Girls

3. Bush Doctor-Peter Tosh

4. Cold, Cold Heart-Hank Williams

5. A Day in the Life of a Fool-Keith Whitley

6. Death is in Love With Us-HIM

7. Fo-Fi-Fo-Pieces of a Dream

8. Have Your Way With Me-Groovie Ghoulies

9. Here Comes the Hotstepper-Ini Kamoze

10. Hit and Run-Bar Kays

It is not always about biking. Sometimes I have to go hiking. There are so many trails in the San Francisco Bay Area. I start on one trail and then I wonder where another trail goes. I end up making a note of it so I can hike it one day. I probably got more trails than time. But it is always good to know they are there.

I always like to have my camera and binoculars with me. Never know what I might run across. There is always some awesome scenery.

Winter hiking can be rough because if it rains the trails are muddy. I know that shouldn’t stop me, but I don’t like hiking through the mud. It isn’t like I’m doing the Appalachian Trail.

My Top 10 For Now:

1. Family Tradition-Hank Williams, Jr.

2. You Never Even Called Me By My Name-David Allan Coe

3. I’m A Ramblin’ Man-Waylon Jennings

4. Lost Highway-Hank Williams

5. Beddie-Biey-Steve Arrington

6. Lady Cab Driver-Prince

7. Du Hast-Rammstein

8. Little Lover-AC/DC

9. Tainted Love-Imelda May

10. Last Good Day Of The Year-Cousteau

The problem with bike riding where I live is the hills. There is no way around it if I want to ride my bike I have to the hills. I hate riding hills. I have tried to find routes around the hills, but there is no way around it.

One thing I have learned about hills. Never judge a climb by the way it looks. Just as there are false flats, may look flat but the grade makes it feel like a climb. There are false hills. I have rode San Pablo Dam Road from Orinda back to El Sobrante and I have rode the climbs just as like they were flats. It is about the grade.

When I come to climb that is rough I just pedal slow and steady. Maybe a rest half way up the climb. If I’m lucky I will make it all the way up.

Maybe the climbs would be easier if I didn’t always have my bike trunk with me. But I like to have a book, extra water, and snacks with me. Never know how far I’m going to ride. The distance of my rides always depend on how my legs feel.

My Top 10 as of Now:

1. Am I Easy To Forget-Englebert Humberdinck

2. Amerika-Rammstein

3.Bad To The Bone-George Thorogood

4, Chantez-Les Bas-Louie Armstrong

5.Cherry Pie-Sade

6. Evening Calm-Malta

7. Fantasy Man-Alice Cooper

8. Harry Hippie-Bobby Womack

9. Have A Drink On Me-AC/DC

10. I Always Get Lucky With You-Merle Haggard