Took my bike to the Pedaler for a tune up. I get the tune up for free and is the last one for my one year. Buy a bike at the Pedaler and get one year free tune ups and adjustments. A great local bike shop in El Sobrante California. If you live close pay them a visit.

So vacation bids at work is going on. Being single and having no kids means I don’t need to bid for anything. I’m comfortable when I want to do something throughout the year to go up to the calendar and see what days are available. Besides I hate planning vacation. How the hell am I supposed to know what I want to do in June.

I do hate when my bike is in the shop. I like my bike rides on my days off. Guess I will hit the gym and maybe go for a hike.

My Top 10 For Now:

1. Shame-Evelyn “Champagne” King

2. Hard To Get-Rick James

3. Hollow Hills-Bauhaus

4. When Can We Do This Again-David Frizzell

5. Shotgun Shell-Elvis Hitler

6. Sweet Murder-the Blow Monkeys

7. Sweet harmony-Smokey Robinson

8. Whiskeyclone, Hotel City-Beck

9. After I Fall-Lee Ann Womack

10. The Door-George Jones

So U.S. House of Representatives is going to gut biking and walking programs. In the U.S. obesity rates keep going up, cars are getting expensive to buy and to maintain while wages drop. So I guess we are being told that a bike is not a transportation alternative and going to make it as inconvenient as possible. What message is being sent. Bike Programs on the Brink.

http://blog.adventurecycling.org/2012/01/this-thursday-bike-programs-on-brink.html?m=1

I wonder how much money car companies and unions have thrown into all of this. They seem to benefit from the whole thing.

I get why Americans like their cars. Nothing says freedom like getting into your car and taking a road trip. Some times it is nice just to be in your car away from the world listening to news or sports or music. Some people even turn the car into their own little disco or concert hall.

I had a hundred mile round trip commute from home to work. The drive was a pain with the traffic, but getting off at 11:30pm and driving home was relaxing. Loved driving in the dark listening to Coast to Coast am after a stressful time at work relaxed me. But the maintenance cost was a big drain on my budget. I needed the job and it paid pretty good.

I used BART and my bike sometimes to save money, but if I did any overtime I was stuck sitting in the break room until 3:30am and then it was off to the BART station. BART stops running at midnight and doesn’t open until 4am. It was a long six years.

People can still do what they want to do on a bike just like they can do in a car. May take a little longer to do. Best of all people get some exercise and get the endorphins going and feel great. Personally I love my time on my bike. Nothing like being on a quiet road and listening to the birds and cows.

Waiting for my Brompton to arrive is giving me a lesson in patience. It feels like a year is going by.

My Top 10 for the Moment:

1. Through The Eyes Of A Child-Bobby Womack

2. Cum On Feel The Noize-Quiet Riot

3. Piano Sonata No. 23, ‘Appasionata,’ in F Minor, Op. 57: 2nd movement-Beethoven

4. Sticks and Stones-Tracy Lawrence

5. Turn The Music Up-Lakeside

6. Puppy Love-Paul Anka

7. Don’t Get Around Much Anymore-Nat King Cole

8.I’ve Been Everywhere-Johnny Cash

9. Old Style Way-Hawaiian Style Band

10. Dirty Denim-The Donnas

I really got to stay away from REI. I tend to spend much money. I did get me a rain jacket. I really needed something for the times I get caught in the rain. The weather report will say rain by 4pm. But when I go on a bike ride the rain appears at 11am. The weatherperson is always off by hours.

I did pick up another Cateye Velo 8 for my Brompton. I like the Velo 8. I have one for my Cannondale Quick. Inexpensive and works well. I always like to know my mileage.

Sometimes the best bike ride is when I’m running errands. One of my favorite places to stop at is Peet’s Coffee and Tea. I have my medium jasmine green tea and enjoy the classical music. Like how Peet’s plays classical music instead of the obnoxious pop music. I relax while reading book or magazine.

This year I want to learn how to fix my bike. It would be nice to know how to work on my bike and not have to run to the bike shop every time some little thing has gone wrong.

I find myself going to garage and estate sales. Hoping to find an old steel bike that I can turn into a fixie. Would be a fun little project.

If I when the lotto I will probably have a garage full of bikes.

In life I’m just wandering along. It can be by bike or foot but I am going to wander somewhere.

My Top 10 for Now:

1. Honky Tonk Side of Town-Randy Travis

2. Part Time Love-Johnnie Taylor

3. Wang Dang Doodle-Z.Z. Hill

4. Rainy Days and Mondays-Carpenters

5. I’m Not That Kat Anymore-Texas Tornados

6. Cha-Cha-Cha-Yoko Oginome

7. Jack Daniel’s, If You Please-David Allan Coe

8. God Leads Us Along/Precious Lord-The Bill Gaither Trio

9. Kinky Reggae-Bob Marley and The Wailers

10.Blue Monday-Little Milton

I don’t mind wearing lycra cycling clothes when going for a long ride. The padded shorts makes a long ride a little more bearable. The jerseys are great because of the pockets in the back and keeping sweat off my body. Just makes for more of a comfortable ride. I know some people wouldn’t be caught dead in lycra.

Mountain biking cargo shorts are a good alternative. But I got some padded cycling boxers that I use with regular shorts. I’ll use when on a hot day and I’m meeting someone for tea or lunch. If I’m running errands and the weather is on the cool side then I will wear jeans and a t-shirt. I am versatile.

I still hate the cyclist fashion police. I remember having one of them tell me that that I should be wearing the uniform of the sport. I’m riding my bike to Briones to do some hiking. I’m not at the Tour de France or some other bike race. I’m enjoying myself my way.

People Enjoy the Bike Ride Your Way.

My Top 10 for Now:

1. Rebel Child-Gretchen Wilson

2. I Write The Songs-Barry Manilow

3. Call Me-Blondie

4. This Old House-Loretta Lynn

5. Catch My Fall-Billy Idol

6. Go On And Cry-Bloodstone

7. Lookin’ Out The Window-Stevie Ray Vauhgan

8. True Love-Al Green

9. Join Me In Death-HIM

10. Can Your Pussy Do The Dog-The Cramps

I read this in On Bicycles edited by Amy Walker just something to think about, “The richest 20 percent of people consume over 76 percent of the world’s goods. As far as I can tell, that’s you and me.”

I see the rain is returning. Hopefully I will be able to get some good riding before the rain comes. Not a big fan of riding in the rain and usually try to avoid it as much as possible, but if I get caught in it then I keep riding. I’m wet already.

I don’t think of bike riding as exercising. It is just way too much. I like getting on my bike to see the sights or just run errands. It beats a car because I don’t have to worry about having to find a place to park the car. Just lock the bike to a pole and off to Peet’s to get my jasmine green tea and do a little reading.

If the weather is nice then ride up to Briones and enjoy riding the trails. Or ride out to Pleasant Hill and hit Barnes and Noble.

I have people tell me that they are going to start riding their bikes, but it seems like they never get around to it. One day they might, but they are going to have to realize that they like to ride a bike. If they don’t like riding a bike then they will never get on a bike.

Not that I stop talking about my journey’s on my bike. Maybe I should tell the guys that bike riding can boost their sex drive or bike riding can make their penis appear larger. The area around the base of the penis also thickens and gradually swallows a portion of the penis, about a quarter inch for every nine pounds gained. Bike riding helps prevent fat build-up, it keeps the penis looking as large as possible.

My Top 10 for Now:

1. Sacred Journey II-Kitaro

2. Born Under A Bad Sign-Homer Simpson

3. Things That Scare Me-Neko Case

4. Life Happened-Tammy Cochran

5. Nothin’ To Lose-Rebel Meets Rebel

6. The Hustler-Crusaders

7. Cake and Eat It-Dead or Alive

8. Automatic-Prince

9. Rave All Night-Ho’Aikane

10. Yard Sale-Sammy Kershaw

I have learned to keep my cool while riding my bike. I know there are drivers who feel that roads are only for cars and bikes should stay off the roads. I have been honked at and have had things thrown at me. Yeah I feel like shaking my fist or yelling at someone, but I really don’t want to get into some altercation where I could be beat to a pulp or killed. Best thing for me to do is to keep pedaling along like nothing has happened. I read this somewhere and it is good advice, “You can be dead right and still be dead.”

I’m not a big fan of city riding. Too hectic for me. I love when I get on a quiet road with no traffic where I can just pedal at a nice pace, enjoy the scenery, and listening to nature.

Whenever I approach a hill my first reaction is, “I don’t want to do this and should turn around.” But I keep going forward and sometimes the climb is not too bad and sometimes it is killer. But I can never tell what I’m going to get until I start doing the climb. It is all about the grade.

I know people who ride a bike and think everyone should be riding. But one thing they forget is if someone does not like riding a bike they are not going to ride a bike no matter how convenient cities make bike riding. I ride a bike because I like riding my bike and it is the best zen time I know of.

Not all my rides are long rides. Sometimes I just ride to Peet’s for my jasmine green tea and something to munch on while I read a magazine or book. Then I head to the Hercules Library to catch up on magazines. Then ride back home. A day well spent.

My Top 10 for the Moment:

1. We Are One-Maze featuring Frankie Beverly

2. The Fox-Ray Anthony and his Orchestra

3. Everybody Knows (We’re Through)-Englebert Humperdinck

4. Computer Games-Yellow Magic Orchestra

5. For Dancers Only-Billy May and his Orchestra

6. Leap Frog-Les Brown and his Orchestra

7. Hit ‘N’ Run-HorrorPops

8. Why Should We Try Anymore-Hank Williams

9. ‘T’Ain’t What You Do-Billy May and his Orchestra

10. Let’s Dance-Benny Goodman and his Orchestra

I finally pulled the trigger, I put an order for a Brompton folding bike. Not that the decision was easy. I thought about Dahon and Bike Friday. In the end it was the Brompton that won out.

I’m not going to get rid of my Quick, I do like the bike. But there are times I don’t want to take it with me. Especially when I want to ride around San Francisco and the Peninsula area. Getting there on BART is the easy part. Coming back is the problem. There is the “no bike on BART times” and the crowded trains. Get at a BART station at the wrong time and there is a lot of trying to find something to do time. The Brompton will end this nonsense.

If I can get an earlier start time at work during the rebid process then I will use the Brompton for my commute to work. Ride BART to work and after work ride back to the El Cerrito Del Norte BART station. At least I can take the Brompton into the building. The Quick is a little more work. I have to put it on the bike rack on the car and when I get to work I got to lock it up to a tree in front of the building.

I still like the idea of using the Brompton for quick jaunts on bus or train and then going exploring somewhere by bike. The Path less Pedaled has put the idea in my head. Http://pathlesspedaled.com

My Top 10 for Now:

1. Born To Be Wild-Steppenwolf

2. Planet Hell-Nightwish

3. Don’t You Get So Mad-Jeffrey Osborne

4. She Even Woke Me Up To Say Goodbye-Jerry Lee Lewis

5. Sunday Morning Coming Down-Johnny Cash

6. Just Another Fool-Allison Moorer

7. Blood and Whiskey-Dropkick Murphy’s

8. When I Think About Cheatin’-Gretchen Wilson

9. Highway To Hell-AC/DC

10. Nobody Loves You-Garbage

Damian Day rides his bike eight to ten thousand kilometers a year. He has several nerve disorders and is autistic. Inspirational video. Just ride.

Today I went for a hike up Albany Hill. I need to remember to stay on the path. I decided to go exploring and the walk back up was rough. Good thing there are benches to sit on. I really got to get my hiking legs back in shape. It was still a nice hike.

Sundays are always great to go roaming around. Not too many people out. The weather was nice so why not go wandering around.

The San Francisco Bay Area is having spring like weather. I guess summer is going to be nonexistent this year. The weather keeps getting weirder and weirder every year.

I am amazed at what Laura and Russ are doing on Brompton folding Bicycle’s. Traveling the United States and now New Zealand. There website pathlesspedaled is a great for following their adventure and good information.

My Top 10 for Now:

1. Hangover Tavern-Hank Thompson

2. Jungle Love-The Time

3. Human Behavior-Bjork

4. Sugar On My Tongue-Talkingheads

5. Holy (I Bowed On My Knees and Cried Holy)-Ricky Van Shelton

6. My Dear Mr. Gaye-Teena Marie

7. I’m Hooked On You-Al Green

8. Talkin’ Out The Side Of Your Neck-Cameo

9. They Call Me Lazy-Lazy Lester

10. Good Friends, Good Whiskey, Good Lovin’-Hank Williams Jr

Today was not too smart to go on a bike ride. I felt a cough slightly starting and decided to go for my bike ride anyway. Now it is a full blown cough. I knew the cough would catch up to me since so many people at work had the cough.

I think it is time to cancel my membership to Bally Fitness. Don’t get me wrong I like Bally’s, but since the Pleasant Hill center was closed because the landlord refused to renew the lease the closes one to me is thirty miles away. Really is not worth traveling thirty miles for a workout.

Don’t like the 24hr fitness and the YMCA near me. I want to workout and be left alone. Don’t care to be around people who are going to see who they can pick up and I don’t want to be around kids running all over the place.

Thinking about getting a Brompton folding bike. They are expensive but I like the fold. I looked at Dahon but I really can’t pull the trigger on one.

Reason for me to get a folding bike is that I want to be able to go on rides and I want to be able to take it on Public Transit without being blocked out. Brompton is in the back of my mind because of Pathlesspedaled. A couple who use Brompton’s to bike travel and they have included ferry’s, trains, and buses. What a great way to travel. Plus I can leave it in my car.

A great video that gives me an idea.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2G099tCs9g

Get a Sea Eagle inflatable Kayak which I could put a folding bike on and have a great adventure. If I would have had youtube as a young man I would have never entered Corporate America.

My Top 10 for Now:

1. Apache Moon-Nokko

2. Celebration-Akemi Ishii

3. Please Mr. Please-Olivia Newton-John

4. Inherit the Wind-Wilton Felder featuring Bobby Womack

5. Political Moves-Akina Nakamori

6. Please Don’t Go-Seiko Matsuda

7. Fantasy Man-Alice Cooper

8. Among My Souvenirs-Connie Francis

9. Sarah-Klique

10. Honky Tonk Song-George Jones

Today was a tiring ride. The wind in my face at 20mph and up hills was a little much. But pedal on I did just thinking I must be crazy. My thought on this is as long as I take it slow and try not to over do it I should be fine. Now I am feeling it. I should sleep well tonight. Got my first ride of the new year in and that is what really counts.

It amazes me that a dog or cat can be abused and still have the capacity to trust and love. Humans can learn something from dogs and cats.

I’ve always hated when people ask me what I do for a living. A job does not say who I am. A job is what I do to earn a living. I always feel that when I get asked that question someone is judging me by the job. Women asking me because they are sizing up my income and what kind of standard of living we will have or could I support them.

Who I am is someone who likes to ride my bike all over the place, going on long hikes, always have a book and camera with me, and wandering aimlessly. That is all people need to know.

My Top 10 For the Minute:

1. Cold Shot-Stevie Ray Vaughn

2. F_ _ _ in With My Head (mountain dew rock)-Beck

3. Too Cold At Home-Mark Chestnut

4. Sentimental Journey-Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra

5. White Line Fever-Merle Haggard

6. Surfers Holiday-Annete

7. How We Were Before-The Zombies

8. Somebody Lied-Ricky Van Shelton

9. Quiet Storm-Smokey Robinson

10.My Elusive Dreams-Charlie Rich