McDonalds hamburgers are only 15% “Real Beef”, the other 85% is meat filler cleansed with Ammonia which causes colon cancer. Amazing what Corporate America gets away with. Our Government agencies are a joke. Bought and paid for. I guess it is time to leave the fast food alone and I love fast food.

I’ve come to the conclusion that America’s whole system is corrupt. Campaign contributions are nothing but bribes. I’m for eliminating contributions. If someone wants to run they have to use their own money. Some will say only the rich could afford to run for office. What is the difference only the rich run for office anyway.

IRS is a joke. Any tax code that allows someone to get a tax accountant or lawyer to pay no taxes is corrupt. Corporations and the rich pay no taxes because they pay someone to beat the system. The average person makes a mistake and the IRS wants to lock them away for years.

At least today I was able to leave work early and go for a bike ride. The calendar says December, but the weather in the San Francisco Bay Area was spring. So I’m on my ride and everything was good. There are many problems in the world, but riding my bike and interacting with people just makes the world a better place and there is hope for the world.

If there is a problem with the bike another cyclist will stop to make sure everything is okay. I’ve stopped just to rest and enjoy the sights. A cyclist will ask if everything is okay. Never know when someone may be having health issues or maybe just out of water.

I always have extra bottles of water in my trunk. Sometimes someone will run out because he/she didn’t think they would be out for so long or it was hotter than they expected. It happens and it is no fun.

I always have my Allen wretch set with me. One would be amazed how a cyclist seat will come lose or something just needs to be tightened up. I carry things just in case. I’ve been stranded and it is no fun. I’ve had a complete stranger give me a ride home when my tire went flat and the slime didn’t seal the hole and I didn’t have an extra tube. Yep, there is hope for humanity.

My Top 10 for Now:

1. There, I’ve Said It Again-Bobby Vinton

2. Woman In The Castle-Lil’ Ed and the Blues Imperials

3. (She’s My) Vampire Girl-Groovie Ghoulies

4. Refugee-Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers

5. Who Were You Thinkin’ Of-Texas Tornados

6. Do You Know Where Man Is-Pam Tillis

7. Happy Together-Misato Watanabe

8. Tango Noir-Akina Nakamori

9, I’ve Got Papers On You-Pat Benatar

10. Your Day Will Come-Cousteau

I keep thinking about a nice bike tour. Can’t do a Washington to Maine ride yet, but a nice mellow tour would be fine. Maybe a ride down to Monterey. Probably when the spring hits.

A nice video about biking to Seattle. Sleepless Til’ Seattle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP5_USvutcA&feature=colike

I know it is just me, but I don’t understand how people who can retire continue working. Yeah I’ve heard people say that they wouldn’t have nothing to do. How sad that people built their whole life around a job. Shoot go volunteer or see the world. I look forward to retirement because my time becomes my time. As long as I work the employer is dictating my time. I’m told when to come to work and when to leave. When I go on vacation I’m told when I can leave and when to come back.

How Laura Packs Her Brompton.
http://youtu.be/vey4jzmu3x4
Russ Packs the Brompton.
http://youtu.be/H6E2ltQiul4

Interesting never would have thought of this. Traveling across country on a Brompton folding bike. Laura Crawford and Russ Roca actually does this. But they also use trains and buses when needed. Their website is interesting and informative too. Path Less Pedaled. http://www.pathlesspedaled.com/

My Top 10 for the Minute:

1. Seven Year Heartache-Rosanne Cash

2.Burning Down The House-Talking Heads

3.Flip Flop Mama-Eddie Bond and the Strangers

4.Bring Me The Head of the Preacher Man-Siouxsie and the Banshees

5. Eat, Drink And Be Merry-Porter Wagoner

6. Good Times Roll-The Cars

7. Self Esteem-The Offspring

8. Big Bad Handsome Man-Imelda May

9. Open Up Your Door-The Romantics

10. Middle Aged Man-Elvin Bishop

The wind was a no show for my bike ride. Sometimes things just goes my way. Was perfect riding weather. A ride to Orinda is always nice. I love riding San Pablo Dam Road. The ride looks worse than it really is. The grades to the climbs are not bad.

Get to Orinda and stop into Peet’s for jasmine green tea and a scone. It is always nice to bring a book so I get a little reading in. Yep a cyclist and a bookworm. So all in all it was a perfect day.

Having a Wednesday and Thursday as my weekend means not too much car or bike traffic. Also means I don’t have to rush anywhere because everyone I know is at work. But riding alone is not for everyone, but it works for me.

So December has arrived. I turned Christmas into Retail Shopping Days. It is disgusting what retail has turned this time of the year into. So stupid that retail has turned this time of the year to make most of their money. Lucky for me that I have dropped out of the nonsense. Just going to ride my bike.

I admit riding my bike has become my escapism.

Best thing I heard about Atlantis. It did sink, but it lifted up. Who would think it was a space craft.

I remember when I use to have to type my papers for school on a typewriter. Damn near took me all night to do it. Was never that good of a typist and boy talk about the mistakes. Problem was some teachers would down grade a paper if too many corrections were made with correction tape or white out. Surprised I survived typing class.

A class I wish I would have taken was short hand. Would have came in handy when I had to take notes in classes.

My Top 10 for the minute:

1. All I Do Is Dream Of You-Dean Martin

2. Legs-Art of Noise

3. I’m Barely Hangin’ On To Me-Johnny Paycheck

4. Green Green Grass of Home-Tom Jones

5. Too Late-Lil’ Ed and The Blues Imperials

6. Drop The Bomb-Trouble Funk

7. Shakin’ All Over-Wanda Jackson

8. Walk Like A Zombie-HorrorPops

9, This Time-The Whispers

10. I Know It’s Not Over-Cal Smith

An amusing look at Berkeley and biking. Berkeleyside.com
http://www.berkeleyside.com/2011/11/29/what-are-berkeleys-rules-of-the-road-for-cyclists/

I still say the craziest bicyclist are the fixie riders. They do want ever they want to do and don’t care. If you get in their way they will flip you off and ride on. All one can do is go about your business.

So today I actually hopped on a stationery bike. Not a fan and had the feeling I was cheating, but I just kept on going. I did put it on hill riding.

It is good to get back to my mid week riding and what a way to be welcomed back. Looks like the wind will be joining me. Actually blowing in my face. The wind never works with me.

My Top 10 for Now:

1. The Tulsa Shuffle-The Tractors

2. Angry Johnny-POE

3. Love In Cold Blood-HIM

4. Julia-HorrorPops

5. Green Suede Shoes-Black47

6. Joke-The Fonzarellies

7. Mephisto Waltz No. 1-Lizst

8. Anything Goes-AC/DC

9. Boogie Man-Lee Press-On and The Nails

10. Voodoo Idol-The Cramps

Final thought about the San Francisco Car Show. Children under sixteen should not be allowed in the cars. They are climbing all over the cars like it is a jungle gym. When I wanted to check out a car I couldn’t get near it because of the children. I wasn’t the only one kind of disgusted.

Good thing I got there at 10am when it opened. I was able to check out the cars on the top of my list, but the secondary list was the problem.

Really nice to see the bike lanes coming together in Oakland. With the great weather in the San Francisco Bay Area it should be the best biking place in the world. Hell Minneapolis is ranked number one and the winters there are brutal.

Bike riding for me is my zen time. It is always me and the bike. There is nothing else.

My Top 10 for the minute:

1. Zoot Suit Riot-Cherry Poppin’ Daddies

2. Pato & Roger Come Again-Pato & Ranking Roger

3. Little Light-ChickenShack

4. Call Me-Skyy

5. Lepers Among Us-Dimmu Borgir

6. You’re All Around Me-Percy Sledge

7. Wish You Were Here-Pink Floyd

8. Wicked Ways-The Blow Monkeys

9. Iceman-Albert Collins

10. When Your Lover Has Gone-Nat King Cole

Enjoyed a nice walk from the Berkeley BART station to El Cerrito Plaza BART station after work. Did make a pit stop at Barnes and Noble in El Cerrito. Got lucky and found Bloom County, The Complete Library, Volume Five: 1987-1989. The final volume in the collection.

Don’t like the new look at Barnes and Noble in El Cerrito. It is like being in a toy store that carries books. Would like to see them expand the cafe part though. What is the use of getting a piece of cheese cake if there is no place to sit. But that is just me.

Good to have some nice weather for the next few days. Just means I can get some good bike riding in. Probably be cold and windy, but it won’t be raining.

Garbage is coming out with a new album. I keep thinking should I really care. Sometimes one has to move on. But then again I could see me getting it. Wasn’t to impressed with their last album.

My Top 10 for the moment:

1. Broke, Lovesick & Drifting-Hank Williams III

2.The Humpty Dance-Digital Underground

3. Let’s Get Married-Al Green

4. Water Hills-MALTA

5. Linda On My Mind-Conway Twitty

6. These Days (I Barely Get By)-George Jones

7. Snap Shot-Slave

8. Stay Away-Nirvana

9. Queer-Garbage

10. Only You (And You Alone)-The Platters

The rain showed up. But then again couldn’t really call it rain, more like a mist that irritates me more than anything else. Don’t mind the rain, but mist is another matter.

Maybe on Saturday I will hit the San Francisco Car Show. Might as well see what is coming out. Not that I want another car.

What I really want is a new bicycle. Went to the SF Bike Expo and that was a bust. Really not much there. Hopefully in time it will get better and more bicycle vendors show up.

Love what San Pablo did on 23rd Street. Removed one car lane and made a bike lane. Was really great to ride on. Now Richmond get with the program and continue the bike lane in Richmond.

I don’t mind bike riding in the winter. I don’t get overheated and rain gear keeps the water off.

My Top 10 for the minute:

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

2. Lost Highway-Hank Williams

3. Act Naturally-Dwight Yoakam

4. Singing Slide-Lil’ Ed and the Blues Imperials

5. Enola Gay-OMD

6. Hold Me Now-Thompson Twins

7. Quickie-George Clinton

8. The Pressure Is On-Hank Williams Jr.

9. Being With You-Smokey Robinson

10. Hotel California-The Eagles