The Pentax Q-S1 has become my go to camera when I go bicycle riding. It is small and has lenses I can change. The perfect little camera.

I have fun shooting with the Pentax Q-S1. Reminds me not to take life too serious.

I thought of getting a Ricoh GR III, but why when the Pentax Q-S1 gets the job done.

The Richmond-San Rafael Bridge finally got a bicycle/walk lane and it was a fun ride.

It is not an easy ride, a couple of climbs that will give a person a nice work out. Plus on windy days the ride will be brutal. The wind can really blow on this bridge.

I’m glad the bicycle/walk lane is on the bridge because now I can ride into Marin County and not have to deal with BART and ferries.

It is good to see the bicycle lanes coming together in the SF Bay Area. I like getting around on my bicycle. Makes seeing the sights more enjoyable.

July and windy bike rides. Going to be a fun month of bicycle riding. Can’t do nothing about nature.

It is so much fun to head out and most of the ride is a head wind. The throw in a couple of climbs and it makes for a fun ride.

At least the people who own sailboats are loving July. At least some people are enjoying the wind.

I did see a lot of pelicans on the bay. Since it was early morning I guess they were enjoying the bay before the boats came out. They probably don’t want to keep avoiding boats.

The bike/walk trail along the bay in Richmond and Albany was pretty busy with bicyclist and walkers. The wind wasn’t stopping them. Still good to see people out and about instead of sitting at home.

There are so many different bicycle routes I can take now that bike lanes have been added. It makes for a much safer ride and fun ride.

My personal grades for cities around me:

San Pablo B: San Pablo has made great strides for people who bicycle and walk. The bike lanes and sidewalks added to San Pablo Ave from Robert H. Miller Drive to Rivers has made that section such a nice bicycle ride and walk.

The bike/walk path from 23rd Street to Rumrill is great. Runs by Davis Park. A great connector.

San Pablo isn’t done and could be an A in a few years.

Richmond B: Richmond is creating a great bicycle structure, but seems in complete at times. Hopefully the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge will get a bike lane. Hasn’t stopped Richmond from creating a bike trail.

Pinole C-: Pinole is indifferent to bicycle riding. They don’t care if you ride a bicycle or not.

Appian Way by Fitzgerald is a take your life in your own hands. Really needs a bike lane. Fitzgerald is a racetrack and no bike lanes.

The shopping area on Fitzgerald have a few bike racks and not where you want them.

Hercules C-: Just like Pinole, indifferent. Sycamore is dangerous. Not safe for bicycling or walking. Probably needs a bike lane. Doesn’t help that a huge Safeway is being built.

El Cerrito A: El Cerrito is a delight to ride in, but they have a giant head start and the Ohlone Greenway is a plus. El Cerrito is looking into putting bike lanes on San Pablo Ave.

Albany A: Just like El Cerrito ahead of the curve. Plenty of bike lanes and bike racks. A joy to ride around Albany.

Richmond and San Pablo have a poorer population and it is amazing what they are doing. Poor people usually think of the bike as being what poor people ride and want to move up to a car. An obstacle Richmond and San Pablo need to overcome, but as the saying goes, “Build it and they will come.”

Still I enjoy my time on my bicycle.

It was eighty-five degrees and it time for my afterwork bike ride.

Just a short video of the path I rode at Point Pinole. The dirt was as hard as concrete. But it was still a fun ride.

This was the first hot weather of the year in the SF Bay Area. Now I’m ready for the fog to return and cool everything off.

We in the SF Bay Area are weather weenies. We are not use to hot weather and it doesn’t stay hot enough for us to get use to it. So we just don’t like it.

Still the hot weather is not enough t keep me off of my bike. It is the best relaxation after a day of work.

San Pablo is really doing a nice job with the bike lanes. It is fun to ride into San Pablo with a bike lane on San Pablo Ave. Even put in a sidewalk.

Also nice to stop at the San Pablo Library for a rest before the ride home. It seems like everything is coming together.

With all the bike lanes coming together, not only in California, but throughout the United States when I retire the car is gone and bicycle only.

Would be nice to do it now, but California’s rents are out of control and the jobs are in areas I can’t afford. So it is the car and bicycling when I can.

Someone asked me would I consider getting an electric bicycle to help with hills. As he knows I hate hills. When I ride up them I curse the day I ever hopped on a bicycle and why do I live in an area with hills. I’m going to Kansas.

I told him maybe when I get to the point where my health says it is time. But I’m stubborn and probably not then.

Most people I see riding electric bicycles are young people and they are just using the motor. Electric bicycles have become a vehicle. Also most of them are young.

I can’t see getting an electric bicycle just to use for getting over hills or mountains. I’m willing to suffer the climb and maybe take a break or two . When I reach the top I will enjoy the view and feel like I accomplished something.

If electric bicycle riders are going to treat it as a vehicle then maybe it is time to require a license to operate one and maybe a license plate. Or how about limiting the speed to ten miles per hour.

But that is where I stand on electric bicycles at this time. Who know what the future will bring. Anyway just pedal on.

In a world where everyone is in a rush to get nowhere is the reason I like riding my bike. I take it slow and enjoy the sights along the way.

When I drive to work it is like being on a racetrack. Cars whizzing by like they are trying to get the checkered flag. Hell I’m heading to work and I’m in no hurry to get there. When I go home I’m in no hurry to get home. Probably going to stop somewhere.

When I ride my bike it is like I’m in a different period of time. I just slowly pedal along. Then there are the road racers who are speeding by. Sometimes they are a pain in the butt. Just because I stop to enjoy the view or have a snack does not mean something is wrong. I guess in their world who in the world would stop and not have a problem.

They should know I’m not of their world. I ride a heavy touring bicycle with saddlebags and my Ortlieb handlebar bag. Does it look like I’m in a rush to get anywhere. Also I’m not in lycra.

That is what is great about bicycle riding because you can choose your style and just go with it. Just hop on a bike and pedal.

Some days I wake up and not feeling the bike ride and wondering what route do I really want to take and where to go. But I put my stuff on my bike that I want to take and I start to pedal off.

I see how I feel and it may be a long ride or just a day of riding and finding a spot to just sit and relax. It could be by the bay and then off to a nearby library until I feel I can’t sit anymore. Then I ride until I feel hungry. Then it is snack time. This could be my whole day.

I might run into someone I know. I never what to commit to hanging out with someone early on. I may regret that I made the decision to meet someone. That would be the day my legs feel great and I want to go for a long ride.

I don’t like riding with people. I want to ride and stop when I want too. I have enough people telling me what to do at the job. My days off is for doing my own thing. I don’t really want to hang out with people on my day off, I put up with people at the job.

Actually being an introvert is empowering. I can do things and not needing someone to do things with me. I can just go. Must be hard to be an extrovert and needing someone around you all the time or the need for noise all the time.

Personally I wish most libraries would enforce there no loud talking rule. Libraries were the last place an introvert could go and it would be quiet in a world where there is nothing but noise.

One reason why I like bicycle riding. I can find a nice quiet road and ride out to a nice quiet spot and enjoy the silence. Quiet is good. The bicycle is freedom from noise.

Some people say I can just drive to places that are out of the way. Like that is a lot of fun. I’m already stuck in a vehicle on my commute to work and home. Then I’m in a vehicle at work. Nope give me my bicycle on my days off. Besides when I ride my bike I don’t need to find a parking spot.

I’m really excited about the ferry service starting on 10 January 2019 in Richmond. Will be nice not to have to haul my bike on BART to get to San Francisco. Hop on the ferry in Richmond and then ride to Marin County for some fun bike riding. Marin County is a great place to ride. This is actually a couple days vacation time or more depending on my mood.

Can always take the ferry back to San Francisco and then hop on the Richmond ferry then the nice pedal home. Already have some of my 2019 planned.

I guess I will head out and get something to eat.

As far as I’m concerned 2018 is over. So I’m not doing much just hiding and staying out of people’s way.

I finished my books for this year so I’m not going to start any books until 2019. I’m taking a reading break. To bookworms I know this is blasphemous. 2018 was a slow reading year anyway. Only read fifty-six books. Oh the horror.

I’m not taking a break from my bike riding. The rain has decided to appear and that is not making my riding fun. I would rather ride in snow than rain, but it doesn’t snow here so the rain it is.

I’m always glad to see a year end. Not that anything much will change in the new year. It just means I’m closer to retirement and that is the goal.

I got three million steps for 2018 so I”m good. Last year I fell short. Probably because some days I forget the pedameter and steps are not logged. Yeah I can hear people saying do it through an app on the phone or get a fitbit. Not getting a fitbit and I tend to forget my phone. Not too dependent on it like everyone else.

It is easy for me to forget the phone because I lived most of my life never carrying one.  I don’t have anyone I need to keep in touch with. My phone stays on silence so when someone does text or call it will be ignored for hours or maybe the next day. The modern world just annoys me.

I admit I like my ASUS Chromebook C201. It isn’t fancy but it gets the job done. Not a bad machine for about $160. Besides I don’t have to worry about someone wanting to steal it. Maybe now it is worth about $50 or less.

Give me WIFI and I can do everything I need to do and I have a nice size screen. Not the best but it gets the job done. Wish I had a chromebook when I was in college would have made writing papers a lot easier.

Guess I will go and get a snack and finish waiting for 2018 to end.