Thursday, May 3

I went home for lunch and Mimi was very sleepy because she'd been watching the view and needed a nap.  After work, I headed out for a longer ride.  I took Geary to Polk to Pacific into Pacific Heights.  Here's a pic of one of our famous Victorian mansions.   This one's on  Pacific.

Then I continued Lyon to Jackson where I found these beautiful tulips in front of somebody's massive home:

Then I continued Arguello into the park and then out to Ocean Beach where it was starting to rain.  The ocean was looking pretty angry:

Then I headed over around Lake Merced and then to my class.  Got home a little before 9.  Ate a quick dinner and went to bed.  Total Mileage:  44

I woke up very hungry this morning which is astonishing because I ate such a huge dinner right before I went to bed.  Rode out to Ocean Beach via Taravel and then up the coast.  Very pretty morning:

I went up to the Palace of the Legion of Honor and then down through Sea Cliff.   Here's a shot of the bridge from there:

Then I went throught the Presidio.  Here's the bridge from a bit closer up:

 

Then I went out the Lombard gate , up Greenwich to Larkin and then I worked my way over Russian and Nob Hills to Clay.  Then I came down through Chinatown to work.  Gorgeous morning!

Wednesday, May 2

I went home over lunch and the weather was beautiful.  Conan O'Brien is shooting his show in civic center at the Orpheum this week and I haven't seen a line like that in UN plaza since they closed the methadone clinic. 

Our garden was looking especially beautiful in the sunshine.  Orange roses!  My favorite...

After work, I rode Geary to Polk to Pacific to Lyon to Washington to Arguello into the park and then 9th Ave to Lawton to Ocean Beach, once around Lake Merced and then off to class.  I don't want to miss any class for the rest of the semester because it's getting pretty hard and I don't want to totally get lost like I did last semester.  Went home to a waiting Ribwich and fries and salad which I annihilated in about twenty minutes and then ate more food.  Asleep by ten.  Daily mileage:  40.5

It was raining this morning!  Which meant I went for a long bike ride.  I pretty much did the same ride as yesterday except I took Clay instead of Euclid because I wanted to minimize the downhill because of the rain.  It started out kind of drizzly at my house but by the time I got to the top of Portola it was both raining and really foggy.  Yuck.  Both had petered out by the time I got down to Sunset and Ocean Beach was pleasant and warm.  The sun was just starting to poke out by the time I got to Union Square so i took a few pictures:

I felt a lot stronger this morning and it was a really fun, albeit soggy, ride.

Tuesday, May 1

I was pretty beat in the morning so I went for a long ride. Took the familiar Corbett to Laguna Honda to Dewey to Taravel and then up Ocean Beach, Up Geary up to the Palace of the Legion of Honor and then Lake to Arguello to Euclid to Post and into the Financial District. Couple of good climbs but I took it easy and it was lot of fun. I was feeling much better by the end of the ride.

I went for a walk with Nick over lunch. We saw this dog napping by his owner's stand in Justin Hermann Plaza

It's hard work being busy. Seriously, Nick, what the hell kind of goddamn outfit is this?

I haven't seen a tie this ugly since Herb Tarlek stopped selling ads for WKRP. This is an outfit that makes a philosophy graduate student lecturer look fashionable. And you don't even want to know about the pants. Or the shoes. I'm hoping that they ship Nick's work wardrobe off to Guantanamo to be used on the detainees in a Geneva Convention friendly form of torture. Because it might make them talk.

Nick had to go back to work so headed over to Chris' where Sofi was sweet and energetic as ever:

That dog is so sweet and so precious. Pictures just don't do her justice.  DId I mention how much we're looking forward to babysitting her next weekend?

After work I went riding. I headed up through Pacific Heights over to Golden Gate Park to check out the Rose Garden. A lot of stuff was blooming, but unfortunately not my favorite: Orange roses the color of an orange crayon. Here are a few shots of the roses that were in bloom:

Then I headed down towards ocean beach. These pretty pink things were blooming by the Spreckles lake. I have no idea what they are but they have these crazy enormous blooms:

A little further down the buffalo were grazing:

I headed down to Lake Merced, went around, and then came back up Ocean Beach. I was pretty beat by the end:

But I wanted to get a little more mileage in so I came up Lawton where I saw this cool house under renovation:

It was hard to photograph because of an unfortunate power pole but it's all swanky California Mediterranean with Moorish details. I continued up Lawton to 7th ave and then up to Portola and down Corbett. Total mileage: 40.5

Monday, April 30

I was really tired when I woke up and, as usual, that meant more biking.  I took the familiar route up Corbett (which really was killing me after so much climbing Sunday) up to the Palaace of the Legion of Honor where I took this intriguing "self portrait on bike"

Down past the Peace Monument

Down to Lake and then Lake to Arguello to Euclid to Presidio to Post and into the city.  I was very happy to be sitting at my desk all day.  After work, I headed through North Beach to do Marin Headlands again.  In Fort Mason Park I came across what I assumed was a little dog summit:

Their resolution?  More snacks!  I went through the Marina, over the bridge and then started climbing.  It was a tough climb to the top of  Conzelman.  A lot of people would tell you to take a day off after a day like yesterday but not me.  Unless I'm injured, I like to follow a really challenging day with a pretty challenging dayl.  That way you're forced to push yourself as far as you think you can go and then just a little bit more.  That's the attitude that's gotten me cross country on my bike.  Twice.  I started the scary descent when I got to the top of Conzelman.  I stopped and took a few pics that I hope give a sense of how far you feel you're gonna drop if you go over the guard rail:

Let's here it for the bike shop at REI and their amazing brake tightening acumen!  From the bottom I headed up through the valley and then up Ike Turner Hill which is totally getting easier every time I do it.  Then I headed back down Conzelmann.  Some tourists took this picture for me:

Instead of getting onto the bridge off of Conzelman, I continued down into Fort Baker and hit the bridge from underneath like Sunday.  It's very structural:

Then I heade back into the city and into Seacliff.  I came out at 32nd ave and came down geary to photograph the beautiful Orthodox church in the dwindling light:

Then I headed down Cabrillo to Arguello to Clay to Fillmore to Sanchez to Market and then home.  Total mileage: 50.  Still a little steamed at Jeffery but at this point I realize I just need to just get over it.  But why must the editor of "Good Husband" magazine moonlight as the dean of the Jerk Academy??