Wednesday I came down Market into work and went to the gym.  I headed home for lunch and then went for a nice ride after work.  I rode Sutter to Polk to Pacific to Fillmore to Clay.  I got some pics of some of the fabulous homes on Clay in Presidio Heights:

I continued on Clay to Maple to Washington to Arguello to Lake to 8th and into Golden Gate Park.  I headed over to the Music Concourse and got a nice pic of the De Young:

And the door to the Japanese Gardens were open late:
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I got on MLK and came out of the park at 9th to Judah to 7th into Laguna Honda to Dewey to Claremont to Santa Clara.  Here are some beautiful Saint Francis Wood homes:

I continued on Santa Clara to Monterey to San Jose to Duncan to Valencia to 18th.  I got this pic looking West from Dolores.  I can’t believe how compressed the marine layer was:

I continued on 18th to Douglass to 17th to Ord and home for dinner.  After, I got cleaned up and made ice cream for my friend Brook who has had his tonsils out.  He wanted lemon ice cream which I’ve never made before.  It smells just like lemon meringue pie filling.  I think it’s gonna be fantastic.  Sadly, I doubt he’ll be able to taste anything but ‘cold’.  I was in bed before 9PM and that seemed way too late.

Bike Mileage:

Today 25.1 Week to date 44.9 Month to date 572.9 Year to date 5,949.3 To Goal 2,050.7 Over (Under) plan 9.6 YTD Mileage vs Last Year 1,252.2 Rolling Year 6,693.9 Since Inception 10/1/07 39,876.2

Tuesday it was super foggy when I left the house.  I came into work Market to Laguna to McAllister and stopped for a pic of your glamorous city hall:

I continued on McAllister to Polk to O’Farrell to Grant to Post to Kearny to Clay to Sansome.  I went to the gym over lunch and then went for a nice ride after work.  I headed off 2nd to Howard.  I noted that Howard is gonna be closed between 3rd and 4th for a conference yet again next week.  I’m starting to think that they should just close off Howard at that block and make it a proper plaza or better yet built an elevated one so that they never have to close it off again.  I continued on Howard to 11th to Bryant to Mariposa to Florida.  I stopped for a pic at 24th.  I love this view.  It’s just so Mission-y:

These buildings belong to St. Peters and they’ve covered with amazing murals.  There seems to be a bit of a backlash against Precita Eyes Mural Project and they were rejected for a new project at the 24th St BART station in favor of something more Burning Man-ish (shudder).  Here’s a link to a blog post about it and I can’t for the life of me figure out why people aren’t unanimously in favor of Precita Eyes doing that mural but I guess their success has made them ‘the man’ in some people’s eyes.  It’s a shame because their work is amazing:

I continued on Florida to 25th to Lilac.  Lilac is a dumpy alley in a crappy part of the Mission which would only be worth a look for late night drunken handies if it weren’t for the beautiful murals that grace its walls.  Evidence:

I took Lilac to 26th to Valencia to Tiffany to 29th to San Jose to Monterey to Foerster to Flood to Gennessee to Judson and stopped for a pic at City College.  Two things.  First, notice how amazingly foggy it was.  Crazy.  Second,  look at how awful this building looks.  The garden on the roof is dead and the building is rusty and looks in disrepair.  The punch line is that this building is maybe six years old:

I took classes at City College for many years and without a doubt the education I received there is how I got the job that I have now.  But I don’t like the direction that they’ve taken in recent years with all this new construction that they clearly can’t maintain and their terrible business plan that’s driving them towards insolvency and a possible lost of accreditation in March.  And I don’t understand why there isn’t more of a sense of urgency at the City College about the dire state of affairs.  Absolutely everybody in administration who has any hand in the mess they are in now needs to go and the new administration needs to do something drastic to address the situation which would likely be a bankruptcy filing and I don’t see either of those things happening.  Proposition A is a property tax funded bond to fund their continuing operations and close a 15 million dollar gap in their budget.  For reals?  First of all, bonds are for capital improvements and new construction not continuing operations.  Second, if this is City College’s response than it’s so very clear that they are completely out of touch with how bad their problems are and how to fix them.  The accreditation people aren’t gonna care how important City College is or how many people need it if they don’t see a lot of change by March and I don’t see those wheels turning quickly enough.  And I’m not voting for proposition A.

I continued on Judson to Phelan to Ocean to Harold to Holloway to Ashton to Pico to Urbano to Mocada to Cerritos to 20th to Ocean to Clearfield into 34th to Yorba to Crestlake to Wawona to 33rd to Vicente to 16th to Taravel to Merced to Hernandez to Laguna Honda to Portola.  It was so foggy at Portola and Corbett that I could only see oncoming traffic if they had their lights on which meant I had a very scary left turn onto it.  I took Corbett to Ord and home for dinner.  After dinner I started ice cream for Brook who has had his tonsils out and needs some extra lovin’.  I made the custard and put it in the fridge to chill.  I’ll freeze it on Wendesday.  We were all beat and we went to bed early.

Bike Mileage:

Today 19.8 Week to date 19.8 Month to date 547.8 Year to date 5,924.2 To Goal 2,075.8 Over (Under) plan 6.4 YTD Mileage vs Last Year 1,247.4 Rolling Year 6,689.9 Since Inception 10/1/07 39,851.1

Monday was a super busy day at my house.  I got up and saw Mark Botello off (come back and visit us soon!) and then took the dogs to the groomers in Bernal Heights.  Then the locksmith came mid day to fix our front door and I had to juggle that on top of a very full work day.  Ugh.  Things calmed down late in the afternoon and I headed back over to Bernal Heights to pick up the dogs.  They weren’t quite ready so I walked around for 10 minutes waiting on them.  This is the interior of the Cortland branch of the library.  It’s so pretty inside.  The exterior is covered in murals that are currently under renovation.  Here’s hoping they look as good as the inside when they’re done:

I got the dogs and headed home.  They were totally exhausted.  Here they are with their smart fall haircuts:

I worked until Mr. Poe came home and then we had dinner and went to bed.

Saturday I rested.  I’d worked out pretty hard all week and I was definitely feeling it.  I went to the grocery store with Mr. Poe in the morning.  We almost got into a car accident on the way home as people were going bonkers of all the nudies wandering about the castro.  I got a pic, but as I try to keep my blog SFW I’m not gonna post it.  I cooked a little in the afternoon and then around dinner time our houseguest Mark Botello showed up from LA followed soon after by Brendan, also from LA, who dame for dinner.  We had a great time.  We sent them off for Folsom festivities about 9:30 and Mr, Poe and I went to bed.

Sunday I led a Different Spokes ride out to Nicasio and then Lucas Valley.  It’s a great ride with lots of variety but not so much climbing.  I’m definitely gonna add it to the CAT2 schedule next year.  My pal Maurizio showed up and it was a great day for riding.  Cool in morning, warm in the afternoon–  the perfect fall day.  Here’s Maurizio at Nicasio Reservoir:



He had to be back in the city earlier than me so we parted ways after Nicasio and headed up Lucas Valley Road.  It’s got Redwoods:



The view of Lucas Valley from the top:



I had lunch at Chipotle at Northgate Mall and then I headed home.  I stopped in Sausalito for a pic of the crazy fog:



I headed down into Fort Baker and got some pics of the Golden Gate Bridge dramatically shrouded in fog:





I headed home for dinner.  I managed to stay up til 9 and that seemed like a lot.

Bike Mileage:

Today 84.6 Week to date 201.8 Month to date 528.0 Year to date 5,904.4 To Goal 2,095.6 Over (Under) plan 30.4 YTD Mileage vs Last Year 1,270.2 Rolling Year 6,691.6 Since Inception 10/1/07 39,831.3

I slept in on Friday and came into work Market to Laguna to McAllister to Polk to O’Farrell to Grant to Post to Clay to Sansome.  I went to the gym over lunch and I thought about going for a long ride after work but I was beat so I came home through SOMA and the Mission.  Sadly, Salesforce.com still had Howard closed from 3rd to 4th AND there was a baseball game so SOMA was a total shit show and it took forever to get down 2nd.  But I finally got to Townsend to Kansas to 17th.  I stopped for a pic at Jane Warner Plaza. It was a beautiful afternoon.  Thankfully, the plaza was momentarily free of nudies:

I continued up 17th to Ord.  We had dinner and I watched some TV before bed.

Bike Mileage:

Today 9.1 Week to date 117.2 Month to date 443.4 Year to date 5,819.8 To Goal 2,180.2 Over (Under) plan (10.3) YTD Mileage vs Last Year 1,185.6 Rolling Year 6,607.0 Since Inception 10/1/07 39,746.7

Thursday I got up and went for a nice ride before work.  I headed off 18th to Valencia to Mission to Silver to Alemeny to Sagamore to Brotherhood to Lake Merced where I stopped for a pic.  So pretty:

I continued on Lake Merced to John Muir to Skyline to the Great Highway and up the coast.  I went into Golden Gate Park at MLK and rode Bernice Rodgers to JFK.  I stopped for pics at Lloyd Lake:

I came out of the park at 8th and rode Lake to Arguello to Caly to Fillmore to Pacific.  I stopped for a pic of the pretty Talbot Dutton house.

1800 Pacific has recently been redone and looks fantastic:

I continued on Pacific and stopped at Taylor for a pic at Jones:

I continued on Pacific and got another pic at Taylor:

I continued on Pacific to Powell to Jackson.  I don’t know how I missed this place on Columbus near Jackson but I approve:

I took Columbus to Clay to Sansome and into work.  I headed home after lunch and worked from home for the rest of the day.  We had my first AIDSRide Tentmate Tom who’s in town for the Salesforce.com conference over for dinner and we invited Brian and Joel as well.  Everything turned out and I had a great time.  I didn’t get to bed til very late so it’s gonna be a very sleepy Friday.

Bike Mileage:

Today 23.6 Week to date 108.1 Month to date 434.3 Year to date 5,810.7 To Goal 2,189.3 Over (Under) plan 2.5 YTD Mileage vs Last Year 1,176.5 Rolling Year 6,597.9 Since Inception 10/1/07 39,737.6

Wednesday I came into the office down Market and went to the gym before work.  I headed home for lunch and then went for a nice ride after work.  I headed off Columbus to Stockton and stopped at Washington Square to take some pics.  It was a beautiful day and there were lots of people about:

Pretty Sts Peter and Paul:

I continued on Stockton to North Point to Van Ness to Francisco to Octavia to Greenwich to Lyon and into the Presidio.  I love these beautiful Eastlake(?) homes in the Presidio but wish they were brightly painted:

I headed over to Lincoln and stopped for a pic of Crissy Field:

I continued on Lincoln and stopped at around Kobbe for a pic of Lands End:

I continued on Lincoln into Camino Del Mar to 32nd to Clement to 34th to Cabrillo to 36th and into Golden Gate Park.  I took JFk to Bernice Rodgers to MLK and came out of the park at 9th and took that to Judah to 7th into Laguna Honda to Portola to Corbett and home for dinner.  Everybody was beat so we went to bed early.  Long day.

Bike Mileage:

Today 27.3 Week to date 84.5 Month to date 410.7 Year to date 5,787.1 To Goal 2,212.9 Over (Under) plan 0.8 YTD Mileage vs Last Year 1,152.9 Rolling Year 6,574.3 Since Inception 10/1/07 39,714.0

Tuesday I managed to get in a nice ride before work.  I headed off Corbett to Portola to Woodside to Dewey to Taravel and down to the Coast.  I headed down the Great Highway and stopped at the foot of Sloat for pics of the beach.  They’ve moved in a LOT of sand to shore up the seawall since last I was here:

Those metal crowd control barriers are where the seawall used to be:

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Looking south towards Devil’s Slide:

I continued on the Great Highway to Skyline and stopped for a nice pic of Lake Merced:

I took Skyline to Lake Merced to Fonto to Holloway to Harold to Ocean to Phelan.  I stopped for a pic of the fabulous Benny Bufano sculpture that sits in front of beleaguered City College which is nearly bankrupt and may lose its accreditation.  Say it ain’t so!:

I continued on Phelan to Judson to Gennessee to Hearst to Edna to Monterey to San Jose to Duncan to Valencia to 17th to Kansas to Townsend to 2nd to Market to Sansome and into work.  I’d planned on going to the gym over lunch but I forgot to bring clothes so I headed home instead and then went to the gym after work.  Verdict:  much too crowded then.  After I headed 2nd to Howard which was a huge mistake because the Salesforce conference at Moscone Center has Howard blocked off between 2nd and 3rd so I took Hawthorne to Harrison to 18th.  I stopped for a pic of fabulous Mission High:

I continued on 18th to Douglass to 17th to Ord and home for dinner.  Mr. Poe had to work late again so I was responsible again for feeding both myself and the dogs.  Mr. Poe got home at about 8:30 and we went to bed.  I was beat.

Bike Mileage:

Today 29.5 Week to date 57.2 Month to date 383.4 Year to date 5,759.8 To Goal 2,240.2 Over (Under) plan (4.6) YTD Mileage vs Last Year 1,125.6 Rolling Year 6,547.0 Since Inception 10/1/07 39,686.7

I wasn’t very productive over the weekend.  Saturday all I managed was heading downtown to hang out with Mr. Chris and Russ and then Sunday I didn’t ride and ended up at Costco instead with Mr. Poe.  Ugh.  I need to do better than that.

Monday I came into work early and went to the gym.  I headed home for lunch and then went for a nice ride after work.  I headed off Sutter to Baker to Sacramento to Laurel to Clay to Spruce to Washington and stopped for a pic of one of my favorite views:

This is one of the homes that enjoys that view:

I took Washington to Arguello to Lake to 8th to Cabrillo to Funston and into Golden Gate Park at the Rose Garden.  I haven’t been in a while but I think it hasn’t been a great year for the Rose Garden.  It never really got hot this summer:

I headed over to Stow Lake.  This is the pretty concessions building there.  They just got a new vendor and I think it’s gonna have a lot of new stuff:

I headed over for pics of the pretty Chinese Pavilion:

I headed over to MLK and then made my way down to the South Windmill:

I took La Playa to Irving to the Great Highway to Taravel to Merced and stopped at Hernandez for a pic of Sutro Tower and Laguna Honda Hospital:

I took Hernandez to Laguna Honda to Portola to Corbett to Ord and home for dinner.  Mr. Poe had a late meeting so I had to make dinner for the dogs and us.  It wasn’t fabulous but nobody was poisoned.  Win!

Bike Mileage:

Today 27.7 Week to date 27.7 Month to date 353.9 Year to date 5,730.3 To Goal 2,269.7 Over (Under) plan (12.2) YTD Mileage vs Last Year 1,096.1 Rolling Year 6,517.5 Since Inception 10/1/07 39,657.2

Friday I came in on the train in the morning and then went to the gym before work.  I had lunch at my desk and then went for a nice walk at the end of the day before heading over to get my hair did Union Square. 

This is the pretty redwood grove by the Transamerica Pyramid:

Then I headed over to Telegraph Hill and came up the Filbert Steps:

I headed up to the top of Telegraph Hill and got some nice pics of the Golden Gate:

Then I headed over to Lombard Street:

I walked over Russian Hill to Nob Hill and went into Grace Cathedral which is so very pretty:

They’ve got a Benny Bufano sculpture!  I love his work and the fact that he was a total nutjob.  You can read more about him here:

I’m blown away by the AIDS Interfaith Chapel.  At a time when so many religions are being so hateful and so homophobic, it amazes me to see how progressive the Episcopalians are.  This chapel is not only in the big cathedral in an incredibly prominent place, it has pieces of the quilt in it and an altarpiece either designed by or based on Keith Haring.  It’s amazing:

You know I love me a cloister:

I love love love the Masonic Center:

I don’t know a lot about this frieze but I love it:

The view from Huntington Park:

The Fairmont:

The Flood Mansion:

I headed over to Pastel to get my hair cut with Anthony.  I’ve been going to him pretty much the whole time I’ve lived in San Francisco and I think he’s the greatest.  He took care of my grey hair situation and gave me a haircut and then I headed over to hang out with Nathan.  We drank way too much wine.  That and the fact that I hadn’t eaten dinner meant that I was a complete mess on Muni on the way home.  At one point I got into a conversation with somebody only he wasn’t talking to me and when I finally figured that out I was so incredibly embarrassed.  I hate it when I look like a crazy person but sadly that happens a lot.  I headed home and went to bed.