I'm melting, I'm melting! So as you all know I live in the beach area somewhere in Los Angeles. Well for some reason, someone took away the breeze, and it is unusually and unseasonably hot this week. It was 95 today at my office, it hasn't gotten about 75 all summer. The worst part is really the breeze, or lack thereof. Usually around 4-5 pm there is a fantastic cool breeze that comes through the house and refreshes all the air. Well for some reason that is totally absent today. So our house is totally stagnant =(.
My poor long haired cats are miserable, so I put each of them in the sink in turns and hosed off their tummies. I've never had Loki complain so little about getting wet. He literally meowed 2 times, and they're both looking much more comfortable now that they're able to cool off a little better.
You'll have to excuse me, I'm not able to sit with this laptop on my lap for verylong, IT'S HOT! But tomorrow we are going surfing after work. Period. It's just too damn hot to be in the house!
2010-09-27
2010-09-26
Getting out for the weekend, and spending some dough!
So the plans for this weekend were as follows:
Friday Night - Three Musketeers at the Theatricum Botanicum
Saturday - Surfing in the morning, then some cheese festival in the afternoon
Sunday - Mountain biking on Fullerton Loop
In reality this is what transpired:
Friday
Kiefer and I headed to Costco to pick up 2 extra elite surf boards (the $99 special you know!), and then threw on our gear to ride up to Topenga Canyon on the GSXR. Boy was that a nerve wracking ride! For Kiefer it was because we took every turn up Topenga Canyon Road nice and wide due to my added weight on the back. For me it was the fact that 75% of the road on the way up has what seems to be a trench for some kind of plumbing most likely, that has been filled in with asphalt that has been "smoothed out" with several men with shovels. It was very bumpy, and very scary through a turn in the dark.... We eventually made it to the play (20 min late), but it was fantastic. I happen to love the story behind the Three Musketeers, so I really got into it very quickly. The actors were very good =). Our ride home was MUCH MUCH better, as the downhill side was totally smooth, so we enjoyed a brisk drive through the canyon, and then a nice zippy ride down the fwy (pronounced FWEEEEE) home. We hit the hay right away, as surfing was booked for 8am sharp!
Saturday
So I wake up at the crack of dawn (as always), it's like I don't even need an alarm clock anymore or anything! I prep a tasty breakfast of Cream of Wheat and scrambled eggs + egg whites with salsa (yum!), and we get ready for the salt water. Now, admittedly I was not really looking forward to getting into the water yesterday. It was the first day of shark week, and cold water just sounded really uncomfortable. Plus we didn't have wetsuits...you know? So first we headed to a local surf shop to check out wetsuits. Those fit us okay, but were not really in our price range. Well let me rephrase: Crab didn't like the color (orange), Kiefer was meh (color and fit), and I was not amused by the price ($230). So we convened and decided instead of actually surfing we'd go shop for suits.
We dropped the boards back at our house, and headed out. Sharky Ryzzie was getting grumpy due to lack of food, so when Kiefer suggested going to Sports Authority I was very whiny about them probably not having any, or not having any in the guy's sizes. (Crab needed a LS, Kiefer an MT, I just needed a men's L, so easy there). They had plenty of $100 or less suits, but none of them fit right. I tried some ladies ones on and ended up totally shredding my fingers in the process. I guess the way my fingers were rubbing on the material was just rubbing them raw =( I have those on both hands too. We gave up on SA, and headed out.
Earlier I had mentioned Spyder Surf, but they had been closed. Well it was like 10:30 so they were definitely open now! Crab navigated us there, and we were pleased to see they said "500 wetsuits in stock now!" and something to the effect of "BIG SALE." So the boys piled right in, and I followed along moping because I had booboos. I walked right up to the desk with a sad face and asked if they had bandaids. They guy felt SO sorry for me, and went into the back and got out the first aid kit and got me a couple. After that, he proceeded to help us out big time!
Chris and I ended up getting AWESOME deals on these suits:
Both DEEPLY discounted, and both perfect fits. The guys at Spyder Surf on PCH were SO helpful, and SUPER SUPER nice, so I would recommend going there to ANYONE. They even brought us water while we were trying on our suits, and it was tasty water too. I'm not one to post stickers or promote shamelessly, but they were so helpful, and so nice, and friendly that I KNOW I will do all my surf shopping there from now on. Oh and Crab even got a suit for about $100 which was nice too (also rip curl, but I don't know what brand).
So we headed home for our next event. Well it turns out our buddy, who had selected this event had totally forgotten about it. We were NOT offended at all, considering it's been 100+F all weekend inland, so Kiefer and I decided to stay home. we tried this great pizza place in South Redondo Beach, and it was indeed fancy pants gourmet pizza. The crust even had a tasty flavor and everything! Yum! We also did a fun motorcycle/bike ride (I rode the GSXR, and Kiefer rode his road bike) over to the local Motorsports store, and BevMo! to check out moto-X gear for the season, and pick up some beer to go with the pizza we'd be ordering later. Yum!
We finished up the evening with the end of Seven Samurai. Phew! Long day!
Sunday
My friend from work came over by 8am as planned, so we headed for Fullerton. We pulled up to the Ralphs at 8:58 am, in plenty of time. Everyone showed up on time, and we slathered up with sunscreen, and finished up our last minute adjustments before heading out. Everyone had a great time, even though Crab fell down several times (new clipless + shoes, he just needs more practice). I even took a dive trying to get up a curb. I went up a couple smaller ones before that, but hadn't attempted anything so large before, but I figured I'd give it a go. Well I misjudged and/or was going to slow, so I pulled up (WAAAAAAYYY) too early, and smashed right into the curb instead. Fun times! Didn't fall on my but, but my hands touched the ground nice and solid for sure. I count that as down.
Sean had fun flying down a few hills by skidding sideways, and Crab even took a nice steep hill we were all certain he was going to die on, and did fine (I have videographical proof!). We were hot, Crab tried to pass out from carb crash, and a little over doing it, and I tried to get too hot, but stuck my head in a sink at a bathroom we passed, so we were having fun (despite my complaints, hey someone had to do it!).
Well I was having a BLAST with my new bike. It was great that it has disc brakes, non-twist shifters, front suspension, actually fit me, everything about it was great.
OLD:
NEW:
You can just SEE the awesomeness abound! I love my Cannondale F5. Kiefer was saddened by my GT Palomar, so he showered me with this gift. I asked him to not literally shower me, as I felt the bruising would be very apparent.
Anyhoo!! We're riding along, having a great time, and at about mile 9 I go to shift (on some nice, flat ground) and all of a sudden I hear this sickening CRUNCH as my pedals seize up. Now I figure something's gotten stuck, or the chain's popped off. This kind of thing happens. NONONO. I look down to see that my rear derailleur has completely snapped off.
Yes, that's right, on the inaugural ride of my brand new bike, it broke. Completely snapped off the hanger assembly. I found a nice shaded parking lot to hang out at until they finished the ride, and came to pick me up. After a tasty lunch at Daphne's in Fullerton, we headed home (so my friend from work could take off), and then to Helen's Cycles to see what they could do for my new baby.
They were completely dumbfounded by this break. The guy that sold me my bike was not happy to see me unhappy, and the mechanics were just like WTH how does that happen!?!?! They are going to keep her for the week, and get SRAM to replace it on warranty. They are hoping SRAM will send an upgrade for my troubles. I'm glad to get a free upgrade, but I would have rather finished my ride you know? Le Sigh, oh well, she'll be back soon and I can have more adventures.
I just wanted to ride my damned bike!
Friday Night - Three Musketeers at the Theatricum Botanicum
Saturday - Surfing in the morning, then some cheese festival in the afternoon
Sunday - Mountain biking on Fullerton Loop
In reality this is what transpired:
Friday
Kiefer and I headed to Costco to pick up 2 extra elite surf boards (the $99 special you know!), and then threw on our gear to ride up to Topenga Canyon on the GSXR. Boy was that a nerve wracking ride! For Kiefer it was because we took every turn up Topenga Canyon Road nice and wide due to my added weight on the back. For me it was the fact that 75% of the road on the way up has what seems to be a trench for some kind of plumbing most likely, that has been filled in with asphalt that has been "smoothed out" with several men with shovels. It was very bumpy, and very scary through a turn in the dark.... We eventually made it to the play (20 min late), but it was fantastic. I happen to love the story behind the Three Musketeers, so I really got into it very quickly. The actors were very good =). Our ride home was MUCH MUCH better, as the downhill side was totally smooth, so we enjoyed a brisk drive through the canyon, and then a nice zippy ride down the fwy (pronounced FWEEEEE) home. We hit the hay right away, as surfing was booked for 8am sharp!
Saturday
So I wake up at the crack of dawn (as always), it's like I don't even need an alarm clock anymore or anything! I prep a tasty breakfast of Cream of Wheat and scrambled eggs + egg whites with salsa (yum!), and we get ready for the salt water. Now, admittedly I was not really looking forward to getting into the water yesterday. It was the first day of shark week, and cold water just sounded really uncomfortable. Plus we didn't have wetsuits...you know? So first we headed to a local surf shop to check out wetsuits. Those fit us okay, but were not really in our price range. Well let me rephrase: Crab didn't like the color (orange), Kiefer was meh (color and fit), and I was not amused by the price ($230). So we convened and decided instead of actually surfing we'd go shop for suits.
We dropped the boards back at our house, and headed out. Sharky Ryzzie was getting grumpy due to lack of food, so when Kiefer suggested going to Sports Authority I was very whiny about them probably not having any, or not having any in the guy's sizes. (Crab needed a LS, Kiefer an MT, I just needed a men's L, so easy there). They had plenty of $100 or less suits, but none of them fit right. I tried some ladies ones on and ended up totally shredding my fingers in the process. I guess the way my fingers were rubbing on the material was just rubbing them raw =( I have those on both hands too. We gave up on SA, and headed out.
Earlier I had mentioned Spyder Surf, but they had been closed. Well it was like 10:30 so they were definitely open now! Crab navigated us there, and we were pleased to see they said "500 wetsuits in stock now!" and something to the effect of "BIG SALE." So the boys piled right in, and I followed along moping because I had booboos. I walked right up to the desk with a sad face and asked if they had bandaids. They guy felt SO sorry for me, and went into the back and got out the first aid kit and got me a couple. After that, he proceeded to help us out big time!
Chris and I ended up getting AWESOME deals on these suits:
Both DEEPLY discounted, and both perfect fits. The guys at Spyder Surf on PCH were SO helpful, and SUPER SUPER nice, so I would recommend going there to ANYONE. They even brought us water while we were trying on our suits, and it was tasty water too. I'm not one to post stickers or promote shamelessly, but they were so helpful, and so nice, and friendly that I KNOW I will do all my surf shopping there from now on. Oh and Crab even got a suit for about $100 which was nice too (also rip curl, but I don't know what brand).
So we headed home for our next event. Well it turns out our buddy, who had selected this event had totally forgotten about it. We were NOT offended at all, considering it's been 100+F all weekend inland, so Kiefer and I decided to stay home. we tried this great pizza place in South Redondo Beach, and it was indeed fancy pants gourmet pizza. The crust even had a tasty flavor and everything! Yum! We also did a fun motorcycle/bike ride (I rode the GSXR, and Kiefer rode his road bike) over to the local Motorsports store, and BevMo! to check out moto-X gear for the season, and pick up some beer to go with the pizza we'd be ordering later. Yum!
We finished up the evening with the end of Seven Samurai. Phew! Long day!
Sunday
My friend from work came over by 8am as planned, so we headed for Fullerton. We pulled up to the Ralphs at 8:58 am, in plenty of time. Everyone showed up on time, and we slathered up with sunscreen, and finished up our last minute adjustments before heading out. Everyone had a great time, even though Crab fell down several times (new clipless + shoes, he just needs more practice). I even took a dive trying to get up a curb. I went up a couple smaller ones before that, but hadn't attempted anything so large before, but I figured I'd give it a go. Well I misjudged and/or was going to slow, so I pulled up (WAAAAAAYYY) too early, and smashed right into the curb instead. Fun times! Didn't fall on my but, but my hands touched the ground nice and solid for sure. I count that as down.
Sean had fun flying down a few hills by skidding sideways, and Crab even took a nice steep hill we were all certain he was going to die on, and did fine (I have videographical proof!). We were hot, Crab tried to pass out from carb crash, and a little over doing it, and I tried to get too hot, but stuck my head in a sink at a bathroom we passed, so we were having fun (despite my complaints, hey someone had to do it!).
Well I was having a BLAST with my new bike. It was great that it has disc brakes, non-twist shifters, front suspension, actually fit me, everything about it was great.
OLD:
NEW:
Anyhoo!! We're riding along, having a great time, and at about mile 9 I go to shift (on some nice, flat ground) and all of a sudden I hear this sickening CRUNCH as my pedals seize up. Now I figure something's gotten stuck, or the chain's popped off. This kind of thing happens. NONONO. I look down to see that my rear derailleur has completely snapped off.
They were completely dumbfounded by this break. The guy that sold me my bike was not happy to see me unhappy, and the mechanics were just like WTH how does that happen!?!?! They are going to keep her for the week, and get SRAM to replace it on warranty. They are hoping SRAM will send an upgrade for my troubles. I'm glad to get a free upgrade, but I would have rather finished my ride you know? Le Sigh, oh well, she'll be back soon and I can have more adventures.
I just wanted to ride my damned bike!
2010-09-24
Veggie Night - Teriyaki Tofu with Garlic Broccoli on Brown Rice
I have been inspired by my friends to make this weekly post. Several people have mentioned to me that they are adding a "Vegetarian Night" to their weekly meal plan. I am so proud of all of you! Having a vegetarian night is a great way to add some really healthy food to your diet. Many of you have asked me for recipes and meal ideas, and I thought that posting them here would be a great way for me to share them with you!
Tonight I'm going to tell you how to make The following extra tasty meal:
Teriyaki Tofu with garlic broccoli served on brown rice.
NOTE: This recipe serves 3
Ingredient List
1 package Firm Tofu
1 head of broccoli, fresh*
3 to 6 cloves of garlic
Olive Oil
Sesame Oil
1/4 c. Soy Sauce
1/4 c. Mirin**
2 tbsp. Rice Vinegar
1/4 c. Worcestershire Sauce
Brown Rice, prepared per packaging
All of these can be found at your local Asian Grocer, and are great to have for other asian themed dishes, or even tasty salad dressings!
*Frozen broccoli typically has excess moisture on it. You would need to thaw and drain frozen broccoli, but the likelihood of splattering is VERY high.
**For reduced sugar teriyaki please substitute your favorite powder or liquid sweetener for the Mirin. I recommend preparing the teriyaki sauce first, then sweetening to taste after it is prepared.
Teriyaki Tofu
1. Slice Drained and Pressed tofu into large pieces (about the size of a card deck). Set aside.
2. Sautee on high heat 1 to 3 cloves of Diced or press garlic in approximately 2 tbsp. of olive oil and 1/2 tsp of Sesame Oil. Do not allow the oil to smoke.
3. Reduce heat to low, and allow to cool slightly.
4. In a small bowl combine soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar and 1 tbsp Sesame oil. Carefully add to the frying pan.
5. Heat the sauce until it begins to simmer, then gently lay the sliced tofu in the sauce. Continue cooking on low to medium heat, turning tofu over once it is darkened on the under side. Remove from pan when darkened on both sides, and warmed through (the darkness is from the sauce being absorbed).
6. Increase the burner to med heat, and reduce the sauce remaining in the pan for approximately 2 min. Be careful not to scorch, and stir constantly.
Set Tofu and Teriyaki Sauce aside.
Garlic Broccoli
1. Without discarding the stem slice rinsed broccoli into sixths lengthwise.
2. Sautee 1 to 3 cloves of diced or pressed garlic on high heat in approximately 2 tbsp. of olive oil and 1 tsp of sesame oil. Do not allow the oil to smoke.
3. Carefully add the broccoli to the oil. Reduce heat to medium. Sautee broccoli, turning over occasionally until the color changes to a BRIGHT green, and the stalk begins to soften (test with a fork). Cooked broccoli should still be firm, and not mushy at all, but easy to skewer with a fork.
Serve Tofu and Broccoli over a bed of brown rice and drizzle your homemade sauce over the top.
As always READ THE INGREDIENTS of what you buy, and be portion conscious.
Ryzzie takes no responsibility for assuring reader(s)'s cooking skill, or the quality of reader(s)'s cooking equipment or appliances. Please be sure to follow all manufacturer's directions, and do not leave your stove unattended at any time. Keep a fire extinguisher rated for grease fires in your kitchen in an easily accessible place at all times, and regularly check the batteries on smoke and fire detectors. Cooking can be dangerous, so please be careful! Knives are always sharp, and stoves are always hot.
Tonight I'm going to tell you how to make The following extra tasty meal:
Teriyaki Tofu with garlic broccoli served on brown rice.
NOTE: This recipe serves 3
Ingredient List
1 package Firm Tofu
1 head of broccoli, fresh*
3 to 6 cloves of garlic
Olive Oil
Sesame Oil
1/4 c. Soy Sauce
1/4 c. Mirin**
2 tbsp. Rice Vinegar
1/4 c. Worcestershire Sauce
Brown Rice, prepared per packaging
All of these can be found at your local Asian Grocer, and are great to have for other asian themed dishes, or even tasty salad dressings!
*Frozen broccoli typically has excess moisture on it. You would need to thaw and drain frozen broccoli, but the likelihood of splattering is VERY high.
**For reduced sugar teriyaki please substitute your favorite powder or liquid sweetener for the Mirin. I recommend preparing the teriyaki sauce first, then sweetening to taste after it is prepared.
Teriyaki Tofu
1. Slice Drained and Pressed tofu into large pieces (about the size of a card deck). Set aside.
2. Sautee on high heat 1 to 3 cloves of Diced or press garlic in approximately 2 tbsp. of olive oil and 1/2 tsp of Sesame Oil. Do not allow the oil to smoke.
3. Reduce heat to low, and allow to cool slightly.
4. In a small bowl combine soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar and 1 tbsp Sesame oil. Carefully add to the frying pan.
5. Heat the sauce until it begins to simmer, then gently lay the sliced tofu in the sauce. Continue cooking on low to medium heat, turning tofu over once it is darkened on the under side. Remove from pan when darkened on both sides, and warmed through (the darkness is from the sauce being absorbed).
6. Increase the burner to med heat, and reduce the sauce remaining in the pan for approximately 2 min. Be careful not to scorch, and stir constantly.
Set Tofu and Teriyaki Sauce aside.
Garlic Broccoli
1. Without discarding the stem slice rinsed broccoli into sixths lengthwise.
2. Sautee 1 to 3 cloves of diced or pressed garlic on high heat in approximately 2 tbsp. of olive oil and 1 tsp of sesame oil. Do not allow the oil to smoke.
3. Carefully add the broccoli to the oil. Reduce heat to medium. Sautee broccoli, turning over occasionally until the color changes to a BRIGHT green, and the stalk begins to soften (test with a fork). Cooked broccoli should still be firm, and not mushy at all, but easy to skewer with a fork.
Serve Tofu and Broccoli over a bed of brown rice and drizzle your homemade sauce over the top.
As always READ THE INGREDIENTS of what you buy, and be portion conscious.
Ryzzie takes no responsibility for assuring reader(s)'s cooking skill, or the quality of reader(s)'s cooking equipment or appliances. Please be sure to follow all manufacturer's directions, and do not leave your stove unattended at any time. Keep a fire extinguisher rated for grease fires in your kitchen in an easily accessible place at all times, and regularly check the batteries on smoke and fire detectors. Cooking can be dangerous, so please be careful! Knives are always sharp, and stoves are always hot.
2010-09-23
Bonelli Park MTB ride
After the grueling ride at Schabarum Park it was Ryzzie's turn to pick a venue to go biking. Since we had Katie for the weekend, it was decided to go somewhere she has ridden before and therefore could easily keep up. This time around it was Bonelli Park in San Dimas.
The full crew consisted of me, Ryzzie, Katie, Gary, Stephen, my dad, Sean and his friend Curt. My dad was the first to arrive with Gary arriving shortly thereafter. We caught up with them just after 8:30 AM, our scheduled meeting time. While I was pulling the bikes out of the truck, Stephen, Sean and Curt magically appeared all at once! We spent a few minutes checking out everyone else's bikes while Katie got warmed up in the parking lot. Stephen had just picked up a new full suspension bike at Jax and was the envy of the group.
Rides
My climbing technique has improved since I first started, and I can tell because I'm not wheelie-ing up the hill nor spinning the rear tire excessively. Once we reassembled at the halfway point up the grade, we wanted to try some downhill. Right away Sean found a small steep singletrack that lead down to the paved road we just came from. It was unanimously decided he would get to go first. The first corner leading down the path was sharp and sandy (which is never good) and it tossed him off. He got up again and started down the steep path. The last thing we saw was Sean flying through the air! He got bucked hard by a bump in the middle of the hill. We yelled to see if he was alright, to which he yelled an affirmative. I chased after him down the hill (very slowly with my foot down half the time). Gary followed and finally Stephen walked his bike down half of the hill. Curt took the easy way out and went back the way we came!
After tending to our wounds and bruised egos, we headed back to find the rest of the group. Ryzzie and Katie were playing on the swing set in the park, but my dad was nowhere to be seen. I took off with Gary to go find him. After completing a full loop of the park I went back to the car to grab my phone in case he called. Eventually we found each other and talked about our respective trail rides. He had climbed up the entire hill and took a lot of pics with his phone. However that ride took all his energy and he was ready to head home.
I get back to the group to discover Sean has been plowing new trails again. Curt had caught the whole downhill Superman nut buster on video (but it was taken a bit far away). Sean took to the restroom to ensure he was still a man (spoiler: he was).
We packed up the bikes, bid farewell to Sean, Curt and my dad then headed for Red Robin and InCycle. Never before have I seen such an awesome bike shop! We spent a full hour there without getting bored. They even had a cat named Dog! Stephen bought a pair of really nice Sidi mountain biking shoes while the rest of us managed to hide our wallets and escaped without spending a dime! Good times :)
The full crew consisted of me, Ryzzie, Katie, Gary, Stephen, my dad, Sean and his friend Curt. My dad was the first to arrive with Gary arriving shortly thereafter. We caught up with them just after 8:30 AM, our scheduled meeting time. While I was pulling the bikes out of the truck, Stephen, Sean and Curt magically appeared all at once! We spent a few minutes checking out everyone else's bikes while Katie got warmed up in the parking lot. Stephen had just picked up a new full suspension bike at Jax and was the envy of the group.
Rides
- Ryzzie - Red Monster
- Me - Gary Fisher Mamba
- Katie - Specialized Hotrock
- Gary - INTENSE Uzzi
- Stephen - Trek Fuel EX 5
- Jim - Diamondback Response
- Sean - Kona Lana'i
- Curt - We couldn't see his bike because it was camouflaged
My climbing technique has improved since I first started, and I can tell because I'm not wheelie-ing up the hill nor spinning the rear tire excessively. Once we reassembled at the halfway point up the grade, we wanted to try some downhill. Right away Sean found a small steep singletrack that lead down to the paved road we just came from. It was unanimously decided he would get to go first. The first corner leading down the path was sharp and sandy (which is never good) and it tossed him off. He got up again and started down the steep path. The last thing we saw was Sean flying through the air! He got bucked hard by a bump in the middle of the hill. We yelled to see if he was alright, to which he yelled an affirmative. I chased after him down the hill (very slowly with my foot down half the time). Gary followed and finally Stephen walked his bike down half of the hill. Curt took the easy way out and went back the way we came!
After tending to our wounds and bruised egos, we headed back to find the rest of the group. Ryzzie and Katie were playing on the swing set in the park, but my dad was nowhere to be seen. I took off with Gary to go find him. After completing a full loop of the park I went back to the car to grab my phone in case he called. Eventually we found each other and talked about our respective trail rides. He had climbed up the entire hill and took a lot of pics with his phone. However that ride took all his energy and he was ready to head home.
I get back to the group to discover Sean has been plowing new trails again. Curt had caught the whole downhill Superman nut buster on video (but it was taken a bit far away). Sean took to the restroom to ensure he was still a man (spoiler: he was).
We packed up the bikes, bid farewell to Sean, Curt and my dad then headed for Red Robin and InCycle. Never before have I seen such an awesome bike shop! We spent a full hour there without getting bored. They even had a cat named Dog! Stephen bought a pair of really nice Sidi mountain biking shoes while the rest of us managed to hide our wallets and escaped without spending a dime! Good times :)
2010-09-20
Fun Weekend of Fun - Part 1: Thursday and Friday
This one is going to come in installments again, because I don't like spamming a tl;dr post to my readers!
Thursday mostly consisted of nothing exciting. Rode to work, rode home....EXCEPT that on my way home some GUY decided to try to run me off the road. This is my first encounter with it, and I was totally taken by surprise. We were at a 4 way stop, and I have a bad habit at this particular intersection of creeping up and passing people. This one guy had his right indicator on, so I figured I'd pass him on the left. I'd done it before, and no one really minds because I turn left right away anyway. Well this guy got SOOOOO mad that he decided to forgo turning right in order to chase me down. REALLY GUY?!?!? REALLY?!!?! So I couldn't make my usual left turn, and had to keep going straight for about a mile (there are a set of culdesacs between that street I wanted to turn on, and the next through street).
Over the course of that mile he tried to pass me on the left 3 times (the lane is VERY narrow, and there were 2 cars in front of me....that I was keeping up with just fine) despite the fact that there was oncoming traffic each time. Then he tried to run me off the road, so I finally blasted past him at a stop sign and made the next possible left while he was still accelerating. he seemed to back off as soon as I made my left turn hand signal, but if he hadn't I would have just taken the next right. CRAZY SOB!
So I get every other Friday off (as I've stated before), and I usually like to stay home and relax, catch up on chores and that kind of thing, then pick up my daughter early from school. Well Kiefer woke up with a "crick" in his neck, so he called in sick. We relaxed in the morning, and then headed to the mall to do some shopping. I have a love for sweaters that I cannot explain, and I have a mighty need to replenish my collection, since my favorite sweater got shrunk in the wash on accident.
Shopping was not exciting, didn't find any good sweaters (too early for southern california), so we decided to go check out some mountain bikes! Kiefer feels very bad for me when I have to use my all steel solid frame (no suspension whatsoever) rim-brakes mountain bike. Here is a poem that I composed about how it makes him feel:
Ryzzie's Mountain Bike Makes Kiefer Sad
It does not want
to go up the hill
so I push it
it is heavy.
He does not like
to see me walk
when everyone else can ride.
It does not want
to stop going down
so I go slow
it is scary.
He does not like
to see me crawl
when everyone else can go.
It does not want
to be picked up
so I struggle
to pick it up
I hit my head.
He does not like
to see me fail
when everyone else can do.
There we go! What a lovely poem! And no, I totally do not take that seriously, but I sure do think it's fun!
So we went to Performance Bikes and REI before we got burnt out on bike shops, then headed home. That was when we found out Kiefer's dad had secured us free tickets to a special event at Knott's Berry Farm!!! How exciting! So we picked up my daughter from school and got ready to go. We totally surprised her with our destination, and were surprised ourselves to discover that it was free parking (always a nice treat).
My daughter got to ride on Montezuma's Revenge and Boomerang (both rides with loops) for the first time, and had a BLAST! I was so glad to have so much fun with her, Kiefer and Kiefer's Dad and sister. We had a great time!
Thursday mostly consisted of nothing exciting. Rode to work, rode home....EXCEPT that on my way home some GUY decided to try to run me off the road. This is my first encounter with it, and I was totally taken by surprise. We were at a 4 way stop, and I have a bad habit at this particular intersection of creeping up and passing people. This one guy had his right indicator on, so I figured I'd pass him on the left. I'd done it before, and no one really minds because I turn left right away anyway. Well this guy got SOOOOO mad that he decided to forgo turning right in order to chase me down. REALLY GUY?!?!? REALLY?!!?! So I couldn't make my usual left turn, and had to keep going straight for about a mile (there are a set of culdesacs between that street I wanted to turn on, and the next through street).
Over the course of that mile he tried to pass me on the left 3 times (the lane is VERY narrow, and there were 2 cars in front of me....that I was keeping up with just fine) despite the fact that there was oncoming traffic each time. Then he tried to run me off the road, so I finally blasted past him at a stop sign and made the next possible left while he was still accelerating. he seemed to back off as soon as I made my left turn hand signal, but if he hadn't I would have just taken the next right. CRAZY SOB!
So I get every other Friday off (as I've stated before), and I usually like to stay home and relax, catch up on chores and that kind of thing, then pick up my daughter early from school. Well Kiefer woke up with a "crick" in his neck, so he called in sick. We relaxed in the morning, and then headed to the mall to do some shopping. I have a love for sweaters that I cannot explain, and I have a mighty need to replenish my collection, since my favorite sweater got shrunk in the wash on accident.
Shopping was not exciting, didn't find any good sweaters (too early for southern california), so we decided to go check out some mountain bikes! Kiefer feels very bad for me when I have to use my all steel solid frame (no suspension whatsoever) rim-brakes mountain bike. Here is a poem that I composed about how it makes him feel:
Ryzzie's Mountain Bike Makes Kiefer Sad
It does not want
to go up the hill
so I push it
it is heavy.
He does not like
to see me walk
when everyone else can ride.
It does not want
to stop going down
so I go slow
it is scary.
He does not like
to see me crawl
when everyone else can go.
It does not want
to be picked up
so I struggle
to pick it up
I hit my head.
He does not like
to see me fail
when everyone else can do.
There we go! What a lovely poem! And no, I totally do not take that seriously, but I sure do think it's fun!
So we went to Performance Bikes and REI before we got burnt out on bike shops, then headed home. That was when we found out Kiefer's dad had secured us free tickets to a special event at Knott's Berry Farm!!! How exciting! So we picked up my daughter from school and got ready to go. We totally surprised her with our destination, and were surprised ourselves to discover that it was free parking (always a nice treat).
My daughter got to ride on Montezuma's Revenge and Boomerang (both rides with loops) for the first time, and had a BLAST! I was so glad to have so much fun with her, Kiefer and Kiefer's Dad and sister. We had a great time!
2010-09-14
Dear fellow cyclist commuter,
You do not have a name, but you know who you are. I like you. I don't know you at all, but I like you. Why? Because we have something in common, and it's something I happen to be rather passionate about. I will always smile and say hi to you. I will ask how your ride is, not to make small talk because I don't like the sound of quiet, but because you might have some genuine advice or some good commentary. Maybe you need to gripe about the guy who just cut you off, because "yeah I can't believe he did that either! What a jerk!!!"
I check out your ride, and your gear, and note what I like, and what seems to be effective so that I might get a better idea of how effective various safety gear can be.
I respect you. I respect that you choose to ride your bike, but I also respect you as I respect any other human being. I will always say excuse me, and please and thank you. I will not cut you off, or swear at you, or yell at you. I treat you the way I wish to be treated, so you can feel the way I do when someone is genuinely nice you me. I want to share with you. Like I said...I like you.
So why do you feel compelled to be rude to me? Sure many of us have a difference of opinion when it comes to street riding tactic. I will not dispute this. I, however (as high and mighty as this statement is) will not tell you what to do. If you want to ride on the side walk, as much as it grates on my soul, go ahead. Despite the fact that you are LESS visible to vehicles exiting driveways, and MORE likely to run over a pedestrian, I respect the very idea that you might not be comfortable with cars passing you at +30mph relative to your speed. I'm not you, so I can't knock it.
Why do you have to pick on me for riding in the center of the lane on narrow streets? If the lane width permits (i.e. car width + bike width+3 feet <= lane width) I will ride along the side. I do not want to be "that guy" unnecessarily holding up traffic. HOWEVER, my research shows conclusively that if lane width does not permit (i.e. car width+bike width+3 feet >= lane width) it is UNSAFE to ride on the side of the lane. This is called Vehicular Cycling and even my own personal observation is that if I ride in the center of the lane, drivers respect me as a fellow, albeit slow in some cases, driver. They pass by changing lanes fully, and change lanes again in front of me. There is no aggression, it is just driving.
When I ride on the shoulder, they try to pass me with as little room as possible. This not only makes me feel uncomfortable, but is extremely dangerous. As a cyclist I have no escape path, and as a motorcyclist I know this is inherently wrong. Choosing to put myself in this situation is like taking a gamble. I'm not a gambling woman, and I'm not willing to put my life on the line for that bet, because the odds are NOT in my favor.
Finally, when you tell me "you're asking for it" inferring to me asking to be hit by a motorist while riding in the center lane, I am flabbergasted. When you say things like this I am so affronted that those words crossed your lips without being met at the mental threshold by your censorship mechanism, that I find myself speechless. To me, saying that, is like saying a woman is asking to be raped by wearing a short skirt. I like to wear short skirts, I do NOT wish to be raped. I don't wish that upon anyone, and I don't want to get hit by a car, nor do I want you to get hit by a car because you ride on the sidewalk. This is not a logical argument as to why I should not continue my riding habits as is.
I am telling you this because I like you. I feel a sense of camaraderie when I ride with you, whether you pass me, I pass you, or we ride along side for a few blocks. I consider us to all be in a club together, and I will continue to do my best to be supportive of you when I ride, and aware of you when I drive. I will still stop to help you with a flat, or a band aid. All I ask is that you respect me too.
Cordially,
Ryzzie
PS I know that for every vocal person there are hundreds who would never think to say something like what has been said to me. I know you are out there, and I love you too! Keep riding!
I check out your ride, and your gear, and note what I like, and what seems to be effective so that I might get a better idea of how effective various safety gear can be.
I respect you. I respect that you choose to ride your bike, but I also respect you as I respect any other human being. I will always say excuse me, and please and thank you. I will not cut you off, or swear at you, or yell at you. I treat you the way I wish to be treated, so you can feel the way I do when someone is genuinely nice you me. I want to share with you. Like I said...I like you.
So why do you feel compelled to be rude to me? Sure many of us have a difference of opinion when it comes to street riding tactic. I will not dispute this. I, however (as high and mighty as this statement is) will not tell you what to do. If you want to ride on the side walk, as much as it grates on my soul, go ahead. Despite the fact that you are LESS visible to vehicles exiting driveways, and MORE likely to run over a pedestrian, I respect the very idea that you might not be comfortable with cars passing you at +30mph relative to your speed. I'm not you, so I can't knock it.
Why do you have to pick on me for riding in the center of the lane on narrow streets? If the lane width permits (i.e. car width + bike width+3 feet <= lane width) I will ride along the side. I do not want to be "that guy" unnecessarily holding up traffic. HOWEVER, my research shows conclusively that if lane width does not permit (i.e. car width+bike width+3 feet >= lane width) it is UNSAFE to ride on the side of the lane. This is called Vehicular Cycling and even my own personal observation is that if I ride in the center of the lane, drivers respect me as a fellow, albeit slow in some cases, driver. They pass by changing lanes fully, and change lanes again in front of me. There is no aggression, it is just driving.
When I ride on the shoulder, they try to pass me with as little room as possible. This not only makes me feel uncomfortable, but is extremely dangerous. As a cyclist I have no escape path, and as a motorcyclist I know this is inherently wrong. Choosing to put myself in this situation is like taking a gamble. I'm not a gambling woman, and I'm not willing to put my life on the line for that bet, because the odds are NOT in my favor.
Finally, when you tell me "you're asking for it" inferring to me asking to be hit by a motorist while riding in the center lane, I am flabbergasted. When you say things like this I am so affronted that those words crossed your lips without being met at the mental threshold by your censorship mechanism, that I find myself speechless. To me, saying that, is like saying a woman is asking to be raped by wearing a short skirt. I like to wear short skirts, I do NOT wish to be raped. I don't wish that upon anyone, and I don't want to get hit by a car, nor do I want you to get hit by a car because you ride on the sidewalk. This is not a logical argument as to why I should not continue my riding habits as is.
I am telling you this because I like you. I feel a sense of camaraderie when I ride with you, whether you pass me, I pass you, or we ride along side for a few blocks. I consider us to all be in a club together, and I will continue to do my best to be supportive of you when I ride, and aware of you when I drive. I will still stop to help you with a flat, or a band aid. All I ask is that you respect me too.
Cordially,
Ryzzie
PS I know that for every vocal person there are hundreds who would never think to say something like what has been said to me. I know you are out there, and I love you too! Keep riding!
2010-09-13
Extreme Mountain Biking!
So for Saturday September 11th, we all decided upon going mountain biking in Rowland Heights at Schabarum Park. Well to be exact, it was my idea but Sean picked the venue.
Ryzzie and I leave pack up the bikes and leave around 7 AM to be at the meeting spot around 8 AM. After an easy Saturday morning drive we arrive at our destination, which was altered slightly due to the fact that the park charges $6 for parking (but Starbucks is free!). We call up Stephen only to discover he is just getting ready to leave. Facepalm...
To kill time we decided to go find the trailhead so we could start right away when Stephen & Shannon arrived. After a short ride up the main street of the park, the GPS was telling us we were running parallel to the track. Time to turn around. Sean asks a police officer where the equestrian center is (one of the stops along our trail). The officer directs us to some place miles away, so we ignore his directions and go up a short hill blocked by a gate. Several soccer games are going on in the grassy field so we tread lightly. Eventually Sean finds the trailhead hidden by some brush and trees. Now that we know where to start, we head back to collect our friends.
By now the Crabneys had arrived in their monster mobile (Shannon's truck from work, a full sized 2500 HD with 8 foot bed). We spent a short amount of time oogling the expensive rental bikes, while I tried my hand at doing stoppies on them. Very fun! Shannon had to get her biking legs ready so we cruised around the parking lot for a bit. After about 15 minutes, we were ready to attack the trail.
Our congregation met up around the trailhead and stared at the steepness of it. Right away Sean, Ryzzie & Shannon decided they were not going to attempt it and walked their bikes to the top. Stephen and I wanted to give our best effort. He made it about 50 foot before finally stopping and pushing his bike up the hill. I was making a good climb but ran into problems. If I leaned too far forward, I would loose traction in the back and the rear wheel would spin. If I leaned too far back, I would wheelie the bike and couldn't steer. The latter problem manifested itself and I was attacked by some vicious tree branches. Eventually I too lost power and had to push it up. Talk about a heroic beginning to a group MTB ride :P
Once we were at the top of that first hill, we found a really easy hardpack trail. This trail led on for about a mile to the equestrian center where I made a wrong turn (due to my GPS unit accidentally getting turned off). After some coaxing of the GPS unit, we found the correct loop (hidden behind some fences and trees of course). This is where the real fun started.
The elevation gain was brutal. Roughly 700 feet in less than a mile. We stopped every couple hundred yards to catch our breath. Eventually we were greeted with a very good view of the valley (mmmmm....SMOG). We climbed for another 30 minutes or so before deciding we had enough. The hill just kept going and we were gassed.
After yelling and screaming "Who picked this trail?!" we turned around and headed back down the hill. Here's where the real thrill of mountain biking comes in! AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! Barreling down the hill we yelled ahead to any hikers that we were coming. Sean mostly yelled "AAAAHHHH NO BRAKES!!!" I fell over on a switchback because my rear tire nudged a rock the wrong way.
At the bottom we waited for the girls to catch up. It was concluded that the downhill segment was the ultimate in badassery. I stole Stephen's bike for a bit to perform some more stoppies. The girls finally arrived (after navigating around some horses) and we headed for the park exit.
We all packed up the bikes, tended to our sore muscles and headed to Souplanation for some tasty noms.
Ryzzie and I leave pack up the bikes and leave around 7 AM to be at the meeting spot around 8 AM. After an easy Saturday morning drive we arrive at our destination, which was altered slightly due to the fact that the park charges $6 for parking (but Starbucks is free!). We call up Stephen only to discover he is just getting ready to leave. Facepalm...
To kill time we decided to go find the trailhead so we could start right away when Stephen & Shannon arrived. After a short ride up the main street of the park, the GPS was telling us we were running parallel to the track. Time to turn around. Sean asks a police officer where the equestrian center is (one of the stops along our trail). The officer directs us to some place miles away, so we ignore his directions and go up a short hill blocked by a gate. Several soccer games are going on in the grassy field so we tread lightly. Eventually Sean finds the trailhead hidden by some brush and trees. Now that we know where to start, we head back to collect our friends.
By now the Crabneys had arrived in their monster mobile (Shannon's truck from work, a full sized 2500 HD with 8 foot bed). We spent a short amount of time oogling the expensive rental bikes, while I tried my hand at doing stoppies on them. Very fun! Shannon had to get her biking legs ready so we cruised around the parking lot for a bit. After about 15 minutes, we were ready to attack the trail.
Our congregation met up around the trailhead and stared at the steepness of it. Right away Sean, Ryzzie & Shannon decided they were not going to attempt it and walked their bikes to the top. Stephen and I wanted to give our best effort. He made it about 50 foot before finally stopping and pushing his bike up the hill. I was making a good climb but ran into problems. If I leaned too far forward, I would loose traction in the back and the rear wheel would spin. If I leaned too far back, I would wheelie the bike and couldn't steer. The latter problem manifested itself and I was attacked by some vicious tree branches. Eventually I too lost power and had to push it up. Talk about a heroic beginning to a group MTB ride :P
Once we were at the top of that first hill, we found a really easy hardpack trail. This trail led on for about a mile to the equestrian center where I made a wrong turn (due to my GPS unit accidentally getting turned off). After some coaxing of the GPS unit, we found the correct loop (hidden behind some fences and trees of course). This is where the real fun started.
The elevation gain was brutal. Roughly 700 feet in less than a mile. We stopped every couple hundred yards to catch our breath. Eventually we were greeted with a very good view of the valley (mmmmm....SMOG). We climbed for another 30 minutes or so before deciding we had enough. The hill just kept going and we were gassed.
After yelling and screaming "Who picked this trail?!" we turned around and headed back down the hill. Here's where the real thrill of mountain biking comes in! AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! Barreling down the hill we yelled ahead to any hikers that we were coming. Sean mostly yelled "AAAAHHHH NO BRAKES!!!" I fell over on a switchback because my rear tire nudged a rock the wrong way.
At the bottom we waited for the girls to catch up. It was concluded that the downhill segment was the ultimate in badassery. I stole Stephen's bike for a bit to perform some more stoppies. The girls finally arrived (after navigating around some horses) and we headed for the park exit.
We all packed up the bikes, tended to our sore muscles and headed to Souplanation for some tasty noms.
2010-09-10
2010-09-09
Riding in the rain...here I come!
So it drizzled on me a little on my way to work yesterday morning. This got me thinking that I really need to prep for rain. Fortunately for me I got a $50 recognition reward from work (in the form of a giftcertificates.com certificate) which I am going to redeem at REI for rain gear. Rain gear must include some kind of backpack cover to protect my work clothes & shoes in my bag, and preferably something to cover my head so I don't get completely wet hair. I don't really care if I get my workout clothes drenched, that's what plastic bags are for. I'll just have to remember to keep an ultra absorbant towel to roll my clothes in to get out the moisture. laundry rack in the office...not to professional, but hey, it's a CUBICLE...it's not exactly a meeting facility for executives!
We totally skipped pool night last night, in lieu of convincing Chris to just get a membership at 24 hour fitness. $3/week x 4 weeks in a month is $24/mo (for the two of us) and we only get to use the pool 1 day per week. Time to upgrade! One of our local gyms has a lap pool, and membership is WAAAY less per month. I paid about $600 up front for 3 years (That's roughly $17/mo for 3 years) with an annual renewal of $49/year thereafter (that's $4/mo). Ultra cheap! (This means I'm not paying anything right now....except extra fees to go to that other pool, which I'll admit is really nice)
I think we'll check that out sometime this week. Meanwhile I got new upgrades for my bike! Ok, so they weren't NEW but they're new to ME!! I got a 6503 Ultegra groupset. Woot! Triple in the front, 9 in the back, new brakes/pads, grip tape the whole kit & caboodle!! My bike is a nice bike now (before he had Sora parts)! We're going for another ride this weekend on Sunday, and more mountain biking to come on Saturday. I wish I could get Kiefer to blog about his adventures. Yesterday he rode to a bike shop near his work to check out mountain bike rentals for our friend.
Many adventures ahead!
We totally skipped pool night last night, in lieu of convincing Chris to just get a membership at 24 hour fitness. $3/week x 4 weeks in a month is $24/mo (for the two of us) and we only get to use the pool 1 day per week. Time to upgrade! One of our local gyms has a lap pool, and membership is WAAAY less per month. I paid about $600 up front for 3 years (That's roughly $17/mo for 3 years) with an annual renewal of $49/year thereafter (that's $4/mo). Ultra cheap! (This means I'm not paying anything right now....except extra fees to go to that other pool, which I'll admit is really nice)
I think we'll check that out sometime this week. Meanwhile I got new upgrades for my bike! Ok, so they weren't NEW but they're new to ME!! I got a 6503 Ultegra groupset. Woot! Triple in the front, 9 in the back, new brakes/pads, grip tape the whole kit & caboodle!! My bike is a nice bike now (before he had Sora parts)! We're going for another ride this weekend on Sunday, and more mountain biking to come on Saturday. I wish I could get Kiefer to blog about his adventures. Yesterday he rode to a bike shop near his work to check out mountain bike rentals for our friend.
Many adventures ahead!
2010-09-02
Swimming etc....feeling sickly
I don't know, today for some reason I just don't feel....right. In fact it started last night when I got home from work. That ride just took everything out of me. We went to the pool but I felt like I was just kindof there, swimming laps, and going, but not really into it. Maybe I was a little chillier than I thought on the ride home. Out here by the beach things are cooling down in the evenings with the fog & marine layer. Time to invest in some leggings and perhaps one of those ultra visible yellow jackets.
Speaking of which! some random cyclist guy came up and started telling me I was riding wrong. Not my technique, but my behavior. Well I ride the way I do for a reason. I take up my full lane, because rather than giving me 3' of clearance like they are supposed to, most drivers just give me 3", and that is not enough for me. If it is a wide street, I will ride on the side, so we both have enough room to ride safely. I pay taxes just the same as them, and I'm going to ride on the road. he's like "oh I've been rear ended before blah blah blah" and I am thinking "well I've been nearly knocked off my bike several times by motorists." Yes I ride a little differently. Probably from riding motorcycles around first, but it seems to work. People pass me just fine, and I'm okay with that. They typically get fully into their lane before going around me, and give me plenty of room. Sure there's the odd jerk-face that can't WAIT to get to the next stop sign before me, despite the fact that I'm going to overtake them again and again at each subsequent stop sign. Yes people are crazy, but I feel like it keeps me sharp. I have to pay attention to the road when I'm riding, so I don't get distracted by stress, or worry about things. It's really nice.
Speaking of riding, Sunday Kiefer and I had our first group ride with a local cycling club. It went really well, and I'm quite proud of myself. We did a big hill, and had a great time! Ok so the hill was big to me (up in Rancho Palos Verdes) and I thought I was going to quit a few times going up, but I held on, and persevered. 21 miles approximately all in all.
We also all rode our bikes to the Grocery store on Tuesday. Me, Kiefer and my daughter. It was lots of fun, and a bit of a challenge for her, but she did it, and she was super proud of herself. I just need to get her confidence at starting from a stop up so we can raise her seat higher, then she'll have an easier time of the hills.
A good active week so far!
Speaking of which! some random cyclist guy came up and started telling me I was riding wrong. Not my technique, but my behavior. Well I ride the way I do for a reason. I take up my full lane, because rather than giving me 3' of clearance like they are supposed to, most drivers just give me 3", and that is not enough for me. If it is a wide street, I will ride on the side, so we both have enough room to ride safely. I pay taxes just the same as them, and I'm going to ride on the road. he's like "oh I've been rear ended before blah blah blah" and I am thinking "well I've been nearly knocked off my bike several times by motorists." Yes I ride a little differently. Probably from riding motorcycles around first, but it seems to work. People pass me just fine, and I'm okay with that. They typically get fully into their lane before going around me, and give me plenty of room. Sure there's the odd jerk-face that can't WAIT to get to the next stop sign before me, despite the fact that I'm going to overtake them again and again at each subsequent stop sign. Yes people are crazy, but I feel like it keeps me sharp. I have to pay attention to the road when I'm riding, so I don't get distracted by stress, or worry about things. It's really nice.
Speaking of riding, Sunday Kiefer and I had our first group ride with a local cycling club. It went really well, and I'm quite proud of myself. We did a big hill, and had a great time! Ok so the hill was big to me (up in Rancho Palos Verdes) and I thought I was going to quit a few times going up, but I held on, and persevered. 21 miles approximately all in all.
We also all rode our bikes to the Grocery store on Tuesday. Me, Kiefer and my daughter. It was lots of fun, and a bit of a challenge for her, but she did it, and she was super proud of herself. I just need to get her confidence at starting from a stop up so we can raise her seat higher, then she'll have an easier time of the hills.
A good active week so far!
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