HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVID

First thing Alan said this morning as he woke up:  It's David's Birthday!

29 glorious years and here is to another great trip around the sun.  We are very proud of the young man and husband you have become and we look forward to sharing your adventures in the years to come.

We are still waiting for that gift list......

Father and Son, July 2011

Summer Days...for a Day or Two

We've been back riding the bikes.  Our goal:  in shape and no whining en-route as we make our way to Morro Bay. We leave in just 2 weeks, so time for some serious saddle time.  Several great rides:  Tiburon Peninsula loop, Alpine Dam out and back (up and down and up and down), and then out around Nicasso Reservoir and Lucas Valley Road.  The weather finally has turned HOT and it was a great couple of rides. We packed up our gear and it all fits and doesn't weigh too much (yet, anyway.)

The chilly fog is back -- no sitting outside in the evening anymore.

The stone fruits are winding down at the Farmer's Market.  Another week or two of corn.

Bryan is moving up to Davis next Sunday.

Summer must have come and gone when we weren't paying attention.

And it is time to get back to those Spanish lessons.  I probably have forgotten everything I learned on Rosetta Stone.  Old brain cells hard at work!  But I am determined to learn Spanish, especially since we plan on doing the Central American route (not the South Pacific route) in a few years.

My Parents Come Visit

My parents, Helen and Doug, arrived in mid-August for a leisurely visit.  While there was some restful times, we were on the go most everyday!

Some of the highlights include:
a.  exploring the mosaic stairwell in SFO
b.  walking the cross Marin trail among the redwoods in Samuel Taylor Park
c.  visiting the Box Show at Gallery Route One
d.  joining several City Guides walking tours:  Nob Hill, Chinatown, and Fisherman's Wharf
e.  seeing the Picasso exhibit at the DeYoung Museum
f.  eating dim sum along Clement Street
g.  visiting my Mom's brother Jim and catching up with the Lingel family (thanks Craig and Robin!)
h.  tasting our way through the local Farmer's Markets
i.  watching movies
j.  experiencing the VIP tour at Skywalker Ranch
k.  walking the grounds and guest houses at the GL estate next door
l.  joining in the Fiesta for John B's 60th birthday
m.  celebrating anniversary #62 for Helen and Doug
n.  celebrating birthday #84 for Doug with a bread and cheese picnic at the Cheese Factory

Yup....we kept going and going.  And we also just sat on the back porch and read books and the New York Times every day.  Helen and Doug tackle the cross word puzzle and are often successful, especially early in the week.

From the airport to the stairwell!

Jim and Helen

Day in the City

A chocolate cake for every occasion:  #62 anniversary and #84 birthday

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Looking Good at the Iron Springs Brew Pub:  Saving Lives 1 Beer at a Time

Re-connecting With Sharon

After WAY too many years, Sharon and I finally met up for a delightful brunch at her home in San Francisco.  We spent the day catching up, exploring new hobbies, and brunching on delicious treats.  Thanks Sharon for an exquisite day.

Training Ride Blues

Another day riding -- but this time we threw in a few hills for good measure.  Alan had ridden this loop several years ago & funny how the uphill section got shortened with the passage of years.  Alan:  "I really want you to see this road.  It is not so steep and quite lovely in and out of trees."

So off we go:  out to Olema, down highway 1 along the coast, and then UP to the Bolinas ridge, down to Alpine Dam, UP to Pine Mountain and Meadow Club with the last bit of down to Fairfax.  Ummmm.  A whole lot of UP and DOWN on the last half of that ride.  Maybe a total of 45 miles.

My confidence began to waver along route 1 as we found plenty of headwind and a few rolling hills.  And the ridge road.  About a mile up the ridge road, I ask (not so nicely) "how far to the top?"  Alan:  "oh we are about half way there already."   I realized this was the optimistic voice of my husband as about a mile later there was one of those traffic signs with the squiggly line and note:  steep, winding road next 14 miles.  

Well, about 3+ up hill miles later..we are now close to the ridge.  A steep descent to the dam where it is level for a few hundred feet and then immediately up hill again.  Alan:  "it is not so steep on this section."  Me:  "!@#$%^&*!

But we got home mostly in one piece.  I am totally sore, especially my arms and hands from riding the brakes down the switch backs and on the steep Fairfax hill in traffic.  This loop was way out of my comfort zone, but I guess you have to push at times.

The ridge was a climb of 1500 feet, which is a lot more than we'll see down the coast in September...and hopefully by then I will not be too sore for the saddle.