Rabble Rousers

I have been writing about the Los Angeles County Fair for ages. This visit started a little differently because of this email exchange.

Guess how A. and I went to the fair?

There were already two other bikes parked there.

We did all the usual things and had a great time!

competitive table settings

cool quilt

oranges in the garden section

amazing costumed person walking around

in the art gallery

classic car show

and tricked out banana bikes

It was so nice to be able to go in May when the weather was better. I wonder if they will stick with the spring dates.

Race Day

 Another 5 a.m. wake-up, another race day. Here are some random pictures.

September Leftovers

A new cassette to help me get up hills

Anniversary celebration

Watching the Tour together

I guess it is still alive!

Toddler shoes (and toes!) and teen shoes

So tempting!

 

Snacks

Some us have a hard time spending the whole day next

to the kitchen. These help us avoid other snacks.

A Few of My Favorite Things

Random little things were my favorite parts.

Street sign

Bakers in uniform

Beautiful doorway

Tiles on the street - sometimes religious

or informative. 

Painted business gates, just like in Barcelona and other places.

Park benches

Dog walkers (more dogs in the background, just hanging out)

My very favorite part was time with family and a friend, walking together through the parks. Here they are walking on Avenida Ámsterdam in the Hipódromo area of Mexico City, named because horses used to race here!

Outing

The local bike trail is perfect for a social ride, just going along the path with all sorts of other people - lycra-clad cyclists, kids with training wheels, runners, walkers, and those just hanging out.

from Molly's Souper website

Today we cycled about 4.5 miles to Upland for breakfast in an old house that we had passed for many years but had never stopped. The food was fine but mostly it was nice to sit outside and enjoy a slow morning.

The bad news was that I got a flat (two thorns) in a tube that had been patched twice. The good news is that D. had an extra tube and a pump.

We wandered around the market while waiting for the bike shop to open so we could buy another tube for the emergency kit.

It was like a very short vacation!

Not Very Exciting

What has been going on?

Last week I donated platelets while watching this move.

We were going to watch a movie at home on Friday but instead went to sleep before 9pm.

Long week!

We went to a Jewish Bat Mitzvah (including prayers in Hebrew) and a Presbyterian memorial service (including scripture readings in French and Thai).

On Saturday evening we all went to a new-to-us movie theater and saw Ford v. Ferrari
It does not pass the Bechdel Test, but it was entertaining.

On Sunday I did something I have not done in years, maybe decades.
I bought running shoes that were not Brooks. I hate getting new
shoes and wondering if I made the right choice, but I hope they work out.

On Monday I went to Huntington Gardens with a friend.

Stay tuned for the blog post about updated internet service,
to be written when my blood pressure returns to normal.

The rest of the week was work and meetings for me, finals for A., and a conference for D.

The other big event happened here. We went to the DMV without
an appointment and now we have a permitted driver in the family.

One Final Travel Post

In addition to San Francisco and the capitol

we stopped in Davis for crepes,

to wander around campus,

and to gawk at bicycles. It is hard to imagine what it
would be like when students are on campus.

In Sacramento the other two went to the train museum, which I regretted skipping after seeing

lots of pictures about the mailroom on board

and table settings from different lines.

On the other hand, I found the library next door fascinating!

People use the archives (timetables, maps, photos, menus) to do
research for books they are writing, family history,  or simply out of curiosity.

I just happened to find what has been called the essential book about cable cars (The Cable Car in America: A New Treatise upon Cable or Rope Traction as Applied to the Working of Street and Other Railways, by George W. Hilton). It is in the rare book collection a few blocks away so I may go read and learn more.

We met up and walked past the marker for Transcontinental
Railroad Mile 0, through Old Town, and along the river.

Our last outing of the trip was to Santa Cruz for 

running

and cycling. A good time was had by all.

We slept in Paso Robles

and had a beautiful drive home.

Happy new year, everyone!