Misc. Ramblings

Haven't posted in a while. I've kinda been waiting on this idea with a sequence of pictures of all the smoke from the 100's of fires currently burning in California. The idea was to have some shots taken from the same spot showing one w/ a clear view, one slightly smokey and another one that's really socked in. I've got plenty of slightly smokey & really socked in pics.... but the clear skies have been rare and when they come up I'm quick to hop on a bike and take full advantage and get some exercise when the chance comes up.

After a super hectic first half of the week filled with bike work and some drafting, Thursday was supposed to be a day of relaxing in the early part of the day then riding out to Northstar for the first race of the series. Unfortunately, mother nature would throw a wrench into my plan and make the winds come directly from the west and would make the decision to stay at home a drink a nice cold beer (or two) an easy one. Just when I thought Thursday night was the worst smoke I'd seen from these fires, I got up Friday morning and realized that the "bar had been risen" once again.

If you live in Truckee and ride on the road... look out! I saw a guy get pulled over on his bike for running a red light. We (as cyclists) really shouldn't do this! My opinion is this: As cyclists, we need to be constantly "showing our best" by doing what we're supposed to be doing. We are supposed to have rights equivalent w/ cars and therefore need to follow the rules as such. I know that some times it sucks, but it is what it is. As a cyclist, I'm trying to show my best, especially when in town riding in traffic with the knowledge that very few people realize when your doing some thing right, but almost everybody knows (and will talk about) when you're doing something wrong. Like yesterday.... none of the drivers at the intersection of Donner Pass Rd & Hwy 89 will be talking about me as I sat at the red light on my bike, but there's going to be some stories at the dinner table,bar and party about the guy that drifted past me and ran the light... not seeing the Nevada County Sheriff sitting across the intersection. (What the hell was that guy thinking anyway?!) Let's just hope that the rider wasn't your typical (but I'm only on a bike) jack-ass and realized that the guy that pulled him over didn't make the law, wasn't singling out cyclists and was just doing his job. I know that people won't agree with this... and I'm okay with that. Everybody has the right to do whatever they want, it's realizing the potential outcome that we all have to keep in mind. Who cares about the outcome of "did he get a ticket". The outcome I'm talking about is the one of having a busy Sat afternoon intersection full of people seeing a guy on a bike not doing the right thing.

Well, I'm sure you've heard enogh of my rant and you're doing the "Ok, whatever.... DAD". Next post, I promise not to scold anybody.