Finally, a day with no rain

So we took advantage of it and hooked up with the Cat 2 training ride to Lagunitas. We started at Mike's Bikes in Sausalito. Our "new" Honda doesn't have a trailer hitch on it yet, so we borrowed a friend's van to haul our bike. Now, of course, we have van envy. It would be so great to have a van. No taking the wheels off the tandem to transport it, and it would be so great for catering events like the Jonathan Pon Memorial Ride Jerry and I cook for later this spring. We could haul all the stuff and sleep in the van, like we did last year with a rental van.

But I digress. It was so great to ride today, though I will admit it took a lot out of us. We most certainly did not sail up White's Hill. We, in fact, stopped twice on the way. But once we got to the top we roared down the other side coasting at more than 40 mph.

We saw friends at the stop in Lagunitas and split a turkey sandwich. It was kind of chilly so we didn't linger. We made it over the easy side of White's without stopping, but by now our legs were rubber. This was one heck of a ride for us. Our quads really wore out and we had to stop once on Camino Alto-- something I don't recall doing over the last two years.

But we made it, and we headed home, showered and went to our favorite lunch place-- Comfort Food Cafe. Good coffee, perfectly poached eggs and a comfy seat. What else could anyone want?

We're home now, relaxing, having a little wine. Maybe a dvd tonight. Maybe not.

Next weekend promises sun. Can't wait!

Why are Hills So Hard?

Perhaps because Jerry and I hadn't ridden in weeks, even small hills seemed difficult yesterday. Lacking a way to transport the tandem, we set out from home to ride China Camp yesterday. It really is a beautiful, albeit short loop, rolling hills and beautiful scenery, and mountain bikes digging up the turf on the hills.

Despite being relatively out of shape we averaged about 13 miles per hour. That, though, is the result of the downhills where we really take off. At one point I clocked our speed in the 40s. That's the beauty of tandem riding-- inertia and momentum. We did a 20 mile ride then headed for home as temperatures started to drop.

Glad for many reasons we rode yesterday. Today, the rain is back.

After our ride and afternoon activities, we headed to the city for a pot luck for the ALC Training Ride Leaders. We are not TRL's, but Angelo, who was hosting the event, invited us. That was awfully nice.

Angelo lives in a beautiful, huge house in the city-- so different from most of my city-dwelling friends who live in glorified walk-in closets. We really had a lovely time. So nice to get together with riders in a place other than the Sausalito bike path.

This week looks like rain and more rain. At this point I'm not really concerned about our training. We'll get there in time for the ride. What I am concerned is our avoidance of getting going on our fundraising. Avoiding it won't make it any easier. It's going to be a very tough year to raise money, and with the minimum raised to $3000 it's even tougher.

So time to get to it.

Not where I'd want to end up after a ride...

But so good to know it's there. Yesterday was the grand opening/ribbon cutting for the UCSF Orthopaedic Trauma Center at SF General. The event started with some speeches-- Bevan Dufty, Mitch Katz, proclamations from the Mayor and various and sundry elected officals. Gene O'Connell, head of SFGH emceed and gave remarks. She is one remarkable woman. Ted Miclau, who is chief of the center spoke. For I'm not sure how many years, he has poured his heart, soul and more hours than anyone can guess to make this center a reality. And, oh yeah, money as well. He and the other surgeons didn't take bonuses, some patient fees and who knows what else to fold back into the center.
And it's a beauty. State of the art labs, offices, libraries and the centerpiece-- the Surgical Training Facility. They had two demos going on there yesterday-- cadavers tastefully draped while Dr.Matityahu demonstrated the use of 3-d imaging and minimally invasive surgery to repair a hip. At the other station was the biomechanic lab's McGyver-like tools to test bone stress. Not everyone was enamored of the hand with the finger bending back and forth-- yes it was a real hand that once belonged to someone-- but I thought it was really cool.

I've been working with the center for the last couple of months to get them publicity in the press, and while I haven't been able to get them ink on one of their missions-- to bring basic trauma care to underdeveloped nations-- we did hit a home run on the opening. Three tv stations, a couple of newspapers, and the SF Chronicle is over there today to do a story on the Biomechanics Lab.

In simple terms, I love SF General. I've worked at a couple of hospitals and with more than my share of surgeons and physicians, but I have never met a group like the docs at the General. They are passionate, compassionate and play as a team. NO watching your back with these guys.

I hope the Bay Area knows what a gift they have in SF General. While I hope I never have to avail myself of their services, it really is comforting to know the kind of care I or any of my friends would get if they needed it.

My favorite ex-president

I stood outside for more than an hour in cold-for-California weather to get Jimmy Carter's latest book signed by, you guessed it, Jimmy Carter.
I know some people are having a little difficulty with him right now because they believe he is "too" pro-Palestinian. I haven't taken a stand on what he's saying yet because I need to read his latest book. But whatever opinion I have, I believe that his feelings are because he is not pro-Palestinian or pro-Israeli. He is pro-humanity. The work he has done since leaving the presidency is nothing short of astounding. Habitat for Humanity, and his work with elections and peacemaking around the world will leave him with a greater legacy than any president in my lifetime.
I'm not big on hero worship; we're all just human, after all, but to be face to face with him was more than I could have hoped for.

But, back to food. I came home with cramps in my legs and numb toes. I quickly changed into sweats and made myself a bowl of hot multi-grain cereal to warm myself. Jimmy Carter and hot cereal. Who could ask for more?

Sam's Log Cabin

I had to take Jerry to the airport this morning for an 8 am flight in Oakland, so I decided to skip breakfast at home and go to an old favorite I hadn't been to in more than a year-- Sam's Log Cabin, on San Pablo near Solano in Albany.

The place looked and sounded just the same-- Scott behind the counter, small wooden tables and chairs and Brazilian music playing.

I settled in with the New York Times, but was relegated to headline reading because I had forgotten my glasses. Just as well. I relaxed and recovered from getting up at 6 am and driving in the rain. I drank really good Thanksgiving coffee and waited for my standard Sam's breakfast-- two eggs, potatoes and coffee cake.

The coffee cake at Sam's is your usual cowboy coffee cake; brown sugar cake with cinnamon streusel on top. But it never fails to satisfy. I ate it as dessert with another cup of coffee.

Before I left I had to make a visit to the bathroom. It too, was the same, though I had forgotten about the photo of "Fred, the Kooky Cockatoo" on the wall. Hadn't forgotten about the ballerina cowgirl, though.

I had a chat with Scott before I left. His son Sam is at Emerson in Boston and his daughter Julie is in med school at Georgetown. They went to the inauguration and the MTV ball. Both are doing extremely well, though that doesn't surprise me. They were always great kids.

Sam's is more expensive that Comfort Food Cafe and it's not my regular breakfast place any more, but amazingly, as soon as I walked in I felt completely at home, as if I'd never left.

It's good to revisit old friends every now and then.

My other ride It's gone

I really hate to drive. I try it avoid it at all costs. But of the two cars we own, I don't mind driving the Honda. It is a 1995 Civic, and it came to California with me from Baltimore. It's a five-speed, white, four door, with assorted dings and dents.

I had stopped driving the Honda a couple of years ago before my knee replacement. The pain in my left knee was so bad I could no longer depress the clutch, so we hustled out and got me a Toyota Corolla. I really hate that car. It gets lousy mileage, at least compared to the Honda, and it just doesn't feel like it has any character. It's not as comfortable as the Honda, and let's face it, I just do not like that car.

Whenever Jerry and I go anywhere, it's in the Honda. It's got the bike rack on it, it gets better mileage, and we both just like it better.

But now, it is no more. Yesterday, Jerry totaled it. Not exactly sure what happened, but he ran into another car. Fortunately, he wasn't hurt, though the woman in the other car is claiming neck and back pain. But we've got insurance to cover that, so no worries.

But damn, I will miss that car. Jerry is searching for a 2002 Civic. And I'm sure it will be a great car. But it just won't be the same.

Anyone who knows me at all knows I'm terribly homesick for the east coast. Well, at least for my friends who live back there. And that car was a tie to the east coast for me.

I know it's ridiculous to be so sad over a car. But damn, I miss that car.