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Posted in Random Thoughts
Boulder-Hopping Reprieve
Saturday morning, with winter (such as it is for Los Angeles) settling in, I headed out to The Secret Spot. I didn’t arrive as early as I’d hoped, owing to an accident on the freeway, then road construction, but nevertheless felt an immediate sense of calmness as I turned off the road to the parking area.
I disparaged as I pulled into the parking lot at first, as it appeared to be completely packed. Rounding a corner, though, I spotted a single, solitary open space left. Apparently just for me.
It’s not the first time that’s happened, and I while hesitate to anthropomorphize too much, it’s dammed hard not to feel like the place knows I’m coming sometimes.
Posted in Random Thoughts, Secret Spot
You’ve Lost That Writing Feeling
Ever have one of those weeks where the writing bug disappears entirely?
This is one of those weeks. Apparently.
I keep finding myself starting a post, getting about halfway through a draft, then just staring at the screen feeling “meh” about it.
Posted in Writing
It’s Appreciated, But…
Talking with The Parentage the other night, one of the many topics we touched on was the H1N1 flu. We chatted about whether or not they had gotten the shots, whether or not I would, etc.
One one point they made a very generous offer: should I come down with the flu, and should it be one of the strains that lays-you-out-for-a-week, they would be perfectly willing to drive south and help me out.
Posted in Family, Random Thoughts
At The Beach, But Not Of The Beach
Yesterday, Sunday, I hauled the bike out and drove down to ride the beach trail. The day was warm(ish), but pretty hazy. Breezes were light, thankfully, which made for pretty comfortable riding.
By about noon, the high tide was coming in, with pretty large waves crashing against the shore. It looked and sounded like a winter surf, and reminded me of the wave activity I used to see against the Northern California coast: high-energy, violent, dangerous.
Of course, the surfers were out there in their wetsuits, the water temperature somewhere in the 60’s according to the board on the side of one of the lifeguard towers. Its part of the reason that I’ve never done much swimming in the ocean off Southern California: for the most part, the ocean is damn cold.
Posted in California, Friendship, Life, Life In LA, Random Thoughts, Stuff I Like
HIKE: Red Rock Canyon To Calabasas Peak
(Not to be confused with Red Rock Canyon State Park.)
Driving to the trailhead is, most of the time, a relatively straightforward thing. The parking areas are usually well marked or easily definable (like a wide roadway shoulder). Such is not the case with Red Rock Canyon Park.
Located off Old Topanga Road, the turn-off on Red Rock Road has no sign indicating the park at its end. Driving down the road, one passes by numerous “no trespassing” and “no parking” signs. The road turns into a single lane. The asphalt ends and the road becomes gravel. It’s not hard to wonder after a half-mile if you’re really on the right road or headed into the middle of nowhere.
Then, boom, there you are.
Posted in Hiking
Competing Cacophony
The gym is hardly one of those places that I expect to be silent. I mean, you’ve got a lot of people there, in a fairly enclosed space.
Machines are humming, weights are banging around, resistance equipment weight stacks are being dropped. People are in various stages of panting, gruning, groaning. Some, like me, are relatively quiet when they lift weights; others make an announcement to the whole gym that they are.
But that’s what a gym is all about.
Posted in Exercise
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Posted in Random Thoughts, Writing
Kinda Sad, Ya Know?
I just realized something tonight. Halloween is next weekend.
On a Saturday night. With an extra hour because of the time change.
And me? I’ve asked around. Friends seem to have no plans. No party invites have come my way. In fact, no plans whatsoever.
On the one hand, I’m an adult, and so it doesn’t matter all that much.
On the other, it’s just kind of a wee bit sad, know what I mean?
Posted in Random Thoughts
Those Bears Are Smart, I’m ‘Tellin Ya
Camping in Yosemite Valley, unlike the rest of the park, has certain unique factors. Namely the fact that humans and bears have been interacting for far, far too long. This has left the resident bear population very accustomed to seeing humans as a food source, leading to a nightly contest between ranger and bear. Bears wander through the campgrounds looking for easy Snickers bars, rangers chase them off hoping they’ll go back to eating berries.
Anyone who thinks that bears are just dumb, aggressive animals could not be further from the truth. Currently, all food has to be stored in large bear-boxes at each campsite. Why? Because they’ve been known to get into cars, bear-proof garbage cans, even take running leaps from nearby boulders and stand on each others backs to reach food hanging from trees.
And now, this, seen this morning on Salon.com:
Posted in Backpacking, California, Camping, Travel
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