Been a busy few weeks here in sunny southern California, but now I have a major head cold and am stuck inside for a couple days. No biggie, I needed the rest, Cousin is gone so I have the house to myself, and I got my library books. Heres a few pictures of the shenanigans that have conspired to drain my savings for this little vacation. I have put my self out to work again and found it much easier this time around the block. I'm Building bikes at a nearby shop, building wheels with a master mechanic wheel builder down by the beach, and hanging door flyers for Tammy's restaurant, basically getting paid to walk the streets of my old neighborhood. Easy money. Enough to keep eating burritos and Pho, not enough for the overpriced organic herbal cold remedies so at least I get the thrill of shoplifting those during my week. Enjoy the photos...
This is Ron, who is Blacksmith Bicycle Wheels and Rose Canyon Cycles, he is an ex-nasa engineer and an amazingly confident wheel builder. He also does not work on dirty bikes, so clean it up before you take it in.
This dude, and his girlfriend are in the middle of a 4 year bike trip, having already left their home of France and cycled east through Siberia and China, then landing in Alaska, cycled down to SD, and were headed into Mexico the next day on the way to Argentina. Two years in! AMAZING stories on their website!
Cousin and I decided to load up on delicious Pho, and head into the madness of Balboa Park's December Nights, a festival of food and sounds from all over the world, mildly christmas themed and expected to draw over 30 THOUSAND visitors in the course of 3 days! it was PACKED!!
So packed in fact, this was as close Cousin could get to Santa. But look how close she got to that hidden bottle of rum!
Gingerbread Lattes from Starfucks and Sailor Jerry spiced rum go together like santa and jesus!
On the way out we had a little flashback to the days of being kids in this park and there was no better way to celebrate than with a mildly buzzed ride on the carousel
During which Cousin was asked to stop harassing the "roosters"
The following night I went to Tammy's for the annual Christmas concert in the park, where thousands of kiddies were handed light sticks, and all the grown ups had flashbacks...
The younger kids dig it, but Aubrey, being both too old and way too cool, sneaked off to the nearby woods with some friends from school and came back noticeably hungry for snacks...I don't know Professor, care to weigh in on this one with your, uh, PROFESSIONAL opinion...
Tammy, all the more becoming her own mother offered me one of these...
For those of you who don't know...in High school I used to go over to Tammy's Mom's house and hang out with Dianne, usually watch some soaps or talk TV and help with the ironing, while she sipped a plastic cup full of cold beverage wrapped in a paper towel with a rubber band, and smoke long brown cigarettes. As a kid i thought nothing of it but now I know, there HAD to be booze in that souther tea she always drank. Tammy has assumed the new role.
Monday I did this...
then this...
and rode here till it hurt...
The rest of the week was filled with bike builds at a local shop, and buying corny x-mas costumes for a disturbed Allie Dog Face...
...Before heading to Idyllwild to stay in a rustic cabin for the weekend with Tammy and the Kids.
The drive up was treated to a magical sunset, we made a raging fire in the wood burning stove that kept the house blistering hot all weekend, and set out to play a little Muppet Monopoly.
Now before you go waxing about how wholesome and family oriented that sounds, know that the night had more than one melt down and fits of tears over a roll of the dice, while headaches set in on top of bourbon filled coffee mugs for the grownups...
Its always fun to hang with those two kids, even when they are little shits...which is not that often actually, they just really treat me like family and I appreciate that, even if it means farting on me, pissing with the bathroom door open, the occasional mooning, and speaking their minds, which are full of humor.
Saturday was a great day to go for a mellow hike, MAYBE 2 miles out and 2 back, which of course sounded like a 27 mile hike by the end, between Tammy's injured knee, and Carson dragging feet. I think the biggest surprise was Aubrey, an outspoken opponent of hiking, actually enjoyed it a lot.
Note the small pile of snow in the right hand side of the photo...the hike ended with waterworks, as Carson takes a point blank snowball in the eye. Alls well that ends well...
Tammy takes better pictures than me for sure...
For the record, the chasm below this suspended log would worry any caring mother, thats why ours was taking the photo from the safety of the banks high above.
Its been a couple great weeks. Unfortunately I have now come down with a raging cold and will be laying low. Expect more hijinks in the weeks to come. Looks like I might be playing Tour Guide to a visiting Italian friend of Igor's who is in SD to finish up a masters degree in the next 6 months. Off to the shop now to build up all those shinny holiday gift bikes just in.
CIAO!
S.
