Notes From The Pegboard

Never mind google says that even by bike it should have been 2...I was on vacation and spent 5 hours aboard the bike today, taking photos, sitting in the sun, eating food, stopping in to see friends...an easy pace to a hard ride.

Left Aaron's house a little late to seek out the trails on the hills right behind his place...FOUND EM!

It was Wildcat Canyon and I rode it all the way to Tilden park,

I realized my stuff on the awesome new front rack was getting splattered with mud so I made a quick mud flap tray out of a think piece of bark from the eucalyptus all around.

Actually made it through this section feet on the pedals!

up to some of the most killer views I have never seen before in the bay Area. Seriously, I saw views I had never seen living here for so many years, and calling myself a biker.

The Bay Bridge from Oakland

The Golden Gate Bridge

Mount Diablo to the SouthEast

You cant tell from the pic but I could see all the way to the windmill farms north near Sacramento! From Napa to Oakland from the top of the hill, AMAZING!

Headed back towards berkeley to eat some more, stop into Jitensha Studios a killer bike shop, and hit the paths under the BART trains back to Aarons Place in time for another killer west coast sunset...

Today was great! Crazy big ride on dirt and street, across the hills of the East Bay ending with a mellow cruise and a huge smile on my face for the life I get to live today.

S.

Sitting in the Richmond hills, reflecting about the last couple months in the states and feeling very full of the friendships and loves I have here...back home? It certainly feels more like home this time, less stress of income, less stress of what to come and where Ive been, and much less stress between who I think I am and who I am to those I love.

Its been a busy last few weeks to say the least! I sold my motorcycle in the nick of time, with 17 dollars left in the bank, to a guy from LA who really was excited to have it and who paid me decent for it, no hassles. I finished up a batch of bike builds at Adams Ave Bike Shop - a true hub of cycling community in San Diego, and home of the nicest bike shop dudes and gals I have ever had the pleasure of working with. There were dinners with old friends and late night conversations of the most sincere and honest kind, all feelings out, exposed, and feeling safe - the kind of conversation that leaves me feeling like despite the time I had getting here, I am in the right place with an open heart and working mind. The kind of conversation that leaves me feeling like I should talk less, cause my friends are BRILLIANT! There was a picnic that connected all the people I care about in SD, one in which I was content to sit back and listen and take it all in with a smile - knowing that the people closest to me are some of the nicest and most kind and most heartfelt people in the world, and they all get along with each other too! There was a bike camping trip, by full moon along the coast with Jessie, a train ride north and two days on bikes to get back, mountains of carnitas, beers and a lot of catching up. There was another killer sushi night out, making noise, and laughing our asses off. There were a few tears shed. There was a road trip to the bay area with a night in San Luis Obispo with bike activists and city planners who ride.

Now Im sitting here trying to catch up, trying to process it all, and trying to live between these two extremes; the one in Italy where I have a great job, adventure, and exploration, and this life in California which is home, full of love and caring, potential of so much more, and sunny most of the time inside and out. Its hard to describe the feeling, somewhere between full of promise, full of happiness, excited for whats next, secure in what I can always come back to, and a heart that feels complete. Its a great feeling, not sad, not worried, and as I flip through the picture perfect proof, I sit here laughing my ass off with the ones I call The TOP 5. (which is actually approaching 9 as I list names.)

Thanks Guys
I love you all very much!

BIKE CAMPING TRIP...

wakey wakey, hands off snakey!

SUSHI GOODBYE PARTY....

everyone decided to dress up nicely, or elegante as Fede says....

thats Fede in the middle...

I of course had a different idea in mind...not sure but I think thats Tammy's hand.

Someone always needs change for the jukebox, Romel fishing for quarters much to the dismay of the table sitting right behind us.

LOOK I SAT IN GUM!!

Pretty much everyone ended up dancing...even JESSIE!! and our table was an absolute MESS after a few hours.

next day...
Road Trip to SLO...

Which started with a stop at Johnny's Mexican food and a quick visit with Clay Porter

Bubblegum Alley...its as nasty as it looks.

This nice young Gal put us up on her floor, and showed us around, shes a city planner and bike fiend with a taste for DIY projects and steak breakfasts.

The rolling hills of California not so golden in winter...

Once in the Bay Area I got to spend some short but laughable and quality time with this Little Monster...Ladies and Gentlemen, Aavi Newton...2 years old and breakin hearts already!