More weekend Radness with Taint Boy in the Southy

So the weekend plan was to load up Aaron's newest gearhead toy - the late 70's Southwind Motorhome he bought this year, park it near the coast somewhere, and go for a big ride Saturday. And that is exactly what we did!



yes, those are matching trucker hats, originals, included in the purchase price of the coach from the original owners. Its no matching Hot Dog tattoos but it will do JUST FINE!



Across the Richmond Bay Bridge...


Into the Rolling Hills of Northern California. I cant say enough how much I love this sight, and how much it makes me feel home.



Into the sunset...



another bonus with the purchase, old malmite place settings, with cloth napkins and place mats and everything making for a proper meal...



Aaron killed some green coconut curry and basamati - now THAT'S camping!



my sleepy shelf for the night, switched to the couch on sat for obvious reasons.





Set out for the town of Point Reyes Station, then over the hills to Point Reyes and 9 Mile Beach.





Found a killer bike shop called Black Mountain Cycles, where they have an impressive collection of older mountain bikes, touring rigs and their own brand. Shop owner is a former Haro/Massi designer and an all round friendly dude. Check out his blog for more info...



Ritchey Mountain bike with Tri-Bars



Salsa with Mountain Drop Bars...amazing stuff!



Rode along the lagoons of Tomales Bay...





into the pine forests of the Point Reyes national Seashore Park.





Up some short but STEEP hills, look at the car behind for perspective...







watched by this dude...





to the beach!









With a surprise cargo...





After a while we started goofing with washed up logs and shit we found on the beach and ended up with this free standing balanced beach sculpture. Pretty fun to build, even though I'm sure every passerby thought we were stoned out of our minds...just on vacation man!









On the way back...







Aaron remarked he enjoys being the anti-cyclist on a bike; tattoos, cotton, backpacks, cut off dickies...just a couple regular guys on regular bikes.



We went into town for dinner, and came back and had about as much campfire as we could stay awake for, crashed out early and woke to a breakfast of champs!





No gloves...





Shitter dumped, windows cleaned, oil checked (I said he was a gear head didn't I) and we were off.

A Killer Valentards weekend with my bestest homie catching up on the downs and ups, laughing, drinkin, fartin, cursin, and riding bikes. Couldn't ask for anything more in the city by the bay.

S

bikes bikes bikes till the weather turns...

So the weather is rumored to be on the way to changing into the more seasonally apropos cold and grey and rainy so Im glad to have had another three days of rides in the sun.

After Picking up Taint Boy at the airport on Monday, and drinking beers eating pizza and assembling his Nepalese Birthday Bike...we talked ALOT of SHIT! Which of course turned into drinking and smoking in the garage shop. Catching up with such a good friend, with very little in the way of distractions, and time on our side (as well as some White Stagg whiskey...) was the best way to set off the week!











Tuesday, I headed out to shake the cobwebs of the previous weekend out vis a vis a notebook and coffee at my Fav cafe in Berkeley Cafe Strada. A mellow paced ride along the bike paths and the Berkeley Marina and some pensive thoughts on paper is exactly what the doctor ordered.



been seeing this building on the path...see the grafitti?



close up...





who says there is no singletrack in the east bay?



Tuesday nite, World Famous and pioneer of the 29 inches (ladies take note...) Nat Ross showed up in Berkeley looking amazingly suave!



We hung out, had some dinner and caught up, Nat crashed at Aaron's place to save a little on hotels and rushed me off, doing deals on the phone the whole way, to San Rafael where I met up again with Jessie for some mountain bike madness. No pictures of the always aloof Nat, but its a true story...and hes a true Dude.

Jessie and I proceeded to find and ride trails at China Camp (a bay area favorite of mine) that I had NEVER ridden before, riding up from the opposite side of town and pedal crushing the skinny trails on about every down stroke the whole day in the Granny Gear! It was amazing, killer trails, killer views, killer weather, then some killer grub and drinks with the room mates, that almost ended in a christmas tree fire in the street had not the more "mature" room mate arrived home to put the kebash on it with a little hissy fit.



hills...loads of hills!



but worth the reward eh!?







the least mature room mate at only 8 years old...

The next day, Jessie had to work so I saddled up and took the long way back to the East Bay - the VERY long way! This map may or may not work, click it to see... I rode through Marin County to the bridge, under, then over the Golden Gate (check!) and along the wharf back to BART, under the bay on the trains and picked up the bike path again up the hill to Aarons.



down tree lined streets...



marsh lands...













2.30 lunch break!!



with a view!



A couple killer days, on top of even more killer days that make me want to come home to california as soon as I can. There I said it! Homesick before I even leave. Gonna be a tough transition, but a fun summer for sure. A complicated and joyous way to cruise through the next two years I suppose.

Its the tough times that make us stronger right, and distance that makes you re-assess your value of friends and loved ones? Right? Maybe these years in Italy will find me a confirmed Californian - wouldn't that be a gas.

S.

More RADness in the Yeah Area

So today, After selling some unneeded bike stuff for exactly the amount I needed to make it through the bay area leg of this journey me and this guy...



Went to this place...



And did some of this...



Up a few of these, at a rad pace might I add...





And across some of these....





and saw ALOT of this....



And this....which is the peak I was on yesterday...



And this....



And then kicked it here for a bit...



Looking at this....



From up here...



Then hauled ass in a manner similar to this....



Through more of this....



And a whole bunch of this...



Aboard a couple of these....



It was pretty much RAD. Thats two days in a row all bikes all the time...turning out to be a great winter.

S