One of the most interesting myths that Mees spends time debunking in this chapter is actually not that auto dominance was inevitable (since I didn’t believe that to begin with) but the idea that American public transit declined and died because of a conspiracy by the auto industry. His analysis is that the tram industry […]
Category Archives: California
There’s always someone better
I was very impressed by The Urbanophile‘s post on what’s killing California. He takes a look at the general issues behind the current problems, with a level of analysis that pushes it far above most of the reading (and all of the talking) I’ve done on the topic. Hat tip: Jeff, for sharing items in […]
Massive update on the gallery
On uploading my photos from SE Sunday Parkways and a recent trip back to Albuquerque, I found that there were ten albums in my photos that I hadn’t yet uploaded to the Gallery. This has been rectified and the gallery lightly reorganized to highlight the additions. Special notice: Otter whaa?, Iconic San Francisco Bay, Ascending […]
Ride report: Sequoia 50K 2009
Sunday morning was my third, and more than likely last, Sequoia 50K ride. Stats: DST: 34.5 MXS: 34 AVS: ~10mph (overall), 12.5 (moving) Time: 3:15 (overall) My stats are a tad muddled because I checked my distance at the finish, but forgot to check my AVS and time, and then I rode home via Foothill. […]
Normal weather
I found myself surprisingly content when the clouds came back on Wednesday this week. I’m not a big fan of the typical California winter weather: cloudy, rainy, chilly. But there’s something reassuringly normal and expected about it. The nice weather lately had been amazing and I did my best to enjoy it, but always with […]
Goodbye, Stacey’s
I happened to read today that Stacey’s Bookstore in San Francisco is closing. Any bookstore closure is kind of sad, but this one has a particular sadness for me because that’s where I bought The Mindbody Prescription, which I used to get rid of my RSI totally. I bought the book in November 2005, on […]
Hipsters (argh!)
Hipsters: reverse meta-fashion? Discuss.
Sun-kissed frost
When I left the house this morning, an hour earlier than usual, it was bright but not light: the sun had risen, but wasn’t yet shining directly onto the roads and buildings. The air was crisp and cold, the sky pale blue and orange, the hills clear and purple, the clouds a golden mass on […]
Mt. Tam: cheesy edition
Back in August, training for Waves to Wine, I did a ride with J & C which ended with trip to Berkeley Bowl and the Berkeley Marina. C & I looked at cheese while we were in Berkeley Bowl and saw Mt. Tam, which was a contestant in the Tomato Nation NCheeseAA (it made it […]
Strawberry frustration
I love strawberries. The best ones are fragrant and sweet with a hint of tartness. I want to describe them as a “flavor burst in the mouth” but that sounds unfortunatey like a commercial. I buy them almost every week in the summer when they’re available. I freeze them to keep for over the winter […]