Air Force One

Last week when the President was in Yuma, Arizona--and other places in the State--I believe AirForceOne made a unanounced stop to re-fuel at DMAFB. I was at the park playing catch with my dog Callie--when I noticed a very large shimmering white-huge aircraft in the sky.

Normally large aircraft, which are military, don't fly in this area--but I must say this plane was flying quite low--so low in fact that I could clearly see it was AirForceOne.

Why do I mention this sighting, you say? I will explain mes amis: There was not a cloud in the sky. Nor was there wind or any stirring or any thing; machine or man or animal... Then appears this gleaming white--almost angelic--object overhead.

Once many years ago when I was a young man in Washington DC, President Reagan's car drove by close to the Potomac Ave Subway Stop where I was working in the neighborhood. Many men in black appeared and they were carring machine guns--and they were walking my way. It was pretty scary--then suddenly the just stopped and disappeared. I heard later that a mentally ill homeless man had thrown a dirt clod and hit the president's limo.

How does that song go?

You don't tug on Super Man's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off that ol' Lone Ranger
and you don't mess around with Jim

Owt

Big Lizard slain on Glenn Ave

Last night as I just left the TMC campus, a large lizard decided to try and cross Glenn. He didn't make it because I accidentaly ran over him. He was one of the biggest lizards I've ever seen. I suppose that didn't make him any faster or smarter because what was he doing crossing the road at rush hour? I really didn't see him until it was too late--I couldn't stop because I had some soccer mom tailgating me. He made a pretty big thump--I looked back in my rear view, and I saw fresh roadkill. I also noticed that the empty gaze of the bitch tailgating me had not changed. That lizard--I was sad I ran him over.

My ride in was tough--the air is dry and dusty, and full of pollen. I just took it easy. The River Park is way under construction. It used to be old ranch land but condos and subdivisions are springing up all around. Even in the morning its hot and dusty.

These condos are about done... On the North side of River Rd there's a new subdivison--I used to see cows out there. Lots of dust and dirt from the construction is in the air...


This is Mountain Ave going South to UofA, and I'm going East on Glenn. Its about four more miles to TMC.

The old water tower built in 1927 comes into view a few miles out. My office is right underneath this famous TMC and Tucson landmark. They wanted to tear it down--which they eventually will--but people have told me its too expensive to demolish. TMC is in the business of making money--not spending it.


The wall in my office--to remind me to get out and train for the big rides!

After a long day in the office, I changed and started the ride home. A breeze felt nice to keep things cool, but only after a few miles, my throat was bone dry!

Going down Glenn is kind of cool and there's some pretty funky homes and neighborhoods. The people are not that affluent. Most of the houses could use some work, and the cars are old and beat up. It seems like its a tough neighborhood. That's when its weird when I'm at a stop sign or stop light on Glenn, and a new porshe or Lexus or Jeep or Hummer pulls up beside me. They're probably doctors and residents going home from TMC. Maybe they're drug dealers!

Back on Mountain Ave I rode with another cyclist, and we chatted as we headed down the River path. He had a pretty nice bike, but he was lamenting his very very very nice bike getting stolen out of his garage a few days before. He was at home and doing chores. As the sun was going down, he thought he better put the garage door down for the evening--Dang! The bike was gone! Bummer.

Owt

Coopers Hawk

Yesterday I was leaving the office, and walked up on a Cooper's Hawk like the one in the photo I got from the web. I had heard that they were on the TMC Campus so it was very exciting for me to see this regal creature!

He was drinking from the irrigation system that was just starting to water the huge Euciliptus trees by the old student nurses living quarters--they are almost as tall as the old 1927 water tower here by the library.

I was only about 15 or 20 feet from him when he flew up onto a tree branch. He looked me over and I could see those reddish eyes peering at me. When I tried to move a bit closer he flew up into the trees so I couldn't see him. Many years ago TMC was a TB sanitorium, and trees and saguaros were planted to make the place feel peaceful and healing. When I can, I try to eat lunch at one of the different parks or "patios" thay still remain from the 1920s.

My ride home was good and I made good time to the car. Its getting hot so the River Path is deserted.

Owt.

Yet Another Ride Report!

Yesterday I zipped into the office and had a pleasant ride in. I met a guy Steve on his commute to UofA, and we had a nice chat about things--except when he made comment about the woman who ran the stop sign and almost ran over me. Yes, yet another complaint from Yours! Okay. I stop at Mtn Ave and Limber Lost--its a 4 Way stop. But see nobody ever stops. In this case, I passed Steve and we said Good Morning, and then I got to the intersection, stopped, and then a woman in a Jeep Liberty came up and just kept going and turning right and not even fuckin lookin just kept going and I was holding out my hand and yelling HEY STOP and she was kept going and being the nimble cat I am I got my ass out of the way just in time and I lived. So waiting at the light Steve comes up and we look at each other and he smiles and shakes his head. "They never stop, do they?" "No they don't," is my reply.

Other than that, I am feeling pretty good about things. Still tweaking the particulars of unlocking and locking things up--getting into the shower getting my clothes together, and changing with the most efficiency. For example I use two towels for the shower. One I put on the floor and fold up because the water doesn't drain too well and the whole locker room starts to flood. With the towel I don't have to worry about water everywhere. The lockers are kind of small so I can't really hang my bike stuff up to dry. I can just stash towels and shoes and soap and stuff.

Oh yeah, the blog will be almost a year old at the end of the week! Time to think about the blog and my cycling goals! And get some more pictures for you guys to look at.

Owt!

The Old Mtn

We needed sugar for the morning coffee, and my turn to buy--so a quick urban spin down to Trader Joe's at lunch. When I'm not commuting in on the road bike, I keep my campus bike in the bike locker.

I'm finding more TMC people, and other folks that work in nearby office complexes have campus bikes. Trader Joe's and Chipotle are places to see and be seen--but Grant and Swan is pretty congested. A bike is much faster... and more fun!

I can't even find bike parking in front of Chipotle! Ate there once with a friend from AHSL days. It was okay. I'm still on the look-out for more interesting places.


The Old Mtn--there's good karma when I ride this bike.

Love!

Urban Freedom Rider

I have my old Mtn Bike here on Campus--and I've used it to run around on and explore places to have lunch. Dangerous to ride around here because Grant and Swan area is King to the Automobile. It feels kinda cool to be able to be free of the steet--but twice people in cars, pulling out to turn onto Grant, didn't see me. They weren't even looking. I don't blame them because what fool would ride a bike? I'm riding on the side walks--no one using them to walk on, so it feels like I own it, Baby! I must stay alert. I am surprised at how many people I see driving that are older and on the verge of "impaired"

I biked over to the China Star resturant last week. It was pretty awful. This afternoon I biked down to Panda Express on Grant and Swan. It wasn't much better than China Star. Some lady yacked on her cell phone the whole time we were in line--in Romanian I think. She was just talking and pointing to the slop she wanted. It was pretty rude. There was this cute young Chinese girl helping us, and I smiled at her and said please and thank you. I think she appreciated my manners. I saw the same lady sitting outside, still on the cell, and stuffing her face. I noticed that one of those little finches that hops around looking for scaps took a shit on her shoulder when it flew off (she didn't notice)

I looked at my watch and noticed it had taken me about three minutes to ride down to this place--and I should slow down and not inhale my lunch.

My fortune cookie au jourd qui: You will soon receive help from an unexpected source

May will be a good Month--send checks directly to me, mes amis!

Allure Libre!