Thursday, October 22, 2009

An Unexpected Surprise...


Sunset along the aqueduct...
Hi all,
Once again, a planned route turns into an unexpected pleasure. This evening, as Kathy was headed off shopping with a neighbor, I was inspired to take a quick evening spin. It was a lovely outside, not too warm, not chilly, and the usually ever-present Antelope Valley wind machine was taking a break. So, off I went for what was supposedly a quick neighborhood spin.

My Surly Long Haul Trucker...
The Barcroft Virginia GT is non-op, awaiting a new rear tire, so I took the Surly LHT. I have the bike configured with lights, so if it got past twilight I would be reasonably safe riding home. I headed west towards Highland High School to revisit some of the roads we had walked last Sunday up towards the Joshua Ranch Trailhead. While we had been hiking last Sunday, I noticed a short, VERY steep little hill off to the north. As I rode near this hill, I was inspired to try and ride up it, and see what was up there.

The road follows the aqueduct for miles! I started my ride in the lower-right corner, near the High School...
Well, after 200 yards of gasping, wheezing, down- shifting, and minor swearing, I discovered a lovely surprise; The California Aqueduct. Now, I am sure that some of you are pondering why I would be so overjoyed at a man-made river, lined with concrete. It wasn’t the Aqueduct, it was the beautiful smooth road that followed it, disappearing into the distance! So, for 200 yards of gasping, I was rewarded with miles upon miles of perfectly smooth, unpopulated, quiet, peaceful riding.

Just look at that beautiful road to ride...
Suffice to say, I rode home in the dark! What a pleasant surprise, going out for a routine spin, and discovering new road, and a safe place to ride. One never knows what to expect from the seat of one’s bike!
More news later this weekend,
Jim

Sunday, October 18, 2009

A Hike and Bike Weekend


Looking north, towards Lancaster with Mojave in the distance...
Hi all,
Yesterday, I took the Surly LHT out for a spin. I had intended to test ride my route to work, double-checking the shoulders and other assorted safety issues. But, as I got to Palmdale Blvd, I stopped to take a picture, looking west towards Leona Valley. As I got back on the bike, I had to wait for another cyclist who was coming up the bridge. As he passed, we chatted briefly, and after a short discussion about not having any particular direction to go, we decided to head west together, towards Leona Valley, not east as I had planned.

Looking west, and Elizabeth Lake Road and miles of gentle climbing...
This turned out to be one of those good news/bad news situations. The good news was that the ride towards Leona Valley was lovely; a nice sunny day, not too much traffic, and nice country cruising. The bad news was that I am woefully out of shape and as I climbed west up Elizabeth Lake road, I was wheezing and shifting to easier gears. I guess due to moving, and all the work travel, there hasn’t been a riding season for me, and it feels like I have wiped the slate clean, and am starting over again.
Joshua trees and Juniper trees, just west of our house...
In the long run, it was a lovely ride. I met a new friend; Dave, a contractor/engineer who lives close and works up north in Mojave. He likes to ride brevets and enjoyed not being in a particular hurry as we rode. The scenery was lovely; the company pleasant, and that’s all you can ask for on a bike. I will test ride the commute to work route later this week. Who knows, I might just ride in and see how it works!

Today, Kathy, our neighbor, Leena, the pup-dogs, and I went for an early morning hike into the foothills near the house. We hiked the Joshua Ranch trail, and climbed about 400 ft. above the valley.
Looking east, towards Palmdale Airport and Plant 42. Our house is down in the lower right corner...
A nice hike! great views of the valley, and a nice mix of Joshua trees, Yucca trees, California Junipers, and pleasant friendship. Now that the weather is tolerable outside, it was great to get out and enjoy some more of the local area. Nice to be outside when it's not 110 degrees!

A hot husky!
More news and pictures next week.
Jim

Friday, October 09, 2009

Random Collections...


Fall Leaf, Cactoctin Mountain Park...
Hi all.
Fall is here in the desert. I never expected it, but it’s here. Mild days, breezy cool evenings. The air conditioner is finally taking a break from the usual heat wave that we have enjoyed since moving here.
Louis XVI (Perhaps), The National Gallery of Art
I was spending some time this evening looking through my 2009 picture folders. It occurred to me to publish a set of pictures that have never gotten the chance to be seen by anyone. I have had a lot of travels this year, and as I have always taken pictures along the way, I find I sometimes never edit, publish or even share them with anyone. They tend to end up in random folders labeled; “May09” or “DC2009” etc.
Thomas Jefferson
So, for your enjoyment, here are a few of my favorite, but yet, unpublished pictures from the year. No, I do not have any new pictures of Brian or Andrea. You will just have to be patient, and wait until I travel to see everybody this winter. For now, enjoy my humble efforts.
Jim
The Air and Space Museum; Washington, DC
Renoir's Signature...
My impression of the Wall...
One of my favorite RAAM portraits; Larry Cleveland...

A color we don't see often here in Palmdale...
Ok, what's a blog without a random frog portait, too...
Sunrise over the Missouri river, RAAM, 2009