lots of birds
Nice day for a bicycle ride at lunch time, as it was still pretty overcast, but not actually raining. The air was rain washed clean though; smells were clear and hung in the air; particularly the scent of eucalyptus. The path is well enough cambered that most of the water had flowed off to the sides, so I didn't get wet while riding (save for a pleasant sweat, LOL).
I rode past the little lake/reservoir, then back again, for a rest along a shore before pressing on back to work. There were an extra TON of birds out (and no people, amazingly)! There is a tiny little island just off the bank I was on; lots of birds encircled it, many standing on one leg. A bunch of seagulls were visiting among themselves out in the water, far out from the ducks. Lots of geese lately, too, Canadian I think, all dark heads and nearly checkered wings. Also saw a bunch of big white birds... not egrets... maybe pelican? Something related. Weird not to be able to say for sure. Anyhow, they were cool.
I have got to get some kind of athletic strap on thing (hey!) for my ipod. It has now fallen from the bike twice (I'm placing it in the hang-off-the-center-bar triangle bag). Breaking the ipod would be a Bad Thing. I haven't even learned how to put the tunes on shuffle yet!
Speaking of bikes... for the first time ever, I attempted Black Friday shopping (admittedly, a new phrase to me, though as a former bookstore employee, I am very! familiar with the phenomenon). Pretty much a flop. Had to go to two Wal-Mart stores (yes, I visited the Evil Empire) to find the bike that was on sale (I need a bike for home)... and didn't like it when I found it. But they did have a not-on-sale bike with an aluminum frame and one spring, so I got it; pretty much the best of the inexpensive bikes I've seen (now I'd like to get the Scott's Valley cyclery to make me a comfort bike, but...). So, huzzah for that. I also visited the downtown Ace store, wanting some nifty tools... yet the lumber store turned out not to BE an Ace store, but only to carry Ace products. So much for that. Lacking breakfast, I gave up and went home for food. And a nap.
I rode past the little lake/reservoir, then back again, for a rest along a shore before pressing on back to work. There were an extra TON of birds out (and no people, amazingly)! There is a tiny little island just off the bank I was on; lots of birds encircled it, many standing on one leg. A bunch of seagulls were visiting among themselves out in the water, far out from the ducks. Lots of geese lately, too, Canadian I think, all dark heads and nearly checkered wings. Also saw a bunch of big white birds... not egrets... maybe pelican? Something related. Weird not to be able to say for sure. Anyhow, they were cool.
I have got to get some kind of athletic strap on thing (hey!) for my ipod. It has now fallen from the bike twice (I'm placing it in the hang-off-the-center-bar triangle bag). Breaking the ipod would be a Bad Thing. I haven't even learned how to put the tunes on shuffle yet!
Speaking of bikes... for the first time ever, I attempted Black Friday shopping (admittedly, a new phrase to me, though as a former bookstore employee, I am very! familiar with the phenomenon). Pretty much a flop. Had to go to two Wal-Mart stores (yes, I visited the Evil Empire) to find the bike that was on sale (I need a bike for home)... and didn't like it when I found it. But they did have a not-on-sale bike with an aluminum frame and one spring, so I got it; pretty much the best of the inexpensive bikes I've seen (now I'd like to get the Scott's Valley cyclery to make me a comfort bike, but...). So, huzzah for that. I also visited the downtown Ace store, wanting some nifty tools... yet the lumber store turned out not to BE an Ace store, but only to carry Ace products. So much for that. Lacking breakfast, I gave up and went home for food. And a nap.