The colors of autumn have begun to fade and the winter weather is moving in. The temperature has started to drop and days of rain have arrived, including the biggest storm I recall in the last few years. A storm which I rode in. In the dark. The day of the storm I knew there was going to be some rain and wind but not the severity, so I decided to ride to work figuring I could handle a drizzle and a few gusts of wind. I should have known what was in store for later in the day, as the wind in the morning buffeted me and even smacked me in the side of the head with what I think was a large wet leaf. Tumble weeds blew past me going the opposite direction as the wind tried to halt my progress. I finally arrived I work, where at one point in the day I would meet a parrot named Frodo.

     I left just as the sun started setting and the worst of the storm began. The rain poured down and someone offered me a ride home, which I declined and would later question the sanity of saying no to the offer. As I walked out the door to begin my ride I loudly declared, “Valhalla, I am coming!” The streets were literally flooding and then the lightening and thunder began. Every one to two minutes a blazing flash could be seen through the sheets of water followed shortly by a roaring, clamorous rage of thunder. I rode on. After a few miles the storm began to finally subside a bit but I still had very wet streets to contend with. At one point I had to ride in the middle of the road to go through the shallowest part of a small lake that had formed, which still came up past the bottom of my panniers. As I neared home the rain was almost gone but the wind picked back up. I struggled the last few miles home, glad that I had the experience but also happy it was over. There can be only one explanation for such a tempest:

     California really does need more storms like the epic one this week. My beautiful home state has been going through a severe drought. Scheduled releases on the south fork of the American River have been reduced to Saturdays only, and after a two and a half month somewhat forced hiatus two friends and I took the Bold Venture through the Gorge. We were fortunate enough to have the water come up to a flow that was typical during this summer, 1300 CFS, and had an amazing time. We witnessed the mist slowly burning off the surface of the river, small pumpkins someone had put in random places and spectacular scenery. We saw no other rafters and only a handful of kayakers. It was an awesome experience, one that I hopefully won’t have to wait another two months for.

     Again not letting the threat of rain deter me I ran what I am calling a homemade half marathon. Over half this distance was on Deer Valley road, an area I’ve spent a bit of time in this week, and plan on spending more time in, in the future, especially since I discovered there is BLM land in nearby Kanaka Valley. Among the things I encountered during my three excursions this week were does, fawns, a sign declaring "dachshund crossing", with another sign under it warning "be afraid, be very afraid", sweeping vistas, quietly surreal landscapes, a swelling Weber Creek and more than a dozen turkey vultures sunning themselves on a large gate.

     This week, instead of a motion picture recommendation, I’m going to change it up and recommend a book instead. The Martian by Andy Weir. If you like science fiction, or survival tales, READ THIS BOOK. I can’t express enough what a great read this is. It’s also set to be a major motion picture in 2015, so get ahead of the crowd and see what you’ve been missing!

     Another high light this week was getting to spend time with two of my best friends on the same day. They are both rays of healing light that are more frequently and seriously needed of late. Until next time my treasured readers, no matter the nature of the storms the world throws at us, remember