I have been continuing to make choices to increase my personal happiness, leading me to be more carefree and lighthearted than I have been in months. This has lead me to think more on that topic I touched on last week, namely success and how it may make you happy. I'm still working on what success means to me personally and, while I still don't have a complete definitive answer, I can tell you one thing that will mean I am well on my way to it: a urinal in my house. Ladies, I cannot express in words the sheer joy of never having to worry about weather the seat is up or down but you guys know what I'm talking about. There's just something a little special about going in a urinal. And to have such a symbol of civilized opulence in my home would surely mean I am at least halfway to success. Of course the additional bonus is that when I have company and two people need to pee at the same time no one would need to pee in the sink.

Someday all my dreams will come true

     Speaking of happiness and success, I saw Jurassic World this week. I was really excited to see this movie as I am a fan of the franchise and dinosaurs in general. As a quick aside, let's not forget we are NOT the original residents of this planet we call home. This movie did not disappoint me at all. From the very first moment I enjoyed it. I would recommend watching Jurassic Park before going to see it though. There are a few references to it and lots of easter eggs for fans of the original. There's even a message to the movie. It examines how in the last few years, in this technological age and time of the 24 hour news cycle, that too many people have lost their sense of wonder and the view that if something happened more than five minutes ago it's already old. Yes, I know this is a big summer block buster, but it's also the reason that big screens exist. So go see it already!

The park is open...

     I sincerely believe one of the reasons I have been happier of late is that I am continuing to get outside, albeit currently only for day long excursions. It's enough for now though, to go on these adventures. To experience this world we live on. Whatever the conditions outside I go forth, as you all should, Don't be intimidated by the naysayers who will proclaim it's too hot, too cold, or that you are crazy for straying away from your domicile. Those people will make any excuses they can to justify sitting on their ass at home. I say to you all that you are better than that! Get off your duffs and live! Go find your happiness and your moments of woohoo! Along the way doubts may creep in and you might want to make your own excuses as to why you can't do this or that thing. Ignore them! But don't ignore this week's selfie! It was taken while on a recent ride when I was finally actually taking a small bit of my own advice and finding a moment of joy, experiencing things I may never experience again. This week alone I saw a family of turkeys laying in the middle of the bike path, rode in 100 degree heat one day only to ride in the rain the next day, and saw the joy on the face of an 85 year old woman as she found a small pine cone on the ground. None of which would have happened if I stayed home.

Selfie #24

     Until next time my valiant readers, if you find yourself still struggling with excuses cloaked as reasons about why you shouldn't do something that you actually really should do remember

     It's been an amazing week with lots of things going on, happening, and coming together. There was the recent anniversary I had with my bicycle, eight years and over 36,000 miles together! As with any relationships there have been ups and downs, times we didn't always get along, but mostly things just seem to roll along just right. And while we have both gone through some changes over the years we always stick together. Here's to you my trusted ride! I look forward to a continued lifetime of adventure with you!

     I had a pretty decent trail run this week as well, with my primary run buddy. Despite that feeling of being done with running I have somehow managed to run 20 miles already this month. I have found that it does help when you are running along scenic trails, taking in the sights and sounds of nature while discussing the mysteries of life, the universe, and everything.  Still though, I'd rather be riding or rafting.

Trust me, this is funny because it's true

     I had an actual rest day recently! I think it has been several weeks since I took one. Granted, I didn't sleep much the night before and I had to do a lot of errands, but I still count it as one. I went to visit my grandmother and took her for a walk in her wheel chair around the neighborhood she's living in. She's actually starting to like going outside and see the flowers, birds, and trees. I'm pretty sure she is wishing she had spent more time appreciating the outside world before her condition deteriorated to the point it has now. There's a lesson there for everyone! Afterwards I headed back to Folsom, where thunderclouds began to move in and the heat was oppressive. As I drove home the temperature dropped nearly fifteen degrees and the rumbling started in earnest. Visible lightening strikes happened a few times and it sprinkled a little. And for the first time in a while I was actually okay with not doing any physical activity.

     Soon enough though the rest day was over and it was time for back to back days on the South Fork American River. The first day was the full length from Chili Bar to Salmon Falls. It was the first time for one of my friends and she handled it like a champ! There was another ascent of the bridge pillar and a snack stop at Gorilla Rock, where thunderclouds like the previous days moved in swiftly overhead. The mixing of the sounds of rapids and thunder were an experience I won't soon forget. The thunderhead loomed above us the rest of the trip, sprinkling down upon us occasionally. A great blue heron graced us with it's presence, taking flight about fifteen feet from us as we passed it. It also happened to be D-Day so I of course assaulted the ears of everyone on board with my small store of World War Two jokes. As we were taking out and packing up the lightening began to strike and the water droplets came down a bit more, adding that fresh rain aroma to the air. A perfect end to the day.

Troublemaker

     Day two of rafting was a slightly shorter trip, Coloma to Salmon Falls. One of my trusty co-pilots was aboard for this trip so we chose to R2 it most of the time, once again allowing the ladies to kick back and enjoy the ride. I sat in the front for the big stuff and got soaked. I won't lie, I laughed manically like Geoffrey Rush entering the maelstrom in a certain pirate movie. We came close to flipping in Hospital bar but in the end managed to stay upright, though we did get parked on the valet rock. I hopped out, pushed us off, then hopped into the current to catch up to the freed boat. We even managed to score some river booty, a Nalgene bottle and a short cam strap. A small haul to be sure, but to a pirate a small amount of booty is better than no booty!

Hospital Bar

     And that brings us to the next day. But let's back up for a second. I recently rode the Folsom South Canal Trail to it's end. After realizing that it crossed over highway 16 an idea for a route to ride popped into my head. Which brings us back to the present. Despite the weather forecast saying it was going be 98 I headed out. I followed much of my previous ride, at least to highway 16. Once I got to the highway I was pleasantly surprised to discover how wide the shoulder was for much of the way on the route I was taking. Although there was heavy traffic at times the scenery was much better than I was expecting and the small towns had a certain charm to them. Along the way the temperature steadily increased until at one point the thermometer on my bike computer read a little over 112. Toward the end it was a bit of a struggle, but I pressed on, rested when needed, and eventually made it home. I ended up riding 77 miles, and yes it was tough at times, but I am thankful to be able to do such things and have these experiences.

     This ride is also responsible for spawning that thing that everyone looks forward to every week: THE SELFIE! I'm totally hot in this week's selfie! Okay, I'm only hot because it was sweltering out. Anyway, enjoy!

Selfie #23

     I've still made time to see a few movies in the theater the past couple of weeks. they've all been pretty good, in their own way. Fury Road is great if you want to see a chaotic, all out action movie. Tomorrowland has little bit of everything, comedy, action, optimism, and it will make you feel guilty about seeing Fury Road. San Andreas is pure disaster porn, but done far better than anything else in it's genre that I've seen since Twister. There are more than a few scenes that will leave you on the edge of your seat. Weather you see one or all of them, bring your own snacks.

     Onto a more serious topic. I've been thinking a lot about success. What does that mean? How do you know when you have it? Is it like porn, in that you can't define it but you know it when you see it?  Is it having millions of dollars? Is it having everything you have always wanted? Where does personal happiness factor into success? I have been pondering all these questions and far more lately. If you, dear reader, expected some solid answers I am afraid I must disappoint you in that regard. I am still figuring it all out myself, but my recent ponderings have finally lead to a decision in my current career to no longer pursue a certain course I was set on. And although I am not sure exactly where I want to go from where I am at now, I know where I don't want to go. That's it for this entry, so until next week I want you to keep this in mind:

     It's now June and bike month is over. I'm not usually very competitive but something brought out an ambitious spirit in me this year. I juggled in the top three spots for my team, actually attaining the number one spot a couple of times. I rode more than I ever have in a single month before, surpassing my old record by over 100 miles. My final count for May is 908.4 miles. Obviously I rode quite a bit, but I still did some other things as well. I ran over 40 miles, went rafting a couple of times, and went hiking as well. All this physical activity has got me thinking, reflecting on trips I have bailed on in the past. Why did I cancel them? It's certainly not because I wasn't physically capable. I have a really bad habit of making up bull shit excuses in my mind as to why I 'can't go'. This is the next big obstacle in my life I have been working on, pondering on the reasons why I hold myself back. There are more than a few that when I hold them up to the flame they are shown to be what they really are: feeble excuses. But if there is anything cycling has taught me is that the hills in front of you are just a challenge to overcome, and as long as you keep going, you will get over them.

This pretty much sums up May

     One of my favorite rides in May was my return to the Folsom South Canal Trail. As you may recall, dear readers, I attempted this ride a couple of weeks ago and couldn't find access. After doing some research on the internet I discovered where I could hop on the trail. It ended up being a bit longer than I expected, but it was an experience. I was almost accosted by Canadian geese that were protecting their young (and got offended when I called them ducks), saw a plover fly into a fence, and got ideas for future rides. It was also the ride where I took this week's selfie! I hope you are all ready for the latest installment in my self indulgence!

Selfie #22

     I'm continuing to lose interest in running again. I am sure that spark will come back before too long, but cycling, as usual, is how I am finding all those awesome moments of woohoo! I am sure everyone has their own special thing that evokes that rush, that feeling of exhilaration, that makes you want to loudly proclaim to anyone and everyone WOOHOO! So go out there and do what it is that makes you happy, go pursue and embrace your woohoo!

What's yours?

     So until next time my blissful readers, get out there and do what makes you happy because

     This week I would like to open up with a topic that is very important to me. Personal space. I bring this up because the frequency of people touching me has increased over the last several months. Strangers, especially people that I have helped in one situation or another, feel that in order to thank me they need to either shake my hand, touch my arm, or even squeeze my bicep. And before you say it, I am not afraid of germs. I just don't like people I don't know touching me. It's a violation of my personal space. Being able to touch me is something you earn, much like my respect. Someone touching me that hasn't earned that privilege, and I firmly believe ANY physical contact between people is a privilege NOT A RIGHT is creepy and, frankly, borderline rapey behavior,  Which is why I am only comfortable letting people I know AND like to have physical contact with me. So next time you see my friends and me hanging out, hugging each other or giving each other a friendly shove on the shoulder, remember that is a privilege we all earned and not something you can just join into at a moment's notice. So unless I know you and LIKE you...

     So now that I've got that out there, I'll tell you how I have been getting out there, the outdoors, as bike month continues. I have managed to rack up over six hundred miles so far this month on my bicycle while still finding some time to run as well. Although I have to admit I feel like I am back in another slump with running. That's okay though, as running has always been more of a secondary activity for me. I may be married to cycling, and rafting is the beautiful mistress I have on the side, but running is more like a girl who lives in the neighborhood and for some reason we keep hooking up occasionally even though we both know we are bad for each other so we keep our casual encounters to a minimum. Anyway, more about that beautiful mistress of rafting! For my sixth trip this year my friends and I took the Bold Venture, as well as an inflatable kayak, from Coloma to Salmon Falls. The day started out with me attempting to give my friend some more guide training, which didn't last long. I switched back to the guide position and we cruised down to the 49 bridge which now has climbing holds on one of the pillars. In an epic feet one of our crew manged to climb the route. Barefoot! After lunch we hit The Gorge. We saw a bald eagle, for the second trip in a row! At some point my friend and I decided to let the girls just sit back and princess paddle while he and I took R2 positions for the rest of the trip. I loved it! Sitting in the middle of the boat allows me to experience so much more of the action than I would have had I been still guiding in the back. At Bouncing Rock my friend in the IK fell out. After recovering him we continued on and hit Hospital Bar just right so everyone in the boat got thoroughly soaked. At Surprise! my friend I was R2ing with fell out. It was his first swim! All in all it was great trip, and we took our sweet time so we really got to enjoy and wholly experience the beauteous wonder that we floated through.

This pretty much says it all

     It was also surprisingly not all that crowded considering it was Memorial Day weekend. I am hoping that it is a sign people are actually taking time to remember why we have this holiday in this country. I am not the most political of people and I think most wars should be avoided, but I also think everyone needs to show some respect to the people that put their lives on the line for what they believe in. So instead of using Memorial Day as an excuse to get wasted and flip a speed boat at Folsom Lake, how about everyone takes some time to show how appreciated the people are that helped give us the freedom to be able to do what we want. Seriously, to all  the men and women that are out there everyday, who have helped to build what we all enjoy I say

      Alright, it's about time to wrap this up. But wait! No, I didn't forget! It's selfie time! This one was taken on the most recent rafting trip and is fine piece of work if I do say so myself, which I just did!

Selfie #21

     Until next time my valued readers, get out there, have your own adventures, think about what brought to the place you are right now and

     People often ask me why I don't drink or partake of any other substance that many others often do. My usual response is some sort of flippant quip. But now, dear readers, I bring you the real reasons! That's right! It's time for my origin story! My parents were both alcoholics and junkies. My father even had a drug lab in his mother's garage at one point. He would often beat my mother. Until one day she hit him back, thus earning her the nick name 'Thumper'. They split up shortly thereafter. I was about two years old. After that neither one of them were involved in my life very much. My grandparents on my mom's side took care of me while my parents were doing who knows what. I grew up in the projects and trailer parks of the Bay Area. I saw my mother maybe once every couple of weeks. Even at a young age I knew I wanted no part of the life my parents had become involved with. I saw my second cousins become drug runners for their own mom, who ended up getting shot by a rival drug dealer.  When my mother did finally sober up for a short period it was only because she stole drugs from the wrong person and they threatened to cut off her hand. As I grew older my convictions just grew stronger. I saw any involvement with drugs and alcohol as a waste. A waste of life, time, and money. I have much better things to do and enough problems. I don't need to add anymore complications or drama to my life. And it all is so illogical. People still try to get me to go out and drink or whatever, to 'take the edge off'. Well, guess what? I DON'T NEED TO. All that stuff is just a crutch to avoid the truth. And I would rather face the truth head on.Then there's all the health reasons as well. Long term drug and alcohol usage will do horrible things to your body. I have worked too damn hard to get to the point where I am now just for so called 'fun'. Now is usually the point when people start arguing their side of how great it can be to go party. Save it, believe me, I've heard it all before and I'm not buying the hype.

     Onto a different more gleeful topic! It's been another week of Bike Month and I've taken some great rides. I at long last got up to Auburn to ride some of the trails I have been hearing so much about. The ride started by going under the Forest Hill Bridge and along the North Fork of the American River and climbing up above Lake Clementine. I rode through a small forest of madrones, around a foothill meadow, and finally descended back down toward the Middle Fork. There were some great technical features along the trail as well. Another recent ride that stands out this week was what is normally just part of my commute. I was almost home when I saw lightening and then about a minute later heard the distant sound of thunder. This continued until I was about a half mile from home and it began to rain. Just as I reached my door the thunder increased in volume, rumbling for over an hour straight with no pauses, lightening frequently lashing out. It was truly awesome.  I rode another half century this week as well, from my place to River Bend Park and around Lake Natoma. So far for the month I am at little over 430 miles!

     As my debt quest continues I am still examining my financial habits and eating away at what I owe. I am feeling a little more steady as I try to gain that precarious balance between losing my sanity by moving too quickly and being able to actually enjoy my life. I am seeing some results though from all my recent efforts. I have leveled up once more! That now makes me level five!

     As the blog post for this week winds down, I am sure everyone can guess what time it is. That magical time, once a week, when you get to see a picture of your beloved blogger basking in his own opulence! That's right! The selfie of the week! This one was taken at an overlook above Lake Clementine, which can be seen in the background, but is obviously overshadowed by my own magnificence.

Selfie #20

     Until next time my valued readers, remember to actually experience all these great moments because

     Bike month continues! To help rack up the miles I took a ride to Auburn I have been wanting to do for awhile. It just happened to be Cinco De Mayo, so I dubbed my ride Cyclo De Mayo. At the beginning of the ride a great blue heron took flight from a field very close to where I was and gracefully soared about. To some native Americans the great blue heron is a sign of a successful journey, and I took it as such as well. Continuing on, along Salmon Falls Road, I spotted a vulture atop a telephone pole with it's wings spread. This particular janitor of the animal kingdom was sunning itself, but it's resemblance to the top of a totem pole was uncanny. Riding along I crossed the confluence of the north and middle forks of the American River, where I discovered highway 49 was closed so I would be experiencing increased traffic on my ride up Forrest Hill Road. After pausing for a moment to take in the wonder of the rivers and the sight of Forrest Hill bridge, which is the bridge in the Vin Diesel movie XXX, I began my ascent. Some of the diverted logging trucks came within inches of me but on the plus side they created a temporary  wind tunnel giving me a slight boost up the hill. Just before actually entering Auburn I crossed the bridge that  I had been so far below before. I ended up riding just under 62 miles, which is about 100 kilometers for my metric speaking friends.

NOT my selfie of the week, just a picture of me with the Forrest Hill bridge

     Just because it's bike month though doesn't mean I have been neglecting the other things I like to do. Saturday I started out the day with a 5.1 mile run. In the early afternoon I went hiking at Cronan Ranch with one one of my favorite people in the world and her dog, whose name is Roo. It was quite entertaining to watch Roo have his first encounter with a horse, looking quizzically at it, wondering exactly what is was that he was looking at. We stopped for lunch just above the rapid known as Secret Chute. It was here we saw a deer appear from the trees just before a rider on horseback galloped by on the trail above us. I finished up the day with a nice ride along the scenic back roads close to where I live. Which brings us to this week's selfie! This one was taken at the aforementioned lunch spot, and I have a special guest this week. Roo dog!

Selfie #19

     The Bold Venture saw a lot of action Sunday when me and four of the best crew mates I've ever had the honor to paddle with hit the white water. We rafted from Chili Bar to Salmon Falls, over 21 miles. It was mother's day and, compared to the crowds normally seen on weekends, there was hardly anyone out. We were the first ones on the river and for much of the time had it all to ourselves. I must say this particular crew moved and maneuvered the boat like none other I've ever paddled with, which came in handy whenever I would abruptly change my mind about which way we should go. Near Gorilla Rock we spotted some small turtles basking in the sun atop their rocky perches. Just above Hospital Bar we saw a great blue heron in the air, another sign of how great our journey was and perhaps an indicator of what we saw next: a bald eagle! We saw this majestic bird near Surprise and witnessed it soaring, seeking it's prey. Which in this case appeared to be some baby mallards. Curiously it was a Canadian goose that sounded the alarm and kept watch as the eagle waited nearby. We finished the day off by just floating and relaxing on the boat before takeout. It was a truly amazing day.

WOOHOO!!!

     On a more serious note, I have been really thinking about recent conversations between me and the Commander. One thing that has really stuck in my head is how she pointed out that I tend to go overboard on certain things, something I have posted on this blog previously. I have really been reflecting on this and the fact I need to find balance between paying off my debt and having time to stay sane. I have found that while I have been making good progress on my debt I am going a little stir crazy. I recognize now I need to take vacations every now and then, that I don't need to call them off altogether right now, but that I do need to be careful about how many I take. And of course watch my spending habits. I also have to recognize that mental health is just as important as physical health. Right now, it seems it will be all about finding that balance.

     Until next time my dear readers I hope you are all out there having fun, getting your balance and declaring proudly to the world your own moment of

     Yes, I know. Last week I bid everyone a fond farewell. It was the end of my journey in the world of blogging. But then something happened. You, my cherished readers, told me you actually liked reading my ramblings! You really like me! So, yes, the blog is here to stay for awhile longer. If you like you can compare last week's ending to Ozzy's infamous No More Tours Tour.

Did someone say my name?

     It's now May and that means May Is Bike Month. For me, as most of you know, every month is bike month. But every May cyclist go crazy nation wide to herald in the start of 'good' cycling weather and to promote awareness of cycling to the general public. Lots of interesting events take place during this month long cyclebration including the closing of some major local roads at the beginning of the month so that only cyclist can enjoy them. There are also meet ups and prizes to be had. You can also earn various badges on the website and challenge your buddies to some friendly competition. So weather you only occasionally take to two wheels or ride frequently, check out what's going on in your area and enjoy the festivities!

     As my debt quest continues, I am on the verge of gaining my next level, perhaps even by my next post. I still have a way to go though and I have been scrutinizing my finances harder than ever. I even began to keep tabs on how much I spend on groceries each month. I know a lot of people already do this, but I generally don't splurge too much when it comes to this category so until now I never kept tabs on the amount of dough I spent on bread. (C'mon. Did anyone really think that joke wasn't going to happen?) The exception to this of course is when I go all out and spoil myself with that nectar of science known as Ovaltine. To recap, in April I spent $273.27. Not too bad. I have also been cutting back on gadgets that once upon a time I would have bought without a second thought. Before I buy things now I ask myself, 'do I really need this?', and 'how many hours would I have to work to pay for this?'. It's amazing how helpful those two questions are.

     I have been contemplating as well why I let myself get so in debt in the first place. Yes, that's right, I LET MYSELF GET IN DEBT. Before I go further I want everyone to think about a cold hard fact. For the vast majority of people in America, being in debt is a choice, a decision that you make. WILLINGLY. People CHOOSE to live beyond their means. Why do you think that last recession happened? People over spent and couldn't pay all their bills. I digress. There are a few reasons I chose to walk into the debt trap. One of the main reasons is because of an unhealthy love/hate relationship with cars. I won't go in depth on that topic today, perhaps in a later post. There are some other psychological reasons I am still untangling in my mind, and I am sure I will be talking about those more in depth later as well. The important thing though is I finally started waking up and realizing what needs to be done so I can unshackle myself from my self imposed bonds.

     Before I leave you, don't think I've forgotten about the time honored tradition of 'The Selfie Of The Week'! Yes, it's just another casual shot taking haphazardly, but it makes more sense than a Jackson Pollock painting. And it's a hell of a lot cheaper!

Selfie #18

     Until next time my inspirational readers, celebrate bike month and