Stan’s Obligatory Blog

I’ve long been a fan of Sandra Tsing Loh. We have a number of common threads in our lives, starting with being mixed Chinese and German to having physics degrees from major universities to having spent time working at Hughes Aircraft back in the ’80s. And now we have another – Sandra Tsing Loh is getting divorced.

This is rather disturbing to me, but from reading her article, it sounds like she’s accepted the idea that she’s just not interested in being married any more. And I don’t get the impression that she thinks that it’s somehow all her husband’s fault. Which is a good thing.

That said, I’m looking forward to the day when this whole divorce thing can just be a distant memory. Just a speck in the rear-view-mirror of life.

Today’s bike ride was an old favorite of mine. Down to Hollywood, then up the hill to Griffith Observatory, and then over Mt. Hollywood to Burbank and the Valley. This was the first time we’ve done this route since last year.

In Los Feliz, we saw a house with an unusual roofing pattern. Then we headed up the hill into the park. At the observatory, I saw solar-powered Botts Dots. I also got my picture taken with the great astronomers.

Heading over the hill into the Valley, we got to enjoy a nice winding downhill. I got some good action shots of Don and John coming down the hill. Then we went to Priscilla’s in Toluca Lake for bagels.

Coming home, we rode across Glendale and then up and over the stupidly steep little hill on Glenoaks before the long grind up Chevy Chase and Linda Vista. Then the nice sweeping downhill to the Rose Bowl, and then back to the park on Orange Grove.

It was a very nice ride.

45 miles.
cycling

Saturday night we went out to one of those redacted parties. You know. The ones that are great fun, but Not Safe For Work, so therefore I don’t write about them in detail here. And this one is no exception. But boy was it fun. Everyone I know was there, and we had a nice time socializing before heading off to ‘dance’ as it were. It was a fun night.

Now I’m going to write some more random stuff just to fill out the post with a bit more black. I think that’s what it needs, right? It just doesn’t look like so much fun if the black is just a small area. So I need to put in more blather here. Since, well, you know, this is just a tease. But if you want to know the real story, come bike riding with me. It’s really a very entertaining story. It’s what has saved my soul through this whole spirit-crushing divorce drama. And it’s the reason I don’t hate Texas any more.

Saw this on Violet Blue.

On Saturday morning, I unexpectedly found myself with a couple of hours free. So I went for a bike ride. I went with John from the Sunday group, since he had been planning on doing a short ride, too. We met up near the Rose Bowl and rode down to South Pasadena. Then up and over the hill with the water tower. Then back up the arroyo to the Rose Bowl, and up Linda Vista to La Cañada. We took the bike path back across the dam there, which was new to me. That had a nice view of JPL and the arroyo. Then we headed home by way of Altadena.

It was a very pleasant little ride.

25 miles.
cycling