Venice Beach Blues: Sunday, February 8th!

If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts; but if he will be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties. -Francis Bacon, essayist, philosopher, and statesman (1561-1626)

What for centuries raised man above the beast is not the cudgel but the irresistible power of unarmed truth. -Bois Pasternak, poet and novelist (10 Feb 1890-1960)

Up at just before 7:00 am to treat myself to a cup of java made with Instanto and 2% milk while Lady Mary remained wrapped in duvet, not wishing to be disturbed, let alone photographed!  

Hi Flash! Trust you and all your women folk are well! Thank you for the very, very kind and heartfelt sentiments. Must apologize for not answering your lovely message sooner. No excuses, on my part, but plenty of reasons. As you will recall your email was sent on Super Bowl Sunday and although I did not watch game, (I was furiously packing car and readying place for showings while away.), as we were off to Bellingham, very early on Monday morning to collect three cases of wine stashed there.

Today, we were off to the beach. The Goils dropped me off at Will Rogers Beach, (We took Sunset Blvd to get there.), and I rode south for two hours, (Past LAX as I have done this a few years ago), before turning back so that they could have four hours or so of shopping/sunning/reading in Venice Beach/Santa Monica. We set off from Casa Van Nuys at just after 10:00 am, having had a tasty breakfast of bacon and scrambled eggs, courtesy of Ayn. Traffic was relatively light on the 101 and then the 405 so we were soon on Sunset Blvd. Lined with gorgeous homes and even more spectacular stands of gigantic eucalyptus, at times, we arrived at the Pacific Coast Highway around 10:45 am. Ayn parked in the Vons lot there and after I unhooked my bike, went to the bathroom and then slathered on sunscreen, I bade goodbye to the Babes, agreeing to meet them in the very same spot at 3:00 pm so that I'd have four hours or riding time ahead.

Walked my bike to the crosswalk and had to wait a considerable length of time for the light to change. When on the west sid eof the PCH I discovered that the dedicated ike path along the beach didn't start for a few about 1/4 mile south, near Will Rogers Beach. This meant I had to ride along the busy PCH but I saw many other bikers doing the same so I wasn't overly perturbed. When I reached WRB, a few minutes later, I recognized the parking lot there as I had started from here a number of years ago. Back on the dedicated bike path I sailed along, the wind behind me and was soon near Santa Monica, the colourful Ferris Wheel on the pier there, catching my eye. 

However, really had to keep both eyes on the path ahead as for many portions it was like he Seawall in summer, on steroids. Traffic, pedestrian, recreational bikers, joggers and dog walkers, thinned out once I was under and away from pier and didn't really thicken until I approached Venice Beach so back on Red Alert! Dedicated bike path ends here so I took surface streets, Pacific Ave and then Via Marina to Marina Del Ray and did a few dipsy-doodles along the various "Ways" there before hitting Admiralty Way which I knew would eventually take me back to the dedicated bike lane, the Marvin Braude Path.

Once I'd crossed over Ballona Creek I was back along beach, running parallel to Vista del Mar, passing LAX with many jetliners taking off overhead, coming first to Dockweiler Beach, then Manhattan Beach and finally Hermosa Beach where I turned around. I had about 36 km on the clock by then and it was only 12:45 pm. However, I thought I'd be battling a reasonably strong headwind on return so I wanted to give myself some extra time to make my rendezvous with The Sisterhood. As things turned out, it really wasn't the wind I had to worry about but rather the mindoids on the path. Some of the things that people did were simply astounding: dopes texting, riding with no hands on the handlebars, weaving all over the place; families with a number of kids, on bikes, with training wheels, way ahead of their parents and often doing abrupt U turns; dog walkers, wearing earphones, with their pets, on leashes, blocking both sides of bikeway.

However, I'm not suggesting that the wonderful, wonderful concrete pathway should be reserved for riders such as me but more needs to be done about enforcing posted rules. Per esempio, there are often extended stretches for bikes only as a pedestrian way runs parallel, yet very few joggers or strollers pay the slightest attention and, in fact, seem rather annoyed, that one is so bold as to ring one's bell to warn them. These minor complaints aside, it was a glorious, glorious ride: the surf was up, the waves crashing wildly on the extended beaches, many boarders catching the 4' to '5, occasional 6' waves; sights and sounds along the bike path were most entertaining, in spite of the above-mentioned frustrations.

At any rate, by the time I had threaded my way back to WRB I had logged about 68 km and it was only 2:00 pm so I knew I could probably make 80+ km if I did some creative dipsy-doodling. The extended parking lots at WRB helped immensely so once I was at the north end of the last lot I headed back towards the pier at Santa Monica but only as far as South Will Rogers Beach before turning north again. Once I'd did the upper parking lot loop there a number of times, I was ready to hit the PCH. Luckily, I caught the crosswalk light at Temescal Canyon Road without having to touch The Dreaded Burning Ground and was heading north, along the reasonably wide shoulder. 

Bit of a shock at the lights on Mantua Road as I knew I wouldn't make crossing. Fortunately, for me, there was a very wide shoulder at this point and I was able to circle, once only, and then I was through the Danger Zone and it was easy-peasy lemon squeezy to Sunset Blvd and the parking lot at Vons. I circled a bit, looking for Tg but found it not. However, a few moments later The Goils showed up and directed me to a parking spot nearbye. When I walked my bike up to the car I asked where Cora Lee was and Ayn replied: "She's babysitting Winston!" Over the course of the afternoon they had visited West LA Animal Shelter and Ayn had adopted a "senior" Jack Russell, Winston, formerly Cyrus at the Pound. Stats for ride: 

http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/693251958#.VNgFbak2OCg.email

At any rate, he is a lovely pooch and to see him is to embrace his doginess. We stopped off at Ross in Sherman Oaks on way home to buy him two dog beds, colours matching existing colour scheme, dontcha' know! Quick shower and change while Ayn went shopping for dinner fixin's and Mme Coriandre bonded with the new dog on the street. Xaviero and Alejandro arrived before Mama Pajama and we visited with Los Horridos before their mother returned. Ayn concocted an amazing dinner of Armenian chicken fajitas, washed down with a 2012 Coffaro Mourvedre, 14.5%, just enough to cool the furnace temperature of the fiery fajitas!

Pierre and I will sip a few drams of Booker's, 63.95% Bourbon until Grammy's are over and then we will watch more Outlander, followed by Downton and then Granchester. Life is more than grand in Tinsel Town, Dear Reader! Will be in touch again above "move" related matters. No bites yet on The Islay Inn so you will still have us to kick around for a little while anyway! Fondestos from my Sisterhood to you and your Sisterhood. Cheers, Patrizzio! Pics: Trek at Tiburon; Raoul and Donna Florida; Friday morning with Vinnie the Baker; Cachorro barber; shorn selfie; It is Pierre's 26th birthday this coming Tuesday and we will celebrate it the evening before we set out, with empty camel packs, (empty of malt, that is), to cross the desert to spend a week in Palm Desert with friends, Lynne and Peter, from Naramata. Lady Mary still abed this good morn.

who is that dude in the last photo? Shorts, anyone want to claim these? 

Hello Lady Mary II and Sherpa/Scullion Davey! I'm more than happy to claim the unclaimed shorts, (even though they are not mine), as I always need riding shorts! Nevertheless, you decide. Pics: Start point; The Babes glad to be rid of me; surfer dudes; Ayn with her recently adopted rescue pooch; Cora Lee as surrogate owner; Los Horridos!                             Hi Kids! Trust you are both well! We have been on the road for past week. Fondestos from Cora Lee. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hello Dave and Arizona Baby Cakes! Trust you are both well. Sorry I've not been in touch sooner but life on the road is a trifle difficile! Thank you for all your extremely hard work, Dave. Certainly much appreciated. So that's al the news that fit to print. Fondestos from Mme Coriandre to you both. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Hello I am currently away with a broken ankle complicated by a fractured femur.  My return to work is indefinite.  I will be able to check email but sporadically. Thanks Jo-Anne

Hello you two, Well that sounds like an absolutely amazing time, I'm very jealous as it has been nothing but rain up here. I have been consistently showing your unit and I had previously thought that a couple that came through last week was going to write an offer but that did not end up happening. Today however I received and offer from another couple that came through five days ago. I have attached it to this email so you can review it and decide how you would like to counter it. Please give me a call after you have reviewed it and had a chance to discuss your feelings on it. I will be in my car for the next hour but am free after that. All the best, Dave