New Friend

Headed out to Cowles Mt. to look for two geocaches this morning. I could see a lot of fog crowning the peak as I approached. I parked behind an old guy who was suiting up for the hike. I said to him, "They ought to put in a parking lot", and that led to a conversation about hiking the mountain. I noticed he had a GPSr. I said I was there for geocaching. He didn't know what that was, so I gave him an informational card. We happened to be standing quite near to a cache, and I showed it to him. He was pretty interested. He uses his GPSr for keeping track of his hikes: speed, elapsed time, distance, that sort of thing.

Looking northwest from the Barker Road access point. Foggy up there!



We headed up the access road, yakking about The Mountain and stuff. He had two hiking sticks. I have just the one I made out of a broom handle. We made to the top of the first rise, where the Big Rock Trail branches off. He took a layer off, and I got out my GPSr. I estimated it was around 1,200 feet to the geocache. We ambled a long, and all of a sudden we were past it a few feet. Backed up a little, a bit to the north. Ah, those rocks look suspicious! And there it was. We both signed the log, and he introduced himself, and so did I. He said his name was Tom, and I said my was Squeakycyclist. We parted, he heading up the mountain a bit, and I to go down Big Rock Trail a bit.

Mount Helix rising out of the fog.



Fog is pretty much clear from the mountain, but down in the lowlands it is still there. Runners and dog walkers abound.



Hung a north and headed down Big Rock Trail. I spotted a hummingbird near the cache I was looking, keeping an eye on Santee. Some hikers claimed it was the same hummingbird they saw at the top of the hill. One of them said they banded it, but I have my doubts about that!



Lens flare on Big Rock Trail.



A mini-forest of manzanita!



My favorite picture of the day.



Back up at the top of Big Rock Trail, I headed back down the access road. The sign warns us to yield to fast moving emergency vehicles. I guess slow moving emergency vehicles must fend for themselves. Also, bicyclists must go no faster than 10 mph, and they must yield to hikers and horses. You can bring horses up here? Cool!



I did not notice this on the way up, too busy yakking, but just around the corner is this cleaved rock. I would like to have seen that go thump!



Getting safely to the bottom, I headed over to the library to search for THAT cache, which I did not find, again. So the count for the day is: two caches found, one not found (again!) + one friend made, and introduced to geocaching.

Out Caching

Dropped off the replacement log at When Cardinals Collide, then went looking for caches in Hye Canyon.

The trail up the canyon is rather overgrown, but still quite passable.



Spent AT LEAST a half an hour searching for the first cache in a multi-cache, to no avail. Picked up some cactus stickers, though!

I headed up the canyon to search for another cache.

Saw a brick in a tree. How did THAT get there?



I continued up the canyon, found THAT cache, at least! It was full of water, so I emptied it out but left the lid ajar so the contents could dry. Hope someone replaces it before the next rain!

I returned back down the trail, saw these trees that struck me as purty.



I looked for that first cache again, then left.

I emailed the cache owner for a hint. I don't want to have to pull any more cactus spikes out of my behind!

Sunny Saturday

Well, mostly.

I did not ride the bike today as the street were too damp for me. But I did see lots of other folks out there.

I went to the grocery store today. Back by the eggs they had a display of misc. junk they wanted to get rid of, on sale. I picked up a plastic hot dog in a bun. I felt a little embarrassed to be seen with it. I looked at the older-than-me African-American lady standing next to me. She was holding a plastic hot dog in a bun, too! We looked at each other, and she burst out laughing. We quickly put the plastic hot dogs in buns back, and went our separate ways.

After doing many chores around the homestead, I decided to reward myself my going geocaching. I found the one that the boy and I missed on the Big Climb up Mt. Kwaay Paay. Then I drove over to the Old Grove trail and picked up the little booger I missed there. After finally finding success there, I drove over to Dailard park to find a new one, "Menschen essen Kakteen ", new to me, anyway. I didn't get "stuck" there, so I headed over to the library. I found they had closed fifteen minutes before. Ok, says I, let us look for the geocache here. I looked and looked, but all I found was a broken georock (not unlike this one.). I don't know if that counts or not. I decided to take a picture of it for the cache owner, so I scramble back up the rocks to get the camera. As I was about to start down the hill some guy pulled into the parking lot below and starting working on his car! I took a picture of a tree to throw him off the trail,



then I said "What the hey" and went back down the hill, took the picture of the broken rock, and talked parking lot car repair with the guy for a while. He didn't even ask what the heck I was doing.



So then I went over to the OTHER library and checked out a book.

Rain Day V

Yes, we do get a little "weather" in San Diego. Today it rained a bit, hailed a bit, the sun came out a bit, then it rained a bit more.



Tomorrow it will rain a bit more, then we are promised a sunny afternoon.

Rain Day IV

The San Diego River is 11.02 feet, that's around 9 feet over normal. Just a hair under "flood" level. That is around ten feet under the great 1916 flood level. But, hope springs eternal...

The tailless cat watches the rain, and hopes, too...




FIVE SIGNS YOUR KEYBOARD MIGHT NEED CLEANING

1. You press the A key and the Z key moves too.

2. Critters come out from under the keys when you press them.

3. Your fingers stick to the keys.

4. The keys go SHHHH-CLUNK! when you press on them.

5. Brown slime oozes out the keyboard.

It is pretty sad when the keyboard needs to be degreased, too.

Rain Day III

It finally started raining again, around 2:30.

Good thing, too. This morning someone accidentally pushed the manual fire alarm button at work, so we all had to go stand on the soccer fields for a bit.

At least the power is back on and none of my computers are the worse for wear.

I did a fabulous job of trouble shooting a power strip yesterday. See if YOU can spot the problem:



I am so glad I don't have to bike to work in this rainy weather!

Rainy Day I

Not much to report, except it is pretty rainy in Southern California.

The wind, she was whipping around the buildings at work, making the door open and slam, and the roof vents flipping open and shut. Here's a little movie...



I am sure glad I drove today!

If you are interested in the condition of the San Diego River, check out the National Weather Service's Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service. Nifty graph and all. It's hamburger all over the highway in Mission Valley!

Day Three

Manned up and DROVE, on the freeway, all the way to REI and exchanged my defective GPSr for a new one.

Or rather, the last one in the store, which was the display unit.

Hey, it works!

Finished John Lescroats's The Second Chair, so I am three for three vis-à-vis books read per day.

I'm driving tomorrow, I have a HUGE box of books to return to the library!

Day Two

I did the numbers, and it turns out I have read, more or less, 201 books in 2009. That's only 164 books less than one a day! Must be some kind of record, for something.

So far, for 2010, I have read a book every day! Wow!

Today left the house in a snit and escaped to the world of geocaching. I went over to Lake Murray to nail the three caches I have left on my list.

Saw this seemingly old pipe with nifty rivets.



I spent an hour looking for a cache very near the dam, just over the fence. Nice view spot. The GPS receiver decided on start-up today that it was going to only power up for a minute, so I had to restart it every time I needed to check my position. Sweet. I guess I'll have to return it. But, I persevered and found all the caches! I am so proud!

That's all for today, folks!

Quite The Tuesday

I talked my son into going geocaching with me in Mission Trail Regional Park. I printed out all the cache information, plus a map. I neglected to share with him just where it was we were going, or all the tips I've learned in the past two weeks. Like, were long pants if you might go off the trail. Blood will be spilled!

I brought my cool camo hat, a bottle of water, and an Albertson's Granola Bar.

I should have put on some sun block.

The goal was to climb Kwaay Paay Peak. It was pointed out to me, as we stared up the rather steep trail, that it looked nearly as tall as Cowles Mountain. The trial is 2.2 miles long, round trip, and it's around nine hundred feet in elevation gain.

You don't have to get very far along the trail before you get a view.

Look over into Santee and the 52 freeway.


Up near the peak you can look right over the side. Way down there is Mission Gorge Road. We could look down on hawks circling, but naturally they disappeared when I pulled my camera out!


Hey, we are the same elevation as that helicopter!


The view is fairly spectacular at the peak. To the west, a rain cloud formed and dropped a few rain drops, then cleared away. Point Loma is WAY over there! This lady was in a geocache. Who is she?


We found a geocache that had been badly muggled.


We picked up the pieces and re-hid it. I'm pointing right at it, you should be able to find it EASILY!


Going down was easier, except for the slipping and the sliding.

We were passed both ways by young women running, old guys running, a guy carrying a child on his shoulders (who was leaving a trail of goldfish) , and several dogs. It was quite amazing.

I'm glad it was a cool day, I wouldn't have made it during a summer scorcher!

We found eight caches. It might have been nine, but I forgot to bring the coordinates for one of them!

At The Lake

I have decided to divide and conquer the Lake Murray geocaches. Yesterday, a rather cool and sometimes drizzly Sunday, I did the ones on the east side of the lake. I looked for seven, and found six. I took a picture of each one I found, but I shan't bore you with all of them. But this one struck me as pretty funny.



The reservoir has risen since the cache was placed. The cache owner pulled it later that day. Good thing I signed the dripping-wet log with my semi-waterproof red Sharpie pen!

The cache that I DNF, the cache owner checked it later Sunday and archived it. When I was looking for it (TWICE), I found something that might have been part of it. I also picked up glass. I was going to put it all in the trash can, but I forgot and left it there. I saw in the cache log that someone came along later and found my little pile and also thought it might have been part of the cache. Cache In Trash Out, gotta get with the program!

For such a cool and sometimes drizzly day there were quite a few people out and about. I walked the route for two reasons. One, I didn't want to get the bike dirty, and two, It is a pain and very conspicuous to stop, lean the bike against something (if there IS anything!) and nose around the bushes. It is bad enough WITHOUT the bike!

I saw a older fellow wearing a beautiful long-sleeve Rivendell wool jersey in a sort of light green. I think he was riding a Serotta, though.

I saw the blond chick walking. I was passed by several walkers. I guess I just walk too slow. I amble! Lord, I was born an amblin' man, apologies to the Allman Brother Band.

I saw a coyote, but couldn't get the camera out quickly enough. I took a picture of a paw print in the mud, but it may be from a doggie. Pic is on the Zooomr page. Pics of all of today's caches are on the Zooomr page, too. Just in case you want to see what a variety of geocaches might look like.

Next week I shall attack the west side of the lake!

---

Today I picked up a new baking element for the oven. It cost $48.00 including tax and license. I could have got it a little bit cheaper on the web, but I wanted it NOW! Here is the old one, it isn't working for some reason.



Next on the appliance repair horizon? The agitator in the warshing machine!

Whoopsie

I can't believe I did this!

I was sitting at a red light, first in line. The left-turning lane signal turned green next to me, and I took off, ON THE RED LIGHT! Scared the bejezus out of the guy turning in front of me, I bet!

I was distracted by a bicyclist who almost ran the ran the red from the left. He coasted almost half-way through the intersection before he was able to turn around and return to the white line to wait.

I feel so stupid!

But, now I have a little more sympathy for the idiots who have done this to me, 'cause now I are one, too!

Cat Pics

It must be Caterday!

The tail-less cat is being toyed with by a sock on a foot on the end of a hairy leg in this series of photos.



The shaved white spot on the cats leg is where the vet put the I.V. for his (her?) operation.



The cats favorite toy is that sock. In my foot!



I have to be careful not to get scratched or bitten.



Is that a yawn, or preporation to attack!



Those clean teeth are part of what make her (him?) the world's most expensive stray cat.

A Walk About Town

I went for a stroll about the village the other day, over to the library to pick up some reading supplies for the LONG WEEK of FORCED VACATION, not all of it PAID.

This big ol' tree is long gone, (but lives on in Google maps).



And so is this bit of landscaping (from Google Street View).



Now it is a rocky sort of thing, with a odd little path through it.



I liked that ol' tree. I miss it.

I thought this water meter cover looked interesting. It looks more rounded than others I've noticed.



Over by the new La Mesa Police Department building there has been a lot of road re-alignment to accommodate the new building and the traffic it will have. As usual, bike lane suffer.

Looking east on University towards the intersection with Baltimore, we see a new bike lane. Of course, the bicycle rider has to cross the left turn lane to turn left. And of course there is no bike lane after you turn right, in spite of VERY heavy traffic. I can't remember if there is a bike lane after turning left. If there is, it does not continue very far.



Now, after turning left (on the sidewalk, I'm walking, you know!), we can look back to the south and see what they have done to Baltimore Drive. Now there are two lanes turning right, instead of one, onto University Ave.

Some of the drivers are confused, and turn left to get into the go-straight lane.



He makes it, and the next one goes for it!



Taking a closer look at the intersection these confused driver are heading into, we notice that the go-straight lane head directly into the left turn lane. Nice! I've noticed that most cars head over to the far right to turn onto Spring St., anyway. Pity the poor bicyclist trying to navigate this intersection during rush hour!



And that lane way up there, to the right of the car waiting at the trolley tracks? It merges just after the intersection. So it does nothing!

Back to Baltimore Dr., looking south. One of several signs to remind confused drivers that the lanes have been changed.



You will notice there is no bike lane.

Still.

They COULD have made that middle lane a bike lane and done a "Turning Cars Yield To Bicycles" sign at the merge/demerges. Safer for bicyclists, less confusing for the poor cars. Everyone wins.

Well, enough about that. If I don't go to the planning meetings, what right do I have to complain, eh?

Check out this nifty car I saw along the way. It's a Plymouth Sport Suburban station wagon. It looks like a 1957 to me, but don't quote me on that!



I love those taillights!





Nine passengers, eight cylinders, let's go to the Alvarado Drive-In!

Another Monday

I've been feeling a bit "off" for several days, so I have not been riding the bike, or even going out much. Today, I had to get out of the house, so I ran some errands in the vehicle. I drove over to get some smokes for the bitter half. I saw all these vehicles below, some of which I have mentioned before. Now you got pics!

The car I thought was a Mercedes, is actually a Toyota. Big pipes!



Looks like the Duke Boy's car, but is it really a Dodge Charger? Reminds me of a Plymouth Road Runner.



I don't know what this is, but it has attitude!



After securing the smokes I went to the library to drop off some books. They were closed, so I left.

I went looking for some geocaches in Mission Trails Park. I found three. I was caught in the act of signing the log by a couple in an SUV who turned out to also be geocachers. Although they have about eight thousand more than I do...

After not finding a couple more caches I went to another library, checked out a pile of books, and went home.

At The Beach

Saturday, after the funeral, we went down to the beach to visit my brother-in-law and his daughter, and her family. And friends, too!

We enjoyed the fabulous view, we ate some fajita-type meat on tortillas, and I had a glass of beer from Stone Brewery, which pretty much zonked me out.



The moms and the kids wanted to play in the water, so we followed them down the stairs to the beach. I was wearing dress shoes and long pants. I felt like my immigrant grandfather! Like a goose I stood the whole time, until I felt dizzy and had to lie (lay?) down for a bit. But, after that bit I felt better and we climbed back up the stairs to the house.

It was fun watching all the people who come to the beach.



But sometimes people get in front of the camera. I was shooting through the screen door, I should have expected someone might want to come in!

We stayed till after sunset. Lots of people come to watch the sun go down. And the surfers are still out there!



You can find the original uncropped image, and several more unposted ones, on my zooomr page. Just click the image to go there. Wander about to your heart's content!

I had to drive home from where I parked my vehicle, in Mira Mesa, in the dark. On the freeway! You KNOW how I hate to drive, especially in the dark. But, it was ok.

Ripped

A patron turned in Twilight, by S. Meyer, today. They said a page was torn. I told them to please find it for me. And here it is!



So how does a page get ripped like that, in the middle of the page? I've never seen anything like that before.

I splashed a bit of Demco Norbond on the tear, laid sheets of Gaylord waxed paper (the best!) on either side, and stuck it in the Gaylord book press for the weekend. Your mileage may vary on those links, over time.

Of Olde Computer Software & Bugs & Parrots

The Hobbit computer game! Just in time for the movie!



I loved the Apple ][, and I loved the Beagle Bros. software. Useful software with a sense of humor.



We may return to the yesteryear of Apple, but for now, on to other things!

I found an "Interim Logbook For Coneucopia II" in the bottom of my bicycle pannier. I guess I when I found that geocache I was going to replace the logbook. But I never found it.

I had a dream the other night. One of the few I remember. I dreamed about...GIANT GREEN PARROTS! About three feet tall. Yikes!

Lastly, I have been exploring the words Etymology (8,790,000 hits on Google), Entomology (7,070,000 hits), and Entymology (21,300 hits).

According to Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary, entomology "is a branch of zoology that deals with insects."

And also according to Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary, etymology is "1 : the history of a linguistic form (as a word) shown by tracing its development since its earliest recorded occurrence in the language where it is found, by tracing its transmission from one language to another, by analyzing it into its component parts, by identifying its cognates in other languages, or by tracing it and its cognates to a common ancestral form in an ancestral language. 2 : a branch of linguistics concerned with etymologies."

All well and good, if a bit wordy.

What of that last word, Entymology? Only 21,300 (only!) hits on Google. The Urban Dictionary, that bastion of academia (Even I have a definition there!), says in the listing for Etymology that "a word often misused and mispronounced 'entymology' which is the study of insects!"
No, I don't think so. I don't think it is a word, just a mispeling gone loco. If you can prove it is a real word, send me a reputable source, and I'll eat my words. Virtually.

Uh...

I got a postcard from my medical, one of those Notices that they are obligated by law to send out to all their customers.

It says, in part:

To review a copy of our Notice please go to the following Internet hyperlink www.blahblahblah.com/docs/privacy.pdf or alternatively you may send a written request to...

I tried clicking on the paper, it did not take me anywhere. I would call that a URL, not a hyperlink.