The Rhododendron Dell

On January ninth, 2021 I wrote that that morning I was in bed not really sleeping and the boys started making noise. I told him to go to back to sleep and they did. They snuck away 15 minutes later and I told them to go back to bed and while they did go to the living room they actually went to bed.

This continued until crying woke me from a snooze at 7:45. I got them dressed and then made them a meal. I cleaned up and played with them and did other things until I got a text from dad calling off for the day.

By 1145 I was outside enjoying the fresh air. The boys got in the bike with the bocce balls and we were at Waller, Haight and Page until Scott where I rode really fast all the way to Stanyan.

The boys kept screaming “no honking” and “no cars.” I was singing along. I thought the whole experience was really wonderful. They got on their bikes at the Conservatory and we went to Rise and Grind before playing with my acquaintance and his son at the blue playground

We were in the swing sets when we decided to go to what one of the boys calls The Secret Forest. I had told Andrew about the dentist and showed him a map of the bridge in Fairfax.

We wandered through the tunnels and around California Academy of sciences and entered The Secret Forest which is our name for the Rhododendron Dell. The boys did time trials. We ate snacks, played bocce and got some fresh air. When we were done we said by at Big Rec.

One of the boys asked about grandpa’s house but we decided against it. The ride from fifth and Lincoln was sketchy but the rest was great. We had a snack at Stanyan and also at the Page Street library. I fixed the safe streets barriers at Masonic.

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.

Saint Moritz Train Ride

On January 1, 2021, I wrote that I was staying at dad’s with my kids. The boys came down at six to ask what to do. As I had been up late the night before I was not prepared for this. I put them back to bed but they were up a short while later.

Between 10 then and 11 we got ready for the day. My father helped a lot.. I ate and tidied before starting getting ready to leave. I made the boys sandwiches before taking the bike outside.

My niece had just arrived. I filled her tires and grabbed some fresh air. I repotted an orchid. The four of us rode up Ortega and out 41st to Martin Luther King. Then we went up the speedway bike path to Lloyd lake and played bocce.

My sister took her daughter home then and then the boys and I rode to get coffee and visit Argonne playground and eat chocolate croissants. Then we rode up to 12th and Cabrillo to take photos of an acquaintance's new apartment. We then went behind the Conservatory of Flowers to Bunny Meadow and Panhandle Park. The boys had to play again.

When we got to Page, one of the boys quit and we rode all the way to the apartment. I unpacked and started pizza. The boys started watching swiss train recordings.

I had salad with my pizza. When I was done cleaning we had ice cream and we watched most of the rest of the Saint Moritz train ride and they went to bed.

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.

A Prepared Turkey

On December 25, 2020, I wrote that the day before I woke up at 9:30 around and skipped eating to go to the coffee shop and had a second cuppa coffee. I went home and logged into my work email. I had taken the day off.

I had been mostly putting stuff away. The bookcase in the front room was partially organized. I ate around 430 and at five texted an acquaintance to say I would be going to the Panhandle. He had just finished a ride to Pacifica.

I went to healthy spirits and picked up some Stiegl and a small bottle of rye whiskey. I hung out in the park at 6:30 and by 7:45 I had stopped by an his house in the Richmond. He and I rode past the mushroom trees and the city's Christmas tree. We followed a fire truck to Page Street and visited his girlfriend for eggnog. Five of us hung out in the back over looking the alley and ate some oyster soup. I got home at 12:30 and watched TV until late.

In the morning of the day that I wrote this I woke at 10 and had a meal and enjoyed having the house to myself. I had FaceTime with my kids. It was raining.

Later I left on my bike in the rain around 2:10. I rode slowly across Market and up the wiggle. The street was quiet but it was lightly raining. As I climbed Page and it got wetter. I made Kezar fine but I was not dry anymore.

Starbucks at ninth had closed by the time I got there. So, I went to 19th Ave. where they were open for a small amount longer. I got coffee and tried to dry out. I was wearing wool anyway. I had a 2nd cup and then rode through light rain to see my father.

After I had been there long enough to make myself presentable, my sister arrived with her family. We sat in the living room with football playing. My nephew kept turning the sound up. I tried to convince my niece to write a book.

The meal was a prepared turkey from a well known local butcher and it only required minimal cooking. We all agreed it was perfect and everyone thought getting another next year might be the best. We sat with dad talking about the news and old high school friends until my sister said it was time to go.

I left about 45 minutes later. Dad was in his study. The ride home was fine. I was putting a bunch of stuff into the bookcase as I was going to bed.

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.

Vascona Reservoir

On December 19, 2020, I wrote that that morning I got up at 9:45 and had a small meal before grabbing everything and getting coffee at 7th. Then I boarded the 1148 train headed for Diridon. There I visited chromatic coffee and continued onward to Bascom Street to eat my scones.

I had to cross to Campbell Park after riding an uneven boardwalk bridge. When I got to the settling pond I thought I had accomplished something but it was only the first of many flood control features.

I passed some ponds full of ducks. At Vascona Reservoir I noticed homes were built right below the dam. I probably could’ve ridden through the parking lot. By this point I had noticed I would be cutting my time pretty close.

I passed Highway 9 and started into the mountains on a dirt road. Then I climbed up onto the dam at Lexington Reservoir and to the spot I know where I could continue easily. I gave up after catching some fresh air and interviewing people about the area.

After that I descended back into the canyon yelling at birds and saying hello to people all the way until I made it to the pavement again. I stopped to catch my breath twice. Near the end of my journey, I stopped for a burrito on Lincoln and had some beers while waiting for the 6pm train back to SF. I fell asleep on the train for a bit.

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.

Decorate the Tree

On December 8, 2020 I wrote that the alarm clock went off at the usual time and so did my phone but I succeeded in getting up with just enough free time to eat and sit at my desk to attend a work meeting.

An acquaintance and I went to the cafe and discussed hegemony – it was my lecture really. When we were done I confirmed that we would meet for a bike ride on the coming Saturday. I got some fresh air on the way back to the apartment.

I got my bike out and went to dad’s. I was avuncular and dad shared his mix of emotions over the Christmas cards. As we discussed our plans for the month, he revealed that he was at a loss over decorating the tree my sister had gotten him.

Later he told me he wanted to travel to see family in the summer of 2021. I left after eating all his candy. We had a bit of ice cream. I had had whiskey. I pumped up my tires and rode to The Panhandle.

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.

Past 2 Pancake Places

On November 27, 2020 I wrote that that morning I woke up at three in the morning at my father’s house. One of my boys had come downstairs to complain that his brother was kicking him. When we got up at 7:30 they played for a while. While one was a touch grouchy they were playful.

I got them dressed and fed. Dad had made coffee. We left at 10:30 on our way to see Grammy’s plot.

Dad took Sunset Boulevard and Brotherhood Way to the top of the hill. Then he picked up some flowers on Hillside before we got to Holy Cross. The boys helped clear Grammy‘s grave and we laid a picture on her grave for a photo.

Dad cried as he left her plot. I explained to the boys that we needed to give him some space.

A short while later the boys helped him clear his parent’s grave and we placed some flowers there too. Dad hadn’t visited that spot for a long time so the grave was a mess.

We spent a lot of time walking around looking for my maternal grandmother‘s grave but only found ones that said a similar name - Dad said that they were a distant relative.

After that I drove to Hillcrest – past 2 pancake places – to visit the San Andreas Lake Trail. Dad spoke to a city worker and I got some photos of the boys with the lake. It was hard to keep their attention.

I drove us around the neighborhood because I wanted to visit again by bike. Unfortunately, the area was too steep for bikes and I had to admit that the best approach was from San Bruno rather than Millbrae.

We took the freeway back and I got coffee while the boys slept. Later the boys played and Dad fell asleep in the chair and the boys threw pillows at him. Later we had pizza and I showed the boys my pictures. When they finished eating they watched TV until late.

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.

The Crystal Springs Trail

On November 14, 2020 I wrote that the morning of the day that I wrote this up at 9:45 and left at 11 to ride up rode Alemany to Hillside in Daly City. I followed every turn without a problem and passed or was passed by a number of cyclists - one was snotty.

I stopped at a market to rest and at Holy Cross I realized I’d be able to see my mother‘s grave but I couldn’t find it. I rode to San Bruno to have coffee at Peet’s. I bought spray olive oil at Molly stones because the bike was squeaking. I rode through San Bruno to Shelter Creek.

I thought that Whitman would be the best way to go but there was a slight hill and I ended up going around the high school at the top because the area is so hilly. I noted that the next time I go I should go through the Shelter Creek apartment complex and come out at the other side on Whitman to climb up to the Crystal Springs Trail

I tweeted when I got to the top.

I rode the San Andreas lake trail to Hillcrest and noted that it was not continuous since you have to take Skyline for a short distance until you get to the Crystal Springs Trail. I had some sublime moments all the way down to San Andreas dam. I texted with family and later crossed the Crystal Springs dam which was fantastic. From there I explored the parallel trails until la Cañada college.

By then it was getting dark. I bought a drink at a liquor store and caught my breath at Sequoia station. Unfortunately, I missed tagging in and had to do so at Belmont. I had caught the express so the trip turned out great.

When I got back to the city, I went to Sycamore and then to the apartment.

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.