Starting Over

I went on a ride in Santa Barbara Saturday with a group out of the Daily Grind Coffee Shop. The level of ability was was fairly consistent and the ride regrouped a few times to help out any stragglers; namely Texans trying to climb real hills. One thing I can say is California roads suck. They are horrible. In beautiful Santa Barbara, where the median home price is right around a million dollars, the roads were cracked with potholes and uneven pavement. A rider told me that California only spends 3% of the budget on the roads while they used to spend 20%.

I rode decently well considering I haven't been riding. I went with the front guys on a few climbs but got popped on the really big climb of the day. The rest of the ride was steady with a few hard surges but it stayed together. I'm glad I went as I love riding in new places with new people. The attitude of the ride was fairly congenial and most people were very welcoming and friendly. A shift from the I'll pound your head in nature of a lot of Dallas rides.

I began heading down the PCH towards LA and began salivating for an In N Out Burger. I stopped in Oxnard and got 2 burgers, fries, and a shake for around $6.50. The best deal in California. In Malibu I stopped and checked out the surfers for a while. I definitely want to take up the sport when I get to San Diego, if I can handle the cold water.

There were also tons of other people playing volleyball and partaking in various other sports. It's great to see so many active people in California. Since arriving in the state I have seen considerably more people on the bike commuting, training, or just chilling than in weeks of driving around in Texas.

In LA I decided to go and see Forgetting Sarah Marshall. The best movie I've seen in years. I liked it way better than Knocked Up or Superbad and possibly even 40 Year Old Virgin. It was absolutely great and the characters were interesting and hilarious. The foreign singer pretty much made the movie for me with his self centered, ego inflated humor.

I got together Saturday with a friend from Dallas that I'd known briefly. I hadn't seen Angela in years so I was a little unsure how it would go and if she would be fun to hang out with. We never really got to know each other very well in Dallas but I figured since I was starting over and doing risky things I'd contact her.

We went out to a few bars in Hollywood with her friends and it was a lot of fun. I even danced for the first time in years. Out of the box! It was a welcome sight to order a margarita and a Corona and get the bill for $21.50. Welcome to the fabricated, inflated world of LA. The next day we went to brunch in East Hollywood at a really cool place with a nature themed decor. Bamboo and plants lined the edges of the restaurant. It turned out to be great to see her and I had a good time.

It was time to see my old LA friend, Sean D. We've talked on the phone for years but it has been 4 years since I'd seen him. He's been busy with work and various projects with Frame of Mind Entertainment and is extremely talented in the music and entertainment fields. It was great to see him. Sean D. and I lived in the beach house in Playa when I moved to LA back in 1995. We went to the grocery, bought a few steaks, and headed to his house in the Valencia area. It's very nice out in Valencia and a welcome change from the craziness in LA. Way more tranquil and clean with mountains and more of a community feel.

Sean D working the grill.

The view from the backyard.

The kids, 4 beautiful kids, welcomed me in their own creative way in the room I'm staying in. I was touched.

Today Sean is working all day so I'm going to hit the gym and hopefully ride in this beautiful area tomorrow. Getting closer to heading down to San Diego where the fun will begin as I move towards finding housing and work. Not just yet though.