San Francisco scares me.

It’s no secret that San Francisco has a few ‘hills’.
Biceps and I grabbed our bikes from the bus, excited about a leisurely ride around the bay area and a lunch by the ocean. What I failed to compute was that in order to get from our hotel to the ocean, I had to bike down several of San Fran’s famous hills.

That is me at the very top of the hill-a tiny speck on the left hand side. This means Biceps has already made it down the hill successfully. He is now consumed with photographing my inability to let go of the brake.

Why had I let Biceps carry the camera? He loves to document way too many things.

I gave up trying to make my body do what my mind told it not to do and walked my bike down the hill. I was passed several times by natives immune to the decline.
I hung my head just as a fourteen year old passed me on a skateboard.

Biceps and I biked down this zig-zag road; enthusiastically cheered on by honking motorist.
I think they appreciated my cautiousness and my concern for safety as I rode the brakes the entire length of the road.

We stopped at the bottom of the zig zag hill to wait for our lungs to catch up. Several friends that were on the same tour sailed past us on the trolley, wishing us well. They moved on without a care in the world.

And why would they want to ride a trolley when they can bike down this? Pansies.
My calves still haven’t recovered. (Moo).

Get yer motors runnin’ in Sturgis, SD

Touring with my musician hubby has opened my eyes to so many wonderful places.
But, by far one of my favorite places would be
the Sturgis bike rally.
I saw things that I never wanted to see, smelled things I never wanted to smell and just in general, reconfirmed my desire to not ever attending said rally.

Leather reigned supreme. Cows everywhere shudder when they hear that the Sturgis ‘get together’ is just around the corner. I felt quite awesome in my Vans tennis shoes, plaid shorts and tank top. Really awesome.

Streets were blocked off and labeled, ‘Motorcycle Only’. Motorcycles ruled and cars drooled-buses with long haired hippy freak musicians were the worst droolers of all….I saw butt chaps (don’t ask), halter tops and several near misses on the highway between chopper and automobile. Here are a few examples of what you can get into trouble for at Sturgis:
Ordinance Code & Bond Amount

Indecent Exposure
#12.0802 $111.00

Deposit of Filth (one of my favorite infractions)
#12.0601 $86.00

Dog Running at Large
#1.0209 $56.00

Use of Sound Amplification Device:
#13.0116 Court Appearance Req.

Driving on Bike Path / Sidewalk
#14.0303/16.0216 $111.00

Exhibition Driving
#16.0225 $66.00

Carrying pistol or revolver without a permit
#22-14-9 Custody Arrest

Illegal Handlebar Height (probably my favorite infraction
#32-20-3 $20.00

taken from (http://www.sturgis.com/police.html)

At any given point, a group of cool bikers can/will stop in the middle of the highway for no reason whatsoever, causing the sissy autos that are traveling 65 m.p.h. to screech and swerve recklessly. The day we were there, there had already been 16 deaths.

Everyone converges here, happy that they made it alive. Where I come from, a buffalo chip is not a place you want to hang out at. To each his own….

And if you get bored of biking, there are many ‘family-friendly’ activities that you can participate in.

I don’t even know what to say.

A tiny town in Texas

(There ain’t nuthin’ tiny ’bout this town.)
We had a day off between major cities and stopped off in Texas. Upon check-in, we were given two tickets to a:
‘Free Down Home Breakfast: with your choice of meat’. Nothing says breakfast to me like meat.
Our waitress called us both ‘sweetheart’ and smothered everything in gravy.
After cleanin’ my plate, I went on a walk to work off my gravy thighs and discover what this tiny town had to offer.

Hello, Texas-sized flower. Aren’t you just purty?

I would live here, but add some chickens to the front yard.
As long as they promised to poop in one central location. I cannot have chickens going willy-nilly all over my front yard.
It’s so uncivilized. And just plain gross.

I would watch my organized chickens from this window every morning, enjoying my Texas-sized cup of coffee.

And make them a chicken coop similar to this. You just don’t see this kind of flair in an Oklahoman’s backyard. Okie’s like their shades of taupes, browns and off-whites.

One of my favorite discoveries along the way-these gigantically beautiful metal doors.
Can I have these doors, please? I promise, honey, that they’ll fit in the bus bay….please?

This little cactus flower broke me from my door-coveting ways.
Re-grounded, I decided I had worked on my gravy thighs long enough and I was ready for the hotel’s ‘Texas-sized’ swimming pool.

San Diego, California

“San Diego-I don’t think anyone knows what it means, anymore.”
Name that movie quote and you’ll get a star.
While Hubby and I were out on tour, we stopped off in San Diego for a day off. Our hotel balcony overlooked the bay, and although it was rainy, I was undeterred from going outdoors. Hubby, however, had other ideas.

This poor mustached boy works very hard and just needed a little nappy time. So, I tiptoed from the room with my camera in hand and decided to stroll in the rain along the waterfront.

It was eerily quiet. All the boats were docked, the restaurants closed and the usual tourist congestion was non-existent. I did pass the occasional weirdo with a camera in hand and walking in the rain, snapping photos.
I guess it takes all kinds.

This vibrant ship caught my eye. I don’t get to see many of these in landlocked Oklahoma.

Why ‘Star of India’ and not ‘Sun of India’? Logically speaking, the sun is bigger and hotter and therefore demands more respect. I think they should reconsider.

Exquisite art sculptures dotted the pathway along the bay.
This little guy was my favorite.

He’s pretty cute, too. He reminds me of a certain sleepy mustached man back at the hotel. Weird.

And, well…yikes. It really started raining at this point (I think Mrs. Red had something to do with it), so I headed back to the hotel.

I had packed up my camera and almost made it back to my hotel lobby, when I ran into this beauty. I just couldn’t pass it up.
Next stop, jumping on the bed to wake up the sleeping bear.