loops and squares

loops and squares

For my entire bicycle-riding life, I've enjoyed looping my way through the Coastal California mountain ranges, riding what we Californian's call, a "loop". A loop is a curvy-kind-of-up-and-down circular route, of varying lengths, with a same start and finish. We get nonchalant with this term and talk about which loop we rode on any given day. This is especially true in Palo Alto, where the "loop" means the Portola Valley Loop. You can add or subtract miles by adding Arastradero, or a climb by going up Old La Honda or just a plethora of other options---but for what it's worth, it's gonna be a loop.

One big observation in my rides out here on the plains is that a loop becomes a square. Very linear. So does this make my daily jaunts on the road "square roots"...I mean routes. Ha! (What a corn ball!). Additionally, things are pretty straight forward. Linear. Whereas in California, things are a little more "grey". (Circular?).

What makes me come up with this junk?

Today I had to ride early because I had to work at The Bike Shop. I love that my new bike shop, is called, simply, The Bike Shop. See, everything is very straightforward out here and it's kinda nice and simple that way. Anyway, today was the first cold day of riding I think I've done. And it's weird, because what I used to consider pretty cold in the Bay Area was 60F. 60F here in Marshall feels more like 75F back home. It's "dry" here...so 45F feels like 60F in Palo Alto. Riding in the brisk morning made me think of my old commute from San Francisco to Palo Alto...with less cars.

I'm just rambling now. My new boss ordered me 2 pound of Peet's, Major Dickensen's and it arrived today!! He even made me a cappuccino right in the bike shop. I gotta run now and make dinner for Mike (notice a role reversal?) He's working more hours than me and so I have new domestic responsibilities now. Imagine that? I am becoming a square, perhaps...but a loopy square all the same.