Debster822's Blog

I like knowing what’s going on in the Bay Area, and mostly that’s a good thing. I can share weather reports, traffic updates, among other things. Sales at the Coach outlet? Done.

Yet when accidents happen, for whatever reasons, I feel bad. I have nothing to do with them yet I’m sad that they happened, and people are affected: the first responders, the victims, those that stop to help prior to the EMTs/police showing up. I’ve been there and it’s hard to stuff down the urge to vomit among some bloody injuries, but that 911 call needs to happen no matter what.

I wish there was a way to follow up with the people I help. I usually stuff a card into a pocket but that’s no guarantee. The newspapers will report the accident but not the follow-up. That’s more important to me, to know how people fared and how they’re moving on.

And if I read nothing more about the incident I’m fine: I have enough in my life that a thing I didn’t schedule that jumped up and I dealt with isn’t a big deal.

Sometimes, I wonder. I’m curious about things, especially if they jump up in my face. Is that a human thing? Another thing I’m curious about.

Six days after listing my friend’s house on Friday the 13th, we had a counter and acceptance a week later. Seller, buyer and agents are all happy.

Chris took some time off, and helped me make cranberry/whole wheat bread/ orange/raisin dressing for 20, and roast Brussels sprouts, garlic and pine nuts for 20 as well.

Thanksgiving morning we usually ride our bikes, then head into the Inner Sunset for dinner with our son and his ridiculously foodie roommates. This year his GF jumped in to help and organized what they needed. Chris waffled on the pecan pie, and ended up making 2-8″ pies instead of 1-9″ pie, as he would when we eat here. But hey, we’re bringing sides and dessert, so pressure is off.

We arrived early and Colin had a Brut rosé that was dry and quite refreshing. Georgia, a scone and croissant baker at Tartine, was making homemade crackers. That lasted until Ryan arrived and made persimmon, fried fresh sage, fresh cracked juniper berries and some kind of white pot cheese appetizers. Holy cow, were they freaking amazing.

One of his friends is Italian, and is an Italian wine importer. He had nearly a case of fine Italian wine that we drank, and it was off the charts good.

A couple of his friends from Jr. high showed up, and it was so fun to reconnect with them. I’ve known these guys since 1998-1999, and through the early oughts. Seeing them grown up, finding themselves and pursuing their dreams, was very satisfying. I kind of feel like their second mom, yet having conversations with them, I realize that I’m not so much, and that’s okay.

So about 20 people showed up for dinner, and we knew maybe ½ of them. I enjoyed so many conversations about bread, the effect of juniper berries on food, careers, etc. etc.  I can’t remember the last time I spent 6+ hours with people who had so much happening in their lives. It was so cool, and fulfilling, and very neat that these former kids were so open and honest about their lives. I loved them for that.

And we enjoyed meeting Colin’s newest roommate and her friends, as well as meeting the new people, and reconnecting with the original roomie and friends. And we didn’t mind leaving our offerings with them, and having no leftovers. I liked leaving them there.

I’m so proud of my son, and how he’s exploited and uses his gifts. I love his GF, Anastasia, and her gifts and vision. And I really love that they include us in their lives, via text, etc. I could not imagine this wonderful, solid, fulfilling relationship with my son and his beloved in my dreams. That this is my reality is the veritable icing on the cake (that I don’t need to eat  because I’ve already  eaten too much).

We spent 9 days in Brooklyn and other parts of NYC. I enjoyed it, even the angry train-rider parts, as well as the visit to Sleepy Hollow & Washington Irving’s gravesite & the Headless Horseman Bridge. Pictures are at Facebook.com/deborahgallagher (because none of my WordPress friends will share how to post a picture, and I need some hand-holding on this platform, it’s so overwhelming). It was gorgeous and crowded and gastronomically amazing. Our daughter’s BF really enjoyed sharing the city and boroughs and his mom with us, as much as we enjoyed his sharing and our experiences.

So last Tuesday we visited the 9/11 Memorial, craned our necks to take in the Freedom Tower, and hit an Irish-American Pub in lower Manhattan, as we walked our way through TriBeCa, SoHo, Chelsea, etc. to meet Daughter and BF outside her office off Wall St. There was a poster I loved & regretted not capturing on my crappy iPhone5 camera, but thanks to the Internet I found it again: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/310255861801816775/

Yeah, not necessarily classy, but it trumps anything my Welsh, English and French heritage has going on.

As happy as I am to be sleeping in my own bed, I miss my daughter so much. The bittersweet of life.

A worthwhile read. And follow up on this, people.

You guys, I don’t know.

I race, and started racing when I was 53, although I’ve ridden bikes all my life. Given my age and profession, you can surmise that I’m not risk -averse but calculate what risks I’m willing to take.

I read that a rider on Levi’s Gran Fondo died in a solo crash. I don’t know any details other than what I just stated. I do know that putting thousands of cyclists on narrow, twisting roads, many of whom have not ridden said roads, in a timed event is a recipe for disaster. I’m willing to guess that most of them don’t race. How are they then to navigate those narrow, twisty, steep climbs and descents of Sonoma county, at speed? It isn’t just that the Gran Fondo is a race of sorts — think of the Strava scores they want.

That all adds up to increased risk of injury. That more people aren’t hurt or killed amazes me.

In 2006 I rode the Solvang Century for the first time as my first century. It was great fun! We lived 12 yrs. in Lompoc, so I knew the roads well, just not by bike. In 2007 I rode it with my husband on our first tandem, in 2008 on our second tandem. In 2009 I rode it with a friend on my road bike, and just before lunch experienced a small, fast group who blasted past us without any word of warning, with about 30 others in their draft. No one said anything. I was annoyed; anyone overtaking another rider should say something. The shoulder narrowed and suddenly the road was full of carnage. I was surrounded by riders, got in my drops and hit a pile of bikes at <20 mph. I ended up with a black eye and a broken wrist (which was diagnosed post-ride at the Santa Ynez ER). I ended up having a titanium screw put in my scaphoid bone and spent 6 angry, frustrated weeks on the trainer.  And so ended my organized century rides.

Last year we rode Foxy’s Fall Century, which starts & ends in Davis, and includes many roads we regularly ride. We did the metric version on the tandem — we’re always in front, the safest place to be — and it was great fun. So that’s the amount of risk I’m willing to calculate. The vibe is good, no one is racing, and we’re all mostly on the road to enjoy the ride. We had so much fun we’re doing it again this year.

But a Gran Fondo? Even with Jens Voight? Probably not. The risk isn’t worth it. I want to race next year.