“It is bird, it is a plane ...” is it Rouel?  Not.  Kite surfing on the California Coast, looks like fun

Sandra and Jenna on the cold windy beach

Sandra and Rouel on the cold windy beach

Hello all,

Spent last weekend at the Costanoa RV Resort on US 1, half way between Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay. Being by the beach always soothes my spirit, not that it needs much soothing. The beach brings me back to pre-teen days (no cares of the world) carousing on the beach back in the old country. Saturday, Sandra and Jenna came over for a visit. As you can see from the photos, we hiked on the beach. It was strong windy and cold. Then we had an excellent dinner at the restaurant in the Costanoa resort. I recommend the restaurant, if you ever cruise by on a summer eve. I also recommend the camping, your own tents, or tent cabins, or the lodge, spa and massage (a bit pricey), but could make for a romantic get away. http://www.costanoa.com/site.php

On Sunday "Bike Buddies" (Cindy, Elaine, Vickie and baby Alice, Jeff and Scott) were suppose to pedal power their two wheelers over the mountains to the coast and meet me at the resort, it was only a 45 miler with 3400 ft of climbing. I would have then, brought them back in the afternoon in the RV. Well, they all go to the top of the mountains on Skyline Blvd. That was the hard part, but as Cindy put it, "It was bun freezing, wet and windy at the top ...", so they all turned around and rode home. Ya, it was cool on the coast, the nearly 10 mile downhill from the mountains to the coast might have been slightly unpleasant. And the 10 miles ride on the coast would have been slightly windy cold. So, they namby-pamby home.  Ouch, Ouch am gonna get whipped for that.

Today monday, went on a 40 mile bike ride in the east bay with Jenna. Jenna works 4 days a week, with Mondays off. Darn, she trashed me, she has not ridden in two yrs, and I had the hardest time chasing her up and down rollers, which added up to 2050 ft of climbing. Jenna is always race running ready, from half to sometimes full marathons. I guess those running legs can also pedal with a mission. Ya, I thought it was going to be easy, now am in need of recuperation.

Last week went to a Starbucks in Mountain View for a hot chocolate and usual morning paper reading. Don't usually go to Starbucks, it is kind of expensive but it is good. Observed that there were lots of what looked like high school kids, carrying books and all in the line. How can they afford to stop at a Starbucks before school? By 9:00 am they were all gone. Then, a new crowd shows up, people (adults) with laptops doing work and having meetings via cell phones. By 10:30 they were gone, and then a new wave of people showed up, guess .... ok, it was moms with strollers meeting other moms with strollers. It was 11:40 am when I finished with the paper and the place was nearly empty, those left looked like college students doing homework and studying. A few days latter went back and the whole scene repeated. Starbucks are gold mines. Will try not going there for a while, usually I go to a funky coffee shop called Barefoot Coffee Roasters (http://www.barefootcoffeeroasters.com/). Did I say it was funky, it is funky, why? lots of very young college student “characters” study there, and they seem kind of in the fringe of mainstream dress and behavior wise. Though some are pretty bright youngsters, studying to become nurses, lawyers, accountants, and other mainstream professions. I was probably like them, in the 1970’s kind of way. Have been going there for years.

And now must continue to recover from chasing Jenna.