The air was alive with excited energy. Bells, horns, and other claxons echoed around me and my party. We took some pictures of ourselves in front of the horde of cyclists and chatted with a few nearby.
Suddenly the front of the mass surged forward. People hurried onto their bikes and joined the queue. I pedaled the cruiser I was riding toward the current. Critical Mass had begun.
We headed up the main street, pedaling past street cars, the flashing blue lights of San Francisco's finest as our guides. Quickly we became a massive snake of people and bicycles, slithering through the streets and causing automobile traffic to halt.
We rode up the streets, following the riders ahead of us. There was no planned course. Whoever is in the front leads the group. Occasionally we would form a roundabout allowing those in the rear to catch up. There was some talk that it was also a form of protest against auto traffic.
I personally conquered some of San Francisco's legendary hills. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. But it could have been better. I was riding a little road cruiser that only had a couple gears on it. It definitely not meant for hills, but I made it work. At one point I was chugging along and the guy in front of me stopped causing me to stop and lose my momentum. I had to walk the rest of the way up the hill.
Something that struck me was that we seemed to travel great distances in relatively little time. I remember passing the San Francisco City Hall and what felt like only about 5 minutes later we were on a hill about 2 miles away. It was very strange and awesome.
The spirit and the energy of Critical Mass is perhaps the best part of the event. Everyone was charged with positive energy and fun. I highly recommend this for anyone who goes to San Francisco.
Critical Mass is held every last Friday of the month and starts at 5pm. Take a good bike and your helmet and enjoy!
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Great Trip to the West: San Francisco
Soothing 76 degree days in summer. Awesome public transportation. Great restaurants. Fun loving residents. These are just some of the ways I can describe San Francisco. I had come once before and loved it. This time I experienced more of this great city.
Our first day in the city I participated in Critical Mass, a huge bicycle rally that takes over the streets of San Francisco ever last Friday of the month. (I'm going to make an entire post dedicated to this later)
We got to see some of the famous fog that plagues the city from time to time. It almost ruined my wife's view of the Golden Gate though (my cousin took her back later when it was clearer). We also got to see some of the old World's Fair buildings in their full glory. They were being renovated the last time.
We bummed around Japantown and became nostalgic. I had only been here for a little bit on my previous journey to SF. This time, however, I got to explore and wander about. I found a rad little toyshop that had some Voltron stuff. Talk about a time warp! I also had to summon all my will power to keep from buying a ton of books at the Kinokuniya book shop. We even had lunch at a nice little teishoku place. All in all a great time. Made the wife and I really miss Japan though.
We ate great food at a number of great little restaurants. None of which I remember the names of.
San Fran is a great city and it deserves more than this paltry blog entry. Unfortunately I waited too long and most of what I wanted to write has been forgotten. Sorry.
Our first day in the city I participated in Critical Mass, a huge bicycle rally that takes over the streets of San Francisco ever last Friday of the month. (I'm going to make an entire post dedicated to this later)
We got to see some of the famous fog that plagues the city from time to time. It almost ruined my wife's view of the Golden Gate though (my cousin took her back later when it was clearer). We also got to see some of the old World's Fair buildings in their full glory. They were being renovated the last time.
We bummed around Japantown and became nostalgic. I had only been here for a little bit on my previous journey to SF. This time, however, I got to explore and wander about. I found a rad little toyshop that had some Voltron stuff. Talk about a time warp! I also had to summon all my will power to keep from buying a ton of books at the Kinokuniya book shop. We even had lunch at a nice little teishoku place. All in all a great time. Made the wife and I really miss Japan though.
We ate great food at a number of great little restaurants. None of which I remember the names of.
San Fran is a great city and it deserves more than this paltry blog entry. Unfortunately I waited too long and most of what I wanted to write has been forgotten. Sorry.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Great Trip to the West: Mammoth Lakes, California
I've decided to change up the format of the Great Trip series. I wasn't able to post regularly on the trip so I fell behind. Also, there were several days where we didn't do a whole bunch so it would make for a boring read.
After our time in Las Vegas, Zion and Bryce, my cousins returned to San Francisco and the wife and I headed to the Eastern Sierras of California. The main reason for this leg of the trip was to visit my uncle who lives up in those parts. We arrived in mid-afternoon and just hung out until my uncle and cousin got home.
We spent the next three days talking, eating and just hanging around the Mammoth area of California.
Mammoth is a resort town. Prices are high and the town is small. When my uncle lived there back in the 80s it was mostly a winter resort, but now they are trying to bring in tourists for the summer as well. It's alright place, but it's pretty expensive (I saw gas prices near five bucks a gallon while there).
One of the main draws to the area is the Devil's Postpile National Monument. I'm not sure what it's like because it was closed when we went there. We tried to sneak a peak but the rangers weren't having it.
Another main attraction to the area is Mono Lake located near Lee Vining, California. It's a highly saline lake. You put your hand in it and it feels slimy. We canoed around the area and viewed some nice tufa (mineral deposit formations). The lakes an awesome spot to do some paddling or swimming if you're in the mood for more natural recreation.
If you're in the area and are looking for some aquatic transportation/tours try out Caldera Kayaks. I met the operators in passing and they seemed like really cool people.
Overall the Mammoth Lakes area is pretty nice. It's worth a visit and is in a prime location to get to Yosemite and other National Parks in the East Sierra Mountains.
After our time in Las Vegas, Zion and Bryce, my cousins returned to San Francisco and the wife and I headed to the Eastern Sierras of California. The main reason for this leg of the trip was to visit my uncle who lives up in those parts. We arrived in mid-afternoon and just hung out until my uncle and cousin got home.
We spent the next three days talking, eating and just hanging around the Mammoth area of California.
Mammoth is a resort town. Prices are high and the town is small. When my uncle lived there back in the 80s it was mostly a winter resort, but now they are trying to bring in tourists for the summer as well. It's alright place, but it's pretty expensive (I saw gas prices near five bucks a gallon while there).
One of the main draws to the area is the Devil's Postpile National Monument. I'm not sure what it's like because it was closed when we went there. We tried to sneak a peak but the rangers weren't having it.
Another main attraction to the area is Mono Lake located near Lee Vining, California. It's a highly saline lake. You put your hand in it and it feels slimy. We canoed around the area and viewed some nice tufa (mineral deposit formations). The lakes an awesome spot to do some paddling or swimming if you're in the mood for more natural recreation.
If you're in the area and are looking for some aquatic transportation/tours try out Caldera Kayaks. I met the operators in passing and they seemed like really cool people.
Overall the Mammoth Lakes area is pretty nice. It's worth a visit and is in a prime location to get to Yosemite and other National Parks in the East Sierra Mountains.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Great Trip to the West Day 7: Bryce National Park
After a leisurely breakfast at Ruby's Inn. We headed into Bryce Canyon National Park. It was certainly more impressive than Zion, but again we couldn't explore much. We stopped at most of the scenic viewing spots and took pictures and such. We wanted to do hiking, but the wife being pregnant kept us car bound.
The sights were amazing. The hoodoos were spectacular and the canyon in general deserves more exploring. I thought this place was a lot better than Zion.
There's not much else to say about Bryce. It's a pretty place, has lots of hiking and is definitely worth the drive out. I didn't do much else in Bryce than take pictures and drive around. Sorry this post is so short.
The sights were amazing. The hoodoos were spectacular and the canyon in general deserves more exploring. I thought this place was a lot better than Zion.
There's not much else to say about Bryce. It's a pretty place, has lots of hiking and is definitely worth the drive out. I didn't do much else in Bryce than take pictures and drive around. Sorry this post is so short.
Great Trip to the West Day 6: Zion
The two days of rest came to and end on Saturday. We woke early again in order to get ready and prepare for our trip to Utah and Zion National Park.
We headed back into the desert and soon the glamorous surroundings of Las Vegas disappeared into the hazy sand. The drive was mundane, a characteristic of traveling through the Southwest part of the United States. The only interesting part was when we went through some steep craggy mountains.
This was the first time for me to be in Utah. It was just like most other Southwestern states. I was expecting more picturesque views.
Zion was pretty. The radio was saying that there wasn't going to be any parking in the park. It took me about 2 minutes to find a spot. We did our standard walk about the visitor center and then boarded a bus to the actual scenic spots. I'm not going to lie, I thought the park was a little anti-climatic. It was pretty, but not what I was expecting. People were telling me how gorgeous it was and how wonderful it was. Yeah it was nice, but nothing too exciting. It was probably because we didn't spend much time there that I thought it was just so-so. I want to go back when my wife isn't pregnant so we can actually explore and get the whole experience. Don't let this entry deter you from seeing the park. It's definitely worth seeing, but dedicate a whole day or two to it.
After the park we began our trek to Bryce Canyon National park. We were on small state highways so there was some winding around and slow speeds. It took us about an hour or so to get to the park area.
We bedded down for the night at Bryce Canyon resort. It's a small place near the park and wasn't too bad. My biggest complaint was that the people in the room above us seemed to pace about all evening.
We were up early to begin our day at Bryce.
We headed back into the desert and soon the glamorous surroundings of Las Vegas disappeared into the hazy sand. The drive was mundane, a characteristic of traveling through the Southwest part of the United States. The only interesting part was when we went through some steep craggy mountains.
This was the first time for me to be in Utah. It was just like most other Southwestern states. I was expecting more picturesque views.
Zion was pretty. The radio was saying that there wasn't going to be any parking in the park. It took me about 2 minutes to find a spot. We did our standard walk about the visitor center and then boarded a bus to the actual scenic spots. I'm not going to lie, I thought the park was a little anti-climatic. It was pretty, but not what I was expecting. People were telling me how gorgeous it was and how wonderful it was. Yeah it was nice, but nothing too exciting. It was probably because we didn't spend much time there that I thought it was just so-so. I want to go back when my wife isn't pregnant so we can actually explore and get the whole experience. Don't let this entry deter you from seeing the park. It's definitely worth seeing, but dedicate a whole day or two to it.
After the park we began our trek to Bryce Canyon National park. We were on small state highways so there was some winding around and slow speeds. It took us about an hour or so to get to the park area.
We bedded down for the night at Bryce Canyon resort. It's a small place near the park and wasn't too bad. My biggest complaint was that the people in the room above us seemed to pace about all evening.
We were up early to begin our day at Bryce.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Great Trip to the West Day 5: Cirque du Soleil
This day began much more leisurely than the previous days of our trip. We were able to sleep in past 5am and go about our morning routine at a much slower pace.
We breakfasted at the Mirage's buffet. It was pretty great with just about any breakfast item you wanted. I stuffed myself in anticipation of our day ahead.
After lunch, we again wandered up and back down the strip. We returned to our rooms to prepare for the main event: Cirque du Soleil "O".
I was pretty excited about O as I had never seen a show like that. I knew that Cirque could be a bit avant garde, but it was amazing. The skill of the performers and the way they performed throughout the show was astounding. The way they moved and maintained control over their bodies was something that I can never hope to be able to do. These people are dedicated professionals. I would definitely like to see the show again.
Another reason I liked O was that it's based around water and I love the water. Always have. The actors were frequently in the water or doing something with water. The acrobatics was amazing as well. I could not imagine doing some of the stunts they did, others I would have loved to try. All of the stunts revolved around the vague plot of a crazy European circus. The entire show was shrouded in mystery and wonder. There were many tricks and surprises to be had and the dancing and tricks were not too over the top like I feared, but was useful to the action and story. Overall it was a great time.
We breakfasted at the Mirage's buffet. It was pretty great with just about any breakfast item you wanted. I stuffed myself in anticipation of our day ahead.
After lunch, we again wandered up and back down the strip. We returned to our rooms to prepare for the main event: Cirque du Soleil "O".
I was pretty excited about O as I had never seen a show like that. I knew that Cirque could be a bit avant garde, but it was amazing. The skill of the performers and the way they performed throughout the show was astounding. The way they moved and maintained control over their bodies was something that I can never hope to be able to do. These people are dedicated professionals. I would definitely like to see the show again.
Another reason I liked O was that it's based around water and I love the water. Always have. The actors were frequently in the water or doing something with water. The acrobatics was amazing as well. I could not imagine doing some of the stunts they did, others I would have loved to try. All of the stunts revolved around the vague plot of a crazy European circus. The entire show was shrouded in mystery and wonder. There were many tricks and surprises to be had and the dancing and tricks were not too over the top like I feared, but was useful to the action and story. Overall it was a great time.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Great Trip to the West Day 4: Las Vegas
I got up before the wife as usual and showered up. We grabbed our complimentary breakfast and loaded up the car. I had already filled up the car with gas so we were good in that department. It only took us a couple minutes to find our way to the highway for Las Vegas. The trip wasn't too bad. Only about 2 hours. We took it easy and decided to do some sight seeing along the way.
The Hoover Dam was pretty amazing as a kid and it's still pretty cool. This time however, we didn't drive over the dam. We took the new bridge and got off to park and look around. I don't remember walking around the dam before, but that's what we did this time. We had a look at the gift shop and walked across the dam (it didn't seem so huge this time). We spent about 45 minutes in total as we had to meet my cousins at the Las Vegas airport at around noon.
The drive into Las Vegas wasn't eventful. We had an easy drive in and found the airport pretty easily. The Las Vegas McCarran Airport is pretty nice. Lots of little (but expensive) shops. Friendly staff members helped us find out way in and around the airport. The only problem was due to all the time changes we got there super early so had to wait around. Not a problem
My cousins arrived hungry which was fine with us because we were hungry too. After picking up our bags, we were off to our hotel, the Rio. We didn't check in right away, first we hit the buffet. It was expensive, but it had everything. It was so good. They had just about anything and everything you could want. I ate about 3 large platefuls. Old me would've devoured 6 or 7, but not anymore. We talked and ate for about 2 hours. After gorging ourselves we checked into our rooms and took a rest.
I wandered around the casino for a bit and had a seven dollar beer at the pool bar. There wasn't much to see or do since it was on a weekday, but it was still cool. Rio is designed in a Brazilian, carnival theme. There are even floats that descend from the ceiling and dancers on them throw beads to the onlookers.
Around 6pm we all met up again and headed to the strip. We wandered around the Bellagio and Venetian and a few other places, just taking in the sights and experience of the casinos. After awhile we had a snack at the Venetian food court and continued in our slow trek across the strip. Finally we made our way back to my car and headed to the hotel and sweet sweet bed.
I had been to Las Vegas once before back in 1997. I was pretty amazed to see how much the city had changed in the past 15 years. The area where I had been back then was now becoming a slum, a place where low ballers hang out. The area where I was now had not existed back then. It's quite a transformation.
The Hoover Dam was pretty amazing as a kid and it's still pretty cool. This time however, we didn't drive over the dam. We took the new bridge and got off to park and look around. I don't remember walking around the dam before, but that's what we did this time. We had a look at the gift shop and walked across the dam (it didn't seem so huge this time). We spent about 45 minutes in total as we had to meet my cousins at the Las Vegas airport at around noon.
The drive into Las Vegas wasn't eventful. We had an easy drive in and found the airport pretty easily. The Las Vegas McCarran Airport is pretty nice. Lots of little (but expensive) shops. Friendly staff members helped us find out way in and around the airport. The only problem was due to all the time changes we got there super early so had to wait around. Not a problem
My cousins arrived hungry which was fine with us because we were hungry too. After picking up our bags, we were off to our hotel, the Rio. We didn't check in right away, first we hit the buffet. It was expensive, but it had everything. It was so good. They had just about anything and everything you could want. I ate about 3 large platefuls. Old me would've devoured 6 or 7, but not anymore. We talked and ate for about 2 hours. After gorging ourselves we checked into our rooms and took a rest.
I wandered around the casino for a bit and had a seven dollar beer at the pool bar. There wasn't much to see or do since it was on a weekday, but it was still cool. Rio is designed in a Brazilian, carnival theme. There are even floats that descend from the ceiling and dancers on them throw beads to the onlookers.
Around 6pm we all met up again and headed to the strip. We wandered around the Bellagio and Venetian and a few other places, just taking in the sights and experience of the casinos. After awhile we had a snack at the Venetian food court and continued in our slow trek across the strip. Finally we made our way back to my car and headed to the hotel and sweet sweet bed.
I had been to Las Vegas once before back in 1997. I was pretty amazed to see how much the city had changed in the past 15 years. The area where I had been back then was now becoming a slum, a place where low ballers hang out. The area where I was now had not existed back then. It's quite a transformation.
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