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"IN MEMORY OF MARY LOGSDON" - IN NOTE SECTION OF CHECK

JULY 25, 2006 - "DO YOU KNOW THE WAY TO SAN JOSE?"
BURT BACHARACH/DIONNE WARWICK


When I got moving this morning, I had planned on reversing my course long enough to take the 17 Mile Drive around the Monterey Peninsula. I followed the signs to get there, only to be told that because I was astride a motorcycle that I would not be welcome along 17 Mile Drive. I was even willing to pay the $8.75 charge to do so. Yeah, you read that right. I decided to follow around the roads I was allowed on and did some exploring. The motorcycle got me around Monterey and into Oceanside and other small villages. I had stopped to punch in Eileen and John's address in Los Altos and Ms. GPS started chirping about going straight and turning right and "you never listen to me anymore" and on and on.

I found myself in a bit of a traffic jam, and the GPS showed that there was a system of streets that would allow me to get around and onto the route I needed. After turning right, the street climbed a rather sharp hill with a stop sign at the crest. This indicated the presence of an intersecting street that I knew was there based on the GPS map. No problem, I thought. I got to the stop sign and realized that the gouges - and there were lots of them - in the pavement indicated that there had been many vehicles that had bottomed out, some at great speed, based on the looks of the pavement. The fact that I could not go backward, due to the danger of other traffic made me commit to forward motion. I put the bike in gear, twisted the throttle, let go the clutch and listened as the following happened:

1. The frame of the bike hit the sharp crest of the hill. 
 2. The front tire lost traction and, in fact, left the ground
 3. I had already committed to the left turn.
 4. Gravity is still at work in Monterey California
 5. The bike obeyed the law of gravity
 6. So did I
 7. Once again, the bike was beyond the horizontal creating an impossible situation for returning the wheels to the pavement
 8. I sat on the side of the bike until some understanding soul came along
 9. Guardian Angel arrived with this question: "Need some help?" My first answer wasn't out loud
10. Once the bike was on the kickstand and started, I couldn't get the bike OFF the kickstand.
11. Another guardian angel came along and helped. I don't know Spanish, but he seemed to be talking a lot. What does "Stupido" mean? I wasn't wearing a Speedo.

I finally got out of town after the bike rested for a bit and headed north toward San Jose and Los Altos. I arrived at John and Eileen's house after an afternoon of winding roads up and down and across mountains. I had found a local grocery store and stopped to get some apples (4106 - remember?) and discovered that the place had a complete deli counter. I ended up with hot turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy with all the "fixins". Tables were provided outside for eating. I found the table better than the checkout line, because the damn conveyor kept moving, requiring me to walk along - trying to eat - and then pick it all up and get back in line to go at it again. That was tiring.

After making it to Eileen and John's house we sat and talked for a while, and I realized that I was going to crash from sheer exhaustion. I took a nap. Sean is away at a volley ball tournament, so I am using his room while I am here. I was out cold for about two hours. When awakened by my need to use the "facility" I was impressed with the way the house is laid out. It turns out that this home was a much smaller place when they first purchased the place. An apartment was rented and the family moved in while the original home was torn down (almost completely) and rebuilt. It all sunk into a swamp, so they rebuilt it. THAT sunk into the swamp, so they rebuilt it again. That burned, THEN sunk into the swamp, but THIS one is here and strong and very very cool.

I'm kidding about sinking into the swamp, I just remembered a bit of an old Monty Python movie. This house could be in a magazine about architecture. It is very impressive.

Kyle (8 years old), John and Eileen and I went out to dinner at a local restaurant where the food was excellent. I have been trying to frequent "Mom and Pop" type places,  and this filled the bill. Tomorrow, the adventure continues.

Eileen has been talking about getting me out to Alcatraz. She hasn't been saying a whole lot about getting me BACK from Alcatraz. That has me a bit worried, to say the least.