Gamera is the Friend of All Children

Yesterday, Ike Speenan showed up at our place. We all took a walk down to Dottie's pond with the new critter net I found for Jacob.



For some reason, Ike decided to jump in with no regard of the giant hand that dragged poor Dottie to her watery grave.


He then endlessly harassed me until I went in to. I made a little friend in there. he was filled with meat.






We brought him home to hang out....


We tried to feed him a snail, but he didn't eat it.


This morning, I snuck him out the door while everyone was asleep and took him back to the pond.

Long Ride home

On Friday, I took the light rail to work so I could ride my bike home. The route I followed was about 22 miles. Most of the that was on bike paths. It took me over 3 hours, but that was because I was stopping to take a lot of photos. Next time, I will go for speed. I think I can do it on less than an hour and a half.

I got on the Guadalupe River trail at River Oaks.


The Guadalupe River is between two large embankments with various parking lots, industrial parks and even a few unused parcels of land on either side.


I disobeyed this sign...


This is much nicer to look at than some office buildings....











Nice view on this side. Freeway on the other side....


I've been itching to get a photo of these giant hands at the airport for months. I'm not really excited by the results...






Next, the path goes through Guadalupe Gardens park or whatever it's called. This place is huge, mostly vacant and kinda creepy...




I stopped by the rose gardens. Last time I rode through here I ended up with a thorn in my tire.








A mile back on the trail and I found this Son of a Biscuit in my tire...


I stopped by the historic Hart's Department store warehouse to fix my flat....


Under a trestle..


I don't know what the deal is with this half of a house...


and then through downtown..








into the Children Discovery park...






The paths stops and you have to take a detour through a mostly Latino neighborhood with a lot of character..






The path resumes at the Tamien light rail station...


where it follows right along Highway 87 for awhile...


When I got to Curtner I had a choice to make. I could continue choking on smog next to the freeway until I arrived at Oakridge Mall where I would then have to ride down Santa Teresa Blvd the rest of the way. My other option was to take Curtner to Tully where I could then transfer onto the Coyote Creek path. I decided on the second route. It would be a few extra miles, but much nicer scenery.

I stopped by Oakhill cemetery for a minute. It was getting close to dark and I still had some ways to go so I decided to keep moving.


I hopped on the Coyote Creek trail at Stonegate park. I need to call up Grumpy Chris and White Bat for a session here soon. It's been awhile....


The sites and sounds of the Coyote Creek Trail were much more pleasant than the freeway...




I made it to Hellyer Park at Sunset....








I finally crossed back over 101 onto Blossom Hill and Cottle. This was the most bike unfriendly part of my ride. I'll need to find a safer way through this section....


When I arrived home, Melissa was still at work and Jacob was with grandma, but this little poopy was waiting for me...