So Cal Trip

I am not crazy....planning an earlier cycle trip, this one solo, for about a week. This one will be less travel intensive, and more just hang out time.
Going to visit my parents, then hang with friends in LA for a bit...dance, enjoy life, see the ocean.
I miss the ocean, this is as far as I have ever lived from the coast. Growing up it was only about 90 miles from home. In college I lived two steps from the sand. Portland, is an hour drive. The smell of salty water soothes my senses. Having experienced a lot of the west coast line, I have to say the southern California coast is my least favourite. It is too busy, crowded, and commercial. Basically everything north of Santa Barbara is nice.
Of course everyone is fascinated with Los Angeles. Most people I meet want to go there, live there; Hollywood fascinates people. If I had to pick a beach in southern California that I did like, there are two, Huntington Beach, and Ocean Beach.



First of all, Huntington, I like it here for it's sense of community. There are a whole lot of bars, and restaurants just up the street from the board-walk, and they all have their weekend breakfast regulars. Mostly people over the age of 50, but there are a few younger ones too. The joggers, dog walkers, bicyclists, they all are there, all the time.
Huntington residents have a sense of pride in their community. Most of them either grew up there, or dreamt of living there as a child. It is a peaceful setting, before all the tourists show up for the day, usually around noon.




Being of Irish and German descent, my favourite place to stop while there is the Killarney's Pub and Grill. The food is good, the servers are nice to look at, and I can get a nice cold pint of Guinness with my lunch.




Ocean Beach, on the other hand, is almost the exact opposite of Huntington. It is more of a counter culture refuge. It reminds me a bit of Santa Cruz, but without all the mansions on the hill. It is a small community of like minded people just west of down town San Diego. Hippies, posers, pot heads, wanna be high school kids, you name it, this is the refuge for everyone who wants to be different.

Serving your country

So I have been reading a bunch of blog posts about military service.
First, I have to say, I respect and thank everyone who has served, or is serving in the military. Personally, it is not for me, I am to opinionated.
The hardships these people go through are amazing feats of human endurance.
I salute you, soldier, marine, sailor, and airmen.

Thu Mar 26, 8:28 AM

Sitting her on my couch...debating whether to go skiing today or tomorrow...two feet of fresh snow overnight, with more on the way...
Spring started last Friday, and then winter came back a day later...hahahaa..it's like a big joke...keep moving..

La La La lalalalalalalalala

So, with all this time on my hands I have been repainting my bike. Putting new brake pads on my wife's bike. Sleeping a lot, and planning stuff.


My bike is almost done, the fenders, and side covers are finished. All I need to do now is a final coat of paint on the tank, and two layers of clear coat...so probably 3 or 4 days...then comes the sanding, and buffing...
Also since we are moving across the entire effing country, and all of my family lives in the south west United States, they are throwing a big family get together.
Also, my cousin is getting married in the middle of May, in Phoenix. So...basically I am planning a 10 day motorcycle trip, before we drive across the entire effing country.

Starting in Salt Lake City, going to Las Vegas for a couple of days, then down to Phoenix for about 3 days, over to San Diego for a day or two, up to my parents in the High Desert, then back to Vegas for a night, before our final destination of SLC...then two days later we leave for Vermont...you can take a breath now.

Food, motorcycles, and inspiration.

In short, food is an amazing way to enjoy life...just not too much.
Motorcycles are comparable to food, but on a different plain entirely.
Both are inspiring...and evoke artistic creativity.

(Note) will be updating this later with more..

Lots of time...

Having a lot of time on my hands gives me time to think...a lot.
Being unemployed is an interesting state of being. Sure, I am sending out my resume, and applying for just about any job I can find; yet this free time is nice also.
I don't really do much. I am mostly just looking at online employment sites.
It has also given me time to do things I have missed while working. Basically spending more time with my two dogs, and catching up on cleaning around here. I was bored one day, so I bought a bunch of spray paint, and decided to re-paint my motorcycle...it is still in process...but is coming along.
I have been catching up on reading the ride reports at ADVrider, those are always inspiring.
Busy planning our trip down to Phoenix for my cousin's wedding, of course it will be a six day motorcycle trip, with a stop in Las Vegas...oh and if you are ever in Vegas, go to the NYNY hotel and have dinner at Nine Fine Irishmen, it is a great Irish pub setting, with traditional Irish cuisine, and a great beer selection.
I actually have a slightly funny story about the first time we went there.
We were on our week long vacation to Zion/Bryce canyon national parks, and spent the weekend before in Las Vegas. My parents were driving up from CA, and it happened to be that Sarah's mom was going to be in Vegas with her boyfriend for some marketing conference. So, we all went to dinner there...it was interesting. I am Irish, and of course so is my father, and so is Linda's (Sarah's mom) boyfriend...it must have been fate.

Anyway...looking for a job in this economy sucks ass...
That is all for now..

I am lost?

So...you know how we have been all excited about purchasing a house, and the new job etc...well....
I have,I guess, been laid off. The restaurant is doing horribly, so they can not afford to pay me my salary. I can't say I didn't partly see it coming, considering how slow business has been over the last two months. Example: Yesterday we made a whole 200 dollars for the day...if this was an isolated incident it would be ok, but it is not. There have been many days like this.
Technically I am not fired, I have agreed to stay on for hourly pay, a much lower rate though. I guess it is better than nothing at all, but not by much.

What does this mean? Well the house we were looking at is not a financially smart decision anymore, unless I find a position within the next week or two that is comparable to what I had been promised.
If that doesn't happen, then we are most likely going to live out our lease until the end of May, and maybe move to Vermont.

All I have to say is that it is a good thing I am the kind of person who just takes life as it comes.