Mountain biking Little Santa Anita Canyon (Old Mount Wilson trail)

Here's video of me mountain biking the lower section of the Old Mount Wilson trail that runs through Little Santa Anita Canyon from the city of Sierra Madre to Mount Wilson.... (read more)

March 4, 2007 – 11:47am

Graceland, Memphis, the Graffiti Wall

I briefly visited Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, the former home of Elvis Presley.... (read more)

February 10, 2007 – 2:58pm

Washington DC's National Mall

In October 2003 I rode about the National Mall area in Washington DC on my bike. I briefly stopped at the Washington Monument, but I didn't go inside for some forgotten reason. Perhaps it was too late, or perhaps it was closed that day, or perhaps it would have taken too long to undergo a background check. Then, I biked to the White House.... (read more)

February 2, 2007 – 10:43pm

Bill Clinton, the ultimate "Showman"

Here's a picture of the headquarters for the Hot Springs Showmen's Association ("No Business Like Show Business"), a meeting hall/entertainment center for carnival folk. In a way, this place sums up Bill Clinton better than anything else could:... (read more)

January 9, 2007 – 2:17pm

The western Kansas roadside attractions compared

Driving through the vast, flat emptiness which is the entirety of Kansas, tourists have for ages been enthralled and saved from interminable boredom by various roadside amusements. Let's rank three of them.... (read more)

January 6, 2007 – 10:43pm

Gifts for hikers

Here are some gift ideas for the hiker or backpacker in your life.... (read more)

November 24, 2006 – 2:44pm

LAFD rescue in Griffith Park

Apparently a hiker broke his clavicle in Los Angeles' Griffith Park and had to be rescued with a Los Angeles Fire Department rescue helicopter:... (read more)

August 13, 2006 – 9:48pm

White Mountain Peak 2006

Last year I tried for the summit of White Mountain Peak and was forced to turn back just shy of the summit due to a thunderstorm. However, at this year's open gate day the weather was much better and I managed to attain the summit of the easiest 14er in California.... (read more)

August 7, 2006 – 11:10pm

Cowles Mountain, San Diego's highest point

On July 5th, 2006 I biked (OK, mostly pushed) up the city of San Diego's highest point, Cowles Mountain (1591'). The peak is located near SDSU, and about 6 miles northeast of downtown. Directions are here.... (read more)

July 6, 2006 – 10:09pm

Biking into Canada

July 3, 2006 – 8:00pm

Mountain biking Mt. Baldy

mount baldy mountain biking mt san antonio... (read more)

Yesterday I "mountain biked" to the summit of Mt. Baldy (10,064') outside Los Angeles. I took the ski lift up to the Notch (~7800') and "biked" (OK, mostly pushed) to the summit. Then, I "biked" (more biking and less pushing this time) back. A very short video of the expedition is available here or here.
June 18, 2006 – 8:36pm

Los Angeles River Ride 2006

For the past six years the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition has been sponsoring a ride along the L.A. River. The latter is no longer a real river but is in fact mostly a large, all concrete drainage ditch used to keep the former watercourse from flooding the L.A. Basin. Back in the day the river would change course and even caused a massive flood or two.... (read more)

May 21, 2006 – 4:11pm

The High Point of New Jersey

new jersey high point... (read more)

The highest point in New Jersey is located in the quite appropriately named city of High Point. It's a craggy, snow-topped massif rising almost four miles above the swamps below. Well, actually, it's in a park at it's only at an elevation of 1803'.
May 13, 2006 – 10:43pm

Dallas ex machina

It's not like Dallas sprung up out of nowhere, it just feels that way to a very great extent. Everything you need to know about Dallas you probably already know: Dealey Plaza, J.R. Ewing, and the Dallas Cowboys. Texas Stadium is partially domed (OK, for my thesis to hold it would have to be fully domed, but play along), they play on Astroturf, and, if you wanted to create from scratch a plastic sports team you'd never do better than what developed naturally. Think Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson, sparkling clean sports uniforms and murderous cheerleader moms. Throw in massive sprawling suburbs with everything and nothing, and you don't need to know much more.... (read more)

May 6, 2006 – 10:43pm

Rock climbing in Griffith Park?

Believe it or not, there is rock climbing of a sort in Griffith Park. We aren't talking 4th or 5th class, but there are two tiny stretches where you could enjoy 3rd class moves, and one longer stretch of high 2nd to mid-3rd class. That latter is on the way to Bee Rock, an outcrop on the east side of the park.... (read more)

May 6, 2006 – 10:43pm