Fall is Fantasic
Days like yesterday make me glad that my school schedule allows me to have extended time off during autumn and winter here in southern california. It was an absolutely gorgeous day, and I had already taken the day off so Steve and I could go see Dave Matthews at the Hollywood Bowl, so I used the morning to tackle one of my favorite bike routes - the Palos Verdes ‘washboard.’
If I want to ride in the mountains, I generally go up to the Angeles Crest Highway, and if I want to ride flatland, I head for PCH or any one of the river trails that extend inland. But for rolling hills and moderate climbing, you can’t beat the Palos Verdes peninsula. There’s a 22 mile loop that winds around the perimeter of the peninsula, offering both challenging riding and spectacular views. I stopped to snap the above photo with my phone near the tip of the peninsula looking north - you can see Redondo and Hermosa Beach, extending north across the bay into Manhattan Beach and all the way across to Malibu. On an exceptionally clear day you can also see the channel islands.
So after two nice laps around the washboard and an equally nice nap, I picked up Steve and we headed up to the Hollywood Bowl for the DMB show. It was amazing - only my second time seeing them (as opposed to “fifty-something” for Steve) but it was heads and shoulders above the first show I saw with Kristy in Chula Vista a few years ago. Their new music is so versatile: it can be backed up by strings, brass, banjo, electric guitar (all were used last night, with heavier emphasis on the banjo and electric guitar) and sounds great any which way. The extended jams between Dave and the guest banjo player last night were worth the price of admission on their own. And, as a bonus, they played my favorite song of theirs, Everyday (#41). If only every day were like this one!
