This was a week of pluses and minuses. The upside was that I got to see my daughter and I got out and took some photos. The downside was that, three times, I found myself eating a cheese burger and fries. Well, as far as downsides go, that wasn’t too bad. For the official weigh-in, I hit 229.6, down 2 lbs. from last week.
My daughter had car trouble over the weekend. So, we met up and she took my truck back to college, while I took the Mustang home for repair. Fortunately it was a simple repair. On Tuesday, I drove it back up to Sonoma State to swap vehicles back. Oh, this had an additional plus of letting me finish listening to Pyramids by the late, great, Terry Pratchet.
 Jillian and Leanne (2013) |  Larry, Relaxing in Pond (2017) |
On the way I decided that I wanted to stop at the zoo to visit the big cats. I was hoping to get a few more pictures of Jillian, before she moved to Sacramento. Unfortunately, she moved the previous Sunday. However, Larry was out and about. I was able to spend at least an hour shooting pictures of him.
My plan was to head up to Sonoma State, have lunch with my daughter, and then stop near the Cliff House to get some sunset shots. Heading across the Golden Gate Bridge, I notice a spot that I used to go, in the ’80s, to shoot San Francisco. I decided that if I had time, I’d head up there on my way to the Cliff House, on the way back.
Burger & Garlic Fries @
Mike’s At The CrossRoads
I met up with my daughter and we headed to Mike’s At The CrossRoads in Cotati. It was our first time there and it was really good. This was the second Burger & Fries of the week. Notice the two slices of cheese, on a single burger no less. That is a sure way to make sure there is a return visit in the future. We had a nice visit over lunch and then I dropped her back off at school and headed home.
So, to digress for a moment, one of my personal challenges is the fact the most of things I enjoy doing I have a hard time convincing myself they are worth the effort. This was no exception. As I was driving home I was pretty exhausted. I started thinking I would blow off my next two stops and just get home. I got to the last exit, before the Golden Gate, about 4:30pm. Traffic was building and I was lacking motivation. However, I pushed through it and took the exit. Last time I did this, I headed off a dirt road, up into the hills over looking the Golden Gate Bridge. This time, it was paved. Not only that, but there were a couple thousand tourists and almost as many bicyclist. They’ve built four or five parking lots, which were all full. Fortunately, I got to the top just as someone was pulling out. It was a beautiful day and I was able to get a few nice shots, through the crowd.
San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge
After about 20 minutes, I headed back down the hill and across the bridge to the Cliff House. The clouds and fog was starting to roll in for the sunset. The surf was up a bit and there were about a half dozen surfers still out. Parking was easy, which is a bit unusual. I was a bit early for sunset, so I just hung out and snapped photos. The actual sunset was less than spectacular, due to the cloud cover. I got some great shots, regardless. In the end, I’m glad I pushed myself to stick it out, instead of just running home.
Near Sunset on the California Coast
On Wednesday I had lunch with an old friend, Burger & Fries number three for the week. Then Thursday I fit in some consulting work and helped someone with some WordPress training. Today, I’m not sure yet. I have a couple computers to refurbish and then will probably do some online training to brush up on either Agile project management or Docker and Node.js (for more technical fun)
I'm on a lifelong quest to find the perfect balance between strawberry smoothies and pizza slices. A self-proclaimed gym enthusiast who believes rest days are just as crucial as leg days—especially if they involve NASCAR racing. I lift weights, but only so I can justify my love for chocolate cake. When I'm not at the gym, you’ll find me riding dirt bikes or capturing the thrill of motorsport through my camera lens. Join me as I navigate the highs and lows of fitness, where progress is measured in reps, and cheat meals are a form of self-care.
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