Early AM in Palo Alto - The Bicycle Achievers of America

I was on the road this morning at 6:30 AM. The 46 degrees was readily rideable because that is what I wake up to in this unheated garage, a part of the deprivation training I talk about in my on line book "How to Bike America". And the tremendous amount of energy I expend pedaling this bike keeps me warm all the way to the fingertips. This is important as I wear gloves that keep the fingers exposed so that I can work the touch screen on my iPhone for the voice recorder, time of day and the camera (when it gets lighter out).

I rode the flat streets, since I still don't have a brake, to Redwood City and back. Along the way, Dan Sellgson, of EveryTrail.com passed me on his way to a group ride in Woodside. He couldn't talk as he was running late, but as I watched him speed off, I thought about all the other winners there are here that use the bike to keep fit - on lots of levels. I thought about the man who is now running Apple. Tim Cook is a serious road cyclist who also uses the early part of the day to pedal his miles. Palo Alto is filled with other business leaders who ply its early AM roads on two wheels.

Asher Waldfoegel founded and helps to steer the operations of four different leading edge companies. He also has a serious two wheel habit. Our former Mayor, Yoriko Kishimoto, trains on a bike and her husband, Lee Collins, one of the top engineers at Apple, has commuted to there on a daily basis on a bike for years. A fair number of Google's top engineers also use their rides to work to stay keen. One of them, Steve Kanefsky, is highly esteemed for a lot of the breakthroughs he has been able to bring to Google for the mobile phone marketplace.

Coming back to my ride, I pedaled the part of a Alma I usually avoid because the surface is so bumpy. I wanted to see what it felt like on the Eagle. And guess what, I hardly felt it!! By sitting back on the seat and taking all my pressure off the bars, the front wheel lightly tapped along as the big 50" wheel hardly felt a thing. WOW!! I can't wait for more compromised macadam.

Early Saturdays are particularly quiet and the end of my ride was rewarded with even more success. A neighbor who is moving was having a garage sale. Because I helped her move a few things and she has to drastically downsize, she sold me a tool box half full of tools for 5 dollars!! I am still feeing the joy of what really was her gift to me as maybe it was her way of also honoring the ride I had just completed, Yahooo!!!!!

As I write this, I wonder what early tomorrow will bring as I hear the rain steadily pouring outside..

THX for taking in interest in this effort - THX 4 all of U!!