SOLSTICE

If you're going to do the recumbent thing I say go with the pinwheels, the rainbow whirly-gigs, dress in an Elmo suit and for chrissakes put some gold fluffy stuff in your wheels!

At the beginning of June everyone I met in Santa Barbara started talking about "Solstice". "You're going to Solstice aren't you? Everyone goes to Solstice - It's THE thing!" Well I couldn't believe that any one event/parade could be such a big deal but they were right. Solstice is a tremendous deal in Santa Barbara. I'm sure people are already planning their floats and costumes for next year.

It draws nearly the ENTIRE town - over 100,000 attend every year. The route travels for about a mile up the main drag, State Street, a gentle incline the whole way. One of the rules for this parade is every entry must be human powered only - no motors. The unspoken rule is: half naked is better! A woman in the crowd told me that in the early days there was a lot more nudity but they've toned it down recently.

The whole parade makes a turn at the mile mark that lands the whole glittery, undulating celebration by flooding into Alameda Park. There awaits a tie-dyed, new age, beaded, braided, fringed, face-painted, dread-locked, didgeridoo playing, peace nicked, tree hugging, hippie love fest extravaganza that would make Jerry Garcia shed a tear of joy. And they sell imported beer! It was so, like, conscious and metaphysical and creative and free. If you didn't know you were in California you sure as align-my-chakras know it now!

It really struck me how the whole city came out for this from every walk. I even saw elderly couples in druid-style forest spirit masks, men and women with flowers in their hair. It was beautiful, every bit of it. Like Jimi said: "I'm gonna wave my freak flag high." And Santa Barbara will welcome you if you do.

I focused on anything bicycle in keeping with our theme here. The theme of the parade, however was: "Solar Flair". Go put on some tie dye, assume your favorite yoga position and enjoy.

This stilt walker...I'll call him Father Rainbow Flowers, was going along blessing the crowd.

This is a guy named Bryan and his killer red Monster Cruiser, or was it Mega Cruiser?
The heat has made me forgetful.

This thing, whatever it is, was just so pretty.

Obviously all the triangles were painted by children.

Solstice Trike - Yeeeeaahh Dude!

Lots and lots of twirling people. Lots.

And hula hooping and drumming.

Terrific, wonderful, irresistible drumming throughout.

This is actually a homeless man who had decorated his bike for the occasion.
I found that very touching.

And speaking of incredibly cute kids.

My favorite by far. Is this not an awesome dragon?

And remember: human powered - check out the guy pushing it all the way UP State Street. Temps were in the 90s today.

This was hilarious. It's a shark ("landshark"). It belongs to a float with mermaids and a fishing boat. The shark chases the mermaids and spectators around only he did it like a bull fighter. He would chase then back off, pretend he wasn't interested and then lunge at you.

Because everyone needs a gold pyramid on casters, to, ya know, channel energy
or be a beacon for aliens, or...?

Many colorful hats

Of course Pharaoh has something to do with solstice!
Ancient Egyptians worshiped the sun god Ra - and he road a bike too!

Me.

I brought my own seating arrangements as you can see.

The finale

(I had to move out of the sun as my shoulders were frying like a potato chip).

It's a big inflated sun and if you look closely there is a girl in the middle dancing on a pole... yeah you read right.

There was also a very beautiful, Polynesian-looking young woman wearing nothing but a tiny silver g-string and a pair of tiny white floral pasties blowing on a conch shell and jumping up and down, but I decided to spare you men the trauma of such an image.

editor's note: to those of you who flocked to this blog in search of pictures of the nearly naked girl in pasties...PSYCH!

...and all the village danced, drank mead and enjoyed life on into the night until the sun rose up again.

Say Something!

Eli on the slab

Ok. Something. Please forgive the long absence. I still have nothing exciting or particularly clever to write but, death before blog idleness. My new environment is proving to be capricious indeed. Three weeks ago I was lighting fires in the potbellied stove morning and evening and now it's 95 at midday. At this writing, 8:30-ish it's still 85. But it's a dry heat! Typing at the keyboard inspires sweat. Mostly one just lies still, or runs down to the coast where it's still hot but pleasant. I've been getting in some great rides up the big hill and along the foothill routes. But not these past two days. Don't want to cook my brain. Much of this wooded enclave is still a little 19th century and setting up reliable internet connections is a royal pain in the butt. I'm currently "poaching" a signal to blog while I wait for newly ordered gizmos to arrive.

Speaking of butts and bicycles, my greatest compliment this month came from my new massage therapist (Saint) Jacob who informed me that it wasn't the painting position that had tweaked my lumbars but the fact that muscles in my butt were growing so fast from the sprinting I've been doing that my lower back couldn't balance them and gave up. HA! My back is tweaked from my massive, hard-training cycling muscles! Badge of courage. I know K2 will have something Pilates-wise to say about this...

My one pro cycling comment: Amgen in bed with ASO - Hmmm....

Kudos go out to Liz for moving her blog to Missing Saddle. And Tim for his sweet gig on Velonews' At the Back page, and Len because his writing is just consistently so damn good!

I just brought my cat up from cool, coastal Del Mar to his new home in the sweltering hills. Poor thing must think he's being tortured and that I don't like him. And now for your moment of Zen:

Eli on the rock - so glad I don't have fur

I promise something more interesting, clever and/or deep and bike related when I can get my computer down off the stack of pillows by the window and onto my desk where I can THINK!

To all my dear friends who are gleefully getting marriage licenses this week and making hasty plans to tie the knot before friends and family, a tearful and exulted CONGRATULATIONS! It's been a long road.

Yay Doug and Perry!

Peace and Love, Y'all.

Mothers Daze

I have two moms. Extraordinarily they are both named 'Katherine', only one actually spelled it "Kathryn". My adopting mother, Katherine, passed on some years ago to the great Department of Pre-Columbian Studies in the sky. I'm certain she's savoring spicy hot cacao with real Aztecs, Mayans, Olmecs and Toltecs. They're discussing how the Nazca Lines were made in languages that haven't been heard in thousands of years. Heck she's probably talking to the very people who made the Nazca lines! Anthropologist's Heaven. This would please her very much.

We always used to say that Mom had been a Mayan or some such in a past life. She used to have dreams of being chased barefoot into the jungle by Europeans. She was the first person to explain to me what the Colonialists really did to the indigenous peoples they "discovered".

I can picture her now wearing a cape of brightly colored feathers from birds long since extinct, twirling her skirts, dancing barefoot to flute music and having A BALL!

My biological mother Kathryn Garfinkel should be about 63 now. I wish I knew as much about her as the other Katherine, but alas we parted when I was brand new. Wherever she is she should know that her red-headed baby girl is doing just fine... and misses her... and hopes she has found a good life... Especailly on Mother's Day.

A Happy Cinco de Mayo Indeed!

Tim Jackson is getting sprung from the hospital today. He says he can feel and wiggle his right thumb and the doctors are satisified with his ability to negotiate the stairs on crutches enough to let him go home! Way to celebrate the new moon in Taurus. Rock and Roll Masiguy!

A Smile is Worth a Thousand Words

Thanks to Blue Squirrel we have a happier image of Tim. He's on the mend! Let's hope this posts correctly as I'm not on my own computer at the moment. Please see Blue Squirrel's blog for more comprehensive updates. Thanks again to practically the entire internet bike universe for all the global blog love!

Update for Masiguy

Sorry folks, can't seem to get this to save properly:


Addition #5 An unfortunate update to report. I spoke to Tim this evening and the word has come back on his knee. It is fractured in two places and he will not be able to put ANY pressure on it for twelve weeks. That just sucks. As one of those people who believes there is always good to be derived from any situation I am amazed at how people are coming together and connecting over this incident. Tim Jackson brings people together. It's one of his gifts. Folks are looking at this blog from Chile to China, India to New Zealand and everywhere in between. The story and pictures have been repeated on ten other blogs that I know of. I've been sharing all the stats with Tim. It's astounding. Gives one hope for the planet. Tim will heal it's just going to take longer than we first thought. Hmmm, I wonder, how will Masiguy use that time? Thanks for all the great comments.

Let The HEALING Begin!

As you may already know Tim "Masiguy" Jackson the maestro of bike-blogging took a pretty bad spill at the San Diego Velodrome last night. He hit the boards at about 30 mph trying to avoid another rider. He was on a brand new bike, 24 laps into a 25 lap race... He sustained a concussion, a broken rib and nearly severed his right thumb clean off. At the moment he has a blood clot behind his left eye and three cracked vertebrae in his neck - hence the neck brace - which they say he'll have to live with for the next six weeks. We are waiting for the results of a cat scan to determine the condition of his right knee...

Unbelievable as it sounds they expect to have him standing upright, at least a little bit, later this evening. I got to meet Masisister, Masimom and Masistepdad all at his bedside. Jill from Haro was there as well when I left. Tim is in remarkably good spirits though hurting more he said than he's ever hurt in his life. Not surprising. He has his very own morphine drip control which makes him smile. The thumb has been successfully reattached. I saw him eat food, with lots of assistance from the nurse, with my very own eyes. He's HUNGRY and that's good. It is the beginning of a long road but our man is gonna make it I'm certain!

He's at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego rm# 1024. Please see Blue Squirrel's blog for more info on the actual crash.

Get well soon my dear friend. You are so loved. All the prayers, meditations and good vibrations are flowing your way.

Going to become a little ambidextrous for awhile

The thumb

Not this time Mr. Reaper

Smile Tim! You're on Morphine. (yes, that is a morphine drip smile)

Addition: Tim could go home as early as tomorrow or Friday, remarkably. We'll know more in the morning.

Addition #2: Blue Squirrel is back from his trip to the hosp. with update #4. Please have a look.

Addition #3 A tremendous outpouring of love and support is coming in from all over the globe! Spoke to Tim this morning and he is doing well. His eye is much better. Still waiting to know more about the knee. His neck is stable and doctors are happy with his progress. He's eating a little bit more and is surrounded by family and friends who are looking after him. He sends his thanks to everyone for the well wishes.

Addition #4 The brilliant Blue Squirrel is hosting a Tim Jackson Get Well Fund. Please click on the link and check it out. Lots of options for gift cards and such to help Tim with the peripherals during the down time. Thank you all.