The blazing weather continues for three days. Though it is November, the next three days are the hottest of the year - with Long Beach airport recording 100F on Wednesday. I'm productive at work throughout the week until Thursday.
Each night after work I lift weights or on Thursday go walking for an hour. It's nice to have the hot weather in November as a final push to the winter time.
On Friday I wake up at 4 am from a nasty nightmare involving a policeman in Portugal who writes me a parking ticket, then writes me a ticket for removing the key from my motorbike, and then watches as another policeman steals my motorbike. I don't really care (because the motorbike is rented) and I'm just waiting for the shenanigans to end to call and report the motorbike stolen by a policeman. Which just upsets the first policeman even more. THe funny thing is I've never been to Portugal, so why did this dream take place there? Nonetheless I drag through Friday though the morning is very productive. But then I start lagging. At 3 pm I leave work to have a good workout with the weights, mow the lawn, and cool down with a shower. Later I call Person T_U and Person Ch_C and we hang out at the Frist Friday walk and run into various neighbors and co-workers. Finally as I'm dropping off and becoming silly I announce that I need to go home and sleep. And I have incredible deep sleep.
Saturday starts with qualifying (via the Internet) for the last MotoGP and Moto2 races of the year from Valencia. AFter the extended aquarium bicycle ride I see a wild and wet (but drying) qualifying session for the Brasilian Grand Prix. My favorite driver will start second for the race. Late in the afternoon Person Ch_C comes to visit and we hang out for a long time until he leaves for home near 9 pm. I head for sleep after setting the clocks one hour earlier.
SUnday starts early with the final MotoGP race from Valencia. My favorite rider, who is leaving his team of 7 years, finishes second. Since it almost looks like rain today, I rush on out for the aquarium ride and finish the ride without getting wet at all. After a shower I go buy a laptop computer and then watch the Brasilian Grand Prix where my favorite driver gets the jump on the pole sitter and drives off for the win. I spend the afternoon setting up the laptop, deleting the stupid software that comes with most new computers, and installing the software that I use regularly.
On Monday morning there is more rain so I drive to work. After a semi-productive day I leave work early to beat traffic and lift weights and watch the recorded Desperate Housewives from Sunday night. Tonight is a very cold night and I'm snuggled in bed reading when Person Ch_C stops by for a brief visit. And then I'm back to bed for sleep.
The Tuesday morning motorcycle ride to work is very cold and it takes me some time to warm up. After a productive, if frustrating day, I head for home. Person Ch_C picks me up and we go walk/run up and down Signal Hill 6 times. When we're cooled off from the run we decide that we should have done a 7th trip, but we'll get that next time.
Wednesday and Thursday are very chilly rides to work and very chilly evenings. In between I thoroughly enjoy work. Everyone is in a panic that I am leaving for so long. I enjoy the panic! After work I get in very heavy sessions with the weights for the push and pull muscle groups. These are probably the last heavy weights sessions for the year even though I expect to find places to lift and will pack lifting gear for the trip.
On Friday I go shopping near 8 am to buy supplies for the trip and to beat any crowd. When I return home I wait a bit and then go for the extended aquarium bicycle ride as the day is warming up nicely. In the afternoon Person Ch_C picks me up and we go over to the Long Beach airport for the Airportfest with a number of old and experimental aircraft to be viewed. We're at the end of the event so we find parking close (don't have to take the shuttle bus) and enjoy getting pictures of various experimental aircraft, old military aircraft, personal helicopters, and business aircraft. The highlight of the day is when a B29 starts up, taxis to the end of the runway, and takes off. Afterwards Person Ch_C and I hang out for a while watching television before Person Ch_C heads for home and I relax and then head for sleep.
Saturday starts with qualifying for the Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi. My favorite driver gets the pole and can still win the world championship with a win (and other scenarios) on Sunday. I get out for the extended aquarium ride in the rapidly warming morning. During today's ride there is a Pet Cancer Awareness Walk where many people have brough out their pets to raise money for this cause. Unlike other walks where the participants just use up half of the bicycle trail and leave space for riders to get through, these people take up the entire path - forcing cyclists to stop and weave their way through the crowd. Many of the walkers and are walking along, holding their pet leashes, and texting on their phone at the same time. With these people I wait until they are an inch away from me and let out a quick yell - seeing them jump a foot in the air is worth it. I finish the ride, mow the lawn, get cleaned up, and do some shopping. In the afternoon I get down for a nap that is interuppted once with a phone call but then I drop back off for deep sleep.
Late in the afternoon on Saturday Person Ch_C comes to visit and we hang out and watch "The Bourne Identity". I've never really watched it and its okay. At 11pm I leaving the house to go meet up with Person T_U at a new club in Huntington Beach. When I arrive the club is crowded and it takes me 15 minutes to get a Red Bull and 7-Up to drink. Thirty minutes later Person T_U arrives and we hang out. The crowd is pretty tired and the music is just okay, so by 1:30 am on Sunday morning I'm headed for home to turn out the lights just after 2 am for sleep.
Sunday starts with the Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi where my favorite driver storms off to the lead, the stars align and his competitors have problems, and my favorite is world champion. An almost impossible situation becomes possible! After the race I get out for the extended aquarium bicycle ride but my mind is wandering to the upcoming trip. So I don't remember much of the ride at all. I spend the afternoon securing the Yamaha YZF-R1 for a long rest, packing, and getting ready to leave.