Ride With My Bride to Good Stuff

What does one do on a early Saturday morning when its cold out, the skies are dark grey, and there is no need to get out of bed? And the kids are not around? Huh, huh, what would you do? Jump on a bike and ride to Hermosa Beach to have breakfast at the Good Stuff of course. Vincent and I made the same trek at a more reasonable time of day and when the weather was more conducive to enjoying the elements.

If you're wondering where the boys were last night well, we are wondering, too. There not home now so if you happen to see them tell them to come home. It's not that we miss them but there are electronic devices "going off" in their room and we don't know how to turn them off. The displays are tiny, the lettering too puny for mature eyes to focus upon and activating the keypad requires nimble slender fingers.

And, ...what's that...oh. My bride tells me that the elder one is at a weekend retreat organized by the Confirmation Ministry at our church. The retreat is at a ranch where they will go canoeing and hiking, play sports, dialog, pray, contemplate, and have a good old time in the name of Jesus. Amen! Won't see him till tomorrow afternoon. Wonder if they watched the Lakers kick the bejesus out of the Denver Thuggets last night.

Son number two thumbed a ride out of town with one of his sisters before the Laker game. Heck, why should he get stuck with the old folks. The last text message now places him at his oldest brother's home. In between he managed to crash his other sister's pad. Geesh, doesn't this kid have a home.



Friday night we had made up our minds to get up early and walk to breakfast somewhere. When we first started dating it was not unusual for us to stroll for an hour to the pier and reward ourselves with a tasty meal at the Kettle in Manhattan Beach. From there it was merely a few minutes to the scents and sights of the ocean and beach. Walking home was usually pleasant since most of it was along the "path". The "path" was once a rail way that cut through Hermosa Valley. The tracks were no longer in use when I moved out here but when talks turned to utilizing them in the name of improved public transport, the nearby citizens decided to pull out all the rails. Heaven forbid a train that might bring in "people" from who knows where.

So today the path is a well maintained Green Belt suitable for walking, jogging, and walking the dog. The path is lined with mulch which makes it easy on the joints but not practical for wheeled conveyances. Remember the couple in love who walked to the beach? Well, after babies 1 and 2 messed....blessed our lives we yearned for those strolls to the beach. Of course we could still do. Just put them yungins in the stroller. I don't think we made it to the beach. If we did we dragged them wheels or changed to a longer cemented paveway. The memory is blanked out of my mind. I imagine now that it could not have been comfortable for either child and heck, waiting to be seated at the Kettle would not have been a joy after crunching along the path.

Today was the weather was cool, the air moist, but determined we were to get some exercise and then cap it off with a tasty breakfast. Riding our bikes seemed a better option and ride the bikes we did. The sun never did peek through but that was only a mild disappointment. Our breakfasts were good and just like everyone else who arrived we chose to sit inside. I was pleasantly surprised at the number of other bikes parked in the rack. Although the joint was half full it filled up shortly after our arrival. In fact there were people seated outside when we left pretending that it was not uncomfortable at all.

If you are ever in town find your way to one of the Good Stuff restaurants. If you visit us we'll take you there or to the Kettle. To sneak a peek at the Strand checkout the Strandcam, link provided for your convenience.

http://www.eatgoodstuff.com/strandcam/frm-index.html



1. Posing after exiting the path and heading a few short blocks down hill to the Strand. Church steeple in the background.
2. Grouping of photos taken at the Good Stuff. We sat by the window in the corner of the room which is really an enclosed patio. Behind me on a wall is a mural of a beach scene. Outside I am posing near my bike. Connie is posing with the Hermosa Pier and the Good Stuff in the background.
3. The two photos are at the point we exited the Strand to head back up to where Connie is in Photo 1. Manhattan Beach Pier is in the background.
4. Three photos on the Path. Connie's photo captures a yard sale in the background.