Sunday, June 26, 2011

Mumbo Gumbo at Jessie's Grove Winery

Mumbo Gumbo performs at Jessie's Grove, part of Jessie's casual annual Summer Concert Series at their winery in Lodi just off Turner Road. Kay and I join friends Kevin and Bella, and Den and Deb for a picnic under the old oak tree and an evening concert that rocked the grove until well after dark. Concert goers were ready for a party and Mumbo Gumbo did not disappoint. Mumbo Gumbo offered a unique blend of celebratory danceable music from rock to soul, afropop to lush balladry, and zydeco to country; so dance we did until the night finally settle in. Great music and a wonderful evening with friends. Click on the picture below to see a short slideshow.
From Mumbo Gumbo at Jessie's Grove Winery

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Mt. Shasta Zodiac 2011

In June, I joined the Sacramento Wheelmen on their second annual Mt. Shasta Zodiac for 5 days of pristine riding out of Mt. Shasta City in northern California. "Zodiac" is the name given for multi-day rides away from home. Much thanks goes to Dale and company for organizing this ride. For the riders, the rugged terrain and low population density of northern California meant cycling mostly on quiet rural roads within sight of the ever majestic Mount Shasta looming high above its surroundings at 14,162 feet elevation. Over the 5 days, I rode about 211 miles climbing a total of 14,730 feet and explored an awesome new region by bike. Definitely worth the trip north. It was a climber's paradise and the riding couldn't get much better than what we experienced. I skipped some of the climbs, otherwise I'm sure the 5-day total would have exceeded 20,000 feet. For a short slideshow, click on the image below. Also, check out Geno's blog
From Mt. Shasta Zodiac 2011

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

The First of June

Crazy to say, but it has been a dynamic day of weather from bright sunlight to short heavy downpours, hail, and tornado warnings just north of town.