Sunday February 12, 2023.
Yup! Today's my birthday! Good 'ol Abe Lincoln and I share the same born on date. He's always been a fav of mine too. Not sure if it's because of the birthday thing or because I love the way he pushed the envelope of inclusivity. The notion that all men are created equal...written down and signed but yet never fully absorbed by this country then and even now. He was such a wisdom filled and God loving man, cultivating his heart and ideals thru many books early on in his childhood including the Bible.
Anyhow, here I am in Cali baby! Hoping the temps are warmer, the sun is shinier and the rides are just always good right? Even a horrible day on the bike is better than a good day at work!
The usual morning plan at the hotel is underway...blog and plan a little bit. Actually unfortunately for the blog, but fortunately for me, I got a few birthday phone calls that kept me from typing at all! Great to hear voices from home along with the well wishes...thank you all y'all!
The noon meetup plan with Syreeta got pushed up a bit which is awesome too! She's available by 10:30 and we're headed to Quarry Park Adventures to do some Rock climbing.
When we pulled up to the place it's not like the usual, similar places I've seen back home. You know - rock climbing inside a building with different rock walls that you can get harnessed up to attempt. Nope not here! Pulling up to the place I couldn't see a thing...because the rock climbing was actually a hole outside in the ground! Literally looks like it used to be an old rock quarry with all these exposed rock walls. So legit. So cool. And like I said I knew it would be different here....so Cali!
Signing up for a two hour session seemed perfect since it would give us time for a nosh when we were done. So after harnessing up and walking with Syreeta down into the 'hole' for lack of a better term, I could feel my nerves amp up a little bit. Two reasons!
One: looking at the walls and their heights I could feel my legs get the willies a little bit. I guess I do have a little fear of heights to work thru lol.
Second: this little powerhouse of a woman was probably gonna kick my @$$ doing this stuff and I had to let my male ego down. She's grea at any endeavor she picks up so I would have to figure out an excuse now to have prepared when she goes higher than me or whatever! Think I'll fall back on the new knee excuse. That's a good one. I got a cool X-ray pic to show her as case evidence #1 also : )
Two hours of climbing increasingly difficult walls and then an ‘adventure park’ I would call it? Literally rope bridges, or a tightrope to walk across while you hold a rope above your head, or a platform you need to pulley yourself across to the other side…all at a good fifty feet up I would say? Wow! A little bit of the willies in my legs again a few times, I don’t think Syreeta noticed though I played it pretty cool. I mean even when I fell down onto the tiny pulley platform halfway across the divide in a fetal position I played it off like my knee hurt. She did ask why I was sucking my thumb - “Oh that’s just a lil’ rope burn no worries but thanks for askin’!" Please don’t tell her. I told her the blog was FrogPondPete so I don’t think she’ll see this : )
Such great fun and a little change up from the mountain bike, road cycle, sno-board, outdoor hot-spa routine that we all know get's old after awhile.
Ha!
From there she treated me to a mexican lunch complete with blackberry margaritas that were just delish. The perfect birthday gift from her. A little adrenaline rush and consoling my inner child at a thousand feet in the air followed by Guac, chips, tequila and I’m a happy man!
Truly made my day Syreeta thank you!
Having her three kids to get back to - we split off in the late afternoon so she could do her thing and I could do mine. I was hoping to see some of the Super Bowl here but by the time I figured out where I was staying for the night and checked in and all to get that out of the way it was nearly 6:00 here! Which in West Coast time means the game was wrapping up already! I kinda needed an early night anyway and actually grabbed a quick bite to eat, typed up a little bit and passed out for the night.
Will retirement always be this good?
Inside
As much as it's always nice to be surrounded by family on your birthday...I really had fun and laughs today and felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
On my journey...
Outside
No snow! Fifty degrees! Something about the sun in your face - and even more so when it's a bit warmer - to feel the kiss of the Universe on your birthday!
Upside
A birthday Margarita with special peoples is always an upside!
downside
I missed the Super Bowl... and the commercials!
Every Which Way but East
Decided to stay here in Folsom for a few days. WIth all the tips I have on where to ride n stuff from Syreeta I have plenty to do!
Not sure that helmet would prevent any dain bramage that's for sure...
But Happy Birthday Me!
I was trying to figure a path up the wall from the ground and getting way to heady about it when Syreeta said "Just go for the top!" Of course why didn't I think of that? This quote popped up on one of my feeds later that day too... to much stinkin' thinkin' gets in the way! Just git-er-done!
Syreeta getting it done!
Look close by Syreeta's feet to see the little platform you stand on and then pull yourself across the divide... feels super sketchy lol.
To finish - you just jump off this last platform...a little trust in the ropes for sure here. Geez...
I just jumped and Syreeta is readying herself at the top there....
Happy birthday!🎂