Coast and North Goleta Bike Route

Only did a 10 mile bike ride today. I did, however, use the North Goleta route for the first time. Pretty nice.

See the map.

Beach and Foothill Bike Loop

Relaxing after my bicycle ride.

I've decided to go back to biking. I drive my car too much, it is great exercise, and it is fun! I went on a 15 mile bike ride (see the map) and it felt so good.... So exhilarating.

I left from my house and took the Coast Route past Goleta Beach to Patterson Avenue. Then I took Patterson to connect to the Foothill Route and took that until Glenn Anne/Storke Road. Storke goes all the way down to Coal Oil Point, winding past Devereux Lagoon - which very beautiful, but the road is bumpy. I took the nice, new dirt path that overlooks the ocean towards I.V., then stopped for a water and banana break at one of those nifty new benches. I took some time to read Favela on my kindle and watched the sun fall behind the trees before I headed home.

That beautiful ride was a nice addition to the seriously delicious breakfast at Alphie's I had with Kathy and the afternoon beach BBQ, followed by beach volleyball - or something that was supposed to resemble beach volleyball.

An overall excellent day!

Extratropical Cyclone Arani in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Storm surge in Icaraí, Niterói

A rare extratropical cyclone swept into Rio de Janeiro, creating some monster waves and flooding the streets - including the street where I lived in Icaraí last summer (summer in Rio, winter in California).

According to NASA:

Arani has the appearance of a tropical cyclone but has been classified as a subtropical cyclone. Subtropical cyclones are low pressure areas that develop with a cold core and transition to a warm core in the mid-levels of the troposphere, resembling a tropical cyclone. They more typically form outside of hurricane season (which is June 1 to Nov. 30 in the Northern Atlantic, for example). They also have broad wind patterns and that means that their maximum sustained winds are usually located farther from the center than a tropical cyclone. They also have no weather fronts linked to them, such as a typical low pressure area that brings summertime storms with an associated cold front. Subtropical cyclones can sometimes become tropical cyclones, and occasionally, tropical cyclones can become subtropical.

Tropical cyclones are very rare in the Southern Atlantic Ocean. In 2004 a cyclone called Catarina formed in the South Atlantic and caused some controversy when it was classified as a hurricane by the United States' National Hurricane Center.

Note that Cyclone Catrina was the first ever hurricane to hit Brazil in recorded history. Arani is only the third (second official) named tropical cyclone ever recorded in the Southern Atlantic Ocean.

Things are changing - its about time we take notice so we can start taking proactive, preventative steps to mitigate against the already evident threat of climate change.


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Here is a great video of the waves crashing onto the streets throughout Rio.

Another video - you might recognize the MAC (Museum of Contemporary Art) in the background:

Reactions to Gay Couple in Texas Restaurant

Wow. Small town Texas, you surprised me - especially compared to NYC! What would you do if you saw gay parents berated by a waitress?

Photobomb in Paraty, Brazil

I was just looking at some of my photos from Brazil when I came across this gem. While in Paraty (Parati), Brazil I set up my 12 second timer and just at the right moment a cute dog runs by. PHOTOBOMB!

That's what I get for photobombing others so often. But really, is there anything better than a good photobomb? Ok fine.. swimming in the natural pool at Trindade was better than this photobomb, but you get my point.

Oil spill, radiation, war, tsunami...

The Massacre in Realengo, Rio de Janeiro

A great post by one of my favorite bloggers, Professor Christopher Gaffney, about the recent school shotting in Rio de Janeiro - and I couldn't agree more with what he writes: Geostadia or the Geography of the Obvious: A Chacina do Realango (The massacre in Realengo).

Some highlights:

• "Brazil already has more than 7 million illegal arms with 60% of them coming from the USA. So not only was the act itself an imitation of Columbine, but the weapons likely carried the MADE IN USA stamp."
• We need to recognize that, "constructing a consumer society in which one’s place within the social system, one’s ability to access basic human rights, is determined by one’s ability to pay for those rights is fundamentally flawed. This is increasingly the case in the United States and the idea that human freedom is now inexorably tied to the ability to fit within market systems is a palpable reality in Brazil."
• "What we never think about when we watch the [Olympic and World Cup] games are the dead bodies and broken lives that sustain them."

Tangerine Falls, Santa Barbara, CA

Walking through clouds of mist at Tangerine Falls

I often hike up the East Fork of the Cold Springs trail, which goes up to my favorite swimming hole as well as an incredible view of Montecito and Santa Barbara below. Beyond that is Montecito Peak. This time around, though, I went up the West Fork, which goes to Tangerine Falls. You can take a trail to the top of the falls or the bottom - we choose the bottom of the falls to get a good view. Plus there have been a few people in the past few months who had to get rescued from the upper path because they didn't leave enough time to get back down.

Tangerine Falls

The weather was very moist. If it was warmer I could have mistaken myself in a tropical rainforest. Everything was green and beautiful - and wet and slippery! After taking a few wrong turns and crossing over the rain swollen creek, we found our way to Tangerine Falls and Russell took a dive into the freezing water! He went right under the waterfall and disappeared behind it. The other hikers went wild for that, cheering him on.

After his waterfall shower, Russ and I headed back down to the car. Very nice after work hike, although I still prefer the East Fork (nothing can beat our secluded swimming hole and water slide!)

More photos: Tangerine Falls Hike

Of the 1%, by the 1%, for the 1% | Society | Vanity Fair

A must read article by my favorite economist, Joseph Stiglitz:

Of the 1%, by the 1%, for the 1% | Society | Vanity Fair

Isla Vista Beaches Shut Down Due to Floatopia Fears

This weekend the beaches of Isla Vista will be closed to students and the general public due to a Facebook organized "Floatopia." A Floatopia is a big informal gathering of, generally, UCSB students on the beaches in front of campus who then jump into the water on anything that can float for a drunken, floating, beach/ocean party. Although I may be a bit of a buzz kill, I think that the reasons behind the closure are totally legitimate. Already the beaches inevitably wind up with trash just from beachfront house parties -- can you imagine the trash (and likely urine and vomit) that ends up on the beach once everyone is dehydrated and passed out at home (or on the beach)?! So much trash!! So I have to give a thumbs up to the UC Santa Barbara campus police for nipping this in the bud. KEEP OUR OCEANS CLEAN!!!

Via UCSB PD:

Due to the potential for a "Floatopia" type event to occur, the campus beaches will be closed Saturday, April 2 and Sunday, April 3, 2011 and not accessible to the public or campus community. This beach closure is in response to unsafe and unsanitary conditions that have been associated with this unplanned event in the past.

The "Floatopia" event in 2009 failed to provide for the appropriate health, safety, or well being provisions necessary for a large scale public event, to include sanitation or refuse collections.  Because of safety concerns, the University of California, Santa Barbara Police Department will enforce the campus beach closure.