Robin's Bike Ride

by **Bill Cummings** » Wed Jun 08, 2016 8:00 pm

had wrote:Robin! Don't get hit by a car! Be careful! We look forward to seeing back home. Enjoy. - Had

Robin took that to heart today Hadley. He bought a rear view mirror for his bike helmet.
Today he had dried milk and cereal.
He had a good meal at his friend's house last night and then headed north up the 101 this morning.
He will be camping near San Luis Opispo (SLO) that is about ten miles short of Atascadero, CA.
He passed several hundred bike riders going from San Fransisco to Las Angeles, CA on a ride for AIDS.
He called them wimps because they didn't have camping gear.
I would think that would make them pretty tough unless they are staying in Motels.
I told him I had 104 degrees here today and have the hallway blocked off to catch a lizard the broke in to cool off.
Robin wanted to know how Terry like the lizard. I told him she left for Arizona to spend time with here folks. :srofl:

I'll let the lizard check out the house for bugs then show him the door tonight when it cools off.

by **RobinHastings** » Thu Jun 09, 2016 3:57 pm

Hi, folks. I'm in Atascadero, California today. I've been here ALL day, mostly in the library where I can use the internet. Why? I didn't keep close watch on my important stuff, in a little gray bag, while here, and it is gone. That means my wallet (all ID, most cash, etc.) is gone, my camera, my cell phone - a lot of good stuff. (Like, who I am.) I now have a NET10 phone with number 575-386-8212, and Nancy (good wife!) is taking care of the rest of the disaster as she can. I'm not sure whether to carry on with this expedition or not - she advised that I get some sleep before deciding. This is certainly an education into aspects of modern society that I was taking for granted! I will note that everyone in Atascadero has been VERY helpful and sympathetic, particularly the good folks here at the library; it's a lovely little town, and their court house building is just beautiful - the kind they stopped making about 100 years ago, nicely refurbished and maintained. I'll head out and shop for a new wallet in a few minutes, and then get some food and figure out what direction to head from here. It's been an interesting day, for sure.
-Robin

by **Bill Cummings** » Fri Jun 10, 2016 11:01 am

RobinHastings wrote:Hi, folks. I'm in Atascadero, California today. I've been here ALL day, mostly in the library where I can use the internet. Why? I didn't keep close watch on my important stuff, in a little gray bag, while here, and it is gone. That means my wallet (all ID, most cash, etc.) is gone, my camera, my cell phone - a lot of good stuff. (Like, who I am.) I now have a NET10 phone with number 575-386-8212, and Nancy (good wife!) is taking care of the rest of the disaster as she can. I'm not sure whether to carry on with this expedition or not - she advised that I get some sleep before deciding. This is certainly an education into aspects of modern society that I was taking for granted! I will note that everyone in Atascadero has been VERY helpful and sympathetic, particularly the good folks here at the library; it's a lovely little town, and their court house building is just beautiful - the kind they stopped making about 100 years ago, nicely refurbished and maintained. I'll head out and shop for a new wallet in a few minutes, and then get some food and figure out what direction to head from here. It's been an interesting day, for sure.
-Robin

Robin called at 11:30 am (mountain time) to have me post that if any of us that were contacts on his phone, (575-621-1118), that was stolen, to be cautious about answering or picking up on that call. Robin posted his new number in the quote above.
He also said that he had other numbers written down in his stolen wallet.
I didn't think to tell Robin to have the stolen number turned off by his cell provider but even at that contact numbers could also come by way of a burner phone by the thief.
I told him the most valuable thing he still has is the rear view mirror on his helmet and to use it to verify every vehicle he hears will clear him.
I told him to come home but he is out of my jurisdiction and he has decided to peddle on.
At the time of this call Robin was north of Bradley, CA (The middle of CA) on the 101 Hwy.
Robin says his brother had a home up on the hills near by but long long ago.

by **Bill Cummings** » Fri Jun 10, 2016 11:29 pm

Against a wind too strong to launch a glider into today Robin will have to settle for a bigger average tomorrow.
With all the wind roaring in his ears, I suspect, was the reason he never heard the tent, sleeping bag, and pad roll, fall off of the bike somewhere during the hard won thirty miles. (Don't forget to use that rear view mirror in case something bad is sneaking up on you ---- or leaving you.)
At least the new phone is working well.
King City, CA will be the motel stop this night. Robin's invisible passenger must be "Murphy," of Murphy's Law, fame.
It has been my experience that Murphy never sets the hook so deep into his bait so close out from the staging area when trolling for calamity.
Murphy must sense that the force is strong with this one and that he has to pull out all the stops before the half way point if he hopes to stem the exuberance.
My telling him to, "come home." for the second day in a row coupled with Murphy's assistance should have Robin throwing in the towel soon assuming he still has one.
There might be a Walmart in Salinas, CA about fifty miles further.
Robin says to give everyone his best.
I couldn't think of a way to put it that I was thinking he should not give anything away but try to hang on to whatever he has left.
So I am to post that he is still alive.

by **RobinHastings** » Sat Jun 11, 2016 11:16 am

Thanks so much, Bill. It is now Saturday, June 11th. Smart people are out hang gliding and PG training today. Dumb ones (well, me) are calling off this trip and trying to make it home ASAP, to start restoring their 21st Century identity. My friend Dave Ogawa (and that is a FRIEND!) is driving up from his house where I parked my car, to retrieve me in less than the 4 to 5 days it would take to pedal there. I should be home by early next week, ready to deal with the various agencies that can help me prove to the world that I am I. Life is complex, eh? (There's a real part and an imaginary part.) Thanks so much, everyone, for your good wishes and help. I'll post some more as I progress homeward.
-Robin

by **Bob Kuczewski** » Sat Jun 11, 2016 12:37 pm

RobinHastings wrote:Life is complex, eh? (There's a real part and an imaginary part.)

Spoken like a true Scientist/Engineer/Mathematician!!! :thumbup:

Life is also chaotic. One small mistake (flapping of butterfly wings or flapping of a loose wallet), and the outcomes are quite different.

I've been sorry to read of your misfortunes, but don't let that keep you from trying again in the future. Everything difficult makes you stronger.

I salute your ambition and your attitude in the face of adversity. :salute:

by **Bill Cummings** » Sun Jun 12, 2016 12:55 pm

Robin called and said that he was back in his car and heading home to regroup. I asked him what he will do for a license if he is stopped along the way.
The police report that he filled out about the stolen wallet will have to pass muster. They should be able to reference the police report number to verify that indeed he has documented a theft report with the brothers in blue in California. He expects to be over night at Tucson, AZ then home the next day.
He will have to delay flying until he has finished gathering his paperwork.

by **RobinHastings** » Mon Jun 13, 2016 7:44 pm

Hi, everyone. Well, I'm back - at least for a couple of weeks. Home and Las Cruces are looking good. (And hot!) Maybe I'll make a second try at seeing the country in July, but this time in an automobile. I think my fiasco has taken out too much of the limited time I had to go touring the country on the bike. And, I must admit, my legs were getting tired. Thanks to everyone who joined me in this expedition in spirit, and to those who very substantially helped me out on the way up north and back. Counting it up, I think I did about 250 miles of pedaling, most of it against headwinds, and a lot of it uphill. It was a lot of fun camping out in new and obscure places, and I met some good folks, so this was not a waste of time by any means. I had a nice talk with Eric Smith in Tucson this morning, so I'm getting my head back into hang gliding again - he says that SAHGA, the club out there, will be hosting the Monsoon Madness fly-in sometime in the next two weeks. Let's keep that road trip in mind. Thanks for everything!
-Robin

by **Nate** » Thu Jun 16, 2016 7:25 am

Very sorry to hear about your stuff getting stolen.

Sorry you had to realize the hard way that analog data is outdated so no one needs a library. Digital services are so cheap and readily available that getting them from a fixed location is also outdated.

In 2016, libraries mainly serve to give homeless a place to nap in air conditioning, take a dump, and free PC access with internet (porn machines :shock: