D&F 8/12/23

And I’m back! Last weekend’s camping meant I wasn’t around to write a newsletter. Point Pinole was great, with ample gravel cycling and ocean views. Even though I’ve traveled a lot less for the past few years due to the pandemic, I’ve gotten to camp more often and it’s hella fun. The one thing I haven’t figured-out quite yet is how to sleep comfortably. I’ve watched a bunch of YouTube videos though, and it seems like a wider sleeping pad might help.

There’s something magical about riding a few hours away from home with all the gear to eat and sleep in the wild. Shows like Naked & Afraid or Alone make it abundantly clear that I have zero desire to play at being a survivalist, but a few nights in the woods are rewarding. I have friends who hate the idea of camping, but I still hope someday I can get them out around the fire joking and sipping from flasks before cozying up into our tents. When I was a kid, I would put a tent in my backyard sometimes and sleep in there while still having access to the bathroom inside.

But whether you’re in indoor kid or an outdoor kid, you can still enjoy some…

Links

• I still haven’t ridden one, but eBikes are all the rage with Berkeley dads and errand-runners around here. This bike looks pretty cool. I own a car that sits in a parking lot 99% of the time, but it’s paid off, luckily, so I keep it around for the times I want to drive friends somewhere, or travel out of town. I don’t think I’ll ditch it anytime soon, but if I ever get tired of riding my Surly grocery bike around maybe I’ll pick up one with a battery to supplement.
• ACAB is the official policy of this newsletter, because they’re a violent group of racists who love shooting children more than doing the job they’re ostensibly hired for. The only solution that actually works for communities is community-accountable policing that focuses on supporting the neighborhoods they live in with a focus on restorative justice.
• If you’ve heard the phrase “chronic fatigue” you might think it just means being a little sleepy or depressed, but it’s so much more. I’ve known people with Lyme disease, long covid, and various other fatigue conditions, but it wasn’t until I read this article that I had a better picture of the full nightmare of it all. With this being more commonly something that effects women and non-binary folks, it gets written off by many doctors and male leaders, but I hope effective treatments and support exist soon.
• 15 minute cities are a great idea that the right wing goofballs decided to villanize. Imagine families and seniors being able to access services and enjoy their neighborhoods without crossing highways or dealing with traffic. Japan is a country with a lot of its own problems but every time I see elementary school kids making their way to school on the subway or older folks walking to the grocery store I think about what we could have here.

Closing

I’m off to ride my bike around the bay and meet up with Haley before she heads to France for winemaking. It’s really cool to see a friend lean into their passion so much, and I hope more pals get to do the same in the coming years. It’s wild that it’s already August, and the chillier weather is hopefully coming back to the bay soon. We didn’t get very much summer this year, but I am beyond happy we got to avoid it. I’ve used my little floor AC twice this year because fans and open windows fix a lot, and with the climate change I worry that number will go up every year from now. But hey, enjoy the earth while it lasts, right, space cowgirls~