IBNeko's Journal-Nyo~!

So I went to UIUC this weekend to watch the J-net fashion show and hang out with friends there. Friends == quite good fun, although people are wandering off, sadly. Show was good - pretty much what was expected, although the skit could have flowed a tad bit better. But the Union ABC rooms have proper lighting rows now! So they can adjust the lights and position them to be more awesome and actually properly cover the stage. Probably with more lights too. *glee* Alas, I won't be back much more often to help out and make it look awesome.

Also, the freshmen are getting smaller. Or I'm getting older and bigger. Gawds, I hope it's not the latter.

Used United Premier status (I've somehow managed to fly over 25K miles this year. Probably due to the trip to Taiwan) to board planes as zone 1. Unsuccessfully tried to standby for an earlier flight. Got to and from Chicago with the help of Denise and her boyfriend, John.

And due to my own incompetence, I completely forgot about my return time and ended up getting a flight that landed 15 minutes after the last caltrain left. So, having done a test run from Palo Alto to Millbrae (the sourthern-most point for the BART (subway) on this side of the bay), taking about 18 miles, 2-3 hours, I decided it was quite doable. With this in mind, I brought my bike via caltrain to Millbrae and left it at the caltrain station.

Unfortunately, I completely failed to factor in the possibility of weather. 'cause, you know, we don't usually get weather here. It's just sun. Nice sun. Sometimes a confused cloud or two. And in the rare occasions, it rains. Very rare.

So I landed. And cursed at the drippy skies. Deciding I still didn't want to pay the stupid cab fare, nor did I want to bother friends up in SF, or call up my senpai down in Mountain View, I decided to tough it out, be a guy, etc. Swinging by the local Walgreens, I picked up a poncho and got started.

Am home now. Everything below the knees was wet. And my face and glasses. But otherwise, not too bad. Just uncomfortable.

And this time it only took me 2 hours and 15 minutes. 18 miles in the rain. Whee.

(Hmmm, looks like my downstairs neighbor has moved out. Don't see their wifi access point anymore. Poo. Borrowing one named "Metaverse", but I guess this means I really need to complete my move to the new apartment which has internet, but doesn't have a bed or other slightly less important stuff...)

http://sundaystreetssf.com/

Except by the time I made my way to the park, it was already nearing 2 PM. I saw a good number of bikers, but I wasn't sure if they were there for the sunday fun or just there because it's a nice place to bike.

My path:Google Maps

According to my nifty new bike computer ($10 from amazon. I bike an average of 10 mph, although on flat ground, I typically go at about 15 mph. Hills will slow me down to 5-8 mph - like the one on Fell St - that was unhappy to bike up. I had to drop down to my lowest gear and pedal like a madman.) Oddly, google maps says my route was only 14 miles, while the bike computer clocked about 18. I mean, I probably did sidetrack here and there, but I don't think that added 4 miles. My wheel measurements might be wrong... :\

Anyways, yay, found the golden gate park. Saw the Pacific ocean - there's a nice beach there, much cleaner looking than the one at Santa Cruz. Less people too.

I biked to University and Neil in an attempt to find the Champaign Do It Best Hardware store. I just realized that I was too far north; it's on Springfield. Doh. But the trip was pretty good - I headed further north... up Neil, right on Bradley, north-west up Bloomington Rd, to hit Home Depot and grab prices for PVC pipes. They've got too many employees there. Or it was employee-inventory-everything day or something. o.O The place was just crawling with employees.

Having gotten prices, I continued north-westwards up Bloomington until I hit Prospect, and then I headed north to find Lowes. Nice place, much cheaper than Home Depot, at least in terms of PVC pipe prices. Was pleased, got lost a bit, found an Arby's, had a delicious sandwich and crappy fries. Then headed back south on Prospect, chanced upon a thrift/clothing store just slightly south of Bradley - didn't find a blue jacket/windbreaker to use as part of my Ritsuka cosplay though. Poop. Shall have to go hunting for that later...

And continued my way south, until I hit Springfield, at which point I turned left and headed home~

Twas good. At the end, I was singing out loud to random songs on my Rio Forge. ^^;; Wonder if anyone saw me... especially since Murder, Murder - Jekyll & Hyde was playing, so there was much chanting of Murder, murder! Hehehe. Insane Asian kid biking down the sidewalk of a busy (car-wise) street.

It was good, but now I've got to do homework, and I'm _tired_. XD