Before I start on this bummel business, I've got one more curiosity from our Los Angeles trip. The buses, naturally, had pre-recorded bus stop announcements: "The next stop will be Wilshire Blvd, and Bundy Drive." etc. Nothing unusual about the announcements except the speaker loved saying "Hollywood". You could hear the soft smile on his face as he crooned "Hollllywoood" into a lovers pearly-shell like ear. The air was cleaner and the music sweeter as "Holllywoood" wafted into your consciousness. On the other hand, when he announced "Wilshire and Bundy, when boarding or departing, please watch your step." he clearly didn't care if you watched your step or not. He didn't care if you tripped and broke your nose he just wanted you on or off and be quick about it you jerk. We didn't ride enough to know if there were any women doing the announcements, or if the guy liked anything else besides "Holllywoood" but they were amusing announcements.
I've started riding my bike again. I rode 35 miles the other day and then spent the rest of the day on the couch. 35 miles is a long ride when you haven't ridden for several months but I'm working at getting back in shape. And I'm sorry to say I haven't had any remarkable events so far.
(Remarkable events bring interest to a ride, as long as they're not too remarkable: like the time last year when a homeless jerk decided he didn't want me -- an old guy riding alone -- on the bike path so he came me with a stick. (SE Portland) I called 911 and was most pleased when later I saw a couple of county sheriffs rousting out several of the poor homeless we're supposed to feel sorry for.)
In any event here are some of the things I've come across -- Views from my bicycle:
Possibly the most unexpected thing is this tombstone. Poor old Fred is stuck in an industrial area next to an intersection with heavy truck traffic, a couple of auto you-pull-it yards, a welding shop with junk trucks and bits of steel piled around, a composting yard, RR tracks, and other bits of who-knows-what small industries. And he's almost buried again in brush and vines. There are supposed to be a few other graves at this site but I poked around a bit and didn't find any. Fred is here all by himself -- although he does have a nice marker. At one time the pillar had a sort of cone-shaped capital.
A neighborhood I occasionally ride through has this house with Lady Liberty on the corner. I'm guessing that if the Post Office had used this Statue of Liberty for their postage stamp instead of the one in Las Vegas they wouldn't have been sued. 
Close to the Statue of Liberty a different house has this lawn ornament:
While Little Free Libraries aren't unusual, I think this is a nice one. I've found a couple of books here.(I return them, usually with interest -- I generally have a few decent paperbacks sitting around that I can part with)
Word of the day: "Herkimer" which is the name of a place in New York. A while ago Dan Aykroyd was the spokesman (Part owner?) for Crystal Head Vodka, which among other things contained a "Real Herkimer Diamond" in the bottle, giving the vodka "new age positive energy and goodwill". Herkimer New York might be a wonderful place, but to me it sounds like you've had too much Crystal Head Vodka and are busy herk -- herk -- HERKING it all up again. (a Herkimer "diamond" is a type of quartz crystal)
*Book of the day: I haven't read this lately, but first is Three Men on the Bummel (Jerome K. Jerome)
" When asked by one of the characters in the book 'how would you translate (bummel).' the
narrator replies: 'A bummel, I explained, 'I should describe as a journey, long or short, without
an end; the only thing regulating it being the necessity of getting back within a given time to point
from which one started. Sometimes it is through busy streets, and sometimes through the fields
and lanes; sometimes for a few hours --- We nod and smile to many as we pass; with some we
stop and talk awhile; and with a few we (ride) a little way. We have been much interested, and
often a little tired. But on the whole we have had a pleasant (ride) ---
Three Men on the Bummel is a pleasant and amusing book, but much better I think is Jerome's earlier book: Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog) Which is very funny.
Some Mark Twain literary criticism: (his) prose is unreadable -- like Jane Austen's. No there is a difference. I could read his prose on salary, but not Jane's. Jane is entirely impossible. It seems a great pity that they allowed her to die a natural death.
(Jane Austen's) books madden me so that I can't conceal my frenzy from the reader; and therefore I have to stop every time I begin. everytime I read 'Pride and Prejudice' I want to dig her up and beat her over the skull with her own shin-bone. ---- to me this seems a little harsh ----
Does Yosemite Sam believe in reintarnation?
St. Augustine: "The beard signifies the courageous," he declared "the beard distinguishes the grown man, the earnest, the active, the vigorous." --- I couldn't agree more ---
And so it goes. DJA
P.S. Once again this program has its own ideas about where photos should be placed and where paragraphs should break.
