The Oracle of Apollo Snippets from the life of Apollo Lee

Hanging with Amanda

The other day, Amanda called me up and asked me to come with her to the Haight Ashbury Street Fair in San Francisco. Our friend, Adnan was scheduled to spin records at a private party nearby. It also sounded like an excellent opportunity to eat Ethiopian food, something for which I’m always eager.

We got to San Francisco in the early afternoon, grabbed slices at North Beach Pizza, and wandered toward the private home Adnan was going to play in, wondering if we might have missed his set. On the side streets, bedroom DJs were blasting their music in various locations into the street and crowds danced below to their music. Only in San Francisco could you be that confident that every building has at least one DJ with a significant PA system.

We headed over to the house, a four-story house set on a hill south of Haight Street. After climbing to the top floor, we descended a steep staircase down four flights to the backyard. It was lush, green, and well-gardened. We hung out and talked with various people — very interesting people indeed. Then, I saw somebody I recognized from her photo online, but have never talked to.

It was Karina! She’s in my tribe network and runs SF Raves. We chatted for a while about geek stuff and the scene. She really kicks ass. I’m glad I got to meet her.

After we had hung out at the party for a little while, we decided it was time to go get Ethiopian food. Massawa was immensely satisfying, as always. We headed back to Amanda’s car and returned to my house to upgrade her computer.

What a great Sunday afternoon. Thanks, Amanda!

Om Monthly

After my ride this evening, I came home, took my nap, ate a little something, and headed up to DNA Lounge for Om‘s monthly party. This one featured Mark Farina and DJ Colette.

I had vastly underestimated the number of people who would be out tonight, particularly since I arrived in San Francisco shortly before midnight. After a faulty machine at the Costco structure (which has raised its prices to $10), I orbited about 9 billion blocks to find a spot four blocks from the club.

I found my crew after Fe Ann accosted me, showed me to Patrick and Greg (it’s been too long, brother). Ernie and Dan and a bunch of other people were there. The club was packed to the rafters full of people who liked to back into me. I’d get my little dance going and the people in front of me would just keep stepping backwards into me. Great. Some of my friends from the Imperial Dub parties were there, too.

DJ Colette played great music and put her voice over a few of the records to great effect. Mark Farina followed, playing his standard set of deep house tracks that makes him the most well-known house DJ in the world. It was good stuff.

After a little while, with all my friends taking off, and my general tiredness from battling headwinds for three hours this afternoon, I just got tired of being there. I trudged out, jumped in my car, and headed home.

Week 23

What a week of contrasts. From the extremely heavy headwinds on Monday and Tuesday to rain on Wednesday to the 19.6 mph average speed (personal best) morning commute on Thursday, I stepped to and got all my miles this week, polishing off the longest week in three months.

What a great feeling. Next week: 34.51 mile weekdays.

06 Jun:  31.72 mi;  1:43:43 (18.3 mph avg; 26.0 mph max)
07 Jun:  31.63 mi;  1:43:14 (18.4 mph avg; 27.0 mph max)
08 Jun:  31.70 mi;  1:42:54 (18.5 mph avg; 31.0 mph max)
09 Jun:  31.71 mi;  1:37:48 (19.5 mph avg; 29.5 mph max)
10 Jun:  32.09 mi;  1:39:51 (19.3 mph avg; 34.0 mph max)
11 Jun:  52.67 mi;  2:50:12 (18.6 mph avg; 41.0 mph max)
Total : 211.52 mi; 11:17:42 (18.7 mph avg; 41.0 mph max)

Month so far:  352.28 mi. 2005 so far : 3381.06 mi (67.62% of goal).
2005 goal   : 5000.00 mi.
Remaining   : 1618.94 mi (55.83 mi / wk avg)

52 miles on the 52 ring

Another day with big mileage planned, but after further thought, I decided to stick as close to my chart as possible. Today’s mileage was to be 52.28 miles.

So, as usual, I climbed up Alpine, took Portola through Portola Valley and on to Woodside, and tried for a high speed descent. After miles and miles of brutal head- and cross-winds, I was glad to be on Alameda de las Pulgas and heading southeast on Junipero Serra / Foothill Expressway with the wind at my back. I added another seven miles with a large flat square, taking Fremont to Sunnyvale-Saratoga to Homestead and back onto Foothill Expressway for my kick home.

It’s pretty much the same route as virtually every half-century I’ve done this year. This time, though, I did the whole thing in the big 52 ring. But, battling those headwinds for so many miles? Too much more of this and I’m going to end up really strong. Or something.

Today:   52.67 mi;   2:50:12 (18.6 mph avg; 41.0 mph max) June :  352.28 mi;  18:50:45 (18.7 mph avg; 46.0 mph max)
2005 : 3381.06 mi; 181:25:43 (18.6 mph avg; 46.0 mph max)
Goal : 5000.00 mi (1618.94 mi to go : 67.62% complete)

Salted

This evening, after a late disco nap and a nice pizza from Avanti, I decided to head on up to San Francisco and attend Salted at Mighty. Patrick and Gigi joined the festivities this evening—the first time in quite a while that I’ve seen them both out.

DJ Smash was already on the turntables when I got there at 12:15 and the dancefloor was already packed. His blend of old school techno, chunky funk-laden house music, and Latin rhythms kept the crowd breathless. What an astonishing mix! Mauricio Aviles followed, dropping a beautiful set of great set of signature Naked tracks and other assorted goodies. MFR closed us out with a great mix of stomping house music that kept me on the dancefloor as the crowd waned and trickled away.

Salted is always a great party with a great crowd. One of these days, though, I’ll have to show up some time before 11, so I don’t have to pay $20 to get in.

Week 22

Finally, a full six-day riding week. It was breezy and cool for a few of the days this week, especially Saturday, but somehow I managed all my miles. I guess I can step it up to 31.37 mile weekdays now.

30 May:  31.06 mi;  1:37:56 (19.0 mph avg; 36.5 mph max)
31 May:  28.69 mi;  1:29:00 (19.3 mph avg; 34.5 mph max)
01 Jun:  29.80 mi;  1:35:20 (18.8 mph avg; 27.5 mph max)
02 Jun:  30.30 mi;  1:35:38 (19.0 mph avg; 28.0 mph max)
03 Jun:  30.48 mi;  1:37:02 (18.8 mph avg; 30.0 mph max)
04 Jun:  50.18 mi;  2:45:03 (18.2 mph avg; 46.0 mph max)
Total : 200.51 mi; 10:39:59 (18.8 mph avg; 46.0 mph max)

Month so far:  140.76 mi. 2005 so far : 3169.54 mi (63.39% of goal).
2005 goal   : 5000.00 mi.
Remaining   : 1830.46 mi (61.01 mi / wk avg)

Another Windy Half-Century

I waited too long this afternoon to get more miles than I did today. I headed out of my driveway about 15 after 5, which gave me three hours to go until sunset. One thing about today: it was really windy—much, much more windy than last weekend.

My headwinds today stayed over 20 mph the whole way. The only reprieve I got was when I headed southeast on Foothill Expressway, my back to the wind. When I returned, I hammered against the wind, fought a crosswind and a strong headwind to Portola Valley, battled continuous breezes and gusts nearing 40 mph on my way to Woodside, and a wind-tunnel heading for Edgewood.

The plummet down Edgewood was a good pay off. I dropped into my big ring and small gears, got low on my bars, and chased down a 46 mph top speed before the cross breezes became too much for me to try for more.

Because of the winds today, my statistics were lackluster at best. I’m so very tired of this damn winds. All I want is a nice calm, not too breezy day, with good warm temperatures. It was 62° F today. Isn’t it June, or something?

Today:   50.18 mi;   2:45:03 (18.2 mph avg; 46.0 mph max) June :  140.76 mi;   7:33:03 (19.0 mph avg; 46.0 mph max)
2005 : 3169.54 mi; 170:08:01 (18.6 mph avg; 46.0 mph max)
Goal : 5000.00 mi (1830.46 mi to go : 63.39% complete)

Remedy

None of my friends seem to want to go out anymore. Everyone’s either far away or they’re not really interested in going out. Screw it. I’m going out.

Tonight, I went to Remedy for the first time in a long time. Kaskade and Julius Papp played the music. I hung out with the Latin drummers for most of the evening. I danced with a few people, but mostly I just hung out, enjoyed the music, and got really sweaty dancing with myself.

I got to the club after 11, but I stayed almost until they turned the lights on. It was a good night.

A Very Close Shave

Oh, my goodness, that was close. So close.

This morning, I rode to work for the last time this week (since today is Friday). I let my mind wander a little bit, unfortunately, and squandered a perfectly fast opening kick to pull into my parking lot at work with 18.6 on the cyclometer. A swept out to the back of the lot, double checked my sides, and sprinted for the building through three rows of parking lot. I looked twice.

As I was crossing the last section, the last two feet of asphalt until the sidewalk approaching my office building’s entrance, a Saturn bore down on me with no indication of slowing. There was no time for me to react. I heard a little flapping sound and continued to the door. There is a scuff mark on my rear fender. My rear fender sits a third of an inch above my back tire. A hundredth of a mile an hour slower and I’d have gone to the hospital this morning.

That’ll wake you up in the morning!

Six Years

On this day in 1999, I moved to the Silicon Valley from Northern Idaho. Six years ago, I moved to a major metropolitan area for the first time in my life and started to live in area in which I knew one person (Hello, Kai!). With a few hundred dollars, my car, two computers, my clothes, some O’Reilly books, and a small selection of dishes, I drove out and began to build the life I live today.

In that six years, I’ve worked as a web developer in a sexy startup, four large corporations, and for various small projects. I’ve gone dancing on more than thirty of San Francisco’s dancefloors with myriads of lovely people, in front of speakers playing the music of more electronic music artists than I can even count and every significantly known house DJ and live act that has performed in Northern California since I moved here.

I’ve made lots of wonderful friends, lost a few, and lost track of too many. I’ve desired some people, pushed most others away, and mostly just tried to better my life. I’ve stopped smoking and started cycling. 12,416 miles have passed under my wheels in five counties and untold hours have passed under my feet as I got my groove on in four of those five.

I’m not famous. I’m not rich. But, I’m home.

For all those I lost track of along the way, for all those I count among my friends today, for all those I worked with, for all those who shared my dancefloor and heard my hand flute, for all those who endured my rants and raves, for all those I felt affection for and never informed, for all those who included me, for all those who helped me learn something, I thank you for these six years. I still get excited when I realize that I live in the Silicon Valley. When I see that CA in my address or drive half an hour to arrive at a club in the most beautiful city in North America, I sometimes still have trouble believing that this is really my life. I’m glad I found it.

I’m not finished. The best is yet to come. I hope you’re there to share it with me.