Planet Iron Blogger SF

August 27, 2025

Monoprinciples

You're not invited

The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.
–Joseph Campbell

You check your inbox for an invitation to your dream. An acceptance letter. A job offer. A shiny golden ticket. A “yes” that transforms everything.

No invitation is coming, because you’re not invited to fulfill your dreams. All manifestation is a form of trespassing over fence and unmarked trail. It’s messy. You will have to find your own way. Especially if you have interesting dreams; how could it be otherwise?

Dreams are nebulous. Vision concretizes. A plan connects a vision to a territory, but you cannot plan everything—you only see as far as your headlights. So you start to trek and along the way, unplanned opportunities appear. Are they distractions or are they shortcuts? Here’s how to choose:

  1. If the alternative between options is doing nothing, do the thing that’s not nothing.

  2. If the alternatives are both equally compelling, choose the path that’s harder in the short term1. (That’s your invitation.)

The harder path bends time because it confronts you with the inevitable before you are ready, which is the fastest way to learn. If you wait until you are ready, it’s too late.

Familiar paths endorse comfort, and you know how we feel about that. Even if all you discover is “I hate this,” now you know. Lessons travel in packs and opportunities beget opportunities.

You increase what is known by venturing into the unknown. You make your dreams real, literally, by making them. No one is coming to save you. No invitation is coming. You must write it all yourself. It’s usually the harder path.

by V Sri at August 27, 2025 03:03 PM

August 25, 2025

Certainly Strange

Tiefling Makeup Test

For all fantasy costumes, the makeup is the hardest part for me. I am so bad at makeup. So I decided to practice the makeup a few times before the group costume. An attempt was made. It’s… ok I guess. The most important thing is that we have fun, right? (╥﹏╥)

by Steen at August 25, 2025 02:46 AM

August 23, 2025

I Like Turtles

Farallon Islands

/2025/08/23/farallon-islands.html

August 23, 2025 07:00 AM

August 22, 2025

Doctor Popular

Sandwich Guy: A Modern Day Folk Hero

Last week, Trump federalized D.C.’s police department and sent federal officers and National Guard troops to patrol the city. The next day, a local man named Sean Charles Dunn shouted “Fuck you, fascists!” at a squad of overly militarized goons, then hurled a pastrami sandwich at them before making his getaway.

This guy, his Sandwich Guy, has quickly become a symbol of resistance in D.C. and across the U.S. Partly because his act reminds us that everyday people can and should resist fascism, but mostly because it’s fucking hilarious. A dude in a pink polo, armed with nothing but a Subway sandwich, standing up to goons in tactical gear? Instant icon.

I loved the imagery so much, I drew a couple of Sandwich Guy pieces in my cyan-and-magenta style on aged paper:

A drawing of a man happily holding a sandwich in front of a Subway sandwich shop. He is wearing a pink polo shirt, white shorts, and a backwards baseball cap. Three men in the foreground look scared and are running away from the man with a sandwich. The men are heavily armed federal agents of ICE.  The drawing is made entirely with pink and blue inks with a little bit of white paint on a light brown sheet of paper. A drawing of a man in a pink polo shirt throwing a subway sandwich. Text on the page says “Hero”. The drawing is made using pink and light blue inks with some whiteout.

And since folks on Mastodon and Threads asked for stickers, I also made a cleaned-up digital version. The image below is CC-BY, so you can print it, share it, or slap it on a sign, just give credit when possi.

A drawing of a man in a pink polo with a white baseball cap and shorts, throwing a sandwich angrily. Text near the sandwich says

The post Sandwich Guy: A Modern Day Folk Hero appeared first on Doc Pop's Weblog.

by doc at August 22, 2025 04:29 PM

August 20, 2025

Monoprinciples

The experiment works on you too

You’re about to eat an oyster for the first time. You might hate it, you might fall in love. There is no neutral. Either way, every experiment changes you.

An experiment is a question you ask of the universe. Sometimes the answer is yes or no. Usually the reply is hazy, because the the universe is not binary. Each experiment teaches you something new.

Untitled, André Racz

More than your tolerance for bivalves, you’ll learn your orientation around disgust, and your comfort with the unknown.

There is no getting it right the first time, so aim for getting it different each time. Murder your first born ideas. Every experiment adds to your catalog of what’s possible, what’s worth pursuing. You’re collecting mistakes, and mistakes are more than acceptable.

This is true for your health and your craft.

To learn to write, you must write poorly first. But more than that: you must be willing to become someone who is comfortable with writing poorly. At least for a little while.

Experiments might look like “waste,” but they’re the slow accumulation of courage. The waste is what works. Each experiment makes the next one easier. Repetition breeds affection. Each failure expands your capacity for risk.

It doesn’t matter whether you like oysters. It’s about becoming someone brave enough to find out.

by V Sri at August 20, 2025 03:06 PM

August 18, 2025

I before E except Gleitzman

Ferragosto

Ferragosto at the Base of Mt. Etna

August 18, 2025 12:52 PM

Certainly Strange

Group Costume Plans

A friend wants to do a group cosplay of tieflings and I think it sounds fun so I will try to pull something together! I will post updates as they come. Honestly, for ease and comfort, I’m thinking of just wearing standard ren faire clothes, and doing the tiefling makeup. All choices will be made … Continue reading "Group Costume Plans"

by Steen at August 18, 2025 05:52 AM

August 17, 2025

I Like Turtles

Giants and neighbors

/2025/08/17/giants-and-neighbors.html

August 17, 2025 07:00 AM

August 13, 2025

Monoprinciples

Everything is drugs

Just say no.
–Nancy Reagan

The old trombones used to say “Just say no to drugs.” Sorry grandpa, everything is “drugs.” Sugar, love, exercise, your job, your fame, your souvenir shot glasses, and even precious ideas on the internet, light as a feather. Everything you munch—physically or mentally—changes your body and mind. That’s what drugs do.

Because all drugs have side effects, you are advised to find the minimum effective dose. Even for ideas, light as a feather.

You already do this with medicine. You take two aspirin, not twenty. But boy howdy, you’re reckless with memes, images, and words. You doom-scroll for hours. You binge television. You gorge podcasts until your apartment is spotless.

You don’t give your brain a minute to rest, let alone process, the drugs.

Turn off the firehose once in a while. This is why you’re cranky. Look out your window. Nothing is on fire. It’s the drugs. They’re working.

There’s no FDA for the internet. No sticker telling you that consuming daily outrage will rewire your baseline. No warning that basking in aesthetic will leave you chronically dissatisfied. Nary a mention that rapidly combing your eyes over a glowing screen for over five hours a day might be less than nutritious.

Choose your substances wisely. Know your dealer. Do the right amount. Consumption is never neutral, especially when the drugs are free.

by V Sri at August 13, 2025 03:05 PM

August 11, 2025

Doctor Popular

The Most Iconic Yo-Yo Routine Of All Time?

I think Hajime Miura’s winning routine from this year’s World Yo-Yo Contest might be one of the most iconic yo-yo freestyles of all time! Here’s why:

First off, the music choice was bold. While most performers go for upbeat, bass-heavy tracks, Hajime chose a minimal ambient soundtrack with light percussion, letting the gasps and cheers from the crowd fill the empty spaces.

Second, the flow is unreal. 3A can sometimes feel overly technical, with long setup times, but here everything moves seamlessly—no wasted motions, just smooth, continuous play.

Third, the variety is outstanding. Plenty of eye catching “big tricks”, with segments of intricate tech, but those regens at 1:22 are what really blew my mind. Blurring the lines between 2A and 3A.

And as if all that wasn’t enough, there’s the comeback story. Hajime held the WYYC 3A title for seven straight years before Minato Furuta claimed the division in 2024. It felt like a heartbreaking moment; one that could have sent Hajime into retirement. Instead, he came back stronger than ever, delivering the best performance of his career.

The post The Most Iconic Yo-Yo Routine Of All Time? appeared first on Doc Pop's Weblog.

by doc at August 11, 2025 03:34 PM

Certainly Strange

Sucked back in…

I started yet another playthrough of the cRPG Rogue Trader because I wanted to play the latest DLC that came out (Lex Imperialis). I thought, maybe this time will be the time I finally roll something besides a Crime Lord. But the new companion is a cop, so I couldn’t pass up the potential hilarity … Continue reading "Sucked back in…"

by Steen at August 11, 2025 04:25 AM

August 09, 2025

I Like Turtles

Dad Camp 2025

/2025/08/09/dad-camp-2025.html

August 09, 2025 07:00 AM

August 06, 2025

Monoprinciples

You grow toward the light you can find

In the pygmy forest in Northern California, special trees grow. Leached of nutrients, the acidic soil twists native plants into alien shapes like bonsai. The familiar cypress resembles a Joshua tree. It’s not unexpected. You are what you read, you are what you eat, who you meet, and you are the ground beneath your feet.

Soil can twist you into improbable shapes.

Consider the honor-roll student nabbed for shoplifting. You see a criminal in the making. You might miss the absent parents or empty refrigerator. His soil is scarcity.

Or the manager who refuses to take sick day. You see a workaholic. You might miss the childhood where worth was measured in gold stars. Her soil is performance anxiety, fertilized with conditional love.

Soil shapes everything—what nutrients flow freely, what threats must be survived, what adaptations are essential. A mind formed in chaos learns to scan for danger. A mind formed in safety remains open. Like the acid-soaked cypress, neither chooses its shape.

You grow toward the light you can find.

Though we are born in different soil, we are all connected by the implacable will to survive.

Share this post with a tree.

Share

by V Sri at August 06, 2025 03:35 PM

August 04, 2025

Certainly Strange

Billy Wine

I got some Kenwood Estates wine from 1977 and it was maybe a bit too old, but still tasty and a fun experience to drink something so old. K&L wines has some very old wines at very reasonable prices if you’re willing to take the risk! I would definitely try something like this again. It … Continue reading "Billy Wine"

by Steen at August 04, 2025 05:32 AM

August 03, 2025

I before E except Gleitzman

Mission: Dance @ Lumen Labs

Mission: Dance @ Lumen Labs

Hot on the heels of Mission: Dance and Mission: Dance 2 (Jungle Boogaloo), Jesse Keith and I drop a mix from the Bay Area’s favorite early evening dance party.

August 03, 2025 07:32 PM

August 01, 2025

Doctor Popular

My #BandcampFriday Picks for August

Today is , where the folks at Bandcamp forgo their cut and all the proceeds of the sale go directly to the artist, so I’m sharing a few of my favorite recent artists/albums:

Upchuck

Furious punk energy straight out of Atlanta. Their last few singles are raw, urgent, and super catchy. The band’s sound changes a bit from song to song, which is rad. Lots of good genres blending together. I’m so excited about their upcoming album, I’m Nice Now, coming out in two months.

Bandcamp link https://upchuckatl.bandcamp.com/album/plastic

Wet Leg

Witty, weird, and wildly catchy. UK indie-rock blending deadpan delivery with danceable post-punk pop. Their recent Tiny Desk Concert was fantastic.

Bandcamp link https://wetleg.bandcamp.com/

Die Spitz

Austin-based band unleashing grungy, heavy rock with chaotic femme-fronted swagger.

Bandcamp link https://diespitz.bandcamp.com/

Chlo The God

Genre-bending brilliance from a rising voice in alternative R&B and hip hop. Dreamy, sharp, and experimental.

Bandcamp link https://chlothegod.bandcamp.com/

The post My #BandcampFriday Picks for August appeared first on Doc Pop's Weblog.

by doc at August 01, 2025 08:18 PM

I Like Turtles

South Dakota

/2025/08/01/south-dakota.html

August 01, 2025 07:00 AM

July 30, 2025

Monoprinciples

Don't curse the glove

Kublai Khan had noticed that Marco Polo’s cities resembled one another, as if the passage from one to another involved not a journey but a change of elements.
–Italo Calvino, “Invisible Cities”

What performers know and critics resist, is that life is a performance.

Performance isn’t a bad word, by the way, it means the undertaking of duty. In this life you will don many costumes. Many chances to play many roles. Artist. Writer. Poet. Nurse. Lover. Rebel. Performer. Critic. You.

But not every role is meant for you. At first, this bums you out. But if the glove don’t fit, don’t curse the glove. Don’t curse your hand either. You may not yet be ready, or perhaps you never will be. You can’t do everything.

You may never learn that second language. You might never find work/life balance. You might never be the life of the party. That’s OK. You’re only human.
You Can’t Do Everything

So then you look within and see an ensemble of players in medias res. It turns out you already contain many roles. And they don’t always get along.

There’s that one voice on a quest. How noble. Another voice prods him with resistance. How rude. So they duel. “You should write more” squares off against “You have nothing of value to say.” A third voice pleads from the back, “Stop fighting, let’s get ice cream.” A fourth one asks himself, “Could this be a microprinciple?”

You are witness to your own drama.

But there’s a twist in the third act. When you bring your adversary closer, your inner swordplay comes to resemble dancing. A musical number! This is enlightenment; the easeful embodiment of performance. Should you chance to glimpse it, all performance disappears. The costumes fall away.

All that remains is you.

by V Sri at July 30, 2025 03:11 PM

July 27, 2025

Doctor Popular

The Origin Of the “Two Guys Pointing” Meme (plus A Fan Remix)

I’ve often seen the meme of two guys eagerly pointing at something behind them, but I never knew its origin until very recently. The meme, which is drawn in a simple black and white art style (like the Wojak memes), is often used to mock people. Implying, I guess, that being excited about something is lame.

A crude drawing of two men pointing excitedly at something in the background. The art is black and white and very simplified. It is in the style of the Wojak meme.

The meme is based on a photo of two guys excitedly pointing at a sign for meatless chicken nuggets at KFC. The photo was posted in late 2020 by John Oberg, an animal rights activist who was genuinely excited about a new veggie snack option.

A tweet from John Oberg in October 2020 that shows a photo of two men standing outside of Kentucky Fried Chicken and eagerly reacting to a sign that says

I learned all of this while I was working on drawing the “two men pointing” meme in my style. I asked online what the men should be pointing at, and Nick suggested René Magritte’s “The Treachery of Images” (also known as the “This is not a pipe” painting). Which led to my version, “The Treachery of Chicken Nuggies”:

A drawing in pink and blue ink on a tan sheet of paper that shows two men pointing at a sign in the background. The sign says a closer look at

The post The Origin Of the “Two Guys Pointing” Meme (plus A Fan Remix) appeared first on Doc Pop's Weblog.

by doc at July 27, 2025 05:47 PM

I Like Turtles

Minneapolis

/2025/07/27/minneapolis.html

July 27, 2025 07:00 AM

July 24, 2025

Doctor Popular

#SidewalkFriends: Salvation Robot

I like to keep an eye out for cool shapes during my walks and use them as inspiration for my #SidewalkFriends drawings. It’s like my version of hunting for Pokémon.

Today’s sketch is angry robot, inspired by an alarm system outside the local Salvation Army building.

A drawing of an angry looking robot with a claw in one arm and a making a fist with the other. The robot has jet flames coming out of the bottom of its feet. A grey box with sirens, cameras, and lights in it. This is attached high up on the wall of a Salvation Army building.

Today’s sketch: a robot inspired by the security system behind our local Salvation Army shop.

— Doctor M. Popular (@docpop) 2025-07-12T17:34:47.931Z

The post #SidewalkFriends: Salvation Robot appeared first on Doc Pop's Weblog.

by doc at July 24, 2025 09:12 PM

#SidewalkFriends: Opera

I like to keep an eye out for cool shapes during my walks and use them as inspiration for my #SidewalkFriends drawings. It’s like my version of hunting for Pokémon.

Today’s sketch is angry robot, inspired by an alarm system outside the local Salvation Army building.

A drawing of a man singing loudly. He is an older Caucasian male with white hair and wearing a tuxedo. His eyes are shut and his mouth is wide open with his tongue sticking out as he hits a big note. In the background is a photo of some concrete. A photo of some green paint that has dried on the sidewalk. The shape of the paint was used as inspiration for my Sidewalk Friends sketch of an opera singer.

Today's sketch: an operatic singer inspired by a photo of some green paint on the pavement.

— Doctor M. Popular (@docpop) 2025-07-24T19:45:46.039Z

The post #SidewalkFriends: Opera appeared first on Doc Pop's Weblog.

by doc at July 24, 2025 07:54 PM

July 23, 2025

Monoprinciples

Stop calling people smart

The more something threatens your identity, the more you will avoid it.
–Mark Manson

When you tell someone they are smart, you hand them a trophy that needs protecting forever. In a now-famous experiment, Dr. Carol Dweck discovered just how heavy that trophy can be.1

The experimenters doled out two flavors of feedback after a task: identity feedback (“you're smart,” “you're talented”) or effort feedback (“you worked hard,” “you kept going”). The results were surprising.

The students who got identity feedback started choosing easier problems to solve. In contrast, the effort feedback group picked harder problems and eventually outperformed the other group. Most damning: when given an easy opportunity to lie about their performance, the identity feedback group was far more likely to do so.

“Smart” is something you have or you don't. You can’t fail without risking the trophy. The identity feedback students played it safe, avoiding anything that might damage their sense of self.

Both groups are drawn to praise, but the flavor of praise matters.

You protect that stone like it’s a living being
But it is not a living being
Stones do not grow
Let go the chisel

Effort is different than intelligence, because it can include failure. You can work all week on something and still get the wrong answer—that’s what learning is. Effort is not a thing you can have, nor is it a thing you can lose.

When you praise effort, you describe without defining. It is available to everyone.

So if you want to pay someone a compliment, praise their effort, not their identity.

  • You’re naturally good at xYou must work hard at x

  • You’re a genius → You approached that problem with confidence

  • You’re so kind → You noticed when I was struggling

  • You’re stylish → You put thought into that outfit

  • You have a gift → You’ve practiced a lot

Effort feedback deals in verbs. Intelligence feedback deals in nouns, and nouns can crystallize around you like a stone. Praise the action, not the label. Because stones do not grow.

1

Carol Dweck, “Praise for Intelligence Can Undermine Children’s Motivation and Performance.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

by V Sri at July 23, 2025 03:02 PM

July 21, 2025

Certainly Strange

Bee Event

Doc and I went to a bee event today and it was really a lot of fun! We learned a lot and got to hang out in a very beautiful area with bees

by Steen at July 21, 2025 04:57 AM

July 19, 2025

I before E except Gleitzman

Digital Housekeeping: Data Sovereignty in a Era Run by the Cloud

Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Blog

A Long and Winding Road

I’ve been blogging since 1999, first via extremely cringe LiveJournal posts and later documenting my experiences from a Rotary exchange program to Japan in 2004 (including a nostalgic return last year). Over the years I’ve used various platforms, but none have felt quite right.

The Tumblr Era: A Love-Hate Relationship

For a long time, Tumblr was my go-to platform. It was easy to use and had a great community. However, as Tumblr evolved, it became clear that it wasn’t the ideal solution for my needs. The lack of HTML support and the platform’s overall instability made it difficult to maintain my blog.

July 19, 2025 11:26 AM

July 18, 2025

I Like Turtles

Bache St camping trip

/2025/07/18/bache-st-camping-trip.html

July 18, 2025 07:00 AM

July 17, 2025

Doctor Popular

Peephole Cinema: A Hidden Art Installation in San Francisco’s Mission District

There’s no shortage of amazing art tucked away in the alleys of San Francisco’s Mission District, but one of my pieces is the Peephole Cinema.

This hidden little installation is incredibly easy to miss. In fact, most locals don’t even know it’s there. You’ll find it in Orange Alley, just off 26th Street. Walk down the alley and look closely; you’ll spot a tiny glass window and a small sign that reads “Peephole Cinema.” Put your eye up to the glass, and you’ll see short, silent films playing on a miniature screen, looping endlessly for anyone curious enough to look.

The project has been running in San Francisco since 2013, and there’s a sister installation in New York City as well. It’s entirely free, always open, and delightfully surreal.

I love it so much that I made this video (and original song!) to help spread the word. Hope it inspires you to visit in person, or at least squint through your screen and imagine what it’s like.

The Peephole Cinema jingle I wrote for my short video

The post Peephole Cinema: A Hidden Art Installation in San Francisco’s Mission District appeared first on Doc Pop's Weblog.

by doc at July 17, 2025 05:57 PM

July 16, 2025

Monoprinciples

Make your boundaries known

Just hold on loosely
But don’t let go
If you cling too tightly
You’re gonna lose control
–38 Special, “Hold On Loosely”

When another human bumps into your boundaries, you have to say something. Unspoken boundaries aren’t boundaries. Boundaries begin when spoken. You must make your boundaries known.

I don’t like getting advice when I didn’t ask for it.

The air of a request, but it's a statement oriented around feelings. No mention of "sorry," "please," or "you." A boundary is a fence; you must show where it lies.

This fence needn't be barbed, but a bumped boundary is tender for all parties. You are not automatically a victim, nor is the bumper a villain. You simply made contact.


It’s your duty to frame the feedback process to protect your creative spirit. It’s simply part of being a functional human adult with boundaries. You would never accept notes on your appearance or personality during a critique, would you?
You do not welcome all feedback


To make your boundaries known is to educate the relationship.

The ideal response is a version of “Understood.” Sometimes the bumper can get defensive. Even if you express yourself calmly, they will hear your expression as an attack and cast themselves as the victim:

You don’t have to be rude about it
How was I supposed to know?
I can’t do anything right

They might kvetch, cry, or leave; it does not affect your boundary. You’re still obligated to make it known. You might even hear:

But you do this too!

Probably true. You bump boundaries in every relationship. Respond with grace:

You’re right. Even so, I need to express when something doesn’t work for me.

And if that doesn’t work, try a direct question:

Does this mean you refuse to respect this boundary?

The bumper might delve into ancient history, re-litigating old conflicts. You must bring it back to the here and now. Your goal is to defend this one checkpoint.

If you do this consistently, you will earn a dotted-line map of the things you can and cannot accept. Your boundaries.

Defend this border indeed, but keep your identity fluid. Not everything that bumps you is bad. To grow you must hold on loosely. (But don’t let go.)

Share this post with someone who needs to learn your boundaries. (Just kidding that would be passive aggressive and weird...)

Share

by V Sri at July 16, 2025 03:03 PM

July 14, 2025

Certainly Strange

Bob Ross Mug

Doc got me this Bob Ross mug from a thrift store and it is perfect

by Steen at July 14, 2025 04:16 AM

July 12, 2025

I before E except Gleitzman

July 09, 2025

Monoprinciples

Let go the chisel

As soon as you identify as something, people start telling you who you are and what you mean. They put you in a little box and leave you there.
–Chloe Cooper Jones, “Easy Beauty”

You chisel some words into stone for safety. I'll be your server, I am your father, I work in marketing. You fashion a handle for others, while you grapple for balance within. Then you protect that stone like it's a living being.

But it is not a living being. Stones do not grow. What if you were like water instead?

Water is anonymous but unmistakable. Ordinary but essential. Nearly limitless in form: river, cloud, glacier, mist. Water is the essence of all beasts including you.

The Waterfall at Lydford Gorge, Devon, Paul Huet

Become what chisels cannot contain. All the disparate stories and their contradictions. Be cursive! Relinquish symmetry. Be less like granite and more like a cloud. Yes, a cloud. Formless and fluid and vast beyond comprehension.

Yes, it is uncomfortable to be formless. Water is a lousy shield. But what are you afraid of? Humans are all tributaries of the same river. With enough distance and time, all stories converge, in a torrent, becoming the familiar fuzz of a waterfall.

Soften your identity and others take notice. Your brothers and sisters start to loosen their grip on their precious stones. And then, weirdly, reality itself starts to bend; when you become flexible, the universe follows suit. Anything becomes possible.

You chisel some words into stone for safety, but it’s an illusion. Water always finds a way through stone.

by V Sri at July 09, 2025 03:03 PM

July 08, 2025

I Like Turtles

Crosscountry bicycle trip

/2025/07/08/crosscountry-bicycle-trip.html

July 08, 2025 07:00 AM

Matt Spitz

Crosscountry bicycle trip

From April to June this year, I rode my bicycle across the United States, from Washington DC to the Oregon coast. The ride was solo and unsupported, meaning that I rode by myself and carried everything I needed on my bicycle. It was an incredible adventure and one I’ll never forget.

By the numbers:

  • 4026 miles
  • 127318’ elevation gain
  • 11512’ above sea level at Hoosier Pass in Colorado
  • 58 days
  • 14 states
  • 10 times crossing a Continental Divide
  • 8 cousins
  • 6 flat tires
  • 5 bags on my bike + a tent + a sleeping bag
  • 4 tires replaced
  • 4 cleats replaced
  • 3 snowstorms
  • 2 chains replaced
  • 2 towns I stayed in named Cambridge (Ohio, Idaho)

Along the journey, I took a photo with a playing card to mark each day, and I kept a travelogue via Google Doc to share updates with family and friends every so often.

Why spend two months riding a bicycle across the country? I’ve loved bicycle touring since my first bike tour in 2009 from the Bay Area to Los Angeles, and I’ve always wanted to go crosscountry. I’m between jobs, the kids are resilient, and I’m in the best shape of my life. My spouse was also very supportive, for which I am grateful!

Most of my preparation for the trip was the route and the packing list. I lost weight before going, but I otherwise didn’t do any particular physical training for the trip. I ride bikes regularly, but I’ve heard that most of the training one needs for a long bike tour comes in the first week on the road, and it turned out to be true!

The Adventure Cycling Association publishes bike-friendly routes around the United States, and I’ve had success with those in the past. The routes prefer bike paths, quiet county roads, state highways, and, where possible, gradual climbs and ample services. A popular route is the TransAmerica bike trail, but since I’d heard that the dogs are particularly fierce in Kentucky and Virginia, I avoided that stretch of the country entirely. Even so, I ran into dogs – more on that later.

My route started in Washington DC and followed the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal Trail and the Great Allegheny Passage Trail to Pittsburgh. From there, I followed the ACA’s Chicago to New York route to Indianapolis, then the ACA Eastern Express Connector to the TransAmerica Trail in Toronto, KS. Most people who travel across the country do so in the summertime and go from west to east. I was optimizing for missing the least amount of parenting, so I went while the kids were still in school and opted to go east to west to avoid snowstorms in the Rockies as much as possible. I still hit snowstorms – more on that later, too.

As for the packing list, I mapped out all the gear and bags I thought I might need a couple of months in advance and did some test rides to check the weight and see what might be missing or superfluous. I packed a variety of clothing for different types of weather, and a few times, I ended up wearing almost all of it at the same time. With the exception of a few items that I mailed home after the first two weeks, I thought my packing was a good balance of having the right amount of stuff for the truly wild variety of situations I’d encounter.

And that was pretty much it for planning. I had rough plans to meet folks on the way but otherwise didn’t plan any stops or lodging in advance. I couldn’t predict my pace, the weather, or how my body would hold up, and having concrete plans that I’d have to hit would have introduced unnecessary stress. For estimating when I might be able to meet folks along the way, I kept a tracker to track my per-day distance and predictions for when I might arrive at future waypoints. Cool guys make cool spreadsheets.

Neighbor Lindsay helped me disassemble my bike and put it in a box for the plane ride to DC, and off I went! P picked me up from the airport, and I stayed with A, K, and their kids. After a buffer day assembling the bike and a dinner with a lovely assortment of DC friends, I set off on the first week of the trip along the C&O Canal Trail and the Great Allegheny Passage.

This first leg was the only time I had folks riding with me until the very end – J rode the first day with me to Harper’s Ferry, and Cousins B and S joined me the three days to Pittsburgh. On the first day of the GAP, B, S, and I crossed the eastern Continental Divide!

Riding the C&O and the GAP was my first real experience on gravel, and it’s tough. Especially with the extra weight on the bike, my speed was discounted about 20% by the gravel and by another 20% when it rained an inch my second day and the gravel turned to mud. My cleats also clogged with gravel, which mangled the cleats and made it difficult to clip in. It was frustrating, to say the least! Fortunately, my bags are waterproof and I was able to put everything inside them.

The first couple of weeks of the trip served as both a physical and mental warmup for the rest of the journey. As predicted, my body got used to the rhythm of riding 5-8 hours a day with 40 lbs of stuff on the bike. I also got into the daily routine of checking the weather forecast, packing the bags, navigating, figuring out where to eat and sleep, arriving, unpacking, going to sleep, and doing it all over again! Mentally, I had to get used to the fact that I was leaving my family for a long time and give myself permission to do the trip – it was easy to feel guilty for taking a necessary rest because I felt like I wasn’t making progress to get home as soon as possible.

I made a couple of conscious mindset shifts, too. On previous tours, I’ve learned that when riding for multiple days, there’s literally nothing to do all day but get to where you’re going by sundown – it’s a marathon, not a sprint. So, I made sure I left early enough and took as many breaks as I needed. A new mindset shift for this trip was being explicit about my priorities. My goal was to make it to the beach on my own power in one piece, not to follow the route I’d planned or complete every trail. I gave myself permission to get off the C&O Canal Trail (and later, the Katy Trail in Missouri) to avoid muddy gravel. Orienting myself around the purpose provided some clarity when I had to make some tougher planning decisions.

My planning was done 12 to 48 hours in advance. Every evening, I’d look at the weather forecast and the upcoming towns on the route and plan 2-3 options for food and lodging. By each day’s lunch, I usually knew where I’d stay that night. There was a fair amount of rain, especially in April, but the wind was the real killer. A substantial headwind makes for a rough day, and a tailwind can add 20-30% extra distance for minimal extra effort. Two-star motel options are plentiful in the eastern United States, and same-day booking made the rates relatively affordable, too.

Out of Pittsburgh, I rode up into the Western Appalachians into West Virginia and Ohio. This was my first taste of climbing, cows, and yards with many, many cars.

I stayed with C’s family in Columbus, and she and her fiancé flew out for the weekend! The first day where I really felt warmed up was from Columbus to Dayton – I left after Easter lunch and still made it over 80 miles before sundown. On a rainy morning the next day, I took my first side quest to the incredible National Museum of the US Air Force.

Leaving Ohio, the roads got flatter, and I picked up the pace – through Indiana and Illinois, I did 300 miles over three days. In the Bay Area, I’m used to riding shorter distances with a lot of elevation gain, not 100+ miles on flat roads, and certainly not with full bags on my bike. LET’S GO, BABY!

Cousin R came to meet me in Indianapolis, and downtown Indy was a trip. In one 15-minute walk, I saw folks dressed up to go to a Pacers playoff game, a hollowed-out mall with only a couple of remaining storefronts, Christian conference attendees with lanyards, and a plaza with folks laying on the ground and/or yelling at one another. My route out of town followed a bike path with tents and downed trees. For all the flak San Francisco gets, it turns out that fentanyl and recovering post-COVID is a real problem for other American cities, too.

Missouri presented some real challenges. My route mostly followed the Katy Trail, and the rain and muddy gravel made for some difficult riding. At one point, I departed early and left the trail to try to avoid a rainstorm. My new route took me on back roads with a few scary encounters with aggressive dogs, and I had to shelter in a Subway for a couple of hours until the thunder and lightning subsided.

Despite the tough conditions, I was buoyed by visits with my parents’ cousins L, B, H, M, D, and V! In Hermann, MO, a bar was my only chance for food on a Sunday night, and although the kitchen was closed, I made new friends through karaoke.

When I shared my route, several people warned me about Kansas – it’s boring, you’ll get in your own head, there’s always a headwind, etc. They were right! Kansas has about one day’s worth of scenery for a week’s worth of riding. I got cropdusted once, and the turtles kept the road interesting. Fortunately, my stay in Kansas didn’t last long – getting out of the gravel and mud meant that I could pick up my pace again, and I FLEW on the flat roads. I averaged about 100 miles a day that week.

I took a particularly memorable side quest in Kansas to visit the area where my grandfather grew up on a farm. I rented a car and poked around where he would have lived and gone to church and school, none of which exists in the same way as it did when he was there. I met the man who was the pastor of the church after my grandfather’s family had left when I found an unlocked door at the church and introduced myself to his wife. She invited me over to their house for a visit that afternoon, and I realized that the pastor and I had three connections: he was the pastor at the church where my maternal grandfather had gone, he took classes from my paternal great-grandfather in seminary, and he was the brother of one of the deacons of our church when we lived in Brooklyn. Wild!

Leaving Kansas marked the halfway point and a significant change in the trip. In the east, my route was mostly flat and followed the interstates, which meant that there were plenty of services and 2-star motels along the way. The west was much less predictable and required some planning creativity. I camped, carried more food for meals, and frequently did long stretches with no services in between. I got to use all the physical and logistical muscles I’d developed during the first half of the journey.

In Colorado, I had dinner with my mother’s cousin R and her daughter K before setting off for the highest peak on the route – Hoosier Pass, my first crossing of the western Continental Divide. Over the course of a day and a half, I climbed from 4700’ above sea level to 11512’ at the pass. On the way, I had lunch with S and L in Alma, the highest incorporated town in North America.

The beautiful views in Colorado more than made up for the challenge, though! Afterward, I did a shorter ride to Hot Sulphur Springs, which featured, you guessed it, hot sulphur springs.

Wyoming presented some of the most beautiful terrain and challenging riding. I camped for the first time along the Wyoming/Colorado border and woke up covered in frost! Between Rawlins and Jeffrey City, I had the pleasure of riding against 25mph headwinds. The state highway I rode on had a wide shoulder, and every time a truck passed, I’d get caught in the slipstream, pulled forward a bit while it was next to me, and then blown backward once it passed. When a truck passed on the other side of the road, I’d get blown backward for a second and then pulled forward. It was harrowing, I yelled a lot into the wind, and no one heard me.

When I arrived in Jeffrey City, I stayed in a church that opens its basement to cyclists and enjoyed eating an enormous “steak sandwich” at the only restaurant in town.

Lander, WY was surprisingly hip. It’s home to the National Outdoor Leadership School and some killer rock climbing nearby, attracting young outdoorsy folks and some cool restaurants and breweries.

I crossed the western Continental Divide for the fifth time at Togwotee Pass and encountered my first snowstorm. It had been near-freezing at various points on the trip, and I’d encountered rain, but never both at the same time. I guess that’s what I should have expected at 9000+’. The snow turned into cold rain on the way down to Grand Tetons National Park, and the park ranger at the gate convinced me to buy some bear spray. I didn’t end up using it with bears, but I wish I’d had it for the dogs in Missouri!

The next day, I left the bags in my room and cruised unencumbered down to Jenny Lake. I got back in time for checkout, picked up my bags, and rode into Yellowstone.

There was snow on the ground but fortunately not in the sky, and I crossed the Continental Divide three more times as I enjoyed the scenery and rolled into the Old Faithful Inn.

I wandered the geyser basin early the next morning and made a new friend, P. There were many fewer people than I’d expected in the park, which was somewhat understandable given the snow and a blessing to me as a cyclist on the road in a popular national park.

On the way out of Yellowstone, I got caught in my second snowstorm with a healthy helping of hail, and while I’d planned to go further that day, I called it quits in West Yellowstone. SNOW THANK YOU.

Montana offered more beautiful countryside and rolling hills, though I noticed a distinct shift in Montanans’ view toward outsiders than I’d experienced previously. When introducing myself as being from California, I heard several times, “ugh, I’m sorry.” When I pressed, I realized that the sentiment was a mix of the unfair perception that San Francisco is a rotting urban center in the media and the fact that many Californians have moved to Montana and jacked up the cost of living. One couple articulated to me that they’re fine with Californians moving to Montana and integrating with the community without trying to change it with fancy coffeeshops and enormous mansions. I get it!

I got caught in my third and by far the worst snowstorm in Montana, too. The route that day featured a couple of large climbs with no towns along the way, and as I crested the first hill, the sky turned black. With nowhere to go but forward, I started the second climb with snow dumping in my face.

I flipped on some pump-up music, and after an hour at 5mph, I made it to the top, shivering and teeth chattering. Ten miles down the hill, I stayed at Jackson Hot Springs and took a welcome dip in a warm pool.

After my ninth and final crossing of the western Continental Divide and a stop in Missoula, a cool college town, I met Cousin C at a hot springs near the Idaho border for a lovely evening with him and his pup.

The climbing and scenery continued in Idaho as I rolled along. The trees and rivers were starting to remind me of the Sierra Nevadas – I was getting closer to home!

As I descended back to ~4000’ above sea level, the days started getting hotter again. I crossed into Oregon along the Snake River on a 100-degree day. Yikes! The few unpleasant hot days I experienced and the heat waves that the country has experienced since made me glad to have done this trip in the spring rather than the summer. While riding in the snow is decidedly unpleasant, I’d rather be cold than warm and dehydrated, and for the most part, I didn’t have to deal with any bugs!

During the last week in Oregon, I could sense the finish line getting closer, but I still had a lot of work to do. Oregon, as it turned out, offered the most elevation gain per mile of any state on my trip!

I’d planned to meet up with D in Sisters, OR for the last few days of the ride, so I had a little extra time to explore before our planned meeting time. I poked around the John Day Fossil Beds and left my bags at another church-cycling-hostel in Mitchell to visit the Painted Hills. Great side quests!

Sisters, just north of Bend, is so named for three beautiful volcanoes in the Cascade Range that loomed in the background as I approached.

AMERICA!

There, I joined up with D and his family to ride the last few days down to the Oregon coast. As we approached sea level, the riding got easier until we arrived in Florence.

The last five miles to the beach were along Highway 1 with brutal headwinds and sand, and as I dragged my bike out to the beach, the bags acted like a sail and blew the bike around. Nothing is easy, kids. But hey, I made it!

I rode with D’s family in their car up to Portland, where we all stayed with Z and L. I took a buffer day to sort out my stuff and pack my bike. The next morning, I flew back home and found two welcome-home banners!

Gear

I used the tech I brought on this trip every day, and it proved invaluable to a safe and well-routed journey.

My bike computer is a Wahoo Bolt v2, and I used it for routing and tracking my ride day-to-day. Each morning, I’d load up the day’s route and follow the directions on the map – some folks do this with their phone but I prefer fewer distractions on the road. Each evening, I would sync my ride to Strava and get statistics like distance, elevation gain, etc. On the second day of the trip, probably in the rain on the C&O Trail, the thermistor and barometer stopped working, so my temperature and elevation estimates were off while I was riding, but the latter was easy enough to fix in Strava after uploading them.

I used a Garmin RTL515 tail light, and it was a game changer. It’s a tail light with a radar built into it, and every time a car would approach from behind, I got an alert and a chirp on my bike computer. When a car was approaching above a certain speed, the chirp was much louder. The scariest thing about riding on highways is when a car passes quickly without giving extra space to a cyclist in the shoulder (getting “buzzed”). With the radar, I had a warning that a car was coming so I could check my rear view mirror, assess whether they would give me extra space, and move further into the shoulder if necessary. Worst case, I wouldn’t be surprised if a car did buzz me. The radar also gave me the relative position of cars coming up behind me, so I knew without looking back whether it might be safe to change lanes – of course, if the radar were clear, I’d still check over my shoulder!

My kids packed me companions for the road. I had a tiny model Ewok named Cherry Nose ziptied to my handlebar like a prow maiden and a bracelet that I wore throughout the trip. These are well-traveled keepsakes, and I’m glad they survived the journey!

I did some souvenir shopping to mail home to my family, and for myself, I collected at least one sticker from each state. When I finished, both of my bags were covered, one with stickers from the east and one with stickers from the west.

Mechanical adventures

For the most part, my bike held up well, though I wish that I’d switched to tubeless tires or at least put on more durable tires before I started. I underestimated how quickly tires wear under load, varied road conditions, and lots of climbing. I didn’t have confidence in my tires for much of the trip, and it didn’t feel great. About a third of the way through, I switched from 37mm tires to 40mm tires, and that felt better. Fortunately, I got a lot of practice fixing flats in a variety of weather and road conditions, and I was never close to running out of tubes.

I had zero issues with the drivetrain on the road. At each bike shop I passed, I asked them to check the chain and ended up getting it replaced twice.

I also should have switched my cleat system before I left. SPD-SL cleats have their advantages, but they’re not meant for as much walking around, especially in dirt and gravel. They got mangled quickly and when they got muddy, it became difficult to clip in.

Listening

Along the way, I listened to a lot of audiobooks, podcasts, and music along the way with an earbud in my right ear so I could hear the road. Where possible, I tried to listen to books about the part of the country I was riding through, including Demon Copperhead (opiod crisis in the Appalachians), The Worst Hard Time (dust bowl in Kansas), and several books about Lewis and Clark as I followed their trail through Montana, Idaho, and parts of Oregon.

Music-wise, I ended up sticking to my favorites rather than branching out, and STP’s Core and Alice in Chains’ Dirt got me through some miserable climbs. I also listened to the Pearl Jam studio catalog in reverse chronological order and discovered some gems that I hadn’t heard in a long time.

Lodging

I sampled a great variety of lodging options on the trip. For the most part, I stayed in 2-star motels. They had the right balance of warm showers and fresh linens, availability of guest laundry services when I needed them, and affordability, even if I got sick of eating powdered eggs every morning I stayed there. Friends and family in Ohio and Missouri hosted me, and I’m grateful to B and J and L and B for opening their homes!

I stayed in a few Airbnbs, which had the added benefit of being able to cook a fresh meal for myself. One of those Airbnbs was a tiny cabin outside of Mitchell, OR that had an outdoor shower, an outhouse, and a grill.

On the first night of the tour in Harper’s Ferry, J and I stayed in a Potomac Appalachain Trail Club “cabin”, one of the ~50 cabins the group maintains for folks hiking the AT. J had to get a $40 membership, and we stayed in a four-bedroom house with a fabulous view for $100/night. Wow!

I camped only a few times – it was too cold and rainy for most of my trip, and I was fortunate to have the option to stay in a motel instead. When I did camp, the stars were beautiful and the mornings were chilly.

The most memorable places to stay were the church hostels. In Jeffrey City, WY and Dayville, OR, the churches open their parish halls to cyclists. They have kitchens and cooking utensils, and in Dayville, a pantry full of dry goods available. They ask that you sign the guest book and clean up after yourself. In both places, I stayed alone, but I imagine that it would have been a good opportunity to meet fellow cyclists. Actions speak much louder than words, and these churches’ kindness to travelers is a strong demonstration of God’s love!

Food

Food is my favorite subject, and burning as many calories as I did, I ate a lot of it. As much as I could, I tried to eat healthy (high protein, fruits and vegetables), but it wasn’t easy. I became well acquainted with gas station cuisine, usually for protein shakes and snacks but sometimes full meals when there weren’t other options or I arrived too late – seriously, what dinner restaurant closes at 7pm?

America is a place with varied cultures and interests, but one thing we are united on is how much we love pizza and cheeseburgers – like The Beatles or Christmas music, I avoided them as much as I could and still got about as much as I wanted. The Mexican food was surprisingly excellent and not horribly unhealthy, and going to those restaurants was a chance to practice my Spanish!

When camping or riding through places where I wasn’t guaranteed to be able to get food, I packed individual peanut butter servings, tuna, and bread. It wasn’t my favorite meal, but it certainly did the trick! Once, when camping, I found a Chinese restaurant and chowed down on chow mein with a side of bagged salad for the semblance of anything healthy.

Some of the best meals I had were grocery-store purchases cooked in an Airbnb. I often bought enough food to make dinner, breakfast, and sandwiches the next day. I could feel the difference when my body burned cleaner fuel vs. gas station garbage.

One of those Airbnbs included a basket of snacks, and I don’t think the host expected me to eat all of them.

Riding solo

My journey may have been on my own, but I felt very supported along the way. I saw a lot of friends and family on the way, and I was fortunate to have folks willing to cycle with me for 7 of the 54 riding days!

I called my family almost every day and sent them postcards whenever I had the opportunity.

The kids tracked my progress with a magnet along a large map of the United States, learning about the country’s geography at the same time that I did!

Finally, I kept a travelogue, a running Google Doc with updates, reflections, and photos every few days. I had more than 120 people following and cheering me on! I’m glad I spent so much time documenting my thoughts along the way. As soon as I wrote each update, I went right back to planning for shelter and sustenance, and I wouldn’t have remembered much without the notes to jog my memory.

As supported as I felt, I was still very glad to see my family, and they were happy to have me back!

Wrap

Some folks asked whether I had any major breakthroughs of thought or personal revelations on this trip, and I think the biggest epiphany was giving myself not permission to have one. The added pressure of discovering myself in addition to figuring out how to feed and shelter myself each day, often on the fly, is not what I needed. I’m still digesting this journey, and there is plenty of time for self-discovery now that I’m home.

One of my favorite parts of experiencing America at 12mph was the people I met along the way. As an extrovert on a solo trip, I had no problems striking up conversations with random strangers, and they all turned out to be positive experiences. I learned about life in places I didn’t know existed, and I made some new friends along the way. I’d also like to think that I served as a good ambassador for California, hopefully changing some minds about the people who live in San Francisco. I felt the kindness of strangers, too. More than once, I left a restaurant to find that my bill had been paid by the folks I was talking to, and a nice man stopped while I was pulled over in Idaho, offering me a cold energy drink and a nice conversation.

As I reflect on the trip, I’ve been thinking about the mental muscles I had the chance to flex on the journey. Resilience – being able to endure circumstances that are difficult to change – was previously a strong muscle, and I had plenty of opportunities to develop it further. I rerouted on the fly to avoid mud, figured out how to feed and shelter myself when options were scarce, and I powered through crazy headwinds and miserable weather from time to time. One thing I was particularly looking forward to on the trip was to have more opportunities for whimsy – getting pulled in a direction that wasn’t what I’d originally planned – since I know that I can be better at inviting or incorporating alternatives. In my vision for the trip, I’d meet cyclists along the way that would encourage me to do fun side quests, go on adventures I otherwise wouldn’t have, or otherwise change my journey for the better. But, while I met folks and asked for suggestions along the way, I didn’t run into anyone (literally, anyone) cycling the same direction, so I didn’t have that many new ideas to incorporate. Alas!

My greatest gratitude goes to my spouse and kids for their resilience and my parents for their support while I was gone for two months. I do a lot around the house, and I left a lot of slack to pick up. I’m glad that I had the chance to make this journey, and I’ll remember these stories forever. Truly, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity, and hey! I did it!

Upon returning to San Francisco, I reassembled my bike and started riding again, this time crushing personal records on my favorite local rides. It’s amazing how fast one can go with fresh legs and without 40 lbs of stuff on the bike! I also bought a cargo e-bike. I’ve been e-bike curious for a while and I realized that I clearly like cycling, we often have a need for a second car, the kids are only getting heavier, and e-bikes retain their value quite well on the secondary market.

We enjoy riding bikes as a family from time to time, and maybe my family would join me on a future bike tour! Maybe.

Appendix

Route

Packing list

On the bike

  • Safety vest (safety first!)
  • Helmet
  • Biking gloves
  • Shoes with cleats
  • Transition sunglasses
  • 2 water bottles
  • Wahoo Bolt v2 bike computer
  • Front light
  • Garmin Varia RTL515 radar tail light
  • Microfiber towel
  • Bandana
  • Lock & cable
  • 2 sets of socks
  • 2 bike bibs (Ornot)
  • 1 long-sleeve jersey
  • 2 short-sleeve jerseys
  • 2 sweat bands
  • Lightweight rain jacket
  • Lightweight fleece
  • Lightweight fleece gloves

Notes: 2 water bottles was perfect, and both fit on the bike. I bought a new disposable water bottle every few days depending on how much water I needed for a given segment.

Off the bike

  • Sunglasses
  • Chacos
  • Compression socks
  • 2 camping underwear
  • 1 camping/zipoff pants
  • 1 camping button-down shirt
  • 1 long-sleeved running shirt
  • 1 lightweight running shorts
  • Compressible down jacket
  • Swimsuit
  • Baseball hat
  • Beanie

Notes: Didn’t end up using the compression socks as much as I thought I would. Beanie felt superfluous at times, but when I needed it, boy I needed it. Sent the running shorts home when I realized I could do laundry in my swimsuit.

Camping

  • Ultralight 1-person tent
  • Tent footprint
  • Inflatable sleeping pad
  • Down sleeping bag
  • Ratchet strap for sleeping bag / rack

Notes: Ratchet straps turned out to be unnecessary when I realized I could attach the pannier straps to the sleeping bag, but they might have been helpful in if I’d needed to hitchhike out of a sticky situation.

Repair

  • Grocery bags
  • Garbage bags
  • Ziplock bags
  • Zipties
  • Small duct tape roll
  • Extra ratchet strap
  • 3 tire levers
  • 2 spare tubes
  • 2 patch kits
  • Topeak rechargeable air pump
  • Presta/schrader valve conversion (for gas station air pumps)
  • Extra cleat bolts
  • Multi-tool
  • Screwdriver
  • Chain lube
  • 2 bike lock keys

Notes: Should have packed extra cleats since SPD-SLs were so poorly suited for the type of travel I was doing. Duct tape roll was very helpful!

Food

  • Protein powder packets
  • Emergen-C packets
  • Honey Stingers
  • Energy bars

Notes: All of this was unnecessary. Food was readily available everywhere and I only ended up carrying enough for the next couple of days.

Tech

  • Headphones
  • Kindle
  • Bluetooth keyboard
  • 10000mAh battery pack
  • USB wall charger (2 USB-C, 2 USB-A)
  • 2 microUSB cables (camera, Kindle, tail light)
  • USB-C (phone, battery, bike computer)
  • 1 USB-C-to-C cable
  • 1 USB-A-to-C cable
  • 1 watch charging cable

Notes: Propping up my phone against a wall or a glass while typing on the Bluetooth keyboard was a great and lightweight solution. My thumbs and eyes were grateful. Also, having a charger with multiple USB ports was key to charge everything at once.

Toiletries

  • Medical kit
  • Toothbrush
  • Toothpaste
  • Floss
  • Deodorant
  • Retainer
  • Chapstick
  • Comb
  • Razor
  • Shaving cream
  • Nail clippers
  • Nail file
  • Ibuprofen
  • Antihistamine spray (just in case)
  • Sunscreen
  • Bug spray
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Dish soap (for washing clothes)
  • Gold Bond powder
  • Chamois butt’r

Notes: Sent the hand sanitizer and dish soap home. Didn’t end up using the bug spray or the antihistamine spray, but I’m glad I had them. Yes, I still wear the same retainer from when I was sixteen.

Misc

  • Playing cards to mark days
  • Packing cubes (to compress all this crap down)
  • Pen
  • Postcard stamps
  • Traveling companions (1 from each kid)

July 08, 2025 07:00 AM

July 07, 2025

Certainly Strange

More Bay Con

I am back down in Santa Clara for Bay Con again, after all the fun I had last year. I didn’t plan much in advance this year though, so I had no idea there was a bit of a horror theme to this one. I guess I’d picked a good time to finally read Chambers’ … Continue reading "More Bay Con"

by Steen at July 07, 2025 06:37 AM

July 06, 2025

I before E except Gleitzman

Beachside

Beachside

Beachside

July 06, 2025 10:36 AM

July 02, 2025

Monoprinciples

Your handle doesn't matter

Labels can easily keep us stuck in the mindset of this is who I am, and so this is who I will continue to be.
–Jessica Fern, Polysecure

What’s the perfect name for your brand, business, podcast, newsletter, or creative project? There isn’t one. So pick something and start creating. Your handle doesn’t matter.

There is no best name. You can borrow your family’s name (Heinz, Disney) or steal one from fiction (Starbucks, Yahoo). You can twist the dough of an existing word (Google, Tumblr) or bake new ones (Xfinity, Verizon). You can use something stupid like Facebook or Lawdingo. Success and nomenclature are superficially intertwined.

Don’t expend precious energy finding the “perfect” name. Just make it edible. Use your energy to create instead. A name is good enough if it’s yours and it makes sense.

Bulto of Santiago, Agnes C. Sims, 1955

Heck, it doesn’t even need to “make sense.” Slack means “shirk” and they make tools for work. No one at Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing (3M) has touched a shovel for a century. Everything becomes Jessica eventually.

This is one of the traps of identity: that the label on the jar defines what's inside, when at most it can describe what’s inside. Like all words, a label is merely a clue. A pointer. A good enough name might inspire action but you still have to do the work. Fix first, then rename.

Action matters more than aspiration. Let meaning emerge from the work, not the label, because you can’t summed up in a word.

by V Sri at July 02, 2025 03:37 PM

June 30, 2025

I before E except Gleitzman

Mahjong Diplomacy

Mahjong Diplomacy

Mahjong Diplomacy

June 30, 2025 07:00 AM

Certainly Strange

Fashion Show

Hope everyone had a good pride month! Doc and I went to the Threads of Pride fashion show and it was a lot of fun Also they had food Also also, we really lucked out with the weather for pride weekend.

by Steen at June 30, 2025 03:36 AM

June 28, 2025

Doctor Popular

Anti-ICE Zines By The Cartoonist Conspiracy Of San Francisco

The Cartoonist Conspiracy of San Francisco is a monthly opportunity for cartoonists to work on jam comics together. We usually collaborate on one comic per session, but this month we switched things up and made eight mini-comics instead.

Our comics are often filled with silly and surreal stories, but real-world events sometimes creep in too. Since this month’s meetup coincided with nationwide protests against ICE raids, and Donald Trump sending military troops into CA to silence these protests, it’s no surprise that ICE worked their way into two of our comics.

One of these, What To Say If You Encounter an ICE Agent, is based on the ACLU’s Know-Your-Rights card. The other, What NOT To Do If ICE Shows Up, is pure cathartic nonsense. Both turned out pretty great, and you’re welcome to print them out and share them if you’d like. These are CC-NC licensed comics.

An 8 page mini-comic titled An 8 page mini-comic titled

Here’s my guide on how to fold the mini-comics:

You can check out the rest of this month’s Cartoonist Conspiracy comics on our website. If you’re a Bay Area cartoonist, we’d love to see you at our next CCSF meetup on July 8th, 2025 at Finjan Qahwa.

A flier for an upcoming Cartoonist Conspiracy at Finjan Qahwa on July 8th from 7-9. It shows a man in a striped shirt (like a prison uniform) holding a ink pen and artwork magically flowing out of it.

The featured image at the top of this post is by Revolt.

The post Anti-ICE Zines By The Cartoonist Conspiracy Of San Francisco appeared first on Doc Pop's Weblog.

by doc at June 28, 2025 04:29 PM

June 23, 2025

Doctor Popular

Rhymesayers Drops Rare Instrumentals from Atmosphere, Eyedea & Abilities, and More

Rhymesayers Entertainment, the Minneapolis-based hip-hop label, holds a very special place in my heart. I was a huge fan of Atmosphere, Eyedea, and the Micranots in the early 2000s, and I lived just a few blocks from The Fifth Element, the record store and cultural hub owned by the Rhymesayers crew.

One time, while visiting the shop, I struck up a conversation with Slug about the yo-yo shows I was doing at local schools. I mentioned that I liked to perform to hip-hop instrumentals, and he offered to burn me a disc full of unreleased Atmosphere beats. This was during the Lucy Ford era, and you best believe that compact disc got a lot of play… right up until the reflective foil crumbled with age.

After years of searching for those same instrumentals, I’m beyond stoked that Rhymesayers has finally released instrumental versions of some of their classic albums. As part of their Junestremental promotion, the label has dropped instrumentals for 12 of their most iconic releases.

Here are a few of my favorites of these recent re-releases:

Atmosphere– Lucy Ford

Instrumental Version*/Standard Version

[*note: this version only contains the beats Ant made, but you can find the Jel and Moodswing 9’s instrumentals on the vinyl release]

Atmosphere– Overcast

Instrumental Version/Standard Version

The Dynospectrum– The Dynospectrum

Instrumental Version/Standard Version

Eyedea & Abilities– E&A

Instrumental Version/Standard Version

Atmosphere– When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold

Instrumental Version/Standard Version

Lucy Ford: The Ant Instrumentals by Atmosphere Overcast! (20 Year Anniversary Remaster Instrumentals) by Atmosphere The Dynospectrum (20 Year Anniversary Remaster Instrumentals) by The Dynospectrum First Born (Instrumentals) by Eyedea & Abilities When Life Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold (Instrumentals) by Atmosphere

There’s still one more week of June, so we might see a few more releases soon, but you can see a full list of RSE instrumental albums on their website.

The post Rhymesayers Drops Rare Instrumentals from Atmosphere, Eyedea & Abilities, and More appeared first on Doc Pop's Weblog.

by doc at June 23, 2025 07:54 PM