TUESDAY AFTERNOON MUSINGS

By Debbie Bulloch



Today I want to share two recent stories from my local newspaper. One story deals with the increasing local homeless population; the other story deals with the “healing” power of bike riding.

NUMBER OF HOMELESS FAMILIES CONTINUES TO INCREASE

Ventura County is one of the most affluent counties in all of California and it consistently ranks among the top 100 most affluent counties in the entire nation. It is thus shocking to read that the homeless population Ventura County has grown by over 10% over the last year. This is proof that not even the wealthiest areas of the country have been spared the adverse consequences of the economic downturn.

The increase number of homeless people is also a call to action; as I have written here on several occasions the homeless are not lazy, shiftless, crazy, drug-addicted people – the homeless are US and we are THEM. We must be willing to take all necessary action to help the homeless; if we fail to help them we fail to help our own brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, sons and daughter then we fail as a society. The homeless situation is not a “homeless problem,” it is a problem of our entire society.

TANDEM RIDERS HELP FIND A CURE FOR PARKINSON’S DISEASE

As you all know, I am a big fan of bike riding. I fully believe in the restorative power of bike riding; so it is not surprising that this second story is about the good work done by two local bike riders. At the recent Los Angeles Marathon (Monday, May 25, 2009) two local women rode a tandem bike to raise money to combat Parkinson’s disease The two women have been training for months on a tandem bike to ride on the pre L.A. Marathon bike ride. Although the ride is perhaps a relatively short ride by Monsieur Odriscoll’s standards (only 26.2 miles) riding a tandem bike presents problems of its own. Climbing hills and maneuvering around tight turns is difficult on a tandem bike and coordinating a common cadence takes practice. On the other hand, riding downhill on a tandem is a lot of fun because the added weight of the second rider makes tandem bikes extremely fast on the downhill part of any climb.

In addition to training hard, the two women, Jessica Chadbourn and Debbie Jew (ages 48 and 42 respectively) have also been busy gathering sponsors to raise funds for a cure for Parkinson’s Disease And while training and finding sponsors, the women have also been raising the public’s awareness of this debilitating disease that afflicts millions of people throughout the world.

A journey of a thousand miles starts with one single step. Maybe we will not be able to completely eradicate homelessness during our lifetime, and maybe a cure for PD is not yet around the corner. But with all of us taking small “baby steps” we can work together to solve these, and similar, problems.

MEMORIAL DAY BIKE RIDE

For Memorial Day I had originally planned to ride my bike out by the beach. But when I stepped out my front door the morning was cool, overcast and slightly foggy – ideal conditions for a little hill climbing. So instead of putting my bike on the back of the car and heading for the coast, I decided to just ride out.

The ride was very nice; I covered about 25 miles (about the same distance as in a marathon) in just under 2 hours. There were long hills to climb, which were then followed by fast descents. Lowest speed was about 7.5 mph (during a long, steady climb against a headwind) while the fastest speed was about 29.0 mph. I was using my mountain bike and because of the fat tires and “taller” sitting position speeds of 30 mph or higher are hard to achieve.

Along the way I paused to take a few pictures. As you can see, this ride took me through some of the “back” country around my home. Most of the roads where I rode are back, country roads that carry less traffic than the main roads. Riding in traffic can be hazardous (see Ghost Bikes) and so I prefer to take to the back roads, where the traffic is lighter and the view are nicer.

Now please join me in my Memorial Day bike ride.

(Please remember to click on each individual image for a larger view. Thank you.)

As you can see in this photo, there is a lot of empty country where I ride.



Here you can see where the road begins to climb. It is not a steep climb, but after a while it begins to add up.



Here is one of the back roads that I traveled on Monday – notice the lack of motor vehicle traffic. I like these shots in black and white.





The sign, spray-painted on the pavement points to a bike path that leads back to Thousand Oaks, California. One photo is a close-up of the sign while the other shot shows where the signs is pointing to.





The road that I ride on takes me within eye shot of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library The Reagan Library is located in the city of Simi Valley, California It was a foggy, hazy morning when I took these photographs so the library compound is hard to see on the pictures. On a clear day, however, it is possible to see the Pacific Ocean and the Channel Islands from the Reagan Library.

(The Ronald Reagan Library compound can be seen on top of the ridge, on the upper right hand side of the picture. The big square building to the left houses the former Air Force One used by President Reagan. The only other place in the US housing former Presidential airplanes is the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio.)



(The Ronald Reagan Library compound can be seen on top of the ridge, on the upper left hand side of the picture. The big square building to the left houses the former Air Force One used by President Reagan. The only other place in the US that houses former Presidential airplanes is the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio.)



Ventura County has often been referred to as “horse country.” Some of the finest horses in the entire country (and possibly the world) are raised and trained in Ventura County. Will Simpson a rider from Thousand Oaks medaled during the 2008 Beijing Olympics.







I hope that you have enjoyed riding along with me on this bike ride. Thanks for coming along!

All photographs are original work. © Copyright 2009, DB. All Rights Reserved.

MAY 2009 - SANTA BARBARA FIRES

By Debbie Bulloch



Once upon a time California’s “Fire Season” usually lasted from August through December (with the highest incident of fires in September and October). These months coincide with the onset of the Santa Ana winds. That was in the past, however; nowadays “Fire Season” seems to last year round.

Yesterday (May 5), a fire began to burn on the hills above Santa Barbara. Today, the wind-driven fire continues to burn with no immediate end in sight. The “Sundowner” winds are pushing the flames making life miserable for the firefighters who are battling the fires.

As of this writing, over 8000 homes are threatened by the fire and their residents have been ordered to leave. Injuries, so far, include firemen and civilians. I will update this portion of the post as more information becomes available.

UPDATE: As of 10:30 p.m. SLT, more than 20 homes have been destroyed, 8000 evacuated and three firemen, all from Ventura County, are being treated for serious injuries. They are expected to recover, however.

A few weeks ago we worried about news of the spreading swine flu, last Friday night a mild earthquake hit the area, and now we have fires – what's next? Flights of locust? Frogs falling from the sky?

In spite of plagues, fires and earthquakes, life is good in California. We are, after all, the “Golden State.”

At Between Homes our thoughts and prayers (for those of us inclined to pray) are with the brave firefighters risking life and personal safety to fight these destructive fires. Our thoughts and prayers are also with all the fire victims.

The photos below were taken from the L.A. Times and Ventura County Star websites, respectively. The Times and the Star own the copyright to these photographs. All rights are fully reserved.

(Click on individual image for a full view.)

A view of the fire spreading over the hills.



A beachgoer taking a dog for a walk on the beach - the fires burn on the hills above.



A dangerous night drop from a helicopter.



Air tanker making a drop over the hills.



Another view of an air drop. Because of the steep terrain and gusting winds, these drops are very dangerous to the pilots who fly the air tankers.



A firefighting chopper - thick smoke makes these operations dangerous.



Even animals need rescuing - goats being rescued.



Evacuated horses are safely boarded up at the local Fair Grounds.



Fires and palm trees - a typical Southern California combination.



Here is a link to community resources available to those affected by the JESUSITA FIRE (Santa Barbara).

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

Our Homeless Furry Friends

By Debbie Bulloch



The current mortgage crisis has caused a sharp increase in the number of abandoned, and thus homeless pets. While the sight of homeless men, women and children living on the streets should be a call to action for concerned citizens, the growing trend of abandoned pets should also be of great concern.

Animal shelters are being overrun with the furry friends of people who can no longer afford their property—or their pets. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Sacramento, Calif., for instance, accepted 178 dogs and cats in December, a jump of almost 80 percent over the previous year. Less-fortunate pets are dumped on the streets or released into nature. Traci Jennings, founder of a Humane Society branch in Modesto, Calif., has found dogs tied to porches and, in one case, abandoned in a yard. "Someone called me when they heard the puppies crying," she says.

With predicted tougher economic times ahead, the homeless pet problem is bound to grow. In California, where I live, it is not just dogs, cats and rabbits that are being abandoned. Increasingly, even "high-end" animal companions, such as horses are becoming the victims of hard times. With increasing frequency shelters are now taking horses, mares and their foal. These animals come into the shelters in nearly emaciated conditions and in dire need for medical treatment for untreated wounds and diseases.

In these increasingly difficult times, those of us who can and are able to do so need to think outside the box. By this I mean that we need to look at the suffering of all living creatures, not just fellow humans, and make a commitment to do what we can to help.

So what can we do?

1. Adopt a pet.

If you've been thinking of adding a furry friend to your family, there is no better time than the present. Wonderful animals of every size, breed, and personality need new homes, simply because their owners have become unable to care for them. You can help by adopting a pet through your local shelter.



Adopting a homeless animal is simply the right thing to do. Yes, we all like the idea of playing with a frisky, big-eyed puppy or kitten. But if you adopt a pet from the shelter, especially an adult dog or cat (or maybe a rabbit or even a horse) you will have that warm glow from knowing you've saved a life.

Adopting is also less expensive than buying from a pet store or breeder. In many shelters the cost of adoption also includes training materials, vaccinations, and spaying and neutering surgery -- in some cases even follow-up veterinary care is offered. What's more, the pets available for adoption at most shelters and rescue groups have already been screened for major health and behavior problems.

Please call your local shelter or local rescue group and get more information about their offerings.

2. If you are about to lose your home please seek help.

If you already own a pet and are dealing with financial problems, ask your local shelter if they offer any programs to help pet owners in this situation. There is no shame in asking for help, especially for our furry friends. There is information available that will help strapped families care for their pets. Some shelters partner with food banks to distribute pet food and other supplies. Some work with veterinarians to provide assistance with vaccinations and other veterinary care. If you are feeling your budget beginning to tighten, do away with superfluous purchases for your pet, such as expensive toys and other needless accessories. Also, consider taking your dog to a vaccination clinic instead of seeing your regular vet for any necessary shots. This can save you money on the inoculations themselves, as well as eliminate the cost of an office visit.



Most importantly, don't leave your pet behind. Ask friends, family members, and neighbors if they can take your pet for you temporarily. This may give you enough time to get back on your feet and resume the care of your animal. If you move to an apartment, make sure your pet will be allowed to move with you. Avoid verbal agreements -- get it in writing to avoid a problem down the road.

3. Donate to your local shelter or offer help at your local vet.

Animal shelters are expensive to run. Most of the time, shelters depend upon government funding (often shelters are the last budget item to get funded by local governments) and/or private donations. Any donation helps! For years, my daughter and I have donated pet food and used newspapers to out local shelter. A 50# bag of dog kibbles or kitty chow form the local Costco is not all that expensive and it can make the difference on the number of pets a shelter can afford to house. If you cannot afford to buy food then donate your time. Pets at the shelters are in need of a kind human touch. Many of them have been taken away from loving, caring homes where maybe they had big yards to play or cozy beds to lay; now they find themselves locked up in cages, with hundreds of other pets. This must be a terrifying experience - so a kind word, a soft hand or a warm hug will go a long way to help erase the stress these furry friends must feel while awaiting their fate at the shelter. Think how scared you would be if you were suddenly yanked from your comfy home and tossed into a cold, metal cage. Our animal companions feel fear too.



There are many other ways that you can help. All you have to do is look around.

In SL itself there are individuals like Aztek Aeon and Vitolo Rossini who work on projects to help RL pets. Send them an IM and ask how YOU can help too.

I was once told that I always have a song's lyrics, or a movie's lines, for every occasion. So in that note, let me end with the lyrics from one of my favorite songs by The Carpenters:

Bless the beasts and the children
For in this world they have no voice
They have no choice

Bless the beasts and the children
For the world can never be
The world they see

Light their way
When the darkness surrounds them
Give them love
Let it shine all around them

Bless the beasts and the children
Give them shelter from a storm
Keep them safe
Keep them warm




Thank you for reading.