Sir! Please step away from the bicycle.

My readership knows that I support all things bicycle. I support riding to work, riding for fun, riding for competition, riding uphill, and riding downhill. I also support riding to raise money. However, I do not support riding to boost money.

Yes, apparently there is a local bank robber who pedals from his bank heists. The robber has used his two-wheeled getaway vehicle in banks robberies in San Francisco and, most recently, Santa Cruz.  From the CNN story (Serial Bank Robber Known for Getaway Bicycle), "The suspect was last seen pedaling away from the bank. [The police spokesperson, Zach] Friend said the bicycle may give a criminal an advantage."

At least he was wearing a helmet...

Distracted Drivers

Traveling across states gives you perspective on the variance in state laws. In most instances, the states with lacking safety laws are exposed. For example, in Colorado, I witnessed motorcyclists without helmets. [No elaboration needed]. In Georgia, drivers are constantly on their cell phones without speaker phone or a handless device.

While a government agency slowly progresses toward legislation to curb distracted driving (CNN--States Cracking Down on Distracted Drivers), let's take some initiative and play smart. Laws, op eds, and scientific studies are not needed to realize that pinning your cell phone to your ear and text-messaging hinder your ability to drive. Importantly, I realize that most readers of this blog and its author have been guilty multitasking behind the wheel, but let's count our blessings and cease. Take care of yourself, and I will do the same.

Daylight of Colorado

Cause in the daylight, anywhere feels like home.

Matt & Kim, from Daylight 

In the past 8 days, I have been in Colorado looking for the epic. I have had a blast with my dad, my sister, and my friends, Adam, and Lindsey. Without giving you the entire chronology, I want to share a few pictures. Maybe soon, we can sit down and chat about the experience.

Photos: Bear at Manitou Springs; Summit of Pikes Peak; Dad on La Platito; Sawatch Range; Climbing up Mt. Evans; Naomi on La Platito; Driving North toward Frisco, CO; Rafting well; Rafting not-so-well; Amazing coffee shop in Colorado Springs. 

Evolution

 Happy Riding!

Damned Details

Some of you may have noticed a typo here and there in my blog posts. As it turns out, I didn't notice them. In fact, I overlook many of the details in my life.

In my almost-quarter century of life, I have learned about myself as a learner and liver (You know, one who lives?). Among some above-average and mediocre skills, I have some deficits. Most apparent is my failure to attend to the details of life. Recently, Tracy and I flew to Los Angeles to visit her family. Tracy flew down a day earlier, and I had planned to fly into Orange County and arrive at the same time as her sister, who was coming from Oklahoma. Without paying attention, I flew into LAX instead of SNA. Tracy had to drive an extra hour to pick me up and have her cousin pick up her sister-- Brutal (and brutally funny to many of you). Tracy's dad put it most accurately when he asked, "Leo, where is your brain?"

On the same night that I booked my LAX ticket, I also booked tickets for my dad and sister to fly into Denver. Knowing that I needed to coordinate times, airlines, and credit card numbers, I took my time to focus on this task. You know what's coming... Yep, I scheduled my sister's flight for 7pm rather than 7am. Classic. As I blog, my sister is on the phone trying to figure out stand-by procedures. Tomorrow, I will find out how much effort and money is needed to amend this blunder.

My inability to focus on details extends beyond aerial snafus, but these examples are the most outstanding as they have impacted others. As a graduate student, I am juggling class work, practica, research projects, and side endeavors, and I have got to find a way to organize my life, one detail at a time. Although this post has been especially incriminating, I want to speak directly to my current and future employers, family, friends, and significant other.

Hi! We are or soon will be interdependent on one another for work, fun, and/or living... Wait, don't leave! Hear me out! Regarding this post, I am going to work on it, I promise! I realize my actions have spoken otherwise, but I am about to about-face with this careless trend. Morning routines, lists that get looked at after they are made, reading directions, and double-checking confirmation pages will soon be in my arsenal as a functioning human being. To prove it to you, I have edited and reedited this blog post*! And, as always, I will be your number one big-picture guy.

Mea Culpa,

Leo

*If you find mistakes in this post, call me ASAP! Great, thanks.