Adventure Cyclist Shares Globe Travel Tales Tonight

Weir's new book: Travels with Willie
Weir's new book: Travels with Willie

Ever picture yourself traveling across the globe?—by bicycle? Sacramento native Willie Weir has done it, and done it cheaply. Across the United States, Canada, and even through far-flung places like South Africa and Laos, Willie has put his pedal to the road. He shares his travel tales tonight at REI in Sacramento at 7:00pm.

Weir is a cycling columnist for Adventure Cyclist magazine and a public radio cycling commentator. He’s experienced it all, and done so on a tight budget. He’ll go so far as to call himself “cheap.” In fact, one five-month journey cost him only $400. Find out how he does it tonight for a cheap $5, which benefits the Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates.

If you can’t make the event, his adventures can also be found in his new book Travels with Willie: Adventure Cyclist.

Our name is Sacramento, and we have a problem.

When I first moved to these fair parts several years ago, one of the things I took note of was the casual attitude where DUI was concerned. People here don’t take drinking and driving very seriously compared to where I’ve lived before. It’s so commonly done and accepted that I’ve seen off duty cops do it (and even a certain coach of your Sacramento Kings). I’ve had difficulty understanding how unconcerned people here are with impaired driving and the risks that come with it.

It’s no surprise our region is rife with buildings crashing into our moving vehicles.

I felt some vindication about my feelings on this issue when I came across Marcus Breton’s article in Bee today:

Continue reading “Our name is Sacramento, and we have a problem.”

Bold new arena finance plan: Charge people for seats

Arco Arena
Creative Commons License photo credit: Bo Knows California

The city’s groundbreaking new idea for financing a replacement for Arco Arena is to charge fans for their attendance, as this Sac Bee article explains. I’m kidding, though I’m not quite sure how $40,000 over 40 years, paid as $1000 per year ($24 per game) is different than a $24 season ticket (and $24 at the current Arco location basically gets you a parking space). If it had to be paid upfront I could understand.

Also, I’m not sure why anybody would pay for a seat at an arena over 40 or 50 years; after all, Arco has been marked for replacement for almost a decade. There must be something to this seat mortgage idea that I just don’t understand. It would be the first time I have ever, ever blogged about something without complete understanding of the issue, so you know I’m being truthful. 🙂

The Creative Use of Coincidence?

Let’s all stop and say “Why the Face?” together at this one…

Like a find-the-word puzzle, the second message was visible by stringing together the first letter of each line down the left-hand margin. It consisted of a common four-letter vulgarity followed by the letters “y-o-u.”

It is rather humorous I’m afraid to admit. The question is whether it was intentional or not. Have a look and judge for yourself.

“Kudos to the governor for his creative use of coincidence,” said Ammiano’s spokesman, Quintin Mecke. “You certainly have to have a sense of humor in politics. Unfortunately, this humor came at the cost of the Port of San Francisco.”

Intentional or not, it is clear the “Us” vs. “Them” pissing contest rages on in politics.

Your Sac Raggers on Twitter!


via Flickr by CC Chapman, cc

There’s a new shopping-list aggregator slash celebrity-death announcer program on the market called Twitter, and some of your favorite Sac Rag contributors are on it! Follow @CoolDMZ, @RonTopofIt, @stickiepants, @SinghintheCity and of course @TheSacRag.

We are jumping into this new media world with both feet. “With both feet” means you wait until something’s saturation borders on disgusting before you try it, right?

State Parks cutbacks announced

In the face of a public outcry over the possible closing of many of California’s 278 State Parks, the Governor has announced his alternative plan for funding our State Park system. As announced last month, all parks will remain open, but more than $14 million will be cut from the budget through various means. Services to many parks will be scaled back, including hours of operation, maintenance, staff, and educational opportunities.

After the jump, I will provide a summary of all cuts to Sacramento area parks. If you are planning on visiting any State Park, make sure you research the location to insure that your visit is not adversely affected. And, please, remember that we all own these parks. With reduced services, it is more imperative than ever that we all be good scouts and clean up our own messes, pack out what we bring in and leave no trace of our visit behind.
Continue reading “State Parks cutbacks announced”

Skeptical about the water bottling ordinance

DSC07843
What, me controvershulz?
Creative Commons License photo credit: Qiao-Da-Ye賽門譙大爺

I’m skeptical about Kevin McCarty’s plan to draft an emergency ordinance to require special permits for water bottlers. My views pretty much jive with what the Sac Bee editorialized today. I think most people should be wary of government being able to change the rules and apply them retroactively. And I am wary of government changing the rules every time somebody follows the rules and it leads to an outcome they don’t like. When you do that, it should come with an acknowledgment of failure on the part of the government. Instead, this Nestle deal is spun by folks opposing it, including McCarty, as an attack on our resources by the evil Swiss. (I always knew that neutrality thing was a smokescreen.)

Continue reading “Skeptical about the water bottling ordinance”

Taylor’s Kitchen

If you’re a cooking or eating enthusiast in Sacramento, Taylor’s Market has probably been on your radar for a while. Known for its absolutely top-notch selection of produce, meats, and wine, Taylor’s has wowed the locals in Land Park and surrounding neighborhoods for years. So, if Taylor’s new restaurant — cleverly called Taylor’s Kitchen (turns out that “Taylor’s Market Restaurant Kitchen Counter Bistro Cafe” was already taken) — didn’t cut the Mendocino mustard, it’d be a shock to almost everyone who cares about these things.

Thankfully, very few people have been disappointed (other than those insufferables who just love to hate on restaurants), so all is good in the fragile environmnet of Land Park. Continue reading “Taylor’s Kitchen”

Haunted Sacramento: Your Guide to a Happy Halloween

halloween

Possible Halloween costumes: junior high P.E. teacher (wig, sweatshirt, and gym shorts found at local thrift store)
Possible Halloween costumes: junior high P.E. teacher (wig, sweatshirt, and gym shorts found at local thrift store)

A Sacramentan’s go-to Halloween guide featuring tips on ghost stories, jack-o-lanterns, costumes, ghostly haunts, and spirits.

Ghost Stories:
No Halloween party is complete without a haunted tale. If your theatrical skills are lacking, or you’ve long forgotten how the story of The Hook ends, I’ve got the answer for you! Professionally-narrated audio ghost stories are available for download from the Sacramento Public Library. Simply download your favorites and turn up the volume. You are no longer limited to the spooky CD of the door creaking or the smash hit “Monster Mash” played on repeat. These ghost stories are sure to send tingles down your spine.

Continue reading “Haunted Sacramento: Your Guide to a Happy Halloween”

McCarty ridicules City watering restrictions he voted for

In an article posted earlier on Sacramento Press, City Council member Kevin McCarty (rightly) ridicules the City’s watering restrictions. One problem: McCarty voted Aye on the ordinance that created the restrictions.

I appreciate the point he is trying to make in his editorial: the proposed Nestle plant will be overcharging people for billions of gallons of our water, and the City will still be “busting people for flooding sidewalks,” yadda yadda. But if McCarty is successful in fighting the Nestle plant, will he repeal the residential watering ordinance and no longer bust people for flooding the sidewalk?

P.S. Any suggestion to revise the title of this post would be exactly the kind of non-commenty comment up with which I will not put.