Movie review - The Hobbit

The older I get the more likely I am to NOT see a movie that's more than two hours long. Aside from my self labeled ADHD, I just don't find that many stories, even of my own telling, to be that compelling.  This movie most definitely is.

People instantly ask me if I saw last year's "The Hobit: An Unexpected Journey" and I am pretty sure I did not.... but I meant to. I think the general impression from friends was that it was just too darn long and since it was summertime, I rarely can spend three hours in a theater when it's nice out.  Do you need to have seen previous movies before this one?  The characters do describe their intentions and a little backstory but I think that if you're not a follower you may not feel there is enough background to fill out the characters. This is probably true like the Hunger Games series - I did not read the books and fans tell me that's why the second movie did nothing for me. (and I believe them)

This movie is also a stunning homage to the director's homeland.  Yes there's computer enhancement blended in but the mountains and winding rivers are as breathtaking as the first time you ever see them. Makes me glad to be going to NZ in March!  Do see this movie on the big screen, you will be sad when the two hours and forty minutes are up.

Movie Review: Mud

Smooth on the surface, gritty deeper down, life's detritus accumulating over the years. Soft and smooth yet somehow amassing the ability to suck you in and suffocate you..... Look but don't touch. Keep moving.

Matthew McConaughey's latest movie takes place along a slow moving river in a sluggish southern town. McConaughey plays a drifter named "Mud" who's a lovelorn fugitive, befriended by two curious teenage boys. They are wise to be leery of Mud's story but end up helping him evade the local police when he spins his tale of heartache. A mutually beneficial deal is made that slowly builds in intensity - like the slow and steady rise of floodwaters. It's hard not to be reminded of "Stand By Me" but Mud's mix of quasi creepy/charming ways add an element of the real world that doesn't allow for folly. A mishmash of damaged characters act out their dreams and dysfunctions, some improving, others sinking ever downward. This is not a movie for everyone but it's a well told tale worth seeing.

Four days in the saddle

Being insanely stubborn can carry you a long ways. But at some point your butt and the bike seat are going to be unhappy with each other and let you know about it. That was today. I'm hoping day 5 will magically be like day one. We rolled into the forested campground of Lake Solano yesterday afternoon after a hellishly windy exit from Ryde. Jeff, Andrew and I teamed up with a group at first to fight against the invisible enemy - at least to the first ferry crossing. Riding with strangers in a group in the wind is a mixed blessing. You don't know for sure anyone's skills but you're all desperate to mooch off each other to stay alive against the blast all day so you brave it. And when one of your party is 7 feet tall, everyone wants to be his friend. (or shadow) Evan, you are a rock star. But since the main group was churning at a faster pace than I could hold, I dropped back and Jeff and Andrew did too. We crawled across the middle of the state, especially a treacherous section of hwy 12. Almost lost one of our group when he hit the rumble strips and was thrown down into the road. Luckily for him there was no traffic just then. Considering that there was a cement median wall 12 feet from him, that could have gone very badly. Heard someone else went down too. Folks are getting tired but we still have three and a half days to go. (and while sunday is a short ride into golden gate park, crossing the bridge against international tourists on rental bikes is more nerve wracking to me than any mountainous descent.) Today was cooler as we slogged up Ink Grade and then down and into Calistoga. Did some laundry, grabbed some food and now it's time to sleep - in a real bed! Back to camping and massaging tomorrow....

Ryde Hotel, Ryde, CA

I'm on a weeklong bike ride across the state of california and it's day two. Yesterday was 75 hot miles and I melted down at mile 60. It was noon, in the 90s and my head was pounding even after six bottles of water, electrolytes and rice krispy squares. Guess my weeks of steadfastedly conserving my energy for this week didn't quite work. I had no qualms about flashing the thumbs down sign as the SAG van passed me and circled back. I was signed up to massage a half dozen fellow riders after we all finished so hey, I was conserving energy. We rolled into the town of Jackson and up to the little mission there that was going to house 100 plus salty sweaty cyclists. Popped more salt pills, changed into swimsuit and crept into the cool water. Ahhhh, smart decision! Too soon it was time to rub down weary legs so i left the pool and re-entered the massage scene. Really enjoyed it. Today I opted to just do the last half of the ride and so left with Susan The Campground Goddess to pedal to Ryde. It's cooler today with a stiff warm breeze so our little 30ish mile ride went by quickly. It's crazy flat out here in the middle of the state. The oleander are bursting forth with white, red or pink towers of flowers by the side of the road. Verdant green vineyards displaying row up on row of tender grapes growing under the summer sun. The last few miles of the ride in wind along the top of a levee - a lovely oasis of life in this parched part of the state. That might help me live here but we are still too far from the ocean for me. oops, riders arriving, time to work soon....

No really, I'm serious this time....

I want to blog, at least, I keep saying I do. Discipline? Lack of subjects? ADHD? (nah but I love that excuse) Ok so let's start with once a week. How hard can that be? I used to do movie reviews, and I might here and there, but these days you all have inexpensive access to movies so you don't need me to warn you off of spending your good money on mediocre flicks. I'll probably write from a recreational cyclist's point of view. Or armchair therapy. I love the idea of online therapy in this day and age. Of course the names will be changed (theirs and mine) to protect the guilty. Or book reviews.... So many options. I will attempt to focus... I leave Saturday for a week of riding across the state. I will take the iToy and make myself be patient with the shiny slippery thing and perhaps post more often. Stay tuned.....