Entries this day: Day bronwyn downtown_dallas

Day

1:08pm CDT Monday 29 July 2002

Today I helped do dishes and got the water pump working (the one I had given to Janette) and intend to shave off a bit of the door frame so the back kitchen door won't stick anymore.

Janette and I went out to Zuzu Handmade Mexican Food for lunch. Great stuff, similar calibre as La Jaliscience, but not as big of a location.

I missed my 10am phone call with Kim Sawyer; he called me at 10:30 and we talked a bit about updating his website.

bronwyn

3:05pm CDT Monday 29 July 2002

Bronwyn just called me! She's the housemate with whom I connected most completely while Bryn and I visited London in March. Wow! She's in Connecticut now, and will be in Montana from 17-30 August! I'm looking into flight information so I can go see her for a few days during that time.

The tickets seem rather expensive, but I trust that all will work out for the highest good for all those involved.

downtown dallas

11:39pm CDT Monday 29 July 2002

Rode my bike from Bibby's to downtown Dallas today. Took the feeder of 75 south into the city. Rode around and through some water fountains beneath the tall mirrored building that changes shape when viewed from different directions. Got trapped in the middle of the square fountains, like a water jail. Rode in circles a bit and then the inner fountains started to spray so I rode out and almost hit a soaking wet guy who had been in the fountain before and was on the perimeter as I exited.

He was all, "woah" and I was all "sorry mate; I couldn't see you." Nothing more; tragedy averted.

Cool thing next as I rode my bike up the multiple sets of 6 steps that led up to the street level. I made it up all the sets without putting my foot down except for the very last set I didn't quite make it up. So awesome!

Then rode to the three legged tower with a ball on top; it has a Hilton hotel at the bottom. Um, then to the Reunion Center parking garage, rode up that and looked around the perimeter before riding back down. Saw some peeps up on Memorial near the convention center over the DART rail lines (remember this is Dallas, not Houston) and I rode up there to say HI. The guy was talking to his girl, showing her different things about the DART, and the huge sets of springs on top of the columns holding up the convention center around the railroad tracks, apparently designed to dampen vibrations!

Just (JUST!) as we were done and they were walking back to their car, and I was hopping onto my bike, I saw a cop car coming down the street. I didn't hang around and coasted down the hill. I could hear the quuick bluuroop of the cop siren as he stopped behind them. I didn't stop and felt a bit bad about it. If we had left just 10 seconds sooner, they would have been on their way before the cop got there. Amazing.

Then I rode under the convention center or next to it there's a DART station and I rode around it a bit, and the train sounds reminded me of London trains (not too surprising) and then I began the trek home.

I was relatively sure which way would get me back to the Bibby's and was thankful to be correct on my first try. Thankful that I had specifically looked for some marker buildings to guide me back.

My bike felt wobbly as I rode so I got off, but didn't find anything wrong. My imagination? Later I discovered that my left crank shaft was just about to fall off. I tightened the bolt that holds it on, but it didn't really last long. Each time I tightened it, it lasted less long until finally I just took the whole thing off and used my bike as a scooter the rest of the way home. I'm thankful that I didn't lose the bolt that holds it on; that wouldn't cost too much, but it's an expense I'm thankful not to have.

- - - -

Got back to the Bibby's and Josephine and her mom and I went swimming at their friends house while they are out of town. Patrick was house sitting the house and happily granted us permission even though none of us had met him. That was fun in a strange way. He had been informed by the owners that swimming guests were likely and should be let in.

The dogs at the pool would bark unless we splashed water at them. One dog would run away from splashes and the other would bite the splashes, presumably catching water in its mouth. Funny!

Now I'm in Denton chillin' with Marta.