Tag: Bakersfield

TerraTrike – The Rover – Official Site Of The World’s Most Comfortable Recumbent Trike / Recumbent Bike

On By Michel McDonaldIn Cycling, ExerciseLeave a comment

TerraTrike – The Rover – Official Site Of The World’s Most Comfortable RecumbentTrike / Recumbent Bike

Have you seen these before? I’ve seen people riding them on the Bakersfield bike trail and I’ve seen them at Snyder’s Cyclry (bike store) but I haven’t seen them this cheap. Although the 3 speed Rover is the least expensive, they go up from there.

I would be too afraid to ride one of these on the streets on the way to the bike trail because I’m too paranoid that I’m gonna get hit. We have some crazy drivers here who don’t care about my safety but instead only care about the thrill they get from turning me into a paranoid nut case. Yes, I’ve been hit by the driver of a pick-up who was looking directly at me when he hit me so I know from experience.

I wouldn’t mind riding one of these on the bike trail though because it does look a lot more comfortable than riding a regular bicycle. For one when you are ready to pull over to rest for a bit you don’t have to get up. Just stay seated. That’s another issue I have with the bike trail, there aren’t very many places to sit and rest. There are a few places but when your legs decide you need a break there is never a bench to rest on.

The downside that I see is that I wouldn’t be able to bring it to the grocery store because there doesn’t seem to be a basket in the back like most grandpa trikes have so I’d still need my regular bike for those trips.

Although, I can’t afford $800, if I were to get another bike it would probably be this. I would have to get a ride to the bike trail if I did get it, that is until I got comfortable enough riding it in the streets.  There aren’t too many cars early in the morning so that is the best time for me to go out on a regular bike or this.

My Funny Childhood Phrases

On By Michel McDonaldIn My ChildhoodLeave a comment

When I was growing up my parents and aunt said the funniest things to us kids. Like for example, when someone farted they would call it “stepping on a frog”. Have you ever heard anyone refer to it as that? The reason they said that was because back in the 70′s the word fart was a bad word. It was such a bad word that we would get slapped (or in my case beat) if we said it. So the nicest way of saying it was stepping on a frog.

Every night when we went to bed, my mother would tell us “Goodnight, sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite, if they bite, bite them back.”

When I was in my late 20′s I said that to a friend of ours who lived right on the beach in Malibu just before she went to bed and I got a tongue lashing from it. ”HOW DARE YOU” and that wasn’t from the friend, that was from Darrin. How dare I accuse her of having bed bugs, she’s rich, she lives in a beach house in Malibu. How dare I even suggest that she has any bugs in her house.

It’s funny how despite my best intentions, something from my childhood isn’t quite accepted by anyone other than my family members.

And yes, that is me on the right, the girl on the left is my older sister. I don’t remember the occasion that picture was taken but I think it was when we lived on Holtby Road here in Bakersfield which is oddly enough on my exercise bike route. I pass that house every time I ride my bike to the bike trail.

Hobby Lobby

On By Michel McDonaldIn craftsLeave a comment

If you live in the US you might have been to a Hobby Lobby some time in your life.  I have been there once or twice with my aunts when I visited them in Texas at Christmas time in 2006.  My aunt Louise brought me there before Christmas to buy herself some jewelry supplies then on Christmas morning my Aunt Joyce gave me a Hobby Lobby gift card which I had to spend before I came back to California because we don’t have the wonderful warehouse.

If you have never been to one, I can only describe it as a cross between Wal*mart and Michael’s.  They probably aren’t as big as a Wal*mart store but they are bigger than Michael’s and they carry more merchandise than Michael’s.

The reason this came to mind today is because last night I was watching these tutorial videos from ehow.com on how to make hemp necklaces.  The woman doing the tutorials showed all the 4 different sizes of hemp and said to get them from Hobby Lobby.  Well, Michael’s only had 2 sizes but she had all the sizes which means Hobby Lobby must carry everything when Michael’s only carries half.

I looked at the map on the Hobby Lobby website to see how many states away we are from Hobby Lobby and I was shocked to see that California and Oregon are the only 2 states on the west coast who does not have a Hobby Lobby.  That sucks big time.  I think that they need to bless California with their presence starting with Bakersfield lol.  If not, at least sell merchandise on your website!

Clay’s Restaurant

On By Michel McDonaldIn RestaurantLeave a comment

California Avenue IHOP becomes independent eatery

November 28th 2008, IHOP in Bakersfield became Clay’s Restaurant.  We’ve been going to that IHOP since 2000 but we don’t always have the money to be regulars.  We only go once in awhile.  But we actually haven’t been there at all since they changed their name to Clay’s.

Well this morning Darrin wanted to go out for breakfast and the place that he chose was closed for some strange reason.  So he said well let’s go to Denny’s.  I said that’s too far.  He said where do you want to go and I said “well we haven’t been to Clay’s yet” so that’s where we went.

We get there and are seated right away.  There was a person we knew who was leaving so Darrin wanted to talk to him before we sat down.  Our host had our menu’s sitting open on the table waiting for us which I thought was very nice.

So we order and our food comes, I ordered the #6 2 eggs, 3 bacon, 3 sausage, hash browns and pancakes.  Darrin ordered chicken fried steak with gravy, eggs, hash browns and toast.

I can’t speak for him but he didn’t complain about his food.  My food was pretty good.  The sausage was different though, it wasn’t over cooked and wrinkly, it was a nice light shade of brown and it was smooth.  The bacon was also very flat and smooth and it tasted good.  The pancakes were smaller but I guess they can’t sell pancakes that look exactly like IHOP’s so they just made them smaller.  The hash browns weren’t crispy which is IHOP’s signature hash browns but that was fine.  It was still good.  Normally scrambled eggs are 1 solid color but mine weren’t mixed completely so you could see the yellow and white.  That’s not a bad thing, the eggs were good but it was just different.

Our waitress was Donna and she was a very nice woman.  We asked her if the business has suffered since they changed their name to Clay’s and she said that there aren’t as many customers as when they were IHOP but the customers are coming back.  I can say that I would definitely come back because the food was very good.

Clay’s Restaurant is located at 1530 California Ave. in Bakersfield, CA.  There are also other Clay’s, I just know about this one and the one over by Valley Plaza on Ming.  I would recommend Clay’s and I give them 5 stars.

14 Years Old and 555lbs.

On By Michel McDonaldIn NewsLeave a comment

Should mom of 555-pound boy be charged with neglect?

That is an article on the SparkPeople website.

The mother claims that she works too much and doesn’t always have any time to give her child the right foods.  She buys fast food for him all the time for his dinner and he has reached a very dangerous weight.  Can you imagine being 14 years old and weighing 555lbs?  I certain cannot.

Ok some may say that because he is 14 years old he is old enough to feed himself but come on, when I was that age if it were up to me I’d be eating candy bars and cake and ice cream for dinner every night.  You cannot let a 14-year-old make that decision on his own unless you have already taught him from birth the right foods to eat.

When I was a kid my mother fed me the right kinds of foods and I was always very very thin.  Ok so I wasn’t model thin but I had a small waistline.  Mainly because I was very active on my bike and running from bully’s and also during P.E. class they always had us running around.  There were times that my family went to McDonald’s to eat dinner and we went to other dining restaurants for dinner too, not just fast food.  My favorite place to go was Bob’s Big Boy (which I’m happy they are coming back to Bakersfield YAY).  But I wasn’t given that everyday so I knew that you weren’t supposed to eat that crap on a daily basis.  Not just because it’s not very good for you but because back then it was expensive.  The burgers were about $2.50 or so and you know, in the 70’s and 80’s money was always tight so it wasn’t too often that we would go there.  It was cheaper for my mom to go to the store.

Personally I think that this kid should be taken away from the mother because they gave her lots of chances to help her son get down in weight by teaching them better eating habits and the mother refused to comply so they took him.

This woman needs to get a better job where she is able to pay more attention to her son so she can walk with him and maybe get him a gym membership.  Go there with him every day to make sure he does what he is supposed to and not just sitting down listening to his iPod outside in the front of the gym.  She needs to take responsibility for HER actions in getting her kid fat.  If you don’t then your child needs to be in a better home environment.

Well, that’s just my opinion, 1 opinion out of probably billions.

Malt-O-Meal Hot Cereal

On By Michel McDonaldIn FoodLeave a comment

I can remember when I was about 4 or 5 years old and my mother used to make me Malt-O-Meal for breakfast.  That was the best hot cereal ever.  Yes I like Oatmeal but this is better.  I don’t care too much for cream of wheat though.

I remember that my mom always bought the Chocolate Malt-O-Meal and if she bought the original, I would put some chocolate syrup in it to make it chocolaty hehe.

Did you know that Malt-O-Meal hot cereal is nutritious?  I knew it was good for you but I didn’t know to what extend until I read this:

Link is gone, sorry.  But take my word for it lol.  Visit the website and do some digging (link below)

Wow, I’m going to buy this more often and eat it before my bike rides instead of regular cold cereal.  Although this means I’m either going to get a late start or I will have to get up earlier.  Then again you can nuke it lol.

I don’t know why but the stores in California, or at least in Bakersfield, don’t sell the chocolate flavored Malt-O-Meal anymore.  When I was 4 or 5 as I mentioned before we lived here in Bakersfield and that’s where my mom bought it so I’m not sure why they don’t sell it here now.  They do mention that flavor on their website.  I want CHOCOLATE Malt-O-Meal!  Adding chocolate syrup adds more calories to it lol.  Oh well, I guess Maple and Brown Sugar will have to do.

Image copied from their website www.malt-o-meal.com.  Make sure you go to your local grocery store and buy some today.  It’s the best hot cereal ever made IMHO.

Fine for Watering Lawn

On By Michel McDonaldIn NewsLeave a comment

I don’t know if it is just Kern County or if it is all of California or what but I saw on the news today that the city is banning watering of the lawn except for Mondays and Thursdays before 5am and after 4pm.  You cannot water your lawn except on those 2 days or you will get a $300 fine.

Well if that’s the way it’s going to be then our lawns are going to die because I’m never going to remember that.  I’m probably going to remember to water the lawn on a Wednesday at noon then start watering.  Then I will probably hear the doorbell ringing and have it be Bakersfield Police with a ticket for watering my lawn.  Bogus!

What about back yards?  They can’t monitor people’s back yards.  I just think the whole idea stinks.  I can understand the drought problem and I respect that they are trying to save water but $300 fine for forgetting that I can only water 2 days a week only before 5am and after 4pm?  That’s stupid to do that.  They don’t realize that in Bakersfield it gets so hot and so dry that the lawn dies if it’s not watered everyday.  Twice a week isn’t going to keep my lawn alive.

Well, maybe that’s a good thing then because then I won’t have to mow it as much.

Make Your Own Cigarettes

On By Michel McDonaldIn Daily BlogLeave a comment

I woke up this morning to the sound of my doorbell.  I stumbled out of bed and went to the door and there was nobody there.  I said “hello?” and the neighbor kid popped his head out and said “oh did I wake you up?”  I said “yes, you did”.  He said “oh well never mind” I said “wait, you woke me up, what do you want?”  He said “I just wondered if you would do something for me but I know you probably won’t want to do it”.

Kid, if you know I won’t want to do it then why are you waking me up?  SIGH!  – by the way, he is 21 lol I call him a kid because he acts like one.

Anyway, he wanted me to go to the store to buy a pack of Newport Cigarettes for him.  Not just the store next door to my house but the store a block away.  I don’t think so.  It ain’t happenin’.  I told him no because I quit smoking in 1996 and I swore that I wouldn’t go running errands for people wanting to buy cigarettes like I did for people when I did smoke because I’m trying not to support that habit.  Yeah I know, douche ex-smoker right?

So I remembered when we first moved to Bakersfield we met this guy named Troy and he rolled his own cigarettes with this little hand-held machine where he placed a cigarette tube with a filter on the end (it looked like a cigarette but it was empty) and he put the tobacco in the machine and he did a slide motion with the machine and pulled the filled cigarette out.

So I went online and did a search for it and found 2 products.  They aren’t cheap.  I didn’t find the hand-held one but these are still good I guess.  There is the PREMIER Excel Cigarette Injector Machine at Amazon for $34.99 or you can buy it used for $20.  Then there is the Top-o-matic Cigarette Making Machine W/handlewhich is a bit more expensive for $79.99 but you can buy it used for $35+.  I’m sure that any cigarette store sells these for less than you can buy them at Amazon, who knows.  I haven’t been to a cigarette store because they opened right after I quit smoking.

But with these machines you can make your own cigarettes for $1 a pack.  That’s pretty good right?  When I quit smoking the generic cigarettes were .99 cents per pack with tax so about $1.07 total.  Hell when I started smoking in 1985 cigarettes were about $1 a pack for the regular brands.  Now cigarettes are like $5-10 per pack so I think that this is a good thing to suggest to my neighbor so he can roll his own for a lot less.

The reviews that I have read say that the cigarettes you buy and the ones you roll taste about the same.  All you do is buy your cigarette tubes with the filter already on.  Those are about $2 for a cartons worth of tubes which adds up to .01 one penny for each tube with a filter on it.  The tubes w/filters are all different.  You can buy full flavor or lights or menthol or menthol lights etc.

Then you buy your tobacco which is about $20 for a can or bag.  I actually don’t know how much they cost.  I went to PipesandCigars.com and found this one particular brand called Drum and it’s about $21.99 for the can.  I don’t know how many cigarettes or packs or cartons that rolls though.  But you can buy them in your local cigarette shop I guess, they will tell you how many packs you can make with each bag or can.

I am certainly not promoting cigarettes here but I can say that the government is screwing people out of their hard earned money by raising these bullshit taxes for cigarettes and I think that people should stop buying the pre-rolled cigarettes and just roll your own.  It’s time to give the power back to the people and let them decide how much they want to pay for a pack of cigarettes.

It takes less than 10 seconds to “inject” your own cigarette with these 2 machines I linked above.  You can make an entire pack of cigarettes in about a minute or 2.  Hell, you can just roll a whole cartons worth and use the box that the empty cigarette tubes came in to store all your cigarettes then go out and buy a tin that looks like a pack of cigarettes or a cigarette holder like they used to use back in the 20’s -50’s (remember I Love Lucy?  They always had those things).

Watch this video I found.  Oh, it’s not me by the way hehe.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LarY6qeopBY

Edit: I found out that the tobacco to make 1 carton of cigarettes is now up to $29.  YIKES!  But that still beats $45 for a carton I guess.

The Heat Is Gone

On By Michel McDonaldIn Daily BlogLeave a comment

I know the song is “The Heat Is On” but for us in Bakersfield, it’s gone.  This is for the time being.  The last few days has been really hot, like 95°F-100°F temperatures.

I went bike riding this morning and it was nice and cool but not too cold.  I thought for sure it was going to be a scorcher today but it wasn’t.  Although there were times that I had to pull over into the shade because the sun was beating me down.

I looked at the forecast until Monday and it’s going to be in the late 70’s to mid 80’s all week.  Then the 6-10 day forecast it shows next week is going to be in the mid 80’s too.  Even on May 1st which is usually the day the 100°F temperatures start coming.

Although, you can never rely 100% on the weather forecast because it’s not always accurate.  So perhaps by May 1st it will be so hot I’m gonna be bike riding at 5am.

Too Hot

On By Michel McDonaldIn CyclingLeave a comment

Well, I’ve decided that I’m going to wait until tomorrow to ride the bike.  I took yesterday off because it was Chips day off but now the weather is getting too hot for me to even want to go riding.  I just don’t feel like it anymore.

This is my issue, if it’s too cold I don’t want to go, if it’s too hot I don’t want to go.  Well, in Bakersfield it’s only normal for a month before summer then a month after the heat dies down before winter.  So I don’t have that many options.

This is what I’m thinking.  Since it’s getting hot outside but it’s cooler in the morning then I’m going to start going out at the same time that Darrin leaves for work.  So I’m going to get up at 8am and have something to eat then at 8:30am when he leaves I will leave too.  I know that I’ve said that before and then it never happened but this is how I’m going to do it starting tomorrow.

I really need this exercise and I don’t want to suffer in the process because of the heat.  I don’t think it’s that healthy to exercise when it’s 100+ outside.  That’s why the gym has the A/C going.

When summer does come though I’m going to have to make a real effort to get up earlier in the morning, like at the crack of dawn to leave the house and get it over with.  There is no way that I’m going to be out when it’s 110-120 outside.  No way.

Actually getting out there early in the morning is probably a very good idea no matter what the temperature is.  I’ve heard from trainers that it’s better to do your work out before you go to work early in the morning.  So, perhaps getting out there early is a smart move.  Maybe this will help me lose weight easier.