I'm collecting a box full of my stuff from inside my old buddy. My Ford Ranger has served me well, but it's a sad moment.  I've been evicted from my vehicle, and I'm walking away, box in hand for what might be the last time - depending on a decision from a bean-counter at the insurance company.  Thank  you, other driver - when you nailed us at the intersection of Woodman and Lanark - for ripping us apart. (Please apply any hefty amount of sarcasm of your choosing.)

The impact was startling and horrifying. We were hit hard in the passenger side rear wheel.  Hard enough for both the air bags to blow and the rear axel to become skewed.  Suddenly the cab was a shaken snow globe. Swirling bits of personal items in a cloud.  My glasses (they started out on the top of my head), photo id tags, loose change, Jamba Juice napkins, CD's and the parking stub from our visit to El Capitan State beach - are all air born.

Luckily, miraculously,  I emerge on to the side walk physically unharmed - albeit having a coughing spasm from all the post air bag dust that filled the cab.  An ambulance crew happened to be near by. They checked in on me and waited for police & tow truck to arrive.

Meanwhile my rental car is a Fiat 500, which to say is a different driving experience is an understatement.  I've never driven a sports car.  Although it's nice to think that it would be great to have one as your daily drive, I'm not so sure.  At least not this one.  No thanks, J Lo.

Anyway, I'm not sure what to make of my air bag experience.  Gone is any fear that an unused air bag might not work properly after 11 years, that's for sure.  And I can testify that they'd work to save you from serious head injury.  But to have both bags blow in a collision that was no where near the front side of the car leads me to believe my buddy was a bit premature.  Ah well, better safe than sorry?  Sure, why not.

We've not only discovered the beauty and calm of the Santa Barbara area, but the convenience it offers for a quick weekend get away. On a foggy Friday night we headed up the coast along the Pacific Coast Highway. At night, PCH offers views you never see during the day and with patchy fog, it was certainly mystical in the least.  An hour and 40 minutes later, we were pulling in to our B&B in Montecito. We had a very relaxing weekend on the bikes, seeing some great sights up close.

I never like to stuff lots of sub- titles into the videos I create and post on "A Doug's Life". It's nice to have some explanation of what you're watching, but always ends up looking clunky and awkward. Instead, I'm including some links about what's featured in the video:

• Our B&B: http://creeksidemontecito.com/
• Casa del Herrero: http://www.casadelherrero.com/ (House of the Blacksmith)
• UCSB: http://www.ucsb.edu/
• Devereaux Slough: http://www.calliebowdish.com/DevereuxStory.htm
• Miramar Beach

Music provided by General Fuzz:

 So, you've never heard of General Fuzz? Seriously??  Well I'm here to brighten your day.  General Fuzz is a music project headed by James Kirsch (see image above). He creates really cool electronica tunes that are available for absolutly free. Seriously. Of course, I highly encourage you to make a donation if you like what you hear. Go there now: http://generalfuzz.net and start your download!

Fire road along the Verdugo ridge.

I set aside some time each Friday after work to ride Mt. Verdugo. It's not my idea to ride on Friday really (or Mt Verdugo for that matter). It's a decades old tradition among my riding friends that I love to partake.

For me the Friday ride has many benefits wrapped into one activity. Catching up with friends at the top. A few beers with a glorious sunset from 3100 ft. Not to mention time on the bike that works the body hard with maximum sweat and heart rate. But lately, there is a perk that I find myself enjoying too: The 60 minute mind-clearing climb to the summit.

I've discovered that I like getting into the Zen state that's only possible from slowly progressing up a fire road that takes you to the top (Beaudry is my favorite). Of course, the beginning of the ride is somewhat of a struggle to get settled and comfortable. But eventually your mind enters "the zone" and usually happens without you being totally aware of it.

Often, I won’t see another person on foot or bike the entire climb. I have the mountain to myself for an hour of meditation. It's nice to flush out the thoughts from the work week to clear your mind for the upcoming weekend. Eventually, the mind and body seem to become separated. In deep in thought, I'm hardly aware of the progress I’ve made towards the summit. Of course the spell is broken occasionally. There are a few switchbacks that transition you to the spine of the Verdugo range. Each turn has marvelous views that will snap you back to the present – made even more special if your timing allows for some afternoon mountain light.

It's inevitable: No matter how stressed or preoccupied you may be at the bottom, you'll be sure to have it eased significantly by the time you've worked your way to the top. Inevitably, when I get back to the house later in the night, I always feel great. Sure, the buddies, beer and race down are easy to site as the most obvious reasons, but putting in the work to get a clear mind is just as important.

So for you bikers out there (mountain or roadies), don’t dread the climb. Get comfortable with it and let your mind go adrift. You’ll be at the top before you know it.