Biking journeys and coming out??

Last week's decision to get out on the bike a bit more proved wonderful as I headed to downtown Portland from home. Navigating the streets from downtown Vancouver to just past Delta Park can be a bit hazardous but in a city like PDX, all is well.  This area is Bike Central in the USA and we have some of the best biking paths,lanes and trails in the country. So I rode a 30 mile route there and back, stopping for some photos along the way. My new/used Nexus S phone has a great camera so I tested it out on this ride. Here is the Giant Iguana bike I bought last year from my friend Dan. Love this bike!! No frills, not fancy,built like a rock and fun to ride.

                                              At the Paul Bunyan statue in North Portland!

                                              Near the Burnside Bridge in PDX

    I want to plan out more rides like this but admit I prefer to just go and see where my legs take me.
Until I can get back to running, this is my exercise for now. One month of no running. Ugh :-(
  The hamstring is feeling better and the urge to go run strong for sure. But...I have been strong and am going to do my best to keep from damaging it further.


       It has been a busy last few weeks and the month of August will hopefully be a bit quieter. Last weekend Ann and I got together with our best friends and loves, enjoying Portland and some of the wonderful places to shop and visit. I posted this pic last week but love it so much I will do it again!!

                                                    
                                                            And a few more of the girls!!

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                                           On a different and exciting note,two of my long time closest and best friends in the world have just come out on Facebook! These two ladies are dear to my heart and world!! Fortunately, in this day and age, it is easier to do than ever before with social media and more acceptance playing a role. Still, it is never easy for anyone to do and I heartily applaud them both for this and for being what THEY want to be and not what OTHERS tell them they HAVE to be.

                                               Women have it a bit better in this department as the stigma attached to the girls is lessened for many reasons. It has taken many years of struggles and heartache to get to this point in America when a man or woman can come out as gay,lesbian,bisexual or transsexual and be safe. But...we are not there yet.  It is easier for some yes and I'm so glad that those of us who have come out and taken steps to do so are not persecuted for it as in years past. For a woman to come out and tell the world "I love this other woman and am very happy" is pure love and nobody has a right to ever tell them it is wrong. Never. It does not matter whether they are in a monogamous or polyamorous relationship...LOVE IS LOVE. One cannot be told they HAVE to only love one person more than they HAVE to love only one flavour of ice cream or soda.

                                               For this couple, there will be some "friends" who simply don't agree with it and will leave or no longer want to be friends. That is their loss which is sad and pathetic. On the other hand, many will not judge, wish them happiness (that is why we live, right? Happiness?) and love as well as being there for support against the jerks of the world who tell them they cannot.

  Eventually they will tell everyone how they feel about each other,when the time is right for it. When that happens, my hope is that they be happy and not let the naysayers and negatives ever interrupt their love for each other!! 

These are the people I love and respect. Fortunately I have many friends like this and am truly blessed in my life right now. So very much!!!! 


  On this happy note of the love we humans share for each other, I end this post with photos and images of said warmth!!    <3 <3 <3 <3