Long Beach Hydrobikes...because sometimes you need to get away from wheels.

As part of a week-long celebration of the triumphs over my struggles throughout this past year, I treated myself to a hydrobike ride in Long Beach at the Alamitos Bay. From where I live, it's a very quick drive across the Vincent Thomas Bridge, through Downtown Long Beach, and right past Belmont Shore before hitting Pacific Coast Highway.

Just head all the way to the end of the bay and follow the signs. You can't miss.

The hydrobikes are right at the end of a dock. I got there for the first appointment at 11AM so they were all still parked.

Riding a hydrobike is quite easy. If you can't ride an actual bicycle, you'll still be okay...no balancing of the unit is needed. Just pedal away and point the bike toward your destination. You'll get there eventually.

The route that patrons are given will lead you across the bay and into the Naples neighborhood of Long Beach. Naples is modeled after the same part of Italy and is known for its romantic canals (yes, there are gondola rides too for you boyfriends looking for ideas). We rode in a counter-clockwise direction, and with no wakes or fast boats in the way, it was more of a pleasure cruise with a little bit of cardio involved.

What you see is me having fun. What you don't feel is that it was nearing 95°F on the water with a heat advisory and the sun blazing down on me at noon. I'm wearing a UPF 50 wicking shirt from REI. No burns here.

Naples holds onto its namesake quite well with actual gondola rides along the canals. The city of Venice (near Santa Monica) had the same thing for a while but the area is no longer as well-maintained as this place.

Pedaling for a straight hour is definitely a great workout! I was glad that I didn't bring my giant Nikon DSLR camera, holding my cell phone to take all these shots was enough of a challenge. Fortunately every hydrobike has cupholders and a cubby compartment for a small bag and your refreshments and personal items. I took the rehydration bit one step further and wore a my Camelbak, the same one I use on my motorcycle rides. It was hot, and I was drinking out of it a lot.

The name of this boat took the words right out of my mouth.

Tip: Wear athletic shoes, unless you want to try to fish your flip-flops out of the water. If you follow instructions, there's no real way you can fall off the bike.

After that fun excursion, I headed up the road to have lunch at nearby Joe's Crab Shack. I had wanted to try this national chain at least once while I still lived in Ohio so it made my personal victory even sweeter as I was making a mess of myself cracking crab legs and munching on hushpuppies. I even topped it off with a root beer float! For an escape of a Friday before heading off to courier work, this was definitely one of my more memorable adventures.

Joe's Crab Shack offered a wonderful view of the Alamitos Bay Marina. Why the hell did I leave California? Anyway, the reason no longer exists, and I'm a better person for it.

Steps for enjoyment. 1. Take a nice photo. 2. Destroy it efficiently.

For more information about Long Beach Hydrobikes, visit http://www.lbhydrobikes.com/. Bring your friends or go by yourself! It's all good either way...and go eat some crabs too. Because crabs are awesome.

Redefining Valentine's Day.

It is fitting that I find myself on this Valentine's Day back home on the Southern California coast after spending the last couple days on somewhere on Interstate 40. With the chaos surrounding the end of a long relationship, the excitement of a brand new job, and the dream of finally returning home coming true, it is best to be moving forward, both physically and mentally. As it has been for the last several months leading up to this liberation, making myself more useful to others, planning ahead, and reconnecting with the family and friends who have always supported me have been the best distractions from the turmoil stemming from the sudden, inexplicable, and conscious-less actions of another.

I thought about the symbolism of this particular day in February. Beyond the commercialization of things red in color, lingerie, and chocolates, it is a day celebrating love. But it's not limited to the love of one person for another; it is a day to celebrate the love of those who important in my own life. Yes, family and friends are in that circle of importance, but that's just not enough. Without the true appreciation and love for who I am, I myself am nothing.

So on this day of love, I celebrate my resilience, my courage, and my inner strength. I celebrate my support system who has kept me on the straight path toward happier days. I hope for brighter days ahead and for things to continue falling into place.

To thine own self be true. It is only when you love yourself for the person that you are that you can share a greater love with others. Now in this new chapter in my life, a weight is lifted off my shoulders and I am liberated of the chains that bound me in a place where I couldn't fulfill my potential. It took me a while to realize that I had been stuck in a rut because another person chose to disregard my emotional needs and settle for mediocrity. Now that I am free to explore my life without restriction once again, a day like this is even more exciting for far different reasons. I resolve to be daring, to not be afraid to wear my heart on my sleeve, and when the time is right, dare to take chances with it once again.

On this day, I encourage you spend a few moments to reward yourself with the gift of, well, yourself. Sneak out on that strange adventure. If you're able, go out for a ride on your motorcycle without a care in the world. Get lost somewhere for a while. Take a long walk. Admire the sunset and just enjoy the moment. Nothing can take away your happiness unless you allow negativity to consume it.

Now, I am finally home again.

It's been real, Ohio. You can go keep your winter.

Four and a half years in the Buckeye State have finally come to an end. I'm packed up and rolling out of here!

For real-time tracking of my whereabouts (if you are oh so curious), visit the "Where Am I?" section of this blog. It'll be a long drive, so feel free to send a few messages my way. The right side of this blog offers a couple methods of contacting me including a direct e-mail message and Google voicemail.

Below is the route I'm taking. Doing this in the middle of the winter and on a bit of a schedule doesn't offer many opportunities for recreation. No worries...more fun times are ahead.