Posts Tagged ‘mud falcon’

Love & Haight

April 5, 2010

April 2005     San Francisco

I have to preface this account of living low on Haight St with the story of why I was out on disability for a little while.  At the time, I was working as a carpenter doing a $1,000,000 remodel on the highest house in San Francisco, right under Sutro Tower.  Here is a condensed version, originally entitled “Gravity 1, Chris 0” :

I got another big break!……except this one is in my leg.   I was at work, adding a piece of trim under the eave of a new section of roof. This involved standing on a ladder atop a lower section of roof, and leaning it against the outside of the wall I was working on.  Suddenly the ladder slipped out from under me.  I followed the ladder down and bounced off the roof, then slid ass-first under the safety rail, followed by the 10-pound electric sawzall. (more…)

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Getting Busted as a Family

November 3, 2009

Lake Tahoe    April 2005

My dad and some business fellows were on their annual ski trip and this year that meant Tahoe.  How convenient for me to hitch a free ride on this one, just a four-hour drive from San Francisco.  My lovely little sister Meghan even flew in from DC to step up to the expense account trough.  We had the good fortune to stay in a 1940’s A-frame house on the ski slope at the base of Squaw Valley.  Austere but functional, fit for a man’s man’s ski trip, and still owned by the guy who established the whole resort. (more…)

It’s Never Out of Season!

September 20, 2008

May 2008     Marin County, California

If you do not want to know how meat starts out running around on hooves and ends up glistening on your plate, then this little gem is not for you. Go back to your US Weekly or practice your golf game or whatever. And for those of you into multiculturalism and celebrating diversity, I say this: Respect my people. This here’s culture hey goddamn! Pull up a fork! Git ‘er done!! (more…)

Mud Falcon

September 20, 2008

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December 2005    San Francisco

After 200,000 miles, two owners and 15 years, my fabulous ride finally has a suitable name.  I was outside the Toronado in the stinky Lower Haight, talking to a wiry little long-haired dude named Tad. As it turns out, Tad is big-wall climber of note, well-known in rock-climber circles as a skilled and  daring man who posts new routes up formerly unclimbable rock faces around the world. We shared beverages, and then he widened my world. (more…)