Get Off Of My Cloud!

Riding today was like floating through the heavens at times, reminding me of one of my favorite songs by the world’s greatest rock band: The Rolling Stones‘ Get off My Cloud.

I’d have loved to have been able to keep the scene for myself as I rode through the mists along the Tama River, sometimes staying above the clouds as I rode along the levy.

Thoughts were a bit too cloudy for my liking, too, as I go through another character-building, growth stage, I guess.

Wasn’t a great start to the day. Struggled to sleep again, as I have for months. Was late taking off. Went in to wake up Mrs. Kangaeroo, as we had planned, and she was furious at me for having snored loudly all night.

The weather was uplifting again. Apart from the couple of days in early January when the temperature plummeted well below zero (and apparently killed my jacaranda), 2023 has been a great year for weather so far, with a warmer than usual spring.

Be nice to have some warm fuzzy feelings about the professional side of my life….

Cop A Gander At These Rippers Too...

  • Strange Days, Indeed

    There have been better days than today, but this one is up there for peculiarity (in a minor sort of way). The morning ride was nice in spite of tiredness that became increasingly more obvious the more Kangaeroo rode. Not helping was having woken before 3 a.m. again and not being able to get back to sleep. Sunrise was spectacular, but fleeting, and didn’t really make for the nicest of photos. Still, it is a wonderful time of the year in Tokyo. Following a morning meeting, there was enough time left before work started to nick over to Costco to pick up some emergency supplies. But it was surprise that…

  • |

    Tokyo’s Historical Fuchu Is Rooting For Australia

    Aussies might give a snarky chuckle at the title of the post, but even though Kangaeroo.com is at least somewhat concerned with the Australian vernacular, in this case we’re talking about barracking. Fuchu‘s history dates over 1,500 years when it was the seat of government in the Musashi Province and later served as a postal town on the arterial Koshu Kaido road in the feudal era before becoming the suburban hub that it is now. But it is also Tokyo’s Aussie town, and it is awash with green and gold and Australian flags and cheer right now. Fuchu’s latest adopted Aussies are the Australian baseball team in Japan to compete…

  • Kicking Off 2023 With Central Tokyo Loop And Super Sunshine

    If nothing else, 2023 sure started far better than the awful year of 2022 did, and eventually led to a wonderful ride focused on a central Tokyo loop. Just as had happened 12 months ago, Kangaeroo headed off on the first day of the year before the dawn. Unlike 2022, when sleet and snow had been the order of the day, 2023 was bright and clear, a much more attractive prospect even if it was still equally as cold and dark as it had been the previous annum. The objective for the day was to take part in the Half-Fast Cycling club’s Yamanote Line Loop, a traditional New Year’s Day…

  • All in the Timing

    A long-time wish finally came true with a session around the Kawasaki Velodrome, and though I notched times that were the slowest of anyone on the day, my timing has been pretty fortunate over the past few months. All seemed lost and forlorn at the start of summer, but I was determined to hang on to my career for dear life to ensure that Mrs. Kangaeroo could fulfill one of her dreams. And the fates were on my side, with a new opening presenting itself at an absolutely perfect moment. And it has ushered in a halcyonic few weeks. On top of amazing conditions, even better has been the wonderful…

  • | |

    The Times They Are A Changin’

    After many years of stabliity, we got a shock to the system as the year started when our coordinating staff all quit as one, leaving us completely undermanned. Our current manager asked me to take over, but I don’t ever want to work in management again, so it will be interesting to see what happens. In better news, daily commuting my cycling has become a permanent part of my life now, providing a wonderful source of stabilty amid the turmoil. I wish all the best to T****, Y**** and R***, and thanks for everything you’ve done.