Last week I had a birthday.

Student: "What are you doing for your birthday?"
Me: "I'm going to be a part of a bike parade going on in my neighborhood."
Student: p a u s e... "Oh, cool. Um, what's a bike parade?"

My birthday week was such a full week. It did indeed include participating in a bike parade amongst other things:

• a beer, bike, and music festival
• biking to breakfast and coffee twice 
• dinner at both of my favorite restaurants in San Diego
• breakfast at my favorite breakfast restaurant
• frozen yogurt
• spending time with some of my favorite people...
• in my favorite city 
• trying new things like paddle boarding in Mission Bay
• doing some of my old favorites like hiking in Torrey Pines
• seeing one of my favorite musicians Rocky Votolato in concert (and being able to chat with him and hug him after the show!)
• and on my birthday night, seeing the bio luminescence lighting up the sand and water in the Pacific Ocean
• a wonderful visit from my aunt and two cousins who came to my house for the first time, and proceeded to teach me some new dance moves
• a delicious Indian food feast with some amazing neighbors
• not to mention the two surprise parties thrown by my students

It really was my best birthday yet.

Here is my birthday, part one:
Bike parade and festival.

 There I go.

 Thanks New Belgium for a great time and a free bike bell.

 Bike tire kaleidoscope.

 If you've never been to the Tour de Fat, it is quite the experience.

Glad to have family in town.

My momma.

And my dad. He's in the upper right hand corner.

And then there was this.

And this.

And the Rhymanese Twins.

It's kind of the weirdest festival ever, but pretty fun at the same time. And it's nice of them to have it on my birthday weekend every year in San Diego.