The alarm went off at 9:00am, and my heart lept out of my chest. I hate that alarm clock. I reluctantly got out of bed and slammed my fist down on the snooze bar. I stood there for a moment quietly contemplating whether or not to stay up or go back to bed. With a sigh I turned the alarm off and began my day.

After breakfast and a shower I rode my bike to school. It was already 85 degrees at 9:30am. Shit. I’m still not used to this weather. I grew up in the Bay Area and lived in Long Beach for 10 years. This 100 degrees every day for six months bullshit isn’t something I’m ever going to like. By the time I got to school I was even more hot; and I was thirsty.

I stopped off at the waystation and bought two liters of bottled water. I walked outside and guzzled the first one, then put the second one in my book bag. I went to class.

My three classes today were awesome. I sat in the back of the room and talked to my favorite girls. We laughed and made plans for lunch. I felt pretty good.

We went to Kona’s and bought a couple of sammiches; then took them down to the amphitheater by the creek. We sat in the sun–it was 95 degrees–and talked. I love my two blonde surfer girls from SoCal. I’m really going to miss them when we’ve all graduated and gone our seperate ways.

After school I rode my bike home in the sweltering heat. I took careful notice of the greenery turning not-so-green. Summer is almost here. The heat is certainly here… soon everything will be brown and dead. I rode hard the rest of the way, and my heart was pounding by the time I got home.

Holy shit my apartment is an oven. It had to have been 110 in there. I changed into my gym clothes quickly and raced off to Chico Sports Club. Today was my heavy lifting day–all upper body. Heavy weights, low reps. I’m trying to build muscle. So far, after 3 weeks back in the gym, I can tell the difference. I did my 30 minutes on the treadmill, drank my gallon of water, and drove home.

After a small meal of tri-tip and rice I grabbed my golf clubs and headed off to the driving range. I hit the jumbo bucket (125 balls) and took my time. There was a class there of young ladies learning how to play. One of the girls was giving me the eye and smiling from ear to ear. I smiled back and finished up.

By now it was 6pm and the temperature was still in the mid 90s. I bought a big ol’ can of Coors Light and drove five minutes up the road to my favorite spot by the river. I jumped in–beer and clothes and all–and immediately cooled off. I carefully waded over to “the spot”. There is a rock formation underwater that resembles a lawn chair. I can sit comfortably, lean back, and let the cool water flow over my shoulders, torso and legs. As I sipped my beer I watched all the cute girls float down the river in their innertubes. I soaked until my beer was gone, then I drove home.

Back at the apartment I started the charcoal and made some patties out of the ground beef I bought at the local market. I sat outside and watched the sun set, eating my burger and sipping a beer.

What a fantastic day! I love this town. I’m really going to miss it.