Oh, the humanity

From today’s Los Angeles Times coverage of the Southern California wildfires:

Rod Percival, 46, coasted his mountain bike down Las Flores Canyon Road, his dog Ayla skittering behind him. Like many residents, Percival and his wife had refused to leave Malibu. Late Tuesday morning, he used his trusty bike to take stock, as best as he could, of the fire danger.

A neighbor, Bruce Bolander, 43, asked Percival how things looked.

“We’re safe. I’ve just ridden around the entire canyon,” Percival responded. “The fire’s out.”

Bolander asked his friend if he thought there was any way to sneak his wife Bonny passed the sheriff’s barricade. She was at Duke’s, a popular restaurant down on PCH.

“Is she prepared to walk?” Percival asked, not conveying much optimism.

Bolander muttered an expletive.

Percival himself wanted to go down to PCH, but knew that if he did so, he would not be let back in.

“I need some beer. I’m out of beer,” Percival joked. “This is terrible.”

About Patrick O'Grady

Making stuff up for money since 1977. Making stuff up about cycling for money since 1989. See VeloNews and Bicycle Retailer & Industry News, found crumpled near the crapper in stylish homes and pro bike shops worldwide.

4 Replies to “Oh, the humanity”

  1. Fuck. At least there isn’t any people living where most of our fires were. It’s too bad it takes so many firefighters (who could be doing as there name describes) to enforce these roadblocks. . .

  2. Being out of beer is no joke.

    As far as the rad blocks; isnt that the job of the National Guard??