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Some of these songs bring the artist's career full-circle, while others tell a haunting story of a life cut short. Continue reading…

Escaped Nazis can live into their 90s in Argentina, but children can leave us in one tragic instant. When we ask ourselves how and why such things occur, we inevitably find no wisdom of our own. Instead, the question itself shifts our attention toward God, and in that shifting of...

Grant Park provides a great view of downtown Ventura and the Gold Coast. (Photos by the author.) Throughout its 50-year history, Rider’s editorial offices have been based in the vicinity of Ventura County, California, which is northwest of Los Angeles and nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the mountains of Los Padres National Forest – an ideal location that provides us with year-round riding and world-class motorcycle roads. Scan QR code above or click here to view the route on REVER One of my favorite local rides is a 150-mile loop that starts in downtown Ventura at San Buenaventura City Hall, a stately 112-year-old building that looks straight down California Street to the famous “C Street” surf break. The first stop is at Grant Park, which is situated in the hillsides above city hall and provides sweeping views of the city, the coast, and, on a clear day, Channel Islands National Park. The ride continues east along the coastal mountain foothills to Santa Paula, an agricultural town in the Santa Clara Valley. Overlooking the runway at Santa Paula Airport is Flight 126 Cafe, a nobody-is-a-stranger diner that serves hearty portions for breakfast and lunch. “The Warning” statue in Santa Paula memorializes two heroic police officers. Riding north on 10th Street (State Route 150), on the right is “The Warning,” a bronze statue that memorializes two police officers who rode through the city’s streets in the middle of the night on March 13, 1928, alerting residents to evacuate. Miles upstream, the St. Francis Dam had collapsed just before midnight, and a wall of water was headed down the valley to the ocean. More than 400 people perished in the disaster, but many were saved by the officers’ heroic efforts. SR-150 continues north into Santa Paula Canyon, passing Thomas Acquinas College and climbing graceful curves to the Upper Ojai Valley. At the top, The Summit Drive-In is a great place to stop for a milkshake (peanut butter is my favorite). After a leisurely ride past horse farms and ranches, there is a fun series of curves on Dennison Grade as it descends into Ojai Valley. The Topatopa Mountains stand guard over Dennison Grade as it descends into Ventura County’s Ojai Valley. Ojai is a quaint mountain town that some Hollywood A-listers call home. A string of shops, restaurants, and tasting rooms along Ojai Avenue make it a popular weekend destination. As SR-150 continues west through town, it joins with State Route 33. For a much longer ride, follow SR-33 north into Los Padres National Forest to enjoy one of the best motorcycling roads in Southern California. This ride stays on SR-150, turning west on Baldwin Road, crossing the Ventura River, winding around the mountainous northern side of Lake Casitas, and working its way through the coastal mountains, passing through avocado farms and over Casitas Pass. After crossing into Santa Barabara County, a right turn on SR-192 follows a curving path between farms, nurseries, and ranches. Cold Spring Tavern began operating as a stagecoach stop in 1868. It’s a popular motorcycle gathering spot on weekends and serves a mean tri-tip sandwich. Veering right to stay on SR-192, after a few dips and curves there’s a sign for Toro Canyon Park, a great place to stretch your legs and use the public restroom. SR-192 becomes a leafy-green artery through Montecito, where the richest of the rich Santa Barbarans live. A right on Hot Springs Road and a left on East Mountain Drive puts you on a twisting foothill road that winds in and out of numerous canyons and past mansions hidden behind walls and gates. Rising as high as 4,000 feet above Santa Barbara, East Camino Cielo offers a bird’s eye view of the coastal city, the Pacific Ocean, and – along the horizon – the Channel Islands. A right on El Cielito Road and another on Gibraltar Road begins a steep, curvaceous climb into the mountains of Los Padres National Forest. Eventually you top out on East Camino Cielo (“Sky Road” in Spanish), which follows the ridgeline for 11 miles to the junction with State Route 154 at San Marcos Pass. This is a slow-going scenic road that crests at 4,000 feet above sea level, with the mountains falling away steeply to the Santa Ynez Valley to the north and the Santa Barbara coast to the south. See all of Rider‘s California tour stories here. Turn right on SR-154 and enjoy smooth, gracefully curving pavement on the descent into Santa Ynez Valley. After crossing the Cold Spring Canyon Arch Bridge, turn right on Paradise Road and then right again on Stagecoach Road to Cold Spring Tavern, a former stagecoach stop that is now a restaurant and bar with excellent food. Indigenous art at Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park. Returning to East Camino Cielo, enjoy a few tight curves through the trees in the opposite direction before turning right on Painted Cave Road. This narrow, rough road has some tight, 1st-gear switchbacks, so proceed with care. After two hairpins under a dark canopy of trees, stop at the Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park. Peek through the protective bars to see multicolored cave paintings created by the area’s original inhabitants. Beachside parking on the Pacific Coast Highway (State Route 1). The road descends steeply with more sharp hairpins. Cross SR-154 and continue descending on San Marcos Road with yet more hairpins. Turn left on Cathedral Oaks Road (SR-192) and follow it through the foothills and canyons of Santa Barbara back to Montecito, then hop on U.S. Route 101 and follow it along the coast back to Ventura. Exit at Seacliff and follow State Route 1 for a slower, more relaxed cruise with plenty of places to stop to watch surfers or walk along the beach. See all of Rider‘s touring stories here. Ventura to Santa Barbara, California Motorcycle Ride Resources Ventura County Coast Tourism Ventura Tourism Ojai Tourism Santa Barbara Tourism Flight 126 Cafe The Summit Drive-In Cold Spring Tavern Chumash Painted Cave State Historic Park The post Ventura to Santa Barbara California Motorcycle Ride | Favorite Ride appeared first on Rider Magazine.

Yesterday, the big news is the RFK, Jr. was “suspending” his campaign or “ending” his campaign or “dropping out”. None is quite accurate. In fact, what he’s doing is much more nuanced. He’s only removing his name from the ballot in 10 battleground states: The buried lede of the day: RFK is pulling out of red states and swing states, while remaining on the ballot in Blue states. — Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) August 24, 2024 Even Charlie Kirk gets it partially wrong in this Tweet above. He’s not remaining on the ballot in blue states….but in blue AND red states! He is only taking his name off the ballot in 10 extremely close “battleground states”: Wow. RFK Jr endorsed Trump and removed his name from the ballot in 10 swing states!! He also spoke truth about the DNC and Democrat Party. “The party of war, censorship, corruption, big Pharma, big tech, and big money..” Boom! #RFKJr pic.twitter.com/eTvYFovhu3 — The Biz Doc (@TomEllsworth) August 23, 2024 CNN has the following explanation: Kennedy insisted that he was not ending his campaign, but he noted that he will withdraw his name from appearing on ballots in swing states. “My name will remain on the ballot in most states. If you live in a blue state, you can vote for me without harming — or helping — President Trump or Vice President Harris. In red states, the same will apply,” he said. “… But, in about 10 battleground states, where my presence would be a spoiler, I’m going to remove my name, and I’ve already started that process and urge voters not to vote for me.” He also said that he believed he could end up in the White House if there is a contingent election, which would take place if neither of the major party candidates received the 270 votes necessary to win the election. It’s a fascinating choice and something that is raising a lot of eyebrows. But make no mistake, this is clearly designed to help President Trump. Here’s how it could shift the balance of power in those critical 10 swing states: RFK Jr. dropping out and campaigning for Trump is a huge deal. Yes, huge. It could literally swing the election. pic.twitter.com/3k9zppT1T3 — End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) August 23, 2024 This could literally shift the entire election: CNN’s Erin Burnett reacts to RFK’s endorsement of Trump: “The latest swing state polls show Kennedy with 5 or 6 percent of the vote. Now you might say, that’s not a big deal… Actually, if that’s the case, it is HUGE — it is everything” pic.twitter.com/773wMXdjqG — johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) August 23, 2024 And in case anyone was confused or thought this was bad for Trump, just look at all the very upset Kamala Harris supporters and you’ll know who this benefits: I don’t understand how RFKjr can suspend his campaign and pull his name from just the swing states, but not everywhere else. I feel like if you suspend your name should be gone from all ballots. If people really want you they’ll write in smh #HarrisWalz24 — Tami Thee Jay (@TamiiJay) August 24, 2024 Fox News had more details: CNN anchor Erin Burnett had a message for naysayers who are shrugging off former President Trump’s “huge” endorsement from former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kennedy rocked the political landscape on Friday by announcing he was suspending his campaign and backing the Republican nominee despite having been a lifelong Democrat. “The latest swing state polls show Kennedy with five or six percent of the vote,” Burnett told viewers Friday evening. “And so, when you think about it overall, and they say ‘Well, that’s not a big deal.’ Actually, if that is the case in swing states, it is huge. It is everything. It is more than the margin between Harris and Trump in some of those same states,” she added. Burnett cited a recent New York Times/Siena College poll showing Kennedy with 6% support in Arizona and Nevada and 5% in Michigan, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Kennedy joined Trump at a rally in Glendale, Arizona, where the former candidate received a hero’s welcome. Kennedy, the nephew of President John F. Kennedy and son of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, both of whom were assassinated, initially launched his presidential bid as a Democrat in a primary challenge to President Biden. But later he sought an independent run after being pushed out by the party. His endorsement of Trump threw a wrench in the news cycle that was previously dominated by Vice President Kamala Harris officially accepting the Democratic nomination at the DNC convention in Chicago just one month after Biden withdrew from the race. Great analysis here by MJTruth: RFK Jr Says He is NOT Terminating his Campaign, Only Suspending it in 10 Battleground States in Order Benefit Donald Trump In a nutshell… RFK is staying on the ballot in states where his presence hurts Kamala Harris and removing himself from states where it hurts Trump. “By… pic.twitter.com/SyTt4VBKum — MJTruthUltra (@MJTruthUltra) August 23, 2024 RFK Jr Says He is NOT Terminating his Campaign, Only Suspending it in 10 Battleground States in Order Benefit Donald Trump In a nutshell… RFK is staying on the ballot in states where his presence hurts Kamala Harris and removing himself from states where it hurts Trump. “By staying on the ballot in key battleground states, he would likely hand the election over to democrats..” This is is absolutely brilliant! But this announcement revealed something very important… The 10 battleground states will be the states ripe with most fraud. I’m eager to learn which states he drops out in. He also said that Trump and Harris could end up in an Electoral tie, resulting in him becoming president.