Cruzing round my 'hood

I would just like to say this: Santa Cruz is a beautiful place. It's bank holiday weekend here (it being Martin Luther King Jr's birthday today) so I've taken time to really explore the place. In the last 2 days I've cycled around virtually the whole city - hills, suburbs, downtown, beaches, east side, west side, up the river - you name it! We're in the high 20s celsius here, and everyone's out in their shorts and shades and bikinis, on their bikes, boards or boats. The waves have been pumping, too. I get the feeling that when all this is happening, plus the general mood of anticipation on the eve of President Obama's inauguration, the soul of this place comes out. I haven't been going anywhere or doing anything in particular - just happy to idle along and people watching, happy to be out in the sunshine, going fast down hills and trying to avoid the uphills. People washing their cars or playing basketball in the street, kids on their skateboards hanging out and trying to be as cool as they possibly can, old dudes catching some rays, hippies sitting asking for money or conversation. Nothing you wouldn't expect - except, you almost get the feeling that 'laid back' was invented here, you know - everyone's jazzed.