The Blackboard
(June 2004)

 “Adios Bako”
By Ron Jones, MS 

Well my Bako friends, it is time to say adios and happy trails.  I have been writing monthly health and fitness articles for the Blackboard since June 2002.  I have enjoyed writing for everyone, and I hope you have found something useful in my articles that helped you to improve your health and our community.  June 2004 will be my last regular features for the Blackboard.  By the time you read this I’ll be in Atlanta, Georgia sipping a mint julep in the middle of a forest.  I have decided to relocate just east of Atlanta in Gwinnett County.  Why?  Health.  No more, no less.  We basically have the worst air in the United States—I simply do not want to live here risking my health for another day, week, month, or year or risk the health of my wife and infant twins.  Metro Atlanta’s air is bad too but still much better than Bako.  I’ll be living about 35 minutes outside of the inner city area, so the air will be excellent compared to here. 

In addition to bad air, there has been a disturbing shift in Bakersfield the last five years that I refuse to accept.  I have been quite upset and critical about the increasing amounts of vandalism, gang graffiti, and gang violence that seem to be just accepted as “normal” in our community.  Gangs and their graffiti is NOT normal and should NOT be acceptable!  It makes our city look like crap and a dangerous and unhealthy place to live, work, and raise a family.  I for one do not have to accept this apathetic mentality that condones such inappropriate behaviors.  In Atlanta where I’m going to live you can’t even find graffiti and vandalism.  I looked in the parks, schools, and businesses.  I even examined the metro subway and rail stations but NO graffiti! The place is clean!  The establishments remind me more of hospitals instead of dumps and slums.  Additionally, Atlanta is a hot spot for corporate business and high-performance sport training.  I expect to do well in Atlanta and be able to raise my 10 month old twins with my wife in a healthier and safer environment. 

I will leave my best work in Bakersfield along with wonderful friends and some family, but more is yet to come in Atlanta.  Don’t let the mint julep fool you.  I’m going to Atlanta to accelerate my high-performance health and fitness programs—not kick back and fade away.  If you are ever in Atlanta, look me up so we can run up to the top of Stone Mountain which will be one of my local hangouts for training.  Happy trails Bako.  I urge those that want to stay here to fight the insidious gang problems and unplanned development that threatens to ruin the remaining quality of life and health of those living in Bakersfield.  Do your absolute best to stay fit, stay strong…and above all…to keep movin’!  See y’all in Atlanta!

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