Our first three days in Elk Grove gave me opportunity to ride each day, and I plan to do that for the next few days as well. Depending on the rides, the photo ops and potential stories, I may post those again. But to not make this post too terribly long, these will do it for now. The Grands come home on Sunday and we we be taking them for a three day camp out on Tuesday. Sarah is doing fine and is happy for us to be here during her R&R time.
The Grands are in Alaska with Jeremy for some visit time with Granny and Papa Paul. Sarah has had surgery and is at home recuperating from that. Susan and I arrived to be able to attend to Sarah as she needs. I have had a bike ride everyday around the Elk Grove area ;’-). This post is mainly of some random photos I took on my variety of rides.
I road into Old Town Elk Grove for peek. Small town with not much there. I had hoped for a tea stop or something, especially with the name “Old Town”, but there was no place there.
As I rode back, I wheeled through a park with interesting display.
The route I took to ‘the Delta’ was a country kind of ride on mostly quiet roads along a river.
This river is being eaten by the encroaching plant life of some kind. The river continues to flow but does seem to be going under that plant life. It looks as if soon there may not be a river there.
There are orchards and vineyards and corn fields oh my.
And there was a lot of headwind. Or cross wind. But almost no tailwind no matter where I turned.
Pears to the left of me, pears to the right of me…
Surprisingly I came across this Mexican cafe and decided I was a bit hungry, thirsty for a cold one, and in need of a rest stop.
I waited for my quesadilla at the outside table with my cold drink. These serendipitous finds always seem like an oasis to me.
A gas station nearby the cafe has seen its day. Must have been a busier time for the area back in the day.
On another day I found a similar route but with a few different roads involved so chose to visit basically the same area again. On this day — I forgot my water!!! I had put my camel back into the garage fridge to get it cooler the night before, with hopes the coolness would last longer than it had the previous day. That is where the camel back stayed for the day.
Marian was my savior. The route has no, none, not one cafe, convenience store, or gas station that could offer a water stop. I started searching for a friendly house. Houses, friendly or not, are also scarce on this route. Finally I spotted two people hovered over a 5th wheel RV and knew they would be the ones! As I rolled up along their gravel driveway and they looked up at me, I barely got out the word ‘water’ and Marian was dashing into her garage/breezeway/patio and returning with two bottles of cold water. We chatted for at least 10 minutes and she was concerned that I was riding so far out in the world alone! When I told her I was from Seattle and that we were visiting family she asked (seriously) “they let you out here?”. She made sure I had my cell phone, that it was fully charged, that I had a map, and then went back to fetch two more bottles of cold water to give me. She said on my return trip, to stop again if I needed water, and if she was not there, just go in to the fridge around the corner there and take some. I so wanted a photo of Marian but knew she would not want me to take a picture of her with curlers in her short gray hair, wearing a faded shapeless tee shirt so I didn’t even ask. I didn’t know people still used curlers like that ;’-0.
I am so glad that I forgot that water bladder or I would never have had the pleasant experience of meeting and chatting with Marian whose sister in Massachusetts is named Nancy ;’-).
The newly found water meant that I would need to release some of it! Where would I find a place! Magically appeared this in a deserted area..
Apparently the vineyard workers had a day off and fortunately left this door unlocked.
There was a hand washing area as well but no water. Since I carry my own sanitizer, I did not try theirs.
Along that river I saw the same egret I had seen the previous day but had not been quick enough to get a photo before it took flight. I stayed further away before reaching for my camera this time.
Time to head home. As I neared the end of my route I found a few things to catch my interest.
My camel back was still safe when I got home.
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