ADVENTURING WITH LUCY & KAITLYN

Time for the girls to have some camping/adventure time with us. Rancho Seco is about an hour drive from Sarah’s, and is the place we had taken Kate camping for a couple of nights about a year and a half ago. Susan and I were surprised how much Kate remembered about that trip.

We did as many activities that we could since we also had to work around remote school days and homework. First some bike riding.

These seem to be the two resident pelicans of the area. 

A little beach time never hurts ;’-).

Our program was interrupted for school each morning. Kate found her best place in the back part of the RV — called it her “nest”.

Lucy enjoyed attending her classes from the loft.

Some fishing time for Kate. She had three ‘missions’ for her day: catch a fish; catch a bird; have a snake fall into the pit she had made. No success on any of those, but she sure had fun trying for each one ;’-).  

Hot chocolate time is always a hit. 

We geared up with jackets and headlamps for a night time ride. This was one of the highlight activities for Kate when we were here before, and they both enjoyed it this time. Not many other places where you can do safe night time riding. Last time Kate saw the eyes of a raccoon, this time she saw a rabbit.

Kate begins two day a week school and today her mom picked her up for her first day back. Tha left Lucy for her solo night in the loft ;’-). Before Kate had to leave us we did some exploring.

We rode down to the entry gate where we have a good view of the deactivated nuclear power plant and the many many many solar panels on both sides of the road.

Grandma and Kate on the path to the Amanda Blake house. Remember her? Miss Kitty of ‘Gunsmoke’ fame.

Nothing is open there, but we got to take an look at the house.

This giant aloe plant (which I think is something like Agave plant) dwarfs Kate.

After Kate got picked up by Sarah, Lucy had hours more of school and homework, but we were able to get her out for at least a bit of biking, her visit to Amanda Blakes house, and for Grandma to take her fishing on her own. Grandma taught Lucy some fly fishing skills a few years ago, and it appears she has not lost all of those. Looks pretty good here.

We passed up a night time ride, instead Lucy got some solo riding with the ‘walkie talkie’ for backup in case she needed us for anything. She was happy to ride alone around the loops and over the ‘bumps’ on the trail. She had fun and that is the very important thing. 

We will be leaving here tomorrow for home, and that will be when I can actually post this entry. Here we have very little spotty phone reception  so I am not even able to use hotspot to post on the blog, or even write emails. ;’-(.  Fortunately the hotspot provided for remote school is a lot stronger and has allowed the girls to attend their school classes.

WEEK 2 MARCH RIDE PHOTOS OF THE DAY #41-44

#41 March 10, 2021

It may have been short at two miles, but was oh so fun and enjoyable to have six year old Kate lead us around her neighborhood in Elk Grove, CA. She is an accomplished rider and very good at leading us, stopping appropriately and looking both ways for any traffic. Thank you Kaitlyn. I LOVED our ride with you.

#42 March 11, 2021

If I keep this up I might get to 10 miles for the week!! Three miles around the campground at Folsom Lake with Jaydon was another grand thing to do with another of the Grands. The sun was out today and Blue sky held up a few white fluffy clouds. A bit chilly still at 57 degrees. We enjoyed our short time on our bikes and then Jaydon did the rest of his school work which was some kind of art work he had to present.  Thanks for being so interested in joining us Jaydon. Wonderful to share the day with you.

#43 March 12, 2021

Riding solo on the Jedidiah Smith Trail, which later becomes The American River Trail that the three of us will be on later, I came upon this sign. The ‘dismount’ order is normally directed at us cyclists, so I automatically got off my bike. No horses around at the moment.

#44 March 13, 2021

Our Donut Ride ;’-) with a stop to appreciate the ornamental cherry trees. What a great ride we all had together. And look at the blue blue sky ;’-).

THE GRANDS LEAD US TO DONUTS

What a fantastic day. I loved every second of it even with the few minor meltdowns that each Grand had at one point or another. At least they did not all have one at the same time. 

They know their neighborhood very well, and we got to stop a few times at playgrounds they like. 

The stable of bikes await their riders’ return.

Then there is the gathering of the riders...

Stopping to appreciated the ornamental cherry trees that line all the neighborhood streets. They are gorgeous. Here we have the family. The fantastic biking family 🥰.

Our destination for the ride —- Kacie’s Donut Shop!  Yummmmm, and we all think we earned it.

Once each Grand learned to ride a bike, I suggested the goal of each one riding their age on their birthday or at least in the month of their birthday, and they have done that every year. Lucy will turn 9 years old on March 26th. We added a little distance near the end of our planned ride and were able to beat her goal at 9.5 miles! Jaydon of course had done 12 with us at Folsom but will need to repeat that in August. And then there is Kate!! Six years old who rode 8+ miles today. I consider that quite awesome. We are so very proud of each and all of them.

THANKS FOR THE FUN DAY GRANDS. ❤️💕🚴‍♀️😍

CAMPING TIME FOR JAYDON

Kate had some one on one time with us, now it would be Jaydon’s turn ;’-). The first thing he was anxious to do was to set up his room at the top.

Happy guy in the loft with a few of his favorite things.

Arriving at the campground in the early afternoon gave us time to do at least a ride around the camp and to the lake. First Grandma does a few needed adjustments on Jaydon’s bike.

And then we are off for our short adventure.

A few of the sights along the way...

Lake sure looks low.



But there IS a lake. Our masked riders stop for a look.

The next day I rode a short while on my own and enjoyed some sights along the Jedidiah Smith Trail. Later this becomes The American River Trail and the three of us would be riding some of the trail together.

We camped at Folsom State Park just at the outside of Folsom City (of Johnny Cash fame). I didn’t get to see the prison and at first I thought the barbed wire at the top of the fence that you see in the photo was maybe it! But it was some other property forbidding entrance.

Usually when I see a dismount sign it is directed at cyclists. 



I met up with Susan and Jaydon at the Folsom bike shop where Susan was having a few things adjusted on Jaydon’s bike, and we drove to an access point for The American River Trail and the start of our adventure together.

 Interesting bridges cross the river at several places. This is one of them.

I was able to be a “road angel” (Kate says they are ‘road helpers’) two times on this day. First Susan asked this couple if they needed help and they said yes, he needed a ‘strong wrench’. I have that I happily said (I love being a road angel). He used my wrench and they were so thankful for us to stop and for the loan of the wrench which enabled him to complete his task of changing his flat tire. 

Later, on our return trip, I asked two fellows who looked troubled with one of their bikes looking torn apart if they had everything they needed.  As I slowly rolled past they yelled “no, do you have an Allen key”?.  Well, yes I do ;’-). They too were ever so grateful that I asked and that I had what they needed.

Even with Jaydon having to attend HOURS of school, we were able to fit in a nice bike ride though he felt it was a little long with a few hills to climb along the trail. He did fine but was glad it was done! The jelly beans the Susan had brought helped him get through one of his tougher times.

Portable schooling. 

I was smiling like this rock because we had a great ride today, and that Jaydon was sharing it with us. ;’-)

TRIPPIN’ TO SEE THE GRANDS

Both of us having gotten our second vax with the appropriate afterward wait time of two weeks, Susan and I feel safe to visit the Grands and family in California. YAY!!!

So off we went on Monday for the two day drive to sunny California. Except we left home with sun due for much of the week and arrived into California through this...

We were a little more than two hours from our destination and crossing the Siskiyou Pass when the snow hit us. Once over the pass there was no more snow, but plenty of dark sky and some rain. 

It was all worth it for the hugs and screams of delight once we reached their house. 🎉🎉💕❤️. We jumped up and down at each other, squealed a little and finally hugged! We have not seen this family for over year!!! So very hard to believe and so much warmth for the heart to hug each one: Sarah & Jeremy, Jaydon, Lucy, and Kate.

Next morning we woke to rain and a bit of cloudy weather (just like we left at home but warmer) and were not sure if we could carry out our plan for the Grands to take us on a bike ride to the Donut shop.

As it turns out, we will postpone our donut ride to Saturday as today (Wednesday) just did not work out for that ride. All was not lost however as we had a Tour d’Playground led by 6 year old Kate.

As the two older Grands worked on their after school projects Kate took us for a ride around the neighborhood, stopping for some Kate-time at the playground. 

Some nice one on one time with Kate before arriving home not long before the rain came. Rain here does not last the whole day as it often does at home, but we were done and it became ‘kids time’ to play together in the afternoon.

Tomorrow we will take Jaydon for a one night camping adventure so I will have more to share about another of the three Grands.

WEEK 1 MARCH RIDES & PHOTOS #37-40

#37 March 1, 2021

What a difference from yesterday for myself. I rode a lot longer and enjoyed more than the shorter ride yesterday. I stayed in our general neighborhood and did my “monthly” ride-by of The Stump.

I do not have a photo of the St. Pat’s Stump from last year, so nothing to compare it to. They never let me down with their bright and entertaining stump decoration.

A good day on my bike and I was happy to see my friends Forrest and wife on their walk. I hadn’t seen them for a while and was hoping they were fine and they are.

#38 March 3, 2021

Sunshine oh my ;’-)

Yesterday I just could not get myself to continue riding in even the light rain that was falling. I rode a mile from home and sent a text to Cindy to bail out of our planned ride for the day. We have each been riding days on end in cold, grey, damp weather. Neither of us was willing to do it on this day, especially with the rain actually falling!

Today was so different 🤗. Cindy and I each had our own ride scheduled for today and will do our together ride tomorrow. My solo ride in sun was oh so nice. It is a bit of a hilly route from home, through Mukilteo and to the south edge of Everett before leading through the Boeing Plant. It is on my routes-from-home choices, but I haven’t done it in a while. Always a treat to do something that seems almost like new ;’-) — at least a little different 😉.

I found a fence (you will recall that love fences) for my photo for the day.

#39 March 4, 2021

I have posted about this day riding up in Skagit with Cindy, so there is not much else to say here. I saved one photo from the day to post as my photo of the day. It was a most difficult decision, especially since I would be doing two posts 😏.

Kind of a stellar day except to all that headwind!

#40 March 6, 2021

A simple selfie unexpectedly found on a brief ride around home. The Boars Head truck had shiny hubs.

I fit this brief mid morning ride in between preparing for our trip down to see the California family! Three Grands, here we come. We will be leaving the day after tomorrow (Monday) and be gone for about two weeks. Hopefully some bike riding in sun and WARMTH is on the agenda ;’-).

A WINDY SKAGIT FLATS RIDE WITH CINDY

MARCH 4, 2021

Today is the day that Cindy and I chose to make up our missed ride from Tuesday. And what a great day we had.

I drove up to meet Cindy at the red barn in Conway where we would begin our meander around the Skagit Flats. It might be flat, but often there is a big wind to battle. We battled it this day ;’-0.

Many times we have each ridden in this area and have seen the snow geese gathered in distant fields. Neither of us has seen them so close up and flying endlessly, landing wherever their pod was huddled. I don’t think they got their name this way, but from a distance the flock of geese gathered in the fields look like snow covering the ground. That’s Mount Bake in the background of this photo.

 

When one decides to move to another patch of ground, they all go. (Enlarge this photo to get the full effect).

In addition to the Snow Geese, there are Trumpeter Swans that frequent the area at this time of year. Those too have been admired from a distance. Today we got a close up view/visit with a few of them.

It seemed we were to battle headwind no matter which direction we were pedaling, but the sky was mostly blue with high, light clouds, and no rain ;’-).

This old barn is always interesting to stop to look at and to admire that at 125 years old, it still stands and is used.

I never tire of stopping to admire this lemonade stand. It is such a classic and the old bike leaning there makes it even more nostalgic. 

Riding out in the country side, seeing the birds and the various farm animals, appreciating all the tumble down out buildings as well as the newer farm buildings, and having a picnic lunch at the wildlife station made it feel like we were much further from home. What an enjoyable time on our bikes today. And as we approached home, it began to rain, and continued for the remainder of the day. Timing is everything. 😊🚴‍♀️