ON THE ROAD JUNE/JULY 2021 SIDE TRIP TO NAPA

It was a short day trip but we very much enjoyed the drive and a brief time in Napa. Sarah and family had other obligations for much of the day so we took off for some sight seeing. We took little to no photos, but here I am in the middle of Napa with the church steeple in the back ground.

Strolling a bit along the downtown street, stopping only in one bookstore where I found a pair of knee socks (;’-)) and no books we needed, and a visit to the information center were our only real activities in town. At the information center we learned about Mare Isalnd and took the drive there before heading home.

This island is where the first naval station was built on the Pacific Coast. As with most places from the past that I visit, I get quite a clear image in my mind about how it was back then. Here I could imagine the ships docking and the sailors hopping off their ship and heading into town.

The once bustling and busy shipyard is now a huge property with broken empty buildings. All empty except for the Brewery that found its way there— Mare Island Brewing Company.

I suppose this was a lifeboat back in the day. 



We strolled around the docks for a bit, saw a couple of artists painting a mural, purchased a four pack to take home to share, and headed home. Not a good photo of me, but at least a look at the dock area. Behind me is the brewery.

Artists at work.



They enjoyed the beer, I am happy with my new knee socks ;’-)

ON THE ROAD JUNE/JULY 2021 — SOTF AT BIG TREES

Susan and I had a very enjoyable camping outing with the California Sisters on the Fly.

We had planned this outing a few months ago, signing up for the Grandma and Grandkids camping adventure. There may have been about 20 women to join and at least half of them had a grandchild with them. Sadly, ours could not make it as they all got sick!! They had spent the week before in Alaska with Jeremy and his family, all caught some bug there, on the way home, or shortly after getting home. So we were Grandless.

Our time in the Sequoia Forest was educational as well as fun. The trail took us on a 2 mile walk with identifying pamphlet of what we were seeing. I learned a lot, which I will forget all too soon, but one thing for sure that I will remember is that the Redwoods are the tallest trees, the Sequoias are the largest trees.

They are large enough to have made a dance floor of the trunk. Here there was a wedding taking place on that dance floor.

Here is part of the upper half of that trunk.



Somewhere around 1850 a group about destroyed one of these beautiful old trees. I hope you can enlarge this photo enough to read a bit about it.

Mother of the Forest…

On our second day, as the other Grandmas with their Grands participated in kid happy activities, Susan and I packed up for a drive to find some fishing possibilities. 

We had a great and big campsite with lots of trees that shaded us for much of the day.

Not much in fishing opportunity, but the scenery was nice.

The California SOTF group were very welcoming, inclusive and fun. We had a great time and now it was time to head back to Sarah’s. 

A NIGHT AT THE INN

Well, two nights at the inn.

As you know by now, Jeremy and the Grands were in Alaska for a week to visit with his parents. They got home yesterday with some sickness — throwing up, coughing, stuffy nose, etc.. After much discussion and phone conversations back and forth, for our safety, Sarah got a room for the three of us — Sarah, Susan and me — at the Holiday Inn. We are here two nights and on Tuesday (tomorrow as I write this) Sarah will go home to her family and Susan and I will be driving to the camp outing at Big Trees State Park, about 100 miles from Sarah’s house. The question remains, will any of the Grands be accompanying us. That is yet to be decided. 

In the mean time I continue to get in some riding. There is little to say about the rides except how much I have enjoyed them, so this post will mainly have photos.

One of the rides took me past an ostrich farm. I had passed it several times on different rides and now thought I needed a photo.

A few people (my loyal readers) have asked about the surrounding areas. Outside of Elk Grove community which is green, well tended and with fairly new homes, we have lots of this..

To the right of me…

And to the left of me..

Once on the Levee, there is the lovely river that I have ridden along for most of my rides. This is the area where there are orchards, vineyards and corn fields that I have shown earlier.

I saw this treasure along the route…

Then this little memorial thing showed up, and of course I cannot read the sentiment so have no idea.

Today was a very different ride. I chose one that would keep me within the boundaries of town rather than drift out into the countryside again. It was a gem of a route and felt like I was on a ride with Cindy meandering around Mill Creek back home. Ambled through several different neighborhoods, along many of the many many parks around here, and even got onto a couple of paved trails in town. The traffic was light and the route took me on only two main highways for just a short way. It was a delight.

These cuties were at one of the parks. Mama with baby…

…and Papa kept on alert.

I had to stop in the middle of a diamond…

That is it for now and I wanted to get this posted as I do not know if there will be any way of doing that at our camp outing. I have no time to proof read this so there may be oodles of mistakes. I will publish now and proof read later ;’-)

ON THE ROAD JUNE/JULY 2021 CALIFORNIA (ELK GROVE)

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.