I’D LIKE TO RIDE MY BIKE TO CONCRETE

Our second day here at Rasar brought full sun and a gorgeous day. We would ride the Cascade Trail to Concrete, as we normally do when we are up here.

Beautiful day. The trail is not as smooth and debris free as this photo makes it look. It is just OK for riding. It takes work and attention to avoid some larger rocks, pot holes, limbs and branches along the way which makes us even more slow.  Looking behind us…

T

And looking in the direction we are going…

You can look back at my June post and see much more and some same about this adventure. We were here on June 29 and my post was amongst the June 30 collection of adventures - near the end. Here we come to a warning but decide to check it out. 

The trail was closed here last June as well, but we were almost sure they must have repaired it. But no, there is still a big washout dividing the trail. Not clear here, but photos from last June show more. 

This time, being much colder, we chose to not walk across the small board and get our feet wet, so this was a turn around point. Of course Susan had spotted a trail just behind us that led down to the highway, and HAD to take me on it. You see here that at am not too happy about walking down this steepish grade of slippery leaves and some muck. But we made it and avoided backtracking on the trail.

Once on the highway we each had a photo in mind. Susan focused more on the craggy mountains, I was focusing more on the Concrete sign. So betwixt us both you see, we got ‘em both.

The famous Concrete .. furnaces?

Last June we happened upon the Senior Center free lunch. Checking it out, the staff person encouraged us to come and eat with them as they needed more “numbers” of people for their rolls. So we did, but were sure to not eat free as we gave a healthy donation. This time she (wish we had gotten her name) remembered us, welcomed us heartily and recalled quite a bit about us. 

The Bar B-Q lunch was hardy and good. We left our healthy donation as a thank you and in hopes it would be of some help for this little town with the open heart.

On our return ride to camp we continued more on the highway that has a nice wide shoulder and not too much traffic at this time of year with the pass not yet open, though the traffic is fast! Getting back on the trail for just a short distance reminded us of how slow (esp for me) we advance on such terrain. It had been a full, beautiful day and a nice way to finish up this adventure. We will return home tomorrow after one more night peacefully sleeping in the trees that surround our campsite.

I’D LOVE TO RIDE SOMEWHERE DIFFERENT…

The theme for my ride 365 life site challenge for MARCH is I’D (for IDES of March, get it?). This is my entry for now.

I am fortunate to have about 5 different routes from home and can adapt and adjust those for a little more variation. I appreciate this but I have ridden, and continue to ride them all and a change is always welcome, and sought after. I got a change this week ;’-).

Susan and I drove up to Rasar State Park which is only about 50 miles north of us in the next county (Skagit) for some overnight camping and some bike riding. On our first day we rode a route that we have done at least 3 other times. We never tire of it because we don’t do it that often, the rural roads have  very low traffic, it is somewhat in the “country”, and it is a flat route that begs for taking your time to enjoy the views, the fresh air, and the countryside.

Starting from the campground we immediately came upon the remnants of snow fall they have had up here.

The route takes us along the Skagit river for a bit and I always love the views.

Part of the route is on unpaved trail which, except for one rocky part, is hard packed enough to not feel treacherous (most unpaved trails feel treacherous to me as I am a wimp). Here I stopped for a photo.

This photo - of the vines and brush swallowing an old vehicle.

I know we have crossed this bridge on the trail each time we have ridden it, but this is the first time I have noticed the bottle cap “design”.

The mountains were out and, though there is no photo of it, we were being chased home by some very dark, rain laden clouds in the near distance. We were fortunately turning away from that direction and did speed up a bit 🙄 to out run the rain. We were successful except for Susan feeling 2 (two) raindrops.

Neither of our two major highlights for the day lent themselves for a photo as they happened too fast and too unexpectedly:

-A small gaggle of four trumpeter swans flew overhead showing their elongated necks and honking their song. A sight I would have loved a photo of, but enjoyed and will remember just the same.

-A workman stopped us on the return trail while they felled a huge tree in front of us. The tall leafless tree fell with an explosive BOOM of limbs cracking and scattering on the ground. An excavator removed the big limbs from the trail to open the path for us. It was quite amazing.

New Bike!!!!

I looked back at some past correspondence with Bike Friday and see that I have had this bike for 20 years. It is my second BF as Susan and I both had traded our 4 year old ones for newer models. We are long time Bike Friday owners/riders. About 5 years ago we had these current Bike Fridays converted to Pedal Assist eBikes at the Bike Friday factory in Eugene Oregon (also where we had bought them).

Here she is, my long time friend. I will not be giving her away or anything because — well, you know we all need at least one back up bike. So this is not a true farewell. 

My BF has served me well but I have truly ridden into the ground and I have felt the need and desire to get a new bike. I have had my eyes out for something to pop up that I would like, and that is available in the U.S.  I know that I do not need to justify buying a new bike after 20 years of riding this one, but …I do have some reasons why I have been longing for one. Though I keep taking my bike in for all the maintenance work, and had a pricey overhaul done at Bike Friday, there are things that are not only not perfect, but a real pain, and never seem to get “fixed” right. My gears slip, my gear shift has become very hard to use, there are rattles and shakes that are annoying, my battery sometimes cuts out briefly and with no warning. I know all these things can be tended to and some changed, but THAT is what I have been doing, and there is now new technology that has been developed over these years (disc brakes to name one). Also, being a front wheel drive (motor in the front wheel), my bike is sluggish on the uphills and I know there will be quite a difference with a mid drive (motor at the crank). Time for a new bike I say!

The Tern Vektro S10 makes its appearance. Two of them of course.

All along, while moaning, complaining being very vocal that I NEED a new bike, Susan has not shown an interest of needing (wanting) one herself. THEN we found these folding TERN pedal assist bikes that had EVERYTHING we could wish for — Including an easier fold than the BF. That brought Susan right around and we both ordered new bikes.

OK, so these are rather (very) high priced bikes. At this stage in my life I can get anything I wish, and even Susan agrees that the amount of riding I do “deserves” a new bike. The day will come when I can no longer ride my bike. Today is NOT that day ;’-).

There is no day to compare to a new Bike Day!!!!! We picked them up yesterday evening — while it was snowing — and hoped for our maiden test ride today. We waited out the morning freeze (25 is too cold to ride) and were able to get out together for an early afternoon (in 36 degrees) short spin of the neighborhood. Turns out that not only do we NOT have buyers remorse, but we are in LOVE with our bikes.

These sisters will remain in the stable side by side for use at any chosen time.

Can’t wait for another, longer, ride as soon as weather will alllow. 

PHASE 2 CALIFORNIA AND TO HOME

Jeremy had some days off from work, and having purchased an annual pass for Universal Studios, he took the girls for some fun there for a couple of days. We stayed at Sarah’s those days before driving on south for a visit wth new friends. Before leaving Elk Grove, I did get in one more ride. 

The map and directions said it would be about 37 miles. On flat terrain, that is not at all too much for me on my pedal assist. First through a bit of town, I came to a couple of sculptures of interest on the grounds of the Civic Center.

I have no idea really of what this is representing or depicting, but it is interesting.

I like this one a lot more.



Moving on out into the country side again, I loved being in the orchards and vineyards as I made my way to the halfway point of Walnut Grove. 

Being Valentine’s month, I could not pass up a Heart!

The ride from here became a bit less enjoyable as it took me on at least 10 miles along a busy fast paced road with NO shoulder. The traffic was intermittent and did seem cautious of me, but still when the cars did come, they passed me at high speed. It was bit stressful. Once off that road which seemed endless, I hit some good headwind to battle for the remainder of my 42 (not 37)  mile ride. I was bushed by the time I got home.

On the drive south to visit our friends we stopped for a night of camping and dinner in the seaside town of Capitola.

 The recent storms have taken a big toll on this cute surfing town.

Lots of surfers frequent the town and there is evidence that it is a popular spot for them.

Lawn Alley is lined with rental cottages.



The sandbags show evidence of storm preparation.

The beach is beautiful of course, but there is definitely evidence of storm damage.

It was now time to continue our drive south.

We had met Barb and Penelope at a Pleasure Way (maker of our RV van) camping event in Oregon last year and struck up a friendship. They live in Central California and we drove down to visit with them for a few days. Their lovely home is directly across from the ocean.

They welcomed us with our first night’s dinner on their balcony. 

We had a lovely time reconnecting and watching the beautiful sunset over the Pacific Ocean.

The following morning Barb drove us to Morro Bay where Susan and I got in a little bike ride through town and on a short shoreside trail. But first we would stop for “tea & crumpet’ ;’-) at Barb’s favorite bakery (yummmmm).

Morro Rock is the most prominent item in town, and the beginning of our ride.

Riding along the Oceanside is always nice. 



The next day Barb and Penelope took us on a tour with the destination being to see the Elephant Seals. On the way Harmony, with population of 18, would be our first stop.

Mainly it is an historic town that has a creamery (too early for ice cream) as well as a glass and pottery shop that we had to spend some time in! We also liked walking a bit of history in the town.

A Town for Rent if you so choose.

Old Post office served for weddings too.

Residents have a place to worship as well.

Time to go visit the seals now. 

Once there and stepping our of the car, we learned that the wind was heavy from the north. And we could tell by Missy’s ears.

Susan and I were mesmerized and found it difficult to take our eyes off of them!! I took tons of photos that, at the time, seemed so different from each other. When I downloaded the photos I saw that they were not so different after all, and chose just a few to post. 

As far as the eye can see, the beach is lined with the seals that come in every fall, October and November, to have and nurture their babies and do not return to the ocean during the entire time. They stay until early spring - around March - when they return to the sea, get nourished for the following fall and birthing time. 

There are groups or families that stay together with the male guarding and protecting HIS flock.

AGGRESSIVELY guarding his territory.



Mama seal can nurture only one baby as that is all the milk outlet (teat) she has. If she births more than one, the others will die.

This was an educational and fascinating trip for us and we had a hard time leaving the beach and the seals.

We relaxed with dinner together and breakfast the following morning before we had to say our sweet goodbyes. We all agreed that there will be a “next time” when we will get together. For now we thank our friends Barb, Penelope and Missy for this grand stay with them.

We as usual were happy to be home, but not so happy about transitioning back to our weather. Our first morning home brought this.