Meet Silky -- my new Bike

I have been riding an old, clunker mountain bike this summer.  Actually it was a wedding present about 20 years ago, so one can imagine what a relic it is.  Every day we would scan CraigsList hoping for the right bike:  size, age, components, location, condition.  Nothing.  I missed out on one solid potential, and that was disappointing after several weeks.

Finally we opted for REI.  Walked in the store and rode out on Silky!  It's a Cannondale road bike so the ride is different but most notable to me is the decrease in my rolling resistance & how quiet the bike rides.  We've been out to Pt Reyes already and Bryan joined us to go around Tiburon yesterday.  (He just passed 3,000 miles on his odometer and it works only "intermittently").

Silky on the road in West Marin

Silky with Shadow (Al's bike)

Visiting the Wulzen Clan

We headed south to celebrate a few Wulzen clan milestones including the high school graduation of Alan's niece's daughter, Krista.  We also wanted to visit Warren and Diane's new house -- designed and built by son-in-law, Clint.  It was a great trip and Bryan actually met some of his relatives on the Wulzen side!

High School Graduation Dinner Party for Krista

Warren and Diane's House--small but VERY comfortable and functional

Warren & Clint:  Farmer and Architect (check out that carrot!)

Warren and Diane at home in Nipomo after years of dreaming

Warren and Alan -- the background is the view from every window in the house.  WOW!

"If You Stand Around and Look, You Can See a Lot"...

at least according to Yogi Berra.   Yup, we headed into San Francisco today to do another stairway walk and to explore a bike shop that might have reasonable options for a new bike for me.

We headed to the historic Yerba Buena Cove area--the original commercial area established by the Spanish explorers in the 18th century.  We started near Coit Tower (to score some street parking) and began by going up a few stairways and then down a few stairways.  It was a sunny day so we enjoyed views to the East (of the Bay Bridge).  A couple of things we learned:
a.  the gardens on the steepest hillsides were planted by neighbors who rappelled down the hill to do the work!
b.  Captain Montgomery sailed up the USS Portsmouth into the Bay in 1846 and claimed the Pueblo of Yerba Buena for the US.  Mexico quietly acceded.  There is a major city street named for Montgomery and a park in China Town named for the Portsmouth.
c.  Philo Farnsworth had his laboratory in San Francisco between 1926 and 1938 while he was perfecting the first functional television system.  Alan remembers his father, Frank, reminiscing about seeing this invention in the mid 1930s at this site.

Quote of the Day (at least after the 1906 earthquake):  If as they say God spanked the town for being over frisky/Why did he burn the churches down and save Hotaling's whiskey?

Here are some pictures from our walk.  The bike store was a bust.

Gardens on the Hillside

Kids at Play sculpture near the Pyramid Building

Kid at Heart!

Time for a Drink?

Gardens along the Stairway

Fun Sign:  All This Joy I See Through These Architects Eyes

Come as You Are

Last week Alan and I finally rode the bike trail along the American River through Sacramento.  It was fabulous -- wide and clean the trail meanders by the river from downtown Sacramento to Folsom Dam -- a total distance of 35+ miles.   Along the trail were many small parks, picnic tables, restrooms, water fountains, fishing spots, and rafting put-ins.   We saw some of everything -- except a tandem -- and folks fishing, running, cycling, dog walking, BBQing, walking.  All sizes, ages, colors, and gear you could imagine.  The river is very cold (all that snow melt) and is really moving fast.  Signs warned against rafting, but hey, it has finally turned warm so a few brave souls were out in kayaks and rafts.

The only thing missing (in my humble opinion) was easy access to a BAKERY when we were done with the ride as we ride for sweet treats.  In fact, the mini mart we tried did not even have a bag of popcorn for sale!  But they did have cold drinks that we sucked down in pretty quick style.

This last week of riding we did more than 100 miles and it is feeling better and better in the saddle.

After we rode (20 miles out and 20 miles back), we headed to Davis to pick up Bryan.  Freshman year is over and his last final finished at 4:00pm.  We packed up his room and then celebrated at Crepeville Restaurant and Yolo Berry Yogurt.  We had tried these places when we went for his college tour, all so many months ago, and it seemed fitting to wrap up successful year #1 in the same style!

The American River from the Bike Path

The bike path -- pretty quiet for a week day!

River access -- designed for handicapped folks wanting to fish!

Crossing the River on a pedestrian only bridge

A footbridge across the River

Headed home for the summer

What a Difference a Day Makes!

We've been plagued with cool, wet wintery like weather since our return to Marin.   But Alan and I decided it was time to get going and explore and hike and generally make the most of our remaining months in the Bay Area.  So, using the book Stairway Walks in San Francisco, we headed south into San Francisco on Monday.  The forecast was for a 20% chance of rain.  Sure.

We decided to explore in the Outer Sunset district -- so south of Golden Gate Park and out by the ocean.  Neither of us had been to the Grand View Park at Moraga and 16th and site of the mosaic tile stairway.  The renovation of the original concrete stairway was a community project completed in 2005 after several years of fund raising and design planning.  WOW!  After we walked the neighborhood we went through the Sunset, found a Chinese dim sum bakery and retreated to the foggy beach for a lunch complete with a sesame bun dessert.

The Ceramic Stairway

Several Stairs -- the tiles have donor names

Where is the SUN?

The View from Grand View Park....um, maybe.  The Golden Gate Bridge is there somewhere!!

So then it was Tuesday and a finer example of spring in Northern California could not be offered.  Sunny skies (by mid morning), warm temperatures, light breezes...well, the world was back in its normal orbit.  We opted to ride out through West Marin and just soak in the sun.  Traffic was light; the flowers were out and the Bovine Bakery was as good as ever.  There were senior groups & end of year school picnics; horseback riders, hikers, sunbathers, surfers, cyclists, and dog walkers.  And the hot tub at home after 45 miles was a welcome site!

Miles of multi-use trail 

Looking at the wildflowers, butterflies, and birds on the hillside

Following the San Geromino Creek

The Armano Bun from the Bovine Bakery.  Love that senior discount!

Sure.  Happy to follow those directions???

West Marin

When will it be HOT?