Tag Archives: California

Day 18: St. Helena to Calistoga

Tuesday April 24, 2012, 28 miles (45 km)

Total so far: 418 miles (673 km)

The Shady Oaks Bed and Breakfast sure knows how to make breakfast. We gorged ourselves on waffles, fruit and sausage, before heading out to explore the local area by trike. We settled into the seats and cruised on quiet streets to the Silverado Trail. “The Trail” is a relatively major thoroughfare, but it has a really wide bike lane. We didn’t find the traffic  disturbing, although it was steady.

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Day 17: Sacramento to St. Helena

Monday April 23, 2012

Well, another rest day for us as we take the 90 minute drive from Sacramento into the Napa Valley. Our destination – the little town of St. Helena and the charming Shady Oaks Bed and Breakfast.

We can’t check in until 4:00, so arriving in town at 11:00 we decide there is only one thing to do.   Wine Time!

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Day 16: Sacramento / The American River Trail

Sunday April 22, 2012
31 miles (50 km) – Total so far: 390 miles (628 km)

Today is TARTAR – the Tour of the American River for Trikes and Recumbents. This ride is organized by our friend Wayne Leggett. Wayne owns and operates the 3-2-Go trike shop in Ventura. We first met Wayne a couple of years ago when we rode with him, his wife and a group of recumbent riders from the Ventura area on a weekend getaway to Ojai. We really enjoyed that first ride with Wayne and his crew, so when we learned he organized this ride in Sacramento, we just had to join in!

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Day 15: San Francisco

Saturday April 21, 2012
18 miles (29 km) – Total so far: 359 miles (578 km)

After yesterday’s hectic running about, Nancy and I decided to take it easy this morning. With a new wheel gleaming on the back of my trike, we headed out to Sausalito to do a short ride around the Richardson Bay. We found a place to park in Sausalito, and then joined the hoards of cyclists riding the bike trail around the Bay to Tiburon.

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Day 13: Big Sur to Carmel

Thursday April 19, 2012

27 miles (43 km) – Total so far: 341 miles (549 km)

The day began early in Big Sur. The large crowd in the Hiker/Biker site are all up, and chatting, cooking breakfast and preparing for their day’s ride. I pack up early as well, but elect to take advantage of the camp lodge restaurant for breakfast. I sit in warm comfort, drinking hot tea and wolfing down blueberry pancakes and bacon. Out the window, I watch as, one by one, my fellow bike campers roll out the park exit and turn to the north or the south to continue their journeys. My breakfast finally complete, I pull out a few minutes before 9:00 AM, ready to begin the 13th day of my adventure.

Ahhhhh. The 13th day – I should have recognized this for the omen it was of the day to come…

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Day 12: Kirk Creek to Big Sur

Wednesday April 18, 2012

28 miles (45 km) – Total so far: 314 miles (505 km)

I awoke at Kirk Creek early. My schedule has shifted to coincide with the sun since I started this ride. I wake when it rises, and I go to sleep when it sets. It feels very natural to me, and I sleep really well.

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Day 11: Cambria to Kirk Creek

Tuesday April 17, 2012

42 miles (68 km) – Total so far: 286 miles (460 km)

So the day has finally come. Once again I need to leave behind my beautiful wife.   No more fabulous hotels and wonderful meals.   No more laughing and sharing our lives together.

Once again it’s time for me to ride off on my own.   I admit that this morning I was having many second thoughts. “I could just stay with her, right?”.  “No need to do this crazy solo ride”.

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Day 10: More Cambria

Monday April 16, 2012

Nancy and I spent another day together in Cambria.   I have really fallen in love with this place. The laid back atmosphere and natural beauty have made a distinct impression in me.  I’m going to be sorry to leave it behind.

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Day 9: Cambria

Sunday April 15, 2012

We woke early in Paso Robles, eager and ready to do a nice 30 mile ride around the area. Our plan was to ride 4-5 miles into downtown, eat a nice breakfast, then climb some hills, visit some wineries, and return to the hotel.

We dressed in many layers – it was quite cold – lower 40’s early in the AM.   We packed up all our luggage and checked out from the lovely hotel.   We loaded up the bikes and off we go……

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