Sept. 8 – Back in the Saddle!

“Oh yesterday’s over my shoulder, so I can’t look back for too long” (from Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes by Jimmy Buffett) By far my favorite Buffett song, and apropos for today! It was a new day and I had a brand new plan – Ride with GPS planned my route and did an excellent job. Very few high traffic roads and lots of bike paths. I’ll have to say that about California – lots of good bike paths! Here are two examples:

It was great to ride for a day and not get lost! I rode pretty hard all day, stopping only to refill my water bottles and to enjoy a Mexican-style fruit cocktail from a roadside stand – they are all over the place here!

My goal was to reach Pollock Pines by late afternoon, where I was going to camp out….the fact that I came up 11 miles short cannot be blamed on the GPS. Between today and tomorrow I still have to climb those 9,000+ feet, and today I felt it! Uphill all damned day and steep climbs. I knew it was coming, but still complained, and by 5 I felt like I was riding through maple syrup and it was time to stop. I am in Placerville. CA which seems like a nice enough touristy town out here in the middle of nowhere. No campground though. I thought about camping in the city park, along with the partying high schoolers and random homeless people and vagrants…..but no. I am the National 9 Motel – the finest 2 star lodging in town. Just hoping I don’t get bit by bed bugs! My goal tomorrow is to reach South Lake Tahoe, where another Warmshowers host is expecting me. We will see!

The big news that is not biking – related and way more important is that last night my granddaughter, Adeline, was born to my son Shane and his partner Eva in Phoenix. All are doing well.