Don't ask me, I'm not in charge

Ride #112

Thursday, September 29th

21 miles on the American River Parkway

So excited!
Another assistant organizer for the casual bike group I belong to has started posting rides.
He says it is because his doctor says he should get exercise more often than 2 times a week (and that's true for everybody: even you, dear reader) so he figured if he was going to go on a ride then he might as well post it for the group.

We started at Watt avenue and went West to the very end of the trail, mile 0. I've been there before but I do not regularly ride this section of the trail.
Our leader has lived in this area for 60 years so he knew everything about everything. It was great having a guided tour of what was over the hill and out of sight of the trail.

This trail runs along the American River and this river tends to flood in the spring. The bike trail used to run closer to the river (which I did not know) and it was rebuilt a little farther away in some sections.

Old trail segment

We got to ride on an old section on a detour. The levee is being worked on, so that's why the detour.

Yes, the tree really is that large

Discovery Park, the far point of our ride, is a lovely large green park right on the river.

Little-raised drawbridge

All the bathrooms were locked (Ahhhhhhh! Crisis!) but the incredibly filthy porta johns were not. I think a shrub might have been less traumatizing.

We turned around and headed back, taking a break at a picnic table along the way that was in the shade.
I promptly got a flat tire (darn thorns) and demonstrated changing a tire for the two others on the ride. It was the rear tire and I'm very glad folks were there to hold the trike up when I was struggling to put the wheel back on. Two tries and it was ready to go!

I tried again (more successfully this time) to experiment with a more laid back posture. I found it more comfortable this time, so I think when I unfold my bike (I took the sedan today) and put it back together for the next ride I will use something between the most upright and the most laid back posture.

Next ride this weekend and it will be that 41 mile ride again! Yay!