Stafford Lake Park

This afternoon we left for Stafford Lake Park in Novato.  The park charges $10/car on weekend and $5/car on weekdays, so we paid at gate and got into the park.  The lake was at the front.

Turned left to the parking lot.  Here we parked.

Picnic benches near the lake were filled with family and friends to have a party.  Sounds like they were having a fun weekend.

We biked through parking lot and along the lake shore.  Beautiful blue sky and comfortable breeze made us happy.

Went through the gate posts and decided to take the bike/walk trail parallel to Novato Blvd.

The bike/walk trail was paved with cracks and bumps, but it was a fun and thrilling ride up to the water treatment facility road.  Then we would have to go on Novato Blvd, sharing with cars, so I gave up and U-turned.  Later at home we found the road does have a bike lane ahead, but the coming back side road has very skimpy bike lane so after all that was the right decision.  We hope it will have a nice wide bike lane in the future.

On the way coming back we took the same trail.  If it's legal or illegal we didn't know.  Luckily we saw nobody on the way back.

After we returned to the park, we rode through a pier-like bridge in the park.  In fact I had a hard time to get over there because my stupid fear and tension, anyway I finally made it.

The view over here was beautiful.  We really enjoyed it.

Then we tried to see the other side of the park to pass by the park front gate.  There was a group camping area, and some family group were gathered at a picnic table with a roof and sat on the grass by their small tents.  We rode through on paved path between them and then tried riding on dirt trail.  This was my first and longest dirt trail riding.  The trail was bumpy like anything but not many rocks so luckily I could handle it.

When the dirt trail got more gravel, I gave up and U-turned.  But it was fun and I was surprised my hybrid bicycle gave me such a nice ride.  Back to the lake.