Let's go on a bike trip!

I usually make a detailed plan in advance for our bike trips, mainly for my mental security.

Yesterday, just before leaving home, we changed the first plan to ride at Sonoma Valley Regional Park, we decided to try riding to Forestville from Sebastopol via West County Regional Trail!!!

Our new car Honda Fit could be loaded two bicycles easier than previous Toyota Corolla for Mr. WhP.  I was pleased to hear that.

Warmed up a little bit in the Ragle Ranch Regional Park, 

we rode  Ragle Rd. to Mill Station Rd. to Barlow Ln. to Occidental Rd for catching onto West county Regional Trail.
Last time we just crossed Ragle Rd. so we didn't think about how busy this street is.  

I got nervous whenever speeding cars passed by, but I had a much worse experience later.
Finally reached Mill Station Rd and after crossing, we were going to turn right on Barlow Ln.  Then Mr. WhP goofed up to read the sign and called me to ride back because I passed our turn he thought. 

We both were not awake. Finally we realized the sign shows a turn 400FT ahead.  I rode up again with whining  a little bit.

Occidental Rd was very busy with huge trucks but has a nice bicycle lane for a while and if I and he paid attention well we could have turned into the trail smoothly and no problem.

But when my eyes caught a car evilly parked on the bike lane, I got distracted by raging and missed to see the gate of West county R. Trail. (Nothing is good about getting mad.  I should remember.)

I had to swerve around the car, and a mean and nasty car driver blasted his horn at me, so I really got mad.  When Mill Station Rd changed to a share road and narrow, I got really scared and frantic.  So I u-turned by foot to calm down.
At that time we both didn't know what happened.  When we walked back to a wider intersection, we stopped and checked the map.  We were totally confused.

A friendly cyclist who was passing by offered to help us, but we were so embarrassed and no thanked.  Thanks so much for your kindness.

We still were talking to each other.  

The second cyclist who was going to turn and saw us, rode toward us and offered his help, I felt he was Superman on a bike and asked his help.  He looked at my map and listened to me patiently,

and told us that we need to go back and cross the street to get to the trail.  
He kindly offered to lead us into the trail, so we followed him.  Thank you very much for your kindness!!!! for taking your time so much.

After we all got into the trail, he told us another way to get back instead of just taking the same route.  That was very good information for us later, which saved us a lot. The cyclist left like the wind;  he flew away and disappeared from my sight.

We reached familiar Graton Rd.  Last time we went East to go back, this time we went West to find the continuous trail.

 
From here we rode the first time, so my heart was pounding a little.
Amazing long wooden bridge,

Sweaty long up-slope,

A complicated intersection, but we were lucky to hear this kind cyclist's information,

Turn right here and turn left the 1st street, 

Then, you will see the trail gate on right.

We rode through more bridges and slopes, and we got the end of the trail at the sign of Pajaro Lane.

We turned right on Pajaro Lane, and saw nice subdivision houses of Forestville.  Unfortunately I had no information about Forestville yet, so we just turned back.  Next time we want to try riding in Forestville.

We took Hwy 116 from Occidental Rd to Mill Station Rd and back to the Ragle Park.
On the way riding the two way Bike lane on Hwy 116, we dropped by the fruit store and bought nice looking figs which were delicious.  

We had fun very much from this 15.6 mile bike trip.  

Last night stretch exercise seemed not enough or couldn't erase the fatigue, we both were sensationally tired this morning.  I wanted to ride a short distance, but we just couldn't do it.  Anyway that might have been a good idea, tonight we both felt back to normal with just a minor neck or thigh pain.

Trails ride in Marin county

We reached the parking lot in 40 min.  We started biking along Corte Madera Creek.  Gravel, puddles, and all kinds of grass covering the ground made me thrilled and excited.

The trails in Larkspur and Corte Madera were easy to find, and drivers were mostly courteous.  That made our ride superb.  On the city roads, there are some signs saying "Watch for pedestrians and bicycles."
That is very different from Sonoma County, I thought.  Local government can do many things. 

 
There is one bike path that was blocked by a fence which doesn't show on the google map.  Since the path was covered with overgrown weeds and ice plants, I didn't want to turn around. Luckily a most kind man outside the fence offered to help lift our bikes over the fence.  So we were very lucky.  There is an elementary school near there.  We understood why the fence was closed.  But it would have been nice if there were even a small sign saying 'no outlet'.  That's why the guy sympathized with us trapped the same way as he was with his dog.

 (Should have given up, but it was invited somehow.)

(From this side nobody wants to go through.  Anyway we were saved.)


There were some older cyclists, father and his sons/daughters, older walkers and young joggers on the trails under the beautiful sunshine.  We we enjoyed a very relaxing ride today.

For us how long we can enjoy riding is more important than how fast we can ride.  Finally I found our goal recently.

We also tried riding on a street with a bike lane and also one with no bike lane, just share the road.  We were fine on the street with a bike lane, but the share road was very nerve racking for us.  

Corte Madera-Larkspur Bike Trip

After 2 more days riding in our community which were:

Sep. 25,

Sep. 26,

We felt strongly to go Bike Trip to somewhere.  And we planned.
We found both paved and dirt bike/walk path near the town center in Corte Madera, and it continues to the North and West.

We came out to the dirt trail first and took this photo of Mt. Tam and the town center.

This is the dirt trail. 

The dirt trail branched out to the East and then we saw some view.

Larkspur Path

We rode to cover pretty much all parts of our plan today.

I forgot to stop the cyclometer when we finished riding, so the map showed the way we walked to the rest room and the restaurant.  Boca Pizzeria's pizza and salad were superb.

All of today's paths are separated completely from cars and trucks, and we saw many children on their bikes too, what a peaceful feeling to see that.

Cross Marin Bike Trail, out and back

This is the second time ride, since we did it last June 12th.  We tried to ride through from platform Bridge to Shafter Bridge.  The reason why we didn't ride through last time was paved trail doesn't run through to Shafter.  I didn't have a confidence to ride unpaved and unknown dirt road last time.  So I was nervous a little today.  But sometime you have to go and see, otherwise you will never know.

First half from Platform Bridge was familiar to me, we stopped for rest room the same as last time.  This spot is always so beautiful.

Sunlight was just right to make tree leaves so gorgeous!

This time we could find the way to get onto the unpaved trail.

The unpaved trail sometimes had quite a lot of gravel, but they were small size, so it was not too bad.
But poison oak starters were growing along the trail, so I had to watch out.  And numbers of horse poop piles had to be dodged.

There were some dips in the ground for drainage which were lined with either gravel or concrete.  As usual I was scared the first time to go over.  Mr. WhP went easily.

Well, next is my turn!  Huh?! Somebody with small trailer is coming.  

I just concentrated and passed.

Finally we could reach the Shafter Bridge.  I checked it on the information bulletin board.

After across the bridge, we faced to busy Sir Francis Drake Blvd.  Just took the picture and turned around.

We felt OK, so we rode 2 round trips and....


We rode over 20 miles!!

 
Showing Distance, Average Speed, Max Speed, and Time.

China Camp State Park, San Rafael

Maybe we might ride either on road or on some of trails, we thought.  Took exit San Pedro Rd of 101 Fwy, drove all the way to Bullhead Flat parking lot.

Grabbed a envelope to write down information about our car and purpose, with $5 into the metal bin near the sign.  Put the tab which was cut from the envelope in our car to show.
OK, let's cross the street to try Shoreline Trail.  Umm, left side one looked too steep, maybe right side.

I was excited and went over there.  Oh, no!  The trail has fence both sides and it is narrow for me.  When I get psychological fear, that's the end.
Gave up and I started climbing up the paved road. 

Cars might scare me, but at least I can ride.  But quite a number of cars were coming down on the other side of road.  How much should I climb up, I wonder?  I couldn't go so much.  Stopped and took a picture.

Even while we were stopping at there, speedy cars came by and passed us.  Well, we'd better to go down to the parking lot.  Oh, the coming back way is the San Francisco Bay side!

I was fine, I was scared about cars passing by more than the cliff.  When we came back to the parking lot, I wanted to try the trail on which I couldn't go 10 mins. ago.  And I could get in and rode some!  Until the trail got steep, I gave up.  But anyway jump hurdles one at a time.

From the road to a little more ahead of here.  But I told Mr. WhP if he wants to try more Shoreline Trail, go ahead.  He went for a while, and came back with huff 'n puff.  Just for my memory/record I asked him to take a picture.
He tried other side of the trail too.  But both trail are getting steeper and steeper, he said.  Energetic young guys passing us, and we were amazed.
 
Then I decided to ride more on the road down, maybe next parking lot down up there.

Reached! From down there the whitish building spot to here. 

Weber Point also has a restroom and a nice view.  But I was anxious to return to our parking lot.
Be careful to watch the car passing by!

we safely crossed the street to come back.  The late afternoon wind was very nice.  Somebody was eating her early supper while looking at the bay.

Ready to load our bikes to go home. 

My speedometer shows:  Time 20'59, Average Speed 5.6mph , Max Speed 15.5mph, Distance 2.013miles.

That was the most tense 2 miles ride I've ever ridden lately.

I'm not a mountain biker type at all, I realized now very well.  And we really need to find a relaxing beautiful paved road next.  It is the time to travel, maybe.

Surely we both got really tired.