I’m still not biking as much as I used to, but when I do bike, it’s been a real joy as of late. Back in 2013, I was really hardcore into the sport, and rode so much that I grew tired of it. Well, now that I’m mixing up my exercise regimen, biking is a nice change to jogging or taking long walks.
Today’s ride took me on this loop:
Pretty good ride with a good mix of flat and some hills. The first long hill goes up to Boundary Oak Golf Course. The course is quite picturesque and not only do people play golf there (duh), but they have a lot of weddings out there, too. Here’s a photo of a wedding set up I snapped in September when the weather was still hot:
And, of course, I took some video of today’s ride because the sky was so clear and the air (which, of course, you can’t feel) was very crisp:
After that, it was on to Castle Rock Park. This is kind of my go-to ride because of the hills, and the lack of car traffic. But also there are some place where people board their horses — which makes some nice scenery. The last climb to the end isn’t too bad, but if you’re fatigued from riding up there, it can feel like the last insult:
I looped back and headed back toward home — where I usually bike through Heather Farm Park. In the park, there’s a hill that’s short, steep, and did break some bones. Not mine. But watch the video and I’ll explain:
Because the footage from that video didn’t show how nice the park is, I stopped by “Duck Poop Pond” to get a last sweep of my journey before going home:
It’s days like today that make me glad I live in this part of California. When the weather is dry, and the air cool, it makes for a very nice ride around the area. Always lots to see, but it’s best traveled on part of the bike path, and partly on secondary roads. If you don’t you’ll have to deal with the anxiety of heavy traffic in the cities. Those kind of rides aren’t all that enjoyable because I’m usually on heightened alert with the number of cars on the road, and always plotting my escape route if someone makes an idiotic move with the car or truck.
As is often said: the best roads are usually the ones not taken…by other people.
