To test out our new Go Pro video camera, we chose to ride around Stanford’s flat bicycle friendly campus. Since it was Martin Luther King’s birthday, we were able to park free by the Cantor Museum. It was a clear day, but the air was very chilly for us Bay Area natives. We just got on our bikes and rode with no clear path in mind. We passed by many of the campus buildings and some of the lovely old houses where professors live. We rode over to the Stanford Shopping Center to eat lunch, where we had a satisfying meal at Neiman Marcus. It is always fun, even for “old blues” to visit Palo Alto and the Stanford Campus. Click here .
Riding in Golden Gate Park
Dutch Windmill in Golden Gate Park
Yesterday was my husband’s birthday. To celebrate, we decided to visit the Masters of Venice art exhibit at the de Young Museum, ride our bikes, and enjoy a meal out. We parked by the Dutch Windmill in Golden Gate Park, a place where it is almost always easy to find a parking spot., and wended our way up to the de Young on John F. Kennedy Drive. There were several uphill stretches, and we did stop to rest a couple of times, but this is not a bad ride. Last time we rode to the de Young, we went up Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr., which is much steeper. The air was cool, but it was sunny, clear, and pleasant, a gorgeous San Francisco day. We parked our bikes right in front of the De Young, where there are several bike racks. The exhibit was not particularly crowded, and we were able to read all the accompanying material easily. The murals of Venice that provided a backdrop for the exhibit made us want to pack up right away to visit this wonderful city.
After a good lunch in the museum cafeteria, we rode back on Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr., which is downhill all the way. Although there is not a bike lane on this road, we did not feel particularly threatened by the traffic. When we are not on bike paths now, we attach our blinking red lights to the back of bikes for safety. Of course, I realize that we should not let these make us feel overly secure.
Leaving Golden Gate Park, we drove around to the Palace of the Legion of Honor to visit the Pisarro’s People exhibit. The traffic is always so bad between our home and San Francisco now that we like to do as much as we can when we visit. At this second museum, since the parking was a challenge we had to make a long uphill trek. And this exhibit was so crowded that the visit was less pleasurable than the one earlier in the day. Nevertheless Pisarro’s paintings are a visual treat, and we were glad that we went. The views of the Golden Gate Bridge from the area around the Palace of the Legion of Honor are always spectacular unless some of the SF fog has drifted in.
A Distant View of the Golden Gate Bridge
Children on Iron Horse Trail Need More Supervision
We just returned from one of our favorite rides on Iron Horse Trail from Danville to the San Ramon Farmers’ Market. The path was fairly quiet on the way to San Ramon, but coming back it was crowded. This topic is one that I have visited several times. The trail is a thoroughfare, and people have no business blocking the path by walking more than two abreast or letting their children stray all over the path. Before you take your children on the path, folks, make sure that they know how to ride their bikes, preferably without training wheels. Also make sure that they know left from right and know that they need to stay on the right side of the path. Some older folks need to refresh their knowledge of left and right as well.
People who do not heed the rules of the path are a danger to themselves and to others. This path is a gem for our valley. Please cooperate in maintaining the safety of all who use it.
Riding in the Napa Valley during the Holidays
Despite the cold and threatening rain, yesterday we took off early to drive to Yountville, where we parked in the Vintage 1870 lot. We did one of our usual rides north through the little town, then onto blissfully rural Yount Mill Road, which circles around and connects back to Hwy. 29 north of Yountville. Reaching the highway, we passed a group of speedier looking cyclists who were stopped for a moment and turned right for Oakville Grocery and some coffee. There is no place to sit inside at Oakville, but it wasn’t too bad in the front porch area. The store was jammed with people buying the specialty foods that Oakville offers.
Interior of Oakville Grocery
Leaving Oakville Grocery, we faced the most challenging part of the trip, crossing Hwy. 29 without becoming roadkill. We headed back toward Yountville and turned into the town at Washington St., a street that is fairly quiet but doesn’t have much of a shoulder. At Madison St., we accessed the mile-long Napa Valley Vine Trail, which is planned eventually to run from the city of Napa to Calistoga. This short segment is a pretty ride.
Napa Valley Vine Trail
When we reached the end of this trail, we turned on a narrow paved path that took us back to our car.
We decided to eat at Michael Chiarello’s Napa Style in the informal Paninoteca and Wine Bar. We both had panini, I the rather unexciting Giana and my husband the Forever-roasted Pork. My husband very kindly traded his second half for my second half, so that I too was able to enjoy a warm delicious sandwich. We have eaten here twice before, and the food has always been good, but the Giana is lacking a little something. Most of the people around us chose soup on this wintry day.
The chef at work
After lunch we drove to the Oxbow Market in Napa where we purchased some olive bread at the bakery and vegetables at the small produce market. We had hoped to have tea and dessert here, but as with every other place we visited this particular day, the crowds were almost overwhelming. We drove home, where we enjoyed some hot tea and ever delicious See’s candy.
Christmas Shopping by Bicycle
With Iron Horse Trail as a thoroughfare, it is easy to use our cycling trips to catch up on errands. Christmas shopping by bike is especially rewarding. Not only do we exercise and accomplish something; we also glide into wherever we are going and park easily, thus saving a lot of time and frustration. I use my sturdy TransIt panniers to haul our purchases. Last week we rode from Alamo to Danville and bought several gifts at McCaulou’s, our local small department store. Yesterday we rode from Walnut Creek to Alamo where we went to the post office and had coffee at Peet’s. Then we rode back to the Walnut Creek Farmers’ Market, finishing up in Walnut Creek’s beautiful Broadway shopping center with its abundance of fine stores. Broadway has convenient bike racks right in the middle of the center by the fountain and the big Christmas tree.
Broadway Shopping Center
A Tale of Three Restaurants
This tale does not have much to do with cycling, but it does have a lot to do with an important part of our cycling trips–eating. Saturday we did one of our usual rides from Sycamore to the farmers’ market in Danville and then on to Blackhawk. It was a cool day but comfortable riding, though a bit on the nippy side for the downhill return journey.
We made arrangements to meet our son at Stomp, one of our favorite Blackhawk restaurants, where the small plates are innovative and fun to sample. When we arrived at about five minutes before twelve, we were told that they do not open until twelve so we went to browse in a nearby art gallery. We returned about ten past twelve to be told that their computer was down and therefore they could not open. This is a restaurant that has been somewhat empty the last few times that we have been there, and I would think that they would have a backup plan for computer problems. Do they cook by computer?
Through good luck, we were able to grab one of the last tables at the Little Pear, a small restaurant run by the same people who have other restaurants in the San Ramon Valley. There we had good food with fast service from a waitress whose favorite word was “perfect.” It was apparent that we should not linger since the check was brought with no offer of dessert or coffee. While the food was good and it arrived in a timely manner, the dining experience here was not one to encourage a person to return. We look forward to these meals on our rides, and we felt cheated by the rushed atmosphere. When the weather is too cold for sitting outside, this restaurant has limited space but under the former Cafe du Paris owners, we always encouraged to enjoy our meals in a leisurely fashion.
On Sunday, we visited the wine country to do some shopping. We had reservations for lunch in Yountville at Bouchon Bistro, one of Thomas Keller’s restaurants. Here the dining experience more than made up for the one the day before. We were seated on a banquette, fairly close to other people just as is often the case in bistros in France. We started with a wonderful pumpkin soup and then shared a pâté de Campagne and a confit de canard; all of these offerings were fantastic. The waiter was professional and attentive, and the surroundings are beautiful with lots of brass, an interesting mural, and a frieze that lends the room a seasoned look. We felt almost as though we were dining in a Paris brasserie, and we can’t wait to go back. But next time, we will work in a bicycle ride as well.
Bouchon Bistro
Cars Offered for Sale in front of San Ramon High
Saturday we did one of our usual rides from Alamo to Danville along the old highway, this one brightened by a stop at the Harvest Crafts Festival at our church, San Ramon Valley United Methodist Church. We visited the farmers’ market, Lunardi’s, and Pegasus Bicycle Works. We then headed home for our pleasant downhill ride on this tree-lined part of the highway, which still retains some of the ambiance of the San Ramon Valley of my youth. However, we ran into one blot on the landscape, really dangerous for cyclists. On weekends, people park cars that they want to sell in front of San Ramon High, so the cars are close to the bike lane. Saturday this hazard was aggravated by one car that was double-parked next to another, taking up the bike lane and a bit of the regular lane, thus causing cyclists to have to pass between these cars and the northbound traffic. A bit further on, another person had his SUV door open over the bike lane. It is bad enough that the cars are parked there at all, but the further endangerment of cyclists by this kind of disregard for their safety by the selfish few should not be tolerated by the Town of Danville.
Davis, CA–a bicycle-friendly city?
Yesterday, we popped our Dahons in the back of the car and headed for Davis, a small university city known for its bike friendliness. When we arrived, we easily obtained a parking space in a university lot at the edge of the campus. Though the parking lot signs were not exactly clear, we decided that we could park there with impunity on a Saturday.
We set off to ride around the campus, intending eventually to do the 12 mile bike loop around Davis. We started with the path along Putah Creek that leads through the Arboretum, a beautiful ride through an interesting area. Even this path was hard to find; directional signs seem to be few and far between. But we knew the general direction and inquired of passers-by as we proceeded. Through a remarkably quiet campus, we finally made our way to the creek. The path itself is not in good repair, but we were able to follow it with a few wrong turns. I loved viewing the Italian Collection with its silvery green olive trees from across the creek, and the redwood grove made me feel as though I was near Richardson Grove on California’s Redwood Highway. And since we recently had our front yard replanted with lots of California natives, I particularly liked the Early California Garden. As we rode along the path toward downtown Davis, the rousing strains of a brass band reached us, reminding us that we were on a college campus, one related to our own alma mater, UC Berkeley.
Putah Creek from the trail
Native California Garden with a California Native
As we left the campus, we passed Aggie Village, a development of small houses and cottages built for UC, Davis faculty and staff around 1997. For pictures and information about Aggie Village, click here. The concept behind this development is interesting, and the area is attractive.
Our next target was the farmers’ market in downtown Davis. It turned out that the address from the internet that I had written down was wrong. After some wandering around and several inquiries, we found the market at 3rd and C Streets, fortuitously located right next to the United States Bicycling Hall of Fame, which we intended to visit. Parking our bikes was a challenge in this city of many cyclists, but we finally chained them to a fence. It is not that bicycle racks are lacking; it was the huge number of bikes in this area of the city.
The bicycle museum has a nice collection of bicycles from the penny farthing bikes right up to modern ones with bamboo components.
Display in bicycle museum
After the museum, we visited the farmers’ market, which was really crowded, perhaps more so than usual because children were trick or treating at the various stalls. The proprietors of the stalls seemed a bit grumpy compared to the ones that we run into in our own valley. Of course, this could have been due to the numbers of parents and children milling about.
We decided to leave our bikes parked and walk to lunch. I had picked out a couple of restaurants on F Street after reading about them on Open Table . The first was really crowded, actually a good sign, but we decided to pass it by. We settled on Seasons,which proved to be a good choice. The food was really good and the service was attentive; we both had an outstanding butternut squash bisque plus a very tasty grilled chicken sandwich. My only reservation about this restaurant is that the decor is bland, too bland for a place with such good food. It simply does not look like an upscale restaurant. However, I would return without hesitation.
After lunch we walked back to our bikes, tied the produce that we had purchased at the farmers’ market on our racks, and headed back to the car. Once there we unloaded the produce and then hopped on the bikes to pay a visit to the campus bookstore, where I picked up a couple of birthday presents for our younger son. At this point we decided that it was time to head home. The completion of the Davis bike loop will have to wait until our next visit. I hope that by then there are a few more signs pointing out the paths around.
Cycling in Yosemite Valley
(Click on map to see a large, clear version.)
Last weekend we took the whole family to Yosemite to celebrate our older son’s birthday. We stayed in the Dogwood unit of Yosemite Lodge, where the accommodations were adequate. While the lodge could use a lot of upgrading, the location is unbeatable. Our three rooms were close together so that it was easy to coordinate family activities, and we were a short walk from Yosemite Falls. We had good dinners in the Mountain Room both nights that we were there. Although the cuisine equaled that of some good SF Bay Area restaurants, the seating process could use some improvement.
Dogwood Unit of Yosemite Lodge
On the day of our arrival, we rode from the lodge to the Ahwahnee Hotel to check out the food offerings and to admire this grand old lodge. We took a combination of bicycle paths and the road for a pleasant ride. I prefer cycling to walking because one can see more in less time, but still be close to nature. It is surprising how quickly one can get from one point in the valley to another by bicycle, and cycling provides a great way to view many attractions that one would never see from a car or a bus. An added delight here is the fragrance of the mountain air.
The back of the Ahwahnee Hotel
Saturday morning, we set off for a long day of riding by getting on Northside Drive right by the lodge. Here one is riding on the road, so there is an element of danger. After our alarming experience in Livermore, we invested in blinking red lights to put on the back of our bikes. They are made by Knog and only $14 at Pegasus Bikes in Danville. We rode to the crossover at Cathedral Beach and then headed east on Southside Drive, again a road with little shoulder. But the sights are fabulous. The meadows of wild grasses surrounded by the granite cliffs in this part of the valley are breathtaking. Thank heavens these meadows, once threatened by overuse, have been preserved. At intervals, there are now board walkways across the meadows. We stopped at the Swinging Bridge, the chapel built in 1879, and the LeConte Memorial Lodge.
Yosemite Meadow
Yosemite Chapel
Then we rode back to Yosemite Village for a browse through the museum which presents both the geological history of the valley and the cultural history. After a good lunch at Degnan’s Deli, we returned to the lodge for short time before we hopped on the bikes again and took off for Curry Village. I wanted to see the place where the firefall, which I fondly remember seeing with my family about 1948, used to occur. At this time I was about ten years old, and the firefall accompanied by the singing of “The Indian Love Call” seemed like the quintessence of romance to me.
The cycling paths are a great addition to the valley for cycling enthusiasts like us, but during the middle of the day many pedestrians clog the paths and endanger everyone by not sticking to one side of the path. We covered most of the valley on our bikes, but we are looking forward to returning soon to ride some of the areas that we missed. It was a glorious weekend.
From Livermore to Pleasanton by the Isabel Ave. Trail and Vineyard Ave.
We usually go a short distance on the Isabel Ave. Trail and then turn off and follow the picturesque Arroyo Mocho Trail. But yesterday, we parked in our usual spot, the shopping center at the corner of Jack London Blvd. and Isabel Ave and then stuck to the Isabel Ave. Trail. Riders should note that where the trail comes out on Stanley Blvd., it is necessary to cross Isabel Ave. to continue on the trail. The trail is a smooth easy ride, and while the scenery is not spectacular, the dry surroundings with the hills in the background have a certain California beauty, at least to a native Californian. We rode the Isabel Ave. Trail to its end, where one must take the shoulder on Isabel Ave. itself until the turning onto Vineyard Ave.
Along Vineyard Ave.
At the corner of Vineyard the scenery takes a dramatic turn for the better. There are vineyards and beautiful houses and buildings along the left side as one heads toward Pleasanton. Here one is riding on an ample shoulder, and the terrain is fairly level until just before the approach to downtown Pleasanton. We took a side path around one hill but still had to climb a bit to get back to Vineyard. From there it was all downhill into Pleasanton, where we followed Vineyard, then made a left on Bernal, turned right onto Vineyard again and then turned left on First St. into downtown Pleasanton and the bustling farmers’ market. We stopped for coffee at a cute little cafe on the same street as the farmers’ market. Then we picked out our produce for the next few days at the market.
Pleasanton Farmers' Market
By the time we reached downtown Pleasanton, we had covered about eight miles, and we were not enthusiastic about broaching the uphill climb on Vineyard Ave., so we decided to take the Stanley Ave. Trail back to Livermore. We followed First Street back because it eventually turns into Stanley. We had taken the Stanley Ave.Trail before and knew that it wasn’t a particularly enticing one, but we also knew that it was flat and short. However, we were about halfway down the trail when all of a sudden the trail was torn up along with the shoulder of the road. We had to ride for a fair distance on the two-lane road, a rather busy thoroughfare with no shoulder whatsoever. This turned out to be very dangerous. Now it may have been partially our fault because we went around some obstacles, but there was not a clear sign warning that the path was not safe for riding. People on dirt bikes may be able to ride where they are working on the trail, but our bikes could not handle it. The only saving grace during this part of the ride was a gentle cool breeze that arose, wafting over this hot valley, just as the weather forecasters had predicted. We breathed a big sign of relief when we got back to the Isabel Ave. Trail, and thence back to our car.
The Garden at the Garré Winery Cafe
To reward ourselves, we set off for Garré Winery and a wonderful lunch in their garden. My husband had bacon wrapped scallops with rice and a nice assortment of vegetables, and I had a crab Louis, with his main course followed by a peanut butter and chocolate tart and mine by a melt-in-the-mouth chocolate walnut tart. We drove home happy but chastened by the dangers we had faced on Stanley Blvd. We are now thinking of looking for a blinking light that could be attached to the back racks of the bikes and turned on when we run into unexpected hazardous situations.
