The New Bridge Over Treat Blvd.

Today my husband and I took a lovely ride north from Walnut Creek out to REI to check out new Dahon bikes. It was a mild morning with temperatures in the high 60s and low 70s.  As we left the place where we parked the car in Walnut Creek, we spotted a sassy looking Canadian goose surveying the world from atop a fence post.  The ride north was easy with friendly people greeting us as we passed by.

By far, the most spectacular sight of the ride was the new bridge over Treat Blvd. It is beautiful and wonderful to ride with its gentle  slope.

Traversing the Bridge

The Lovely Arch of the Bridge

Just past Monument Blvd., there is a natural grassy swamp-like area, where today the creek was coursing with water from all the rain that we have had this year. The sight of ducks on the wing added to our enjoyment of riding through this area.

Once we reached REI,  we had a pleasant coffee break at the Panera Bakery, and then we headed back after a quick swing through REI. We had a delicious lunch at Va Da Vi in Walnut Creek before setting off to do our afternoon chores.

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Riding along Danville Blvd.

On Saturday, we decided to forgo riding on Iron Horse Trail because we knew it would be crowded. It always is on Saturday, and the day before Easter was sure to be busier than ever. So we rode down Danville Blvd. just like the big kids who wear spandex and travel in groups. It was wonderful; the shoulder was plenty wide and the surface was smoother than that of the trail. And best of all, there were no strollers, tots on trikes, or dog owners “taking their half down the middle” as my old father used to say.

We arrived at the farmers’ market in Danville fairly early to get a good choice of produce for our Easter dinner. As usual we found a lot

Danville Farmers' Market

that appealed to us. But  though it was only about ten o’clock, the tomato man was already out of his scrumptious tiny tomatoes on the vine.

The tomato man

After shopping at the market, we stopped for coffee at Lunardi’s and watched the people competing for parking spaces.

Then it was on to Rakestraw Books on Hartz Ave., the main street of Danville. The proprietor Michael and his mother Julie seem like old friends after all the years we have browsed and bought at the store. I love the table near the entrance with an assortment of new books that Michael and Julie are always ready to discuss.

Rakestraw Books

After an easy ride  back to Alamo, again along the highway, we finished up with a satisfying lunch at the Peasant’s Courtyard.

Video of our Just Be in Holland Entry

Check out our video of our “Just Be in Holland entry.” Although it is not perfect, we are proud of our entry, and we would love to win. Click here . This is a contest for a cycling trip for two people sponsored by KLM.

Spring on Iron Horse Trail

A Spring Scene from Iron Horse Trail

I  rode on Iron Horse Trail both Tuesday and Wednesday this week; one day I went north from Alamo and the other day I went south. These were beautiful spring days with the trail bordered by the lush green of early spring and blossoms adding a touch of pink and white.  The warmth of the sun seemed to melt away the wintry chill that we are not really accustomed to in this part of California.

However, Iron Horse Trail is getting more crowded all the time, and the thoughtlessness of some tends to temper the pleasure of riding. As I have said many times on this site, dog walkers and mothers with strollers are inclined to abuse the privilege of using the path. With more than one dog, many walkers take up more than their fair share of the path. Among the worst offenders are the young mothers pushing a stroller, hanging on to a dog’s leash, and talking on the telephone. Or there are the groups of mothers with strollers who are so busy with socializing that they ignore others on the path. Of course, worst of all are the dog owners who flout the law by allowing their dogs to run off leash. I’ve found that these people are likely to greet the passers-by pleasantly, hoping that their disregard for the law will be overlooked.

Perhaps it would help if there were a line down the middle of the path so that users could see when they are straying from their half of the trail. With the current budget situation facing most government entities, I don’t see the trail being striped any time soon, so perhaps it would help if people were to imagine a line down the middle of the path and be conscientious about staying on the right-hand side.