Good Friday? Hell Yeah

I woke up early today because I wanted to get to Winters to pick up my bike. When I got to my car, it appeared that there was an unsuccessful/incomplete break in job on my vehicle. The lock mechanism on the passenger door had clearly been tampered with. Oh well, I guess it could have been worse.

I arrived in Winters earlier than scheduled as a result of low traffic and my outstanding navigational skills. Winters is a beautiful town with a lot of character. It is apparent that its residents take pride in their community. It was peaceful, tidy, felt safe, and was, well, the opposite of San Francisco. I sat down for a cup of Joe at Steady Eddies. I picked that place because there was a cruiser bike parked out front with a Hula Girl on it and it just seemed to sum up the vibe that I got from the town. I especially like that it was not locked up - presenting another contrast to San Francisco.

I then headed to Velo City to meet Myke and pick up my new bike. He showed me how to take my fork off and how to dismantle the rear suspension so that I can fit the bike in my bike box when I head home on Monday. We didn't actually try to fit the bike IN the box, so that will be a nice little surprise for Monday to see if it actually works. He also took the time to make some suggestions on where I might want to ride over the next couple of days and made a map of one particular ride that I might like this afternoon. I've never had service like this! Very impressive.

I continued east to Auburn for an afternoon ride. Before hitting the trail, I grabbed some water in Cool. Two bottles ought to be enough, right?

By now it was mid afternoon and in the low 80's for temperature. It was a clear day and there were a lot of people out cooling off in the river. Down by the river, some peole had arranged the rocks in a decorative way that caught my attention.

Myke's hand drawn map and directions were excellent. The ride was mostly single track with a mix of of easy hard packed trail and technical sections to keep me happy. The scenery was spectacular. I encountered perhaps 12 other riders, which gave me some comfort without it being a nuisance. I saw a surprising number of snakes and hoped that they were just garter snakes (though I was happy not finding out for sure).

I tested the limits of my abilities and took a few little spills, but nothing I couldn't handle. I was extremely pleased with the feel of the bike; it exceeded the high expectations that I had. It's amazing what a difference good equipment can make. I rode for about 3.5 hours, taking a few detours to extend the ride. I would have stayed out longer but I was out of water and running out of light.

Nevada City was my destination for the evening. Based on a recommendation from a guy that was eavesdropping on my conversation with Myke at the bike shop, I got a room at the Outside Inn. Good choice. I walked into the reception area and there were maps and directions to local mountain biking spots on the wall. The staff was friendly and the rooms were reasonably priced. When I got to my room, there were some easter eggs by the alarm clock. What more could I ask for?

The town of Nevada City is small, but extremely cool. I walked around town for a while, enjoying the pleasant evening temperatures and the cool, laid back vibe of the town, and decided I would stay here at least another night. I can't wait to get out for a ride tomorrow.