DAY 1 TOUR of NW CA

DAY ONE

The forecast had not changed for our start day so Geno proposed an alternate plan which bypassed our original route to Red Bluff, CA and opted for Highway 99W which would parallel Interstate 5 providing towns with restaurants and motels to stay in if needed.  Our original route was to ride roads hugging the eastern edge of the California coast range up to Red Bluff.  The original route would be very scenic and very challenging, as we would have gone up and down quite a bit.  The plan B route would begin flat then become rolling, as we got closer to Red Bluff.

Our start day began in sunshine.  I left my house earlier than the others left Geno’s as I had approximately 20 miles further to ride.  I expected to meet them on River Road headed for Woodland, CA.  It did not work out for me quite as expected when I experienced my first flat of six (for the whole trip) on the American River Bike Trail a mile or two east of Discovery Park.  It was on the rear.  Off came the panniers, sleeping bag, ground cloth and hatchet in order to remove the wheel.  I called Geno to let him know I was behind schedule.  We agreed to meet at Elkhorn County park on River Road.

I rolled into the park to meet up with the ‘gang’ plus two others, Mike and Dr. Steve, who were escorting us to Woodland.  We rolled into Woodland heading for a breakfast spot I had frequented when my wife worked in Woodland.  My designated café was closed.  We asked around and were directed to Denny’s on the north outskirts of town.  Within a quarter mile of Denny’s flat number two stopped me.  I could see Denny’s across the field.  I walked the bike to Denny’s and because it was the rear tire again I began to suspect something on the inside rather than an exterior problem.  While eating and talking I inspected my rear wheel and decided the problem was a poor taping of the spoke holes.  I realigned and re-taped making sure all the spoke holes were covered.  They weren’t.  Bob during brunch conversation mentioned he wanted to do a trans-continental tour.  I have wanted to do the trans-continental myself so volunteered to join him with next summer our designated time.

After breakfast Mike and Dr. Steve said their goodbyes and we began our tour in earnest seeking the most direct roads north and to Highway 99.  To the west we could see the incoming front on top of the coast range.  The sun was still shining in the Sacramento Valley though and we had a tailwind.  We were riding through the breadbasket of California and much of the United States.  Tomato fields, rice fields, other grain fields, grape vineyards, Almond orchards, past acres of corn, sunflowers, saffola fields and olive orchards.  The foregoing was to be our environment all the way to Red Bluff.  Our overnight stop for this day was a motel in Dunnigan.  The rain started softly just as we rolled into the motel parking lot.  

The Buttes from 99W