The Ninja Librarian: biking

Showing posts with label biking. Show all posts

Friday, April 6, 2018

Photo Friday: Biking Maui

Leaving SF and all those clouds

To arrive in Maui with all those clouds...

Recently the Ninja Librarian and spouse traveled to Maui for a bit of a vacation. Being the people we are, it didn't involve a whole lot of lying around and relaxing. First thing we did on arriving was rent a pair of bikes for the next day, with a plan to ride around West Maui (58+ miles and 4400' of climbing, for those who want to know--actually a little easier than the ride we might have done had we been at home).

I'm going to give a shout-out to Krank Cycles of Makawao, because we didn't really get how the whole bike rental thing works, and showed up at 4:30 Saturday afternoon, figuring it would be easy to pick up a couple of bikes and be on our way. In fact, the place was busy, and the lone salesclerk/mechanic, Josh, ended up staying about an hour and a half past closing to ready a couple of bikes for us. So they get top ratings from us.

This guy was on the sidewalk in front of the bike shop. Definitely not an SF thing.

With bikes in hand, we were able to start about 7:30 the next morning from our hostel in Wialuku. The typical weather pattern gave us a good shower early in the morning, which stopped before we left.

Ready to start, atop a bike worth more than the whole trip cost. For three of us. Yow.

It sprinkled on us a bit early on the ride but the sun soon came out, though for the most part temperatures were mild. That was good, because I don't handle heat and humidity well at all.

The road the first several miles ran through what you might call the suburbs, and had a good shoulder but light traffic (at that hour on a Sunday morning, anyway). The straight road soon gave way to curves, then at 6 1/2 miles, the road became more or less a one-lane strip of pavement clinging to the side of the mountains high above the Pacific. With even less traffic, this was the marvelous part! None of the hills was steep enough or long enough to give us any trouble, and the rain had gone so we could see views of the coast, if not much of the mountains (they remained covered in clouds for most of our visit to the island).

Not California, either.

NE coast with a hint of Molokai in the distance.

No ride is complete without a stop for something we shouldn't be eating, so at 14 miles we stopped at Kahakuloa and bought banana bread at Lorraine's Shave Ice (we didn't have shave ice, since breakfast was too recent).

I guess it's a town.

The intrepid cyclists.

We ate the bread 6 miles on at the Nakalele Blowhole, which was the first place we suddenly saw lots of cars.

Yum.

Nakalele Blowhole; like a geyser or a whale spouting, you never know just when it will perform.

People were just as fascinated by the nearby heart-shaped rock. Which isn't accurate, because the heart shape is the part that isn't rock.

The blowhole in fact represented the end of the really tranquil part of the ride, though the road remained narrow, winding, and not too heavily traveled until about mile 26, when we began to approach Kapalua. I have to say that the giant resorts there, seen after several hours in the jungle, looked like something dropped in from outer space. The people who stay there are not like us (for one thing, they are way more willing to spend money).

Though we were only about halfway, that point also marked the end of the really good riding. We turned south along Highway 30 and began sailing south, pushed by a brisk north wind. Even at that, it took far too long to reach Lahaina and find a place to get lunch. I was getting pretty cranky before we stopped! Salads and smoothies at the Bamboo Fresh Cafe, which was about pretty much a parody of itself with everything natural, organic, local, and careful to say so.

We had the Starburst, because it looked the least like anything we'd find at home.

After lunch, we found the wind a little less cooperative, and at times the sun a bit much. For just one short stretch we found ourselves climbing a hill in intense sun, with no breeze, and had a moment of doubt that we might be in trouble (and a reminder of what it might have been like if the weather hadn't been cool and rainy in places). Fortunately, the wind came up, and while it was no fun to fight that, it was better than cooking in the hot sun. Much of the way was right along the shore, where hundreds of people lined the beaches, baking themselves or playing in the mild waves (that stretch of the island is sheltered by Lanai and has little surf). It was something to look at while riding, and I like the ocean, so not bad. We didn't stop for photos, since the sun was high and the light awful.

At 51 miles, we turned north to cross the island back to Wailuku, and the wind's efforts to cool us were suddenly assisted by rain, which persisted for those last 7 miles (so absolutely no photos, as cameras were wrapped in plastic for protection). Drowned rats would be the apt description of us by the end, but unlike cycling at home in the rain, we were not at all cold. So we finished in style, dripping wet but happy. A shower, a drive to return the bikes and pick up dinner (and ice cream), and a night's sleep had us ready for the next adventure (which fortunately involved a lot of sitting in the car).

On the road back to the bike shop. Rain begets rainbows!

Stay tuned for more--rainforest explorations, waterfalls, and backpacking the volcano (I told you we don't relax on vacation).

©Rebecca M. Douglass, 2018
As always, please ask permission to use any photos or text. Link-backs appreciated!

Friday, October 6, 2017

Photo Friday: Biking the Marin and Sonoma Coast

A few weeks ago I joined a couple of backpacking friends (Zeke and Walt) for a bike trip up the Marin and Sonoma coastline in California (yeah, a bunch of backpackers on bikes. It happens). The weather cooperated, mostly, and we had a great time. Not an epic ride in terms of miles covered, but enough to see some country and plenty of hills for my flat-lander companions!

Here are a few photos to share the fun.

One of the fun things was that we got to start riding right from my house (this did mean that most of the trip was routes I'd ridden before, but they are worth repeating). The first day's highlight was crossing the Golden Gate Bridge.

Looks like the railing on this side is due for painting!

South Tower

Moving on into Marin, we had to climb a long way up to our campsite at Pantoll on Mt. Tamalpais. A little humor helped to keep us going. Temperatures that day were warm, and a bit humid (most of CA was absolutely baking, so we were actually in a good place), which made the climb harder than it needed to be.

"When you come to a fork in the road, take it." Or just enjoy it.

Sometimes there are a lot of turkeys hanging out and making noise in campgrounds. We did consider supplementing our protein, but Zeke, in charge of food, had brought plenty, so we let these guys go on gobbling.

That night we walked out the Coastal Trail on the shoulder of Mt. Tam to enjoy views of Stinson Beach and Bolinas Lagoon at sunset. The full moon was rising behind us as we enjoyed the evening show.

I was glad we'd enjoyed the evening view, because next morning the fog moved in. It was beautiful in camp in the morning.

The fog was beautiful in another way as we rode through it, though it was disconcerting as in places visibility was reduced to a few dozen yards. And it was frustrating to know that there were stunning views of the ocean if we could only see them!

Bikers in the mist. We were running our flashers, but fortunately it is also a road with few cars on a weekday morning; I don't think a single car passed us on our ride through the mist.

We spent the next two nights at Samuel P. Taylor State Park, which gave us access to ride out Pt. Reyes. Since the lighthouse was closed to tours on the day we were there (research fail!), we chose to visit Drake's Beach and enjoy a picnic on the edge of the fog. It's a marvelous ride either way.

Lichen-draped trees along the road.

Drakes Beach clearly gets a lot of use on sunny weekends, but on a foggy Thursday, it was all ours. The receding tide left kelp lying about in interesting patterns on the sand.

In a theme some of my readers may remember, I had to photograph, mourn, and pack out the inevitable balloon. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: DO NOT release balloons! Of course, this was probably an unintentional release, but still. Maybe think twice about helium balloons at all.

The next day the sun came back out for real, and we enjoyed a beautiful ride up Tomales Bay and through rural Sonoma County to Bodega Bay. There are lots of seafood restaurants along Tomales Bay.

I liked this old guy.

In case you don't want seafood, this shed lets you know that there's something else cooking inside.

In the calm near the mouth, we could see that there was still fog right on the coast.

Climbing away from Tomales Bay, we hit the town of Tomales just in time for lunch. The bakery was a nice discovery. What's the good of biking all day if you can't enjoy a nice brownie for lunch?

Walt and Zeke nearly ready to roll again.

We hit the fog just as we pulled into Bodega Bay at the end of the longest day. Camp felt cold and windy and uninviting right on the shore, so we went into town to eat. But just before bed, the fog lifted a little.

Bodega Bay by night.

Our final day served up a mix of sun and fog--typical coastal weather--as we headed north through Jenner and on to Stillwater Cove County Park.

Sometimes it doesn't feel safe to stop and wait. This guy watched a long time to see if I was dead.

Jenner, at the mouth of the Russian River, is a favorite snack stop, though this time it was too early for lunch and we merely enjoyed the views for a few minutes.


Rental kayaks hoping for sun and adventurous tourists.

We made it to camp in the end, and watched a beautiful sunset from the cove.

Stillwater Cove marked the official end of the ride, though my husband (who joined us in Bodega Bay) and I did a short ride the next morning. We piled into a couple of cars (we had one along the whole way, Zeke's wife driving our gear from camp to camp, and my husband brought one up) to head back home. On the way, we stopped at Ft. Ross State Park, to check out the reconstruction of the southernmost Russian settlement in what is now the US.

Watch tower.

The chapel, Russian Orthodox style, mostly.

About 80% of the people checking out the chapel had to tap the bell, which could be heard all over, even if you just used your knuckles.

Have to ask my kid what the inscription says.

The place was meant mainly to grow food for the Alaskan outposts (it didn't really succeed), but there are reminders it was also a fort, and they were prepared to defend themselves against the Spanish or the English at need.

One final spectacular view on our way back home.

Thursday, May 4, 2017

Photo Friday: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

It's been a long time since I did a photo special, but I have some good shots to share from a late-March visit to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, in southern California. The area got some hype this year about a super-bloom, and while it was maybe a bit exaggerated, we certainly found good flowers, and far more than we've seen in recent years.

The drive down from San Francisco is a long one, but it was nice to see the hills covered in green (and a fair number of California poppies).

We began our trip with something new (for us): a 60-mile bike ride that took us up into the hills to the west, to have lunch in the town of Julian before a glorious descent back to the park (and the heat).

Pre-sunrise breakfast before starting to ride. We needed an early start to beat the heat and the traffic.

Started right off with the looooong climb out of the valley. This was just the beginning.

After the first dozen miles, we got a respite in Ranchita. Where they seem to revere Bigfoot (more on him later).

After the ride, and the ice cream, we headed out to check out the main areas with thick flowers.

A field of desert gold (a sort of sunflower, or DYC). There were primroses mixed in, but this was pretty much a monoculture.

The primroses, with desert gold reaching for the sky, and some verbena making a purple splash

Lily. Not a flower we've seen often. It must insist on good conditions.

On out to Font's Point for sunset over the badlands.

Ocatillo

Sunset on the badlands.

After a sunset (and a night's sleep), you get a sunrise, and an hour or two of good light. This morning, we had clouds that kept it from getting hot, and made for some good photos as we explored the area near our camp.

Mesquite (I think) and wave clouds.

Brittlebush blossoms, and cholla cactus against a cloudy sky.

I did promise you more Bigfoot sightings. I caught a glimpse of this one--I think it's female--in among the brittlebush. Or it might have been an Ewok.

Actually, that's a dead cholla.

Our final activity was an overnight hike into Borrego Palm Canyon (you need a permit, and you must be willing to scramble some, as there is no trail up the canyon beyond the first palm grove). In 2004 a flash flood scrubbed the canyon and the alluvial fan (and wiped out parts of the campground) pretty well, though the groves were not destroyed. It was encouraging to see how well the groves are recovering, and there are many, many young palms in the canyon. I'm not sure, but I wouldn't be surprised if floods help the seeds germinate.