Funky Forestville

Len and I began a late, leisurely Saturday ride at Norcal Bike Shop. Len was having his racing bike converted into a climbing cycle by installing a monster rear gear cassette (see photo) and I was having my rear tire replaced due to friction from a misaligned brake pad. So, after our AM repairs we rode off to Willowside School for a West County jaunt. We took Willowside to Olivet via Piner. It was a cool fall day and you could hear the dry leaves crunch beneath our wheels. We turned at River Road and slowly rode up the steady incline for miles. Len was getting used to his new gear ratios and at one point lost his chain while experimenting with shifting. Traffic was particularly heavy and an enormous motor home nearly wiped us both off the road. So, we were relieved to coast onto Mirabel Road and stop in the shabby town of Forestville. Unlike most of our destinations, Forestville lacks an adequate bakery, so we settled for burnt coffee and stale brownies at a nearby deli/café. After our break, we navigated onto the West County Trail. The wet gravel from the recent rain and muddy dirt made the first trail mile extra challenging. However, once the payment appeared, it was smooth sailing until Graton. The scenery was awesome with the leaves turning red and orange. We exited the path and rode onto Highway 116 until we arrived at Guerneville Road. The long stretch and nagging gradual climb was interrupted as Len frantically started pointing to his helmet and pulled aside. After tearing his helmet off, it became clear that a bee had stung him right in the head. We continued on Guerneville Road as the sun began to shine, warming us as we arrived at Willowside. We rode back to Santa Rosa concluding a concise, yet beautiful fall ride. Another milestone, as my bike’s odometer surpassed 10,000 miles (imagine the fuel savings). Wahoo!