Cooling down my rims

Friday's riding was mostly fantastic. After waking up early, making
the best cup of coffee I think I've ever tasted, and scribbling myself
out some directions for the day, I headed back out on the River Road
toward Calistoga. After a couple of miles I stoppped to put on some
sunscreen and here comes Paul, a local teacher I'd met two days
earlier. He was on a bicycle in Sausalito, but this time he was
driving a car. Between him and Francios (an intrepid bike commuter who
saw us talking), we came up with an alternate route that would get me
off the main rush-hour roads.

Paul & Francios, that route was beautiful, btw. Chalk Hill was very
pretty and very quiet. Ida Claiton was a hard climb for 4 miles up,
but the miles at the top were incredibly rewarding.
The photo here is from my descent of that road, which was steep and
had about 3 miles of rutted-out washboard gravel. I stopped here to
let my rims cool down just in case. I think I saw 3 cars the entire 12-
mile length of that pass.

The main highway headed north to Clearlake wasn't much to speak of,
but once I started heading east on 20, it was gorgeous, starting out
with about 4 miles of fast descending with sweeping views of the
central valley to come.

There isn't really anything on this road for miles and miles, so I'm
camped in some kind of public land along some kind of horse trail.

Thanks to 83-year-old Ron for the water, V8, poppy seed muffin, and
that sweet tomato a few miles before sundown. Ron is a California
original, a self-described "prunepicker."

It's morning now. When I get to Williams in about 18 miles I plan on
finding the biggest breakfast and cup of coffee that exist.

Tonight, I oughtta be in Chico without too much trouble. Supposedly,
headed north along the Sacremento River, the wind will be working in
my favor for a change.