Happy, Happy

May 7, 2012

Today we rode 32 miles along part of the Shasta Wheelman’s Jamboree metric century route.  We started at Old Shasta, a little town about 5 miles east of Whiskeytown Lake along highway 299.  The ride took us into some absolutely beautiful countryside.  It couldn’t have been a better time of year for this ride; the hills were green with spring grass and dotted with wildflowers.  The terrain was a little bit more than rolling hills so we got a good climbing workout and some fun twisty downhills.  I noted one corner we rounded was marked 25 mph and we were going into it about 39 mph!!  Fun, fun, fun!!  We turned around just past the little burg of “Happy Valley”, stopping at the Happy Stop store for ice cream and chips.  Note for future reference:  just past the Happy Stop there is Ruel’s Irish Pub, closed at the time, but supposedly open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.  Could be fun if we’re ever through this area again – they even have a structure in front of a guy on a high wheeler bicycle!!

Felt really good and strong today.  Maybe, just maybe the old muscles are getting stronger!!  We camped last night and for the next two nights at Oak Bottom Campground at Whiskeytown Lake.  Arriving mid afternoon on Sunday we had our pick of the lakeshore campsites and were able to pull the boat up to the shore and enjoy not only the amenities of a developed campsite but our comfortable sleeping v-berth in the boat.

Happy, happy day!