Sunny Smiles

Four friends joined me for a relaxed jaunt on a familiar route.

In no hurry, we kept an eye on one another, happy to chat and take in the sights. An impromptu photo stop led to the discovery of a short trail which afforded a closer view of the still-muddy Chesbro Reservoir (nearly 89% full!).

Coyote Creek looked more like a lake than a creek, in places; we spotted a couple of Great Blue Herons hunting in the reeds, and a trio of deer grazing in a field. Also more than the usual complement of diabolical ground squirrels—which fortunately heeded my well-practiced hiss and fled away from us. Tsssss!

Trail-averse as I tend to be, I do enjoy the lower reaches of the Coyote Creek Trail. Traversing wide-open space, with little traffic (cyclists, mostly). And if that's not enough to brighten your day, surely the grins on the faces of approaching cyclists will!

Although we'd hoped for a few more miles on the trail, we were not surprised to find the last stretch blocked. Even though we haven't seen significant rain for a while, there is so much water still flowing—enough to flood one usual section.

We finished our 39 miles (with ~1,000 feet of climbing) while the sky was still mostly blue, especially grateful to enjoy this route without the traditional headwind—and in the company of good friends.