The Source of a Disturbing Odor is Finally Discovered

July 26, 2017

Day 33: Placerville, California to Winters, California

What I'd seen of Placerville yesterday was pretty "meh", but this morning I rode away through an actual downtown area that looked like it might be at least somewhat interesting. Soon, though, I was in a typical ugly industrial area, where I stopped at a gas station for a muffin and a soda pop. I didn't want to spend a lot of time on an elaborate breakfast today, since I had a hunch that it would take me longer than usual to navigate through the large towns of Folsom, Sacramento, and Davis.

I got on Green Valley Road, where I would be for much of the morning. At first this was a scenic country road with very little traffic going in my direction. Pleasant. I stopped for a few minutes in the village of Rescue, where the sign didn't list a population, but did inform me that I was now down to 1208 feet above sea level.

After Rescue, traffic picked up a little, although the ride remained enjoyable, and then Green Valley Road suddenly became a much busier, wider road with a lot of traffic. There was a rideable shoulder/bike lane, though, so I wasn't too annoyed. Oddly, I rode through a very built-up area with many stores that wasn't listed on the Adventure Cycling maps at all. I stopped at a Walgreens store there for a Diet Pepsi, then went to the restroom. Lately I'd noticed a bad, sort of acrid smell that seemed to travel with me. This morning I identified the source of the odor: It was my cycling cap, the washing of which I had become, umm, less careful about, in recent days. Good grief: I wore this thing constantly. How many people had noticed this odor? I washed it thoroughly in the sink before leaving the Walgreens.

Unsurprisingly, I got lost as I entered Folsom and tried to find the entrance to the bike path on which I was supposed to ride for many miles today, and which would take me all the way through Sacramento. I finally got on a path that seemed to lead in the right direction, although the turn I made didn't match my map's directions. Soon I realized that I was on the wrong side of the Sacramento River, but a couple of local cyclists explained how I could cross to the correct side later.

The Jedediah Smith National Recreation Trail was nice enough, but I rode for miles without seeing a way to get off the path and get to a restaurant or store. Finally I stopped at a shady rest area along the trail and ate Nutella from the jar I was carrying. I had left my spoon back at the motel this morning, and had no Payday bars left to dip in the Nutella. Luckily no one witnessed me sticking my face in the jar and slurping out the Nutella with my tongue.

The bike path continued to be a pleasant ride, but as usual when riding for hours on a path, I eventually got a little bored with it. There was one slightly exciting incident when I came upon a segment of the path that was closed due to a fire the day before. The fireman initially ordered me off the path, but when I showed him my map, with its lack of context, and explained that I would surely get lost if I took to the unfamiliar streets, he agreed to let me follow his truck for the half mile through the closed section of the path.

The path eventually ended, and I soon reached the "Old Town" area of Sacramento. This was very touristy, but I was relieved to finally reach a restaurant. I had some very good fish and chips, then rode through a not-especially-nice part of West Sacramento (payday loan places, motels so run down that even *I* would hesitate before checking in, etc.) Incredibly, I did *not* miss the entrance to the Yolo Causeway Bike Path, which was through an easy-to-miss, three-foot gap in a chain link fence that enclosed some sort of industrial storage lot. I was extremely grateful for this path, since it separated me from the very busy, fast-moving traffic on I-80 a few feet away.

After that it was easy riding into Davis, the self-described "Bicycle Capital of the U.S". I had been dubious when I heard of this supposed distinction, but Davis really was very easy to ride in. I read later that a greater percentage of the population commutes to work by bike there than in any other American city, and I can believe that. Davis, a college town, had so many interesting ethnic restaurants and funky-looking shops, that I regretted reserving a room in Winters instead.

I rode a bike path out of Davis, then got on Putah Creek Road for the ride to Winters. This was a virtually empty country road through orchards. Very nice. Also, very flat.

I had no idea what to expect from Winters (pop. 6,624), but I was very pleasantly surprised. Unlike Placerville, it wasn't surrounded by ugly sprawl (at least the direction I came into town), and had a pretty lively downtown with several interesting-looking restaurants. Surprisingly for a town this size, there was only one place to stay, a small Inn where I'd already reserved a room. I checked in and waited while the innkeeper explained to me many things I had no interest in (the history of the inn, how the coffee maker worked, etc.), then I got cleaned up and walked around the town before choosing the Putah Creek Cafe, where I had the best dinner in weeks: A large Mediterranean pizza.

I did a load of laundry at the inn, then went to bed after setting my alarm for the earliest departure time of the tour. My goal tomorrow was to make the 11:30 ferry from Vallejo to San Francisco, and finish what will almost certainly be my last big bike tour.

Today's ride: 90 miles (145 km)
Total: 2,737 miles (4,405 km)

Rate this entry's writing	Heart	2
Comment on this entry	Comment	0