Day 3: Sacramento to Auburn.

Time Zone : Pacific (GMT -8)
Todays Distance: 51 miles
Cycling time: 4hrs 18 mins

Today’s cumulative ascent: 2763 ft

Average Heart Rate : 104 bpm

Distance so far: 191 miles

Ascent so far: 7550 ft.

Todays Profile:

Dedication: Today is for the teachers in Providence who labour there with total dedication to the children and their welfare...... for Varina, Saker, Bari, Christine, Marly, Sarahlinda, Sharon and Isa who was there the last time the Abbey students were in Shillong.

Today was another short day with a little shot of reality near the end... a taster for tomorrow. Bags were all loaded at 6am and breakfast in Lyons nearby. No need to rush the morning meal today. Just outside Sacramento we got on the American Riverbike Way which generally follows the course upstream of the Sacramento River. We followed it for 33 miles..an absolute pleasure to cycle on, no cars, plenty of other cyclists and interesting terrain. Today I cycled in an international group - New Zealand, Trinidad, Australia, and Ireland. We stuck together for the day and had an opportunity of

conversation on the bike path. The wind was generally in our favour and we tipped along at around 14 mph. There was no stress as is evidenced in the average heart beat (104 bpm). Temperatures were in the upper 20's although it was still an early hour but the breeze in our hair made it so exhilirating. I have to enjoy these days while they last. This is the calm before the storm. We passed by Folsom (Didn't Johnny Cash do a famous gig in Folsom Prison?) and made our only SAG stop in Beals Point park on the banks of Folsom Lake. It had been a stress-free 33 miles so far. Even the squirrels joined us for a reloading of carbohydrates by the wagons.

After SAG we were back on the open road linking Folsom and Auburn. Now we were getting into rolling terrain but nothing too severe. After 2 days of total horizontal cycling it was a change. temperatures were by now approaching a pleasant 30. Just before we came to Auburn City Limits we faced into a 1.5 mile steady climb. Each of us took it at our own pace and arranged to regroup at the top. All made the top with a smile (right) and shortly afterwards almost all the group met for lunch at Pine Cafe just before High Street. It was a relaxing break with no urgency to restart .... by now we had 48 miles under our our belts and over 2000 feet of climbing. No wonder all had a great appetite.

After lunch it was a short ride through downtown Auburn and our group pulled in at Comfort Inn at 1.15 pm. and got a pleasant courteous welcome.

I have noticed that through California people couldn't have been more pleasant and helpful. And that's not just to me (obviously a tourist) but even to the other Americans; they are so efficiently laid-back and genuinely helpful.

And cycling is a major recreational activity with excellent infrastructure. So far we have been on many Bike Paths with today's being the daddy of them all. I believe we'll be on many more along this adventure. And along the major roads and streets there is a marked bike lane. Is this just in California ?...I'll see as we pass from state to state.

Another great day's cycling and the group is really bonding and getting to know each other. Last night I had a great chat with two of the lads from Las Vegas. All part of the experience.

Tomorrow ? We'll let tomorrow take care of itself. All we got to do is to rest up tonight and keep turning the pedals...one more time, then one more time etc etc.

Heard today: "I've never met a hill yet that I couldn't walk"

Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.