The Levee to Arden

On March 17 I wrote that I spoke on the phone to a couple people about cargo bikes when the train I was on got a short distance from Sacramento. When I got off the train I rode up H St. to 11th and investigated the 19th and C bike connection to the American River Path. The streets around the Blue Diamond factory are closed to traffic. The guards chased me.

When my friend and I had last been to Sacramento we missed the 19th and C connection to the Sacramento Northern Bikeway and ended up at 16th and A. at that time, I decided that we should have backtracked when that happened because the distance wasn’t great.

After looking at the bike path I visited Ulysses Park and the bike dealer. I was apprehensive when I saw three cop cars because of my foray into Blue Diamond. I went through McKinley Park and stopped at a garage sale at Santa Ynez and J. Then I took M all the way to 62nd and entered Sacramento State to cross the Guy West Bridge and continue along on the levee to Arden Arcade.

I passed under Howe and Watt and went to my old classmate’s house. Some of the neighborhoods are gated so it was hard to navigate.

Another old classmate- a doctor- had texted as I saw him parking.

Our hostess welcomed us in and I put my bike in the back. I nearly didn’t make it to when I dropped my bike because I so many people with whom I used to go to school. I caught up with several of them as I ate from the taco bar.

I went and found some of my closer acquaintances and noticed that I tend to be really gregarious. It was nice to get some fresh air out back and I met all of my host’s brothers. My hostess‘s mom was really fun too. Many people couldn’t show up and I had really wanted to see them.

I was happy to hang out with several of them. I basically went from the back to the front of the other living room over and over. Two bands played and there was a DJ. I stood with a crowd of the hostess’ high school friends from Minnesota until the band sang happy birthday to her. Also the family – it may have been an aunt or her mother-in-law - brought out a cake and we all sang happy birthday.

By the time the cake had come out everyone had shown up and I made preparations to leave with one of my Sacramento friends. As we were going his brother - the doctor- opted to stay so we just packed my bike into the car and left.

I got up at eight almost. Then I had made breakfast with the family and after I ate headed out to have coffee with some of the revelers in Tahoe Park at a place called Bacon and Butter. The food was delicious.

After that I rode my bike to the station and took the noon train.

This is an occasional series chronicling my life. This Notebook Analysis series is meant to be contemporaneous piece developed as an agglomeration of my notebook pages. In each of these posts I used my notes to develop my recent thoughts.