Still Hanging in the Heat

Getting a new spare tire was today’s priority. I chained a bike at the picnic table along with some cycling kit then disconnected whatever was connected on the RV and drove over to drop the tire with Julio over at Jessie’s Tire Shop. The tire hadn’t arrived but no problem; I left the shredded tire and rim and drove north to Mayflower County Park.

I had to cough up a day use fee but I was comfortable with that as the gated park/campground/boat ramp seemed like a safe place to leave the RV after seeing some of the other run down areas I might have parked.

Some CalFire guys were launching zodiacs at the ramp as I pushed my board into the fast moving current and picked up speed flowing with river.

Many sections of the river are shallower than I thought. I could see the bottom zooming by below me through the clear water. Nice hot sunny morning. I’d splash water on myself every so often and drink from a bottle with suero to stay hydrated. Almost seven miles later, I was landing on the beach right in front of my campsite.

Changed clothes with a towel wrapped around me, refilled the bottle at the office then started the bike ride back to Mayflower to retrieve the RV. Google maps bicycle mode did a good job at the start taking me over the pedestrian bridge above the river and into California.

I was led down a mixture of paved and unpaved farming roads. But, Google did it to me again. After sending me two miles in from the main highway it turned me down a road of soft dirt that dead ended into a irrigation canal. The map showed the track going through but facts are facts.

I had to turn left and go out another two miles to the highway and go asphalt the rest of the way to the park. Hot and dusty and thirsty, I was glad to see Wilson waiting with a refrigerator full of cold beverages.

Picked up my new tire, paid a visit to the local grocery store then returned to camp for an afternoon of relaxation.