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The 35th Anniversary of the Chico Wildflower is in 2016, so to commemorate that milestone, they asked some early participants to share their recollections for the ChicoVelo website. Here is that "To the Best of My Memory" story... 1981, My First Chico Wildflower! While attending UCD and living in Davis in the early 80’s I was fully immersed in the cycling world there; riding 100’s of bucolic miles per month, as an officer in the DBC and helping organize the Davis Double and Foxy Fall centuries and their summer tours. Cycling for me was, and still is, a wonderful elixir...

I had the privilege to witness a marvelous occurrence last Saturday up in Lakeport, Ca. It was the 25th running of the “Konocti Challenge” organized by the Lakeport Rotary. The event had the self-effacing moniker of “Pedal the Puddle” for many years before being renamed for the prominent 4304’ volcanic local landmark of Mt. Konocti. I rode my first circumnavigation of “the largest natural lake in California” back in the early 80’s while I was attending UC Davis. When I was rerouting the Davis Double Century in 1985, I was quickly ensnared by the beautiful, quiet mountain roads of the...

Well…that was an unexpectedly unique week! Since being home for a few days, I’ve been recovering from the 14 hours and 1000 miles of driving each way and returning the camping gear to its various closet shelves and doing all the compulsory loads of laundry, I can take some time to gather these recollections and perceptions. As you probably know, I relish my annual CycleOregon immersion. From the warmth and generosity of the staff and the riders, to the beautiful quiet roads under wide open skies and the amazing layers of thought and preparation, it’s a wonderful week on wheels....

As of September 7th, the wait is almost over. It was twelve short years ago when I first stopped at "The Blue Banana" in Lostine, Oregon and purchased a medium Mocha. It feels like the proverbial blink of an eye looking back now. To commemorate that distinctive moment on CycleOregon XVI, I also bought an azure plastic coffee mug with an insulated stainless steel liner, a travel lid on top and the "Blue Banana" logo on the side. I stopped at the small roadside coffee vendor in the center of town that crisp, clear morning both to take a picture...

Ok, I know it’s still summer for the next 500 hours…but given the proximity of CycleOregon on my cycling calendar, my thoughts have once again shifted towards the inevitable diminishing daylight of the autumnal turn. For the past ten years the gravity of this seasonal flip of the page has been enhanced by my favorite yearly cycle-gathering. The issue has been the rapidity of the shift; from our benign Mediterranean climate here in the Bay Area to whichever corner of Oregon they traverse. This is mostly due to the more northerly latitude where this enjoyable gathering finds itself. Fall has...