I haven’t been in Sacramento for over five years. I have developed several valued relationships through a client engagement that I wrapped up the last time I was in town.
Sacramento is a very unique town. It has a very western flavor to it. After having enjoyed to cool comfort of the pacific coast, there was definitely a shift in temperature as I moved into the valley. Though not nearly as toasty as a summer’s day in Phoenix, it was almost thirty degrees warmer in Sacramento than Santa Cruz. Enough of the weather report.
As has been the theme of much of my trip so far, these two days were built around reconnecting with good friends. I have been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to build these connections and am even more blessed to know they value connecting with me, too.
The highlight of my visit was a very scenic ride along the American River Valley Bike Route. This route stretches over 40 miles from downtown Sacramento all the way to the eastern suburb of Folsom. The path is flat and fast. Better yet, it is clean, well maintained, and filled with great views of the American and Sacramento Rivers.
My friend, Greg Price, took me on a 40 mile out and back ride. We saw turkey, coyotes, and a deer. Though the posted speed limit was 15 MPH, we were able to comfortably clip along at around 18 MPH. Being a competitive cyclist who actively races, Greg couldn’t resist showing me his bursts of speed a couple of times along the way. A simple reminder that I could work a little harder on my biking skills.
Wrapping up this part of my trip takes me from California to Oregon. As I leave my experiences, friends, and much of what I am more familiar with, I am incredibly grateful for my first week on the road. I had very special experiences, celebrated some unique rides, and was reminded how fortunate I am to have such great friends everywhere.
Life always presents us with opportunities to live, enjoy, celebrate, and grow. Seize every moment when it is presented — the rewards of the effort may not always be obvious at the time; but, will always reveal itself eventually. In the meantime, get busy.
