cartour 5

friday 3/18

Buckhorn Recreation Area to Arroyo Seco Recreation Area

Buckhorn Lake in the recreation area of that name.

Not representative of the natural beauty of the Buckhorn environment but still.

Left I-5 for the day mostly. West of Corning in the morning. Tour de camp ground and left down the back way south along the western edge of the Sacramento Valley. Shockingly lovely California Spring.  The Bear Valley route through Chrome, Elk Creek, Stonyford and Lodoga before the pavement gave way to mostly high grade gravel roadway 15 miles north of Rumsey, Guinda, etc. Slipped east on hwy 16 through Capay, Esparto, Madison to I-505 thence to 80, Sharon bombing down the east bay with the thought of reaching 101 and Greenfield and up into the Ventana Wilderness.  Did that with dinner at Cafe Las Fuentes (three nice ladies) and up Arroyo Seco to... Arroyo Seco Recreation Area camp which was nostalgic for me but bit busy. Just next door a large family gathering set up a small industrial park of generator, lights, cafeteria while several little girls on lit and unlit bikes circled the campground making serious conversation and while we remained fruitlessly anxious about the camp hosts mention that he would be entertaining someone with the film "Fury" in his outdoor theater also within spitting distance of our little settlement.

Miles driven ≈ unknown

Tomorrow: Into La Ventana on bike via the Indian Road!