Mary Panttaja

I am finally getting a little bit settled into our new life—though I haven’t spent any time in Healdsburg in three weeks, so the “going back and forth” part isn’t practiced. I’m feeling a little bit out of control in Healdsburg, though I’m not there and the only thing that is likely out of control is the garden produce.

On our daily rides (though I’m foregoing one this morning for a bit of a sit) I am starting to recognize people—and some of them are recognizing me. An interesting community of sorts, those of us out on the bay just after dawn. A motley crew, I must say, all sizes and shapes and speeds.

Riding the Embarcadero and the Marina reminds a little bit of the challenges of driving in Kathmandu. But only a little—still much easier here. Walkers and runners of all speeds, cyclists going fast, bicyclers going randomly slowly (that’s me), people with dogs, people with two dogs (one on each side, of course), homeless people just waking up, commuters dashing off the ferry from Larkspur. And on Tuesday, the vendors for the farmer’s market traipse their bins across the path, suddenly turning and making a dash in front of you. And I haven’t mentioned the posts, poles, concrete benches, trees, street cleaners, buses, trolley cars (sometimes you are between a bus and a trolley car), trolley tracks, stop signs, and lights.

So riding is more a mental challenge here. You can’t go quite so fast, and you have to dodge all the time. A bit different than the Alexander Valley where we only have to dodge Casino traffic and trucks. (And the occasionally loopy wine taster.) I do miss the hills, a little up and down is good for the heart.