I got out of the cold and snow last weekend to ride my bike from Auburn to Sacramento. It was a good excuse to get together with two old friends to reminisce about the glory days, and tell stories about hip replacements and colonoscopies. The next day I was back on the bike and returned to Auburn, where I got back in the car for the drive over the mountains. The American River Parkway was a gem of a ride. You get the feeling of country road when in reality you are a stone's throw from an interstate and close to the urban sprawl. Oh and it was first overnighter, with a couple partially loaded panniers for gear and a handlebar bag for camera, phone and wallet. A great time.