South of Sunnyside

It’s about two and a half miles from my house to Starbucks, and I make the trip several times a week. Now that my legs have adjusted the the workout, I’ve been trying to find routes that stretch out the ride (though some are better than others).

Today I ventured even further, heading south to Jensen, then west to the canal (just west of Minnewawa). Total one-way travel is almost five and half miles, which put me at a total of eight before lunch. And then I did it again.

Actually, I rode around the neighborhood a bit first, so that puts me at a total of about 17 miles for the day. According to my chiropractor, it’s not really something to brag about, but I doubt he’ll read this.

I told myself today (there’s no one else for me to talk to when I’m riding) that if I can get to 15 – 20 miles in one outing, on my current bike, then I’ll consider the time, energy and expense of a centennial. Check in with me next year.

Kim and I drove out to Kerman a few weeks back for a birthday party for her nephew. On the way back, she wanted to take a detour down Kearney Blvd. We drove for miles, surrounded by nothing but tall palms and eucalyptus trees (or so it seemed).

Finally, we arrived at Running Horse—what once was Running Horse, anyway. A few signs of life surrounded by decaying landscape.

I toured the development back in 2005 with Leadership Fresno, when things were greener. The golf course was under way, and dozens of homes had already been built; in fact, our class was told that they were selling out of lots faster than they were being opened up. Cost of a home back then: $350,000 – $1,000,000, not including a $50,000 country club membership.

What’s left of the golf course is mostly dead grass and trees, but much of the cart path is paved. I took note of this, and last week I returned with a friend and two bikes. We rode around for a while, imagining what could have been.

I hear that the entire development may have recently been purchased, but in case the rumor’s not true, and assuming that Trump’s interest hasn’t renewed, I wonder what the maintenance costs of converting the course to open green space would be.

It’s certainly not wise, given the water shortage, to flood the would-be golf course to get the grass growing again, but maybe the paths could be preserved, and the property divided into sustainable gardens. Rock gardens, cactus gardens (like the one at the Discovery Center)—you get the idea. A Woodward Park, of sorts, of West Fresno.

Sure, Kearney Park is just around the corner, but it’s fenced in, and less green space than historical preserve (in terms of use, not actual space, or green grass). This could be something different. Something Fresno.

In hopes of discovering another stretch of serenity on the bike, I expanded my route yesterday, heading east up the train tracks to Armstrong, and then north by northwest until I connected with the canal at Fowler.

I added over two miles to my usual ride, and indeed found a quiet stretch of trail; I also found a beautiful neighborhood due east of the proposed Fancher Creek shopping center.

Unfortunately, parts of the route weren’t well-traveled, and I encountered a bit of loose dirt and dozens of thorns, which Wikipedia labels as “fruit” when they’re still attached to the Tribulus terrestris weed.

After a couple of hours at my favorite table in Starbucks, I mounted my bike to ride home, only to discover my back tire was completely flat. Fortunately, a friend game me a lift home, but when I went out to put the bike in my garage a little while later, the front tire was flat, too.

Looks like I’ll be making a trip to the Schwinn shop this afternoon.

I’m a creature of habit, but I deviated from my usual bike route to Starbucks this afternoon, heading west at Clovis Ave. on a dirt path until I connected with the canal. An adjacent path winds up through Sunnyside, crossing Butler and angling slightly towards my usual destination.

In all, I probably added half a mile to the trip (and I certainly could use the exercise), but it’s such a beautiful stretch that I’m a bit frustrated with myself for not exploring it sooner. Tall trees separate most of the residences from the path, without the sight or sound of another human for several minutes; that might not sound significant, but the alternative is a busy thoroughfare.

No cars here—just ducks, turtles, a cat, and lots of dog poop.