And this has nothing to do with my choice of cotton shorts and boxers(capilene). Yesterday’s ride was wet, the fog was late in coming this year and has been relentless in moving on. The mist was so thick in the morning that there was puddles most of the way out to Lake Casitas, and the trees were dripping with dew.
Wishing I still had fenders on the Roadeo I made my way out towards the lake to see if I could find some free snacks to take home. The weather out here has been unusually damp all year, and cool, hot for a bit and then cool again. As a result the rivers are still running with water in the summer.
Usually by this time of year they are barely a trickle of a creek left. Likewise the fruit and nuts have been all off schedule, plumping up early during the heat, but not turning ripe now that it is cool and damp again. First stop was the walnut tree, relentless branch shaking did little more than draw a crowd of onlookers wondering what the crazy human was up too.
From there is was just a little further to check on the progress the pomegranates have been making.
Like the walnuts, the trees are loaded with fruit, but none of it near ready to enjoy. I am looking forward to the day it all comes ripe at once. The transition from spring to summer this year has been a mixed bag on our stretch of coast this year, even the wild flowers are a bit mixed up, some still blooming while the rest of the fields have long gone to their summer tan.
While not high yielding in wild foods, the ride was a great chance to get out of the house for a bit, and not think about the things I “should” be getting done, and yes all that tree shaking resulted in just two wet nuts 😉
Hey, I love your website! I live in Ventura and my wife and I have used some of your posts for ideas on places to ride around here.
We actually saw you last weekend and waved, you were heading back to town along either Seahorse or Seaview road near the Ventura harbour, and we were heading the opposite way towards the path across the fields. It was like seeing a celebrity or something:)
Anyway, I was wondering if I could ask where the walnut tree is or if it’s a huge secret and I have to discover it myself? You said it’s towards Casitas, so it’s likely on Santa Ana or Casitas Vista?
I’m not riding much right now due to knee pain but look forward to discovering more of the local area!
Cheers
James
Next time you see me out feel free to stop and say hello, I was probably spaced out a bit, coming back from market, and a kid had just yelled out the window of his car that I had dropped something near the area you are talking about. I actually went back, but never found anything, and when I made it home nothing semed to be missing, such is life.
As for the food trees, on your way up from foster park to Lake casitas keep your eyes open for the food, once past the little market you will see it, maybe even catch a little shade mid climb up to the lake views if you are out early.. Part of the fun is in the discovery. I used to only have one walnut tree on the Sulphur Mtn climb, and had ridden past this one dozens of times before noticing that it too had nuts. Pretty funny considering how slow I am usually going on that part of the climb up to the lake.
Good luck with the knee, reide easy on it and make sure it is always still fun.
Thanks, I’ll check the tree out once we’re riding again. I think I know where it is now, and have ridden past it tons of times without even realising, despite, as you say, the low speed of ascent on that particular hill:)
Will definately say hi if we see you again, sorry about your experience with the ‘missing’ something!
Cheers
James