Well, this weekday local adventure started out with a big, bad adrenaline rush. I parked my car near the historic Madronia Cemetery in Saratoga, CA (http://www.madroniacemetery.com/) to start my cycling trip. It was a quiet thursday morning, and I stopped about 20 feet from the only other visitor to read one of the older headstones. I on my bike, and the visitor in her vehicle. As I contemplated eternity under the well kept grass of this serene spot, I looked over my shoulder to see the white reverse lights of an Acura MDX about 2 feet from my face! I shouted “hey hey hey” and she stopped just as I started banging on her rear window and hopping off my stationary bicycle. I was shocked…she said “I couldn’t see you”. PLEASE…if you can’t see behind you, buy a smaller vehicle or take the bus next time. Lastly, if you’re gonna run over someone in a cemetery, it would be courteous to dig a 6 foot hole first.

From there, I slogged up the steep Bohlman Road on my bike, according to plan, to the northwest entrance to El Sereno Open Space Preserve http://www.openspace.org/preserves/pr_el_sereno.asp

I found, for my second time here, the park entrance, which is open to the public, but poorly marked. It looks like a private gravel driveway. I then stopped at the “El Sereno” benchmarks, took a few photos of Lexington Reservoir and San Jose. From there, I zig-zagged down the Aquinas Trail to Sheldon Road and Highway 9 in Los Gatos. I followed the busy Highway 9 back to Saratoga and a stop at the cute little http://www.bigbasincafe.com for a muffin and 2 Arizona ice tea.

Pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/59666465@N00/sets/72157634897880389/

Track: http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=2245343