Biking to Ojai - May 2008

Mel has taken up a new hobby, so I'm finding myself on a lot of bike rides lately.    The trail up to Ojai is one of my favorites.    

We usually start out at Foster Park.   It's got great parking and nice clean restrooms (very important!).

I've got pretty comfortable accommodations in the bike basket.     And the views are nice from there - all the benefit of the ride with none of the work!

I believe the trail is officially called the "Ventura River Trail".    It goes along a river for part of the way and then ascends up into the mountains towards Ojai.    It rises about 1000 feet in 11 miles, not too bad.

The scenery is stunning!    You get everything from streams (where we often see people swimming) to mountains to wide open meadows.   

And we even get to see all sorts of "Yard Art" along the way......

Now, the 2nd best part of the ride happens when you get to Ojai.    We ride all the way out to the end of town to Bocalli's - where we get the best pizza ever made!!    This isn't a great picture of the building - but it does show how busy the parking lot always is!

So what's the best part of the ride, you ask?    Well, that's the ride back - it's all downhill!   Wooo Hoo!!!!