I often travel over the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco to Marin to ride my motorcycle. To avoid the freeway I turn off Alexander Avenue to ride through Sausalito, quickly get on and off Hwy 101 to head into Mill Valley, and turn right on Camino Alto to cross over the wonderful twisty road to Larkspur. Camino Alto becomes Corte Madera Avenue and then Magnolia Avenue in Larkspur. Today, after a fabulous afternoon ride on the Enfield (Jacques on the Norton) up Bolinas-Fairfax Road – then down Ridge Road and Mt Tam – we were hungry! So we stopped at Pizzeria Picco on Magnolia in Larkspur to sit outside in the sunshine. Not the cheapest option (Larkspur is notoriously pricey) but a rewarding splurge. To begin, we nibbled from a cup of mixed olives quickly roasted with rosemary, lemon rind and garlic, and shared a non-alcoholic beer. (Not my fave but when riding a motorcycle, just what are you going to do, especially if you’re a lightweight like me?) Then a bowl of chilled spring pea soup (vegan) that tasted just picked from the garden. We ordered a thin crust pizza with freshly pulled mozzarella (don’t ask) and piled with seven seasonal mushrooms that was very nice, but honestly when the neighboring table’s marinara with asparagus tips arrived I wished for that instead. Even though we were plenty full by then, we couldn’t resist ordering the Straus Dairy soft serve ice cream dipped in El Rey chocolate and it was a satisfyingly decadent end to our meal. Our bill and tip came to $37 but I really don’t mind the occasional (okay, more than occasional) gourmet pampering.
The Bolinas-Fairfax Road loop had been a very nice alternative to a gusty, blustery ride to the coast, even though it was a shorter loop than I wanted that day. But I knew I’d be unhappy on the coast today. You turn off onto the road in Fairfax to climb into the wilderness, pines, redwoods, lakes, narrow, twisting roads (bicyclists abound!) that are the foothills of Mt. Tam. A left turn on Ridgcrest will reward you with sweeping
views of Stinson Beach and the great Pacific Ocean. Then, too soon, you’re at Four Corners and headed down to Mill Valley again, which on Saturdays is backed up with tourists and locals going slow slow slow. Patience is required!
We stopped in to say hi to Bill Dietrich at Quality Motorcycle Repair (behind Walgreens on Shoreline Highway). He looks like one of those "school of life" motorcycle mechanics, which I’ll be writing about later. Basically, somebody who can pretty much be counted on to fix anything — with Hondas and BMWs and even a Norton all lined up to be worked on.
Now, it’s an early night, because tomorrow’s mother’s day and we’re having brunch and then going to my friend Lyn Bishop’s who has opened her home studio for Open Studios Silicon Valley. Hmmm. Maybe I’ll get an even earlier start and ride Skyline to Page Mill Road…
Today, after a fabulous afternoon
ride on the Enfield (Jacques on the Norton) up Bolinas-Fairfax Road –
then down Ridge Road and Mt Tam – we were hungry! So we stopped at Pizzeria Picco
on Magnolia in Larkspur to sit outside in the sunshine. Not the
cheapest option (Larkspur is notoriously pricey) but a rewarding
splurge. To begin, we nibbled from a cup of mixed olives quickly
roasted with rosemary, lemon rind and garlic, and shared a
non-alcoholic beer. (Not my fave but when riding a motorcycle, just
what are you going to do, especially if you’re a lightweight like me?)
Then a bowl of chilled spring pea soup (vegan) that tasted just picked
from the garden. We ordered a thin crust pizza with freshly pulled
mozzarella (don’t ask) and piled with seven seasonal mushrooms that was
very nice, but honestly when the neighboring table’s marinara with
asparagus tips arrived I wished for that instead. Even though we were
plenty full by then, we couldn’t resist ordering the Straus Dairy soft
serve ice cream dipped in El Rey chocolate and it was a satisfyingly
decadent end to our meal. Our bill and tip came to $37 but I really
don’t mind the occasional (okay, more than occasional) gourmet
pampering.
The Bolinas-Fairfax Road loop had been a very nice alternative to a
gusty, blustery ride to the coast, even though it was a shorter loop
than I wanted that day. But I knew I’d be unhappy on the coast today.
You turn off onto the road in Fairfax to climb into the wilderness,
pines, redwoods, lakes, narrow, twisting roads (bicyclists abound!)
that are the foothills of Mt. Tam.
A left turn on Ridgcrest will reward you with sweeping views of Stinson
Beach and the great Pacific Ocean. Then, too soon, you’re at Four
Corners and headed down to Mill Valley again, which on Saturdays is
backed up with tourists and locals going slow slow slow. Patience is
required!
We stopped in to say hi to Bill Dietrich at Quality Motorcycle
Repair (behind Walgreens on Shoreline Highway). He looks like one of
those "school of life" motorcycle mechanics, which I’ll be writing
about later. Basically, somebody who can pretty much be counted on to
fix anything — with Hondas and BMWs and even a Norton all lined up to
be worked on.
Now, it’s an early night, because tomorrow’s mother’s day and we’re having brunch and then going to my friend Lyn Bishop’s who has opened her home studio for Open Studios Silicon Valley. Hmmm. Maybe I’ll get an even earlier start and ride Skyline to Page Mill Road…
This not only applies to this post, but all posts on this page.
This is the strangest collection of words I’ve tried to digest! I have ridden for 30-some years. All types of riding, all manner of riding companions, on all makes of bike. Yet I cannot relate to what you are writing????? (I read the entire page twice and some parts up to five times.)It seems that you are a “soul rider”, but somehow it all comes of kinda plastic or something.
Sorry for the incoherant babbling, but I’m kinda at a loss.