This weekend's long ride decision - ride out to Aromas to do a short visit with Becky and Ezra. Becky promised to take me on a tour of the oaks and mushroom country in back of her place. Fun! And a great motivator to get in a 55 mile ride. I got a bit of a late start, as per usual on a weekend morning. Got to Cabrillo and mounted my Serotta at 11am or so. Rode to Rio del Mar, through La Selva, to San Andreas Rd, to Beach Rd, across to Trafton, and Salinas Rd to Las Lomitas, then back roads to San Juan Rd and Corey, to Becky's in the hills north of Prunedale.

First we had to see the garden. Ezra loves veges (nature boy for sure), and he's petting the young cabbage here.

The upper stretch of Becky's property was carpeted with miner's lettuce and oaks. We gotta go exploring!

I used to love turning over logs and other flotsam when I was a kid exploring the hillsides. I wonder what's under this one?

A little salamander!

I showed Ezra how yummy Miner's Lettuce was, and I must've munched a couple of handfuls before I was satisfied.

Becky showed me this headstone from over 100 years ago, of one of the wealthy pioneers who settled this area; now overturned and half-buried

Ezra adopts a somber look, perched on the gravestone

Becky's got an eye for mushrooms, and spots this bolete mushroom with a bluish cap

Another, not so edible one.

whoaooo! says Ezra - that's a big one!

At the top of the hill, an open meadow, with new lupine and poppy's just emerging after the long drought and the recent rains.

It's time to hit the road for the long ride back home. We fist-bump, (like REAL guys, right?). Although Ezra seems half-focused on my bottle of Accelerade on my bike. Trust me, it's not that great, Ezra - that bottle's 5 years old - older than you are!

There ya go, pardner!

We complete the ritual. Alex (Dad) has taught him well. He's just too adorable!

What a great visit. Ezra's 3 now and has way more words than when I saw him just a couple months earlier. He's a knowledge sponge! Vacuuming up everything - so very cool to be part of. I'll look forward to our next get together...