Biking and birding, that was the objective of this tour.

Our route along the rolling foothills between the central valley and Hwy 49 from Sacramento to Kings Canyon placed us in quieter terrain far from the hustle and bustle of urbanized life.

Our path zipped and zapped southward on quiet roads through towns like Jenny Lind, Milton, Hornitos, Cathy's Valley, and Raymond.

There the pace of life seems to follow its own slower rhythm. Akin to the calm and peace of the foothills on a warm afternoon when nothing is moving but golden fields swaying in a light breeze and the occasional bird.

The warmer days in the foothills, just above 90 degrees, afforded us comfortable summer evenings with a light breeze by which to sit and talk until early night.

Like our other loaded bike tours, the pace of our travel gave us a chance to peek into private places and hidden gardens of homes along the way. It provided us the opportunity to peer into the eyes of passersby and to greet them with a nod or wave. The momentary glimpses of life in other places and prolific bird life along the foothills were a delight.

We were surprised to see and hear the variety and number of birds that we did along our route. The songs of birds at the break of dawn and along the rolling hills became familiar sounds as the days rolled by.

The Western Kingbird became known by me as the little bird with the heart of a lion. Often, in their defense of nesting grounds, they can be seen fearlessly attacking Hawks three times their size by landing on their backs in midair.

Our final climb to Kings Canyon on the 8th day marked the end of our journey through the golden landscape of the foothills. It is an area traveled by few, especially by bicycle. Our sudden appearance on loaded bikes upon the local scene sometimes invoked stares and questions that alluded to our sanity.

Touring on bicycles carrying up to 50 additional pounds in unknown territory isn't an easy task. Like any other endeavor with its highlights and lowlights, we had our low points with Geno's stomach disorders, the heat, and early saddle sores.

I think that most people who tour on bicycles will come to question their own sanity at some point in their travels. Besides the group interaction and ever changing landscape, loaded bike touring can be a journey of self discovery for most of the miles are ridden in solitude with only your thoughts for company.

In the end, the actions we take and the memories we retain reveal our character and define us as individuals. For me, the only lasting down side to this trip was the fact that it had to end.

No doubt, the heat and discomfort has already been forgotten and I'm ready for our next tour.