In late March, Dave, Dick, Herb and Geno spent three beautiful days camping at Lake Pardee and cycling the verdant hills of Amador County.

Early spring, especially after a very wet winter, is an excellent time to ride the foothills -- all the lakes are near capacity, creeks and rivers are flowing high, wildflowers begin to proliferate, there's wildlife in abundance, and the oak forests and hills are as green as Ireland.

Lake Pardee was an ideal location to base camp with its nice facilities, on-site cafe, and beautiful campsites overlooking the lake. It's also central to some of the best cycling roads in the foothills with loop rides radiating out in all four directions of the compass.

The foursome completed rides of 40, 50 and 62 miles on rolling and mountainous terrain. It was a workout, but the gorgeous scenery and good weather made it all worth while.