Yesterday four friends braved the spring winds to take a cool jaunt into history. By that I mean we traveled to visit a Civil War Re-enactment preformed in Knights Ferry, about 100 miles south of Sacramento. The route we took was less than direct so we could incorporate some of the twistier roads and avoid local traffic.
The spring flowers were blooming and the spring winds were gusting. I had read on the web that there was a weather advisory for the Sacramento basin with strong winds growing stronger as the day progressed. Gary and I met Jim (kluts) and his wife Deb at the corner of Sunrise and Hwy 16 at 10:30 am and the winds were already showing strength and continued to grow throughout the day. But no amount of wind was going to hamper what seemed to be a fantastic day of riding!
I was glad I had bundled up in my touring suit, complete with long underwear. While the sun was shining the temps were not much above the mid-50s and traveling at any sort of speed seemed much chillier. Our first stop at the Pardee Dam overlook had me donning my warmer gloves and liners. Gary had ridden the ol’ 78 Kawasaki for fun and it lacks any sort of windscreen, but he seemed unaffected. Men, I swear they have much thicker blood than us women.
Another motorcyclist came by and shot this one for us.
After we were substantially warmer we got back onto the windswept hillside roads and headed toward Knights Ferry, traversing over the less traveled back roads. California is rarely this green. There seems to be an electric day-glow green emanating from the low rolling hills. Cows and sheep meander over the fields in a hazy coma. I am certain they’d love seeing this verdant green year around, but sadly the beautiful color is only retained a few short weeks before decaying to orchre browns.
Somber browns are nowhere to be seen at the moment as we briskly pace the farm roads clinging to the pavement with sticky tires. The wind is howling louder and louder and occasionally I get a burst that dips my machine deep into the curves. All in all, it’s fun and the daredevil in me surfaces.
Upon our arrival at Knights Ferry we were rapidly swept into another era. Women wandered the park in long dresses with hoop skirts and Confederate flags were flying free in the whipping wind. We were soon to discover that we had parked on the wrong side of the river for the re-enactment, at least the wrong side for this battle. Our son “fights” for the 2nd Maryland which is the only regiment that “flip flops” between Confederate or Union roles. Today they are sporting the Navy blue coats of Union troops.
