“Life is short. If there was ever a time to follow your passion and do something that matters…that moment is now.”
—Author Unknown
At a certain time in life, most of us begin to realize we no longer have the same kind of energy and resiliency of our younger years, and biking stops being fun. Pedal-assist biking or e-biking has changed all that and has restored the joy of childhood and the freedom and thrill of moving through time and space.
My neighbor, friend and new riding companion of late, Bill Rothenberg met me in front of my townhouse and secured my bike alongside his on the back rack of his Suburban. Bill has an Adventum and I have a Sondors pedal-assist bicycle that gives one the feeling of having bionic legs. A push of the button on the steering wheel, gives you that added boost that creates an exhilarating experience, especially when climbing hills.
We drove to an access point to the Steven’s Creek Trail. Bill cautioned me that the concrete bridge has a long on-ramp that has hairpin turns of 180 degrees and it is best to start out slowly. One of those turns almost brings you to a near standstill. The paved trail traverses the west side of Highway 85 and enters into a lighted tunnel under El Camino Real.
Though not part of the Bay Trail itself, the Stevens Creek Trail is a 5-mile paved feeder considered an important gateway to the Bay Trail that follows along the banks of Steven’s Creek. It is one of the most ambitious and best-developed trails in the Bay Area that cost about $30 million to build and funded with private and public funds. Building the trail required the construction of several bridges and underpasses, and the planting of thousands of trees and shrubs, benches, signs and drinking fountains.
The trail eventually led us to Shoreline Lake, the marshlands and a stunning panoramic view of the South Bay. Part of the trail is on a raised levee, with steep inclines on each side. There was a pleasant breeze blowing off the San Francisco Bay that kept us cool. Everything is slightly downhill, with the trail heading straight to the Bay with grasslands and swampy areas on each side.
As we rode the perimeter of the Bay, I recommended to Bill that we visit a series of little islets where hundreds of white pelicans, ducks, and shorebirds have their nesting grounds in the marshes off the main jetty facing the Dunbarton Bridge in the distance. Cecile and I used to walk these trails with great frequency. Except for bikers, joggers and bird watchers, most of the crowd stays in the lake area. We spotted two professional nature photographers strategically located with their tripods and massive zoom lenses capturing the images of these majestic creatures.
Bill and I were famished. We had lunch at the lakeside bistro. I had a veggie sandwich and fries and Bill had a Chinese chicken salad. We had a pristine view of the lake, surrounded by colorful umbrellas, squirrels, and birds hoping to feast on the scraps of food left on the plates by vacating diners. We then rode our bikes back towards where we began and loaded them on the bike rack and headed back home, having completed what turned out to be a 16-mile adventure.
Pelican Symbolism: In many cultures, pelicans are believed to be a symbol of purity, peace, kindness, generosity and good luck. They also teach us to be patient and strong and learn to recharge our batteries to help us endure the many difficulties of life that come our way. Finally, they beckon us to be calm and enjoy life.
