Pilot's Blog

I had left a car over at the Willows Airport last week, so I decided to ride my road bike over there to get it. It's about 35 miles, but the day was a beautiful one with light winds in Chico. As I pedaled out through blossoming orchards and all the sweet sights, sounds and smells of springtime, I realized once again just what a great place we have here, especially in spring. That is until I crossed the bridge over the Sacramento River at Ord Bend and entered my home county of Glenn. Now don't get me wrong, I love Glenn County. It's where I was born. (Few under the age of 30 can say that) As soon as I crossed the river a stiff wind swept in from the north, slowing my progress and making my eyes water. As I left the rich riverside orchardlands and entered the western plains of Glenn, the dank, swampy fragrance of drying rice fields filled my nostrils. The smell is especially bad these days because farmers must incorporate straw into the soil to get rid of it, where it rots as best it can. Next I noticed an increase in tiny black bugs bouncing off my helmet and getting stuck in my arm hairs. Then, to top it off, many landowners were taking advantage of the the dry weather to burn off their ditch banks and levees. At one point I was forced to ride through a solid wall of smoke and I could feel the heat of the fire on my cheeks as I passed through. I arrived in Willows unscathed, loaded up the bike in the car and drove east. Travel time: Chico to Willows by bike 1 hour, 35 minutes. Willows to Chico by car 35 minutes.