Following the Goldfish Trail

"Did you see the goldfish?"

[What? Did she really just say goldfish?]

"What?"

"Did you see the goldfish?" Again.

Another rider had just passed us on the trail heading the opposite direction. My sweat-soaked brain couldn't recall seeing a goldfish, neither in a bag, nor in a bowl, anywhere on his bike.

"What are you talking about goldfish?"

"Goldfish. You know, those Pepperidge Farm goldfish."

So that's what the little spots of differently colored smashed things on the trail were. How she recognized those little piles of goldfish crumbs as something they once were was hard to grasp. But then I thought, she's a mom and if anyone would know what a once-was-a-goldfish looks like, it would be a mom.

A short time later, I noticed one still in its fresh off the assembly line, orange, cheddary form.

 The wheels kept rolling and there were more spots of crumbs, and an occasional whole one. Apparently we had been following the goldfish trail for quite a while - since descending the switchbacks off the dam, in fact. We followed them all the way out around the maintenance building to that first junction right after the bridge. I guess if we had gone left there we might have continued following that goldfish trail right over to the other set of switchbacks back up the dam. Instead, we went straight, the super steep way. The way Ray wanted to go the other night during the Two Wheel Tuesday ride, until we said "whoa, whoa now. Thats not the way." I didn't want to go that way then, but was willing to now. I knew what to expect, but the fact that there were no goldfish going this way was telling; let it be a lesson - goldfish trails will invariably mark the easier route.

dang thistle; drew first blood today

California black walnut beginning to fruit

and the pomegranate

willow seeds are collecting thickly beside the trail through the jungle