City on the Edge of Rural America or Accidental Skate to Rocklin 2: The Revengening

So I've decided that I am going to try to come up with titles for all of my days out and that Electric Boogaloo was both a bit too easy and a bit less apt.

I set out much later than I intended; it was 10:30. I didn't have a particular end in sight so I decided that I would just pick a direction and get lost for a bit. I decided on north.

I did not go directly anywhere. I meandered about neighborhoods without any end in sight. I went up streets I had always been curious where they ended up and then came back down them when I realized that there was good reason I had never been down them before.   

I don't mind skateboarding in Antelope or in Roseville, but I do mind skating between them because they both stop being suburban just long enough for it to be an issue. I had a nice picture to demonstrate this with a house from a new subdevelopment tract in the foreground and a tractor in a field behind it, but alas it did not come out.

Lame.

 A thing I've noticed while skateboarding in these new subdevelopments is that they oftentimes have some rather odd stuff going on in their roads. For instance today I came across this:

For some reason that I cannot determine at this time someone decided they needed to narrow this round by building two concrete islands in the middle of the street. As far as I can tell this serves no purpose other than to inconvenience drivers.

Skating in Northern Sacramento isn't without its pleasures though as I get to skate next to fields full of huge, old valley oaks.

Almost worth putting up with what comes next.

During my travels around these cul-de-sacs I came across this:

How can going on the other side of this possibly end poorly?

Since I was still fresh out the gate and still without a destination in sight I decided that I'd see what was on the other side.

I ended up on North Antelope Road. In a previous outing some months ago I foolishly decided to skate down this road, I have regretted this decision ever since. I am of course exaggerating here for comedic effect, but the advice is sound and so was my decision to heed it.

I went back into the neighborhood looking for a way north that didn't require skateboarding some shit road. I did find something but it did end at North Antelope Road so I was a bit bummed. It did however leave me where I had previously decided to turn back during that previous trip, the Placer County line. This time I decided to risk it and headed northerly cause the wind was blowing north.

 I ended up on PFE Road. Don't skate on PFE Road. The only thing on PFE Road is trains.

Pictured: Trains

Eventually I ended up at Denio's Farmers Market. I didn't go in as I had neither the money nor interest. As I was skating past I did see someone trying to sell a modified golf cart made to look like Fred Flintstones car as well as a garage sell sign that was made by taking a sharpie to the hood of a car. I took pictures but they came out piss poorly. Sorry.

I skated down by the train yard until a tunnel lead under it. This lead me to downtown Roseville. I had no interest sticking around so I continued on my trek north. I eventually came across the Galleria. I went into the REI to look at some camping stuff the likes of which I'll need shortly. The only thing of note was this surprise awaiting me in the bathroom.

I guess that's why people pay to be members

I kept on keeping on. I continued my way north until I hit Rocklin again. I really have no reason to be in Rocklin. It is over 12 miles from my house and there is nothing to do there except carve some hills but there was too much traffic to even do that. Knowing this and the fact that I had been out for about 3 hours by now I decided that it was time to turn around and head home.

My way home wasn't much of an issue. I ended up skating nearly an identical path back that I had taken some months before the last time I accidentally skated to Rocklin. I did however decided to take a more direct route home as I was pushing a 5 hour run and the only thing of note on the exact path I went last time is Billy Mitchell Blvd.

Although highly unlikely I really hope it's named after this Billy Mitchell

 I ended up getting home a couple past 4:00. I had been gone for 5.5 hours and had covered something close to 30 miles. Although slow, I can cover similar distances in about 4 hours, I was in no hurry and spent some time in some stores and ate lunch at a park. So while not record setting in any way it is probably a reasonable proximity of what kind of distance I can easily cover in a day and how long it takes me to cover it. It is also worth noting that I am not tired in the least from todays adventure nor do I expect to feel sore tomorrow. Both bodies of information bode well for my goal of skating to Orange County starting next month.

On a final note I wanted to show a picture of the camera that I use to take the pictures I post on this blog (minus the Billy Mitchell one I pulled off internet directly above).

That's right, I have been taking pictures with a camera that looks like it is a lighter. What people who have been looking at me taking pictures think I'm doing I couldn't tell you.