The Adventures of Fric and Frac: Adventure 159: Santa Rosa,California/Post C

Cars speeding and chicks chirping.

One of the mildly unpleasant realities of the urban ramble must include enduring those unwashed, those unwanted, and those undeterred by propriety. We endured it all last night close to 2 A.M. when a pack of young ruffians hopped up by youthful enthusiasm (and whatever else) came rapping on our next door neighbor's trailer. Awakened, I peered out our window to see a half dozen youths (some girls, too) in a small circle talking too loudly about whatever and one of their member crawling atop the propane tanks of the trailer and quite firmly slapping its side. I suppose that's where the bed in the neighboring trailer is, but whatever, the person in the trailer didn't respond. After about ten minutes, the lawless tribe moved on. I managed to return to sleep, but the Bunny was sure Freddy Krueger had manifested himself in the form of a group of hooligans who were stoned or drunk or both. I couldn't quite tell their age, but the person in the trailer, who I greeted warmly in the morning, appeared to be in his early twenties. He has no car, and we've seen no other activity in the trailer. In fact, because there is no car, we thought the trailer was vacant. Undamaged by the event, we enjoyed a feast for breakfast of french bread smothered in an egg poached in home made tomato sauce. It's a Mario Batali recipe we've enjoyed many times before. We're in the process of emptying the freezer and fresh stuff because we plan to leave the refrigerator empty in San Jose next week. Judy trimmed my lead to $226 down from a high of $346. She's been lucky of late, but I know why the cribbage gods are displeased. It's her constant ingratitude with a win. Instead of being happy with a few wins, she laments much like a petulant princess, "Why can't I skunk you! I keep getting these peasely wins!" I can assure you that in my experience, Dame Fate takes a dim view of the ungrateful. Oh, well, it's her funeral. Mid-morning, we took off on the tandem right from the RV park for a thirty mile ride out to Sebastopol and back, first along the Santa Rosa Greenway, which is not so scenic (The river is down and dirty), but just outside of Santa Rosa it turned again into pleasant agricultural and ranch land with a few vineyards sprinkled in. We had planned on riding out to Windsor, but at the end of the parkway, we talked with a local who pointed us toward Sebastopol. His advice was as excellent as his directions. Leaving Sebastopol, we rode the Joe Rodota bike path back to Santa Rosa, which was very pleasant until about a mile outside of town. Santa Rosa's homeless population camps there out of sight and out of mind. There are tents, stained mattresses, heaps of trash, shopping carts, and weathered, beaten people. They greeted us pleasantly, but I'm always saddened and conflicted by the disenfranchised. We then decided to explore the city a little bit by turning here and there, riding through neighborhoods. We found the historic district, which is dominated by neatly kept craftsman homes. We passed a few schools, including the Santa Rosa Middle School. I found myself wondering what the culture was like, but I didn't stop to pick up an application. I then amazed Judy by turning right on the street that led back to the RV park. I yelled back, "Prepare to be amazed!" She was (Or she pretended to be). At any rate, even after several twists and turns, we made it back without the use of electronic guidance. For dinner, we walked over to the Salvadoran Pupusa restaurant. We enjoyed two excellent pupusas and a dish of shredded beef sautéed with eggs, peppers, and onions. The rice and beans were mixed, and they were also excellent. The condiment was a dish of shredded cabbage and carrots swimming in a very hot vinegar solution. If you put a little dab of cabbage on a little bite of pupusa, the combination stimulated every good feeling you can imagine. Dinner cost $16. Right now, we're listening to the series, hoping the Royals can stretch things to a seventh game. We have to hide out in the trailer to root for the Royals, but that's OK because life here is good, especially today.