2003 Adventures : Grand Tour 06: Palo Alto and Menlo Park

Biking : 2003 Adventures : Grand Tour 06
Palo Alto and Menlo Park 01 June 2003

Setting Out

I got myself all ready and started off on a route that is becoming very familiar - picking up Central Expressway at Mary. That's the way I go when I need fuel first, anyway. Thing is, though, they're doing roadworks, and I misinterpreted the road so I missed the on-ramp. So before I even began I did a ridiculous five-mile loop around town until I eventually got onto the road at Fair Oaks.

It's a fast road when things are working, but there was lots of construction and, for a Sunday afternoon, it was rather congested. Still, it wasn't terribly hot - only 80° F or so - and I didn't overheat. The bike didn't, either.

I rode to just after Oregon Expressway, then looped across to El Camino Real.

Landmark #895 Hostess House

I had myself down to turn right just after Town and Country Village. I can't remember the street I took, but it was just about as puzzling as it appeared on the map. Anyway, I suddenly noticed, by accident, the street I needed; it was right alongside the bus station which I've used many times in the past. So, if you can find the bus station, you go to the left, back towards El Camino, and swing into the car park of what is probably some kind of hotel, whose name I cannot remember.

I then proceeded to limp all the way into the bus station and back, to no avail. My boot linings are long since gone and I was walking on a painful surface. No landmark. Looked at all four sides of the nice flagpole/memorial... but no landmark. Returned to bike. Turned round. Whaddya know? Right next to the hotel? Landmark.

I pranced around for a while, got my pictures, and moved on.

Landmark #2, Portola Journey's End

I was aiming to get back on El Camino, but then completely failed to and ended up doing a loop around Stanford University. There are actually two landmarks there, but I hadn't prepared for them, and was not that happy dodging cars, cyclists and bipeds. So I did my big loop, and followed my nose successfully around the campus, and finally got onto El Camino.

My next landmark was not that hard to find, though I did end up getting there the long way. I turned right on Ravenwood in Menlo Park, right again on some other side street, and followed around to the creek. In a pretty, tree-grown glade I bagged the next landmark. It was three already, according to the man taking his toddler for a shoulder-walk.

Landmark #969 Sarah Wallace Home Site

I then headed back along Alma to Ravenwood, and turned back onto El Camino. My next stop was off El Camino, along Military Way - or rather, that is the turn-off. Again, I ended up doing the long loop, but the landmark is not hard to find. More photos; my bike is well-pictured at this time. It was nice to be shaded from the sun.

This landmark is the home site of Sarah Wallis, who was very active in the women's rights movement.

Failed Landmark #1000 and Krispy Kreme

I made my way to El Camino again (hey, detect a theme?) and got onto Charleston, to look for another landmark. I must have ridden right past it, but didn't see where to turn off, and there was a lot of traffic by now. I found myself headed towards 101, which I didn't actually want, so I sort of bumbled along random, vaguely familiar streets until I came out on Rengstorff. And lo my wheels were pointed to the left, which brought me to Krispy Kreme. Yay. One conversation with a nice doughnut-server later, I had a solution to my failing blood sugar and Don had a nice treat.

After that I went home. It was a very good ride out and I enjoyed it. :-)

Photos