10/15/06

Hobo Haven

by echoparklora

This weekend, I visited Sac, with my mom & brother for a family vacation. I was really looking forward to was a bike along the American River and a chance to drop in our lines during the salmon run. After entering the bike path at Old Town at about 8:30 this morning, we went down to the river near Discovery Park, and as we headed up the bike bath, we discovered that salmon aren't the only migratory species along the American River - hidden amongst the trees and bridge underpasses, is a huge population of homeless people. We biked further up the trail, which is nearly unmarked, and crossed a bridge, hoping to try our fishing luck on the other bank. We dropped into a pretty little beach area, and started setting up our rods, when a young woman approached us, apparently out walking her dog and having and intense conversation on her cell phone. As she came closer, it was apparent that the dog was a stray, named "Vee", and she didn't have a cell phone. We moved further up the beach, hoping to have a few minutes of peaceful fishing, but she followed us up the river. After about 5 minutes of milling around us, she insisted that there was a dead body under the bushes, and wanted my brother to leave me on the beach alone while he followed her to "check it out". We reeled in our lines, told her we'd "check out" the body from above the bank, and peddeled outta there. She and her dog actually followed us up the bank, onto the trail, and when we last looked back, was crossing the bridge after us. Now, home in So. Cal, I am just thankful we weren't hurt or robbed, because it was a scary situation. PS - there was no dead body by the river. The city/county of whoever maintains the trail needs to get some lifeguards or patrols down there. Its like the beginning of a bad horror movie titled..."the river people"...and this is coming from a girl who lives in Echo Park.

• Cons: Extreme Homeless Problem

Sacramento is full of bike trails, but none as popular or well-known as this one.

by Contributor

Overview
This county-owned bike and running trail stretches miles from the shores of the Sacramento River in Discovery Park through Folsom and finally to Folsom Lake. More than 500,000 people ride the trail each year. You'll find access points to the trail from the CSUS campus to William Land Park.

The Experience
There are plenty of turn-outs with river access, picnic tables, barbecues and restrooms. You'll spy nature lovers, joggers, mountain bikers and dog walkers moving along the trails. And even though dogs are not allowed on the paved trail, a leashed pet walking along the side of the trail won't receive a citation.