As I dropped into Chester, California yesterday I stopped on the side of the road to take a picture of Lake Almanore as the sun set. A Jeep pulled up behind me, and as the driver stepped out I asked if she too had stopped to take a photo. I then realized the woman was wearing a Forest Ranger uniform. I thought back to ten minutes earlier, when I had been stealthily trying to photograph a bluebird, which was no small task with the zoom feature on my camera broken. It required extra sneakiness and probably looked ridiculous if not predatory when viewed from the Highway. As I prepared my defense, the woman asked me if I would be camping that night, and offered me a room at her family's house instead. I was more than happy for the offer to get off the road for the night, and I was very grateful for the offer. I biked into the small town and rode to the address I had been given.

When I arrived, I discovered that Chuck and Lisa had been touring on bicycles for many years, including a world tour. Their son had just been picked up by a sponsor while living in San Diego and was leaving for Belgium to ride professionally. Chuck owned the Chester bicycle shop, Bodfish Bicycles. The couple shared tips and tricks of bicycle touring, as well as great stories from the road. We had an excellent dinner and I slept well in a warm bed.

Chuck and Lisa are exactly the type of people I was unconciously hoping to meet on this trip. They opened their home to me without knowing anything about me, and I appreciate their hospitality more than they could imagine. If you ever find yourself in Chester, CA drop into Bodfish Bicycles, because Chuck knows more about cycling than almost anyone I've ever met and can surely set you up for a great ride, as he did for me!

-TH