All his life, John-Paul Meyer, 62, has been riding his bike for fun and profit.
The fun part is obvious: Since he was a toddler on a tricycle, the Rocklin resident has ridden for enjoyment, the physical release and the mental lift of rolling through the foothills he now calls home.
But for profit?
"At (age) 11, I had a 10-mile-long paper route delivering The Bee in Anderson," Meyer recalls. "The distributor had a 25-customer route that should've been a motor route. He said if I'd ride it on my three-speed bike, he'd give me three bucks extra a month."
He did that for five years and, as he says, "developed a love of the bicycle."
This led to his purchase of a Schwinn Paramount 10-speed when he went off to college at Chico State University. And that proved to be a gateway bike for the fancy Peugeot he purchased while studying in Heidelberg, Germany. Now, Meyer uses his Trek 520 touring bike to complete long sojourns such as a 600-mile jaunt from Spokane, Wash., to Montana and a bicycle expedition in Provence, France.
Meyer's favorite ride, however, is right in his backyard: a 17-mile loop from Rocklin through Loomis and into the hills. He says city traffic soon subsides and riders can get their fill of viewing farm animals and wildlife.
He entered his ride and was selected as The Bee's latest "Fitness Challenge" winner. He will receive a $100 gift certificate for Big 5 Sporting Goods.
(You, too, could be a winner. E-mail entries, including a detailed map, to fitness@sacbee.com. Or mail them to Bee Fitness Challenge, The Sacramento Bee, P.O. Box 15779, Sacramento, CA 95852. Need help with mapping? Check out www.mapmyrun.com.)
Meyer says riders of all experience levels can handle the hills of this route, and the highlight comes when you make the turn from King Road onto Auburn-Folsom Road.
"The slightest descent lets you fly as fast as you want and fantasize about your cycling abilities," he reports.
And if you want to take a break, Meyer says the coffee is great at the Flower Farm (at the corner of Auburn-Folsom and Horseshoe Bar roads). He also recommends the smoked salmon bagel at the coffee house and says the wait staff will give free water to bike riders.
THE RIDE: Rocklin Rollin' Terrain
• Start: Johnson Springview Park, 5460 Fifth St., Rocklin
• Turn left out of the parking lot on Fifth Street, go seven-tenths of a mile to Midas Avenue. Mileage: 0.7 miles
• Turn right onto Midas Avenue, go three-tenths of a mile to Pacific Street. Mileage: 1.0
• Turn left onto Pacific Street, go nine-tenths of a mile to Del Mar. Mileage: 1.9
• Turn left onto Del Mar, go 1.4 miles to King Road. Mileage: 3.3
• Turn right onto King Road, go 5.0 miles to Auburn Folsom Road. Mileage: 8.3
• Turn right onto Auburn Folsom Road, go 1.0 miles to Horseshoe Bar Road. Mileage: 9.3
• Turn right onto Horseshoe Bar Road, go 3.5 miles to Brace Road (Horseshoe Bar Road becomes Laird). Mileage: 12.8
• Turn right onto Brace Road, go 1.2 miles to Sierra College Boulevard. Mileage: 14.0
• Turn left onto Sierra College Boulevard, go 0.2 miles to Granite Drive. Mileage: 14.2
• Turn right onto Granite Drive, go 1.8 miles to Rocklin Road. Mileage: 16.0
• Turn right onto Rocklin Road, go nine-tenths of a mile to Fifth Street. Mileage: 16.9
• Turn left onto Fifth Street, go three-tenths of a mile back to the start at Johnson Springview Park.
Total miles: 17.2
OPTIONAL ROUTE: Val Verde Loop
• Start: Johnson Springview Park, 5460 Fifth St., Rocklin
• Turn left out of the parking lot on Fifth Street, go seven-tenths of a mile to Midas Avenue. Mileage: 0.7
• Turn right onto Midas Avenue, go three-tenths of a mile to Pacific Street. Mileage: 1.0
• Turn left onto Pacific Street, go nine-tenths of a mile to Del Mar. Mileage: 1.9
• Turn left onto Del Mar, go 1.4 miles to King Road. Mileage: 3.3
• Turn right onto King Road, go 3.0 miles to Val Verde. Mileage: 6.3
• Turn right onto Val Verde, go seven-tenths of a mile to Horseshoe Bar Road. Mileage: 7.0
• Turn right onto Horseshoe Bar Road, go 1.3 miles to Brace Road. Mileage: 8.3
• Turn right onto Brace Road, go 1.2 miles to Sierra College Boulevard. Mileage: 9.5
• Turn left onto Sierra College Boulevard, go two-tenths of a mile to Granite Drive. Mileage: 9.7
• Turn right onto Granite Drive, go 1.8 miles to Rocklin Road. Mileage: 11.5
• Turn right onto Rocklin Road, go nine-tenths of a mile to Fifth Street. Mileage: 2.4
• Turn left onto Fifth Street, go three-tenths of a mile back to the start at Johnson Springview Park.
Total miles: 12.7
Call The Bee's Sam McManis, (916) 321-1145.
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