Cherry Blossoms Season!

[Takashi]

Cherry trees are blooming here in Nagano, Japan.

There's no reason not to go out and check the trees!

The first two pictures were taken last weekend, and the latter two this weekend.

If you have pictures of cherry blossoms you saw during a ride (or any flower, for that matter), feel free to post them here.

Because we can never have too many pictures of flowers!

Takashi

[Lyman Labry]

Beautiful!

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[Dave Johnston]

In Virginia its Dogwoods and Wisteria. No pictures of bikes and blooms together but yesterdays viewing platforms were an X0-3 and Soma San Marcos. Lots of people out enjoying the lovely 70deg day in small groups. Avoided the trails and stuck to the roads to avoid traffic in this topsy turvy world.

[tuolumne bikes]

Out of place crabapple (I think) tree growing by a stream crossing in the forest. Our fruit trees at home have faded and moved on to leafing out.

Takashi, Those are incredible huge cherry trees. Around here cherry trees are little modern ag-optimized cherry machines. Looks like a trip we'll need to make.

Carl

[Takashi]

Dave, that looks like a lovely day and lovely flowers. No wonder there were many people outside.

Carl, that's a nice b&w photo!

When you ride around in rural areas in Japan, you are likely to come upon a huge tree.

Takashi

[Mark Roland]

Lovely. When I was growing up in Northport, Long Island in the 1960s and 70s, we had a matching pair of crabapple trees on our front lawn. A slightly deeper pink than the cherries, they, along with the big garden of ancient, oversized azaleas near the driveway, signaled the arrival of spring for me. Here are some blue flowers in the woods at Stewart State Forest last weekend:

No flowers or bees were harmed during the taking of this photo!

[Mark Roland]

One more. Wouldn't let me post 3.

On Monday, April 13, 2020 at 5:02:11 PM UTC-4, Mark Roland wrote:

Lovely. When I was growing up in Northport, Long Island in the 1960s and 70s, we had a matching pair of crabapple trees on our front lawn. A slightly deeper pink than the cherries, they, along with the big garden of ancient, oversized azaleas near the driveway, signaled the arrival of spring for me. Here are some blue flowers in the woods at Stewart State Forest last weekend:

No flowers or bees were harmed during the taking of this photo!

[Takashi]

Mark, that's a lovely place.

Looking at blue flowers, I was reminded of field of bluebonnets in Texas (I lived in Houston for 3 years when I was a kid).

For most Japanese, cherry blossoms are the flowers that signal the arrival of spring, but for some, it's "ume" (a kind of apricot) or daffodils.

By the way, during last weekend's ride, I also came upon "katakuri," or dogtooth violet:

Takashi

[Lyman Labry]

Beautiful. Thanks!

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[Jason Fuller]

Here in Vancouver, BC we have about 43,000 cherry blossom trees - so this time of year is spectacular here, and is probably second to only Japan for drawing tourists for them!

Here are a few photos I've taken in the past couple weeks; I haven't gone out of my way to photograph the blossoms but always have some on my camera roll around this time each year.  The photo of the two trees with the mountain in the background is just a few steps from my front door.  

[Steven Sweedler]

Great pictures

On Tue, Apr 14, 2020 at 12:27 PM Jason Fuller <jtf.f...@gmail.com> wrote:

Here in Vancouver, BC we have about 43,000 cherry blossom trees - so this time of year is spectacular here, and is probably second to only Japan for drawing tourists for them!

Here are a few photos I've taken in the past couple weeks; I haven't gone out of my way to photograph the blossoms but always have some on my camera roll around this time each year.  The photo of the two trees with the mountain in the background is just a few steps from my front door.  

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Steven Sweedler
Plymouth, New Hampshire

[franklyn]

I am not sure if these are cherries, but we have a fair share of April blossoms here in the SF Bay Area. Here are a couple of pictures of blossoms on my evening ride in the Berkeley Hills. The bike is not a Riv; it is a custom Fitz, made by a local ((Santa Rosa) builder that has a lot of Riv features.

Franklyn 

Berkeley, CA

[Roberta]

Thank you all for the beautiful pictures.  I visited our Japanese house in Philadelphia expecting to see a backdrop of pink and white.  Alas, not the case but I'm glad I can view vicariously thru you and your pictures.  What wonder!

On Sunday, April 12, 2020 at 11:06:32 AM UTC-4, Takashi wrote:

[Takashi]

Jason,

You have gorgeous trees near you. Must be fun to ride around in town in this season.

I can imagine drivers complaining about fallen blossoms sticking all over their cars!

Franklyn,

I can't tell if they're cherries either, but it must be a joy to admire them while riding. Beautiful.

Tirebiter, Steven, and Roberta,

Glad to know that you are enjoying this thread.

Cherry blossoms are already falling here, but then peach blossoms are in full bloom.

I think I can take pictures of them next weekend.

Takashi

[CB]

The Mariposa lilies are starting now. They're very simple--one leaf, one flower growing on exposed hillsides. They are the kind of flower that you have to watch for. The dogwood flowers are coming soon.

My basic 13 mile out the door loop ascends a big hill (Big Hill), wraps around the north side of the ridge on gravel and descends on the south face on pavement. The north side has lush drainages with dogwoods and big leaf maple--all just starting to leaf out. The light is awesome now while the trees are still letting the sun through.

Carl, Columbia, CA

[franklyn]

Carl,

Those are very nice, thanks. I am presuming that you are near Yosemite National Park. I know that the park is closed, similar to many parks around the state. However, many state and county parks near me in the Bay Area are still open to non-motorized access by people on bikes and on foot. Do you know if that is the same situation for Yosemite?

Thanks,
Franklyn

[tuolumnebikes]

Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties requested NPS to shut down the park. Per NPS news release: As of 3:00 pm today, Friday, March 20, 2020, Yosemite National Park is closed to all park visitors until further notice. This closure will be enforced 24-hours a day/7-days a week and there will be no access permitted to Yosemite National Park.

So even the high country is closed. The concern is that the two counties have so little health care capacity to deal with people attracted to recreation. The Forest Service has also closed their roads to the primary recreation areas. It's looking like the bikes only days when Glacier Point Road and Tioga Pass open probably won't happen.

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[David Johnston]

A large section of Skyline Drive in Virginia is closed to motorists,
but open to cyclists and walkers. No restrooms or picnic areas are
open though, so you have to be self sufficient in those regards.

On 4/15/20, tuolumnebikes <tuolum...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties requested NPS to shut down the park. Per
> NPS news release: As of 3:00 pm today, Friday, March 20, 2020,

> *Yosemite* National Park is *closed* to all park visitors until further
> notice. This *closure* will be enforced 24-hours a day/7-days a week and
> there will be no access permitted to *Yosemite* National Park.

>> <javascript:>> wrote:
>>
>> Jason,
>> You have gorgeous trees near you. Must be fun to ride around
>> in town in this season.
>> I can imagine drivers complaining about fallen blossoms
>> sticking all over their cars!
>>
>> Franklyn,
>> I can't tell if they're cherries either, but it must be a joy
>> to admire them while riding. Beautiful.
>>
>> Tirebiter, Steven, and Roberta,
>> Glad to know that you are enjoying this thread.
>> Cherry blossoms are already falling here, but then peach
>> blossoms are in full bloom.
>> I think I can take pictures of them next weekend.
>>
>>
>> Takashi
>>
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[in Dallas nick]

I can offer a bluebonnet pic from this morning's ride.

Paul in Dallas 

[Takashi]

Carl, I suppose that you have keen eyes to notice those little flowers while riding.

I've never heard about mariposa lilies, but that's a pretty flower.

Paul, thank you for bluebonnet picture!

I was expecting that cherry blossoms are falling off by now, but when I went out to buy food, I saw that they were still blooming.

Also peach blossom trees are almost in full bloom now. They, like cherry blossom trees, are cultivated for ornamental use and doesn't produce any fruit.

I'm attaching pictures of cherry and peach blossoms .

(I was riding my Moulton instead of Hunqapillar, but it had Sackville Saddlesack mounted.)

Takashi

[Hetchins52]

West gate, University Ave. entrance to UC Berkeley. After a ride up Grizzly Peak Blvd., into the hills with Emily. Then a screaming descent on Centennial Drive to the campus.

I think that these may be plum blossoms. 

Taken Monday, April 13 2020, late afternoon

David Lipsky

[Bob Ehrenbeck]

Takashi, your photos are stunningly beautiful!

Here in NJ, all parks are closed due to COVID-19, so I took some photos of the cherry tree in my yard instead:

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-8Iwz6F3us/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

In normal years, I head over to Branch Brook Park in Newark for the annual Bloomfest, where one would see scenes like this (these pics are from last year's event):

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwQY7sAl7_Q/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Bob E

Cranford, NJ

[Jim M.]

Great thread and beautiful photos, Takashi! Here's a native to the Mt Diablo region, the Purple Chinese Lantern, also called Innocence.

happy trails,

jim m

wc, ca

[Takashi]

David, that looks like a gorgeous place, and your Appaloosa looks cool, too!

Bob, you have cherry tree in your yard? It must be sweet to enjoy cherry blossoms whenever you like. Blue sky and cherry blossoms make really nice contrast.

Jim, I can't see your picture on my screen. Maybe a wrong link?

Takashi

[Takashi]

Several pictures from Sunday's ride.

I revisited the place I rode last Friday. Some of the cherry blossoms have fallen off, covering the road surface like a pink carpet.

Riding a bit further, there is a place where peach blossoms trees line along a road.

Then I took a road which climbs up a hill, and I saw wild azaleas blooming.

And a wild cherry tree.

Takashi

[Jim M.]

On Monday, April 20, 2020 at 6:44:08 AM UTC-7, Takashi wrote:

Jim, I can't see your picture on my screen. Maybe a wrong link?

One would think that Google groups would know how to link to Google photos. Here it is again. And they're Purple Chinese Houses, not lanterns, though they look more like lanterns than houses to me.

 

[Jason Fuller]

Takashi, that is easily one of the most stunning beautiful paths I've seen!  Thanks for sharing the updated photos.  We have both the blossom trees and the rugged mountains here, but it doesn't come together like it does in Japan.  I would love to visit one day. 

Here is a photo from my Sunday ride, with some Magnolia trees and lots of tulips

[Hetchins52]

Hi Takashi,

Extraordinary roads!

And, your fenders look at home among the trees and blossoms!

David

[Dave Johnston]

Back in the woods alongside the trail there was wild azalea (Rhododendron canescens) and the sound of woodpeckers and only 2 other people in an hour. 

[Takashi]

Jim, thank you for the picture. Yes, they rather look like lanterns.

I did some internet search, and one website says "it gets its name from its towers of flower clusters, of decreasing diameter, which give the plants in full flower a certain resemblance to a pagoda."

Some Bhuddism temples in Japan have multi-storied pagoda in their precincts:

Jason, so many magnolia trees. It must have been very pleasant to ride by those magnolias and tulips. (And daffodils?)

Yes, there are many beautiful places in Japan, so visit us some day.

Oh, I also came upon a magnolia tree during Sunday ride.

David, thank you!

I love how my fenders look, but they are making rattling noises. I have to figure out where the noises are coming from...

Dave, those are beautiful azaleas.

Their shapes and colors look different from azaleas in Japan. Interesting.

Takashi