Folsom Lake Homes » Biking

Folsom’s First Bicycle Film Festival

Beth Mergens — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 01:46:20 +0000

Feb 13th starts new season

by Jason Montiel

Folsom has developed a reputation as one of the best places to live due to the outdoor recreation available nearly 11 months of the year although this year seems to be the exception…due to a lack of rain the number pushes 12 months. So this year the city is hosting it’s first film festival featuring “Breaking Away” at 7 p.m. at 48 Natoma St. Just in case you don’t know this is the location of the new Art Center/Senior Center which is a re-make of the fire station next to the city offices.

This presentation was inspired by the upcoming Amgen Bike Race in Sacramento on Feb. 14 and the city of Folsom hopes the locals will support that race and encourage other event sponsors to consider our region when looking for venues. Promotion is something taken very seriously in this town and I wouldn’t be surprised to see film crews on the streets with celebs shopping at the local antique shops between takes.

Speaking of a lack of rain…while driving down Empire Ranch Rd. I caught a clear view of the Folsom puddle and was surprised how brown the lake appears. Watering lawns is now limited to every other day and if you get caught spraying off your sidewalk or driveway you could be fined. I’ve begun to pray for rain because I remember my first year in California, which just happened to be in the middle of the drought in 1977. We used to save the drain water from the washing machine to water the lawn and wash the cars. Local restaurants have begun to only serve water upon request so if anyone has a hotline to heaven please pick up the phone…we need the water.

Homes Tours in Folsom CA via Bicycle

Beth Mergens — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:33:07 +0000

Trails that connect the community

Folsom is known for it’s bike paths and jogging trails and last week I decided to do my real estate tour via bicycle and discovered some interesting paths under construction. Starting out at the Folsom Community Center it was an easy jaunt to the Historic District where there is a new home that has received the SMUD Platinum rating for it’s energy efficiency. This home had everything from recycled glass counters to solar hot water and heating…it even sells energy back to SMUD!

Next I went across the Rainbow Bridge to American River Canyon and checked out a bank owned property that is on a cul-de-sac and is priced at $152.00 per sqft. It’s amazing to see the housing prices so affordable in that part of town. Heading back towards Natoma Station along the river I jumped off at the Natoma Factory Outlets to check out a cute little house in the Bungalows that is a short sale. This one is a 3/2 just under 1500sf for $319,000. Down Turn Pike Drive to another listing that is selling short but has a lot of house for the price 5bed/3bath for $399,000.

Following the main drag Blue Ravine over to Prairie City to preview a home close to Folsom High School that backs up to open space. This property has a pool with slide and cave, mature landscaping and a deck for entertaining. The cherry cabinets and huge floorplan (5 or 6 bedrooms) is located on a cul-de-sac…priced at $197.00 sf. This is where I discovered a new bridge under construction which I think will connect to the bike trail just off Blue Ravine between Riley and Prairie City Rd.

Going west along Iron Point Rd. down to Broadstone I picked up a trail that led me to one of my favorite places to ride along the Parkway. This was one of the first bike and walking paths installed in Folsom. The area has lookouts and bridges and benches to sit and enjoy the view. I’ve seen people jogging and doing their tai chi exercises at various points along the path. John Laing continues to build and is offering some great incentives on their homes next to the new Raley’s center.

As I wind up my tour and head back home to Empire Ranch I cut through Humbug Creekto the trails at Ninesan Park. This was an area that was originally designated for a private golf course but was turned over to the city as open space. It’s a beautiful area with great blue herons and egrets and offers a peaceful ride through the various subdivisions towards the lake.

For more information on bike trails the city of Folsom offers a map online and of course if you’d like to see any of these homes please contact me and arrange a tour.

Best Bike Tour in Folsom

Beth Mergens — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 04:11:48 +0000

Scenic Bike Tours Along the American River

Family came into town last week and of course we took them to Karen’s Bakery next to Bicycles Plus. This is the most ideal place to start a bike tour because you can get your muffin and coffee, stretch and then start off on an hour or two long bike ride along the river. The trail head at the bottom of the hill by QBoles takes you straight to the bike trail towards Lake Natoma.

This is one of the most scenic rides in all of Sacramento with the river and all it’s twists and turns, geese, ducks and the occasional egret and blue heron. The rock formations in the rivers and the colors of the trees from season to season along with the hillsides either green or brown make this a very relaxing and pleasant place.

The trails go in either direction; towards Folsom Lake or along the American River down to Sacramento. There’s a trail map available at the Folsom Parks & Rec website but it will only cover the trails in Folsom. For a more comprehensive map I found this great trail map put out by the county of Sacramento breaking down each segment of the river by area.

This is the time of year where you can enjoy the ride without the heat and this weekend Bicycles Plus is having their Rental Bike Clearance starting on Sunday Oct. 5th at 9AM. It’s first come, first serve but all the equipment is available for inspection and of course their staff will be on hand to answer any questions so if you need a bike and don’t have the cash for new this is a great place to shop.

Folsom Bike Race & Best Darn Breakfast in Town!

Beth Mergens — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:04:48 +0000

Annual bicycle race through historic district

Last Sunday, Sept. 14th was the latest event to grace the streets of Folsom and a boon to local businesses in the historic district. Since Folsom is known for its bike trails it’s no wonder that places like Bicycles Plus located in the historic district are thriving during these hard times.

Karen's Bakery

Let’s face it, we all want to go back to being a kid and riding our bikes and playing. Worrying about jobs, bills and retirement just isn’t fun and it sure seems that a lot of people have decided to do just that judging by the traffic at Karen’s Bakery (next to Bicycles Plus).

Any given morning you’ll find a group of people meeting to go out or just back in from a ride along the river sitting on the patio enjoying a cup of coffee. There are scheduled bike rides for beginners to advanced riders that anyone can join. When you’re done and ready to put your feet up Karen’s offers some of the best breakfasts in town. I love her breakfast burrito!

Cyclebration is one of many special events scheduled by Folsom Park & Rec Dept. and you can find more bicycling activities like the Mountain Bike Skill Course for $2 at Cummings Park. This is a great one for your younger BMX riders.

I was so inspired that I decided to bike my way through the weekly real estate tour in Folsom. As you know we realtors need to keep up to speed on our inventory so instead of driving to each home on tour I decided to bicycle my way to each home. This week offered everything from a bank owned home in American River Canyon to a beautiful Prairie Oaks 5 bedroom on a quiet street with a pool.

I’m toying with the idea of scheduling a tour for clients on a Saturday morning. Given the extensive trails throughout Folsom it would be a lot of fun to show property and a great way to get to know the community. If you have any interest in touring homes via bicycle please let me know and I’ll set it up!