Touring *

From State Highway 99, take the V Street off-ramp and turn northeast onto V Street. Cross the railroad tracks and turn left onto 16th Street, which soon veers right to become the Snelling Highway, or State Highway 59. Go up half a mile and turn right onto West Olive Avenue. Take the first left, Loughborough Drive, and follow it as it curves around from north to east. Take a left at Bismark Drive and park a block and a half up where it dead-ends at an embankment next to Black Rascal Creek, on the edge of Fahrens Creek Park. From here you can also skate the Black Rascal Creek and Bear Creek trails (see the previous and the next listing).

It may be close to Merced's northern neighborhoods, but the Fahrens Creek Trail has the look and feel of a nature walk. Follow the first part of the Black Rascal Creek Trail heading east (see the previous listing) until you cross the first wooden bridge that leads to the north side of the creek, bringing you to an intersection. Turn left here to follow the Fahrens Creek Trail. Immediately, you'll appreciate this trail's wild streak as it heads through a field of chest-high weeds toward a dense-looking but narrow forest of eucalyptus trees. On a very windy day, the gangling branches of these tall trees imported from Australia thrash themselves furiously, making an uproar you may never forget and hurling bark and twigs down to snag between your wheels. Even so, the trail is quite glorious, especially when fields are still green. Follow its winding route along Fahrens Creek at the northwest border of Merced. A field of wild mustard flourishes to the north, gilding the terrain with bright yellow in spring. There are no roads nearby to intrude with the rude sounds of passing autos, and the houses to your right are almost hidden by the trees crowded into the creek bed. Every once in awhile, a bridge leads off into the neighborhoods, and one steep dip takes you into the dark of an underpass that makes you want to whip off your sunglasses, just in case. Here and there, peppercorn-like tree droppings rough up your ride, but, for the most part, this is a great trip that reaches its end at the city limits all too soon.