Bush dodges muddy obstacles in Earth Day bicycle ride

By SCOTT LINDLAW

Associated Press Writer

LOS POSADAS STATE FOREST, NEAR ANGWIN — President Bush marked Earth Day with a lung-busting mountain bike ride high above Napa County wine country, dodging ruts that sent several of his riding partners crashing into the mud.

The president spent Saturday morning with a small pack of riders in a foggy redwood forest above Pacific Union College and the small Angwin Airport -- the airport where the president's helicopter landed Friday night. He relished the swampy conditions on parts of the trail in this remote state-owned tract, leading his partners repeatedly through huge puddles and streams running high after weeks of heavy rain.

“I still ride the mountain bike primarily to help settle the soul and to burn off the excess energy one gets when you’re living life to its fullest,” Bush told an Associated Press reporter who accompanied him on the ride.

“We’re able to enjoy the beauty without really disrupting the pristine nature of the place,” the mud-splattered president said after the 65-minute ride. “It’s a classic way for mankind to enjoy God’s gift. Plus, we get some exercise.”

The ride started at an elevation of about 1,700 feet above sea level and dropped steeply for several miles, prompting a bit of anxiety in the president. He is not accustomed to the sustained drops and climbs of California, having ridden mostly in the Washington, D.C., area and on his ranch near Crawford, Texas.

Bush settled into a steady rhythm on the way back up -- an ascent he said pushed him to near his physical limits. His heart rate monitor-wristwatch reported he achieved a maximum heart rate of 176 beats per minute -- just off his maximum, 183.

When a fellow rider spoke up from behind him, Bush said between grunts, “Can’t you at least act like you’re breathing hard?”

11 a.m.

Register staff report

Coming back in via a secondary entrance, President Bush's motorcade avoided the rapidly-thinning crowds at the front gate of Meadowood a few moments ago. The president -- who told a San Jose audience yesterday how much he was looking forward to a wine country bike ride -- was escorted by a large procession of Secret Service and other personnel to an undisclosed site for one of his weekly mountain biking adventures. Bush should be leaving St. Helena in the next few hours, as he is scheduled to tour the California Fuel Cell Partnership in West Sacramento mid-afternoon before boarding Air Force One and heading to southern California.

10 a.m.

AP report

Bush promotes fuel cells, rides his bike on Earth Day

Unable to drive down high oil prices, President Bush is spending Earth Day promoting futuristic hydrogen fuel technology as a way to wean Americans from gas-guzzling vehicles.

After a bike ride near his Napa Valley resort Saturday morning, Bush planned to visit the California Fuel Cell Partnership in West Sacramento for a tour and speech on his energy plan.

The White House hopes the high gas prices will pressure Congress to act on the energy proposals the president outlined in his State of the Union address, such as increased federal research into alternative fuels and batteries for hybrid and electric cars.

Democrats, meanwhile, contend that the Bush administration places too much emphasis on drilling reserves and not enough on alternative fuels.

Bush used his weekly radio address Saturday to promote the idea. “These fuel cells have the potential to revolutionize the way we power our cars by giving us vehicles that will emit no pollution and will be more efficient than gas-powered cars,” he said.

In the Democratic response to Bush’s radio address, Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., said that the Bush administration must stop being influenced by the powerful oil industry and start promoting production of synthetic fuel from coal and the use of alternative sources such as ethanol.

Bush’s bike ride Saturday was no Earth Day stunt. The president rides on most weekend mornings, but made the special detour to overnight in St. Helena just to get in a picturesque ride through wine country. He had no official events there.

“I can’t wait,” Bush told his San Jose audience. “I’ll be plugged into an iPod.”

9:15 a.m. Saturday

Register staff report

A crowd of about 250 people -- far fewer than the estimated 2,000 yesterday -- are gathered at the main gate of Meadowood Napa Valley resort, with the vast majority protesting against the Bush administration, while a small number of President Bush supporters are mixed in the crowd. The presidential motorcade sped out of the St. Helena resort about 8:30 this morning, reportedly taking the president Upvalley for a mountain bike ride before he leaves this afternoon for West Scramento.

8:30 p.m. Friday

Register staff report

President Bush's motorcade rolled through St. Helena a few moments ago. People gathered along the roads within 400 meters of the road Bush traveled were shouting their cheer and jeers at the more than 20 cars going past.

7:45 p.m. Friday

Register staff report

A 12-year-old boy Robery Loius Stevenson Middle School student was injured when he ran out in to the street and in front of a bicyclist near the site of protests against President Bush's visit to St. Helena. The president is going to be on his mountain bike tomorrow morning for a Napa Valley tour before leaving for West Sacramento.

6 p.m. Friday

AP report

One reason for a weekend trip with a lot of downtime in beautiful places became clear even before President Bush boarded Air Force One to leave Washington this morning. Crew were seen loading two shiny mountain bikes — one a red-white-and-blue Trek adorned with the presidential seal and “United States of America.” With stays scheduled in picturesque Napa Valley and the Palm Springs area, the bikes weren’t likely to remain clean for long.

“Tomorrow I’m going to be riding my bike in Napa Valley. I can’t wait,” Bush told his audience at a session in San Jose this afternoon.

Hundreds of protesters gathered later in the afternoon at Stanford University, where Bush had scheduled a private meeting at the conservative Hoover Institution with scholars, including Hoover fellow and former Secretary of State George P. Shultz.

Plans to hold the meeting on campus were scuttled when protesters blocked Bush’s motorcade from going through the only entrance. Shultz, who was already hosting a private dinner for Bush later at his Palo Alto home, had the session moved to his two-story, gray-shingled house.

At least three people were arrested for sitting in an intersection during the demonstration, according to organizers. Stanford police couldn’t immediately confirm the arrests.

3 p.m Friday

AP report

As crowds gather on St. Helena streets Friday afternoon to shout out their approval and disapproval of President Bush, more than 500 protesters beat drums and called for the president's resignation as he prepared to speak to Silicon Valley leaders at the sprawling Cisco Systems Inc. headquarters in San Jose.

Police restricted the demonstration to a few blocks from where the president was going to appear, meaning the motorcade would not see the colorful banners calling him everything from a criminal to a liar to a murderer.

The noisy, but peaceful protesters said they were not discouraged and pressed to get their messages across as they took aim at everything from Indian health care funding cuts to the war in Iraq.

“Ken’s voice has been silenced, but mine hasn’t,” said Karen Meredith, a Mountain View woman whose son, Ken Ballard, was killed two years ago in Iraq. “Today is a day we unwelcome Bush to San Jose.”

Dan Moore took the afternoon off work from Cisco to join the demonstrators.

“I just oppose the direction the president is taking the country, especially when America is supposed to be an economic leader,” Moore said. “He seems to be more focused on issues that drive fear into people when there are more important issues like the economy.”

2 p.m. Friday

By DAVID RYAN and CRISTINA DE LEON-MENJIVAR

The big bad wolf came to St. Helena Friday to protest President Bush’s administration, dancing on the dusty shoulder of Pope Street.

Under the mask, it was Elizabeth Neylon of Santa Rosa, 57, one of the left-wing “Raging Grannies,” who said she couldn’t get a pig mask because the store that sold it was closed.

“It was just fate that I was the big bad wolf today,” Neylon said, adding she hitch-hiked from Sonoma County to make it to Napa Valley College’s Upper Valley Campus. The retired pre-school teacher joined a dozen local St. Helena teens, some students and some not, to protest.

Signs that read, “Not Since Hitler” and “Open Your Eyes” greeted motorists as they rolled past the Pope Street Bridge. Some honked and waved, while others clearly did not support the cause.

“Everyone that doesn’t (support us) just yells obscenities at us,” said Ely McElroy, 17.

A few feet away, Daniel Pendergrass, 19, and his friends from The Commune, a local political activist group, helped McElroy get the attention of passing motorists.

Pendergrass said that the group has been preparing for the president’s visit since last week, and began making signs early this morning.

“I’m thrilled about today,” he said. “Thousands of people are coming to this small town, it’s going to be insane.”

Across the way workers were preparing for larger groups of protesters. Sam Javorina, from American Sanitation, said protest organizers hired him to deliver four portable restrooms -- one for the disabled -- in anticipation of crowds of Friday afternoon protesters.

“It’s responsible,” he said.

10 a.m. Friday

By CARLOS VILLATORO

Motorists traveling on Napa roads today can breathe a sigh of relief for now. Law enforcement officials don’t plan to close any roads as part of President George Bush’s visit to the valley this afternoon.

“We don’t have plans to close any roads, (if we do) it will be predicated on public safety,” California Highway Patrol Sgt. Elfido Montez said.

Montez said road closures will depend on the amount of people near Meadowood Napa Valley and where they are stationed. Napa County Sheriff’s Capt. John Robertson said “If crowds get too big, I would anticipate (road closures on) Silverado Trail between Pope Street and Deer Park (Road),” in the area near the Meadowood Napa Valley resort where the president is going to spend the night.

Protesters have vowed to demonstrate throughout the duration of Bush’s stay. United Napans Concerned Over Iraq Lunacy members plan to meet on Silverado Trail and welcome the president in their own way. A pro-Bush contingency is also expected to be in the area to welcome the president.

9 a.m. Friday

Register staff report

The president is due to arrive in San Jose shortly before 2 p.m., meeting with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, then to the "Panel on the American Competitive Initiative," at Cisco Systems in San Jose.

After the San Jose visit, Bush is scheduled to fly from San Jose in to the Napa Valley area on a Marine One helicopter, ending at Meadowood.

See "Bush visit: Angwin out, Feinstein in for Friday," for more information about the preparations for Bush's visit, and come back here throughout the day for updates, including potential road closures if a presidential motorcade comes through the area during Friday commute times.