I was pleased to see this trail featured as the Trail of the Month for Nov. 2009 becasue I use the Joe Rodota Trail (the eastern half of the two trails) every day all the way from downtown Sebastopol to downtown Santa Rosa, where it connects to the Santa Rosa Creek Trail. While this portion of the trail is less scenic and relaxing than the segment from Sebastopol to Forestville, the 3 miles between Sebastopol and Wright Road aren't bad and I would probably have to drive if I couldn't take the trail. I'm often treated to great blue herons, little and great egrets, western bluebirds, a large flock of turkeys and quite a few other wild creatures. On calm, clear days, colorful hot air balloons frequently drift overhead, sometimes landing in one of the fields alongside the trail.

The whole ride takes about 35 minutes at a moderate pace and one can make a decent recreational loop by taking the Santa Rosa Creek Trail to Willowside Road (part gravel, but scheduled to be paved soon) and back to Sebastopol via Hall/Sanford, Occidental and High School roads.

Though the eastern, urban portion is a bit sketchy at night due to homeless camps nearby, I've never actually encountered any problems with the people that sometimes hang around that area. Always use a good light at night for safety because lighting is poor to nonexistent for much of the trail and the trail runs close to Hwy 12, so headlights can be a problem.

One of the main hazards is getting a flat due to glass on the trail (any time of the year) and goat head thorns (Aug.-Oct.). The latter are especially pernicious and can usually be found near the margins between Stony Point Rd. and Dutton Ave. Generally the best way to avoid them is to always stay on the pavement and stay alert to debris on the trail.

The Rodota Trail provides a good transit link for the area and is very popular with recreational riders and pedestrians. In Santa Rosa it connects with a very beautiful parallel paved trail that runs along the river thru the vineyards. You can use some of the local roads to make a nice loop. Worth going out of your way to ride.