Darth Lefty 

Is there a fruit tree on your ride? I was picking up an orange again today and was thinking about other things I've found, and what other regulars might have found, and how you feel about it. I've been limiting my pilfering to fruit that is down, and not on the lawn... ie, it's on the sidewalk or parking. I don't know what the law is, but I feel like fruit still on the tree or in the yard belongs to the owner but down fruit off their property is abandoned. I'm sure other people have different comfort zones. There are a lot of black cherry trees around, even in parks where they are fair game, but the downed ones are already shot, the easy to reach ones tend to disappear fast. And that's the only pit fruit I can think of although I don't know why there are not more. Apple trees grow fine around here but I don't think there are any on my route. Wild blackberries are available in season. There's a huge blackberry patch on Lake Natoma west of Old Folsom. But blackberry picking is kind of an activity to itself and would be a big stop on the ride.

What such fruit do you have to report?

I recall someone posting about giant puffball mushrooms. Any other fungi?

In a different vein, do you have a regular stop? A favorite place to get a coffee or pastry or a fruit stand?

SpedFast

My favorite coffee stand went out of business. I guess my dollar/day just wasn't enough. I have picked up apples, even got yelled at one time by the property owner. I was on the road leaning over and he was behind a huge bush and yelled, "You better not be on my property!" to which I replied, "I would never do that. But these apples are on the road." Silence, so I road on. I'm not a vegan, but I love fresh fruit!

Juan Foote

A couple of years ago a group called ABC here in Atlanta sponsored a few "harvest" rides, where they were going to locations in and around the metro area and picking fruit. The fruit was then taken on to various food banks. As a result of said ride, several of the fruit trees were cut down, other properties had signage put up letting people know they were trespassing, and I believe that ABC themselves got sued over it.
Interesting sort of side to this...our local farmers market had some beautiful pear trees out front of their location as you come in the entrance. There was a big stink a couple of years ago with people coming out to collect them. We stopped one of our visits and picked some up. They were delicious...but at any rate, something happened. I am fairly sure a ped. got hit while collecting since it was in the road of the entry to the market. They cut the trees down.

Korina

I have been known to stop on the trail and stuff my face with blackberries. You have to pick the west facing berries, because they're the only ones getting adequate sun and a little bit of heat; otherwise they're just seedy and bland.

Also this fall, I discovered some small apple and Asian pear street trees while exploring around town. I assumed they were public, as they were between the sidewalk and the street; and judging by the amount of windfall, no one was appreciating their generosity. I grabbed so much fruit; the apples were good, but the Asian pears were truly sublime (I ate three while gathering). I made sure to thank the trees.

Clyde1820

Growing up, there was this great pomegranate tree along the route we often took. In season, we'd often grab two or three poms and make that our snack along the ride.

Used to take a mountain bike along a section of an old, underused railroad spur because of the wild blackberries that grew nearby. That'd always hit the spot.

Can't say that there's currently a special stop on rides, these days.

dedhed

I know where there are asparagus plants on my route and harvest in spring as well as morel mushrooms.
With the woods behind my house decimated by ash borer I also pick up acorns, walnuts, and hickory that I disburse back there to someday help "reforest" it. I have a number of walnuts and oaks now 6-10' high.

fooferdoggie 

been seeing dill weed growing around town this year in the middle o the city. sure smells good.

Mr. 66

I found a few pounds of packaged coffee a few years ago. The roast was a little light, I gave one of the bags to my brother.

timdow

Picked free food in the form of blackberries and apples along the side of the road while in WA and OR. Found a can of Budweiser once, and another time a can of coke. I would love to buy coffee, but nothing any good on my way tot work so I brew at home and carry an insulated mug in one of my bottle cages.

Darth Lefty 

This morning a lady was picking olives. That did not occur to me! I thought the olive trees planted in town were ornamental.

I only got one little firm racketball sized orange today. I just know it's going to be sour. There was a big nice one that was only half squished, decided I'm not that desperate.

We get tons and tons of acorns in the autumn. Making acorn flour is enough of a hassle that I haven't bothered. They need to be shelled, pulverized, rinsed of tannins. The indigenous people used to live on it until the Spaniards make them farm. To keep it bike relevant, they are also a tire hazard!

I posted about the giant California varietal of buckeye in one of the other threads. Similar process - but it needs to be steamed or boiled for a long time (like 24 hours) to get rid of the neurotoxin prior to the rinse process before you can turn it into flour

BobbyG

For a few years there was a farmer's market once a week in a park I rode through. I'd buy roasted green chiles an eat them after arriving at work!

essiemyra

Not on my route to work, but while I was walking my brother's dog back a few months ago, there were some sort of berry bushes dropping berries, but I didn't feel comfortable reaching my hand over the fence into someone's yard to start picking them. Also there was a tree across the street from his house that had berries that would fall but the tree was to high for me to reach the berries.

It turns out my brother's yard had a pear tree, raspberry bushes, and another fruit but I do not recall. While in the process of getting ready to sell his house his whole back yard was deforested taking out all the beautiful fruit bearing vegetation. He is passing papers on the house this Friday. I would love to have fruit bearing plants where I live but we do not have room.

locolobo13 

You guys are finding all the healthy foods. All I find are donuts.

SkinGriz

https://www.urbanfarm.org/2018/12/18/408-ron-mantini/

SkinGriz

That’s obviously asking for problems.

One rider once in awhile? Ok.

Group of riders mobbing together to pick other peoples fruit? Not OK.

rumrunn6

in the Boston area, we've picked & eaten cherries when riding along the Charles River on the Cambridge side, near Harvard. but not this time of year!

Darth Lefty 

If you actually pull a lemon off someone's tree, are you doing them a favor? AFAF

Joe Bikerider

No. Our lemon tree has much reduced production after these recent very dry years. I am hoping the last few heavy rains will get it going again. Love, J

SkinGriz

Ask the owner?

CycloneZ

I dont know if I qualify as "commute" but as a bicycle courier (food delivery), sometimes I get orders cancelled on me after picking up, which in very rare occasion I get to keep! (but it's really rare for that to happen lol)

OmegaWolf

Not on my commute, but a few miles from home at the beginning of many of my other bike routes there are a few pear trees in a fenced in yard. There are frequently pears that fell on the bike path side of the fence, but I've never taken any.

Darth Lefty 

Still getting some nice oranges.

I remembered there are wild grapes along my route. They are not good to eat, unfortunately, being mostly seed.

HookUp

About 8 miles up the bike trail is a BBQ place. Wife & I will take a leisurely ride, stop for either a drink or some Q, then ride home.

I do have a spot that's full of Morels at a certain time of the year

ClydeClydeson

On tour a few years ago I left camp before everyone else and about 5km down the road I found a market run by a group of one of the 'less progressive' religious groups - Amish? Mennonites? I don't know, but there were baked goods still warm from the oven. I left my bike visible from the road so my buds would know where I stopped. I was surprised/disappointed that a non-zero number of my riding companions preferred to keep riding to a Tim Hortons in the next town rather than stop and sit on a bench outside the market.

SpedFast

I found a spot with Lobster and another with Matsutaki mushrooms. Both are on my regular 26 mile route. I keep my eyes open for the bumps now and never hesitate to stop and pop them out. In a skillet with onions and garlic. Making me hungry now haha.