Cyclist on Westside Road in the Russian River Valley

Cycling in wine country

I used to love cycling, especially in the wine country. I did the Santa Rosa Wine Country Century several times. What a lovely ride through the backroads of the Russian River wine country! I gave up cycling a few years back for a number of reasons. Most of all, the inherent danger of the sport. A few tips for cycling in wine country: Ride mid morning, after the workers rush along the backroads to get to work. Most tasting rooms open between 10 and 11 a.m. It is a good idea to ride before the wine tasters hit the road. Riding with a group is always safer. If you are new to the area, go to the downtown area and stop in at the bike shop. They will show you where the best riding routes are and perhaps be able to hook you up with a group ride. There are wonderful bike shops in Healdsburg, Calistoga and St. Helena. Another great cycling wine country area is the Santa Barbara wine country. Try the Solvang Century Ride. Lodi and Livermore also offer great wine country cycling. This year the Amgen Tour of California will cycle through the Lodi wine country.

There are also low-key rides that guide you to several wineries for wine tasting. They arrange the tastings and provide a picnic lunch. You can find several by doing a search on your web browser.  I personally am not a big fan of these types of bike rides, but maybe they’d work for you.