Now We're Talking

Monday (late edition)

Dinner went late Monday night and I ran out of gas before I could get the events of the day posted.  I started off the day with a ramble through Calistoga at 430 AM yesterday looking for coffee.  After striking gold at the local Shell station I gave Lenny a call to commiserate how much I missed my equally insomniac friend.  Breakfast was at Cafe Sarafornia, a kitchy little local place a block from our lodging.  Nace and I opened the place but the locals were also pouring in and finally some of the earlybirds from our bike group.  Great breakfast with fresh squeezed CA orange juice which was significantly better than the stuff we are getting in FL at present.  We packed up our luggage and got our bike gear together for a flat ramble along in the valleys of Napa and Sonoma.  I was able to get one of the better shots of Gus, below

Unlike the weather yesterday, we had spectacular blue skies and the views of the mountainside vinyards were great.  We started out on a dedicated bike trail that terminated with a small wooden plank bridge.  Unfortunately I was not reading the signage as I plowed forward onto said bridge, wet with morning dew and found myself going sideways after getting my front tire stuck between two planks that were as slick as snot.  I am happy to say that there is no photographic documentation, however Gus is working on a reenactment.

Our AM destination was Yountville where we were to meet our group and have lunch.  Gus, Karina, Nace and I arrived a bit early so we hung out at the local tourist area and ordered baguette sandwiches from Bouchon bakery.  Rita hung back with MJ, who set a new personal best for cycling mileage. We also found out that MJ has a serious affliction for baked goods.  In her defense, however, she generously shared the spoils with all of us.

Gus and Karina in one of their more tender moments.

We took some rest stops along the way to take in the scenery.

Nace and MJ called it a day and headed back, by shuttle, to the hotel which gave Rita a much anticipated shot at giving her legs a workout and we headed out of Yountville for our final destination, Bouchaine Vinyards and Winery.  Did I say the weather was great?  We paced along pretty well and encountered a few easy grade changes.  I introduced Karina to the concept of "hanging on like a baby possum" and she and Rita were pulled along.  Having no telemetry on their bikes, they were blissfully unaware that we Gus and I were clipping along at 17-22 mph. 

As we were climbing out through a residential area in Napa Gus slams on the brakes and dives off the side of the road.  I could hear him screaming "look at these @#$%ing berries.  And there we were picking super sweet blackberries out of some millionaires front yard.

 

 We arrived at the winery well ahead of the rest of the group, streched and took in the views.  Gus took note of Rita's sneakers and lack of clipless pedals, recognized that she kept with us the entire ride and paid her the highest compliment; "you're an animal".  Rita beamed.

We had a private  tasting and a well earned rest before heading back to The Lodge at Sonoma, a spectacular resort hotel.  

As usual, our Backroads hosts Jill and Nick did all the heavy lifting.  Space limitations preclude my telling just how fantastic these two young, professionals are.  There is no limit to what they will do to make this trip special for everyone.  There is no end to the preparation and after care during this type of trip and they work effortlessly to keep things moving and exceed everyone's expectations. 

Nick and Jill doing the heavy lifting

Dinner at Carneros Bistro: Rita MJ and Sarah

Nace Philip and Jill

Today promises to be the most challenging day with 62+ miles, 1000 feet of elevation with headwinds to make it just a bit more fun.  The payoff will be coastal views that money cannot buy.

So far I have logged 84 miles in two days.  We stay at the Inn of the Tides in Bodega Bay, and there is something Hitchcockian about this place (The Birds).  Later.