Biking The Dry Creek Valley

Biking Dry Creek Valley

We got the road bikes out and headed, from the campground, to the Dry Creek valley. We had done this ride, with a tour group, a few years ago. Armed with a map, we were sure we could retrace the route. The Dry Creek valley is really beautiful. The smells in the valley, the vineyards, the roses and the eucalyptus are something you cannot describe; it just has to be experienced.

We stopped at a few wineries in the valley. You have to very careful about your consumption when you’re on the bike and its 80 degrees. We made stops at Long Bridge (mediocre wines), Dry Creek Valley (excellent Chenin Blanc, we picked one up for $11), Passalacqua (good chards, but not worth $40/bottle) and Ridge Winery (Excellent Zins, but again, too expensive for us). After the valley loop, we pulled into downtown Healdsburg and stopped at Oakview market, an excellent little cheese shop and deli, for some lunch.

We made our way up the bike friendly, Old Redwood Hwy (excellent bike lanes, all over the area, BTW) and back to the campground. Total trip 26 miles. We got back just as the afternoon sun started blazing, full strength. It was a nice casual ride, lots of stops, great scenery, some good wines and an excellent, inexpensive lunch. (It is not often you can use the word “inexpensive “when describing anything in CA!

Back at the coach, Laura prepared a great Chili Rellanos casserole recipe, she found on-line, for dinner. Later in the evening we walked over to “downtown” Windsor, to a little Gelato shop. I put downtown in parenthesis because its one of those manufactured communities that seem to be popular right now. One of those communities created in an open field, with shops on a main street, on the first level, and condos on the upper levels. This community was one of the better attempts I’ve seen to create a “community”. The condos, in true CA fashion, start at around $500,000 for 1,000 square feet.

We hung out in the town square eating gelato and watching the sun go down. A great way to finish up a great day of riding and tasting!

-Rich-