By the time I went to bed last night, I could’ve fallen asleep on the floor in the middle of a crowded room (like him↑). Fortunately, that wasn’t necessary. What is necessary is that we keep the fun alive and the intensity UP. Howz about a 34 mile bike ride through beautiful Dry Creek Valley – probably my new favorite! – with a detour through Alexander Valley? Ready…steady…ride!

Dry Creek Ramble

Here’s the route. You can click on it for a more interactive view, but I’m about to walk you through the good stuff that you can’t find on a map.

Healdsburg. This town is an excellent launch pad for anyone with plans to explore Sonoma Wine Country. Situated at the apex of the Russian River, Dry Creek and Alexander Valleys, everything is within reach. Naturally, this serves as a great starting point for today’s ride. After stopping by Wine Country Bikes for a rental (we were short one and they have great Yelp reviews), our day had commenced!

And, as luck would have it (well…less “luck” and more “calculated planning”), our timing coincides with the Saturday morning Farmers Market. We picked-up a few energy-renewing goodies for the ride, including: tiny, organic strawberries that pack a Punch of sweetness; a bag of dried cherries; a hunk of super-dense whole wheat bread; and, I’m not kidding, a peach the size of a softball – maybe bigger.

Dry Creek Road. Once we made our way out of town and saw the sign for Dry Creek Valley, the sky seemed to open up, and I had a sudden sense of space…and adventure! The shoulder is wide, and the road is flat. This is a great warm-up.

Midway down our first leg of the trip is Dry Creek General Store, a charming deli and wine shop. Attached to it is Dry Creek Bar, a charming dive bar. And parked out-front, you’ll find plenty of bikes – of both the Schwinn and Harley variety.

Canyon Road. Just a few more miles down the road is our first turn (remember children, right turn signal = make an “L” with your left arm). Just a few more cranks on the pedal from that is Pedroncelli Winery. My parents had been to this winery before. In the back is a bocci court that inspired them to build one of their own! Small fortune aside, I think everyone should have one because it’s a game in which everyone can compete equally, and more importantly, with a beverage in-hand.

As for the wine, they have a surprisingly good Sauvignon Blanc to start, and a stand-out Zinfandel they call Mother Clone (100+ year-old vine). At $10, friends.red is outstanding. They recommend ending with a shot of their Port for a little sugar boost before pedaling up Canyon Road.

Back on the bikes, Canyon Road will take us over the hills and into Alexander Valley. It’s not a terribly challenging climb, but it’s kind of a lot after walking out of the tasting room! But alas, what goes up, must come down; and my efforts were rewarded with a new Top Speed! 41mph. Don’t act like you’re not impressed. 🙂

Chianti, Asti and Dutcher Crossing Roads. As we came screaming into Alexander Valley, hot off a rush of adrenaline, it became apparent that my wheels weren’t the only thing warming-up…so was the Sun. Protected from the Pacific chill by a second layer of hills (the first being the coastal range) Alexander Valley is quite a bit warmer than anywhere else we’ve been so far. If you’re quiet, you can probably hear the Earth sizzle.

Adding to the sense that each of these valleys is, in fact, unique, are the long, expansive views from North to South. The ride here feels so much more remote, almost desolate at times. While we didn’t stop at any of the wineries, there is a very memorable view from atop a hill, looking over Silver Oak Winery. I’m not sure what it is, but that beautiful view has been burned into the backs of my eyelids.

These were taken while climbing up Dutcher Crossing, on the way back to Dry Creek.

West Dry Creek Road. Back in Dry Creek, after a spin over Yoakum Bridge, the road narrows and the number of purple-toothed cyclists picks-up. This is a sure sign of good things to come…

Quivira – 26 miles, saddle-back, was totally worth the trip to this 100% organic winery (no pesticides, no artificial yeasts).

Lea’s knack for spilling things finally paid off. It’s funny, but after so many years and spills, I’m starting to believe her when she says that it’s not her fault. It’s as if her kind spirit gives the wine in her glass that last bit of encouragement it needs to make an escape before being consumed, and spontaneously leaps from her glass. Like the immaculate conception, there’s no way to explain how it happened…it just did. But this time it was OK because it was only a few drops, and after she shocked the tasting room assistant by asking for a rag to clean it up (apparently that never happens), he offered to take us all on a private tour of the winery. Nice work wife!

This was a good follow-up to our stop at Fog Crest yesterday because all of this winemaking stuff was fresh in our heads. In this picture, Syrah (the red grapes) and Viogner (the white grapes) are being blended to create a wine that has the big fruit of Syrah, with the delicate mouth feel of Viogner. Kind of like a Labradoodle – you get the Lab personality with the Poodle hair that doesn’t shed – best of both worlds. Also interesting to note is that this container is filled with an entire vineyard of 6 acres. Notice the bubbles in both photos; that’s the carbon dioxide finding a way out.

This is a thick cap! And you can feel the heat coming off of it from all the action going on underneath. Someone needs to do some punch-downs.

Lambert Bridge – This is certainly one of the more unique tasting rooms I’ve seen. Its style feels like a 40s-era, vintage lodge; as opposed to the modern, state-of-the-art facilities, or popular Chateau-style wineries of Napa. Set between hills of burnt grass to the North and South, and nestled against a ridge of redwoods, the setting is reminiscent of days when the idea of our hurried, modern lifestyles were mere science-fiction. And the wine’s pretty good, too.

Would you look at that face?! This beautiful pooch is what greets you as you walk through the tasting room doors. He gets A LOT of attention, though he seems not to notice.

For the normal $10 tasting flight, you can sip wine with the commoners in this gorgeous wood-lined room.

Or, for the $25 “reserve” flight, you can cross a simple threshold at the south-end of the room, and immediately ascend the social hierarchy in this, the “private” tasting room. Yeah, buddy! Rollin’ like a big shot. (Chevy tuned-up like a Nascar pit stop).

Afterward, it was a mad dash back to Healdsburg to return Bob’s bike before the 5:15PM deadline. We made it by about 2 minutes. Phew!

Cyrus

Dinner that night was Epic. After five courses with wine pairing + miscellaneous “palette cleansers,” it’s no surprise Cyrus has earned 2 (out of 3) Michelin Stars. To be fair, I can’t begin to do this justice, so I’ll let the pictures do the talking.

Good stuff today, you guys. We’ll rendevous tomorrow around o’dark hundred.

Cheers!