First time to Napa - favorite 40 miles?

Shouldna known. It is a better road for folks who get the heeby-jibbies on descents.

We're probably going to ride Deer Park this weekend so we can add a few miles to the loop. We'll pop out onto the Silverado higher up the valley.

We also discovered something. When you are climbing up past Lake Hennessey, you come to a 3-way intersection right at the lake. If you go to the right to stay on 128 back over to the Chiles Valley, you climb the south and sunny side of the mtn. If you go to the left on Chiles Pope Valley Rd (as they do on the Tour of Napa Valley), you climb the north and shaded side. Both come out on 128. If you are heading south back toward Moskowite, the shady route only adds 2.5 miles. Depending on weather, this is a good thing to know.

However, staying on 128 to the right means you ride right up to the doorstep of Nichelini Winery (est 1890). Such choices.

http://www.routeslip.com/map.php?map=3580

Ok so we had a great time in Napa County this past weekend. Armed with rental bikes and SadieKate's routeslip, we headed out on Saturday afternoon.

We didn't get started until 3:00 and figured on a 3-hour ride.

It was quickly determined my bike size was off as I felt way stretched out and my back started hurting. But I could easily ignore it by zoning out on the beautiful surroundings. :)

This was dh's first ride, while fiddling around with the gearing, he managed to drop the chain twice and complete the obligatory "oops I forgot I was clipped in" fall within our first couple of miles. :D

It was HOT and the roads were busy. There were some sections that were nice and quiet, along the tree-lined shady roads. That was my favorite part.

About half way in, dh's bike was making an awful noise. One more stop and we quickly saw that the crank was very loose in the bottom bracket (is that right?) so we tightened it as best we could and started off again. The funny part here was dh had grease on his hands, then ended up with a Fu-Man-Chu grease mustache when rubbing his fingers down the sides of his mouth. It was hysterical and I couldn't stop laughing for a long while. I got a picture of it but he made me delete it!! Spoil sport! :D

Because of all the stops, my legs felt like lead each time we'd get back on the bike and I mentioned to dh that we should bypass the Ink Grade climb and asked the girl at the store in Pope Valley which way we should go.

We made a stop at a little store in Pope Valley, right where Ink Grade and Howell Mtn roads split off. We were running late because of all of our stops and decided to take the "short cut" through Howell Mtn Rd. Omigosh, this was the perfect example of why you should *always* stick with the original plan!!!! We quickly found that, although it was a few miles shorter than the Ink Grade Route, it was the same elevation gain. ACK!!!

Dh managed to drop his chain again so we decided to start WALKING up the hill. A pretty steep grade (to me), I ended up with blisters on the ball of each foot, in the center. Walking, walking, walking.... I wasn't having fun anymore! Every time we'd turn a corner and think we were at the top, more turns and climbing was up ahead. It was about 5:30 at this point and our friends were expecting us back by 6:00. That was not looking like it was going to happen!

We ended up hitching a ride from a very nice man (who was a cyclist and was amused with our short cut story, lol) in a truck who happened to be on his way to a friend's house that was very near our B & B. He took us all the way to the intersection of where we were staying and we rode the last quarter mile home. Rode in at 6:00. Just in time! :)

I think we ended up with a 28 mile ride.

So, although our ride was cut short and we had a few mishaps, dh says he really enjoyed the ride. I did too, I've just decided to block out the walk up that darn hill so as not to spoil the rest of the ride. :D

A few pics:

http://quick.holdthatpic.com/images/16912.jpg

http://quick.holdthatpic.com/images/16913.jpg

http://quick.holdthatpic.com/images/16914.jpg

http://quick.holdthatpic.com/images/16915.jpg

http://quick.holdthatpic.com/images/16916.jpg

I'm glad that you got your ride in Tiff...mishaps and all! So is Paul itching for a bike even more now?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Brandy

I'm glad that you got your ride in Tiff...mishaps and all! So is Paul itching for a bike even more now?

---

He sure is!! :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tiffanie

He sure is!! :D

---

I knew it!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Tiffanie

He sure is!! :D

---

I am so jealous! I wish DH would be interested in riding! I did get him to go mtn biking last saturday and he enjoyed that (he's done that before) but still doesn't want to go out and do it every day...

oh well... at least he doesn't complain about the $$ I spend on my bike stuff!

t~

ps. Tiffanie, your adventure sounds like a blast... even w/the hill! Glad you had fun!