Help X. pick a bike vacation!

[roguedog]

California is nice usually that time of year thought this last year was wet for a long time.

I hear a lot of folks say do Napa and I enjoy wine but Napa is too touristy for me. Though if I'm going to do Napa Jan - mid May is a good time. Less tourists, the pourers are less crazed and actually have time to be civil to you. The mornings are often beautifully foggy, the leaves are yellow and it's quiet. Sun break thru usually in the afternoon.

There are several "off the beaten path" options if you want to mix wine country with your riding. I swear California is going to become one large vineyard!

There are great wineries and great winding trails along the Russian river. Great pinots out there and it's not so main stream. It's a beautful area and it's on the Sonoma side where it's more mellow and earthy. It's gorgeous with hills, woods, the river and riding towards the ocean. Lots of roads to get lost on as well.

Farther norther in Mendocino, the wine region up there is growing. Navarro Vineyards has an awesome late harvest riesling, there great champagne jsut a mile or so down the rode @ Roederer (who's own by the same people who do Kristal). There's also great beer and Mendocino is just gorgeous. Depending on how much you want to break the bank.. I can recommend a few nice places )

To the south, I also love the Santa Barbera area and the Paso Robles area for great wines. Santa Barbera has some some wonderful Rhone varietals.. and contrary to Sideways, I'm not a big lover of their Pinots. Stay in quaint little Los Osos and you can ride into Solvang or into Santa Barbera. Or if your more sophisitcated, stay in Santa Barbera cuz there's lots of wonderful food to entice your wallet and palate!

Another great area is Monterey wine area. I'd stay in quaint little Carmel Valley. From there you can launch to some great wineries: Bernardus, Galiente, Talbot and others. YOu can stay @ Bernardus which is also a spa and the restaurant is pretty good as well

And then.. for the really little know regions.. there's Amador County or Plymouth, Ca where they are making some really interesting wines. They seem to be growing Italian varietals up there in the foothills. There's a wonderful winery called Renwood who makes great zinfandels. And the wineries keep growing up there.

Lastly, there's also wineries in Silicon Valley. The appellation is called the Santa Cruz Mtns. Lots of little mom & pops out here and.. some not so little, like Ridge, Mt Eden, Thomas Fogarty, and David Bruce. All of which are um.. nice hills for you to cut some teeth on!

Obviously, those places that are closer to larger metro areas will probably have some shops(s) that will rent road bikes. For the smaller places.. hmmm maybe when you rent a car, you'd better rent a bike before you head off into the boonies

Um.. ya.. sorry for the long post. Did I say I liked wine.. and drink a little of it?

[SouthernBelle]

You might also look at riding the Natchez Trace. Womantours has one for that but it only covers the bottom part. The Trace is one of those standard rides.

[Xrayted]

CyclChyk - sorry, just caught your post. Vegas huh? Biking in downtown Vegas would be suicide girl. Of course, I could ride at night and not need lights on the bike. It's lit up like daytime 24 hours there. I love old Vegas/Freemont St. area the best. Lot less walking btw casinos. More old school, retro. (my feet were killing me the entire trip) I hear they got the monorail up now in new Vegas. Hmmm... still, I think I'll save Vegas for a different kind of vacation. Thanks, CChyk.

X.

[CyclChyk]

Hmmm... still, I think I'll save Vegas for a different kind of vacation. Thanks, CChyk. X.

Yeh you can definately tell my mind wasn't on cycling when I thought of Vegas..... Free drinks always wins my vote (they don't call me a lush for nothing ). Maybe that will be my vaca this year.........

[mtbdarby]

X - sure you want to do this alone? I'm starting to salivate over here thinking this would be so much fun! Doing a bike tour of California wine country would be my preference though **hint, hint***

[Xrayted]

Trek420 - BRP does sound good. I heard it's a great area to get out and hammer or just cruise along. Come on out for a visit with us east coast girls! (and blow our doors in with those CA legs!)

Hey tnbikegirl - Welcome to TE! Glad to have you aboard! Thanks for your input. I accept seconds. (mostly food) One more OBX person tallied up.

roguedog - Wow what a post. I can tell you really love that area. That's what I like to see, enthusiasm.
Wine country sounds divine, but I'm (sadly) such a cheap date, that there would be no tastings for me unless someone was there to watch over me. (yeah, really that bad )
I do love wineries though and would still go just for the experience and the conversations with others. Meeting new people is one of the goals/perks of this trip. Are there any TE'ers nearby?
Is Napa anywhere near the ocean, ladies? In other words, is this a trip that I could pair with some seaside rides easily? (I'll be renting a vehicle too.) I need major water somewhere on the trip. It centers and relaxes me. Can't have a vacation with out that dynamic.

Southern Belle - I'll look that one up as soon as I get off work tonight. Thanks for the suggestion! I may be PM'ing you if I need more info, ok?

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Well, another great group of suggestions. Most of them I wouldn't have thought of, so that's perfect. I'll keep trying to post to everyone, but I'm sorry if I miss anyone. I really do appreciate you taking the time to respond when you have so many other things you can be doing with your precious time.

THANK YOU!!! ((hugs all around)) and to those who have PM'd me instead. Some very cool suggestions there.

X.

[roguedog]

[B]

roguedog - Wow what a post. I can tell you really love that area. That's what I like to see, enthusiasm.
Wine country sounds divine, but I'm (sadly) such a cheap date, that there would be no tastings for me unless someone was there to watch over me. (yeah, really that bad )
I do love wineries though and would still go just for the experience and the conversations with others. Meeting new people is one of the goals/perks of this trip. Are there any TE'ers nearby?
Is Napa anywhere near the ocean, ladies? In other words, is this a trip that I could pair with some seaside rides easily? (I'll be renting a vehicle too.) I need major water somewhere on the trip. It centers and relaxes me. Can't have a vacation with out that dynamic.
X.

Ya sorry for the long post. You don't really have to drink wine. The scenery aroudnthe wine regions are just lovely.

Napa is about an hour or so from the coast. You can ride to the coast like they do in the Waves to Wine event! However, Napa does have great food and it has Calistoga if you want to "take to the waters."

Monterey, Mendocino, & Santa Barbera are right on the coast and there tons of other stuff to do than taste wine in these places.

The more remote areas like Amador is really far from the coast. And really, you'd go there just to taste wine and ride. Not that it isn't beautiful but it's inland and it's still very small towny so don't be expecting night life or anything.

Silicon Valley (is also about an hour away from the coast but many people ride there. Um.. I think there are many TE'ers out here. Lots to ride. Lots to eat and see. YOu can go up to SF in about an hour. Though I'm not sure I'd stay in SV itself. NOthing but suburban sprawl though there are LOTS of nice rides. Might be better to stay in SF or Sausalito area as your base camp and drive around with your bike.

Also the coasts of Santa Barbera and the coasts of Mendocino are waaayy different so it depends on what you're looking for.

To give you a high level idea of the areas I'm talking about try this url: http://www.davidstuff.com/wine/california.gif.

happy choosing!

[Xrayted]

roguedog - I know you've got plenty to do without helping me out so my sincerest and most deep felt THANKYOU!! Your descriptions and details are so amazing. No matter what I decide, someday I will definitely go to the wine country. You've planted a seed in my brain.

Come on girls, I need ideas! I'd love to end up meeting some of you as well, so if you live in an area that is good for biking, let me know about it. I may end up doing 4-5 days one place and 4-5 another. I'm looking for a destination that is more than just good for biking though. I love art galleries, museums, theatre, concerts, parks, little dimly lit blues bars... so if you live in a culturally diverse area, please speak up.

many thanks

X.

[Veronica]

California is awesome. Lots to see and do if you come to the Bay Area.

V.