Wine Tasting

Day 163 & 164, September 11 & 12, 2011, Wine Tasting

Route – The Wine Road on Rocket and then to Healdsburg & back on bicycle

28.2 miles, averaging 14.7 mph

Worst Moment – Forgetting my camera for the winetasting on Sunday – I missed some really great shots.

Best Moment – Riding on Eastside Road into Healdsburg has to be one of the classic Sonoma County bike rides.  There’s very little traffic and beautiful views of the vineyards.

Neita and I took off on Rocket to check out some of the new wineries that have opened since we were last here for wine tasting a year ago.  On Westside Road alone, there were three new places and one with a new name. 

We checked all four out.  It was probably one of the most fun tastings that we’ve had.  We had four really great experiences – maybe this was because it was Sunday afternoon and things were sort of slow, or maybe it was the weather sort of cool and cloudy.  The staff seemed extra friendly and the guests talked to one another.  We even met some people who actually live in the area!

John Tyler was one of the wineries.  The “mom” – owner - who was in the tasting room, grew up at Korbel.  (Sort of a wonderful place to grow up.)  They had great wines too.  The tasting room had only been open 2 months. 

We went to VML – a winery that has had many different names since we’ve been coming up here.  Then we went to another new place Davero – they bottle and sell other winemakers wines, along with their own Italian varietals, but focus on olive oil production.  We tasted olive oil!  The last place we went to had been open barely one year and was closing this week.  Such is the nature of the business.

Today I thought I would try riding the loop on Eastside Road to Healdsburg and back on Westside Road.  While I loved the ride, my hand didn’t.  The pavement on Westside Road was very bumpy and there were a few tough hills.  I found that I’m not ready for longer rides.

Bills Big Ride In has been moved up to October 2.  I won’t be riding along any of the coast this time.  And while, this is very disappointing to me, I know neither my hand nor my psyche is ready for the challenges and traffic of Highway 1. I guess it is good to always have some challenge to look forward to in the future.   Who knows?

I do plan on bicycling into Phoenix from Wickenburg on October 2.  I would love to have anyone interested join me for all or part of the ride in.  And certainly join us for a celebration at the end of the adventure. So watch for the details to come. 

If you would like to donate to my ride, my link for the Lance Armstrong Foundation is http://grassroots2011.livestrong.org/billsbigride197.  I really appreciate your support.