Cyclocross in Sonoma County?

We have guests coming in next week, and the group includes a cyclist. While I know about Healdsburg's Road Cycling (How Sonoma County became hotbed of the cycling world!) I know less about the off-road action. And our guest says he's bringing the cyclocross bike. He's from Minnesota, not Williamsburg in Manhattan or San Francisco's Mission District , so he's probably not one of these guys...




My Mountain Biking friends rave about Annandale State Park near Santa Rosa. I don't know how technical the terrain is so I don't know how appropriate it is for cyclocross. I also know that Sonoma seems to be a hotbed of cross racing, I went and watch my friends do a cross race, but these are usually on courses that are prepared and then taken down.

I asked Greg Durbin - a.k.a. "GregKnottLeMond" whom I follow on Twitter and he pointed me at Lake Sonoma. I know Lake Sonoma has some very difficult road terrain - Skaggs Springs Road and Rockpile Road, but didn't know about the Mountain Biking. He forwarded me a map showing trails near Liberty Glen Campground off of Rockpile Road.

Greg also pointed me at Bike Monkey magazine which appears to be the Mother Lode - cross fiends galore. I noted that there was reference to a race in Liberty Glen, so maybe that's the spot.

Any cross fiends out there have some recommendations? Please add them in the comments!

Ian Ball and Sara Bareilles at C. Donatiello Winery Concert Series!

We had the great pleasure of wandering down Westside Road to C. Donatiello Winery this Sunday for some Wine and Music (this is becoming a trend... a good trend!)

C. Donatiello hosts a summer series of free concerts on their grounds. I noticed that Ian Ball of Gomez, a favorite band of mine would be playing so we went to see the show.



The venue is fantastic. The winery sets out tables or you can find a spot on the grass to set out a blanket and have a picnic while you enjoy some of their wine. On a nice hot day their Chardonnays were perfect (in moderation of course, Westside Road is winding and has many road users).




We caught a nice surprise as unbeknownst to us Sara Bareilles was also on the bill.



A couple of cool features to this winery. First - their garden is amazing. There are interesting edible plants used in a lot of different ways, from their trimmed hedges which are rosemary bushes, to the "moss" in between the stairs that upon closer inspection turned out to be Oregano, Thyme, Mint, Marjoram, etc...




Another cool feature - they allow dogs and babies :)

Rodney Strong Vineyards Concerts - Susan Tedeschi

This weekend I went with my wife and a friend to Rodney Strong Vineyards to see Susan Tedeschi at Rodney Strong's summer concert series. What a venue! A small grassy lawn perfect for laying out a blanket and having a picnic!



I whipped up a little caprese salad using tomatoes and basil from our garden. Those without gardens made due with massive hauls from the Healdsburg Farmer's Market, seen in the background of Jackie and Jill enjoying some of Rodney Strong's wine.



Here's Susan putting on a show. There are "VIP" seats in the front for those who are less inclined to picnic (not me - I want to spread out and lay out a nice dinner!)


The season is winding down but there is still Hall and Oates(!!!) Sept 7. Rodney Strong is at the corner of Old Redwood Highway and Eastside Road, in between Healdsburg and Windsor.

Zucchini Races?

Seen at the Healdsburg Farmer's Market - Zucchini Races!

Wandering around the Farmer's market I stumbled upon what upon first glance appeared to be the local Cub Scouts doing the Pinewood Derby.



But on closer inspection, these vehicles weren't exactly wooden! They were made from Healdsburg's finest Zucchini!



Far from being built for speed (many of the cars would not make it to the end of the track!) they were mostly made to look good, be funny, and for everyone to check out.
All the kids were winners this day!

Emmy's Spaghetti Shack - now in Sonoma County!

One of my favorite places to eat in San Francisco is Emmy's Spaghetti Shack , a no-nonsense Italian joint with great food and wine at good prices. Huge portions, but I have become pretty one dimensional there because you just can't go wrong with their spaghetti and meatballs. Just a cut above anything I make at home - how do they do it.

Anyway, we were there last week and what to my wondering eyes does appear but this!



Emmy's is now in Sonoma County! Sadly it's in Sonoma, not Healdsburg, but if you are passing through Wine Country I heartily recommend Emmy's Spaghetti Shack!

More cycling in Sonoma County - Mill Creek Road

Last night I had the opportunity to do a short ride from our house on Limerick Lane. Not wanting to go too far, I rode through downtown Healdsburg and onto Westside Road and then turned right onto Mill Creek Road.

Mill Creek Road is a dead end to cars that goes several miles into the hills West of Healdsburg. I had been up a mile or two when we were looking for property, but never taken the opportunity to ride to the end on my bike. The Sonoma County Bike Coaltion map listed the summit at 1320 feet, so I figured it would be a perfect workout.

The hill starts steep, 7-8 percent grades for a mile or so, then settles into a rolling uphill with many intermediate descents. You quickly leave the grape fields and go along a stream surrounded by Redwood Trees. It reminds me a lot of going up Steven's Canyon Road in Cupertino.

There are many houses tucked in the trees - people who clearly value a bit of privacy by living up here, but I had no problems with the few cars that were driving up the road. In fact, several miles up a guy in a truck pulled up next to me just as I was heading up a steeper pitch and asked if I needed a ride.

I stopped and chatted with him a bit, asking where the finish was. He said "About a mile but the next bit is REALLY steep. The road ends at address 10,000, you are at 8700 now. Good luck!"

He wasn't kidding. This next part did not remind me of Steven's Canyon - it reminded me of Redwood Gulch. 15-18% grade for the better part of a mile. A real grunter, right outside my door! A great find!

I did take the requisite picture at the top.



I was going to stop on the way down and try to get a photo of the steep bit, but I came off of it with so much speed that I didn't want to stop. The descent is tricky, the road is narrow so you need to be careful lest there be a car around a blind corner. The steep section is very twisty so I basically rode the brakes the whole way. And the pavement is pretty chopped up. And of course, since there are intermediate descents on the way up, there are intermediate climbs on the way down.

Check it out sometime. And please be mindful of the residents, hold your pee until you get to the bottom and use the bathroom at Mill Creek Winery.

Tuesday Night Music in the Healdsburg Plaza!

Last night we were lucky enough to be able to go downtown to the Healdburg Plaza, where there is live music on Tuesday nights as well as a mini farmers market.

The band was in full swing playing some rocking tunes.



Get there early or you might have trouble getting a place to sit. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets. It can get really packed.



Some people really prep up with some serious picnics.



If you can't bring your own stuff from home, the Farmer's Market has lots of good stuff, Yucatan Tamales has some pretty amazing Mexican food made with interesting local ingredients, and there are a few markets in walking distance - Shelton's Market (formerly known as Anstedt's), and Oakville Grocery. Shelton's is a cool place with a "crunchy granola" vibe to it with a lot of organics and the like, Oakville is sort of a "very high end" deli.

Me? I prepared by getting some Racer 5 Ale from Bear Republic Brewery.



The farmer's market runs from 4-7, the music goes from 6-8 PM.