Wineding Roads
Welcome back guys. That’s no typo in the title either. Just me, and another one of my world class puns. I’ve got a whole lot to share. It may have been just over 24 hours, but there was a whole lot of stuff that has gone on. This adventure never seems to end.
As you know, I stayed with Jesse, my Warmshowers host in Mendocino. After my last blogpost, Jesse gave my bike a whole tune up. He trued my back wheel, which had a slight wobble to it. As well as pressure washed my bike! Bath time! It’s amazing the dirt, grit, and mud that gets into every crevice of your bike. By cleaning off the different components, it really helps everything run a bit more smoothly.
Jesse told me all about Mendocino. The history. The population. He even shared info on his passion of mountain biking and how great the trails were in the area. That’s what I love about meeting people from each community. Of course, I could stay in a hotel every night, but where’s the fun in that? I want to meet people. Hear their stories. Learn about the community I’m staying in. That’s the best part. It’s easy to miss that when you’re confined to a hotel room.
Today, I got on the road early, and headed down the coast. I had a long day ahead of me. The ride was about 85 miles and took me back inland. Looking back on it, my route planning didn’t make much sense, but I’m sticking to it. After a good 20 miles of riding down the coast, I cut over through the Anderson Valley. Believe it or not, I found some decently flat riding. I’ve realized that what Californians consider flat, is not what Wisconsinites consider flat. I’ll be riding, and people will tell me that the next 20 miles are flat. I, of course, get ecstatic! However, as I’m riding and climbing different hills, I mutter, how the heck do they consider this flat? However, for about an 11 mile stretch through some more redwoods, the riding was flat as could be. I went through small towns of Boonville, and even stopped at the Yorkville Market. The population of Yorkville is about 340. Although, I hear they the goat just had kids so it may be up to 342. It’s a small town. Though they make a delicious turkey sandwich to fuel my riding!
The ride overall, wasn’t too bad. A few good climbs that got the blood flowing. Unfortunately, the highway I road approximately 45 miles on, didn’t have much of a shoulder. However, I want to hand a big Hi5 to the motorists today. Almost all of them moved over, and drove safely with me on the roadway. I don’t like riding on those kinds of roads, but sometimes I’ve got no option. In order to get to my destination, I have to ride on some sketchy roads. Thanks for sharing the road!
Of course, I’ve finally entered wine country. Vineyards to the left, vineyards to the right. Wine tastings being offered all through the night. They offer stunning scenery while riding. Just gorgeous. The roads wind through the rolling hills, and offer incredible views. I see why so many people enjoy traveling to these areas. Wine, stunning views, and vacation. What more do you need? Unfortunately, for me, the lucrative and tempting signs of "Wine Tasting Here" only teased me, as I knew I had plenty of miles ahead of me.
During the toughest climb of the day, I got some extra entertainment. A group of about five guys came racing by on their long boards and flew by me. A few gave a little wave, as they flew by. They were followed by a buddy in a truck, and then they would pack up at the bottom, race to the top, and do it again. The run had to last a good five minutes or so at least, and actually looked exhilerating. Not gonna lie. However, I’ll stick to my two wheels and pedals for now.
I ended the ride in Healdsburg, a bustling city about 80 miles north of San Francisco that is surrounded with wineries. There’s so many different wine tastings, that one really doesn’t know what to do with themselves. Is there such a thing as too much wine? My host for the night, Taya, treated me to some wine tasting. As a Wisconsinite, I’ve mostly limited myself to the manly man beers of the Badger state, and have a limited vocabulary when it comes to wine. Pinot? Why don’t you just call it the red one. Taya did a great job explaining to me the differences in tastes, why they come about, and how the location of the winery makes a huge difference in how the grapes are grown. It’s all quite fascinating! Oh, and the wine wasn’t half bad either!
Ironically, Taya, has done a ton of traveling. Her job previously took her to all areas of the world. Including Kenya. Who would have thought that I would meet two people who have traveled to Kenya in my first two weeks of riding. Insane, yet awesome! She has some amazing stories from traveling, and much like myself has an adventurous personality. Ironically, living across the street from Taya is the drummer of The Killers, a band that I definitely have heard of and enjoy their music. As we walked by, we could hear someone warming up the amps. Perhaps a late night concert tonight?
Tomorrow is a big day. I’m finally reaching ballpark number two. Can you believe it? AT&T Ballpark in San Francisco will be my destination. Home of the San Francisco Giants. I’m quite excited to see the ballpark, talk to fans about the World Series Championship last year, and just enjoy the energy of the San Francisco ballpark scene. Here’s to a safe ride, and I’ll talk to you tomorrow!
Hi5!
Matt
Day 13
Daily Mileage: 85 miles
Total Mileage: 875