Any ride recommendations for Sonoma County, Cali?

[DAG]

Spending the holidays with my little sister in the Cloverdale area.

:bike:

[Uncle Jam's Army]

Visit Santa Rosa Bicycle Club's website. They have about 6-8 rides with route slips that are very good. I highly recommend doing the Cavedale/Mt. Veeder loop. Also, doing Trinity Grade and Geyser Road are must do's.

[PaulE]

You can also get the route for Levi's King Ridge Grand Fondo there if you are up for a century length i highly recommend it. Also, most bike shops sell a Sonoma County Bike Map that grades roads by traffic, shoulder width and pavement quality and it's worth picking up IMHO.

[don compton]

There is a published map that you can purchase at some of the local bike shops in Santa Rosa and Healdsburg. The area is a cycling Heaven.

[DAG]

I'm not sure I want to do 20 miles of windy hills with crappy pavement on a narrow-shouldered two lane.

How's the rockpile?

[beeatnik]

Old Redwood Highway from Santa Rosa to wherever. Just improvise. You wont see too many cars even as you roll by some major wineries.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3723/11415681125_44c5c3994f_o.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3695/11415671256_ffae7ae860_o.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7366/11415671706_0705f18556_o.jpg

[weaponsgrade]

+1 for the Levi King Ridge

[aramis]

I'm not sure I want to do 20 miles of windy hills with crappy pavement on a narrow-shouldered two lane.

How's the rockpile?

You just described most of the good Northern California riding.

Really the crappy pavement is only a problem on the way down.

[eddief]

in Healdsburg. Racer 5 IPA is a fine reward.

[FlashUNC]

Not ride related at all, but head to Lagunitas Brewery in Petaluma.

Their beer garden and food are excellent. And the brewery tour is a good time.

[Drmojo]

Trinity-Geysers-Skaggs Springs-Arastrdero-Fort Ross
200 miles of fun every year!
See Santa Rosa cycling club website.
Toughest double century, IMO
3 time loser,
Mojo

[beeatnik]

in Healdsburg. Racer 5 IPA is a fine reward.

yep

[donevwil]

As mentioned I'd recommend hooking up with a group in Santa Rosa or Healdsburg. Easy to get lost on the more fit cyclist specific routes and no need to experience the primary auto routes (River Road, Dry Creek).

The Geysers Rd. loop starts in Cloverdale, is pretty epic, has minimal traffic and is easily self guided. It's neither in the middle of nowhere nor as epic as King Ridge. Add Pine Flat at the end for some out-and-back climbing abuse. Hwy 128 to the West out of Cloverdale might look inviting, but that's an at-your-own-risk road as is has quite a bit of traffic, is narrow and has no shoulder. Chauk Hill is a beautiful but more leisurely ride out of Healdsburg.

Down my way in Petaluma one can ride relatively flat to the coast at Tomales or Marshall, down to Point Reyes Station or even do a Mt. Tam loop. It all depends on how much time you have and how far you're willing to drive.

[wheelio]

Ditto on kings ridge. Its a stunning ride if the weathers good. But can be a pretty sketchy descent if it's wet. Check out Santa Rosa cycling clubs sight for some great rides. I think it's SRCC.COM Hopefully you will have decent weather. And not much traffic this time of year.

[cnighbor1]

just go to my clubs web site grizzly peak cyclists and click on cue sheets
one heck of a lot of rides listed
bad pavement Yes a few rides have some areas of poor pavement.
you get to choose a lots of cars or some nice back roads

[Climb01742]

Healdsburg is heaven of two sorts: cycling and food. Wherever you end up riding, go have dinner in Healdsburg.

[beeatnik]

Healdsburg is heaven of two sorts: cycling and food. Wherever you end up riding, go have dinner in Healdsburg.

Red banner says it all:


http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3723/11415681125_44c5c3994f_o.jpg

Shakespeare in the park is nice as well.