Wednesday, March 7, 2012

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It’s time to go up Mt Veeder again! The GPC group meets up at the gravel parking lot with the big eucalyptus tree off Ramal Rd and Hwy 12 in Sonoma.

We head south on Ramal Rd to Duhig Rd and ride pass all the wineries and vineyards. The green pastures are dotted with roaming horses and grazing sheep. Mustard flowers are abound in the fields along with the neatly planted fields of grapevines.  It’s a lovely day to be out here! Watch out for all the potholes during the first 6+ miles of this route!

From Duhig, we take Hwy 12/12 to Old Sonoma Rd and Dealy Ln. The rolling hillsides are lined with vineyard after vineyard-it’s endless! It’s all very scenic.

The turn on Henry Ln drops us down to Buhman Rd where one side of the road is lined with eucalyptus trees. There are non-stop views of more vineyards! BEAUTIFUL!

Buhman Rd leads us Browns Valley Rd through the residential neighborhoods of Napa. The turn on Redwood Rd takes us away from town on a quiet road with minimal traffic. There are a few homes, old farms, ranches, vineyards and wineries tucked in and around here.

The ride up Redwood is mostly under a canopy of trees and it runs along Redwood Creek-you can even hear the water tricking along. It’s very nice back in here! I just like to look around and enjoy the surroundings.

When you reach the Y intersection, go straight to continue on Mt Veeder Rd. The stair step climb up Mt Veeder has some steep sections with gradient ranges of 9-10% and maxes out at  around 12% as you approach the summit. The last bit can be tough on a hot day-you’re fully exposed to the sun with little or no shade!

There is a brief regroup at the top where you can see a pretty little display of yellow daffodils. Spring is almost here! The views of the Vaca Mountain Range surrounding Napa are magnificent!

 

 

The descent on My Veeder Rd takes us to Dry Creek Rd. The rolling terrain along Dry Creek Rd takes us through the scenic valley and along the creek for the next 9 miles. Did anyone else stop to see the display of prehistoric dinosaurs? They’re FANTASTIC!

Dry Creek Rd takes us back into town to our lunch stop at Browns Valley. You can purchase sandwiches and deli items from the market and get hot coffee and yogurt at the Yogurt and Espresso shop.

Bob L and I head back together; the short climb on Thompson Ave takes us to Congress Valley Rd and Old Sonoma Rd. There’s hardly any traffic in this area. The views of all the vineyards and mustard flowers growing in between the vines are fabulous!

The short section along Hwy 12/121 brings us to the turn on Los Carneros Ave. We take the turn on South Ave to Cuttings Wharf Rd. Every which way you turn, there’s always a vineyard in sight!

The return on Las Amigas has several short climbs through the vineyards. The mass bloom of mustard flowers are a spectacular sight! We also get a big whiff of cheese as we pass one of the wineries!

 

Thanks to Carla and Virginia for leading! It was another wonderful winter ride with spring-like conditions. The sight of the daffodils, mustards and poppies are a treat for the eyes.

~25+ people in attendance with 2 tandems

50.8 miles with 2888′ of elevation gain

Weather: FANTASTIC! Sunny and breezy with temps ranging from the high 50’s to high 60’s!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>RIDE, RIDE, RIDE!>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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