Mountain Biking California Wine Country
MY FIRST MORNING IN CALIFORNIA WINE COUNTRY, I woke up in the back of my truck to raindrops hitting my face. Apparently the racks on the roof of my Snugtop weren’t completely sealed.
I was supposed to have been at a vineyard-pruning workshop at 7am, but the dark sky tricked me into oversleeping. It was already 9, and I’d missed the first workshop of the three-day
So I went for a mountain bike ride instead.
Photo: Author
When I turned up at the welcome reception later that afternoon, I stank of cold sweat, my hair was helmet-matted, and I was still wearing bike shorts under a pair of Levis.
Everyone else, including top industry writers like Karen MacNeil, Eric Asimov, Steven Spurrier, and Anthony Dias Blue, seemed to be more cognizant of the evening dress code: jackets for men and “wine country elegant” for the ladies.
But hey, I was a ski bum at the time, working as a contributing writer for the regional outdoor publication Mammoth Monthly and studying wine on the side.
I couldn’t afford the $250 (special rate) room arranged by the Symposium, so I slept in the back of my truck at a campground a few miles away. From the resort, I borrowed an umbrella and took a complementary wine region map.
Each day after workshops, I went for a mountain bike ride — I pedaled unmarked single-track in Angwin and fire roads off Highway 29. Each night, I took a three-minute, barely-warm quarter-shower at the campground, slipped into formal attire, and returned to Meadowood for a five-course prix-fixe dinner in the ballroom.
I think I did alright.
Recommended riding
Volcanic eruptions that took place more than two million years ago deposited ash and lava in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys and created hills and mountains that are now famous for viticulture. More than 30 different soil types have been identified throughout California’s most famous wine region. These conditions are ideal for growing many varieties of grapes…and for mountain biking.
While most bike shops promote bicycle wine tours, for mountain bikers it’s in the hills and on the dirt that the best biking can be found. The
1. For elevated views of Napa Valley, head up to the south summit of Mount Saint Helena in
2.
3. Just east of Santa Rosa is Sonoma County’s mountain bike hub,
Recommended tasting
Photo:
1. The tour and tasting at
Tour and tasting is by appointment only. Phone: (707) 942-4558.
2. The Sonoma winemakers at
Tasting is by appointment only. Phone: (800) 447-3060
3. Located in the Los Carneros region,
Phone: (702) 254-2126
Recommended camping
1. Situated within
2. The campground at
3. For a south-valley position, your best option is
Luxury accommodation
So you’ve graduated from ski bum status and can drop coin for even a non-special-rate room at
Price: Look it up.
