Cavedale To Napa Valley

Odessa and I started out today's ride with freshly tuned bikes all ready to conquer the infamous "Level 5" Cavedale/Trinity/Spring Mountain ride. It was a chilly 35 degrees as we departed at sunrise heading up Bennett Valley Road to Sonoma Mountain. The climbing was tough from the very start and got progressively more difficult as we approached Cavedale. Cavedale climbs over 2,000 feet in the first five miles, truly exhausting! The weather remained cold and our only distraction was the myriad of animals along the way (Llamas, deer, horses, cows, goats, and turkeys- oh my). As our efforts turned to Trinity, we began to experience the multiple micro-climates ranging from bright sunny vistas to cold dark forests. We were finally rewarded with a stunning and wild downhill descent into the beautiful Napa Valley. The pristine Napa vineyards sported every fall color imaginable as we cycled into Oakville for a light lunch. We made our way into St. Helena enjoying the beautiful valley along Silverado Trail. We began the journey home climbing (and I mean, climbing) Spring Mountain Road. This whopping non-stop incline back to Sonoma County was ruthless! After four miles of this monster, Odessa's sore knee and head-cold forced her to bow out of the ride (kudos to Andy for the SAG support). After an additional treacherous two mile climb, the rest was downhill through winding St. Helena and Calistoga Roads back into Santa Rosa. Today's ride covered 74.5 miles and 4,600 feet of climbing- our hardest ride yet! Wahoo!

Check out the Cavedale elevation chart (click below)
http://www.srcc.com/profiles_html/cavedale_rd.HTM