Ida Clayton To Lake County

After a long hiatus from riding (due to unfavorable weather), Leslie, Odessa, Marc and I headed out early this beautiful morning for a jaunt to Lake County. We ventured out Old Redwood Highway and smoked up Chalk Hill Road. We journeyed on a picturesque stretch of Highway 128 for about six miles through Calistoga before arriving at Ida Clayton Road. This daunting road climbs over 1,800 feet in the first four miles, making it one of the toughest grades in Sonoma County. As we made our way up this considerable challenge, the views were spectacular. Squirrels scampered back and forth while white waterfalls lined the roadside. Brief spots of sunshine covered the cold and roughly paved trail. After nearly 8 miles of Ida Clayton, we arrived in Lake County for some victory "high-fives", stretching, resting, and some Gu. The descent was spectacular as we reached speeds of nearly 35 mph. With our water supplies nearly depleted, we rode to Jimtown for relief, only to find the place overcrowded with cyclists. So, we continued on to Healdsburg, fighting strong headwinds all the way, for a massive lunch of foccacia sandwiches (YUM!), cookies, lattes, and a resupply of water. Finally, with magnificent warm weather overhead, we made our way home via Old Redwood Highway through Windsor and back into Santa Rosa. It was great to be back on the road with our mini-peloton. Today we traveled 71.6 miles while climbing over 2,880 feet. Wahoo!

Elevation Map for Ida Clayton Road
http://www.srcc.com/profiles_html/ida_clayton_road.HTM