Knights Valley Escapade

The sun was shining as Len and I left from San Miguel School for a jaunt towards Calistoga. The crisp air and picturesque yellow vineyards made the ride up Chalk Hill almost effortless. At Alexander Valley Road we headed east for a beautiful six mile stretch of Highway 128. Hordes of friendly cyclists waved as we raced through the Knights Valley. We arrived at Ida Clayton Road for some post-Thanksgiving calorie burning. This quiet, winding road climbs over 1,800 feet in the first four miles, making it a tough “three-chevron” grade. As we ascended, the views became increasingly more spectacular (see photo). The sounds of wildlife surrounded us and white waterfalls lined the roadside. Our arm and leg warmers served us well as there were only brief spots of sunshine during the final four chilly miles. Enormous potholes covered the roughly paved road as we approached the top. We crossed over into Lake County (Western Mine Road) for a “nature” break and re-hydration (see photo). With our water supplies now depleted, we zoomed carefully down the 8 miles of Ida Clayton Road and traveled back onto the 128 corridor towards Healdsburg. We made our way up the reverse side of Chalk Hill Road back to Faught. Our efforts were rewarded with gourmet sandwiches and deep fried potato wedges at the Molsberry Market in Larkfield. Our ride covered 51.4 miles while climbing over 3,500 feet. Another fun and fulfilling afternoon in paradise. Wahoo!