Climbing to Bodega Bay

It was so thrilling to start today’s ride with Leslie, my charter riding partner from the Summer of 2005. The weather was picture perfect as we headed toward the west county via, Steele, Guerneville, Fulton, Hall, Willowside, Piner, River, Trenton getting us to our first climb up Vine Hill . We were shocked to encounter three young cows standing right in the middle of the road, apparently escapees from the neighboring farm. After exchanging the requisite MOOs, we proceeded onto and up Graton Road at a steady pace allowing us to chat, laugh, and catch-up. Leslie has become such a strong climber and we hardly felt the clamber uphill as our legs warmed up. We stopped in Occidental for brief nature break and water bottle refill. Then shifted into our “Granny Gears” and continued to spend the next 10 intense miles on Coleman Valley Road. This costal climb contains several challenging grades and rewards you with Spectacular Ocean views (see photo). At Highway 1, we cycled south along the Pacific Ocean, watching a myriad of surfers and weekenders enjoy Sonoma Coast State Beach. As we approached Bodega Bay, we made a left on Bay Hill Road. The cool seaside breeze was refreshing as we ascended. The tough climb rewarded us with a windy downhill dropping us back on Pacific Coast Highway. We kept on our course towards the town of Bodega via Bodega Highway. We made our way further inland and the sun warmed our bodies as we passed the historic church (see photo) used in Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller, “The Birds”. We sped along the highway making our way through Bodega en route for Freestone. Of course, we stopped at the Wildflour Organic Bakery and indulged on fresh baked goodies. The Spicy Lemon and Peach/White Chocolate Scones were delicious. With our new carbohydrate recharge, we raced back up into the town of Occidental, climbing Bohemian Highway. Taking a final water refill stop, we headed up Graton to Facedini and enjoyed the beautiful cool resulting decent. We made our way back via Mueller and Vine Hill Roads returning home on the same outbound route. To avoid afternoon traffic, we diverted to the Santa Rosa Creek Trail which dropped us into Railroad Square. It was a another picture perfect day in paradise for cycling and we climbed a total of 5,533 feet during our 73 mile jaunt. Leslie, you’re a rock star!

View today’s GPS statistics, ride elevation chart, and satellite map.