The “Squeaky Wheels” group arrived in Sonoma for their third wine country adventure.

This years caper was comprised of: a day of cycling and wine tasting in both the Dry Creek and Alexander Valley appellations; a day of kayaking on the Russian River followed by another wine tasting; and a day of cycling over the Pacific coastal mountain range to Highway 1, up the coast and back inland along the Russian River where we stopped for a gourmet lunch amongst the redwoods. We finished up our last day with several tastings in the Sebastopol area.

By far, the most popular day would have to be the last. There’s nothing as exhilarating as a challenging climb up Coleman Valley Road, except perhaps the incomparable view from the ridgeline once you have reached the top. Then there’s the breathtaking descent down to the coast where you are greeted by the pounding surf, the dramatic coastline and the salty tang of the air. The guests were truly awed. But as the saying goes, “But wait, there’s more!!” As if that were not enough we added a stunning trip through the redwoods along Moscow Road as it follows the Russian River inland to Armstrong Redwoods State Preserve, where we enjoyed a wonderful picnic lunch under the majesty of the towering trees. Follow that up with a few world-class wine tastings at Iron Horse Vineyards and Lynmar Vineyards, and you have the makings of a perfect day in paradise.