Another perfect day in paradise! Met my group of 8 in Healdsburg at 9:15 and was on the road before 10:00. Since this was a large group, the first 2 winery stops were done by appointment: First was Everett Ridge and then Lambert Bridge, which is where we also enjoyed our picnic lunch.

After lunch the guests broke up into 2 groups of eight as we were unable to get and afternoon appointments for a large group. Half went to Passalacqua and half went to Dry Creek Vineyards. After each tasting was completed, we switched wineries.

With our tastings completed we headed out back to Healdsburg at around 2:30 and the tour wrapped up just before 3:30.
- Fred

Alexander Valley was our adventure for today, and it did not disappoint. The day was fantastic from the start to the end. We started off tasting amazing wines at Robert Young and were treated very well. We got a private tour of the back, the fermenting vats and barrels. Then we headed up through the vineyard to a plateau and got a wonderful view all the way down Alexander Valley with sun dappled vines framing our field of vision. Lunch took place nestled beneath a gigantic oak tree, amongst chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and cabernet sauvignon vines. The little one slept soundly and woke up refreshed and ready to go. All in all it was a wonderful day in Alexander Valley.
- Ken

Today a couple from Ottawa and I went cycling in Dry Creek valley. We tasted Zichichi’s 2007 zinfandel out of the barrel, and it was phenomenal! After that we rode up to Preston and tasted. Then we headed off to Dry Creek vineyards for a tasting and lunch. After lunch we rode to Lambert Bridge and then one final tasting at Everett Ridge.

-Andrew

Almost perfect weather, especially in the morning. It was warm, but with pleasant breeze. On tour today were Joe and Jessica from San Diego. They were a delightful couple celebrating their fourth wedding anniversary. We started out going to 3 wineries north of town. We spent time in the Summer’s petting vineyard discussing veraison . They were pretty tasted out after lunch. We went to Clos Pegase just to see art and tried a couple of wines at August Briggs.

- Tom

Beautiful day, a little foggy in the AM, but it burned off by 11:00. On our Sip and Cycle there was a fun couple celebrating their 2nd anniversary from Oakland, a nice couple from Scottsdale and Christina, traveling all over California, visiting friends.
We biked from Healdsburg to Lambert Bridge winery, REALLY enjoyed Dean informing us thoroughly about how their wine is made. LOVED the Sauvignon Blanc! Then on to Zichichi and the owner, Steve, served us amazing wines directly from the 2007 barrel! GREAT old Zin!! From there we biked to Passalaqua and after tasting, had a lovely lunch under the redwood trees. We rolled back out onto West Dry Creek Road and made our way to Everett Ridge Winery, where Jill made us oh and ah over the port served with dark chocolate. A VERY fun time was had by all and hopefully they will all come back and join us here at Getaway for a pedal and paddle or another event!

On 8/3/08 I was pleased to welcome Mike and Chrissy to California for a 4-day multi sport adventure. We were forced to contend with spectacular weather on each and every day, along with copious quantities of award winning local wines and fine food. We rode and tasted in Napa on Monday, kayaked from Healdsburg to Guerneville on Tuesday, and then changed plans on Wednesday opting for some Sonoma County wine tasting rather than a coastal hike.

While Napa wine tasting was informative and enjoyable, for Mike and Chrissy it was the Dry Creek area in Sonoma that proved to hold the greatest wine treasures. I invited them to be my guests for a complimentary wine tasting at both Rodney Strong and ‘J’ vineyards, as I am a wine club member at both establishments. It was at ‘J’ where they were most pleased to discover the charms of the Robert Thomas Vineyard pinot noir. The Nicoles’ Vineyard pinot ran a close second. We were attended to by Pierre, who led us on a wonderful odyssey far beyond the confines of the standard tasting menu. I suppose that “membership doth have it’s privileges”.

As for the kayak trip, what can I say…..3 and a half hours of aggressive padding, with a short lunch break at the halfway point, put us at Johnson beach ahead of schedule despite our late start on the day. Make no mistake though, it was the guests who set the pace and the tone on this day. These two athletes had their guide working hard to match their speed. Of course, there was still time to enjoy the sights, but there was equal focus on getting in a good workout as well.

We started the day off meeting with a group of people whom were enjoying a family reunion. We were blessed with beautiful weather, the colors of the vineyards and the foothills of Sonoma in the background made for a scenic bikeride. The weather was perfect. Sunny, yet breezy. All in all this was a day to remember. After tasting wine throughout this marvelous day we traveled back to our starting point. As we traveled back we had the pleasure of getting the traffic blocked just for us by a patrol officer. At the end of our trip the family enjoyed a local farmer’s market and went on their way home. Happy people, happy guides.

Our guests arrived from Illinois and upstate New York on Wednesday evening to azure blue skies and wonderful sunset. I met them at the Barndiva to discuss our coming adventure over drinks and appetizers. This was not just any vacation, this was to celebrate and big birthday and a 25 year wedding anniversary, so we wanted to make sure things were done right.
Thursday morning arrived with some early fog from the coast gently blanketing the Healdsburg area. Our group finished breakfast and came outside for a custom fitting on their bikes. We decided to do the long stretch out to Bella first, to really warm up and do the long distance while the weather was still cool. We had a great ride, talking family, wine and food. Tasting was phenomenal, and lunch was spectacular. After lunch, we chatted and lazed about the gardens sipping wine and trading stories. We made our way back to the hotel excited from the day and anticipating another fun-filled adventure for the next.
The next morning, we loaded up in the van and headed to Memorial Beach to put our kayaks in the water. Tiff lead the imperious crew down the Russian River, for a fun-filled voyage. Wildlife was very abundant, the group even got to see an osprey dive and capture a fish less than 10 feet from the kayaks. We stopped at Hop Kiln for lunch and wine tasting, and then headed down to Gary Farrell where we enjoyed their Pinot Noirs while viewing the expansive redwood forest down below. Our last stop was Korbel tasting amazing champagne. We headed down the Bohemian Highway for our final destination of Occidental, nestled gently between the redwoods.
Blue skies and a gentle breeze met us in Occidental in the late morning. We took a little drive up Coleman Valley road, renowned for its bucolic charm and breathtaking views for our morning ride. Near the crest of the hill, and cruised on down the road to the beach. Turkey vultures and red-tailed hawks sailed along deceptively close and kept us company. At the end of Coleman Valley, we met up with Route 1 and continued on down the coast to Salmon Creek beach. Everyone was sad that the ride was over, but their concerns were assuaged with fresh mimosas and views of the waves crashing into the rocky coastline. We ate lunch in the town of Freestone, surrounded by a garden resplendent with the bounty of summer, and sampled bread from the local favorite, Wildflour Bakery. The ladies headed off to the spa for the afternoon, and the men left to go mountain biking. We met up later in the afternoon and swapped excited stories about our respective trips.
Everyone woke up refreshed and ready for our final day of fun. The feather beds of the Inn at Occidental really do the trick. We ended up back where we started in the lovely town of Healdsburg, for a cooking class entitled “The Art of Wood Fired Cooking” at a local culinary school. On the menu were pizzas, chicken, and steak, all cooked to perfection. It was a very hands-on and fun experience. Sadly, after class it was time to depart and go our separate ways. Everyone will soon disperse, but the memories will stay with us.

Today was a spectacular example of a perfect day in Sonoma County: sunny and 70 degrees with a refreshing cool breeze. Our 23 guests were impressed by the views of golden hills and verdant green vineyards. We visited two historic Sonoma Wineries. The guests were treated to a tour of the wine caves at Gundlach Bundschu and afterwards they enjoyed several fine wines on the terrace. We continued our ride through the valley and enjoyed a gourmet picnic lunch under the oaks at Batholomew Park Winery where the guests sampled more fine Sonoma County wines.

The day started out cool, foggy, and overcast.
It was wonderful to watch the fog burn off and the hill tops peek from their misty shrouds.

Along West Dry Creek Road, we had a wonderful wine filled ride, breaking a record by visiting SIX wineries!

The grapes are growing fatter each day, and today we were treated to a taste straight from the barrel via wine thief.