My California By Maryann Hammers
by Maryann Hammers
Sonoma Coast (Wine Country Cruisin’, part 4)
Biking down the coast
WINE COUNTRY BIKING, CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS POST .
WHERE THE RUSSIAN RIVER MEETS THE SEA: After a short river break, due to the sweltering heat, we decided to drive the remaining River Road portion of the route and continue our bike ride at the coast. We took a short detour along lovely Moscow Road, lined with towering redwoods overlooking the river. These trees, which grow only from the central California to the southern Oregon coasts, are the tallest and among the oldest living things in the world.
The Russian River meets the sea at Goat Rock — home to a colony of harbor seals and part of the 17-mile long Sonoma Coast State Beach. We nabbed a picnic table, and Ken and Randy shooed Jennifer and me away while they prepared lunch (one of the major perks of a Getaway Adventures tour is the fabulous Wine Country lunches).
Wine Country Feast at the beach
She and I strolled along the sand, savoring the cool ocean breeze. But driven by hunger, we quickly made our way back to the boys. We were greeted by a feast: Pesto pasta salad with sun-dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts; organic greens with thick slices of ripe tomatoes; thick slabs of French bread with brie, melon chunks and sweet green grapes; and soft chocolate-chip cookies. Though Randy and Ken modestly claimed it was nothing special, Jennifer and I were wholly impressed.
After lunch, we got back on our bikes and pedaled single-file down serpentine Highway 1, careful to hug the white line on the narrow, but well-traveled road. We cycled past Whale Point, Arched Rock, Seal Rock, and Salmon Point, stopping frequently to gaze down at the dramatic views of the wild Sonoma coast — its long stretches of sandy beaches, craggy cliffs, secluded little coves, and striking rock formations. “This is spectacular,” Jennifer breathed.
By now it was downright chilly. I pulled on my windbreaker, listened to the waves crash on the rocks, and gazed down at the fog-shrouded sea. In a single day, I had experienced the best and most beautiful of Northern California — its rivers and redwoods, valleys and vineyards, and one of the most magnificent coastlines in the world. I pitied the people who just glimpse this glory from car windows.
Tags: Arched Rock Beach, bike cruise, California travel, Getaway Adventures, maryann hammers, Salmon Point, Seal Rock, Sonoma, Sonoma coast, Sonoma Coast State Beach, Whale Point
Biking down the coast
WINE COUNTRY BIKING, CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS POST .
WHERE THE RUSSIAN RIVER MEETS THE SEA: After a short river break, due to the sweltering heat, we decided to drive the remaining River Road portion of the route and continue our bike ride at the coast. We took a short detour along lovely Moscow Road, lined with towering redwoods overlooking the river. These trees, which grow only from the central California to the southern Oregon coasts, are the tallest and among the oldest living things in the world.
The Russian River meets the sea at Goat Rock — home to a colony of harbor seals and part of the 17-mile long Sonoma Coast State Beach. We nabbed a picnic table, and Ken and Randy shooed Jennifer and me away while they prepared lunch (one of the major perks of a Getaway Adventures tour is the fabulous Wine Country lunches).
Wine Country Feast at the beach
She and I strolled along the sand, savoring the cool ocean breeze. But driven by hunger, we quickly made our way back to the boys. We were greeted by a feast: Pesto pasta salad with sun-dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts; organic greens with thick slices of ripe tomatoes; thick slabs of French bread with brie, melon chunks and sweet green grapes; and soft chocolate-chip cookies. Though Randy and Ken modestly claimed it was nothing special, Jennifer and I were wholly impressed.
After lunch, we got back on our bikes and pedaled single-file down serpentine Highway 1, careful to hug the white line on the narrow, but well-traveled road. We cycled past Whale Point, Arched Rock, Seal Rock, and Salmon Point, stopping frequently to gaze down at the dramatic views of the wild Sonoma coast — its long stretches of sandy beaches, craggy cliffs, secluded little coves, and striking rock formations. “This is spectacular,” Jennifer breathed.
By now it was downright chilly. I pulled on my windbreaker, listened to the waves crash on the rocks, and gazed down at the fog-shrouded sea. In a single day, I had experienced the best and most beautiful of Northern California — its rivers and redwoods, valleys and vineyards, and one of the most magnificent coastlines in the world. I pitied the people who just glimpse this glory from car windows.
Tags: Arched Rock Beach, bike cruise, California travel, Getaway Adventures, maryann hammers, Salmon Point, Seal Rock, Sonoma, Sonoma coast, Sonoma Coast State Beach, Whale Point