My California: Wine Country Cruisin’
Thursday, June 3rd, 2010(a version of this story was previously published in Adventure Cycling Magazine).
I’ve always thought it a shame that visitors to California’s Wine Country spend much of their time, well, in wineries. Or worse, cloistered in cars as they blindly zoom from one tasting room to the next.
In the past, that’s what I, too, had done on my frequent tours of the region. After all, the area boasts hundreds of wineries, from the homespun and family owned to elegant establishments, and the temptation to cram in as many as possible can be irresistible. But on every visit, as I peered out the car window and regretfully watched the scenery fly by, I wondered what it would be like to instead cycle my way through Wine Country.
On a bike, I reasoned, I could combine wine tasting with sightseeing, adventure, and exercise. I would not just glimpse, but truly experience, the region’s breathtaking beauty — its olive groves, green pastures, winding country roads, rolling hills, and acres and acres of manicured vineyards. And so a few summers ago, I went Wine Country cruisin’.
The elegant Honor Mansion is a perfect base for a Wine Country getaway
The first thing I knew I needed was a base. I found it in Honor Mansion, a Victorian inn built in 1883 in the picturesque town of Healdsburg. Honor Mansion, lovingly restored by proprietors Steve and Cathi Fowler, was the perfect headquarters for my adventure. The inn is a short walk from the town square, with a fragrant, century-old magnolia tree shading the grassy front lawn, an enchanting koi pond near the back patio, and platters of home-baked cookies and iced tea luring guests into the cozy antique-furnished lobby.
Check back…I’ll tell you more about my Wine Country Cruisin’ adventures in my next blog!
