On the road in California Wine Country: Almost-civilized bike touring - bicycle tour of Northern California backroads - includes related information on other bicycle tours - Brief Article

Sunset, April, 2001 by Lisa Taggart

My legs burned. My breath came too quickly My whole body wanted to stop. The only thing that kept me climbing Franz Valley Road toward Napa County was the promise of sampling some wine on the other side.

And, perhaps, just a smidgen of pride. I didn't want my new friends to see me walking my bike up the hill.

With 17 others, plus 3 leaders, I was making a grand tour of Northern California on bicycle, from coastal Bodega Bay to the Wine Country of Napa and Sonoma. And though I was exhausted, grimy, and sore from bum to toes, every crank of the pedals added to the wild ride.

Our only goal each day was to journey from one gorgeous spot to another. We started at the ocean, touring Bodega Head past sailboats, cormorants, and pelicans. Then we pedaled inland to the redwood forests of Guerneville, on to Calistoga, up to Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, and back to the coast.

Sunlight streaming through maples and oaks dappled the winding back-roads we traveled; grapes and cows filled the surrounding fields. We pedaled, we stopped to lunch on a winery lawn, we tasted wine, then we pedaled some more.

A few in the group were excellent bikers: a father-and-son team from Iowa, a Norwegian on his first tour of California, a bike racer from Chicago. They finished the daily ride, averaging44 miles, with hours to spare.

But most were, like myself, more interested in touring than racing. We meandered, reassured by the van following us, which not only carried wine we had purchased along the way but also picked up anyone too slow, too lazy, or too serious about the vacation element of the trip to push further.

Leaders Barbie, Jed, and Jerry offered encouragement and made sure we kept on course. They also cooked the meals and drove the van that carried camping equipment and sometimes riders.

The $998 price tag for Backroads' six-day tour included all meals except one lunch. The food, by camping standards, was excellent: We dined on fajitas, stew, and rice and veggies with peanut sauce. The breakfasts were hearty--pancakes with berries, bagels and eggs--and lunches included make-your-own gorp.

Of course, it was tempting to buy souvenir bottles at Davis Bynum, Sausal, and the many other wineries we visited. But that was the only additional expense for six days of vacation that cost $166 per day, exercise included.

I saved $1,000 by opting for the camping tour instead of a similar bike trip that provided lodging in inns. Tents and camping fees were included.

The camping option also meant that the group got to be friendly fast. Around the fire the first night, we learned that Traci from New York had never camped before and the trip was Felice's birthday present to herself. By the end of the week, we'd seen each other at our sweatiest and most exhausted.

It was enough to make us all shameless. Near the end of our journey, a campsite dance party, with our support van providing music, evolved into a spontaneous half-Monty performance by the men in the group. Six topless men dancing in a state park campground--now that's adventure.

MORE BIKE TRIPS

Camping offers the most affordable way to tour the West by bike. Some outfitters offer trips that have a combination of camping and lodging accommodations.

Trips should include van support. Ask whether you'll need a mountain or road bike, what kind of terrain will be covered, whether bike rental is included in the price, what the guide-to-biker ratio is, and what kind of facilities the campsites have.

* Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah. Two nights on this six-day trip for beginning and intermediate bikers are spent at the Boulder Mountain Lodge. The following three nights are backcountry camping. Riding is on paved and gravel roads and some trails. Western Spirit Cycling: Six-day trips Apr-May, Sep-Oct; from $1,095. (800) 845-2453 or www.westernspirit.com.

* Hut to hut in Colorado. Mountain-bike above Aspen and Vail, and spend high-altitude nights in huts warmed by wood-burning stoves. Meals and van support are included. Timberline Hut-to-Hut Mountain Bike Tours: Five-day trips from Eagle to Leadville Jul-Aug; from $950. (800) 842-2453 or www.timberlinebike.com

* Northern California Wine Country. Backroads also offers special trips throughout the West for families and for singles. Backroads: Five- and six-day trips Mar-Dec; from $998. (800) 462-2848 or www.backroads.com.

* Upper Rio Grande Gorge, New Mexico. Mountain-bike on the West Rim of the Rio Grande Gorge high above the river. Beginner to advanced trips include van support and backcountry camping. Known World Guides: One-, three-, and five-day trips Apr-Cot; from $75. (800) 983-7756 or www.knownworldguides.com.