# Looking rides around Healdsburg



## tmanley (Jul 31, 2005)

*Looking for rides around Healdsburg*

I'm planning to be in the Healdsburg area in a week and wanted to see if folks have some good recommendations for 40-50 mile rides. A friend of mine recommended heading north to Lake Sonoma and climbing up Rockpile Road. I've also thought about following the route used for the Ross Hill Climb. 

Any suggestions on what roads to use and which to avoid is greatly appreciated.

-Thanks, Todd


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## robwh9 (Sep 2, 2004)

The Santa Rosa Cycling Club lists some rides

http://srcc.memberlodge.com/Default.aspx?pageId=68595

Or get a Krebs Cycle map at a bike shop and create your own.

The ride over to Alexander Valley, and then down to Napa Valley and back is nice. Lots of vineyards.


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## fogman (Mar 6, 2008)

tmanley said:


> I'm planning to be in the Healdsburg area in a week [snip].
> Any suggestions on what roads to use and which to avoid is greatly appreciated.
> 
> -Thanks, Todd


Does Ross' Hill Climb go to the end of Pine Flat Road? That's a bugger.

'tis the season to do the Geyser's Loop. Not too warm. Longer than perhaps you want to ride ... sorta boring b/w Cloverdale and Healdsburg directly. I prefer clockwise from Healdsburg.


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## numbnutz (Mar 14, 2005)

i did a great ride there last summer that i recommend. 

from town, go west on mill which turns into westside road past the freeway.
turn right on W. Dry Creek. 
Go a ways, then right on Lambert Bridge
Right on Dry Creek Road
Left on Lytton Springs
Left on Lytton Station and follow to Alexander Valley Rd./ CA 128
Follow 128 all the way through Alexander Valley and into Knights Valley
Right on Franz Valley. Climb over the mountain
Right on Porter Creek, turns into Mark W. Springs Rd.
Right Turn on Old Redwood Highway -- follow this back to H'burg.

If you don't want to go that far, you can skip the W. Dry Creek part of the ride and just take Old Redwood Hwy north from town until you hit Alexander Valley Rd / 128 and pick it up from there.


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## tmanley (Jul 31, 2005)

It's been 10 years since I was last on CA 128...how's the shoulder for riding?


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## Leopold Porkstacker (Jul 15, 2005)

If you like long hilly climbs and snaking descents I’d suggest going up out toward the coast via Skaggs Springs Road. Bucking feautiful out there. One hell of a ride. Oh yeah, and while in Healdsburg, be sure to stop by Seghesio for some of the best zinfandel you’ll ever have.


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## tmanley (Jul 31, 2005)

Seghisio is our first stop on Saturday morning!


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## ukiahb (Jan 26, 2003)

tmanley said:


> It's been 10 years since I was last on CA 128...how's the shoulder for riding?


NO shoulder in lots of places, plus a casino has been built in the meantime which has greatly increased traffic. Anyway, there are many good wine country routes (also sourced from the SRCC) at http://go.northbay.pressdemocrat.com/clip/outdoors.cfm?activity=Cycling


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## tmanley (Jul 31, 2005)

I ended up doing 2 rides while up in Healdsburg. The first was up Dry Creek road to Lake Sonoma. Upon reaching the lake I continued up Rockpile Road. Hard climbing, but a great road with no traffic in the early morning. The second ride was over and through the Alexander Valley area then over Chalk Hill Rd. toward Windsor. Both were great and I look forward to visiting the area again.


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## Leopold Porkstacker (Jul 15, 2005)

tmanley said:


> I ended up doing 2 rides while up in Healdsburg. The first was up Dry Creek road to Lake Sonoma. Upon reaching the lake I continued up Rockpile Road. Hard climbing, but a great road with no traffic in the early morning. The second ride was over and through the Alexander Valley area then over Chalk Hill Rd. toward Windsor. Both were great and I look forward to visiting the area again.


Rockpile area is where the best zin grapes grow. Sounds like a helluva ride you had! I wouldn’t recommend those sorts of rides in the middle of July though, as it gets into the triple digits Fahrenheit that time of year.


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## mcwenzel (Jun 9, 2006)

This is an old post but thought I would chime in on Pine Flat Road since not much comes up in the search. Thought I would try it out this weekend given the relatively cool weather.

Started in Windsor and road Chalk Hill to 128 to Pine Flat Road. Weather was perfect, fog just burning off as I started the climb. The climb really starts mellow and the first 7.5 miles only had a few steep pitches and I was taking if fairly easy. Around mile 7.5 there was a slight downhill with a tailwind before the road heads up again.

The last mile or so kicked my ass. I have ridden up pretty steep grades in San Francisco and Redwood Gulch but this was the first time I considered getting off the bike. I had to weave back and forth to make it up but there was gravel on each side of the road that narrowed the path. Here is a picture just before I hit the steepest grade.


<a href="https://s679.photobucket.com/albums/vv155/mcwenzel/?action=view&current=pineflatroad.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv155/mcwenzel/pineflatroad.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

The descent on the top half is a bit dicey because of the roads and grade but the lower half was great. Saw about 3 bikes on my way up and 3 on my way down. Virtually no auto traffic. 

From there headed over to Dry Creek for a picnic on mostly flat roads. 128 and Alexander Valley Road had a decent amount of traffic. 

Link to the ride here:

https://ridewithgps.com/trips/328256

https://ridewithgps.com/trips/328256/full.gif


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## fogman (Mar 6, 2008)

mcwenzel said:


> ...
> The last mile or so kicked my ass. I have ridden up pretty steep grades in San Francisco and Redwood Gulch but this was the first time I considered getting off the bike. I had to weave back and forth to make it up but there was gravel on each side of the road that narrowed the path. Here is a picture just before I hit the steepest grade.
> ...


Team Astana training ride in Sonoma County, California filmed on Saturday February 7th 2009. Look for the link after I manage enough posts. Crap. :mad2:


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## fogman (Mar 6, 2008)

*Pine Flat Road*



fogman said:


> Team Astana training ride in Sonoma County, California...


The last mile . :thumbsup:


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## mcwenzel (Jun 9, 2006)

Astana looked a hell of a lot better than I did going up that stretch.


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## fogman (Mar 6, 2008)

mcwenzel said:


> Astana looked a hell of a lot better than I did going up that stretch.


Yep. No pictures allowed when I gut it up this road! It is a climb. Always cracks me up, that finish.

More silliness. This may be a touch dramatic. Funny though.
Live Strong—We Dare You

*Pine Flat* Locally recognized as an unforgiving 12-mile trail of terror, especially the insanely steep final stretch before the fire road gate. In training, Leipheimer and Alberto Contador raced to the top, with Contador as the winner (Fant was riding behind, and, Fant says, "It looked like he was riding an escalator"). On a separate training day involving Chalk Hill Road, Ida Clayton Road and Franz Valley Road, Lance Armstrong and the Astana team rode halfway up Pine Flat, changed their minds, and turned around. No joke.


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