San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
CYCLING SIGHTS.
Hit it right on a winter day and you could see steelhead jumping up the fish ladder at the Warm Springs Hatchery. With a little luck, you’ll sight a bald eagle that often cruises in the area.
And with no luck at all, the Lake Sonoma Overlook provides a view that spans not only across 2,700-acre Lake Sonoma and its dramatic bridge, but also for miles beyond — across the Mayacamas Range in one direction, the Dry Creek Valley in another.
These are among the payoffs you can get with morning rides on a road bike out of Healdsburg. Over the years in the spring, I’ve ventured many times to Lake Sonoma to boat, fish and camp. In winter, a better bet is to bring your bike, or rent one in Healdsburg, and take off.
“Get on your bike by 8 or 9, and be done by 10, 11 or so,” advises my riding pal Pete Johansson. “By then, the wine tasting crowd is out, the fast traffic from the city shows up, and you’ll want to be off the road.” A good place to end your ride is at Healdsburg Plaza, which has several great places for lunch.
The weather, topography and views make this area outstanding for road cycling. Between storms, temperatures often range from the high 40s at night to low 60s during the day, ideal for cycling. The topography consists of near-flat valley floors and short foothills, and in recent years, several sections of road have been repaved. The big view from the Lake Sonoma Overlook is the crown jewel.
The best bet is to start your trip from a bike shop in Healdsburg. The best is the Spoke Folk Cyclery, and another good one, about 5 miles south in Windsor, is Windsor Bike & Sport. Windsor Bike & Sport rents hybrid bikes for $45 per day, road bikes for $65 per day, and e-bikes for $85 per day. All rentals include a helmet, lock and repair kit. Rental bikes are equipped with flat pedals and cage for water bottle.
Saddle up and take your pick of three destinations:
1. Lake Sonoma Overlook, 33 miles
The ride from Healdsburg and up Dry Creek Valley is the signature trip of the region. It’s 14 miles, with a 150foot climb, to the Warm Springs Fish Hatchery at the foot of the dam at Lake Sonoma.
This first leg is an easy cruise on the valley floor with pretty views across oak woodlands and pretty foothills. Steelhead arrive and jump up the fish ladder usually from January through March, and watching a 10pounder make the trip is quite a sight. Keep an eye out for the resident bald eagle that hangs out in the area.
To crown the trip, the final 2.6 miles to the Lake Sonoma Overlook climbs 750 feet. The first stretch is rhythmic. The final half mile is a buttkicker, but by then (like the last half mile at Mount Diablo), you’ll be so close you’ll just put your head down and roll out the final stretch at walking speed. Get it done early to beat the winery traffic.
2. Wohler Bridge Loop, 20 miles
An easy 20-mile-loop ride ventures south of Healdsburg, over the Wohler Bridge on the Russian River, and then back. The payoff is the ride over the bridge. It’s a vintage brown steel span, just a little over a lane wide, where you ride inside its skeleton frame with the river below.
From Healdsburg, you ride south on Westside Road for 9 miles to the cutoff on your left for Wohler Road. After crossing the bridge, the midpoint on the ride, you can enjoy the river view (a good fishing spot on the Russian River is just below) and get the obligatory photo. To complete the loop, you ride out Wohler to where it connects to Eastside Road.
Return north on Eastside and the Old Redwood Highway, with a variety of routes in Healdsburg available to complete the trip to your starting point. Along the way, there are several small hills and drops that total about 400 feet of elevation gain and loss. To avoid traffic on the second-half leg, get this ride done early. This loop can also be completed in the opposite direction, of course, that is, counterclockwise; or out and back.
3. Dry Creek General Store, 11.8 miles
This a great ride for firsttimers who want to venture into pretty foothills and back, and take about an hour to do it. It’s a 12-mile trip. The only catch is a few turns to deal with crossing Highway 101, easy for those who have their telephone on their handlebars with a GPS map.
From Healdsburg, you ride north on the Foss Creek Parkway, and jog right on Grove, turn left on Chiquita and ride 2 miles to cross 101 to meet Lytton Springs Road. Turn left. This is a cool country road that passes a few wineries, the little Healdsburg Municipal Airport, to Dry Creek Road. Turn right and go 0.8 miles to the Dry Creek General Store, where you can take a break, get a drink and a snack. For the trip back, take Dry Creek Road back into Healdsburg, Grove and the Foss Creek Parkway.