Page 19 - Sonoma County Gazette - August 2017

RIDE #3 cont’d from page 18
The east end of the valley returns
to the oak-studded hills southeast of Petaluma. Helen Putnam Regional Park o ers a shady place for a break before the nal 12-mile push back to Cotati.
Beer-loving cyclists will love
Petaluma, an often-overlooked Mecca
of the microbrew revolution. Not only
is it the home of Lagunitas but there
is also a tap in one of the bars in town
devoted to Pliny the Elder. I will leave it to the adventurous beer drinkers to nd it.
Be sure that you are comfortable with higher speeds that can take you in excess of 45 MPH on some downhills, and be sure your bicycle is mechanically up to the task.
The Route - This 45-mile loop begins in Cotati at a centrally located park known as the Hub, a park on Old Redwood Highway and W. Sierra Avenue and an apt place to begin a bike ride. The park is near the Hub Cyclery, one of the oldest bike shops in Sonoma County, owned by Chaz and Claire Fetrow since 1990.
The park is also home to the Cotati Accordion Festival, taking place Aug. 19 and 20 this year. For information, go to cotatifest.com.
Heading west on W. Sierra, the route winds its way a short distance under the freeway to Stony Point Road, past the now-defunct nine-hole Washoe Creek Golf Course. The two-mile stretch is another small gem of county road, with oak trees and eucalyptus, interspersed with a handful of houses and, of course, vineyards.
Washoe House - Turning left on Stony Point, the route goes past the Stony Point Rock Quarry about a mile to Roblar Road and the Washoe House, a historic roadhouse built in 1859. The Washoe House served as a stagecoach stop on routes connecting Petaluma, Santa Rosa and Bodega during the 19th century and the building became an historical landmark in 1979.
There is parking to the west of the building, so it can serve as a handy starting point, and ready-made refreshment stop at the end of the ride.
Roblar Road snakes its way west for 6.5 miles through a valley dotted with dairy farms. It is mostly downhill as it drops to Valley Ford Road and follows Americano Creek past the settlement of Bloom eld until it turns into Highway 1. Bloom eld was brie y the second largest town in the county in the 1850s, but tapered o once the railroad passed it by as a stopping point.
Follow Valley Ford Road about 3.5 miles and turn left, heading south on Highway 1/Shoreline Highway.
From Valley Ford Road to Fallon-Two Rock, it is about three miles, but for an added treat, ride the extra 2.5 miles to Tomales for a break at the Tomales Bakery. The bakery is renowned in bicycle circles and people from miles around make regular stops to mingle with the locals and enjoy some of the best baked goods in the North Bay Area.
Topographical Oceans - Whether one cycles Tomales Petaluma to the south or Fallon-Two Rock, as I did, prepare for something completely di erent from rides to the north or east in Sonoma County. The oak forests and vineyards give way to wide-open valleys dotted with stands of oak, bay, eucalyptus and Cypress and plenty dairy cattle, horses and chicken coops, as one nears the ocean. Be sure to bring extra layers on this one, as it can be warm enough for short sleeves in Cotati, but still foggy and chilly toward the ocean.
I chose to ride east on Fallon-Two Rock to Twin Bridge, but further east, Alexander Road is another option for heading south to Tomales Petaluma Road. However one chooses to get there, head east on Tomales Petaluma and turn right on Chileno Valley Road, about 6 miles from Highway 1.
Chileno Valley Road is one of the most popular roads for cyclists in the area, as it is easily accessible from the south as well as the north and it features something for anyone that enjoys cycling. There are long rolling hills dotted with stands of oak, bay and eucalyptus with usually very little tra c of the four-wheel variety. The road itself is 13.5 miles from end to end where it turns right past Helen Putnam Park for a quick descent into Petaluma on Western Avenue.
Petaluma - Petaluma was originally settled in 1850 and incorporated in 1858, making it the oldest city between San Francisco and Eureka. Despite being only 18 miles northeast of the epicenter of the 1906 earthquake in Olema, Petaluma withstood the shock with relatively minimal damage, leaving behind a collection of buildings from the 19th century that still stand.
By 1917, Petaluma was the world’s most proli c egg and poultry producer in the world, a reputation bolstered by the dairy industry, making the city the undisputed dairy capital in the world at the time.
Modern Petaluma is a collection of the old and the new and is now part of the epicenter of another global industry
and leader in the microbrew revolution. Not only did Lagunitas – now a global phenomenon owned by Heinekin – establish itself as an IPA powerhouse here, there are several other brewhouses o ering their own beers or other local beer delicacies, including 101 North Brewery, Dempsey’s, the Petaluma Taproom and Brewster’s Beer Garden. McNear’s has a great selection of beer, good pub grub and it is also one of the premier music venues in the area.
Last leg - From Petaluma, it is eight or so miles back to Cotati, depending on the route. Crossing the freeway
and heading north on McDowell Road takes one right past the Lagunitas TapRoom & Beer Sanctuary, and from there up Old Redwood Highway it is a short jaunt back to the Hub and a nal opportunity to reap the rewards of the day’s calorie burn at one of the many restaurants or bars located nearby.
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