Russian River Ramble

8 August 2009

Alexis is freshly back from a year in Germany, having just arrived home on Tuesday. Today she and I took our bikes up to Occidental, in Sonoma County, for a ride that Ingrid and I had done three times when Daniela was in high school. Daniela was in the choir, and each year a retreat was held at the CYO Camp on the Bohemian Highway, just a few miles south of Occidental. Ingrid and I served as parent chaperones and took our bikes up each year to enjoy this route.

Before the ride, we stopped at the coffee shop of the Union Hotel. They have the absolute best apricot and raspberry turnovers and coupled with a nice coffee, that really got us going.

The ride follows a quiet country street, Coleman Valley Road, for about ten miles out to the Sonoma Coast. Then, we head north for about eight miles along the Pacific Coast Highway. The third leg, about seven miles, is on Highway 116 that parallels the Russian River. Finally, we ride the last seven miles along the Bohemian Highway back to Occidental.



The route is varied and can be rather stunningly beautiful. Today it was hazy and too warm, and -- being a summer weekend -- the traffic on the second and third legs was a bit unpleasant. Still, it was very nice.

Carrying a camera with the goal of taking some good pictures forces me to see things I might not otherwise notice. This time, I was struck by how much along the route is old, at least for California. It looks like this area really flourished in the 1870s. Some things, like the Union Hotel, are still thriving. But much is in various states of decay and disrepair, such as old wagon-wheel carts and barns.

After the ride, we drove through the small town of Freestone, which has a terrific (and very popular) bakery, the Wildflour. In addition to two loaves of freshly baked bread, we bought one of their excellent "sticky buns," which I'm nibbling as I write this post.