I needed a ride, and hopped the Vallejo ferry without the usual plan. A little phone browsing on the way across turned up some bike paths and sections of The Bay Trail West of Napa that I’d never seen, and it seemed like Lagunitas Brewing in Petaluma would be within reach…
A bit of Bay Trail along a river and a marsh… thick with vocal birds but otherwise deserted, eventually degrading to dirt and then gravel and leading to nowhere (a vista point, and a loop back to the beginning of the trail).
After 10 miles of riding on highway shoulders (the risk of not doing more advance research), Stanly Rd just West of the 29/121 intersection looked like a pleasant detour… and turned out to be even better than I’d expected– one section was an old now abandoned / closed-to-cars road through the woods.
On Ramal Rd (another peaceful back road– only two cars in an hour) leaving Napa County.
I stopped at this metal vineyard shark and a woman in a passing car insisted on taking my photo with it:
A few hours later, after a long day of sun and riding, taking a break:
Route: http://ridewithgps.com/trips/5115359 (taking Golden Gate Transit 101 bus back to SF).
The back roads were great, but some sections of 29, 12, and 121 were somewhat hairy and not necessarily something I’d ride again without a good reason… so overall I have mixed feelings about this particular route (especially the tall bridge of the 12/29 over Napa River with high-speed traffic and low railings).