A special time of year

When fall slides down the California coast, preparing the land for winter, it turns the wine country into quilts of autumn color. The harvest begins at this time, by picking the grape vines of their precious fruit, the grape leaves then turn crimson and burgundy, bright yellows and rusty reds, each variety with their own unique color blend.

The wineries, loaded with the season’s new crop, take the grapes to crush and ferment; they will bottle the new wine in the coming years. You can smell the fermentation process in the air, especially in the morning. It’s like someone baking plum pudding on a frosty day.

At this time of year, wine lovers come from all over the world by the hundreds in tour buses or weekend getaway excursions booked early that spring. They will enjoy the foods offered at some of the best eateries on the West coast, and use the spas and mineral baths that dot the valleys. It’s why the cost of lodging in the wine country has soared. Healdsburg, Calistoga, St. Helens, to name a few, command a hefty price from the traveler’s pocketbook, but not in one forgotten area, the Russian River Valley.

Located just outside Santa Rosa in Sonoma County, the narrow valley borders a glassy jade-colored river. The slow moving waters of the Russian River flow in the center of this valley on its course to Jenner by the sea. Coast Redwoods tower over highway 116, the main two-lane road that connects the hamlets and villages along the way. Korbel champagne winery sits alongside the highway, just before the road enters the village of Guerneville. You can stop for a tour of Korbel’s flower gardens and facilities along with tasting their excellent sparkling wines. The deli at Korbel offers a wide variety of dishes to eat on premises, or take with you where just a few miles away, Armstong Redwood forest with its old growth giants, some as old as 1,400 years wait for a champagne picnic.

Why this time of year has the best rates

The valley is home to artists and musicians that inhabit the villages of Duncan’s Mill, Cazadero, Guerneville, Forestville and Monte Rio. They offer a rich variety of pleasures. Music festivals, artist flea markets and galleries abound. Various eateries are liberally sprinkled about that can accommodate anyone’s budget. Motels, hotels and campsites offer prices unheard of just a few miles inland where the bulk of tourists are jammed into expensive quarters and overcrowded cafes.

It’s because the valley, known as a summer resort for San Francisco and the Silicon Valley, flock to the campsites and resorts along the Russian river to canoe, fish, and hike the primitive forests of this coastal mountain region. After September, the area is practically deserted of vacationers and many establishments offer discounts when the counties of Mendocino, Napa, and Sonoma, where the bulk of the wineries are located, command premium rates.

The best kept secret

But that’s not the secret. The diverse area of the Russian River, its rugged and pristine seacoast with a history going back to 1812, when Russia established Fort Ross as a permanent trading post at the furthest reaches of the empire is well known. However, a sport practiced by millions of Americans, a sport Americans invented and transported to Europe where it’s as famous as soccer, baseball or basketball is the well-kept secret of this region. Cycling in the Russian River valley is as popular among cyclist as Aspen is to skiers.

Many professional teams ride here where the air is clean, cool and fresh. Greg Lemond cycled here many times and a stage of the Coors Classic Pro road race was held at the Russian River. The event made Kings Ridge famous as a pro level ride for its steep climbs and gut-wrenching descents. Kings Ridge is still used today for racing. The top bicycle touring companies, offer their guests unsurpassed bike excursions on shady rural back roads, picnics in redwood forests and wine tasting tours.

All along the country roads in this area are painted arrows at corners and turns to indicate routes from the many cycling events held in this region each year.

No other place like it on earth

There is no other place like it on earth. Leave your quarters at any of the small towns that follow the river and adventure awaits. A trip to Tuscany is at hand with a turn at Martinili Road to Topolo winery and restaurant. Lunch al fresco in their garden on top of a hill overlooking grape orchards, they serve Northern Italian cuisine such as baked polenta with fresh tomato marinade and basil. Offer a toast to good times with one of the wines made on the premise while doves coo nearby in an outdoor aviary. Afterwards, tour the apple orchards in the area and follow the roads back into the deep redwood forest taking you to the river.

If you enjoyed vacations such as river rafting, backpacking, mountain climbing, and skiing, try bicycling. Something the whole family or friends can enjoy. Plan a cycling vacation in this pristine area where bicycling is well known.

Whether you’re looking for easy rides for kids or something with a challenge at a pro level skill, it is all available at the Russian River. Bicycle touring companies offer a wide variety of tours in this region. There are complete maps available at Guerneville’s visitor center, and helpful people to give direction and advice. Bike rentals are available at Ferngrove Cottages in Guerneville and a number of bike shops are close by.

Enjoy an easy ride from Guerneville to Armstrong woods on a wide, little used road. Bicycles can enter the park free. Make it a longer excursion by first cycling to Korbel winery to pick up champagne and deli items for a romantic picnic in the State Park.

Cycle along the river to the coast and enjoy a day at the rivers protected estuary at its mouth and stroll along its sandy beaches. Lunch is available at Jenner or as a rest stop before pedaling to Bodega Bay.

For the hardy and brave, there are roads that lead deep into the coastal mountains, they take you from the base of tall redwood stands where gentle streams mirror the giants above and as you climb, the vegetation begins to change. You’ll pass through groves of oak with Spanish moss hanging on their weathered limbs that shade the rural back roads. There’s plenty of spruce, pine and bay trees mixed in to scent the air around you. Once on top, a spectacular panoramic view of the region is at hand, you can see miles of forest in every direction from your eagle perch. Your path might take you pass a Buddhist monastery with gold domes and bright colored flags waving on their pinnacles. You might ride through reservations of Native Americans where there are no casinos or trinkets to buy but friendly people waving back at you with a smile.

Pedal your way through rhododendrons and coastal rain forests near Stewart’s Point where ferns sprout from the asphalt beneath you. You will see native bracken larger then most cars. It feels like your exploring Jurassic park and it’s easy to envision dinosaurs living here in this ancient and primitive land.

Along the coast where black volcanic monoliths jut from the coastal tide pools as the blue-gray Pacific Ocean beats against them, spraying white foam high in the air. Each hill brings another view, each valley another stream and a small-secluded beach. Stop at Fort Ross, and explore the history of the first Russian settlers in this area that trapped beaver and traded with Native Americans.

There is no place on earth where you can enjoy so many diverse environments in one day, even a petrified forest, geysers and ballooning, and at days end, a fantastic dinner of your choice. Stop at a family run Mexican restaurant and have, Siete Mares (Seven Seas) soup filled with delicate fish, crab, shrimp, mussel and octopus for less then ten dollars. Dine at the Applewood Inn, renowned for their innovative cooking. Each dish perfectly prepared. In Occidental, made famous from the days of logging, family style meals of Italian fare are piled high with tempting pastas and specialties to pass around the table.

One more secret

There is another secret of this very special place. The first two weeks in October have the least amount of rainfall. It’s the best time to go. The fields begin to turn color, the weather is still warm yet cool enough for outdoor activities and the area’s summer season is at an end, so you can find places to stay that are affordable.

Just remember to keep the best-kept secret of Sonoma, or everyone will want to go.