Healdsburg full moon and bike ride
I've been working up at the Dry Creek Peach Farm in Healdsburg all summer, my hours are Saturday 11:30am -5:15pm. For Labor Day Gwynie, Deb, Aaron & Dana all decided to come up for a bike ride in the morning before my work that started and ended at the farm stand. We drove up after work on Friday nite, meeting in Healdsburg square at 7pm. The traffic on 101N was typically bad, but not exacerbated by the Bay Bridge closure. Then another 20+ minutes to caravan up to Debbie's mom's place on CloudRidge, because the roads are not obvious and unnamed. The house has a loft with bunk beds and a screened porch (for the hot nites) with mattresses which accommodates an army (about 6 people). It's super remote- all off the grid so solar electric and a small spring supplies the water... we used the bathroom sparingly. There's a full kitchen in the main house with a fridge for milk, but we cooked over the fireplace on the patio.
The patio is Etruscan in style, originally built because 30 years ago they couldn't get permits to build the house. The patio is set up independently with a brick pizza oven, wood fireplace and a dishwasher as well as a sink for washing, and dishes cutlery utensils etc that are stored there all the time. The outdoor patio has sleeping benches which are very comfortable with pads and sleeping bags. We got there right around sunset, just enough time to explore and get the cars unloaded before dinner.
Dinner was potluck. I prepped a couscous salad with tomatoes, cucumber, Walla walla onion (very sweet), cilantro and a bit of lime. Deb brought roasted chicken. Aaron & Dana made hot lamb curry and spicy channa masala. We roasted marshmallows over the fire and made smores using Aaron's home made chocolate and oatmeal peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. The moon was so full and bright, it was magical.
The route that Aaron suggested was a nice, not too hilly 30 mile loop with a stop for refreshments at about mile 15 at the Flying Goat Cafe just off the plaza in town
I usually estimate about 10 miles per hour for group rides to allow time for stops, so I guesstimated 3-hours would be about right... It was hot out there so we planned accordingly with water, sunblock etc. The ride was so lovely and picturesque.
I sold almost 300lbs of peaches so it was very busy. I also sold out the last September Snow white peaches. The last trees are rocking out with perfect peaches, suitably named "Last Chance" and "Autumn Flame", both really fabulous yellow peaches. I brought home 40lbs of peaches for all those that asked... Peach season ends in next week and is the last chance for summer perfection.