Cycling Napa Valley- Silverado Trail

We started our vacation by picking up our rental bikes in Yountville at Napa Valley Bike Tours. We decided it would be easier to just rent bikes than to lug our own on the plane, but Randy brought the most important components, our pedals and saddles with us so we could put them on our rental bikes. We did a loop of about 35 miles up the Silverado trail, part way up Howell Mtn. Road, by Elmshaven (to say hi to Ellen!) and back down to the bikeshop. It is really beautiful in the Napa Valley this time of year, and we could smell the fermenting grapes while we rode, since it is harvest time.

The guys at the bike shop were awesome, they gave us maps for bike routes for a few days worth of riding, our bikes were great, and they even let us take showers at the bathroom in the back of the shop when we got back all sweaty from our ride! We give them a major thumbs up!

We are staying up at Pacific Union College (where I went to college my freshman year) with my friend Aimee and her husband Greg in Angwin, just up the road from St. Helena. Aimee and I went to school together from 6th grade through my freshman year of college. Her dad was my 6th grade teacher! I have lots of great memories of this place. Aimee is a professor of biology now at our alma matter! She teaches lots of fun classes like plant and animal biology, greenhouse gardening, flowering plants, etc. Greg is a chemist at one of the local wineries. He tests the wine for all kinds of impurities, sulfers, and pesticides and the like. As you can see, our friends are geniuses!! They made us a delicious dinner of pasta and chicken, with fresh tomatoes from their garden. Thanks Greg and Aimee for the wonderful dinner and the hospitality!
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