Chris Writes.

So dad came to visit a couple weeks ago, just before the work-induced insanity that led up to the Tour of California. And we carpe’d every diem that we could.

The top highlight: a trip to wine country in Sonoma and Napa. So, here’s the basic itinerary for an awesome weekend for any budding oenophile and gastronomer:

Day 1:

Stay at the Dry Creek Inn (not fancy, but great location, and clean. Book online for cheapest rates.)
Get free tasting coupons from the Dry Creek Inn front desk for Simi, Seghesio, and Kendal Jackson
Visit Simi and Seghesio.
Go to Ravenous for lunch
Head over to Kendal Jackson
Then make your way over to this brewery for a pint
Then kill some time at the the CIA before the big event…
Having dinner at Greystone (yes, you’ll need reservations)

Notes: Seghesio is one of my favorite wineries ever – fantastic zinfandels! Everything was good. Ravenous was a cute and tasty place – I had the burger and was not disappointed – and Greystone was one of the top gastronomic delights that I’ve ever experienced in my life. Among other things, I had the caviar and oyster appetizer, if only for the novelty. Absolutely stunning stuff, really. I brought along a bottle of Robert Foley 2005 Claret, and it lived up to the demands of the food we ate. Perhaps the best wine I’ve ever had.

Day 2:
Have breakfast at the bakery in the square in downtown Healdsburg
Visit any of the tasting rooms within walking distance
Head back over to Napa, and take the 1:30pm cooking course at CIA
Then visit the Rubicon Estate (aka Niebaum-Coppola) winery. It’s expensive ($25 per person), but worth every cent. Take the full tour.

Notes: if you’ve got a designated driver, they don’t have to pay the $25 visit price for Rubicon (but then, they don’t get any wine either). The cooking course is great, we learned how to make killer crabcakes.

That’s it. For a weekend in luxury-land, it was relatively cheap, with a few extravagances that are more than worth the price of admission. And the best part: I got to share it all with a great crew (Me + Dad, Lloyd, Gnat!), and we created stories and memories that well surpassed any price of admission. Mostly because we wanted to. Don’t go if it’s not in your blood. This sort of adventure requires a certain palate-based passion to fuel the engines. Anything worth doing well should not be expected to be the same when undertaken with ambivalence.

No big surprise, right? Right?

Pics here.

I am not here to question the wisdom of competitors. That wouldn’t be right, and I’m biased anyways cuz I work for Specialized. So instead, I’ll just share with the world the ad that Cannondale (recently purchased by Dorel, a big company from my homeland) placed in Velo News.

Did this letter get sent to Cannondale employees by Specialized HR? Yup. Sure did. Them and others. We’re growing like moss in a wet summer on the north shore of Vancouver. So, if you’re an engineer, and interested in getting into bicycles, drop our HR Director Shannon Sakamoto a line. Her contact info in the ad is accurate. (I think VeloNews legal made them blur that out in the final version, tho).

So our angel returned again to the third Tour of California, this time a new angel with a quiver of new costumes (all way better than what we had last year!). She was along for the full seven days, getting a ton of attention as usual, and braving some seriously wet and chilly conditions. And unlike other times, I had essentially nothing to do with it.

Sometimes, there is undeniable value in trusting someone else with something you created. It takes a huge leap of confidence, and obviously requires that you place your trust in the skill of someone who is not just smart or clever or lucky – but someone who knows how important it is to the people who fought to get it started. So, mad props to Tara – she kicked ass with this, and I’m proud of her.