18 Reasons threw a Full Moon Barn Dance party at Circle JR Ranch in Sonoma recently. Eating, drinking (Linden St beer and Sodacraft soda), horseshoes, tours of a Bi-Rite garden, lasso lessons, dancing… I could have driven up with a friend, but I figured– why not bike?

The most direct route would have been through San Rafael and up on the 37 to the 121, but after looking at the excellent Marin Country Bike Coalition map’s warnings of missing shoulders and reading a few online posts about those road segments, I decided I was willing to add 9 extra miles and some hills to ride via Fairfax / Nicasio / Petaluma:

It was about 135 miles round trip, and going up took about 7 hours including several stops for food (5 hours of riding time).

The standard treat-myself Saturday pre-ride breakfast– Primavera at the Ferry Building farmers’ market.

Bridge shrouded in fog.

Stopped at the new Nicasio Valley Cheese Company (they kindly refilled my water) and tasted some cheese. Wait a minute*–*** that decorative little ceramic pitcher labeled “Valle Maggia” looks familiar (scroll down a few photos). Well, that’s surreal (explanation: the owners of this creamery are from that region).

Many roads had wide, smooth shoulders.

A few didn’t (the uphill sections from Nicasio to Petaluma were especially suspect, as was the 2-mile section of 121 I had to ride to get to the ranch).

Wild blackberries? I’ll stop for that.

15 classic cars passed in a row.

The outskirts of Petaluma, USA is not where I expected to see a bike-priority signal.

Packing light (but still a tent and all the necessary camping gear).

Trying to learn how to lasso a calf (with models). Not very successful.

Live music, barn dancing, good food (hamburgers made from a cow raised about 50’ from where I was sitting), hay bales, garden tour (including eating a mole pepper straight off the plant), and quite a full moon. I didn’t take many photos.

The pond by the Marin French Cheese company, between Petaluma and Point Reyes Station.

On the way up, I met Frank here: he was waiting with his car to support a group of cyclists on a long day ride. We chatted about Long Haul Truckers, and Amsterdam (based on my panniers), and he refilled my water and offered me a snack. On the way back, I met a group of women on a Nicasio<->Petaluma ride and chatted about RAGBRAI and biking across Ohio (less flat than Iowa).

I made it back in about 5 hours of moderately brisk riding in excellent weather. Whew.