Hopland to Ukiah...aprox 30miles round trip

I believe this is one of our most beautiful rides. That's saying a lot!!!! We started our ride in Hopland. Went to a wonderful little cafe for breakfast...The Bluebird Cafe. It's a perfect, classic cafe, freshly painted, clean, inviting. The first thing you see when you enter (the first thing I saw) is a glass case with home made pastries......these are not Marie Callendar pies these are real!!! (not that I don't like Marie's pies) I had a great breakfast. On weekends they serve you a basket of pastries instead of toast.......yummmmm!!

Okay, after breakfast we headed east out of town and then north at Fetzer Winery. The road we took runs parrell to hwy 101. I loved this ride.....it was beautiful!!! In addition to the familar (and beloved) vineyards there were pear orchards and "wild" land. There was very little traffic.......there was no traffic, a few cars and trucks passed us. The ride was fairly flat and straight but again beautiful!! We made our way to Ukiah and rode through the Buddist University (don't recall the name). We didn't feel any need to stop so we turned around and headed back down the same road. I don't remember the name or number of the road but I do recall that there was some concern because there were no road signs to speak of. We continued south and stopped at Fetzers for a walk around the grounds. The gardens were pretty much dormant yet still lovely. I would like to go back in the spring and again in the summer or fall when the vegetable garden is producing.

If the ride is one of the most beautiful the food was some of the best too. I had the great breakfast at the Blue Bird Cafe (I think worth the drive just for breakfast and the scenery). Then, after our ride we went into the Pheonix Bakery. We went in out of curiousity.......it looked interesting; right across the street from the Blue Bird it was rustic........kind of a "hippie" place. Robin and I both bought Lemon chicken and roasted garlic turnovers to take home................oh my gawd!!!!!!! They were the most delicious things. After Brad and I ate the turnovers I got on the telephone to try to tell the folks at the bakery how much we enjoyed their goods and hoped maybe I'd get the inside scoop on how to duplicate the turnovers. I was never able to get through. I tried again but still no good.........the bakery has moved to Willits I believe..............darn