Now There’s a Bike Race for Cats… and Dogs

With the Amgen Tour of California underway, headed for the Santa Rosa finish line on Sunday, the local news is that it’s not the only race in town.

The Sonoma Echelon Gran Fondo was launched four years ago out of a love for cycling, a desire to create a day of entertainment for the community, and most importantly, as a fundraising engine for charities.

The "Charity of Choice" model allows participants to fundraise to any charity they prefer. Rather than selecting one charity and designating a percentage of registration fees to go to it, we use this event as a platform that allows individual fundraising for many charities.

Among the charities involved is Pets Lifeline. Director Nancy King will be riding a 1962 Schwinn Traveler in her bid to raise $5000 to support the pets-centric non-profit. Donations in support can be made on this page.

“I am riding in the Sonoma Echelon Gran Fondo in May to raise money and awareness for pets,” King said in an email message to her supporters. “Please donate generously and we will ride our hearts out to provide shelter, medical care and love to the homeless and abandoned animals of Sonoma Valley.”

Pets Lifeline is dedicated to protecting and nurturing the lives of the cats and dogs of Sonoma Valley by bringing people and animals together through sheltering, adoption and education.   

The Echelon Gran Fondo will take place in Sonoma Valley and extending into Napa County on Saturday, May 18, starting at 8 a.m. and lasting all day with a party at the Plaza.

Interactive maps of the routes are on the event website – for 18 kilometers (11 miles), the mid-range 81K (50 miles) and the full 121K (75 miles).  The full Gran Fondo starts and finishes at the historic town Plaza, where the race “after-party” will go from noon to 6 p.m.

For Bay Area participants, registration and packet pick-up is Wednesday, May 15, in San Francisco. Wine country riders and others can complete registration and packet pick-up in Sonoma on Friday, 4- 8 p.m. at Wine Country Cyclery.

A pre-ride party is also planned for that time and location Friday, including wines and hors d’oeuvres  from Roche winery, beer from Sierra Nevada, and a chance to meet “Fast Freddie” Rodriguez, multi-time National Champion and Giro d’Italia stage winner. See the complete race and event schedule here.

From the 8 a.m. start riders will exit town to the east, and within just a couple miles will be rolling into Napa County. Mini riders will enjoy a flat course out E. Napa to 8th St. E, down via Denmark and Burnside to Hwy. 12 and back.

The Gran and Medio riders will continue past 12 onto Ramal Rd., then wind north up foothills of west Napa County on Dry Creek Rd. and eventually over the pass onto Trinity Rd. to Sonoma Valley. Medio racers then head back down Arnold Dr. back to Sonoma Plaza. Gran riders add a loop out Bennett Valley Rd. and back Sonoma Mountain Rd. to Glen Ellen and Sonoma.

From noon until 6 p.m., the race party takes place for finishers and friends at the Sonoma Plaza. See our Party page for what’s in store,  with catering director Sheana Davis overseeing the food preparation and service; wines from Tin Barn and Naked Wines; beers from Lagunitas, New Belgium and Sierra Nevada;, plus local bands The Cork Pullers and Traffic Jam, and support from sponsors.

Further information on the Sonoma Echelon Gran Fondo and the other participating charities can be found on their website.