Move over Provence, Napa Valley could become cycling destination with new trail
Picture it: a 47-mile bike trail, smooth and flat, cutting through bucolic farmland. A full 260 sunny days per year, and four seasons of rideable weather. A string of quaint little towns nestled among rolling hills and rows of grape vines. And more than 300 wineries to sample.
What is this heavenly place? Tuscany? Catalonia? Provence? Good guesses.
How about Napa Valley, California.
What is it?
The project is called the Vine Trail, a non-motorized route that will snake its way across this viticultural mecca. The Vine Trail won’t be finished until at least 2027, but 12.5 continuous miles already exist between the towns of Napa and Yountville, and 15 more miles should be paved and ready within the year.
Napa trail history
The idea for the Vine Trail dates back to the early 1990s, when a local vintner named Tom Shelton started brainstorming a multi-use trail. Napa felt like fertile ground, with its pleasant climate and many sporty residents. But to create an unbroken system, trail builders might have to contend with private property; residents assumed that landowners — mostly farmers — would resist. Shelton hit gridlock for more than a decade, but he never gave up on his idea.
Then came Chuck McMinn, a veteran entrepreneur who had helped establish a dozen businesses in Silicon Valley between 1978 and 2000. McMinn and his wife came to own a winery called Vineyard 29, and they settled permanently in Napa in 2004. From there, the couple became invested in the valley’s quality of life. They were avid travelers and liked to explore new places on rented bicycles.
