Day 5: Fairfield to Santa Rosa; 64 miles
 Stag's Leap - On Day 5, we were treated to lunch at the StagÕs Leap Winery. They had plenty of sandwiches and, yes, wine for use to wash it down with. I didn't partake of the fruit of the vine because I was slightly ill from antibiotics and we were only a few miles from Spring Mountain, the hardest climb of the Tour It's actually the morning of Day 6. Couldn't get to the computer yesterday. Then we went out after the ride and drank moderately (heavy) at the Third Street Ale House, which is a Go Greenbelt! tradition. Two beers and a huge burger later, I was feeling pretty out of it. So we got more beer and drank it at the church. I feel like such a derelict on this tour. I've consumed more beer on church grounds then I ever have in my life. I kinda like it. (Note: I told this to Matt, who is gay and a former Catholic, a day later and he found it quite amusing.) So I'm finally settling into the routine. My body is adjusting. Unfortunately, the antibiotics are causing me a bit of a problem. Food digestion hasn't been great. Of course, that might have more to do with the fact that we tend to eat breakfast and lunch, then get back on the bikes within 10 or 15 minutes. Today will be better, since we're already at breakfast, and won't be on the bikes for another hour or hour and a half, which is much more agreeable to my system. I'm actually writing this from the diner down the street from the church where we stayed. Those folks are nice enough to let us stay on their grounds until we decide to pack up and get out, which should be by 9 a.m. or so. So, Day 5. We rolled through Napa County wine country for the morning. What remarkably wonderful scenery. I would probably enjoy it a bit more if I didn't spend so much time with my head down trying to stay on someone's wheel, or simply trying to keep my last meal down. The antibiotics also give me a little acid reflux. But while it sounds like I'm complaining, I'm really enjoying the Tour. I am wearing my road rash like a badge of honor, which to some degree it is. I'm rather proud of myself for continuing on with this ride after crashing. I'm getting used to the pain in my arse, and not just from my road rash. Lets just say my butt's a wee bit tender, too. But back to the riding. We had a pretty quick morning and rolled into the Stag's Leap Winery for lunch well before noon, which was well before most of us were hungry, but we ate anyway, 'cause that's what we do. Oh, and there was wine for us at the winery. I did not partake, because we still had to climb Spring Mountain. But I did have the huge fresh strawberries, which were outstanding. Typically, I was slow and uncomfortable from eating coming out of the lunch stop. Rick Polito and I were dropped from the pace line within a couple miles. But that was fine. We took our time rolling into St. Helena, a really cute little town situated at the foot of Spring Mountain, which is considered the toughest climb on the Tour. It is. Covers about 2,000 feet over four miles, at a really steep grade. But I got my measure of revenge on it, catching Roberto about two-thirds of the way through the climb. Normally I'd say something obnoxious to him on the way past, but I was struggling to just to get air into my lungs, so I kinda grunted. Kinda. It actually sounded a lot like the sounds I was making the whole time up the hill anyway. But it was survivable. The day ended in a rousing downhill toward Santa Rosa. I was a bit tentative going down the backside, not surprisingly. Steve Van Landingham, the Tour directeur sportif, (and Matt's partner - "wife" as Matt calls him), had warned us that Spring Mountain Road was a bit chunky so I wanted to take it a bit easy. But on the last descent into Santa Rosa, on the much smoother Calistoga Road, I let it go a bit, until I caught up to a large truck. Still was able to win the sprint to the Santa Rosa city limits sign handily. But overall, Day 5 was a much more enjoyable day than Day 4, which was just plain uncomfortable. Today will be a joy. Low intensity riding. Oysters and beer along Tomales Bay, and a dinner prepared by the head chef at Slanted Door, a fine restaurant in the City that's hard to get a table at. We've been treated pretty well on this tour. More later. Go to Day 6: Santa Rosa to Olema; 66 miles 
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