A Symphony of Gardens

“A Symphony of Gardens” is the theme for the sixth annual Vallejo Garden Tour, scheduled for Sunday, May 17th from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The tour is a benefit for the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum. Sevens gardens laced with music, gazebos, fountains and shady places, plus a tour of Mare Island’s Alden Park and the historic mansion gardens, hit the high note for the tour this year. From a garden that feels like a walk in the redwoods, to the ultimate outdoor garden dining room, to fabulous garden art, and then some… make this a “don’t miss” event.

At historic Mare Island, costumed docents will serve lemonade, accompanied by period music. A sumptuous buffet luncheon, served between noon and 3:00 at the Museum, is included in the ticket price and Master Gardeners will also be on hand at the Museum to answer questions. In the Museum parking lot, vendors of garden-related products such as garden art, orchids, plants, etc. will offer their products during the hours of the tour. Zoey June Gift and Garden on Tennessee Street will participate in the tour again, offering a variety of interesting home & garden gifts and collectibles, and serving as a pick-up point for tour maps. The 2009 Garden Tour is co-sponsored by the Museum and the City of Vallejo’s Beautification Advisory Commission. Garden Tour chair Joyce Venturini and her committee have been working for a full year to make this event a fabulous showcase for our community.

Tickets for the 2009 Garden Tour are $30 for the general public and $25 for Museum members and are available at the Museum, 734 Marin Street, or at Zoey June, 1426 Tennessee Street. For more information call (707) 643-0077. You can also visit the Museum website at www.vallejomuseum.org or the special Garden Tour site at www.vallejogardentour.com.

Aerial Bicycle Club

The Aerial Bicycle Club was one of several popular bike groups in Vallejo around the turn of the 20^th century. The clubs took bicycle excursions to surrounding communities and held races at the Cyclodrome, which was located near the present day intersection of Georgia Street and Wallace Avenue.

The Aerials eventually built a 14-mile cinder bike path between Napa and Vallejo, complete with wooden bridges over the small streams.

In April, 1896 the Aerials proposed a race between area clubs from Calistoga to Vallejo. The Vallejo Evening Chronicle reported on the planned event:

“The Aerial Bicycle Club are endeavoring to complete arrangements for a fifty mile relay race to take place some time in May. The course proposed is from Calistoga to Vallejo, and the boys are in hopes of having the clubs of Napa and Solano counties represented. Last year an effort was made by the Aerials to have a relay race, but the other riders did not seem anxious to participate in it.

“Sunday Harry Wilson and Ed McGettigan were in Napa getting the views of the Napa cyclists on the matter.

“Should the event come off the road is one that will try the mettle of the riders, who are selected to ride from Napa to Vallejo, but the Aerials are second to none on that particular road and we will expect to see the maroon sweater with the A.B.C. [Aerials Bicycle Club] in the lead.”