Friday, May 29 - Sunday, May 31, 2026

Spend three days exploring Walla Walla’s rolling hills on bicycle among vineyards, orchards and wheatfields. All bikes are welcome! In addition to the stunning scenery, you’ll have the opportunity to sample some of the best wines the Walla Walla Valley has to offer -- including a hyper-local dinner by Top Chef standout Robin Leventhal and featuring wines from Cayuse and Bionic Wines!

A portion of the $800 registration fee will support the Bob Carson Outdoor Fund in giving Whitman students the opportunity to experience all the Outdoor Program has to offer. Read more below about what is included in this 3-day event. More details, including ride routes, will be posted as they are finalized.

Hotel rooms are reserved at the Courtyard by Marriott, and a Whitman rate is available at The Finch. You can find Airbnb options here.

Your Cycling & Wine Committee: Kelly Aicher '92, Blake Bratt '92, Megin Flaherty Edwards '91, Mark Rathbun '91, Matt Smith '83 and Ted Treat

 

Day 1 – Friday, 5/29/26

• Meet on campus before hitting the local roads on a 15-mile ride before returning to campus to relax or catch up at a downtown tasting room.
• All participants will gather in the late afternoon for a wine education and sensory evaluation session.
• Afterwards, enjoy a meal of delicious bites with perfectly paired wines poured by local Whitties in Wine.

Day 2 – Saturday, 5/30/26

• All rides will start and finish at Northstar Winery in the heart of Walla Walla wine country.
• After crushing your ride, you will reunite for a hearty lunch from Whitman's own Blues Bites food truck along with an opportunity to taste with Northstar winery.
• Free time in the mid-afternoon to explore tasting rooms and the bounty of downtown Walla Walla.
• We will meet downtown in the early evening for a one-of-a-kind, hyper-local dinner by Top Chef standout Robin Leventhal, featuring the legendary wines from Cayuse and Bionic Wines. These singular, highly sought after wines will be paired with peak of the season ingredients from the region.
  • About Cayuse:  Christophe Baron grew up among the vineyards and cellars of his family’s Champagne house, Baron Albert. Educated and trained in Champagne and Burgundy, he first came to the Walla Walla Valley in his 20’s as an intern. During a return visit in 1996, he discovered an area littered with cobblestones and the idea for a domaine focused on creating world-class Rhône wines was born. From the very beginning, Christophe farmed organically. In 2002, he became the first in the Walla Walla Valley to implement biodynamic farming. Christophe crushed his first biodynamic fruit in the 2005 vintage and has been using biodynamic farming techniques ever since.
  • A Bonus!  Dinner attendees will have a very special opportunity; Priority access to the Bionic Wines brands, by-passing a multi-year wait for direct access.

Day 3 – Sunday, 5/31/26

• Regroup with friends and fellow riders for coffee, pastries and breakfast burritos on the Brew Pub patio before saying goodbye to Whitman and Walla Walla.