Taste tour, bike ride and expo to be held in Solana Beach Sept. 15-16

Giro de San Diego Bike and Fitness Expo will take over Solana Beach the weekend of Sept. 15-16, with events ranging from a long distance bike ride to a tasting tour of Solana Beach’s finest restaurants.

The Taste of Solana Beach will take place Saturday, Sept. 15, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the event expo, located in the Distillery Parking Lot on the 150 block of South Sierra Avenue, across from the Solana Beach post office. Attendees will be given “passports,” which they carry from restaurant to restaurant and enjoy food and beverage tastings. Participating venues include Parioli Italian Bistro, Woody’s Restaurant, Crush Restaurant and Wine Lounge, Carruth Winery on Cedros, Pizza Port and Lockwood Table Cafe. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 the day of the event.

There will be a number of fitness- and bike-related vendors at the Bike Fest Expo, which will take place Saturday, Sept. 15, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Fletcher Cove in Solana Beach. There will also be tables from political organizations/candidates and a display by the San Diego Heart Gallery, which will feature photos of every child up for adoption in San Diego.

The bike tour, organized by GranFondo Cycling Tours, will offer 106-, 65- and 35-mile road routes, as well as 10- to 30-mile mountain bike routes. The event promises great roads, well-stocked rest stops, beer, a gourmet lunch and a post-ride massage. The road bike event starts at 7 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 16, at San Dieguito Park, with Solana Beach Mayor Joe Kellejian, Deputy Mayor Dave Roberts and Solana Beach Chamber of Commerce representative Daniel Powell leading the ride together on a bicycle built for three.

The mountain bike ride will start at 9 a.m. at Del Dios Community Park in Escondido.

To buy tickets to either event, visit www.girodisandiego.com or www.tasteofsolanabeach.com.